Across
1 B (bachelor) + lithe (graceful) = blithe = carefree
4 Anagram (mixing) of “Soy” and “Pasta” = apostasy = heresy
9 Funfair (amusement park) removing f (opening letter) = unfair = not right
10 Eg (for example) + Y and P (first letters - tips of young and parsnip) + tian (earthenware dish) = Egyptian = from Africa
12 Hermitage (museum in st Petersburg); Her (woman’s) + age (time) around (protecting) MIT (US college)
13 Three meanings of Raise = secure (as in raise funding); upgrade (as in make better); recruit (as in raise an army)
14 Anagram (break up) of “Chilean plots” = plain clothes which cops might wear
18 If the security council (of the UN) is policing a territory it is described as UN controlled leading to uncontrolled = wild
21 Pro (favouring) + xy (male chromosome) = proxy = factor (as in agent, deputy etc)
22 Anagram (wound as in twisted) of “I clean out” = inoculate = protect from disease
24 Ensconce = settle in; hidden inside (some of) queENS CONCErt
25 Middle letters of kaDIri alWAys poLIte = diwali an indian festival
26 Ma (mother) inside cot (bed) = comat + ose (first letters of Opening Sleepy Eyes) = comatose = unresponsive
27 New (original) + ton (measure of weight) = Newton = scientist
Down
1 Brush (conflict as in brush with the law) + Ups (good times as in Ups and Downs) = brush ups = quick studies (e.g. I must brush up my French)
2 Internal (private) removing t (tension) = inernal around (grabbing) f (female) = infernal = damnable
3 Remove tot (child) from outside of “the idiot” leaves Heidi
5 Anagram (needs reformation) of “painting to me” = pigmentation = colour
6 Super (great) + her + o (round) = superhero of which the Flash is an example
7 Acidic = sharp; CID (British cops) inside (arrested) AIC i.e. CIA (american agents) reversed (turned up)
8 Y (yankee) + on (working) + der (German for the) = Yonder = some distance away
11 Anagram (wrong) of “coalpit feels” = fall to pieces
15 Nanny (governess) + go at (attack) = nanny goat = one nurturing kids (baby goats)
16 Plea (prayer) + saint (holy one) less i (island) = pleasant = gracious
17 A + noise (sound) + HD (high definition) reversed = adhesion = gripping quality
19 Every second letter (occasionally) of “gasp in silence” = apneic = stopping breathing for a short period
20 Folsom Prison Blues is a record by Johnny Cash
23 EU around (imports) tin (can) reversed (when rising) = unite = make one