No 12659, Saturday 22 Jun 2019, Hypatia

Across

1. Looks thoroughly exhausted chasing boyfriend (6) BEAUTY {BEAU}{ThoroughlY}
4. Take no notice of Italian, scratching head (6) IGNORE {sIGNORE}
9. Small lapse in performance, primarily (4) SLIP Acrostic &lit
10. Spooner's bookie, say improves (4,6) GETS BETTER {(-b+G)ETS (-g+B)ETTER}
11. Peacekeeper, nearing main Libyan capital was not close (6) UNSEAL {UN}{SEA}}Libyan}
12. Clues like this featured in the French game (8) LACROSSE {L{ACROSS}E}
13. Players, in front of Chappell, perhaps had to separate (9) SEGREGATE {SE}{GREG}{ATE}
15. Leave shed (4) DROP (DD)
16. Hypatia is following tips from paper, to be precise (4) PRIM {PapeR}{I'M}
17. They divide some group or tier especially (9) PORTIERES (T)
21. Chat counter (8) CONVERSE (DD)
22. Hear fifty's where it gets better? (6) LISTEN {L}{IS}{TEN}?
24. Criminal led all in by path with no way out (5,5) BLIND ALLEY {LED+ALL+IN+BY*}
25. Say, Yogi's // stand (4) BEAR (DD)
26. Sound of Arabian city's old weapon (6) MUSKET {~MUSCAT}
27. Hold that man in heart (6) COHERE {CO{HE}RE}

Down

1. Assess Cain and Abel's struggle with self-sacrifice (7) BALANCE {CAiN+ABEL*}
2. Unrestricted pilot lost direction (5) AMPLE {sAMPLE}
3. Girl spreading butter from below tongue? (7) TAGALOG {TA{GAL}OG<=}
5. Government advocate took nothing in return (2,4) GO BACK {G{O} BACK}
6. Get work done from someone else? Of Course! (9) OUTSOURCE  Reverse Anagram of {COURSE}
7. First lady ordering spun ties (5,2) EVENS UP  {EVE}{SPUN*}
8. They raise many girls? (8,5) STILETTO HEELS (CD)
14. Again pioneers brake in front of expresses (9) REINVENTS {REIN}{VENTS}
16. Challenge for boy loathing elementary math for beginners (7) PROBLEM {PRO}{Boy}{Loathing}{Elementary}{Math}
18. Most of the moose essentially picked up friend's hunting call (5-2) TALLY-HO {T{ALLY}He moOse}
19. Team nearly choking at lift (7) ELEVATE {ELEV{AT}En}
20. Make secretary try this line (6) CREASE {SECRETARY-TRY*}
23. Lifted copper based fencing sword (5) SABRE (T<=)

Reference List

Peacekeeper=UN, The French=Le, Players=SE, Fifty=L, That man=He
Self=I, Direction=S, Government=G, Nothing=O, First lady=Eve

Colour/Font Scheme

Definition, Solution, Component letters, Embedded links, Theme word,  Anagram Indicator, C/C indicator, Reversal Indicator, Hidden word Indicator, Letter Pick indicator, Deletion Indicator, Homophone Indicator, Movement Indicator, Positional Indicator, Substitution, Indicator, Link/Connector, Extraneous

GRID