Special, Sunday 07 Jan 2018, IXL-2017 On stage Finals

Four answers per commenter One from 13x13 and Three from 15x15 (Annotations compulsory) till 6 PM.

Please provide all your answers in one comment.

13x13 CW

Note to solvers: A “letter bank” is a word or phrase with no repeated letters that provides the material for a longer word or phrase containing each letter of the “bank” at least once. For example, MOTHER is a letter bank for THERMOMETER, and FRACTIONS is a letter bank for SAINT FRANCIS OF ASSISI. Two clues in this 13x13 CW have a letter bank.

ACROSS

1   Hairy hands grabbing knight pieces from a chess set (5)

4   Back tomorrow in Rome carrying nothing, showing irritation (2,1,4)

8   Weak characters from Istanbul can provide it (13)

9   Distinctive hard water in swimming pool regimen in retreat (7)

10 Avoid bit of racism in comedy routine (5)

11 Live and die in erstwhile kind of school (9)

15 Speaker’s advertised weightlifter’s concern (5)

17 Artillerymen embraced by every head of Egyptian canal problem (7)

19 Take as needed from hostile, sharp-looking footwear? (8,5)

20 Extremely dodgy, mean-spirited family rule (7)

21 Not any map location reflected gas emanating from hot springs (5)

DOWN

1   Father attempts to open front of trousers (6)

2   Refuse tailor’s measurement by the ear (5)

3   Inspiring awe under a fruit tree? (7)

4   Using cleverness, pair of Indians report with patience about India (13)

5   First off, torments female relatives (5)

6   Rock like a sheep eating large piece of ivy (7)

7   Some BSP members initially drew a line in the sand (6)

11 Ultimately, Gestapo firmly hold point of view (7)

12 Tore up the wrong church's vestibule (7)

13 Lowered, as into a cot or bunk (6)

14 Sane or crazy motive (6)

16 Curvaceous figure beneath doctor outfit (5)

18 Cold and thin, like a whistle? (5)

Across Lite version can be accessed at ON STAGE 13x13

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15x15 CW

ACROSS

1   Associate away from the office is disrupted by staff with a restaurant deal (3,3,3,3)

9   Aquatic rodent, shyly hesitant, that smells bad (5)

10 Engineer venting about Tuesday casino game (5-2-2)

11 North America expressed disgust with rank more likely to be reprimanded (9)

12 African army member flanked by couple from Burundi (5)

13 Publishes one children’s author in recession (6)

15 Record includes a victory winning coveted trophy (5,3)

17 One tested empty chopper, going back around blasting site (8)

19 After getting rid of rash, archbishop breaks down, irrationally afraid (6)

22 State a physics concept the wrong way (5)

23 Black diamond roughly tossed on board (9)

25 Flashes fifty-one thousand dollars before taking back good Beethoven symphony (9)

26 Tolerates zoo attractions (5)

27 Competing objective guarding jailbird (2,10)

DOWN

2   80% of 3-Down contributed to the Spanish floor plans (7)

3   Crossword competitor next to the short teenager (5)

4   Reveal Nevada occupies elevated place (6)

5   Odd Bellini opera set in murky lab (8)

6   Found knife resting in condiment without lid (9)

7   Local movement hosts The Thing, an Oscar-winning movie (7) 

8   Cursed debts after popular Australian film (12)

9   Great guy grabs onside player’s rear (12)

14 Cryptic ace timing cryptic (9)

16 Omitting bits, obstetrician changed response (8)

18 It gets thrown with aggression as one gets older in retirement? (7)

20 Opposing commotion after supporter feigned courage (7)

21 City radius replaces epidemic’s line (6)

24 Circular path? Brother hiked it (5)

Across Lite version can be accessed at ON STAGE 15x15

Enjoy.