Both the CWs used in the Preliminary round of the IXL finals are being posted today.
5 answers per commenter taking 2 from the 13x13 CW and 3 from the 15x15 CW. Annotations are to be compulsorily provided. As far as possible please provide all your answers in two comments 2 in one and 3 in the other.
As a matter of academic interest please also indicate the combined time taken by you to complete both. The time taken by the first finisher at the IXL was 32 minutes.
After 6 PM anyone can post the answers to the leftover clues if any.
PRELIM 13x13 by Mr Vivek Singh
ACROSS
1 Con carrier with a change of heart (5)
7 Stay dues computed after Mondays (8)
8 Tulsi leaf-tip conversion to tonic base is fundamental (5)
10 Falsehood engineer covered up with Bibi's decoration (10)
12 Narrowing down after second attempt at Orangutan's circle (8)
14 Partaking of tiger safari from a distance (4)
16 Old state Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi got back partially (4)
17 Charge on the principal? Appeal (8)
20 Children's favourite can't shuttle if left between part of Africa and Australia (5,5)
23 Plane crashed in the Himalayas (5)
24 Peculiar statement of condition by in-charge with deformed pecs (8)
25 The gutless examinee initially was embraced by senior guide (5)
DOWN
1 Permit flap on top of computer (6)
2 Stylish swindler spares the other half (4)
3 Set fire to second-rate container (4)
4 Alien confronted by fool isn't a liability (5)
5 Contented on weekend, is one having food outside? (9)
6 Shylock, perhaps, was certain sitting in the old city (6)
9 Amulet Grace is a left-out (5)
11 Recruited a sharp head-postman earlier (9)
13 Sister has nobody to listen to (3)
15 If it's well, work is half done? (5)
16 Help and idiot first (6)
18 Loftier than the towering queen (6)
19 Legal relief for arrested head of steel plant (5)
21 Tony lost top abode (4)
22 A group outside the Bench (4)
Across Lite version of the 13x13 can be accessed at PRELIM 13x13
PRELIM 15x15 by C.G. Rishikesh
ACROSS
1 Command marriage partner to secrete exotic set (8)
5 Appear suddenly as a growth in the farmer's field, perhaps (4,2)
10 Element twisted in coils (7)
11 Better to get the little devil to wander off (7)
12 Led out of shrunken city (5)
13 Delay security structure for prison,maybe (9)
14 Wearing glasses, eye candy is in bed (12)
18 Straw men and girl involved in a test of strength (3-9)
21 Not secret, hardline deposition (9)
23 Solver, this is not present in age (5)
24 Rise in a scramble with girl - strike off again (7)
25 Lift bigwig online overwhelmed by Venee without limits (7)
26 Big noise created by shady business (6)
27 Expertly taking in setback of military eatery's diet (8)
DOWN
1 Hamper wickerwork (6)
2 Indian party's quick blow creates sensation (6)
3 Storyteller: "Artist's cheat. True/False?" (9)
4 Hand is stretched for father's attempts in confectionery (6,8)
6 Coin from Europe lost nothing in exchange (5)
7 Investigation about a lawyer is likely to happen (8)
8 Leave out chapter in introduction (8)
9 These people argue for separation of union (7,7)
15 Anyone can be in such a way as to be a nuisance (9)
16 One who toils in a testing place with timeless traveller (8)
17 I tend to forget unusual names I see around Asia (8)
19 26 made by a rhyming pair (6)
20 Asthmatic's cry as last two letters bounce back (6)
22 Discrimination of son in British Museum (5)
Across Lite version of the 15x15 can be accessed at
PRELIM 15x15
Enjoy.
