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This is a three-dimensional cryptic crossword. The seven squares represent the layers of a $7\times7\times7$ cube. The clues are a mix of Printer's Devilry and normal cryptic clues.

Across
13. While offense may be overlooked, repeat offenders will be banned (7)
14. The guard started to ring the alarm (7)
15. Stuffing into a stereo appliance (7)
19. A surprisingly mature beginner (7)
20. A spit fed on the runway (7)
21. Street next to singer Blunt's orange property (2 5)
25. Which of thesis well with fish? (7)
26. View screen shot extremely closely (7)
27. For the first time, a son's two local teams reached the finals (7)

Down
10. Tropical island gathering (7)
11. Ugly pose – apply support (7)
12. Earning disturbed with intent to harm (2 5)
16. Middle East native's unstable airtime (7)
17. He heard some chapel a table story (7)
18. Not taking beginners in silent band (7)
22. The company's products in clued candles (7)
23. Canine bathhouse attracts horrible line (7)
24. Fierce female's time for initial discussion to go off topic (7)

Away
1. Painter to suddenly turn around, having ruined major event's introductions (7)
2. Oilstone regularly contains finest variant of element (7)
3. Essential metal extracted from almost offensive hormone (7)
4. No back route, proceeding as planned (2 5)
5. A car holds freight items securely in place (7)
6. Enslaved leftists behind near-broken trap (7)
7. Standard top rating for leading example of Canadian cuisine (7)
8. Embarrassed to stash a medicine sample (7)
9. Laud herself into her seat (7)

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  • $\begingroup$ Still having problems visualizing the cube. If I assume 1 is "ABCDEFG", does the "B" go at the intersection of 10 and 13, and the "D" at 16, 19? $\endgroup$
    – Chris Cudmore
    Jul 30, 2019 at 13:34
  • $\begingroup$ Are you certain that 17d is correct? (I expect it is, but I'm having difficulty seeing past a not-quite-solution to it and would be glad of confirmation that I really should.) $\endgroup$
    – Gareth McCaughan ♦
    Jul 30, 2019 at 13:35
  • $\begingroup$ @ChrisCudmore Yeah, that's correct. The first letters of the answers go in layer #1. $\endgroup$
    – Jafe
    Jul 30, 2019 at 13:40
  • $\begingroup$ @GarethMcCaughan Hmm maybe I'm missing something, but I don't see anything obviously wrong. That said it's my first time writing this type of clues so it's definitely possible I've made some mistake... $\endgroup$
    – Jafe
    Jul 30, 2019 at 13:43
  • $\begingroup$ Ah, no, the error is mine. It's fine. $\endgroup$
    – Gareth McCaughan ♦
    Jul 30, 2019 at 13:44

2 Answers 2

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12
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Filled grid:

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Brief explanations:

Across

13. While offense may be overlooked, repeat offenders will be banned (7)

pd: while a single offense ... (NB while != while)

14. The guard started to ring the alarm (7)

pd: ... to run, sounding ...

15. Stuffing into a stereo appliance (7)

cryptic: substring of clue

19. A surprisingly mature beginner (7)

cryptic: A + MATURE*

20. A spit fed on the runway (7)

pd: a spitfire landed on the runway

21. Street next to singer Blunt's orange property (2 5)

cryptic: ST JAMES (think Monopoly)

25. Which of thesis well with fish? (7)

pd: which of the sides pairs well ...

26. View screen shot extremely closely (7)

cryptic: SCREEN* + (closel)Y

27. For the first time, a son's two local teams reached the finals (7)

pd: ... in ten seasons ...

Down

10. Tropical island gathering (7)

cryptic: double def

11. Ugly pose – apply support (7)

cryptic: POSE* + USE

12. Earning disturbed with intent to harm (2 5)

cryptic: EARNING*

16. Middle East native's unstable airtime (7)

cryptic: AIRTIME*

17. He heard some chapel a table story (7)

pd: ... some chaps tell a relatable story

18. Not taking beginners in silent band (7)

cryptic: NT in QUIET

22. The company's products in clued candles (7)

pd: ... include scented candles

23. Canine bathhouse attracts horrible line (7)

cryptic: SPA + LINE*

24. Fierce female's time for initial discussion to go off topic (7)

cryptic: DIGRESS with T for D

Away

1. Painter to suddenly turn around, having ruined major event's introductions (7)

cryptic: VEER contains R(uined)M(ajor)E(event)

2. Oilstone regularly contains finest variant of element (7)

cryptic: (o)I(l)S(t)O(n)E contains TOP

3. Essential metal extracted from almost offensive hormone (7)

cryptic: (me)T(al) removed from INSULTIN(g)

4. No back route, proceeding as planned (2 5)

cryptic: NO< + TRACK

5. A car holds freight items securely in place (7)

pd: A cargo sling holds ...

6. Enslaved leftists behind near-broken trap (7)

cryptic: ENS(laved) behind NEAR*

7. Standard top rating for leading example of Canadian cuisine (7)

cryptic: POUTINE with R(ating) instead of its leading letter

8. Embarrassed to stash a medicine sample (7)

cryptic: substring of clue

9. Laud herself into her seat (7)

pd: Laurel eased herself ...

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  • $\begingroup$ Nice job! I think #24 has a typo in the grid (the answer's supposed to be the T word). #14 is not an anagram, although maybe I have misused the indicator in that one. "Stuffing of..." or "...'s stuffing" would maybe have made more sense? $\endgroup$
    – Jafe
    Jul 30, 2019 at 15:13
  • $\begingroup$ I think you mean 15, not 14... rot13(va_gb n fgre_rb) I'm not sure I like "stuffing" as the indicator. Stuff or Stuffed would be better. $\endgroup$
    – Chris Cudmore
    Jul 30, 2019 at 18:20
  • $\begingroup$ Whoops, yes, typo in 24. For some reason I was initially convinced it was going to be the other one, and clearly I still had that in my head when I put the answer in :-). I'm not quite sure how I convinced myself that 15 was an anagram, since the anagram doesn't in fact work. Will fix. $\endgroup$
    – Gareth McCaughan ♦
    Jul 30, 2019 at 18:34
  • $\begingroup$ Could you make the inserted word bold in the PD clues? $\endgroup$
    – Scratch---Cat
    Aug 5, 2019 at 11:50
  • $\begingroup$ That's a good idea. Will do. [EDITED to add:] Now done. $\endgroup$
    – Gareth McCaughan ♦
    Aug 5, 2019 at 16:20
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Here are some clearer explanations for some of the clues:

CAUTION: This post may contain spoilers or Wikipedia links.

  1. (not sure yet)

  2. Oilstone regularly contains finest variant of element (7)

    ISOTOPE ([def] variant of element; oIlStOpE contains TOP =finest )

  3. Essential metal extracted from almost offensive hormone (7)

    INSULIN ([def] hormone ; meTal removed from INSULTINg)

  4. No back route, proceeding as planned (2 5)

    ON TRACK ([def] proceeding as planned; NO backwards + TRACK for route)
    SUGGESTION: Use (2,5) instead of (2 5).

  5. A car holds freight items securely in place (7)

    GOSLING ( as in: A carGO SLING holds freight items securely in place )

  6. (not sure yet)

  7. Standard top rating for leading example of Canadian cuisine (7)

    ROUTINE ([def] Standard; Rating takes the beginning of pOUTINE )

  8. Embarrassed to stash a medicine sample (7)

    ASHAMED ([def] Embarrassed; stASH A MEDicine)

  9. Laud herself into her seat (7)

    RELEASE ( as in: LauREL EASEd herself into her seat )

  10. (not sure yet)

  11. (not sure yet)

  12. (not sure yet)

  13. While offense may be overlooked, repeat offenders will be banned (7)

    ASINGLE (not sure yet, as in: While A SINGLE offense may be overlooked, repeat offenders will be banned )
    NOTE: Sorry, our dictionary says that "ASINGLE" is not a word.

  14. The guard started to ring the alarm (7)

    UNSOUND ( as in: The guard started to rUN, SOUNDing the alarm )

  15. Stuffing into a stereo appliance (7)

    TOASTER ([def] appliance; inTO A STEReo)

  16. (not sure yet)

  17. He heard some chapel a table story (7)

    STELLAR (not sure yet, as in: He heard some chap STELLA Rel-a-table story )

  18. Not taking beginners in silent band (7)

    QUINTET ([def] band; Not Taking in QUIET for silent)

  19. A surprisingly mature beginner (7)

    AMATEUR ([def] beginner; A + MATURE scrambled)

  20. A spit fed on the runway (7)

    IRELAND ( as in: A spit fIRE LANDed on the runway )

  21. Street next to singer Blunt's orange property (2 5)

    ST JAMES ( not sure yet; ST for Street)

  22. The company's products in clued candles (7)

    DESCENT ( as in: The company's products in-cluDE SCENTed candles )

  23. (not sure yet)

  24. Fierce female's time for initial discussion to go off topic (7)

    TIGRESS ([def] Fierce female; Time takes Discussion of DIGRESS for "to go off topic")

  25. Which of thesis well with fish? (7)

    DESPAIR ( as in: Which of the_siDES PAIRs well with fish? )

  26. View screen shot extremely closely (7)

    SCENERY ([def] View; SCREEN scrambled before closelY)

  27. For the first time, a son's two local teams reached the finals (7)

    INTENSE ( as in: For the first time, IN TEN SEa-sons two local teams reached the finals )

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