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Another stinker.

22a) Without retreating, ice spar affected water conservation method (9) **R***A*E

22d) 80-per-cent initial reduction in mortgage, perhaps, key figures having supposedly fallen (5) **A**

22a XERISCAPE -

Without = EX (retreating = XE + anag. of Ice + Spar

22d XOANA

Thanks to both.

XERISCOPE isn't in the BRB!!

Sorry - XERISCAPE

Last two.

27a) Patron of poetry's retired to cut a piece of verse (8) A*O*****

21d) One to rope in for cycling no longer free (6) *S*O**

21d ASSOIL - I + LASSO cycling/anagram

27a apolline lop reversed inside a line

Thanks, brendan - tough even by Monthly Special standards

...which gives me APOLLINE for 27 - just parsed it!!