The clue for RANK made me realize that ranks and files are partners both in chess (where a rank is a row and a file is a column) and in the expression rank-and-file! I wonder which was intended (and whether those things are related).
I actually thought about both of these phrases when creating the puzzle and I'm glad someone else recognized the connection! my own speculation is that chess has a lot of military/defense references, and I think we call chess columns and rows "ranks" and "files" because of the origins in military formations or even parades. thanks for your comment!