This crossword No. 23885 clues and answers were published on Sat 30 Sep 2006 and the puzzle can be visited by following The Guardian Prize Crossword No. 23885 link.
All Across Clues and Answers:
9-across – Alternative practitioner is in love, by the way : HOMEOPATH
10-across – Failure of the cloth : CRASH
11-across – Cyanide fragments? Have one! : NICEDAY
12-across – In the old days – from about 50 million years ago – I once went off round Australia : NEOZOIC
13-across – One preselected as leader of diocese put it first : SEED
14-across – An officer takes a service, maintaining row with corporal etc : ALTARLINEN
15-across – Calm like a wise man keeping posh : ASSUAGE
17-across – Drink in combination : SIDECAR
19-across – Few drinks left here: endure article among churches on car : LASTCHANCE
22-across – Not heavy metal for jazz in concert : ZINC
23-across – Kitchen vessel more or less black and white : PIEDISH
24-across – All-in wrestling admits no fat : LANOLIN
26-across – Gag on the right to draw : RETCH
27-across – Hill goddess detailed to welcome Italian : BENVENUTO
All Down Clues and Answers:
1-down – Fatherland collapsing then? : THINGSFALLAPART
2-down – Money illegal in places : SMACKERS
3-down – See 1 : HOLD
4-down – Service down in the shade : NAVYBLUE
5-down – Turn in crockery, suffering live author of 1 : CHINUA
6-down – Trained – second half of train came first : SCHOOLED
7-down – See 19 : SALOON
8-down – See 1 : THECENTRECANNOT
16-down – Some clues entered correctly that will give illumination : ARCLIGHT
17-down – The poet seems to be a mammal : SUCKLING
18-down – Kite gets boor to relax : CHILLOUT
20-down – Hot work of W. Yeats : SWEATY
21-down – See 5 : ACHEBE
25-down – Want change of polarity in 13 : NEED
This crossword has in total 28 where 14 are across and 14 are down.