This crossword No. 23879 clues and answers were published on Sat 23 Sep 2006 and the puzzle can be visited by following The Guardian Prize Crossword No. 23879 link.
All Across Clues and Answers:
1-across – Take MI5 literally at first, which is wrong : MISTAKE
5-across – Academic department is defective without starting course : FACULTY
9-across – Cash, whereof a little is needed in inducement : LUCRE
10-across – Jagger’s monument? : HEADSTONE
11-across – Rough description of government claim? Bosh! : SHAMBOLIC
12-across – Built up, they say, but actually the reverse : RASED
13-across – An old soldier abroad is in the hunt for spoil, unless restrained : POILU
15-across – One able to stretch tales more wildly … : ELASTOMER
18-across – … once named over being too cocky … : CONCEITED
19-across – … as Yugoslavia did in Croatia? : SPLIT
21-across – Biblical character, one rejected by church : ENOCH
23-across – Established state belonging to France : PROVENCAL
25-across – Gore with god’s backing is able to find a way in the Middle East : SUEZCANAL
26-across – Man’s given time for robbery : HEIST
27-across – Ring from alien after yearly article is dropped : ANNULET
28-across – Church regretful about witchcraft : SORCERY
All Down Clues and Answers:
1-down – Softy types in shaggy hair : MILKSOP
2-down – Cartesian settlement of religious differences : SECTARIAN
3-down – Bitter maple, a little bit : ACERB
4-down – 24, taking belt, troubled old king : ETHELBERT
5-down – Currency no longer has honest sound : FRANC
6-down – What Equity achieves stops future generations : CASTRATES
7-down – Plunders a little treasure in battle : LOOTS
8-down – His delivery may be 5 short : YIELDER
14-down – Other clue than I set is not cricket : UNETHICAL
16-down – Leo’s friend also has about 100 parts : ANDROCLES
17-down – Prophet taking note of mineral : MALACHITE
18-down – Soccer team from Cinque Port lacking victory : CHELSEA
20-down – Writer of trifle containing lost letters : TOLSTOY
22-down – Do overtime at the pictures : ODEON
23-down – Wine brought round in a large measure : PINOT
24-down – One missing from a choice of two can put you out : ETHER
This crossword has in total 32 where 16 are across and 16 are down.