This crossword No. 22778 clues and answers were published on Fri 14 Mar 2003 and the puzzle can be visited by following The Guardian Cryptic Crossword No. 22778 link.
All Across Clues and Answers:
1-across – Fails to catch girls : MISSES
5-across – Cruel slaughter at service area : MASSACRE
9-across – Hostile state? I’m in one anyhow first! : INIMICAL
10-across – Junction in electricity supply service : MATINS
11-across – Free hand to trace wandering girl : CARTEBLANCHE
13-across – Long-distance call in the shower : HAIL
14-across – Turns round in foreign city and abandons all restraint : RUNSRIOT
17-across – Triumphantly wave cereal bowl : BRANDISH
18-across – Italian magistrate has to follow direction : DOGE
20-across – Wire reins do vary internally quite a lot : CONSIDERABLE
23-across – Class of lungfish in one’s pond for a change : DIPNOI
24-across – One supervising love poetry to Queen : OVERSEER
25-across – Appeal for reconciliation put at risk? : ENDANGER
26-across – Fox led astray by child’s gait : TODDLE
All Down Clues and Answers:
2-down – No change in first-class return to island : IONA
3-down – Stop Colin with some fudge : SEMICOLON
4-down – Positive about city being safe : SECURE
5-down – Hide fruit first for use once in Normandy : MULBERRYHARBOUR
6-down – Girl taking doctor in something for making pudding : SEMOLINA
7-down – Historian told to continue performing : ACTON
8-down – Wound at rehearsal : RUNTHROUGH
12-down – Lothario in trouble for oiling the locks : HAIRLOTION
15-down – Remedied by changed attire : REDRESSED
16-down – Fire wood of the sort Erica gets : KINDLING
19-down – Refuse assent in the end : OBJECT
21-down – Shrub raised by girls : SENNA
22-down – Tumbled down hill : FELL
This crossword has in total 27 where 14 are across and 13 are down.