This crossword No. 21884 clues and answers were published on Fri 28 Apr 2000 and the puzzle can be visited by following The Guardian Cryptic Crossword No. 21884 link.
All Across Clues and Answers:
8-across – Backsliding, rumoured to hold Scripture in scorn : DERISION
9-across – Solver’s penetrated the Spanish alcohol base : ETHYL
10-across – No point, darling : LOVE
11-across – Big break for Roman Stoic : ASTRONOMIC
12-across – Concluding remark in central body : CORPSE
14-across – Excessive force putting band round racket : GRINDING
15-across – Is 10 dead, being cut off? : ISOLATE
17-across – Graduate to pierce scales : BALANCE
20-across – Silver and jade, like Yeatsian midnight : AGLIMMER
22-across – Endlessly lusting for something rude : INSULT
23-across – Having control over prose, hid it away : EDITORSHIP
24-across – Point to boring routine – Return To Go : TURN
25-across – 2 24 across’s 6 to 8, Our 10s into 12s or ____ : WIVES
26-across – Nation eating national food : RACLETTE
All Down Clues and Answers:
1-down – Silly moo in 10 proves spiteful : VENOMOUS
2-down – Spell occasion : TIME
3-down – Outlaw dish containing vermin : PIRATE
4-down – One keeping male in view : ONSTAGE
5-down – Cooking oil means food : SEMOLINA
6-down – Hold steady for an allegedly good 2 : THEOLDDAYS
7-down – Britain sets charge on holy vestment : ALBION
13-down – Soothing parent in person about to follow up : PALLIATIVE
16-down – French husband going into labour produces plant : TAMARISK
18-down – Pace of heartless star : CELERITY
19-down – Man brought in to carry out shooting : ARCHERY
21-down – Mosaic injunction to Eastern warehouse? : GODOWN
22-down – Blow to make brat behave : IMPACT
24-down – Dainty little junction ahead : TWEE
This crossword has in total 28 where 14 are across and 14 are down.