This crossword No. 21989 clues and answers were published on Tue 29 Aug 2000 and the puzzle can be visited by following The Guardian Cryptic Crossword No. 21989 link.
All Across Clues and Answers:
1-across – Noel – and awfully rude butting in – carried drink for historical novelist : ALEXANDREDUMAS
8-across – Brad’s nabs? : NAILS
9-across – Endless Soviet labour camp fenced by stake with spikes : ANGULATE
11-across – Countryman is game, giving up heroin : PEASANT
12-across – Salve! Latin soon takes over the Italian … : LANOLIN
13-across – … therefore concluding Vatican business : ERGON
15-across – What’s Espagnol to one Russian composer is Italien to another : CAPRICCIO
17-across – Paramount, say the majority : UTTERMOST
20-across – Drops off sound draughts : DOSES
21-across – Tandoor cooking, though aromatic, … : ODORANT
23-across – … may be tasteless: dunk one’s naan first, add third spice, then serve up : INSIPID
25-across – Let Gore know it’s not a black tie do : INFORMAL
26-across – It’s comparatively skilful to take head off a header, you say? : ABLER
27-across – Take the garden in hand – refuse to be budged : HOLDONESGROUND
All Down Clues and Answers:
1-down – Purse stealer found in p-prison faced rogue – 7 : ASNAPPERUPOF
2-down – Girl – the last to be embraced by essayist : ELIZA
3-down – Sailor’s instructor has no right to be the one who never gets soaked : ABSTAINER
4-down – It’s brought in by Jack, maybe, and raised over-the-top : DRASTIC
5-down – Not the last to steal up to take horse to drink : EGGFLIP
6-down – Prussian soldier picked up by divisional hussar : UHLAN
7-down – A character in the tale, Lucy’s come to grief backing the car : AUTOLYCUS
10-down – See 1 : UNCONSIDERED
14-down – Stoop to roll up one’s sleeves? : GETDOWNTO
16-down – At one’s wits’ end, dines out with partners : INDESPAIR
18-down – The seat of Empire? : OTTOMAN
19-down – See 1 : TRIFLES
22-down – Audibly state owned? : ALOUD
24-down – Having lost the manual, I persist in holding up the dish : PILAU
This crossword has in total 28 where 14 are across and 14 are down.