This crossword No. 28624 clues and answers were published on Thu 09 Dec 2021 and the puzzle can be visited by following The Guardian Cryptic Crossword No. 28624 link.
All Across Clues and Answers:
9-across – Composer didn’t have ‘unfinished’, with end of symphony penned : HAYDN
10-across – Bird or insect beside plant stem : CORMORANT
11-across – Sham flier heading north in gannet, acting like magpie? : PILFERING
12-across – Under spruce, hole’s opening : NEATH
13-across – Shag explorer lying back, commander : TOBACCO
15-across – Rogue payment in the news : CURRENT
17-across – Squawk by old bird, though not old bird! : MACAW
18-across – Money returned — woof! : YAP
20-across – Bird — tit : BOOBY
22-across – Terrible fear in turkey, seeing gull : DEFRAUD
25-across – Swallow against birds flying west : CONSUME
26-across – About right, brief idea for currency : FRANC
27-across – Shake tree, perhaps, where there’s cuckoo I feed a lot : DEFOLIATE
30-across – Birds in tree almost caught by dogs : COCKERELS
31-across – More than one bird rises up, it’s said? : RHEAS
All Down Clues and Answers:
1-down – See 7 : CHOP
2-down – Novel is by all contributors initially referring to language unit : SYLLABIC
3-down – Queen caught by pelican, neatly : ANNE
4-down – Venom bound to stuff a bunny : ACRIMONY
5-down – Unfortunate scrap defended by jerk : TRAGIC
6-down – Bird after song for competition : ROUNDROBIN
7-down – Controlled strike at parrot in windy park : KARATE
8-down – Ultimate characters seen in the magnificent Coptic church make an impression : ETCH
13-down – Corporation documents, puffed up : TUMID
14-down – Contract secured by quail for device used on American rails : COWCATCHER
16-down – Herb has heard bird : THYME
19-down – Dove, one perched on hand after uplifting eclipse : PACIFIST
21-down – Laud vet following surgery after duck produced eggs : OVULATED
23-down – Leader of Conservatives in bumbling oaf is humiliating disaster : FIASCO
24-down – Cook cooks old birds : DODOES
26-down – Bottom on turf, great tackle : FACE
28-down – Bird laugh : LARK
29-down – Some fugitive, as yet loose : EASY
This crossword has in total 33 where 15 are across and 18 are down.