This crossword No. 9587 clues and answers were published on Wed 24 Jan 2001 and the puzzle can be visited by following The Guardian Quick Crossword No. 9587 link.
All Across Clues and Answers:
1-across – Item of laboratory equipment : TESTTUBE
5-across – Shell-less mollusc ? bullet : SLUG
9-across – Metallic sound : CLANG
10-across – Burnt sugar : CARAMEL
11-across – No longer pure : CONTAMINATED
13-across – Most recent : LATEST
14-across – Small, dominant political group : CAUCUS
17-across – Another try : SECONDCHANCE
20-across – Bereaved man : WIDOWER
21-across – Beast related to giraffe : OKAPI
22-across – : RITE
23-across – Exhausted ? useless person : DEADBEAT
All Down Clues and Answers:
1-down – Fold ? food : TUCK
2-down – Coastal town with harbour : SEAPORT
3-down – Very inebriated : TIGHTASANOWL
4-down – Grow to be : BECOME
6-down – Term : LIMIT
7-down – Precious powder : GOLDDUST
8-down – Very inebriated : DRUNKASALORD
12-down – Conflict in Marxist theory : CLASSWAR
15-down – Plume on hat as badge : COCKADE
16-down – Uncommon : SCARCE
18-down – Officer in training : CADET
19-down – Main idea : GIST
This crossword has in total 24 where 12 are across and 12 are down.