The Guardian Cryptic Answers - Thursday, 23rd May 2002 There are 16 across clues and 14 down clues for the The Guardian Cryptic crossword on Thursday, 23rd May 2002. View the answers below.. Also try..All The Guardian Cryptic AnswersAll PublicationsThe AnswersNumber# Clue Answer AAcross 1: Dicky loved PE and what it enabled him to doDEVELOPAAcross 5: Disgusting bones scattered round the churchOBSCENEAAcross 9: Strength said to be found in one old dictatorMUSSOLINIAAcross 10: Reported serial attacker captured by the QueenERGOTAAcross 11: Routine is hard for a womanRUTHAAcross 12: Beak spoils tart's imageMAGISTRATEAAcross 14: Musical heard in the countryGREECEAAcross 15: Round the Cape and turn in lateOVERDUEAAcross 16: 14's money once grabbed by landlord - Rachman, for exampleDRACHMAAAcross 18: Tories could be on the attackSORTIEAAcross 20: Horse-breaker, so to speak, delays proceedingsFILIBUSTERAAcross 21: Bones with great sex appealOSSAAAcross 24: Write off article from periodicalANNULAAcross 25: Cigar rolled in holy assembly of ruling cliqueOLIGARCHYAAcross 26: Playwright is very nearly crossTRAVERSAAcross 27: Hollow cavities put to evil purposesSINUSESDDown 1: Hesitate to promote queer journalistDEMURDDown 2: New arrival is "in vitro", perhapsVISITORDDown 3: Sale item brings in nothing but moneyLOOTDDown 4: Soldier on leave is no programmed item on Radio 3PRIVATEPASSIONSDDown 5: Theory of precision goes, if mutation occursORIGINOFSPECIESDDown 6: Favourite soft centre?SWEETHEARTDDown 7: Antelope is no good out of the countryENGLANDDDown 8: Way out, way out - one going out with a soldierEXTREMEDDown 13: Shield able to provide little coverDESHABILLEDDown 16: One fed up with worker being bolshieDEFIANTDDown 17: Article dropped by runner in GeorgiaATLANTADDown 19: Creatures of trendy religious groupsINSECTSDDown 22: Something deep Neddy's taken byABYSSDDown 23: Creep on four legsFAWN