The Guardian Cryptic Answers - Thursday, 17th December 2009 There are 15 across clues and 14 down clues for the The Guardian Cryptic crossword on Thursday, 17th December 2009. View the answers below.. Also try..All The Guardian Cryptic AnswersAll PublicationsThe AnswersNumber# Clue Answer AAcross 1: Penny steered badly when driven round the bend and …PESTEREDAAcross 5: … pressure has Don also going round the bendDURESSAAcross 9: Bird to move slowly? What about that?WHINCHATAAcross 10: Cortes prepared duckSCOTERAAcross 12: Old comic welcomed on the golf courseEAGLEAAcross 13: Lose a sense of proportion when soldiers tuck into hamOVERREACTAAcross 14: Bachelor says bed companion is sweetBUTTERSCOTCHAAcross 18: Is East in time for puzzle?DISORIENTATEAAcross 21: Search through swamp in North AfricaMARRAKESHAAcross 23: Vermin in doctor's practiceMOUSEAAcross 24: Guarantee rebuke when scratching headENSUREAAcross 25: Accommodation for pub fittingsBARRACKSAAcross 26: Worn down journalist travelled insideERODEDAAcross 27: Catch the eye of porter grabbing joinerSTAND OUTAAcross 27: Catch the eye of porter grabbing joinerSTANDOUTDDown 1: Brave unclePAWNEEDDown 2: Mean to irritate youth leaderSTINGYDDown 3: Former draughtsman in the TreasuryEXCHEQUERDDown 4: Greek scholar in Muse's former quartersERATOSTHENESDDown 6: Awfully cruel medical conditionULCERDDown 7: Trace ten gone astray in the intervalENTR'ACTEDDown 8: Throw up in pigpen that's extendableSTRETCHYDDown 11: Rate the Torah badly in private discussionHEART-TO-HEARTDDown 15: Boat in a river in CanadaCATAMARANDDown 16: Confine to bed in A&E? That's novel!ADAMBEDEDDown 17: Bridge opponents demand round of coffeeESPRESSODDown 19: Sister caught with one old ambassadorNUNCIODDown 20: Ridicule the regional tablewareTEA SETDDown 22: Give consent in Gretna GreenAGREE