This crossword No. 23855 clues and answers were published on Sat 26 Aug 2006 and the puzzle can be visited by following The Guardian Prize Crossword No. 23855 link.
All Across Clues and Answers:
9-across – Pleasant air has little – very little – sent back with grains in it : SWEETNESSANDLIGHT
12-across – White part of joint originates inferior performer : HAMFAT
13-across – Bad luck being held by doctrinaire? : HARDLINES
14-across – Bribe on board : DASH
15-across – Bird’s report of 32 writer with Somerville : ALBATROSS
16-across – Rain indoors? : CATSANDDOGS
18-across – Writer with state reportedly more veiny : PENCIL
20-across – Araucaria’s … not so young as he’d like you to think? : IMAGE
21-across – Alien beast backed to make sheets : LAMINATE
23-across – Ratings show displeasure at pack : LOWERDECK
25-across – Assent for a second, in cargo boat several months : AYEARORSO
26-across – Fawn who had ministry arranged – just DIY job? : WITHMYOWN
28-across – See 26 : FAIRHANDS
30-across – Strongly suggestive of expenditure swallowing income : REDOLENT
31-across – Way in which partner is cut to the quick : SWIFT
32-across – Hall bachelor enters with his eyes open : ALBERT
34-across – Windows file hard to decipher after lethal effect of large crowd? : ALLTHEWORLD
36-across – Getting on when bird is off? : NOCHICKEN
39-across – Piece of garden for English writer : BEDE
40-across – Symbol erected to speed by the French : TOTEMPOLE
41-across – Game set and band : RUBBER
42-across – 36 grown out of diet extravaganza and cross about it : WRONGSIDEOFTHIRTY
All Down Clues and Answers:
1-down – Craft now used for piece that’s obsolete in the first place : TWOFRANC
2-down – Writer’s right : DEXTER
3-down – See 34 : ANDHISWIFE
4-down – Take over the Guardian, former city page : USURP
5-down – A whole new one often, but is it cricket? : BALLGAME
6-down – Labour lord, Tory butterfly : ADONISBLUE
7-down – Premier writer with Scottish county name : WILSON
8-down – One rode a horse and the other _____ : RHODODENDRON
10-down – Familiar precipitation descended with painful sound to spring on police : HAILFELLOWWELLMET
11-down – It’s good to see work of art without regret: I must leave evening party by agreement : ASIGHTFORSOREEYES
17-down – Writer making aristocracy fashionable? : RANKIN
19-down – Western town has telescoped cricketer and French girlfriend : LARAMIE
22-down – Change one with a drug : MORPHIA
24-down – Unlacerated? These days the books are for idiots : WITHOUTTEARS
25-down – Business, one to be exposed with maximum row? : AFFAIR
27-down – Remove hesitation from cockroach specialist: I can make him see straight : ORTHOPTIST
29-down – We don’t look out in time to find model in Roy’s team : INTROVERTS
31-down – Fairy with monster’s head comes into marquisate – 26 28? : SELFMADE
33-down – Sheridan’s scandalous knight found in the Tiber? : BACKBITE
35-down – Navigator’s assistant with head cut off surviving : EXTANT
37-down – Not exactly diehard socialist writer for reporter : HARDIE
38-down – Writer, repeatedly told to leave, left : GOGOL
This crossword has in total 44 where 22 are across and 22 are down.