This crossword No. 23699 clues and answers were published on Sat 25 Feb 2006 and the puzzle can be visited by following The Guardian Prize Crossword No. 23699 link.
All Across Clues and Answers:
9-across – One lifting something up : CRANE
10-across – As one man is on, two posh characters off : UNANIMOUS
11-across – Thick, black and dry? : BRAINLESS
12-across – English composer backing something up : GREBE
13-across – Get down what may be up : SWALLOW
15-across – Quip spread from the west about even parts of Spain : EPIGRAM
17-across – Setter’s happiness evident with joist : IBEAM
18-across – Country loses way with negative word : NOR
20-across – Great man heads north, which is up : HERON
22-across – She went down — a not entirely pleasant ending to what is up : TITANIC
25-across – Take up more space, with time inside : STRETCH
26-across – Reckon to make a difference : COUNT
27-across – Pass notice, which is up : CROSSBILL
30-across – Similar mark in an Antipodean country : ANALOGOUS
31-across – One going down, which is up : DIVER
All Down Clues and Answers:
1-down – Bradman, Australian cricket star, starts up — one not out : SCAB
2-down – A party shortly to enter meeting with set of statistics : DATABASE
3-down – It’s said to go the other way, which is up : TERN
4-down – Emu wasn’t all of a flutter, though something up : MUTESWAN
5-down – Worshipper of western India has standard to observe : PARSEE
6-down – Royal woman in tree, which is up : KINGFISHER
7-down – One with an affected attitude regrets work, which is up : POSEUR
8-down – Man, perhaps, is left without newspaper : ISLE
13-down – Direction taken in search, which is up : SWIFT
14-down – Layering process hit single state : LAMINATION
16-down – Many confused over height, which is up : MYNAH
19-down – One furious with press, given reaction : RESPONSE
21-down – Get back on journey unfinished the night before : RETRIEVE
23-down – Make out vessel, which is up : TOUCAN
24-down – Round the bend, something up : CUCKOO
26-down – Chew the fat, which is up : CHAT
28-down – Face in the distance, which is up : SIDE
29-down – Bit of fun, which is up : LARK
This crossword has in total 33 where 15 are across and 18 are down.