This crossword No. 23957 clues and answers were published on Sat 23 Dec 2006 and the puzzle can be visited by following The Guardian Prize Crossword No. 23957 link.
All Across Clues and Answers:
1-across – Garden pests round Lord Coe entering carpets : ROSEBUGS
5-across – Sweet old plant for cutting : PEASEBLOSSOM
13-across – I smell tobacco : SNOUT
14-across – Uppercut going fast undoubtedly : TONSURE
15-across – Florida and surrounding states? : THESEUS
16-across – Greek character reduced speed : PHILOSTRATE
17-across – Large beastly volunteers : HIPPOLYTA
18-across – Gershwin hero topped in binge : ORGY
19-across – Road into deity : HERMIA
20-across – Return weapons to local room : SNUG
21-across – Surrounded by part of Egyptian feature : AMID
25-across – : FLUTE
27-across – Test in, aid out, possibly : AUDITION
28-across – Marmalade maker? : QUINCE
29-across – Some venom found in bird : STARVELING
31-across – Coffee can be a soft drink, swallowed by forward journalist : PERCOLATED
33-across – Halt collection of books with moan : LAMENT
34-across – Football field St Laurence was on : GRIDIRON
37-across – Jersey etc worn by most of 18’s dog : CORGI
40-across – Corpse of son embracing daughter : BODY
41-across – Another word for hospital : MOTH
42-across – Nut on net? : COBWEB
43-across – Traveller on ice : PUCK
47-across – I mustered characters : DEMETRIUS
49-across – Astronomer in US playhouse has car with dickey : THREESEATER
50-across – Bird craze no starter : TITANIA
51-across – Georgia’s fast woman dropping article : ATLANTA
52-across – Man in college used drugs : EGEUS
53-across – Fronting attack, woman eats fruit and a row with God begins : SPEARHEADING
54-across – Darnley’s problem : LYSANDER
All Down Clues and Answers:
1-down – Incorruptible countryman largely quiet on tiles? : RUSTPROOF
2-down – Family in bad atmosphere due to vice : SMOKING
3-down – Base translated here : BOTTOM
4-down – Succumb as 3 and 25 did in play : GOTOTHEWALL
6-down – High-spirited old German super-insect : EXUBERANT
7-down – Listener finds way for moral atmosphere to be adequate : STETHOSCOPE
8-down – Advertisement for spa: don’t let baby down : BATHPLUG
9-down – Honour for small boy : OBERON
10-down – Not well like Pip? : SEEDY
11-down – Wet earth holds 40 and river’s rising : MUSTARDSEED
12-down – Hospital not needed with 26 being OK : UNHARMED
22-down – 3 as 43 said 50 was in love with, part of the great war against terror? : MONSTER
23-down – Like 43 to 9 – insert transport : SERVANT
24-down – Steer the first two of the last into a barricade : BULLOCK
26-down – International community’s bad dream about judo? : UNARMED
29-down – Fruit on plate in Yorkshire town when taken from shelves : SELLBYDATES
30-down – Where to find Wellington : NORTHISLAND
32-down – Secessionists had dinner in pyramid before fast : CONFEDERACY
35-down – Fatality without number at first part of capital event : DECATHLON
36-down – Deprive alternative worker of strengthener : ROBORANT
38-down – Crimean man’s ears bent in special rubber : INKERASER
39-down – Boss compiler’s turning up? Give over : DOMINATE
44-down – Tendency to improve new punter’s number : UPTREND
45-down – Junkie indulging in lapidation : STONER
46-down – State capital : HELENA
48-down – Joint church cover : MITRE
This crossword has in total 56 where 30 are across and 26 are down.