The Guardian Cryptic Answers - Wednesday, 13th December 2000 There are 14 across clues and 13 down clues for the The Guardian Cryptic crossword on Wednesday, 13th December 2000. View the answers below.. Also try..All The Guardian Cryptic AnswersAll PublicationsThe AnswersNumber# Clue Answer AAcross 1: Star playing CastroCASTORAAcross 5: Tree could be so creamySYCAMOREAAcross 9: Whips made by Iris Fitzgerald?FLAGELLAAAcross 10: Pale start for sodium flaresLIGHTSAAcross 11: Trains miss out on delivery systemTRANSMISSIONAAcross 13: Lion among the RomansHEROAAcross 14: Constellation of corona and 17NORTHERNAAcross 17: 14 10 could, perhaps, be sailor stealing AuroraBOREALISAAcross 18: What is left of the spider?RESTAAcross 20: Essential extracts from the pressCONCENTRATESAAcross 23: Blue rooms out eastMOROSEAAcross 24: Unreasonable way of paying a poet?PERVERSEAAcross 25: Athletes who cover the floor supplyGYMNASTSAAcross 26: Star cut back on lightPOLLUXDDown 2: Wife leaves nincompoop for friendALLYDDown 3: Line up for balancing actTIGHTROPEDDown 4: Give Browning, say, a new lease of life (or death!)RELOADDDown 5: I left Sparta in distress, waving flagSTARS AND STRIPESDDown 6: Cyril and Leo playing in coalmineCOLLIERYDDown 7: He used sorcery - a mug's game!MAGUSDDown 8: Return gets errors amendedRETROGRESSDDown 12: Study of devils does me only good!DEMONOLOGYDDown 15: Difficult case for the rigidly orthodoxHARDSHELLDDown 16: Amazing saves made by unsighted goalkeeper?BLINDERSDDown 19: Provoke tumult in high placesSTIR UPDDown 21: See 14CROWNDDown 22: Jacob's brother in the saunaESAU