The Guardian Cryptic Answers - Friday, 23rd March 2018 There are 13 across clues and 16 down clues for the The Guardian Cryptic crossword on Friday, 23rd March 2018. View the answers below.. Also try..All The Guardian Cryptic AnswersAll PublicationsThe AnswersNumber# Clue Answer AAcross 9: Pound nut holding a large stonePALPITATEAAcross 10: Popular chestnut fencing timberLARCHAAcross 11: Fellow member retired during programmeCOMRADEAAcross 12: Old container brought round before getting pig outOVEREATAAcross 13: Let's stand back to frontLEASEAAcross 14: Obliged school to enrol representative English learnersCOMPELLEDAAcross 16: Munch nosh all up, out eating good pub farePLOUGHMAN'S LUNCHAAcross 19: European Union abandoning work worried complexELABORATEAAcross 21: Tasteful priest delivered clothingSAPIDAAcross 22: Call in agent, getting ruffled?FRINGEDAAcross 23: Short work made of some material star collectedNOVELLAAAcross 24: Rope in Spanish mare at Ascot boxesREATAAAcross 25: Wee hitNUMBER ONEDDown 1: An American writer describes brief WI music disasterAPOCALYPSEDDown 2: Quietly back complaint in plantPLUMBAGODDown 3: Fodder is tossed, then left to matureSILAGEDDown 4: Finish off incredible eastern storyTALEDDown 5: Order people filling in survey to start againRECOMMENCEDDown 6: Hybrid bulbel the Spanish introducedBLUEBELLDDown 7: Suffolk river or its source?ORWELLDDown 8: A bit like Snowball, short of energy with runningWHITDDown 14: Officer carried over short distance with soldierCOMMANDANTDDown 15: Heated dry nuts, finally parched, desiccatedDEHYDRATEDDDown 17: Statesman, say, circulated paper I submittedGEORGIANDDown 18: Emperor shows his dissent, seizing a stickNAPOLEONDDown 20: Fan mail distributed by branch for 7's 23 acrossANIMALDDown 21: Contest opens very tense councilSOVIETDDown 22: See 20FARMDDown 23: Handle staff rises by end of JuneNAME