one of my spd shoes has started creaking against the pedal body. the cleats arent very old and there is no play in them ,

is there a cure besides buying some new shoes ?

Candle wax, rub it over the offending articles, including the cleat/shoe.

Tiny bit of GT85 spray on the pedals before riding for me and just double check there are no tiny stones/grit beneath the cleats as I have found over the years that they are what causes most cleat pedal noise.

If it starts up during a ride which mine usually doe’s i just stop at the next puddle mix up some nice runny mud and dunk the cleat in it, sorts it every time.