Is Papanca (i.e., hindrance) always unwholesome? Is Papanca always unwholesome?

The above question is based on MN 18 the honey cake -- 
https://suttacentral.net/mn18

Ven. Thanissaro has given a detailed explanation in his translation --
https://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.018.than.html
With asekkhā sammāvimutti, or Right Freedom, there is no longer any need for a spiritual search. From DN33 we have:


  Ten qualities of an adept: an adept’s right view, right thought, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, right immersion, right knowledge, and right freedom.


With the cessation (and therefore non-arising) of defilements, the work is done.

If you consider the spiritual search to be a hindrance, then the answer to your question is, "Yes."