About the Setter
David Stickley has been writing crosswords professionally since 1995. His cryptic puzzle, The Stickler, reached number 4786 before being axed in July 2013 due to cutbacks. In 2024 David and his wife Linda secured a weekly cryptic and quick slot in The SMH and The Age. David has also been published in the NYT, the UK's FT and Church Times.-
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Author Archives: David Stickley
Stickler Boxed Set 1, Puzzle 23, Clue Help
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Stickler Boxed Set 1, Puzzle 23 Solution
Across Answers and Clues Explanations 1 MISSHAPEN Ugly young lady has not finished with writer (9) MISS + HA(s) + PEN 6 ISAAC Patriarch is a focus of tracts (5) IS + A + tr(AC)ts 9 TRAMS People movers, electronically … Continue reading
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Stickler Boxed Set 1, Puzzle 24, Clue Help
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Stickler Boxed Set 1, Puzzle 24 Solution
Across Answers and Clues Explanations 1 CLUMPS Groups first to cultivate wild plums (6) C + anagram of PLUMS 4 GO-CART Old walker got stuck with car (2-4) GOT outside CAR 8 ILL-TREAT Don’t look after a tiller realigned by … Continue reading
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Stickler Boxed Set 1, Puzzle 25, Clue Help
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Stickler Boxed Set 1, Puzzle 25 Solution
Across Answers and Clues Explanations 1 AMBITION Worked in a tomb harbouring one objective (8) Anagram of IN A TOMB outside I 5 AGENCY Get old head of communications put into New York bureau (6) AGE + (C inside NY) … Continue reading
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The Stickler Weekly 7
The Stickler for this week is now available. Please select your preferred solving format. The solution to this puzzle will appear next week. Clue Hints for The Stickler Weekly 7 Overseas Help for The Stickler Weekly 7 Solution … Continue reading
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Tagged cryptic crossword, online, printable, The Stickler
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The Stickler Weekly 7 Clue Hints
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The Stickler Weekly 7 Overseas Help
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The Stickler Weekly 6 Solution
I have to disagree with those who believe a setter should use an anagram as a last resort. I think anagrams are the heart and soul of cryptic clues, whether contributing to all or part of the answer. An anagram … Continue reading
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