The Stickler Weekly 3

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 3
  Overseas Help for The Stickler Weekly 3
  Solution to The Stickler Weekly 2
  Invest in the Future of The Stickler

Please include comments or discussion about this crossword below.
Request help in the Clue Hints blog entry so all can see.

It’s a weekly crossword, so please don’t give/discuss any full answers until the solution is posted (such posts will be deleted/edited).

Enjoy!

The Stickler

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The Stickler Weekly 3 Clue Hints

(click on the clue number to see the hint)

Click on underlined text for explanation of terms.

Need more hints for these or other clues? Just leave a reply below.




9-across

10-across

11-across

14-across

15-across

18-across



26-across

27-across

28-across




4-down


12-down

13-down

16-down


A type of clue that involves the mixing up of letters without the inclusion of a letter or letters. This clue will have an anagram indicator to signify jumbling and a subtraction indicator to signify the removal of a letter or letters.

A removed letter may be as seen in the clue, an abbreviation for a word in the clue, or the result of another cryptic device like taking the initial letter from a word. Removed letters may be a whole word as seen in a clue, the synonym of a word in the clue (if that synonym is contiguous within the anagram fodder), or the result of another cryptic device like taking the middle two letters from a word.

The answer is found by butting together parts defined in the wordplay. There may be some positional indicators that change the order of these parts.
Either a mixture of letters is placed inside or outside other letters, or letters are placed inside or outside a mixture of letters. An anagram indicator and containment indicator will be present.
The answer is found by removing a letter, letters, or a word (either found directly in the clue or derived) from a word or words (or their synonyms). Subtractions involving synonyms must be done with contiguous letters, that is, a word will subtract directly unless specifically indicated. A subtraction indicator is present to initiate the action.
A word or series of words that signify a mixing-up of letters.

Examples: changed, at sea, confused, all over the place - anything that indicates change or jumbling.

The structure of the answer involves either letters placed outside other letters, or letters placed inside other letters. Which type of container clue is determined by an appropriate container indicator.
The answer is hidden among the words of the clue. No spare words should be present. A suitable hidden indicator will point to the buried text.

Examples: part of, associated with, types of.

The entire answer can be discovered by mixing up letters. An appropriate anagram indicator will be present.
The structure of the answer involves either letters placed outside other letters, or letters placed inside other letters. Which type of container clue is determined by an appropriate container indicator.
The entire answer is the result of removing the first or last letter from part of the clue or its synonym. A truncation indicator will be present.
The answer is found by butting together parts defined in the wordplay. There may be some positional indicators that change the order of these parts.
The structure of the answer involves either letters placed outside other letters, or letters placed inside other letters. Which type of container clue is determined by an appropriate container indicator.
The structure of the answer involves either letters placed outside other letters, or letters placed inside other letters. Which type of container clue is determined by an appropriate container indicator.
Either a mixture of letters is placed inside or outside other letters, or letters are placed inside or outside a mixture of letters. An anagram indicator and containment indicator will be present.
A word or series of words that signify a mixing-up of letters.

Examples: changed, at sea, confused, all over the place - anything that indicates change or jumbling.

A pointer that signifies the placing of one or more parts of a clue (or their equivalents) around the OUTSIDE of one or more parts of a clue (or their equivalents).

Examples: holding, keeping, embracing - anything that creates the image of containment.

The entire answer is the result of removing the first or last letter from part of the clue or its synonym. A truncation indicator will be present.
Posted in Stickler Weekly Clue Help, The Stickler | Tagged , , , | 3 Comments

The Stickler Weekly 3 Overseas Help

Welcome all cryptic crossword solvers.

Some cryptic crosswords are tough purely because local lingo is used and not understood by all, especially those living outside of Australia. This post seeks to fill this vernacular gap.

The clues listed here may contain a component not familiar to all outside of Australia.

(click on the clue number to see the inside information)


18-across

21-across

24-across

28-across

Like to add something I’ve missed to help others, or comment on a meaning, term or expression? Please leave a reply below.

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The Stickler Weekly 2 Solution

A solver emailed me saying they really liked 24-across in this puzzle. If you’ve solved many Sticklers, you’ll be aware that I love anagrams involving subtraction. Wordplay for such clues always require appropriate anagram and subtraction indicators, offering a setter multiple ways to come up with good surface readings. They can cause division though – should the letters to be removed be contiguous in the anagram fodder? Some say yes, but I view anagrams as letter mixtures, and can’t see logically why letters need to be removed as a unit. After all, composite anagrams, where abbreviations of a word or words must be combined with other anagram fodder to work, treat the process as letter-based, so I can’t see a lot of difference. I also would like to claim that the increase in subtractive anagrams in cryptics worldwide is largely down to me, as one of the best crossword programs out there, Crossword Compiler, contains an anagram function that makes spotting and creating them fairly easy, and I suggested its inclusion.

Across Answers and Clues Explanations
1 AMBASSADOR
A male singer runs following trouble with foreign agent (10) A + M + BASS + (R after ADO)
7 DRUB
Beat knight pierced by spear in the back (4) DUB outside R
10 ACROBATS
Top performers steal from one taking part in performances (8) (ROB + A) inside ACTS
11 SECURE
Find out about dog in the bag (6) SEE outside CUR
12 ADJOIN
A nightclub employee on about one neighbour (6) A + DJ + (ON outside I)
13 ILL-FATED
Unlucky fall – it altered focus of procedures? (3-5) Anagram of FALLIT + ED
14 ANTI
Against a religious work written by Isaiah primarily (4) A + NT + I
15 DIGRESSION
Archaeological site, viewed by seniors, organised departure (10) DIG + anagram of SENIORS
18 MASTERMIND
Health professional holding, for instance, title in authority (10) MD outside (AS + TERM + IN)
21 SUIT
Administrative official reduced size of hotel accommodation (4) SUITE shortened
22 RETRENCH
Reduce one’s workforce on excavation (8) RE + TRENCH
24 STATIC
Steady activist not supporting one opposed to changing (6) Anagram of ACTIVIST minus (I + V)
25 LEAVEN
Don’t change nitrogen in raising agent (6) LEAVE + N
26 BRAINPAN
Fall in blood pressure connected to one part of the head (8) RAIN inside BP + AN
27 DESK
Associates of guides knocked bureau (4) guiDES Knocked
28 OVERRIDDEN.
Drunk driver, one punched by detective and set aside (10) Anagram of DRIVER ONE outside D.
 Down  Answers and Clues Explanations
2 MACEDONIA
Country club fellow and I hooked up with head of Apple (9) MACE + DON + I + A
3 APOLOGIST
A ball game is clinched by great defender (9) A + POLO + (IS inside GT)
4 SCANNED
Peas finally sealed in a tin should be examined closely (7) S + CANNED
5 DISTINGUISHABLE
Clear building site has changed (15) Anagram of BUILDING SITE HAS
6 RESOLVE
Lovers lacking cohesion and energy break up (7) Anagram of LOVERS + E
8 ROUST
Stir up leader of sect in hiding (5) S inside ROUT
9 BLEND IN
Wine store securing loan to match others (5,2) BIN outside LEND
16 SUSTAINED
American wearing black is held up (9) STAINED outside US
17 ORIGINATE
Speak about one game pioneer (9) ORATE outside (I + GIN)
18 MARBLED
Streaky sheep stood up and haemorrhaged (7) RAM reversed + BLED
19 RAN INTO
Came across river bordering developed nation (3,4) R + anagram of NATION
20 DESPAIR
Padre is not right to give up hope (7) Anagram of PADRE IS
23 TEATS.
Closing of supermarket finishes off food and milk suppliers (5) T + EATS.

Posted in Stickler Weekly Solutions, The Stickler | Tagged , , | 1 Comment

The Stickler Weekly 2

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 2
  Overseas Help for The Stickler Weekly 2
  Solution to The Stickler Weekly 1
  Invest in the Future of The Stickler

Please include comments or discussion about this crossword below.
Request help in the Clue Hints blog entry so all can see.

It’s a weekly crossword, so please don’t give/discuss any full answers until the solution is posted (such posts will be deleted/edited).

Enjoy!

The Stickler

Posted in Stickler Weekly Puzzles, The Stickler | Tagged , , , | 2 Comments

The Stickler Weekly 2 Clue Hints

(click on the clue number to see the hint)

Click on underlined text for explanation of terms.

Need more hints for these or other clues? Just leave a reply below.


1-across

7-across

10-across

11-across

12-across

13-across


18-across


22-across



26-across


28-across

2-down

3-down


9-down

16-down

17-down

The answer is found by butting together parts defined in the wordplay. There may be some positional indicators that change the order of these parts.
The structure of the answer involves either letters placed outside other letters, or letters placed inside other letters. Which type of container clue is determined by an appropriate container indicator.
The structure of the answer involves either letters placed outside other letters, or letters placed inside other letters. Which type of container clue is determined by an appropriate container indicator.
The structure of the answer involves either letters placed outside other letters, or letters placed inside other letters. Which type of container clue is determined by an appropriate container indicator.
A word or phrase that defines the answer. All cryptic clues usually have a minimum of one definition which will be located at the beginning or end of the clue.
A word or phrase that defines the answer. All cryptic clues usually have a minimum of one definition which will be located at the beginning or end of the clue.
The answer is found by butting together parts defined in the wordplay. There may be some positional indicators that change the order of these parts.
The entire answer is the result of removing the first or last letter from part of the clue or its synonym. A truncation indicator will be present.
The answer is found by butting together parts defined in the wordplay. There may be some positional indicators that change the order of these parts.
A type of clue that involves the mixing up of letters without the inclusion of a letter or letters. This clue will have an anagram indicator to signify jumbling and a subtraction indicator to signify the removal of a letter or letters.

A removed letter may be as seen in the clue, an abbreviation for a word in the clue, or the result of another cryptic device like taking the initial letter from a word. Removed letters may be a whole word as seen in a clue, the synonym of a word in the clue (if that synonym is contiguous within the anagram fodder), or the result of another cryptic device like taking the middle two letters from a word.

The answer is found by butting together parts defined in the wordplay. There may be some positional indicators that change the order of these parts.
The answer is hidden among the words of the clue. No spare words should be present. A suitable hidden indicator will point to the buried text.

Examples: part of, associated with, types of.

Either a mixture of letters is placed inside or outside other letters, or letters are placed inside or outside a mixture of letters. An anagram indicator and containment indicator will be present.
A pointer that signifies the placing of one or more parts of a clue (or their equivalents) around the OUTSIDE of one or more parts of a clue (or their equivalents).

Examples: holding, keeping, embracing - anything that creates the image of containment.

The answer is found by butting together parts defined in the wordplay. There may be some positional indicators that change the order of these parts.
The answer is found by butting together parts defined in the wordplay. There may be some positional indicators that change the order of these parts.
A pointer that signifies the placing of one or more parts of a clue (or their equivalents) around the OUTSIDE of one or more parts of a clue (or their equivalents).

Examples: holding, keeping, embracing - anything that creates the image of containment.

A pointer that signifies the placing of one or more parts of a clue (or their equivalents) on the INSIDE of one or more parts of a clue (or their equivalents).

Examples: held by, kept by, embraced by - anything that creates the image of being contained.

The structure of the answer involves either letters placed outside other letters, or letters placed inside other letters. Which type of container clue is determined by an appropriate container indicator.
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The Stickler Weekly 2 Overseas Help

Welcome all cryptic crossword solvers.

Some cryptic crosswords are tough purely because local lingo is used and not understood by all, especially those living outside of Australia. This post seeks to fill this vernacular gap.

This week possible queries are covered by the Clue Hints for this week

Like to add something I’ve missed to help others, or comment on a meaning, term or expression? Please leave a reply below.

Posted in Stickler Weekly Clue Help, The Stickler | Tagged , , | Comments Off on The Stickler Weekly 2 Overseas Help

The Stickler Weekly 1 Solution

It’s such a relief to get the first one out of the way. Nothing more than an average Stickler, it still represents a milestone, being the first Stickler to be available to the world. Although I’ve always been easy to contact through the Net, I was shielded to some extent by the paper, and felt a lot less exposed then I do now. Every week I’ll be saying something, and the explanations to the previous week’s puzzle will follow, with a link to a printable version. Please use this to share with others who want to learn more about solving cryptics.

Across Answers and Clues Explanations
1 SCORED
Last lot of apples with seed sections removed should be graded (6) apple(S) + CORED
5 PARODY
Take off financial reward for working around staff (6) PAY outside ROD
9 LUBRICANT
Reconvening of tribunal about counsel’s opening should be reducing friction (9) Anagram of TRIBUNAL outside C
10 GO UP
Team losing right to get promoted (2,2) GROUP minus R
11 CASEMENT
Frame of a window, for instance, sealed with glue (8) AS inside CEMENT
12 DEARTH
Department’s facing land shortage (6) D + EARTH
13 MOUSSE
Rodent biting edge of side dish (6) MOUSE outside S
14 RHEOSTAT
Variable resistor is hot in defective toaster (8) H inside anagram of TOASTER
16 TALENTED
Brilliant story not abridged by editor (8) TALE + NT + ED
19 CRISIS
Emergency vehicle losing a passenger is used repeatedly (6) CAR minus A + IS + IS
21 FINIAL
Top decoration, one collected in major sporting event (6) I (one) inside FINAL
23 SLANTING
Computer system seized in undercover operation is not on the level (8) LAN inside STING
24 ONCE
Active iodine extracted from ice in the past (4) ON + (i)CE
25 PAINTBALL
Missile used in war games ain’t coated in lead completely (9) AIN’T inside PB + ALL
26 STOREY
Keep middle of kayak level (6) STORE + Y
27 DESIGN.
Plan is backed by head of government in study (6) SI + G inside DEN.
Down Answers and Clues Explanations
2 COLLABORATIONS
Company retrieved delivery addresses with teamwork (14) CO + LLAB + ORATIONS
3 RUBBERS
Many sets of tennis shoes? (7) Double Def
4 DRIVE BELT
Band’s diameter printed on broken lever bit (5,4) D + anagram of LEVER BIT
5 PLATTER
Outspoken hairdresser is a dish (7) Homophone: PLAITER
6 RATED
Had course, say, in middle of road, assessed (5) ATE inside RD
7 DOG-EARS
Finish wheelwork and place markers (3-4) DO + GEARS
8 AUSTRALIAN FLAG
All guitar fans cracked up after introduction of a country standard (10,4) Anagram of ALL GUITAR FANS after A
15 ENCHANTED
Delighted singer finished early in finale (9) CHANTE(r) inside END
17 EVIDENT
Noticeable form of identification worn in competition (7) ID inside EVENT
18 DESTINY
Fortune and time put into animated production of Disney (7) T inside anagram of DISNEY
20 IN TEARS
Crying irritated retinas (2,5) Anagram of RETINAS
22 LEPER.
Drive off heading north with a sick person (5) REPEL reversed.

Posted in Stickler Weekly Solutions, The Stickler | Tagged , , | 1 Comment

The Stickler Weekly 1

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 1
  Overseas Help For The Stickler Weekly 1
  Invest in the Future of The Stickler

Please include comments or discussion about this crossword below.
Request help in the Clue Hints blog entry so all can see.

It’s a weekly crossword, so please don’t give/discuss any full answers until the solution is posted (such posts will be deleted/edited).

Enjoy!

The Stickler

Posted in Stickler Weekly Puzzles, The Stickler | Tagged , , , , | 8 Comments

The Stickler Weekly 1 Clue Hints

(click on the clue number to see the hint)

Click on underlined text for explanation of terms.

Need more hints for these or other clues? Just leave a reply below.


1-across

5-across

9-across


11-across

12-across

13-across

14-across

16-across

19-across


23-across

24-across

25-across

27-across

2-down



6-down


8-down

15-down

17-down


22-down

The answer is found by butting together parts defined in the wordplay. There may be some positional indicators that change the order of these parts.
The structure of the answer involves either letters placed outside other letters, or letters placed inside other letters. Which type of container clue is determined by an appropriate container indicator.
A word or series of words that signify a mixing-up of letters.

Examples: changed, at sea, confused, all over the place - anything that indicates change or jumbling.

The answer is found by removing a letter, letters, or a word (either found directly in the clue or derived) from a word or words (or their synonyms). Subtractions involving synonyms must be done with contiguous letters, that is, a word will subtract directly unless specifically indicated. A subtraction indicator is present to initiate the action.
The structure of the answer involves either letters placed outside other letters, or letters placed inside other letters. Which type of container clue is determined by an appropriate container indicator.
The structure of the answer involves either letters placed outside other letters, or letters placed inside other letters. Which type of container clue is determined by an appropriate container indicator.
A pointer that signifies the placing of one or more parts of a clue (or their equivalents) around the OUTSIDE of one or more parts of a clue (or their equivalents).

Examples: holding, keeping, embracing - anything that creates the image of containment.

Either a mixture of letters is placed inside or outside other letters, or letters are placed inside or outside a mixture of letters. An anagram indicator and containment indicator will be present.
The answer is found by butting together parts defined in the wordplay. There may be some positional indicators that change the order of these parts.
The structure of the answer involves either letters placed outside other letters, or letters placed inside other letters. Which type of container clue is determined by an appropriate container indicator.
The structure of the answer involves either letters placed outside other letters, or letters placed inside other letters. Which type of container clue is determined by an appropriate container indicator.
The answer is found by butting together parts defined in the wordplay. There may be some positional indicators that change the order of these parts.
The structure of the answer involves either letters placed outside other letters, or letters placed inside other letters. Which type of container clue is determined by an appropriate container indicator.
The clue has two parts, each one defining the answer without using cryptic devices. Ideally each definition should have no etymological relationship.
The answer is found by using the sound of a word or phrase. Sounds-like indicators point the way.
The answer is found by butting together parts defined in the wordplay. There may be some positional indicators that change the order of these parts.
A word or series of words that signify a mixing-up of letters.

Examples: changed, at sea, confused, all over the place - anything that indicates change or jumbling.

The structure of the answer involves either letters placed outside other letters, or letters placed inside other letters. Which type of container clue is determined by an appropriate container indicator.
A pointer that signifies the placing of one or more parts of a clue (or their equivalents) on the INSIDE of one or more parts of a clue (or their equivalents).

Examples: held by, kept by, embraced by - anything that creates the image of being contained.

Either a mixture of letters is placed inside or outside other letters, or letters are placed inside or outside a mixture of letters. An anagram indicator and containment indicator will be present.
A word or series of words that signify the turning around (across & down clues), or overturning (down clues only) of letters.

Examples: upset, reversed, retired, in withdrawal, over etc.

Posted in Stickler Weekly Clue Help, The Stickler | Tagged , , , | 2 Comments