
I think it’s just about impossible to set well-written cryptic crosswords that are easy to solve. Continue reading

I think it’s just about impossible to set well-written cryptic crosswords that are easy to solve. Continue reading
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 195 | |
| Overseas Help for The Stickler Weekly 195 | |
| Solution to The Stickler Weekly 194 | |
| Insights for this week | |
| 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!
(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.
Example: A indeed (?) could mean to insert A inside deed.
Examples: holding, keeping, embracing - anything that creates the image of containment.
Examples: beheaded, cut short, endless, nearly, largely etc.
Examples: changed, at sea, confused, all over the place - anything that indicates change or jumbling.
Example: A indeed (?) could mean to insert A inside deed.
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.
There aren’t any extra hints needed 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.

| Across | Answers and Clues | Explanations |
| 1 | BUSYBODIES | |
| Disruptive boy in coach stops troublemakers (10) | Anagram of BOY inside (BUS + DIES) | |
| 6 | SMSS | |
| Electronic communications yet to be deleted from reconfigured systems (4) | Anagram odf SYSTEMS minus YET | |
| 10 | MALADMINISTERED | |
| Master providing housing for lad with little education managed poorly (15) | MASTER outside (LAD + MINI) + ED | |
| 11 | PAVEMENT | |
| Walk quietly with people guarded by a returned soldier (8) | P + (MEN inside A VET) | |
| 12 | AGLOW | |
| Silver, soft and luminous (5) | AG + LOW | |
| 14 | HOISTS | |
| One, surrounded by accommodating people, uses an elevator (6) | I inside HOSTS | |
| 16 | ADHESION | |
| Bond had changed sound around (8) | Anagram of HAD + (NOISE reversed) | |
| 18 | ANNALIST | |
| One who records what happened with an inventory containing sodium (8) | (AN + LIST) outside NA | |
| 20 | GYRATE | |
| Guys oddly value spin (6) | GuYs + RATE | |
| 22 | RITES | |
| Admission of culprit established customary practices? (5) | culpRIT EStablished | |
| 24 | PORTRAIT | |
| Left deserter clinging to one picture (8) | PORT + (RAT outside I) | |
| 27 | CHEMICAL WARFARE | |
| A few claim archer organised fighting using destructive agents (8,7) | Anagram of A FEW CLAIM ARCHER | |
| 28 | LOPE | |
| Cut off end of line bound (4) | LOP + LIN(E) | |
| 29 | DOWNPLAYED | |
| Complete pad, newly redecorated, is understated (10) | DO + anagram of PAD NEWLY | |
| Down | Answers and Clues | Explanations |
| 1 | BOMB | |
| Retreating throng head from battlefield with explosive (4) | MOB reversed + (B)ATTLEFIELD | |
| 2 | SALVATION | |
| Tub, one included in beauty parlour’s restoration (9) | (VAT + I) inside SALON | |
| 3 | BUDGE | |
| Push financial plan with time lacking (5) | BUDGET minus T | |
| 4 | DRIVER | |
| Club record initially claimed by one entering pool, perhaps? (6) | (R)ECORD inside DIVER | |
| 5 | EVICTED | |
| Temperature showing in faulty device should be put out (7) | T inside anagram of DEVICE | |
| 7 | MURAL | |
| A strange, mounted, large wall decoration (5) | (A + RUM) reversed + L | |
| 8 | SIDEWINDER | |
| Missile is sent up by axis, say, filled with gas (10) | IS reversed + (WIND inside DEER) | |
| 9 | STRATEGY | |
| Contract not put forward in odd plan of action (8) | GET reversed inside STRAY | |
| 13 | THEATRICAL | |
| Reviewed article that greatly exaggerated? (10) | Anagram of (ARTICLE THA)T | |
| 15 | TALL SHIP | |
| Everyone keep quiet boarding crown’s sailing vessel (4,4) | (ALL + SH) inside TIP | |
| 16 | ACT | |
| A cabaret dropping a naked performance (3) | A + (CABARET minus A BARE) | |
| 17 | IMAGINARY | |
| A spirit dwelling in the body of one biblical character is not real (9) | (A + GIN) inside (I + MARY) | |
| 19 | SOPRANO | |
| Singer is very taken by new rap number (7) | SO + anagram of RAP + NO | |
| 21 | DRAW IN | |
| Reduce waste primarily lodged in outlet (4,2) | (W)ASTE inside DRAIN | |
| 23 | TIE UP | |
| Tether that is bitten by ram (3,2) | IE inside TUP | |
| 25 | RURAL | |
| Country regular worked less, for example (5) | Anagram of REGULAR minus EG | |
| 26 | NEED | |
| Want what a masseuse can do orally (4) | Sounds like KNEAD |

One of the dilemmas for crossword writers and publishers is how to indicate to solvers the length and format of answers. Continue reading
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 194 | |
| Overseas Help for The Stickler Weekly 194 | |
| Solution to The Stickler Weekly 193 | |
| Insights for this week | |
| 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!
(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.
Examples: changed, at sea, confused, all over the place - anything that indicates change or jumbling.
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.
Examples: holding, keeping, embracing - anything that creates the image of containment.
Examples: upset, reversed, retired, in withdrawal, over etc.
Examples: part of, associated with, types of.
Examples: holding, keeping, embracing - anything that creates the image of containment.
Examples: upset, reversed, retired, in withdrawal, over etc.
Examples: held by, kept by, embraced by - anything that creates the image of being contained.
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.
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)
Like to add something I’ve missed to help others, or comment on a meaning, term or expression? Please leave a reply below.

| Across | Answers and Clues | Explanations |
| 1 | STRIPPED | |
| Cleared head of security set off (8) | (S)ECURITY + TRIPPED | |
| 5 | PASS UP | |
| Ignore small dog biting American’s backside (4,2) | PUP outside ASS | |
| 9 | REMAINED | |
| Wine produced around northern US state didn’t go anywhere (8) | RED outside MAINE | |
| 10 | FORMER | |
| Old shaping tool (6) | Double Definition | |
| 12 | PUNCTUATION MARK | |
| Mountain track up for restoration say ? (11,4) | Anagram of MOUNTAIN TRACK UP | |
| 13 | ROTATE | |
| Go round bull at opening of exhibition (6) | ROT + AT + (E)XHIBITION | |
| 15 | SOILAGE | |
| Greasy liquid detected in herbaceous plant fodder given to livestock (7) | OIL inside SAGE | |
| 18 | SPENCER | |
| Sail south on river leaving English capital (7) | S + (R after PENCE) | |
| 20 | DUG OUT | |
| Producer’s heart disease is unearthed (3,3) | PRO(DU)CER + GOUT | |
| 22 | ANTEPENULTIMATE | |
| Line up a tent shifted by companion third from the end (15) | Anagram of LINE UP A TENT + MATE | |
| 25 | ACIDIC | |
| Sharp one played twice in Australian rock band (6) | I twice inside ACDC | |
| 26 | EMULSION | |
| Paint crested Australian animal with wild lions? (8) | EMU + anagram of LIONS | |
| 27 | ENSIGN | |
| Standard elements of tradesmen’s ignorance (6) | tradesmENS IGNorance | |
| 28 | TASMANIA | |
| Island continent harbouring soldier with time at the front (8) | (ASIA outside MAN) after T | |
| Down | Answers and Clues | Explanations |
| 1 | STRIPY | |
| Tabby’s claw found in animal enclosure (6) | RIP inside STY | |
| 2 | ROMAN NOSE | |
| Prominent sensor man switched on in plant known for making perfume (5,4) | [MAN + (ON reversed)] inside ROSE | |
| 3 | PAINT | |
| Describe one wearing short trousers (5) | I inside (PANT)S | |
| 4 | ELEVATE | |
| Bring up 11 – 2 + 8 as suggested by auditor? (7) | (ELEV)EN + sounds like EIGHT | |
| 6 | ABOUNDING | |
| Rich one making great leaps forward (9) | A + BOUNDING | |
| 7 | SAMOA | |
| Small NZ bird once spread around a Pacific island group (5) | (S + MOA) outside A | |
| 8 | PARAKEET | |
| A gardening tool swallowed by pet bird (8) | (A + RAKE) inside PET | |
| 11 | KISS | |
| Peck is seen, in some respect, as a sign of affection (4) | pecK IS Seen | |
| 14 | ACCEPTING | |
| Compliant substitute containing mushroom (9) | ACTING outside CEP | |
| 16 | ADULATION | |
| Praise mature person keeping a leader of industry on (9) | ADULT outside A + (I)NDUSTRY + ON | |
| 17 | ESCALATE | |
| Escape a recent increase in intensity (8) | ESC + A + LATE | |
| 19 | RING | |
| Phone’s digital attachment (4) | Double Definition | |
| 20 | DILEMMA | |
| Two million invested in repackaging of ideal puzzle (7) | M+M inside anagram of IDEAL | |
| 21 | HERNIA | |
| The girl turned in with a muscular problem (6) | HER + (IN reversed) + A | |
| 23 | TRIES | |
| Goes with English politicians giving nothing away (5) | TORIES minus O | |
| 24 | ISLAM | |
| Religion is liturgy, primarily, and a mass (5) | IS + (L)ITURGY + A + M |