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.
Tag Archives: crosswords
AFR Cryptic (4/5/2024) Solution
Across Answers and Clues Explanations 1 RACISM Retired coach is associated with male prejudice (6) CAR reversed + IS + M 4 DEPOSE Set down a quantity of drugs containing EPO mostly (6) DOSE outside (EP)o 8 MERIT Value the … Continue reading
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AFR Cryptic (27/4/2024) Solution
Across Answers and Clues Explanations 1 ORCHARDS They grow fruit or vegetables (8) OR + CHARDS 5 STRAIN Direction given by coach to try really hard (6) S(outh) + TRAIN 10 TENET Teaching elements of forgotten etiquette (5) fogotTEN ETiquette … Continue reading
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AFR Cryptic (20/4/2024) Solution
Across Answers and Clues Explanations 1 STUPID Dull boss probed by private investigator (6) PI inside STUD 5 PEPPERS Famous sergeant, close to targets, attacks with missiles (7) PEPPER + target(S) 9 CLIMATE CONTROL Air-conditioning ruined art collection containing original … Continue reading
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AFR Cryptic (13/4/2024) Solution
Across Answers and Clues Explanations 1 RECESSED Leader of sect, bound by decrees, reformed and broke up (8) (S)ect inside anagram of DECREES 5 ADONIS A mafia boss is a handsome young man (6) A + DON + IS 9 … Continue reading
AFR Cryptic (6/4/2024) Solution
Across Answers and Clues Explanations 1 SUBTRACT Dock area east of naval vessel (8) TRACT after SUB 5 SMALLS Items of a personal nature, all listed in text (6) ALL inside SMS 10 GLEAM Flash part of Kyogle? A motel? … Continue reading
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AFR Cryptic (Easter Jigsaw 2024) Solution
For ease of producing this solution I have numbered the crossword and clues conventionally. Across Answers and Clues Explanations 7 EXPLOIT Take advantage of scheme mostly used in evacuation (7) (PLO)t inside EXIT 8 GRANDEE … Continue reading
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AFR Easter 2024 Clueless Solution
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AFR Cryptic (Easter, 2024) Solution
Across Answers and Clues Explanations 1 NOTICEABLE Obvious illicit drug taken by VIP (10) ICE inside NOTABLE 6 SPEC Small muscle’s detailed description (4) S + PEC 10 UMBER Deep brown wood, trimmed at one end (5) (l)UMBER 11 PERCOLATE … Continue reading
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AFR Cryptic (23/3/2024) Solution
Across Answers and Clues Explanations 1 SUSPENDERS Shoppers, say, pinching American braces (10) SPENDERS outside US 6 MAUL Severely criticise new compilation of album lacking band’s original piece (4) Anagram of ALBUM minus (B)and 10 OVERALL Lover switched around a … Continue reading
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AFR Cryptic (16/3/2024) Solution
Across Answers and Clues Explanations 1 GOT AHEAD Advanced dotage has greatly developed (3,5) Anagram of (DOTAGE HA)s 5 THONGS Lots of people without right footwear (6) THRONGS minus R 10 OMEGA The conclusion is nothing great (5) O + … Continue reading
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