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 (8/6/2024) Solution
Across Answers and Clues Explanations 1 SCHEMES Men, before finishing in chess, developed strategies (7) (ME)n inside anagram of CHESS 5 PREAMP Piano salesperson moved around AM stereo equipment (6) P + REP outside AM 9 A-FLAT Group of football … Continue reading
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AFR Cryptic (1/6/2024) Solution
Across Answers and Clues Explanations 1 WELL-KEPT Clean, healthy pet, wrongly injected with potassium (4-4) WELL + anagram of PET outside K 5 STOCKS Handle small investments (6) STOCK + S 10 NONE TOO Group of nine rings? Hardly! (4,3) … Continue reading
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AFR Cryptic (25/5/2024) Solution
Across Answers and Clues Explanations 1 FORMAT Arrangement beneficial to friend isn’t quite complete (6) FOR + (MAT)e 5 PICK Player of strings is a ground-breaker (4) Double Definition 9 OUTED Versatile vehicle used in middle of flooding may be … Continue reading
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AFR Cryptic (18/5/2024) Solution
Across Answers and Clues Explanations 1 RECAP Top performer in public relations returned review (5) (ACE inside PR) reversed 4 DEPOSITOR Editor mistaken about pressure applied to overseas investment banker (9) Anagram of EDITOR outside (P + OS) 9 TALLIED … Continue reading
AFR Cryptic (11/5/2024) Solution
Across Answers and Clues Explanations 1 MOTHER LODE Main vein remaining close to normal during procedure (6,4) [OTHER + norma(L)] inside MODE 7 GLAD Happy place in a forest that’s clear mostly (4) (GLAD)e 10 HELLENIC Hot spot excited nice … Continue reading
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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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