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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Tag Archives: The Stickler
The Stickler Weekly 161 Solution
Theme crosswords or crosswords with gimmicks are not easy to put together. The main issue is that incorporating themes words or words/clues that carry the gimmick often causes the inclusion of obscure words, words that a setter might not normally … Continue reading
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The Stickler Weekly 161
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 161 Overseas Help for The Stickler Weekly 161 Solution … Continue reading
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The Stickler Weekly 160 Solution
A couple of weeks ago I talked about the unusual clue 0.9 (3) and how it worked. I also mentioned that it took some liberties but ultimately provided enough info for the solver as long as the clue was read … Continue reading
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The Stickler Weekly 160
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 160 Overseas Help for The Stickler Weekly 160 Solution … Continue reading
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The Stickler Weekly 159 Solution
I’ve written a number of things in this spot about anagrams. First, I like them. Possibly seen as a setter’s lazy option, I’m convinced that a well-disguised anagram is one of the best forms of cryptic clue. It’s easy to … Continue reading
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Tagged cryptic crossword, solution, The Stickler
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The Stickler Weekly 159
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 159 Overseas Help for The Stickler Weekly 159 Solution … Continue reading
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The Stickler Weekly 158 Solution
The Daily Telegraph once did an article about me and cryptics at my home at the time in Thornleigh, and asked if there was someone around who could pose as they took a photo of me explaining how cryptics worked. … Continue reading
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The Stickler Weekly 158
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 158 Overseas Help for The Stickler Weekly 158 Solution … Continue reading
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The Stickler Weekly 157 Solution
The Stickler Weekly 156 contained the following clue: 3-down Prepared offering party served up? (6,4) [Anagram of OFFERING + DO reversed] Did you realise it was an &lit? There’s an odd expectation that develops when you know (or think) you’ve … Continue reading
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Tagged cryptic crossword, solution, The Stickler
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The Stickler Weekly 157
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 157 Overseas Help for The Stickler Weekly 157 Solution … Continue reading
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Tagged cryptic crossword, online, printable, The Stickler
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