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. |
Managed to complete the first one but it took several days. At least I now know what a finial is 🙂 It’s good to be stickling again.