The internet is a fascinating place. It allows all people with a connection the ability to get involved, either as an originator or a contributor, or both. It shouldn’t surprise us that there are thousands of niches out there just waiting for interested people to find them. Recently a couple of overseas crossword friends pointed me to the Kickstarter website where projects of all shapes and sizes are birthed. I was surprised to find a number of crossword projects (almost all American), that sometimes involved a theme, or a collaborative effort, or a set of crosswords by just one person. The premise is simple: raise funds for a defined project over a relatively short period and reward contributors differently depending on their pledge. What really struck me was the response to a US cryptic crossword Kickstarter project last year which raised almost double the minimum requirement in just 30 days. A total of 240 people pledged a combined US$7,397 for a set of 12 cryptic puzzles. The US doesn’t have any home-grown daily cryptics and just one home-grown weekly cryptic, so this response suggests they may be a demand beyond what is currently available.
Would you support a Stickler Kickstarter project?
| Across | Answers and Clues | Explanations |
| 1 | IRREVERENT | |
| Disrespectful one, right, always involved in division (10) | I + [(R + EVER) inside RENT] | |
| 6 | AS IS | |
| Foundation not opening in the current state (2,2) | (B)ASIS | |
| 9 | ILLICIT | |
| In poor health, I mention clipped criminal (7) | ILL + I + CIT(E) | |
| 10 | AUCTION | |
| Litigation blocking uranium’s public sale (7) | ACTION outside U | |
| 12 | THESPIAN | |
| The reel shown about a person in the acting business (8) | (THE + SPIN) outside A | |
| 13 | ANGLES | |
| Attempts to catch one from school with crooks (6) | Double Definition | |
| 15 | ASPECT | |
| View held by people originally in a religious cult (6) | (P)EOPLE inside ( A + SECT) | |
| 16 | AWARDEE | |
| One honoured a short act about war (7) | [A + DEE(D)] outside WAR | |
| 18 | INK | |
| Writing material concerned with last part of book (3) | IN + BOO(K) | |
| 19 | PROVISO | |
| Specialist is finishing against circuit rider (7) | PRO + (IS after V) + O | |
| 21 | EJECTS | |
| Discharges energy generated by carbon in aeroplanes (6) | E + (C inside JETS) | |
| 24 | ROTTEN | |
| Corrupt attorney losing case badly (6) | Anagram of (A)TTORNE(Y) | |
| 25 | PLEASURE | |
| The French like being held during pure gratification (8) | (LE + AS) inside PURE | |
| 27 | APOSTLE | |
| Preacher consumed by drink is put on duty (7) | POST inside ALE | |
| 28 | GAINFUL | |
| Moneymaking in finance initially accepted by old part of Europe (7) | [IN + (F)INANCE] inside GAUL | |
| 29 | HIDE | |
| Shelter fell (4) | Double Definition | |
| 30 | CONTINGENT | |
| Military force in Gulf primarily used to bolster capacity (10) | [IN + (G)ULF] inside CONTENT | |
| Down | Answers and Clues | Explanations |
| 1 | IDIOTS | |
| One by one embraced by…clowns? (6) | I + (I inside DOTS) | |
| 2 | ROLLERS | |
| They may be used to paint expensive cars (7) | Double Definition | |
| 3 | VICE PRESIDENT | |
| Pressure after failing shown by local executive (4,9) | (P after VICE) + RESIDENT | |
| 4 | RETRACTION | |
| Withdrawal of a statement regarding purchase (10) | RE + TRACTION | |
| 5 | NEAR | |
| Passengers in plane are not far away (4) | plaNE ARe | |
| 7 | SKILLED | |
| Expert witness finally finished off (7) | WITNES(S) + KILLED | |
| 8 | SINISTER | |
| Order member around home threatening harm (8) | SISTER outside IN | |
| 11 | CONCATENATION | |
| Caught pet kept by one lot of people with chain (13) | C + (CAT inside ONE) + NATION | |
| 14 | TAKE FLIGHT | |
| King, in daring act, set up beacon to get away (4,6) | K inside (FEAT reversed) + LIGHT | |
| 17 | APPROACH | |
| Native American not totally grasping professional’s technique (8) | (APACH)E oustide PRO | |
| 20 | OUT COLD | |
| Boxer’s second repaired cut on veteran in an unconscious state (3,4) | B(O)XER + anagram of CUT + OLD | |
| 22 | TRUFFLE | |
| Time to put out sweet (7) | T + RUFFLE | |
| 23 | MERLOT | |
| Drink is not accepted by miser with group (6) | (MISER minus IS) + LOT | |
| 26 | ZERO | |
| A very low temperature froze road partially (4) | froZE ROad |
Yep.
Certainly would give support in return for such challenges/enjoyment.
For certain!! Well deserving.
Yes
David — if you go ahead with something like this, have you given any thought to what market you’d aim at? For example: Australia, USA, or non-country-specific. That would have an effect on the composition of your crosswords.
From our point of view, Australia-targeted crosswords would be best — but I wonder if the market is big enough.