A couple of weeks ago a crossword friend sent me a link to an article about a newspaper group (McClatchy) in the States, specifically the Centre Daily Times (CDT) changing its puzzle page. If you take time to read it, you’ll notice some similarities with what happened to The Stickler when News Ltd consolidated their puzzle pages across their four major state dailies over 2 years ago. There are a few differences though: about 30 papers vs 4; the CDT was already running a syndicated crossword (LA Times), not a local one; it seems the regular staff handled the changeover where News Ltd used a hatchet mob to do the dirty work; and someone cared enough at the CDT to actually try and find a solution that publisher and solvers could live with. The common denominator obviously was cost-cutting, with McClatchy ignoring what wasn’t broke (the LA Times crossword) and going with a highly syndicated crossword (Universal) with no real connection to anything that readers could relate to. Clearly the LA Times was too expensive to use across the whole newspaper group or the spread of McClatchy’s market meant it wouldn’t suit all newspapers. In my case I was asked to take a 75% pay cut to allow The Stickler to survive and the many complaints after its axing fell on deaf ears. I love the author’s dismissive line when talking about the “strategy to streamline puzzle pages for all of its newspaper markets”: it “makes sense on multiple fronts”…for the newspaper owner, sure, but solvers always seem to end up paying the price.
There’s a small clue in the comments following the article that points to more than the puzzle page being streamlined. Modern regional newspapers are now largely a subset of the major papers with little or no real local content. It won’t be long before the regional paper will have no relevance at all in our society.
| Across | Answers and Clues | Explanations |
| 1 | BY DESIGN | |
| 500 involved in farewell provide endorsement on purpose (2,6) | D inside BYE + SIGN | |
| 5 | GRASPS | |
| Pressure inside pot holds (6) | P inside GRASS | |
| 10 | ALPHA | |
| A record has missing end and beginning (5) | A + LP + (HA)S | |
| 11 | IMPOSTURE | |
| Round stone used in corrupt deception (9) | (O + ST) inside IMPURE | |
| 12 | TORMENTORS | |
| They cause trouble to teachers after the end of semester (10) | TO + [MENTORS after SEMESTE(R)] | |
| 13 | LIST | |
| Roll is lean (4) | Double Definition | |
| 15 | AU PAIR | |
| A broadcast entertaining excited child-minder (2,4) | (A + AIR) outside UP | |
| 16 | SEESAWS | |
| Playground equipment was reassembled behind courts (7) | Anagram of WAS after SEES | |
| 18 | PREVENT | |
| Stop public relations function (7) | PR + EVENT | |
| 20 | TO A MAN | |
| Development of anatomy almost without exception (2,1,3) | Anagram of (ANATOM)Y | |
| 22 | CHOP | |
| Policeman absorbing hard blow (4) | COP outside H | |
| 23 | PLEASANTLY | |
| Layer containing sealant moulded well (10) | PLY outside anagram of SEALANT | |
| 25 | ORNAMENTS | |
| The accessories of worship or titles including part of the bible (9) | OR + (NAMES outside NT) | |
| 26 | PIETA | |
| Two Greek characters depicted religious icons (5) | PI + ETA | |
| 27 | SWEATS | |
| Ex’s predecessor in government constituencies works hard (6) | W insides SEATS | |
| 28 | ATHLETES | |
| A court decision accepted by most of these sportspeople (8) | A + [LET inside (THES)E] | |
| Down | Answers and Clues | Explanations |
| 1 | BEASTS | |
| Pounds filled with small animals (6) | BEATS outside S | |
| 2 | DEPARTURE LOUNGE | |
| Upgrade “rule” not resolved by one finally leaving area of airport (9,6) | Anagram of UPGRADE RULE NOT + ON(E) | |
| 3 | SHAMEFACED | |
| Cafe mother set up in storage unit is modest (10) | (CAFE + MA) reversed inside SHED | |
| 4 | GLITTER | |
| Grandchildren of Tom, say, shine? (7) | G + LITTER | |
| 6 | RUSE | |
| Right to take advantage of deception (4) | R + USE | |
| 7 | STUDIO APARTMENT | |
| Upright people, accommodated by a patriot, transformed a small unit (6,9) | STUD + (MEN inside anagram of A PATRIOT) | |
| 8 | SWEETISH | |
| Elevated golfing area in stylish environs is quite nice (8) | TEE reversed inside SWISH | |
| 9 | SPIRES | |
| Priests, giving up time, restored features of churches (6) | Anagram of PRIESTS minus T | |
| 14 | METACARPAL | |
| Touched a fish, a large bony thing (10) | MET + A + CARP + A + L | |
| 17 | SPACIOUS | |
| Huge university invested in alternative exhibition of Picasso (8) | U inside anagram of PICASSO | |
| 19 | TALENT | |
| Alcohol consumed by explosive whiz kid (6) | ALE inside TNT | |
| 20 | TRANSIT | |
| Mounted gallery display isn’t prepared for shipment (7) | ART reversed + anagram of ISNT | |
| 21 | BYPASS | |
| Avoid edge of precipice in unstable abyss (6) | (P)RECIPICE inside anagram of ABYSS | |
| 24 | EMIT | |
| Send out clock running backwards (4) | TIME reversed |
At least with a bit of perseverance I managed to find you again David.
Rest of the Courier Mail wasn’t worth reading anyway, probably worse now.
Haven’t bought it since.
And I haven’t bought the Sydney Daily Telegraph since the Stickler disappeared. I sent them a complaint, and didn’t receive a response of any kind.
#99 was as enjoyable as the previous 98. The clue which particularly interested me was 23ac. The wordplay works in 2 different ways: PLY can be either PL…..Y or P…..LY. I’ve never noticed that in a Stickler before. But then, the beautiful and talented Mrs Mansell says I never notice anything.
I, also, have barely bought the Adelaide Advertiser since the Stickler went, and then only for particular articles, such as one where my son’s photo appeared in an a school article.
I, too, complained and received no response. I wonder how much revenue to the newspaper was lost when the puzzle was removed?
Please, keep producing them, David-yours is the only one with decent clues, that as a beginner I can mostly get, except for simple crosswords that rely almost totally on poorly disguised/constructed anagrams.
Wendy, if you’re a beginner and you can get most Stickler clues, then you’re doing very well indeed. Keep it up!