I was clearing up my study recently and came across some original AFR cryptics that I kept as mementos back in 1995, over 20 years ago. Looking through the clues was a strange experience as not many would make the 2015 cut even though at the time I considered myself a pretty good setter as I’d been mentored by Noel Jessop, had numerous puzzles published in CroZworld, and taken note of feedback and made many adjustments. No matter my experience to that point, I was very much a product of the crosswords I solved and, as I had a day job, I was still a hobbyist. This changed drastically when I started the Stickler 6 days a week, effectively becoming a professional. Cryptics became integral to my being, and like with any other full-time job, I had a goal of growing and improving. As a young setter I also had the advantage of being tech-savvy, and was able to take advantage of everything the Internet had to offer. I read crossword books, studied overseas setters’ work, and most importantly took note of all posts by solvers about things they liked and didn’t like in the cryptic realm.
In my 15 years in IT I reckon I learnt something new every day. It’s not quite the same with cryptics but there’s a definite need to keep up with what solvers are saying, and maybe making changes as a result. Setters should grow, or they may never get past the hobbyist phase.
| Across | Answers and Clues | Explanations |
| 1 | BEAR MARKET | |
| Gloomy period of trading set aside during speculative outlay (4,6) | EARMARK inside BET | |
| 6 | SHOT | |
| Onset of suffering eased by powerful injection (4) | (S)UFFERING + HOT | |
| 10 | BROADEN | |
| Open up thoroughfare going through Scottish mountain (7) | ROAD inside BEN | |
| 11 | TENTAGE | |
| The gutted agent ordered camping equipment? (7) | T(h)E + anagram of AGENT | |
| 12 | SUNSCREEN | |
| Rocky mass held by nuns distracted guard during the day (9) | SCREE inside anagram of NUNS | |
| 13 | OTTER | |
| Nasty person decapitated lodge builder (5) | R(OTTER) | |
| 14 | TICKLE | |
| Amuse perfectionist endlessly? (6) | S(TICKLE)R | |
| 16 | SLITHER | |
| Snake pierced her (7) | SLIT + HER | |
| 17 | BEE | |
| Buzzer’s short, high-pitched sound (3) | (BEE)P | |
| 19 | PROFILE | |
| Describe one who has a lot of experience with tool (7) | PRO + FILE | |
| 20 | PEPTIC | |
| Energy problem that’s spasmodic is related to digestion (6) | PEP + TIC | |
| 23 | MAORI | |
| Characters returning from Cairo amazed New Zealander (5) | caIRO AMazed reversed | |
| 24 | DEPRECATE | |
| Take exception to creep out of line in meeting (9) | Anagram of CREEP inside DATE | |
| 26 | CHINESE | |
| Asian stew oddly served after bony cut of pork (7) | (S)T(E)W after CHINE | |
| 27 | AMALGAM | |
| Blend a plant that’s aquatic in minutes (7) | A + (ALGA inside MM) | |
| 28 | SEEK | |
| Try to find outspoken member of Hindu sect (4) | Sounds like SIKH | |
| 29 | UNDERSTOOD | |
| Store misrepresented in Free World finally saw the light? (10) | Anagram of STORE inside UNDO + WORL(D) | |
| Down | Answers and Clues | Explanations |
| 1 | BABY-SITS | |
| Looks after bishop facing it in hell (4-4) | B + (IT in ABYSS) | |
| 2 | ACORN | |
| A vegetable and fruit (5) | A + CORN | |
| 3 | MEDICAL OFFICER | |
| Orderly claimed one caught punching volunteer is a doctor (7,7) | Anagram of CLAIMED + [(I + C) inside OFFER] | |
| 4 | RENTER | |
| Tenant’s right to go in (6) | R + ENTER | |
| 5 | ENTANGLE | |
| Catch fish after changing net (8) | ANGLE after anagram of NET | |
| 7 | HEARTFELT | |
| Material located under cultivated earth may be deep (9) | FELT after anagram of EARTH | |
| 8 | THEORY | |
| People in general tossed around central part of work’s proposition (6) | THEY outside W(OR)K | |
| 9 | ONE OF THESE DAYS | |
| Working with retreating opponent, she stayed roughly in time (3,2,5,4) | ON + (FOE reversed) + anagram of SHE STAYED | |
| 15 | CORROSIVE | |
| Wearing visor back to front in centre (9) | VISOR reversed inside CORE | |
| 16 | SEE | |
| Interview ranked sportsperson missing out on final (3) | (SEE)D | |
| 17 | BLUDGEON | |
| Don’t do anything in Australia on strike (8) | BLUDGE + ON | |
| 18 | SCREAMED | |
| A maiden locked in long passage cried out (8) | (A + M) inside SCREED | |
| 21 | SMOCKS | |
| Head of surgery makes fun of protective garments (6) | (S)URGERY + MOCKS | |
| 22 | UPTAKE | |
| Understanding unusual package tour where cargo is not included (6) | Anagram of PACKAGE TOUR minus CARGO | |
| 25 | AGGRO | |
| Silver association not holding up problems or difficulties (5) | AG + (GROUP minus UP) |
