The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 9 letter word JOBSWORTH
I've seen this crossword clue in The Guardian
J
O
B
S
W
O
R
T
H
More clues leading to the result JOBSWORTH
- Value of sacred book for fussy functionary
- Nothing to lose in battlefield after short run for a particular worker?
- “The ___ doing for a bob”, said the old scout, a stickler for rules
- Patient chap incessantly cursed the inflexible official
- Petty official from Japan improvised short bow
- Petty official patient man throws out
- Responsibilities cost petty officer?
Buddy explains!
The straight part
We know that "a stickler for rules" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case a stickler for rules = jobsworth.The cryptic/wordplay part
In cryptic crossword there's often an wordplay/cryptic part as well.This part involves a more complex hint, such as an anagram, homophone, hidden word, etc.
Sadly, We don't have an explanation for this specific crossword clue yet.
What does JOBSWORTH mean?
JOBSWORTH noun- A minor worker who refuses to be flexible in the application of rules to help a client or customer.