Hooked by father cutting ends off stick to solve problem (6)
I believe the answer is:
addict
'problem' is the definition.
Although both the answer and definition are singular nouns, I cannot see how they can define each other.
'hooked by father cutting ends off stick to solve' is the wordplay.
'hooked by father cutting' becomes 'add' (I can't justify this - if you can you should give a lot more credence to this answer).
'ends off' means to look at the middle letters.
'to solve' is an anagram indicator (I've seen 'solved' mean this (the anagram must be solved)).
The central letters of 'stick' are 'tic'.
'tic' anagrammed gives 'ict'.
'add'+'ict'='ADDICT'
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for addict that I've seen before include "Regular drug user" , "Fanatic devotee" , "fiend" , "Fanatical devotee" , "Junkie, dependant" .)