Crossword Genius

Most severe novelist and story teller starts (8)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

sternest

'most severe' is the definition.
(I've seen this before)

'novelist and story teller starts' is the wordplay.
'novelist' becomes 'sterne' (laurence sterne**).
'and' says to put letters next to each other.
'starts' says to take the initial letters.
The first letters of 'story teller' is 'st'.
'sterne'+'st'='STERNEST'

(Other definitions for sternest that I've seen before include "Most severe and unrelenting" , "Strictest or grimmest" , "Most serious and unrelenting" , "Most unfriendly" , "Most strict and demanding" .)

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