Al, an oven that wasn't up to temperature can certainly result in rolls that don't rise as high as you like. Most ovens aren't fully preheated even if their signal goes off. I like to use an independent thermometer on one of the oven shelves to get its true temperature; my oven takes about 25 to 30 minutes to preheat. If the dough is too moist, it can "rise" sideways rather than up; if too dry (too much flour), its rising is impeded. It sounds like your dough was fine, though — tacky, but not unbearably sticky. Maybe it was just the luck of the draw with weather; yeast baking can take on a life of its own! I'd definitely try these again; I love the result, so it's worth working on a bit. Good luck — PJH

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