Question:

Why is such a high-output wall-wart required?

Is this to support certain programming operations
with certain PICs?

If not, why not choose something more suitable with
lower voltage?

I would guess that most folks here understand that
the unreg output, as you cited, from a "12V wall-wart"
can be 15 - 16 V with light load. I have good
operation of the TERN TD-40 board (where the 40 MHz
80186 CMOS CPU runs alsmost hot to the touch) using
unregulated wall-warts labled "9 VDC" and a 7805
regulator. There *are* times I wish this were a
switcher yielding more efficiency (some of the newer
products do offer switchers as an option).

RF Jim

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