The DA Trippers

Solutions for the AS Atypical of January, 2012

Posted on January 2, 2012 by AS| 15 Comments

In the comments you’ll find the answers and explanations to the recent AS Atypical.

Happy 2012!

An AS Atypical for January, 2012

Posted on January 1, 2012 by AS| 5 Comments

2012 is upon us — happy, happy days! — and should FriDAy or SaturDAy look too far away for your cryptic crossword fix, try this AS Atypical.

May this cryptic bring forth quizzical joy, but if not, sorry for my vainglorious cryptic assay.

Instructions: All cluing for what constructs this crossword’s inscription, which a star marks out, contains only wordplay and no synonym. In addition, said inscription is also a 26, 4-across.

Inscription:
A 1-across 15-down 12-across 14-down onto 28-down, 21-down 27-down.

ACROSS
1. Thomson, say (5) *
4. Go to 26-across
10. Gandhi outright in Asia (5)
11. Shock a soft colour codification (5)
12. Mark will not pass by dolt (3) *
13. Mag icon is about waxing and waning stars (12)
16. Grows biting salmon principally for rich noobs (8)
17. Usual bad guy’s dram of grog is uncustomarily drunk (4)
20. Boost orphan Cyrillic bard (4)
22. Brainy salutation on air at summit (8)
26, 4. A Mac program malting pi cracks this crossword in particular (12, 8)
29. Manx comic dog spawns non-purist sport format (1.1.1.)
30. Fabulous guardian missing nothing of fabulous ship drawn to land of opportunity (5)
31. Board approvals in Zurich (5)
32. Drink for drunks slurring photos (8)
33. Wow! Boudoir lubricant is disgusting (5)

DOWN
1. Marx’s gift array drops what this crossword lacks (4)
2. Brings to trial “kind” Picts ripping noggins off (7)
3. Malaprop magician William Archibald humanly stocks gang to supply bigot (8)
5. Puck should aurally thrust (6)
6. Could zip-on clothing undo this crossword’s philosophical organisation? (6)
7. Band around back brings about Finn’s pursuit (7)
8. 100.9 on transistor initially for quaint hybrid (4)
9. Nick drops pill, scraps frolics (7)
14. Lo: marshals (5) *
15. U2 in sci-fi bomb starts in an unfamiliar way (5) *
18. Organic stuff mantra splits AC/DC from Californian Fanny (7)
19. Sri Lankan drink car to divvy lodgings baring hang out for yaks (8)
21. Bulgarian or Ukrainian or similar — kind of? (7) *
23. Curtin uproar shrouding disc brouhaha (7)
24. Spiny animal craniums in giant urns astonish nosy arborists (6)
25. Outstanding injunction against bowwow flip (4-2)
27. Adriatic’s most high officials’ fourth post shorn (4) *
28. Common, boring night sound (4) *

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Posted in AS Specials

The Last DA Confusions of 2011

Posted on December 30, 2011 by AS| 89 Comments

Here be where you sort out your confusions.

Deconfuse now.

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Posted in DA Confusion

The Last DA of 2011

Posted on December 30, 2011 by AS| 9 Comments

Here we go with the last DA of the year.

Enjoy.

Update: And here it is:

If DA ever had a coat of arms, surely the coypu would be on there.

Only got halfway through this one – more through laziness than anything else.

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Posted in DA Reports

Christmas DA Confusion, 2011

Posted on December 22, 2011 by AS| 138 Comments

It’s a themed one this week, and I’m sure any of your confusions will be answered here by the DA Trippers faithful.

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Posted in DA Confusion

Christmas DA, 2011

Posted on December 22, 2011 by AS| 14 Comments

DA has already stated this week’s features a theme — which usually means something special is in store.

Merry Christmas, and I bet DA will make things especially fun.

Update: A great one:

A joy to behold — and I was only a silly mistake away from a Poolroom moment (I had VENUS for VENUE, which bamboozled me with PROMOTE, and I cheated rather than work through the impasse).

Not quite Noel standard from two years ago for me, but an absolute cracker nonetheless.

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Posted in DA Reports

See the World

Posted on December 22, 2011 by AS| Leave a comment

This adorns my wall:

It’s from here: http://www.bytelevel.com/eyechart/.

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Posted in General Cryptic Talk

Rupert’s Cryptic

Posted on December 20, 2011 by AS| 13 Comments

Frequent contributor Rupert is also a frequent compiler over at his own blog.

Rupert’s latest has a special theme — and is one well worth doing.

Enjoy.

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Posted in General Cryptic Talk

The Not-DA Compilers in the Fairfax Network

Posted on December 20, 2011 by AS| 2 Comments

Every so often, the question of ranking the other Fairfax cryptic crossword compilers crops up. It’s been discussed twice before, here and here, and prompted by an email be frequent contributor Robin, I ask the question again: how do you rate the other Fairfax compilers?

Robin’s ratings seem to concur with the general impression:

1. DA – say no more…

< Insert daylight here >

2. DS (Saturday) but agree about the lack of DA’s wicked sense of humour

3 and 4. DP (Wednesday) and NS (Thursday) – comments from previous posts still apply. DP is all puns usually!

5. DH (Tuesday) comments from previous posts still apply. Only ranked 5 as many odd topics are thrown up but it’s all research I find.

6. RM or EP (Monday) Only on a Monday can I match Rupert’s PBs for DA.

Is there some heretofore unnoticed genius in other setters? Or does the general impression still stand?

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Posted in General Cryptic Talk