41 thoughts on “DA Confusion for the 19/20th of October, 2012”
Not the toughie AS predicted – I got it all out, unaided, in about 50 minutes. I hadn’t heard of 7D or the creation in question, but got it from the wordplay.
On to my wordplay confusion:
16D: I have “fairly rampant” clueing the middle three letters, but I don’t see how.
18D: “cut about what” seems to clue the last three letters, but again I don’t get it.
Favourite clues today were 19D, 21D, 13A and 1D.
Rupert – 16D I think the middle 3 letters are the first 3 of a 4 letter word for rampant – ergo fairly.
And for 18D, the best I can figure is that cut is a three letter word making letters 3, 6, 7 about a two letter word (4,5) for what???
Can’t get full wordplay for 24 A.
And can’t get 1A at all.
Help on these would be appreciated. Thanks.
Spot on with 18d.
24a: the medic is the first two letters, the courtroom appearance is the last two letters
1a: double def, a collective noun. If you can’t get it, don’t _____ over it
Thank you Ian. Done.
That sort of cut. Thanks.
Done. 1D last in because I was misreading the clue and was looking for an acrobat synonym.
So far I have the whole left half completed except for 21D. I have a vague connection to flag-pole being the definition, but I think the wordplay is a charade of which I’m missing some common abbreviations for crown and shanty. So basically I have no idea where to start, lol.
Also, for 1D I have slip as the definition in a showbiz context, and that’s because of the P from 10A being the only nut I could think of that fits. Wordplay parsing on these two would also be greatly appreciated.
Okay I’m all done now and have realised the wordplay in 10A, no other confusions besides the 21D and 1D.
Okay I think I have 21D now with the definition being just flag. Then crown is a signpost for pole, and that letter lies underneath a word for shanty.
AC – so you good with 1D?
@Ray that’s the only one I’m still unsure about. Not sure if the definition is just ‘slip’ or ‘slip on banana’ or what…
AC- my reading “Slip” is defn. “Banana (original!)” gives first letter and “aerobat” gives balance. And I thinker u described that well above. If u see different, let me know. Thanks.
@Ray oh right, of course, thanks.
Very slow start, as usual. Probably wouldn’t have got 19D if I hadn’t been in African part of Atlas (hint, hint!). Only four in so far, much work to do.
Progressing with aid of lucky guesswork, so SW corner now filled. If you are good at guessing, you don’t need to understand clues!
Guessed at 18D, which gave me 25A, a very clever clue, I thought.
Ray, for 1A, think about a duck or chicken’s offspring. As for me, I can go no further, have run out of lucky guesses. ID? Can’t find an anagram for aerobat. What is an aerobat anyway? Still 13 short, no ideas at all, but a further clue for 1D might help.
Arthur, an aerobat is a pilot who does trick flying exhibitions. So, think of names of flying tricks – that should help. I can’t believe it took so long to get 17A (feeling very dumb), that gave me 19D and – me out.
Got it all out today without aids, although googled to confirm 19D which I hadn’t heard of. 7D last in. Went down the long road thinking 7D’s reference to 22A was Trekky which I know nothing about. Trippers cleared up 16D and 18D wordplay queries. Enjoyed 15A, 21D, 10A.
Quibbles, 17A not sure that ‘lodge’ is the right grammar.
And isn’t 23A what DA calls a hookworm? Much simpler than what I originally thought …. what the racer yelled, collapsing over the line at the Iditarod?
Thanks to Attica, I had found that one, and all the rest except 14A. My wordfinder will not come up with a word that fits the letters I have. So, is it a regular word? I had never heard of the 7D person, but then, I don’t read much. But Wiki confirmed my guess. Any clues on 14A?
Oh what a tolc! Had lunch, had my after-dinner nap, picked up the paper, and there it was. Finished!
Is DA going soft or are we just getting too good at tuning in to his wavelength? Despite dizziness/tiredness I managed to solve the whole thing with 1. pencil; 2. paper; and 3. nothing else.
The wordplay in 24A eludes me, however, and I would appreciate a hint.
Was there a subtle mini-theme with 6D, 7D and 22A, or was it just coincidence?
iPuzzled – 24A – as Ian helped me above – before the judge is up. That help? Because I guess you got the two other bits. If not let post again.
I’m with ipuzzled – am I getting better at this or are they getting easier? Please don’t let DA know! The middle part of 24a refers to the shape of the letters I think.
Any help with wordplay for 19D would be appreciated.
Feather – 19D: Who is “I” for this crossword gives letters 1,2. “me bro” gives next 5. Last 2 words are / infer the defn. Hope this helps.
Thanks, Ray. I hadn’t got the reference to the last 5 letters, seems that I’m the only one …
Like Arthur C, I had a very slow start – it seemed hopeless, then it all came together with a bit of googling here and there. Very pleasing.
Seeing as there’s a six week delay from DAs submitting the puzzle to publication, it might takes some time if he realises he’s gone easy on us….
Had to google 7d and 19d. I don’t see what clues the last subword in 7d. I liked 13d 14a
I’m not sure what has happened but my Age today does not have the crossword in it.
And it’s the only reason I buy it. Gggrrr
Jupiter – synonym for ‘does’ as in cheats.
… and, of course, it’s only the last 5 letters, since the B is part of the anagram.
In case DA is watching, I like a crossword like today’s where the answers can be found from the wordplay, even if you don’t know the answer as I didn’t in a couple of cases. The pleasure for me is of solving. I don’t find much fun in struggling over wordplay that only seems to be got from working backwards from the answer, and there’s not much joy in that or in the surface reading. For mine, I think the last couple of weeks are ‘just right’ to take outside in this fine spring weather with a cup of coffee and no electronic devices. More please!
DA need not toughen…. Wrestled hard, even with with this one. Cuts in wordplay never fail to ambush me. Liked 7d & 22a, when finally got there. But 19d remains unsolved.
@Michelle -email rupert – he’ll send you one, just click on his link (Name in blue)
Gayle had one quibble – we have another one – the tense used in 4D. We think it should be “greased”. Also can’t work out the wordplays for 3D & 1oA.
@BeDAzzled 19D is a country in West Africa – now called Republic of B_ _ _ _ N. Beginning with the setters initials, with a”me” in it -( don’t want to be a spoiler)
Agree with you BeDAzzled. Still finding each puzzle a real challenge but thrilled to complete.I liked 25A this time as it was the first I could see.Also thought 13D was fun.
Doug & Gwen, 10a is school sports 2 letters in front of 3 letter word for slam as in put down
@Doug & Gwyn 3D was about the last wordplay I got. DA must have had fun with this one – every word could have been either an indicator or fodder.
‘up’ works on a synonym for ‘called’, letters 1-5
‘backing’ and ‘heartless’ operate on a 3 letter synonym for ‘down’, letters 6,7.
Thanx gayle & JS – we had the answers, but just couldn’t figure out why! – all is clear now.
Not the toughie AS predicted – I got it all out, unaided, in about 50 minutes. I hadn’t heard of 7D or the creation in question, but got it from the wordplay.
On to my wordplay confusion:
16D: I have “fairly rampant” clueing the middle three letters, but I don’t see how.
18D: “cut about what” seems to clue the last three letters, but again I don’t get it.
Favourite clues today were 19D, 21D, 13A and 1D.
Rupert – 16D I think the middle 3 letters are the first 3 of a 4 letter word for rampant – ergo fairly.
And for 18D, the best I can figure is that cut is a three letter word making letters 3, 6, 7 about a two letter word (4,5) for what???
Can’t get full wordplay for 24 A.
And can’t get 1A at all.
Help on these would be appreciated. Thanks.
Spot on with 18d.
24a: the medic is the first two letters, the courtroom appearance is the last two letters
1a: double def, a collective noun. If you can’t get it, don’t _____ over it
Thank you Ian. Done.
That sort of cut. Thanks.
Done. 1D last in because I was misreading the clue and was looking for an acrobat synonym.
So far I have the whole left half completed except for 21D. I have a vague connection to flag-pole being the definition, but I think the wordplay is a charade of which I’m missing some common abbreviations for crown and shanty. So basically I have no idea where to start, lol.
Also, for 1D I have slip as the definition in a showbiz context, and that’s because of the P from 10A being the only nut I could think of that fits. Wordplay parsing on these two would also be greatly appreciated.
Okay I’m all done now and have realised the wordplay in 10A, no other confusions besides the 21D and 1D.
Okay I think I have 21D now with the definition being just flag. Then crown is a signpost for pole, and that letter lies underneath a word for shanty.
AC – so you good with 1D?
@Ray that’s the only one I’m still unsure about. Not sure if the definition is just ‘slip’ or ‘slip on banana’ or what…
AC- my reading “Slip” is defn. “Banana (original!)” gives first letter and “aerobat” gives balance. And I thinker u described that well above. If u see different, let me know. Thanks.
@Ray oh right, of course, thanks.
Very slow start, as usual. Probably wouldn’t have got 19D if I hadn’t been in African part of Atlas (hint, hint!). Only four in so far, much work to do.
Progressing with aid of lucky guesswork, so SW corner now filled. If you are good at guessing, you don’t need to understand clues!
Guessed at 18D, which gave me 25A, a very clever clue, I thought.
Ray, for 1A, think about a duck or chicken’s offspring. As for me, I can go no further, have run out of lucky guesses. ID? Can’t find an anagram for aerobat. What is an aerobat anyway? Still 13 short, no ideas at all, but a further clue for 1D might help.
Arthur, an aerobat is a pilot who does trick flying exhibitions. So, think of names of flying tricks – that should help. I can’t believe it took so long to get 17A (feeling very dumb), that gave me 19D and – me out.
Got it all out today without aids, although googled to confirm 19D which I hadn’t heard of. 7D last in. Went down the long road thinking 7D’s reference to 22A was Trekky which I know nothing about. Trippers cleared up 16D and 18D wordplay queries. Enjoyed 15A, 21D, 10A.
Quibbles, 17A not sure that ‘lodge’ is the right grammar.
And isn’t 23A what DA calls a hookworm? Much simpler than what I originally thought …. what the racer yelled, collapsing over the line at the Iditarod?
Thanks to Attica, I had found that one, and all the rest except 14A. My wordfinder will not come up with a word that fits the letters I have. So, is it a regular word? I had never heard of the 7D person, but then, I don’t read much. But Wiki confirmed my guess. Any clues on 14A?
Oh what a tolc! Had lunch, had my after-dinner nap, picked up the paper, and there it was. Finished!
Is DA going soft or are we just getting too good at tuning in to his wavelength? Despite dizziness/tiredness I managed to solve the whole thing with 1. pencil; 2. paper; and 3. nothing else.
The wordplay in 24A eludes me, however, and I would appreciate a hint.
Was there a subtle mini-theme with 6D, 7D and 22A, or was it just coincidence?
iPuzzled – 24A – as Ian helped me above – before the judge is up. That help? Because I guess you got the two other bits. If not let post again.
I’m with ipuzzled – am I getting better at this or are they getting easier? Please don’t let DA know! The middle part of 24a refers to the shape of the letters I think.
Any help with wordplay for 19D would be appreciated.
Feather – 19D: Who is “I” for this crossword gives letters 1,2. “me bro” gives next 5. Last 2 words are / infer the defn. Hope this helps.
Thanks, Ray. I hadn’t got the reference to the last 5 letters, seems that I’m the only one …
Like Arthur C, I had a very slow start – it seemed hopeless, then it all came together with a bit of googling here and there. Very pleasing.
Seeing as there’s a six week delay from DAs submitting the puzzle to publication, it might takes some time if he realises he’s gone easy on us….
Had to google 7d and 19d. I don’t see what clues the last subword in 7d. I liked 13d 14a
I’m not sure what has happened but my Age today does not have the crossword in it.
And it’s the only reason I buy it. Gggrrr
Jupiter – synonym for ‘does’ as in cheats.
… and, of course, it’s only the last 5 letters, since the B is part of the anagram.
In case DA is watching, I like a crossword like today’s where the answers can be found from the wordplay, even if you don’t know the answer as I didn’t in a couple of cases. The pleasure for me is of solving. I don’t find much fun in struggling over wordplay that only seems to be got from working backwards from the answer, and there’s not much joy in that or in the surface reading. For mine, I think the last couple of weeks are ‘just right’ to take outside in this fine spring weather with a cup of coffee and no electronic devices. More please!
DA need not toughen…. Wrestled hard, even with with this one. Cuts in wordplay never fail to ambush me. Liked 7d & 22a, when finally got there. But 19d remains unsolved.
@Michelle -email rupert – he’ll send you one, just click on his link (Name in blue)
Gayle had one quibble – we have another one – the tense used in 4D. We think it should be “greased”. Also can’t work out the wordplays for 3D & 1oA.
@BeDAzzled 19D is a country in West Africa – now called Republic of B_ _ _ _ N. Beginning with the setters initials, with a”me” in it -( don’t want to be a spoiler)
Agree with you BeDAzzled. Still finding each puzzle a real challenge but thrilled to complete.I liked 25A this time as it was the first I could see.Also thought 13D was fun.
Doug & Gwen, 10a is school sports 2 letters in front of 3 letter word for slam as in put down
@Doug & Gwyn 3D was about the last wordplay I got. DA must have had fun with this one – every word could have been either an indicator or fodder.
‘up’ works on a synonym for ‘called’, letters 1-5
‘backing’ and ‘heartless’ operate on a 3 letter synonym for ‘down’, letters 6,7.
Thanx gayle & JS – we had the answers, but just couldn’t figure out why! – all is clear now.