42 thoughts on “DA Confusion for the 9/10th of November, 2012”
Way too easy today. Took me less than half an hour, including the time to print out the puzzle, wake my daughter up* and make a cup of tea.
* poor thing. My wife and I both work at home, and my son is on study leave, so she’s the only one who has to get up and get out of the house in the morning.
Is 12A missing an indicator? Or is it just that the definition and word play are on the wrong sides of it?
I don’t get the wordplay in 7D.
I liked 9A, 12A and 7A. 5A was clever.
This was the first scandal I thought of, but apparently I was off by six years.
Rupert – 7D – neither do I. But still thinking on it.
12A agree. Would be better as “Garden layer in earth clump turned”.
Have all but 26A. Can you help me with that please? Think I know the intent, just can’t find the answer even with the 3 letters in.
26A – Got it – got to look a whole clue don’t I —.
7d: letters 1, 7,and 8 are operating, and the rest is a reversal
Thanks, Ian.
Hi, I am still very much a learner when it comes to cryptic crosswords. And DA’s really challenge me. Can someone help me with 27a – I have the first 4 letters, and also 20d – I have the 2nd and 4th letters.
I note you folk are calling it an easy one – that may be why I have got some words out all by myself!
Thanks
Jan
Jan – 27A – 2 letter word for “cheers” and 3 letter word for “bounder” inside a 3 letter word for a “ripper” – and this gives the answer which is a “cry for less public attention”. Hope that helps. If not ask again.
27A: Less public *affection*. The attention to the affection is the problem :)
Thanks Rupert – old eyes, small print and ten thumbs are all common to me.
Thanks. Was thinking the wrong way for bounder, but have now got both 27a and 20d. And I have got it done. Yay
Agree that Today’s DA was easy. Oh well, back to work.
Hi unsure of wordplay for 4d, 21a and 22d. Can’t get 18a and 17d either, but happy to keep soldiering on. Many thanks!
JS, can only help with 18a. Def’n is retail bond. Anagram of (t)otally in a ‘spirit’
Thanks Chamollie
@JS, can only help with some of them as well.
22D is brilliant. Definition is spring, and if “everything changes” then what remains the same?
21A, definition is “a big ask”, and I could get it without parsing the wordplay even as yet.
17D, definition is “adapted”. It’s wisdom for folk inside a word for sober, barring its first letter.
Of the clues I’ve answered so far, I am yet to parse 21A and 25A (I get the anagrind “attack”, but the fodder requires a swap of the ‘m’ which I don’t get how it arises from “over train”.)
Still can’t get 23A despite having 3 out of 5 letters for it! There seems to be only 1 word that fits but I can’t see the wordplay?
Also can’t see the wordplay for 13A and 7D (I get letters 1,7,8 per Ian’s post above but still don’t see the “reversal” for the other letters? Unless I’ve got it wrong of course….)
I thought 8D was clever and agree that 22D is superb (after I got it!)
AC – for 21A I believe it’s “A big ask” with a downsized “To” to start with followed by a market index and the last 2 letters are a part of (i.e. brief?) “period”
I think you’re on the wrong track for 25A though. I didn’t have it as an anagram. My solution (which I have some confidence in as it fits everything I have around it) has city as the definition and uses “over” to mean look backwards. But it then needs the word “train” to suggest something I have not seen it used to do before. So I am not wholly convinced either!
@AC,
21A, letters 2-7 is a market index minus last letter, inside a word for “period” also minus last letter
25A is a reverse hidden
@Julian, for 23A I think the wordplay is a 7 letter word for share issue (or parcel) with the first and last letters knocked off. But it is an obscure term.
Ah yes OK got 23A now – thanks.
And yes I guess your wordplay for 21A is better than my convoluted effort (but at least I got the right answer!)
I agree with 25A – but why does “train” mean a hidden?
@Julian, haha so it is, right in there, as plain as day, in 25A
and re those all ords, the phrase is in my mind but is often buried deep. I definitely need to start being more businessy and whatnot.
Thanks guys.
JS – think your question above has been addressed but for 4D.
For 4D – the second word of the answer is an anagram of the first two words of the clue. The first word of the answer is a description of same. The defn is the last 4 words of the clue. Hope that helps.
Just re Rays help for 4D, I’ve got it as a result, thanks. But a better way to think about it is not that “maybe” is an anagrind, but rather indicating that the first two words are an example of the entire answer. It’s one of those inverse clues where it provides you with the result of the answer.
Thought I wouldn’t be here today, with cricket on, my favourite to watch. But by lunch yeterday, I had decided this match, and possibly the series, is all over. For this morning’s crozzle, the top half fell into place very easily.
For anyone who might be interested, a life story of Arthur is at: http://www.spreaker.com/page#!/user/4582839/dumbed_down_atheist_14_arthur_comer . The creator of the blog is an atheist, but I think he’s looking for truth. It goes for 150 minutes, so you need a lazy afternoon if you want to read.
Sorry, that should have said ‘Listen’. This blog has registered 238 hits in about four weeks.
Now fairly hopelessly lost, nothing in SW corner at all, filled in most of SE, but it looks like two at least are wrong, as the ones I put in seem OK but almost totally unrelated to the clue,
25 & 27A. Read Ray above on 27A, sadly, didn’t help. Is 25A a lady’s name? Is the bounder of 27A an Australian abbreviated? Some elucidation needed, HHHHEEEEEELLLLPPPPPPPPPPPPP.
I wish you clever clogs wouldn’t boast about how quickly they solve DA. Makes me feel slow-witted. Would appreciate a hint for 16D, please.
Messing around with the tea deprived ‘court scenario’ (19D,24A). Anagram I presumed, but probably a person I never heard of. Am I on right track?
Victor, take the “skirt” of the last two words in the clue. And the snag is not the edible kind. I got mst of this one out quickly but am still stuck on 17D.
Arthur C., you are on the right track. It’s not a contemporary pop singer.
Thanks, Dave R. I had just closed the computer and the singer leapt into my mind. Really slow at times, I recall hearing some ancient recordings of his. Having got that, the reast fell into place fairly quickly. Still bits I don’t understand, which is normal. See what Monday’s paper brings.
17D: First word is the definition. Four letter word for wisdom inside the last four letters of a five letter word for sober.
Must have been easy today, first time I can remember ever getting one out without coming here for hints. Still pondering a few wordplays, will read above.
I have “blind stag” on 6D. Can anyone help me please ?
David, clue is snappy. The rest is second letters of the next five words.
Thank you Arthur. I am understanding more of this operation each week because of the helpful explanations from all you good people.
Finished in about 90 minutes – didn’t anybody else have trouble with 26a? Only got it after much googling etc. Another addition to my vocab!
Yes, I’d never heard of that one either, Greg, I put it in as the only possibility, but lots about it in Google I discovered later. Some live to learn, some live and learn!
Thanks, all, for your help. I particularly liked 4d, once I understood it!
Oh, also, wordplay for 9a?
@JS – odd letters removed from ‘winner’ leaves INR. Inside a type of shark.
Way too easy today. Took me less than half an hour, including the time to print out the puzzle, wake my daughter up* and make a cup of tea.
* poor thing. My wife and I both work at home, and my son is on study leave, so she’s the only one who has to get up and get out of the house in the morning.
Is 12A missing an indicator? Or is it just that the definition and word play are on the wrong sides of it?
I don’t get the wordplay in 7D.
I liked 9A, 12A and 7A. 5A was clever.
This was the first scandal I thought of, but apparently I was off by six years.
Rupert – 7D – neither do I. But still thinking on it.
12A agree. Would be better as “Garden layer in earth clump turned”.
Have all but 26A. Can you help me with that please? Think I know the intent, just can’t find the answer even with the 3 letters in.
26A – Got it – got to look a whole clue don’t I —.
7d: letters 1, 7,and 8 are operating, and the rest is a reversal
Thanks, Ian.
Hi, I am still very much a learner when it comes to cryptic crosswords. And DA’s really challenge me. Can someone help me with 27a – I have the first 4 letters, and also 20d – I have the 2nd and 4th letters.
I note you folk are calling it an easy one – that may be why I have got some words out all by myself!
Thanks
Jan
Jan – 27A – 2 letter word for “cheers” and 3 letter word for “bounder” inside a 3 letter word for a “ripper” – and this gives the answer which is a “cry for less public attention”. Hope that helps. If not ask again.
27A: Less public *affection*. The attention to the affection is the problem :)
Thanks Rupert – old eyes, small print and ten thumbs are all common to me.
Thanks. Was thinking the wrong way for bounder, but have now got both 27a and 20d. And I have got it done. Yay
Agree that Today’s DA was easy. Oh well, back to work.
Hi unsure of wordplay for 4d, 21a and 22d. Can’t get 18a and 17d either, but happy to keep soldiering on. Many thanks!
JS, can only help with 18a. Def’n is retail bond. Anagram of (t)otally in a ‘spirit’
Thanks Chamollie
@JS, can only help with some of them as well.
22D is brilliant. Definition is spring, and if “everything changes” then what remains the same?
21A, definition is “a big ask”, and I could get it without parsing the wordplay even as yet.
17D, definition is “adapted”. It’s wisdom for folk inside a word for sober, barring its first letter.
Of the clues I’ve answered so far, I am yet to parse 21A and 25A (I get the anagrind “attack”, but the fodder requires a swap of the ‘m’ which I don’t get how it arises from “over train”.)
Still can’t get 23A despite having 3 out of 5 letters for it! There seems to be only 1 word that fits but I can’t see the wordplay?
Also can’t see the wordplay for 13A and 7D (I get letters 1,7,8 per Ian’s post above but still don’t see the “reversal” for the other letters? Unless I’ve got it wrong of course….)
I thought 8D was clever and agree that 22D is superb (after I got it!)
AC – for 21A I believe it’s “A big ask” with a downsized “To” to start with followed by a market index and the last 2 letters are a part of (i.e. brief?) “period”
I think you’re on the wrong track for 25A though. I didn’t have it as an anagram. My solution (which I have some confidence in as it fits everything I have around it) has city as the definition and uses “over” to mean look backwards. But it then needs the word “train” to suggest something I have not seen it used to do before. So I am not wholly convinced either!
@AC,
21A, letters 2-7 is a market index minus last letter, inside a word for “period” also minus last letter
25A is a reverse hidden
@Julian, for 23A I think the wordplay is a 7 letter word for share issue (or parcel) with the first and last letters knocked off. But it is an obscure term.
Ah yes OK got 23A now – thanks.
And yes I guess your wordplay for 21A is better than my convoluted effort (but at least I got the right answer!)
I agree with 25A – but why does “train” mean a hidden?
@Julian, haha so it is, right in there, as plain as day, in 25A
and re those all ords, the phrase is in my mind but is often buried deep. I definitely need to start being more businessy and whatnot.
Thanks guys.
JS – think your question above has been addressed but for 4D.
For 4D – the second word of the answer is an anagram of the first two words of the clue. The first word of the answer is a description of same. The defn is the last 4 words of the clue. Hope that helps.
Just re Rays help for 4D, I’ve got it as a result, thanks. But a better way to think about it is not that “maybe” is an anagrind, but rather indicating that the first two words are an example of the entire answer. It’s one of those inverse clues where it provides you with the result of the answer.
Thought I wouldn’t be here today, with cricket on, my favourite to watch. But by lunch yeterday, I had decided this match, and possibly the series, is all over. For this morning’s crozzle, the top half fell into place very easily.
For anyone who might be interested, a life story of Arthur is at: http://www.spreaker.com/page#!/user/4582839/dumbed_down_atheist_14_arthur_comer . The creator of the blog is an atheist, but I think he’s looking for truth. It goes for 150 minutes, so you need a lazy afternoon if you want to read.
Sorry, that should have said ‘Listen’. This blog has registered 238 hits in about four weeks.
Now fairly hopelessly lost, nothing in SW corner at all, filled in most of SE, but it looks like two at least are wrong, as the ones I put in seem OK but almost totally unrelated to the clue,
25 & 27A. Read Ray above on 27A, sadly, didn’t help. Is 25A a lady’s name? Is the bounder of 27A an Australian abbreviated? Some elucidation needed, HHHHEEEEEELLLLPPPPPPPPPPPPP.
I wish you clever clogs wouldn’t boast about how quickly they solve DA. Makes me feel slow-witted. Would appreciate a hint for 16D, please.
Messing around with the tea deprived ‘court scenario’ (19D,24A). Anagram I presumed, but probably a person I never heard of. Am I on right track?
Victor, take the “skirt” of the last two words in the clue. And the snag is not the edible kind. I got mst of this one out quickly but am still stuck on 17D.
Arthur C., you are on the right track. It’s not a contemporary pop singer.
Thanks, Dave R. I had just closed the computer and the singer leapt into my mind. Really slow at times, I recall hearing some ancient recordings of his. Having got that, the reast fell into place fairly quickly. Still bits I don’t understand, which is normal. See what Monday’s paper brings.
17D: First word is the definition. Four letter word for wisdom inside the last four letters of a five letter word for sober.
Must have been easy today, first time I can remember ever getting one out without coming here for hints. Still pondering a few wordplays, will read above.
I have “blind stag” on 6D. Can anyone help me please ?
David, clue is snappy. The rest is second letters of the next five words.
Thank you Arthur. I am understanding more of this operation each week because of the helpful explanations from all you good people.
Finished in about 90 minutes – didn’t anybody else have trouble with 26a? Only got it after much googling etc. Another addition to my vocab!
Yes, I’d never heard of that one either, Greg, I put it in as the only possibility, but lots about it in Google I discovered later. Some live to learn, some live and learn!
Thanks, all, for your help. I particularly liked 4d, once I understood it!
Oh, also, wordplay for 9a?
@JS – odd letters removed from ‘winner’ leaves INR. Inside a type of shark.