117 thoughts on “DA Confusion for 23rd/24th of November, 2012”
Much better this week. About half done after breakfast. 2D the favourite so far.
Nearly there, but for SW corner ie: first part of 24A, 25D and 27A. Any help with these would be appreciated. Thanks.
Think I have 27A
24A: The first word is a type of meat. [show] minus [about]
25D think of something for your IPad or Iphone
All done.
I liked 2D,3D and 14D. 19D was cunning.
I don’t get the wordplay in 4D, 8D or 25D.
15A and 16A seem a little weak. Or am I missing something?
I hadn’t heard of 17A, or the detective in 23D.
26A: Apparently the queen of Carthage has an album out :)
Rupert / Peter – thank you both.
Rupert – for 8D I think letters 2, 3, 4, 5, 9 is Fr for rumour.
All but 14 dn & 16 ac don’t get wordplay for either. Help please
16A is almost a straight clue – I agree with Rupert above that it appears quite weak. Think of an American mobile.
14D “hot” as in fashionable is the definition. A two word term for “sound” as in the mind around the chemical symbol for silver
Thanks. Had transposed first and last letter of second word in 6 dn and thought answer for 16 ac too obvious
Just occured that 16 ac refers to Mobile Alabama.
Yes, 6D could be either as the definition is quite vague. 16A should be in the Quick Crossword
16A: It never occurred to me that the terms aren’t interchangeable. I take it that the one in the clue is preferred in Oz?
8D: One says Ray is correct.
I once searched the Mobile phone book for people with the first name Donna and last name beginning with E, but I never got around to calling any of them to sing Rigoletto at them.
Ha ha
I think I’ve got 3D but can’t make sense of it. Is 17A a person?
17A: Yes, it’s a person. Born in Adelaide in 1980, now lives and works on the Gold Coast.
3D: The first two words clue the first word of the answer. Words 3 and 4, and the first 4 letters of the fifth word clue the second word of the answer. The rest of the fifth word is the definition.
17A: He works overseas a lot, but he’s *based* in the Gold Coast.
Rupert, yes the one in the clue is what we use here.
Help please with 6a, 7d and 23d.
Also, word play for 9a
ta
sb: 23d def’n is a type of flower Temple is a crime writer, series on ABC TV. I am finding this one tough going
Thanks Chamollie. It was a slow start for me too.
Not going well this week. Especially struggling in the top right.
Help please for 6a,10a,4d,5d,7d
I don’t get the wordplay for 9a, 25d, 26a or 27a either?
Thanks.
Julian and sb – Think I can help with some.
10A – 5 letter word for JOKE followed by anagram of ON LEWD. Defn las 2 words.
5D – double defn – first 4 words and last 2 words give same answer.
7D – I think clever. First 2 words defn. 5 letter word for PICTURE with TO removed.
26A – defn last word. English singer of 4 letters with last removed.
27A – defn first 2 words. The edges of PEOPLE in a 4 letter word for 6D with last letter removed.
For the others (6A, 4D, 9A, 25D) have answers but struggle with the word play. If others have explanations of these it would be appreciated.
6A the definition is a deceased rap singer that is a homophone for a heavy smoker (I had to google this)
4D I think this is simply a cryptic definition although I feel the clue is a little vague
9A a word for “decline” (think droop) with the first letter changed (ie “partner swapping” – think directions). Definition is to bug someone
25D think of something for your IPad
6A: Definition is the last two words. Heard is a homophone indicator. The answer sounds like an excessive amount to smoke per day.
9A: Decline as in droop. Change the first letter for its bridge partner.
I don’t have wordplay for 4D or 25D, I’m afraid.
I had managed to complete grid, but had a number of questions, most of which have just been answered, thanks Ray, Peter and Rupert. But I still don’t get the WORDPLAY for 25d. I get what it must be from iPad reference. But how do you get there?
Our copy of The Age has only just been delivered. Having a quick look a the puzzle, there seems to be something wrong with 1D – it reads “1,26 across nobody slice up iconic beach? (5)”
No capital at the start of the clue – are there words missing? And there are more than 5 letters in the grid – 5 for 1D, plus 3 for 26A. What’s wrong?
Victor – there is no comma between 1 and 26A as you have written. 26A is part of the answer for 1D.
There is a comma there in my copy. And there is a total of 8 letters in 1D and 26A, not 5 as the clue has it.
I just don’t get 15A (even though I know the answer). Am I being particularly dense?
I was stuck on that corner for ages because I had “SISSY” which seemed to be a perfectly satisfactory, if obscure, answer to 15A, based on slang usage of dory.
Too many slightly dodgy clues in this week’s DA for my money.
Victor, the clue for 1D is “26-across nobody slice up iconic beach? (5)”
For 26A see Ray above at 4:56am
Thanks, JC, but my copy is clearly misprinted – the clue begins with “1, 26-across” in bold type, suggesting that the answer runs through 1D and 26A. Odd.
RogerD, 15A is simply a (perhaps slang) word meaning a bit suspicious, i.e. not hunky dory. And you know what a dory is.
A type in a DA – that’s all we need. Someone at The Age should be hung, drawn and quartered.
How’s that for irony? I typed “type” instead of “typo”.
Any hints re 20A? I’m sure it’s easy, as nobody else has asked about it but, if my 15D is right I’m stuck with just 20A unsolved.
JC – thanks. Stare at something too long and you can miss the obvious.
The “dory” part misled rather than helped, because of being a noun rather than an adjective. I think I guessed the answer early on but dismissed it because it didn’t seem to fit grammatically.
JC – 20A – defn first 2 words. LISTENERS indicates homonym of “PAIN” as a hint.
Sandy and Rupert and others, in 25D Bump is an example of a popular one which makes it easy to transfer photos between devices. ‘Each’ refers to a slang phrase for apiece with letter scheme (1,3) and ‘duck down’ refers to the removal of the middle letter of the second word.
Haven’t looked for help above yet, but I really need some inspiration, all I have for sure is 11A, and probly 1D, though I can’t see how the final letter is indicted in the clue. May have to abandon it if I don’t find a few more words.
Thanks Ray, got it. I thought LISTENERS must be a homonym indicator (I prefer “homophone” myself, but no matter), I just didn’t see the definition.
@AC – thank you for that! Really struggled with the wordplay for that.
AC – 25D – thanks and well done.
Almost done but stuck on the 3-letter ones – 9A is N-G, 7D is X-O, and 25D A-P. Hints, please.
Victor, 7D is not X-O
… so your guess at 6A is wrong, although I see the connection with “killed”.
Well, after reading through the above, and failing to understand most of it, now have five answers. Don’t have any ‘i’ devices, so references to those are meaningless. I though something akin to avian intelligence might do for 1A, but can see no connection to clue at all. Not good!
I reckon the clue for 1A would work just as well with its first word removed. That’s not really a hint, just an opinion. Anyone agree?
Thanks, JC – I assume my X is wrong in 7D. I was fairly confident as the X comes from the name of a “poisonous” rapper.
Victor, I think the 7D item is something you might order in a Viet cafe. I’ve now found a few answers. But more questions. In 13D, is the sportsman more likely to be cold or wet? Have only the final letter of 16A, don’t understand clues given above. Very slow going, I’m afraid.
If you’re still stuck on 7D, Ray, above at 4:56am gives a good hint, and although I got 6A from the wordplay alone I had to resort to Google to confirm it. You are still looking for a rapper, but he’s been dead for over 15 years!
Arthur C: 13D cold. There were some comments about 16A yesterday from Herald solvers. I guessed the answer but didn’t get the wordplay, which was explained by Jonny at 9:50am yesterday.
AC, thanks for that on 25d. I had to work at your explanation even. A very convoluted clue!!
Arthur, 16a is a bit of a dodgy clue. Basically it is two words which on their own each mean ‘mobile’ (as in communication device) which together are also a word for ‘mobile’ (as in communication device). It is what they use in US rather than Oz.
And, JC, I still don’t get Jonny’s 9.50am comment.
Exactly. As Jonny said above, the answer is what they call it in Mobile, Alabama.
Sorry Sandy, we posted together. No doubt you see it now?
Seems to be almost finished,except 20A. Didn’t quite understand clue given above. My first letter (Peruvian capital in NATO alphabet) may be wrong? But if it is correct, still missing letters 2, 4, 6.
I’ve just discovered – I think – that DA appears in the S M Herald the day before we get it in The Age. No wonder some of you seem to be finishing it so quickly!
Victor, they already have the paper with the answers, but being honorable cruciverbalists, they don’t look until they have finished the grid.
Arthur C – 20A – “L” is not the first letter. So work on 15D and then it may make more sense.
Have done about half of it, some with help from above, but getting to the point where I’m about to shred it now that I’ve read all your explanations about the wordplay. DA seems to be increasingly making his wordplay rely on bits of words (often reversed) with vague definitions of these bits together with a vague definition of the entire answer. 25D a prime example. Never would have got the answer (in itself an abbreviation albeit a well known one) from the definition of “bump perhaps” and as for “each duck down” giving us a two word phrase with a missing letter! The convoluted wordplay doesn’t even contribute to good surface reading so why bother? A few others this week (and more for me to discover?) but that last one…
Finished in reasonable time for me. Had to rely on explanations above for 25d word play. Very convoluted, as seems often to be the way for DA with short words. Still having problems with the complete word play for 24a. I get the def and all but the show bit.
Having trouble as usual with clues which others must have found easy. 19a,21a,28a,19d and 22d. Any help appreciated.
Dave R, for 24a “show” has lost two letters meaning “about”
Thanks Ray & Rupert. I’m ok for 7d but still don’t get 6a or 23d despite hints.
nn – I forgive DA everything – I don’t really mind how obscure or convoluted it is, it’s what makes Friday’s (or Saturday’s if you’re in Melbourne) cryptic different from the rest.
Thanks, Ray, stupid of me. I certainly have 15D right now, have to sort out a word that fits the clue.
Yes, I think all OK now, assuming the pain referred to may be more common in babies than adults?
Ah! With a bit of googling and help from above I now have 6a.
Thanks sb. It is now perfectly clear. Arthur C, I thought the pain was a homophone, rather than the first syllable of the answer.
sb – 23D – defn is last word. Google “Temple detective Jack” and see what pops up.
Hi Rupert. Your earlier post re 4D word play – we are of two minds. Is the answer ” damage controller” OR an “instruction” given to a doctor ” to culminate issues”? OR Could the doctor be called this?
The clue doesn’t give a clear definition for the answer – it could be either! There is nothing about anagraming the first word.
Megse, don’t understand wordplay for 10A either, but 21A is an anagram of palm in a French head; 28A is an anagram of saltpetre; 19D heart indicates the middle letters of preceding word followed by a word for spring (not the season) in reverse with one letter (from horse) inserted; 22D last word is the name of a Pixar film.
Any help with wordplay in 10A appreciated.
LJ – as above ie: 10A – 5 letter word for JOKE followed by anagram of ON LEWD. Defn last 2 words.
Doug & Gwyn: 4D defn is damage controller, but I don’t get all of the wordplay.
Given that I had ‘lawn mower’ for 1a, I know feel like the actual answer. Lol.
Lets see if I can now solve some more.
That should be *now, not know.
@ JC. The definition could also be a nick-name for a person who does vascectomies. – transposing the 2nd & 4th letters of the first word.
Doug & Gwyn: Doh! Nice one! Always annoying to get the answer without knowing quite how it works.
13d has me perplexed.
@Michelle: 13D radical is an anagrind and transmission is a homophone indicator.
There’s an anagram of “owns” then a homonym of “edge” , with the first. 2 words as the definition. My query is – how is 27 across related to 6 down ?
nf – as above – ie: 27A – defn first 2 words. The edges of PEOPLE in a 4 letter word for 6D with last letter removed.
Ahhhh. Thank you NF. Ur hints made sense. And after having ur hints I then understood JC’s.
a lot to learn if I ever want to finish one of these.
Thank you both.
I got 24a due to google and some letters from down answers. But I still can’t work out how to get that from clue even with above clues.
@Michelle: sorry if my hint was less than helpful – “anagrind” = “anagram indicator”.
24A: The first word of the solution is a word meaning show with 2 letters meaning about removed, i.e. lost, distant world is a planet.
Woo hoo. With the help of above I got 19d without google.
Hi JC. They were helpful. Helps to open my learnings so I see all of DA’s perspectives.
And u have now explained 24a. Cheers. It was doing my head in.
OMG. I ONLY HAVE ONE MORE TO GET.
Lol. Sorry about capitals. I’m a bit excited.
Go you good thing!!
FINISHED. WOOOOO HOOOOO
I don’t understand wordplay for 17a. I got it purely by guessing. But stil not sure if first word in answer has second letter as D or L. Which would influence my fourth letter.
Michelle – 17A – “SWINGER” in this case means golfer. Answer second D as in DAM’S
I’m with nn – 25D is a terrible, terrible clue. In fact this is one of the worst DAs I’ve ever seen. A few clever clues, sure, but a lot of really lazy and obscure clues, 25D being the worst. It lacks surface, the grammar is messy, “duck down” is an extremely weak clue (“down” typically indicates that a letter is shifted, not removed; why not “duck out”?), and without any context the leap from “bump” to “app” is massive.
Ahhh. My mind was somewhere else with swinger. I thought it indicated that letters needed to be changed. Thanks Ray.
thanks John!
I’m still puzzled as to the word play in 4d. Perhaps DA could shed some light?
Further to 25d, I think that to be fair, a clue has to be gettable from either the definition or the wordplay. The definition in this one is just too vague and it isn’t possible to get it from the wordplay, in fact most of us couldn’t see the wordplay even after we had the solution. If it wasn’t for someone above explaining it, I don’t think very many of us would have ever figured out what DA was on about. 6a wasn’t much better.
19a was another of my pet gripes whereby a word has a couple of synonyms, in this case source = r00t and source = spring, but this doesn’t make the two synonyms of the original word synonyms of each other. I don’t see that spring = root.
On the other hand I thought 4d was quite good. You can get the answer from the def, especially once you have a few cross letters, then see the word play from the answer. Doctor an anagrind for spin to give snip, which explains the rest of the clue and gave me a laugh.
I guess the other problem with 25d was that, having only three letters made it difficult to guess what he was on about from the cross letters, so many possibilities, none of them seemed to relate to anything in the clue.
Seems my SPIN DOCTOR was a trick too tricky to catch. Unless I’m mistaken, no Tripper spotted the wordplay’s chicanery, where SEUSS ( a doctor) has been spun to ‘culminate issues’. Maybe that’s pushing the envelope too far.
As for Bump in 25dn, I chose that APP as its consistently listed among the Top 20 app sales, and the verb worked into the wordplay. Again, seems I overstretched the etiquette for some.
Always enjoy the Trippers site for its support and sagacity. Thanks for a great year of solving. Hope you relish next week’s freestyle puzzle, with a dense themer the week after, so launching a challenging December stretch.
I have to agree with others above that the wordplay for 25D is beyond even the DA pale.
@DA for those of us who don’t own a device that uses apps, it wouldn’t matter if bump was in the top or bottom 20, we’d have little hope of getting this one. Perhaps if the wordplay had been a little more obvious “a little dog is missing you” or “a grandfather misses nothing” we might have had a chance and then been able to google to confirm.
And please tell us you intended the “snip” in 4d!
Anyway, looking forward to the next tw0.
Thanks DA! I don’t think I would have ever figured out the chicanery in 4d.
Belatedly – thanks Ray.
Actually, I mistyped and meant 19a (semi-explained by NN above)
Hi,
Can someone please explain wordplay for “partner swapping in decline due to bug” = “nag”.
Thank you
9A: Look up, or search this page for “bridge”, or click here
Thanks Rupert. But I’m still struggling sorry. I’m not familiar with bridge.
Four people sit around a table. They are referred to by the points of the compass. Partners are opposite each other, so West and East are partners, as are North and South. So if you swap the partner in SAG, you get NAG.
Very well explained. Thank you
Can someone also please help with “arabic uprising…from the east”. I guess the answer is Istanbul, but don’t understand the wordplay at all!
grant – “Arabic uprising” is the defn. Answer INTIFADA.
Construction: “a” gives A. “setter obseverved” gives DA. “popular gives “IN”. “seizure” gives FIT. “from the east” gives “FIT” reversed “TIF”. “after” gives construction order so get IN TIF A DA.
Thanks Ray. Nicely explained.
Way too late for anybody to answer this, but in 3d how can “fly” mean “cover against rain”??
Oh, tent fly I suppose…
Perhaps too late for Victor but we had same problem with typo for 1D, took a while to work it out. Being Victorians who’ve moved to warmer climes we now buy the age or herald for our weekly DA hit, and it usually takes us through til the next DA. Well worth the 5 or 6 bucks they cost in cairns…Thanks DAtrippers for shedding light on the wordplay
Much better this week. About half done after breakfast. 2D the favourite so far.
Nearly there, but for SW corner ie: first part of 24A, 25D and 27A. Any help with these would be appreciated. Thanks.
Think I have 27A
24A: The first word is a type of meat. [show] minus [about]
25D think of something for your IPad or Iphone
All done.
I liked 2D,3D and 14D. 19D was cunning.
I don’t get the wordplay in 4D, 8D or 25D.
15A and 16A seem a little weak. Or am I missing something?
I hadn’t heard of 17A, or the detective in 23D.
26A: Apparently the queen of Carthage has an album out :)
Rupert / Peter – thank you both.
Rupert – for 8D I think letters 2, 3, 4, 5, 9 is Fr for rumour.
All but 14 dn & 16 ac don’t get wordplay for either. Help please
16A is almost a straight clue – I agree with Rupert above that it appears quite weak. Think of an American mobile.
14D “hot” as in fashionable is the definition. A two word term for “sound” as in the mind around the chemical symbol for silver
Thanks. Had transposed first and last letter of second word in 6 dn and thought answer for 16 ac too obvious
Just occured that 16 ac refers to Mobile Alabama.
Yes, 6D could be either as the definition is quite vague. 16A should be in the Quick Crossword
16A: It never occurred to me that the terms aren’t interchangeable. I take it that the one in the clue is preferred in Oz?
8D: One says Ray is correct.
I once searched the Mobile phone book for people with the first name Donna and last name beginning with E, but I never got around to calling any of them to sing Rigoletto at them.
Ha ha
I think I’ve got 3D but can’t make sense of it. Is 17A a person?
17A: Yes, it’s a person. Born in Adelaide in 1980, now lives and works on the Gold Coast.
3D: The first two words clue the first word of the answer. Words 3 and 4, and the first 4 letters of the fifth word clue the second word of the answer. The rest of the fifth word is the definition.
17A: He works overseas a lot, but he’s *based* in the Gold Coast.
Rupert, yes the one in the clue is what we use here.
Help please with 6a, 7d and 23d.
Also, word play for 9a
ta
sb: 23d def’n is a type of flower Temple is a crime writer, series on ABC TV. I am finding this one tough going
Thanks Chamollie. It was a slow start for me too.
Not going well this week. Especially struggling in the top right.
Help please for 6a,10a,4d,5d,7d
I don’t get the wordplay for 9a, 25d, 26a or 27a either?
Thanks.
Julian and sb – Think I can help with some.
10A – 5 letter word for JOKE followed by anagram of ON LEWD. Defn las 2 words.
5D – double defn – first 4 words and last 2 words give same answer.
7D – I think clever. First 2 words defn. 5 letter word for PICTURE with TO removed.
26A – defn last word. English singer of 4 letters with last removed.
27A – defn first 2 words. The edges of PEOPLE in a 4 letter word for 6D with last letter removed.
For the others (6A, 4D, 9A, 25D) have answers but struggle with the word play. If others have explanations of these it would be appreciated.
6A the definition is a deceased rap singer that is a homophone for a heavy smoker (I had to google this)
4D I think this is simply a cryptic definition although I feel the clue is a little vague
9A a word for “decline” (think droop) with the first letter changed (ie “partner swapping” – think directions). Definition is to bug someone
25D think of something for your IPad
6A: Definition is the last two words. Heard is a homophone indicator. The answer sounds like an excessive amount to smoke per day.
9A: Decline as in droop. Change the first letter for its bridge partner.
I don’t have wordplay for 4D or 25D, I’m afraid.
I had managed to complete grid, but had a number of questions, most of which have just been answered, thanks Ray, Peter and Rupert. But I still don’t get the WORDPLAY for 25d. I get what it must be from iPad reference. But how do you get there?
Our copy of The Age has only just been delivered. Having a quick look a the puzzle, there seems to be something wrong with 1D – it reads “1,26 across nobody slice up iconic beach? (5)”
No capital at the start of the clue – are there words missing? And there are more than 5 letters in the grid – 5 for 1D, plus 3 for 26A. What’s wrong?
Victor – there is no comma between 1 and 26A as you have written. 26A is part of the answer for 1D.
There is a comma there in my copy. And there is a total of 8 letters in 1D and 26A, not 5 as the clue has it.
I just don’t get 15A (even though I know the answer). Am I being particularly dense?
I was stuck on that corner for ages because I had “SISSY” which seemed to be a perfectly satisfactory, if obscure, answer to 15A, based on slang usage of dory.
Too many slightly dodgy clues in this week’s DA for my money.
Victor, the clue for 1D is “26-across nobody slice up iconic beach? (5)”
For 26A see Ray above at 4:56am
Thanks, JC, but my copy is clearly misprinted – the clue begins with “1, 26-across” in bold type, suggesting that the answer runs through 1D and 26A. Odd.
RogerD, 15A is simply a (perhaps slang) word meaning a bit suspicious, i.e. not hunky dory. And you know what a dory is.
A type in a DA – that’s all we need. Someone at The Age should be hung, drawn and quartered.
How’s that for irony? I typed “type” instead of “typo”.
Any hints re 20A? I’m sure it’s easy, as nobody else has asked about it but, if my 15D is right I’m stuck with just 20A unsolved.
JC – thanks. Stare at something too long and you can miss the obvious.
The “dory” part misled rather than helped, because of being a noun rather than an adjective. I think I guessed the answer early on but dismissed it because it didn’t seem to fit grammatically.
JC – 20A – defn first 2 words. LISTENERS indicates homonym of “PAIN” as a hint.
Sandy and Rupert and others, in 25D Bump is an example of a popular one which makes it easy to transfer photos between devices. ‘Each’ refers to a slang phrase for apiece with letter scheme (1,3) and ‘duck down’ refers to the removal of the middle letter of the second word.
Haven’t looked for help above yet, but I really need some inspiration, all I have for sure is 11A, and probly 1D, though I can’t see how the final letter is indicted in the clue. May have to abandon it if I don’t find a few more words.
Thanks Ray, got it. I thought LISTENERS must be a homonym indicator (I prefer “homophone” myself, but no matter), I just didn’t see the definition.
@AC – thank you for that! Really struggled with the wordplay for that.
AC – 25D – thanks and well done.
Almost done but stuck on the 3-letter ones – 9A is N-G, 7D is X-O, and 25D A-P. Hints, please.
Victor, 7D is not X-O
… so your guess at 6A is wrong, although I see the connection with “killed”.
Well, after reading through the above, and failing to understand most of it, now have five answers. Don’t have any ‘i’ devices, so references to those are meaningless. I though something akin to avian intelligence might do for 1A, but can see no connection to clue at all. Not good!
I reckon the clue for 1A would work just as well with its first word removed. That’s not really a hint, just an opinion. Anyone agree?
Thanks, JC – I assume my X is wrong in 7D. I was fairly confident as the X comes from the name of a “poisonous” rapper.
Victor, I think the 7D item is something you might order in a Viet cafe. I’ve now found a few answers. But more questions. In 13D, is the sportsman more likely to be cold or wet? Have only the final letter of 16A, don’t understand clues given above. Very slow going, I’m afraid.
If you’re still stuck on 7D, Ray, above at 4:56am gives a good hint, and although I got 6A from the wordplay alone I had to resort to Google to confirm it. You are still looking for a rapper, but he’s been dead for over 15 years!
Arthur C: 13D cold. There were some comments about 16A yesterday from Herald solvers. I guessed the answer but didn’t get the wordplay, which was explained by Jonny at 9:50am yesterday.
AC, thanks for that on 25d. I had to work at your explanation even. A very convoluted clue!!
Arthur, 16a is a bit of a dodgy clue. Basically it is two words which on their own each mean ‘mobile’ (as in communication device) which together are also a word for ‘mobile’ (as in communication device). It is what they use in US rather than Oz.
And, JC, I still don’t get Jonny’s 9.50am comment.
Exactly. As Jonny said above, the answer is what they call it in Mobile, Alabama.
Sorry Sandy, we posted together. No doubt you see it now?
Seems to be almost finished,except 20A. Didn’t quite understand clue given above. My first letter (Peruvian capital in NATO alphabet) may be wrong? But if it is correct, still missing letters 2, 4, 6.
I’ve just discovered – I think – that DA appears in the S M Herald the day before we get it in The Age. No wonder some of you seem to be finishing it so quickly!
Victor, they already have the paper with the answers, but being honorable cruciverbalists, they don’t look until they have finished the grid.
Arthur C – 20A – “L” is not the first letter. So work on 15D and then it may make more sense.
Have done about half of it, some with help from above, but getting to the point where I’m about to shred it now that I’ve read all your explanations about the wordplay. DA seems to be increasingly making his wordplay rely on bits of words (often reversed) with vague definitions of these bits together with a vague definition of the entire answer. 25D a prime example. Never would have got the answer (in itself an abbreviation albeit a well known one) from the definition of “bump perhaps” and as for “each duck down” giving us a two word phrase with a missing letter! The convoluted wordplay doesn’t even contribute to good surface reading so why bother? A few others this week (and more for me to discover?) but that last one…
Finished in reasonable time for me. Had to rely on explanations above for 25d word play. Very convoluted, as seems often to be the way for DA with short words. Still having problems with the complete word play for 24a. I get the def and all but the show bit.
Having trouble as usual with clues which others must have found easy. 19a,21a,28a,19d and 22d. Any help appreciated.
Dave R, for 24a “show” has lost two letters meaning “about”
Thanks Ray & Rupert. I’m ok for 7d but still don’t get 6a or 23d despite hints.
nn – I forgive DA everything – I don’t really mind how obscure or convoluted it is, it’s what makes Friday’s (or Saturday’s if you’re in Melbourne) cryptic different from the rest.
Thanks, Ray, stupid of me. I certainly have 15D right now, have to sort out a word that fits the clue.
Yes, I think all OK now, assuming the pain referred to may be more common in babies than adults?
Ah! With a bit of googling and help from above I now have 6a.
Thanks sb. It is now perfectly clear. Arthur C, I thought the pain was a homophone, rather than the first syllable of the answer.
sb – 23D – defn is last word. Google “Temple detective Jack” and see what pops up.
Hi Rupert. Your earlier post re 4D word play – we are of two minds. Is the answer ” damage controller” OR an “instruction” given to a doctor ” to culminate issues”? OR Could the doctor be called this?
The clue doesn’t give a clear definition for the answer – it could be either! There is nothing about anagraming the first word.
Megse, don’t understand wordplay for 10A either, but 21A is an anagram of palm in a French head; 28A is an anagram of saltpetre; 19D heart indicates the middle letters of preceding word followed by a word for spring (not the season) in reverse with one letter (from horse) inserted; 22D last word is the name of a Pixar film.
Any help with wordplay in 10A appreciated.
LJ – as above ie: 10A – 5 letter word for JOKE followed by anagram of ON LEWD. Defn last 2 words.
Doug & Gwyn: 4D defn is damage controller, but I don’t get all of the wordplay.
Given that I had ‘lawn mower’ for 1a, I know feel like the actual answer. Lol.
Lets see if I can now solve some more.
That should be *now, not know.
@ JC. The definition could also be a nick-name for a person who does vascectomies. – transposing the 2nd & 4th letters of the first word.
Doug & Gwyn: Doh! Nice one! Always annoying to get the answer without knowing quite how it works.
13d has me perplexed.
@Michelle: 13D radical is an anagrind and transmission is a homophone indicator.
There’s an anagram of “owns” then a homonym of “edge” , with the first. 2 words as the definition. My query is – how is 27 across related to 6 down ?
nf – as above – ie: 27A – defn first 2 words. The edges of PEOPLE in a 4 letter word for 6D with last letter removed.
Ahhhh. Thank you NF. Ur hints made sense. And after having ur hints I then understood JC’s.
a lot to learn if I ever want to finish one of these.
Thank you both.
I got 24a due to google and some letters from down answers. But I still can’t work out how to get that from clue even with above clues.
@Michelle: sorry if my hint was less than helpful – “anagrind” = “anagram indicator”.
24A: The first word of the solution is a word meaning show with 2 letters meaning about removed, i.e. lost, distant world is a planet.
Woo hoo. With the help of above I got 19d without google.
Hi JC. They were helpful. Helps to open my learnings so I see all of DA’s perspectives.
And u have now explained 24a. Cheers. It was doing my head in.
OMG. I ONLY HAVE ONE MORE TO GET.
Lol. Sorry about capitals. I’m a bit excited.
Go you good thing!!
FINISHED. WOOOOO HOOOOO
I don’t understand wordplay for 17a. I got it purely by guessing. But stil not sure if first word in answer has second letter as D or L. Which would influence my fourth letter.
Michelle – 17A – “SWINGER” in this case means golfer. Answer second D as in DAM’S
I’m with nn – 25D is a terrible, terrible clue. In fact this is one of the worst DAs I’ve ever seen. A few clever clues, sure, but a lot of really lazy and obscure clues, 25D being the worst. It lacks surface, the grammar is messy, “duck down” is an extremely weak clue (“down” typically indicates that a letter is shifted, not removed; why not “duck out”?), and without any context the leap from “bump” to “app” is massive.
Ahhh. My mind was somewhere else with swinger. I thought it indicated that letters needed to be changed. Thanks Ray.
thanks John!
I’m still puzzled as to the word play in 4d. Perhaps DA could shed some light?
Further to 25d, I think that to be fair, a clue has to be gettable from either the definition or the wordplay. The definition in this one is just too vague and it isn’t possible to get it from the wordplay, in fact most of us couldn’t see the wordplay even after we had the solution. If it wasn’t for someone above explaining it, I don’t think very many of us would have ever figured out what DA was on about. 6a wasn’t much better.
19a was another of my pet gripes whereby a word has a couple of synonyms, in this case source = r00t and source = spring, but this doesn’t make the two synonyms of the original word synonyms of each other. I don’t see that spring = root.
On the other hand I thought 4d was quite good. You can get the answer from the def, especially once you have a few cross letters, then see the word play from the answer. Doctor an anagrind for spin to give snip, which explains the rest of the clue and gave me a laugh.
I guess the other problem with 25d was that, having only three letters made it difficult to guess what he was on about from the cross letters, so many possibilities, none of them seemed to relate to anything in the clue.
Seems my SPIN DOCTOR was a trick too tricky to catch. Unless I’m mistaken, no Tripper spotted the wordplay’s chicanery, where SEUSS ( a doctor) has been spun to ‘culminate issues’. Maybe that’s pushing the envelope too far.
As for Bump in 25dn, I chose that APP as its consistently listed among the Top 20 app sales, and the verb worked into the wordplay. Again, seems I overstretched the etiquette for some.
Always enjoy the Trippers site for its support and sagacity. Thanks for a great year of solving. Hope you relish next week’s freestyle puzzle, with a dense themer the week after, so launching a challenging December stretch.
I have to agree with others above that the wordplay for 25D is beyond even the DA pale.
@DA for those of us who don’t own a device that uses apps, it wouldn’t matter if bump was in the top or bottom 20, we’d have little hope of getting this one. Perhaps if the wordplay had been a little more obvious “a little dog is missing you” or “a grandfather misses nothing” we might have had a chance and then been able to google to confirm.
And please tell us you intended the “snip” in 4d!
Anyway, looking forward to the next tw0.
Thanks DA! I don’t think I would have ever figured out the chicanery in 4d.
Belatedly – thanks Ray.
Actually, I mistyped and meant 19a (semi-explained by NN above)
Hi,
Can someone please explain wordplay for “partner swapping in decline due to bug” = “nag”.
Thank you
9A: Look up, or search this page for “bridge”, or click here
Thanks Rupert. But I’m still struggling sorry. I’m not familiar with bridge.
Four people sit around a table. They are referred to by the points of the compass. Partners are opposite each other, so West and East are partners, as are North and South. So if you swap the partner in SAG, you get NAG.
Very well explained. Thank you
Can someone also please help with “arabic uprising…from the east”. I guess the answer is Istanbul, but don’t understand the wordplay at all!
grant – “Arabic uprising” is the defn. Answer INTIFADA.
Construction: “a” gives A. “setter obseverved” gives DA. “popular gives “IN”. “seizure” gives FIT. “from the east” gives “FIT” reversed “TIF”. “after” gives construction order so get IN TIF A DA.
Thanks Ray. Nicely explained.
Way too late for anybody to answer this, but in 3d how can “fly” mean “cover against rain”??
Oh, tent fly I suppose…
Perhaps too late for Victor but we had same problem with typo for 1D, took a while to work it out. Being Victorians who’ve moved to warmer climes we now buy the age or herald for our weekly DA hit, and it usually takes us through til the next DA. Well worth the 5 or 6 bucks they cost in cairns…Thanks DAtrippers for shedding light on the wordplay