71 thoughts on “DA Confusion for the 21st of June 2013”
Done. Quickest ever for me. Still not sure of exact wordplay for 9A.
9a: Shortened word for dump, inside a word for end, inside a record
Ian – thanks – had just got it. Bit convoluted for me at first pass.
Rather less expertise here, only nine so far. A query: the poet in 1A? Someone well-known? Can’t think of any that would fit.
Arthur C – 1A – I cannot say if famous or not as not my area of knowledge. Was Australian I am pretty sure.
Ta Ray. I only have first initial at present, perhaps when I get more answers in it will be revealed. Solved 16 so far.
Tweazy today. No confusion here…
Yes, the joy over too quickly again.
And, yes, Arthur, a famous Aussie poet that most of us would have looked at in school.
1A. His first collection wasn’t published until 1955, which, by my calculations, is after Arthur left school. Wikipedia describes his work as “highly-erotic and savagely-satirical”, which makes me wonder what they teach in schools over there. Although we studied Catullus, mostly, I suspect, for the amusement of the Latin teacher.
Absolutely correct, Rupert, had not heard of him, but clue gave answer, checked with Google. All finished now, but uncertain about 11A, not fully understanding clue.
Seems quite soft so far. I loved 5D – got it purely on definition, but the wordplay was funny.
3D. I don’t quite get the wordplay. I think “fired at heart” should give letters 4 and 5, but it doesn’t.
I really liked 26A, and 6D for its “Caesarean section”.
11A: Four letter word for “other half”, diminished by removing the last letter, adding a letter meaning “one”, giving something available at a “hot spot”.
Rupert – 3D. “fired at heart” = letter 5. It is contained (“piercing”) letters 4,6,7 which is the Australian number for a “desperate call”.
All in bar 23a&d; 27a, I remain clueless. Help?
Stuck in same corner julia. Please help us… Somebody?
Agree, pretty easy today. Held up slightly by entering Bogan for 7D.
Re 23D. Observe is first two letters. Last three are a 4 letter word for mate with the second letter demolished. Definition is sub.
Re 27A, read WAGS as wags and find a five letter word for it. Insert married and you have def for ‘is a miser’
Julia – 23A – defn = 1st word. “loss” gives letter 1. “unarmed combat” gives a 4 letter word. “flattening hook” removes its first letter – the three remaining give letters 2,3,4.
Ray, your explanation of 3D confused me until I realised I had spelled the answer wrong (or used an alternative spelling – it seems quite common to have an A for letter 4).
Hello all, yes easier than usual but still stuck on7d and10a.Also not convinced my 16d is correct.Any help? I couldn’t see 27 a, until I saw your post, Barry and then I still kept thinking of tails and comedians!
megse – 7D – defn = 1st word. “has mouth upturned” = 3 letter word, reversed, for letters 1,2,3. “just without lips” gives letters 4,5.
10A – defn = first 3 words. “on air” is a homophone indicator for a word meaning “not as clear”.
16D – defn are the last 5 characters. “Twists” (as a noun) gives letter 1,2,3,5,6,7,8,9. “embody” = container. “start of gibberish” = letter 4.
All done. Fairly straightforward today.
Thanks Ray, I had 16d right but the term was new to me. If I didn’t attempt this weekly masochism I would still be restricted to 20th century vocabulary.
Too damn easy, DA, Didn’t need to stop to scratch my head over any of them!
Unsure of word play for 9 across but 8 down confirms my answer correct!
All done except 24A, any hints? I agree with Ray, 6D Caesarian section was a classic.
Indy, church niche is def.word for slip, top off, is clue.
Pretty easy today, but I laboured a fair while over 9A and 3D. I thought the wallaby could be playing against the Lions tomorrow, but alas no. I like the inclusion of the phone number.
Loved today. I was not too confused and had lots of fun. I’m a big fan of the Aussie poet.
I think it is good to have a moderate and accessible Friday DA so people can start to take first steps into tackling a DA.
All done in under an hour, but with the help of some word matching websites. Still pondering some wordplays, will have tea first
Yep – surprisingly easy today, but well over an hour for me! And thanks to Barry for 27a and 23d and Ray for 23a, and for 3d wordplay (nice). Still missing 6d and 10a. For 6d I’m guessing first word gives first 2 and last 3 letters. With all those letters plus 5th letter (and above hints) something should jump out but alas not yet.
OK – just got 6d – just needed to put it aside for a few minutes then look again. So 10a shouldn’t be far behind. That’ll do for today.
sb, You are on the right track with 6D. Look to your school Latin / Ancient Roman history for the missing letters. For 10A the first three words are the definition. 95.3 on the dial in Sydney, and quite recent history.
I would like some clues for 9A and 8D. For 8D I assume the first two words are the definition, but, well, I shouldn’t have had that second glass of wine with dinner…
Kate, for 9A, do you ever use plastic?
For 8D, Exotic as in adults only for the second word. First word is a fairly dodgy connection to the clue unless I’m missing something. Def is a feature of the plastic of 9A.
What? Wait. Oh yeah. Ha! 9A. Thank you GB! Oh and 8D! Brilliant! Love DA and love this site.
Slightly puzzled at the translation of the 16D symbols at the end of the clue for same – the last symbol seems out of place. Anyone?
Could someone please explain the wordplay for 21A? Thank you, Ray, for the explanation of the wordplay for 3D.
Slartibartfast’s juxtaposition – 21A – defn – 1st (and 2nd) word. “one” = letter 2. “playboy, shortly” is a 4 letter word for “playboy”, with last letter removed to give letters 3,4,5. “outside” = container. “caressed” = 6 letter word to give letters 1,6,7,8,9,10.
I’ve never seen 3d with an “a” in it. Still a little too many curtailing of words with questionable indicators for me. 22d suggests both should be curtailed. 21a wants two letters removed. 23a I don’t consider “flattening” to be a deletion indicator.
AG, It is a font. No translation needed.
Can someone help with explanation of letters 3-6 in 6 down please. I have the answer but don’t understand the Caesarian reference.
HS – for 6d, see Rupert at 8.52 and Kate at 10.02 – think Latin.
PS Nothing to do with operation
HS – 6D – Julius Caesar quote – “I CAME, I saw, I conquered” – in latin.
Kate – 16D – are but it does. In translation it is D A V I Y (I think) and AG is curious as to the “Y” – as am I – but guess reinforce “gibberish”.
Yesterday we saw a truck on the Princes Highway with the signage: ‘DA Terminator’.
And yes, it was a pest control firm.
I see my error so clearly now. I had incorrectly put an ‘a’ where the first ‘i’ should be.
Thanks sb and Ray.
Second week in a row that I’ve got it out before coming here, and I don’t think I’m getting smarter! Not mentioned above, so it’s probably obvious to everyone else, but, though I got the answer, wordplay of 1A anyone? Assuming “weed” is 3,4,5 but the rest escapes me.
Attica, re 1A. A is first letter. A word for ‘weed’ is 2,4,5,6 around abbreviation of hot. Weed is used in a druggy sense.
16d in the online app version, the clue is
“Twists beset the dregs of stag parties” instead of “Twists embody start of gibberish” followed by the symbols
Dregs of stag and start of gibberish indicate the same letter that is inserted in a word for twists.
The def of the online is parties, the def of the printed version is the symbols.
I’m wondering if the symbols are meant to be party or parties and he’s either used a different set of these from the ones on my computer or he’s stuffed it up. (are the ones on an apple different from those on a PC perhaps??)
If I type party into Word and then convert to that font I get the same symbols as in the clue for the “a” and the “y” but different symbols for the other three letters.
If I type parties in, I am a symbol short, but I get the “a” and the “e”
They seem to spell out “daviy” as Ray has pointed out above, but that doesn’t make a lot of sense, but I guess fits the gibberish bit, but then gibberish is doing double duty in the clue.
Nn, re 16D. The definition is a computer term for symbols. It is made up of a words for twists, around the letter g.
attica re 1a
weed is letters 2, 4,5 and 6
first word in clue gives letter 1, hot gives letter 3
Just tried to post the following
attica re 1a
weed is letters 2, 4,5 and 6
first word in clue gives letter 1, hot gives letter 3
it then tells me my comment is awaiting moderation. Never seen that before, has anyone else?
Appears to have gone through now, very strange
Yes, nn, just happened to me too – I thought that it may have been because of the word “druggy” but it did it to my second post as well. Big Brother …
Barry, nn, I’m feeling like a 2,4,5,6 (in the dumb not drug sense). Can’t believe I didn’t see it. Thanks.
@Barry, I know the computer term, I was just wondering if he’d rendered the alternative definition (“party” on the age app version) in that font. Would have been a bit cleverer if he had done that and he has some of those letters, but not all.
Sorry, nn, didn’t get ther reference as I don’t have th app. I agree with you that it would have been clever if he’d done that…
Please help with our last clue … 27a … We have down letters and still cant finish! Cheers
Katie, 27A – first 3 words are the defn. Insert one letter abbreviation for married into a 5 letter word for wags, as in wags school.
Thanks Feather. Completed now.
nn mentions an online app version can anyone give me the details please
Ive a query on 9a. I’ve never in my life refered to a CD as a record. Album or disc but not record. A record is also an EP or LP or single or vinyl.
Do people call CDs records elsewhere ?
I’ll file that in the too hard basket of mr Astle’s misdirections.
I’ve still got half to go but I do like 6d too
Jupiter, I recently bought Alan Jackson’s latest record on a CD – that’s something that I’d probably say …
@starsign
The app is “The Age” newspaper app for ipad. SMH has one too. You will find the daily crossword, puzzles etc in one of the menus.
They also have an app for android phones but it isn’t as good, only has a few news headlines and no crosswords. I don’t know if there is one for android or windows tablets.
The Age online website doesn’t have the crosswords either (or if it does I’ve never found them). The Age is moving to a subscription service for its online news site soon (but if you have the hard copy home delivered it will give you access to this). I don’t know if that will affect the ipad or other apps yet, but suspect it will. The Melbourne Herald Sun ipad app requires a subscription for the news sections now, but you can still get the puzzle pages on it without registering.
Thanks heaps for that nn!
Barry, I’ve always said album because I used to by them on cassettes too, but I’m not old enough to have had an eight track.
DA for June 28 – I think fairly straight forward again this week. Did like the 8D, 16D, 18A linkage.
Today’s DA is in the recycling already. Once I realised the number of clues related to 18A, which I had no hope of getting, I gave up.
Done. Quickest ever for me. Still not sure of exact wordplay for 9A.
9a: Shortened word for dump, inside a word for end, inside a record
Ian – thanks – had just got it. Bit convoluted for me at first pass.
Rather less expertise here, only nine so far. A query: the poet in 1A? Someone well-known? Can’t think of any that would fit.
Arthur C – 1A – I cannot say if famous or not as not my area of knowledge. Was Australian I am pretty sure.
Ta Ray. I only have first initial at present, perhaps when I get more answers in it will be revealed. Solved 16 so far.
Tweazy today. No confusion here…
Yes, the joy over too quickly again.
And, yes, Arthur, a famous Aussie poet that most of us would have looked at in school.
1A. His first collection wasn’t published until 1955, which, by my calculations, is after Arthur left school. Wikipedia describes his work as “highly-erotic and savagely-satirical”, which makes me wonder what they teach in schools over there. Although we studied Catullus, mostly, I suspect, for the amusement of the Latin teacher.
Absolutely correct, Rupert, had not heard of him, but clue gave answer, checked with Google. All finished now, but uncertain about 11A, not fully understanding clue.
Seems quite soft so far. I loved 5D – got it purely on definition, but the wordplay was funny.
3D. I don’t quite get the wordplay. I think “fired at heart” should give letters 4 and 5, but it doesn’t.
I really liked 26A, and 6D for its “Caesarean section”.
11A: Four letter word for “other half”, diminished by removing the last letter, adding a letter meaning “one”, giving something available at a “hot spot”.
Rupert – 3D. “fired at heart” = letter 5. It is contained (“piercing”) letters 4,6,7 which is the Australian number for a “desperate call”.
All in bar 23a&d; 27a, I remain clueless. Help?
Stuck in same corner julia. Please help us… Somebody?
Agree, pretty easy today. Held up slightly by entering Bogan for 7D.
Re 23D. Observe is first two letters. Last three are a 4 letter word for mate with the second letter demolished. Definition is sub.
Re 27A, read WAGS as wags and find a five letter word for it. Insert married and you have def for ‘is a miser’
Julia – 23A – defn = 1st word. “loss” gives letter 1. “unarmed combat” gives a 4 letter word. “flattening hook” removes its first letter – the three remaining give letters 2,3,4.
Ray, your explanation of 3D confused me until I realised I had spelled the answer wrong (or used an alternative spelling – it seems quite common to have an A for letter 4).
Hello all, yes easier than usual but still stuck on7d and10a.Also not convinced my 16d is correct.Any help? I couldn’t see 27 a, until I saw your post, Barry and then I still kept thinking of tails and comedians!
megse – 7D – defn = 1st word. “has mouth upturned” = 3 letter word, reversed, for letters 1,2,3. “just without lips” gives letters 4,5.
10A – defn = first 3 words. “on air” is a homophone indicator for a word meaning “not as clear”.
16D – defn are the last 5 characters. “Twists” (as a noun) gives letter 1,2,3,5,6,7,8,9. “embody” = container. “start of gibberish” = letter 4.
All done. Fairly straightforward today.
Thanks Ray, I had 16d right but the term was new to me. If I didn’t attempt this weekly masochism I would still be restricted to 20th century vocabulary.
Too damn easy, DA, Didn’t need to stop to scratch my head over any of them!
Unsure of word play for 9 across but 8 down confirms my answer correct!
All done except 24A, any hints? I agree with Ray, 6D Caesarian section was a classic.
Indy, church niche is def.word for slip, top off, is clue.
Pretty easy today, but I laboured a fair while over 9A and 3D. I thought the wallaby could be playing against the Lions tomorrow, but alas no. I like the inclusion of the phone number.
Loved today. I was not too confused and had lots of fun. I’m a big fan of the Aussie poet.
I think it is good to have a moderate and accessible Friday DA so people can start to take first steps into tackling a DA.
All done in under an hour, but with the help of some word matching websites. Still pondering some wordplays, will have tea first
Yep – surprisingly easy today, but well over an hour for me! And thanks to Barry for 27a and 23d and Ray for 23a, and for 3d wordplay (nice). Still missing 6d and 10a. For 6d I’m guessing first word gives first 2 and last 3 letters. With all those letters plus 5th letter (and above hints) something should jump out but alas not yet.
OK – just got 6d – just needed to put it aside for a few minutes then look again. So 10a shouldn’t be far behind. That’ll do for today.
sb, You are on the right track with 6D. Look to your school Latin / Ancient Roman history for the missing letters. For 10A the first three words are the definition. 95.3 on the dial in Sydney, and quite recent history.
I would like some clues for 9A and 8D. For 8D I assume the first two words are the definition, but, well, I shouldn’t have had that second glass of wine with dinner…
Kate, for 9A, do you ever use plastic?
For 8D, Exotic as in adults only for the second word. First word is a fairly dodgy connection to the clue unless I’m missing something. Def is a feature of the plastic of 9A.
What? Wait. Oh yeah. Ha! 9A. Thank you GB! Oh and 8D! Brilliant! Love DA and love this site.
Slightly puzzled at the translation of the 16D symbols at the end of the clue for same – the last symbol seems out of place. Anyone?
Could someone please explain the wordplay for 21A? Thank you, Ray, for the explanation of the wordplay for 3D.
Slartibartfast’s juxtaposition – 21A – defn – 1st (and 2nd) word. “one” = letter 2. “playboy, shortly” is a 4 letter word for “playboy”, with last letter removed to give letters 3,4,5. “outside” = container. “caressed” = 6 letter word to give letters 1,6,7,8,9,10.
I’ve never seen 3d with an “a” in it. Still a little too many curtailing of words with questionable indicators for me. 22d suggests both should be curtailed. 21a wants two letters removed. 23a I don’t consider “flattening” to be a deletion indicator.
AG, It is a font. No translation needed.
Can someone help with explanation of letters 3-6 in 6 down please. I have the answer but don’t understand the Caesarian reference.
HS – for 6d, see Rupert at 8.52 and Kate at 10.02 – think Latin.
PS Nothing to do with operation
HS – 6D – Julius Caesar quote – “I CAME, I saw, I conquered” – in latin.
Kate – 16D – are but it does. In translation it is D A V I Y (I think) and AG is curious as to the “Y” – as am I – but guess reinforce “gibberish”.
Yesterday we saw a truck on the Princes Highway with the signage: ‘DA Terminator’.
And yes, it was a pest control firm.
I see my error so clearly now. I had incorrectly put an ‘a’ where the first ‘i’ should be.
Thanks sb and Ray.
Second week in a row that I’ve got it out before coming here, and I don’t think I’m getting smarter! Not mentioned above, so it’s probably obvious to everyone else, but, though I got the answer, wordplay of 1A anyone? Assuming “weed” is 3,4,5 but the rest escapes me.
Attica, re 1A. A is first letter. A word for ‘weed’ is 2,4,5,6 around abbreviation of hot. Weed is used in a druggy sense.
16d in the online app version, the clue is
“Twists beset the dregs of stag parties” instead of “Twists embody start of gibberish” followed by the symbols
Dregs of stag and start of gibberish indicate the same letter that is inserted in a word for twists.
The def of the online is parties, the def of the printed version is the symbols.
I’m wondering if the symbols are meant to be party or parties and he’s either used a different set of these from the ones on my computer or he’s stuffed it up. (are the ones on an apple different from those on a PC perhaps??)
If I type party into Word and then convert to that font I get the same symbols as in the clue for the “a” and the “y” but different symbols for the other three letters.
If I type parties in, I am a symbol short, but I get the “a” and the “e”
They seem to spell out “daviy” as Ray has pointed out above, but that doesn’t make a lot of sense, but I guess fits the gibberish bit, but then gibberish is doing double duty in the clue.
Nn, re 16D. The definition is a computer term for symbols. It is made up of a words for twists, around the letter g.
attica re 1a
weed is letters 2, 4,5 and 6
first word in clue gives letter 1, hot gives letter 3
Just tried to post the following
attica re 1a
weed is letters 2, 4,5 and 6
first word in clue gives letter 1, hot gives letter 3
it then tells me my comment is awaiting moderation. Never seen that before, has anyone else?
Appears to have gone through now, very strange
Yes, nn, just happened to me too – I thought that it may have been because of the word “druggy” but it did it to my second post as well. Big Brother …
Barry, nn, I’m feeling like a 2,4,5,6 (in the dumb not drug sense). Can’t believe I didn’t see it. Thanks.
@Barry, I know the computer term, I was just wondering if he’d rendered the alternative definition (“party” on the age app version) in that font. Would have been a bit cleverer if he had done that and he has some of those letters, but not all.
Sorry, nn, didn’t get ther reference as I don’t have th app. I agree with you that it would have been clever if he’d done that…
Please help with our last clue … 27a … We have down letters and still cant finish! Cheers
Katie, 27A – first 3 words are the defn. Insert one letter abbreviation for married into a 5 letter word for wags, as in wags school.
Thanks Feather. Completed now.
nn mentions an online app version can anyone give me the details please
Ive a query on 9a. I’ve never in my life refered to a CD as a record. Album or disc but not record. A record is also an EP or LP or single or vinyl.
Do people call CDs records elsewhere ?
I’ll file that in the too hard basket of mr Astle’s misdirections.
I’ve still got half to go but I do like 6d too
Jupiter, I recently bought Alan Jackson’s latest record on a CD – that’s something that I’d probably say …
@starsign
The app is “The Age” newspaper app for ipad. SMH has one too. You will find the daily crossword, puzzles etc in one of the menus.
They also have an app for android phones but it isn’t as good, only has a few news headlines and no crosswords. I don’t know if there is one for android or windows tablets.
The Age online website doesn’t have the crosswords either (or if it does I’ve never found them). The Age is moving to a subscription service for its online news site soon (but if you have the hard copy home delivered it will give you access to this). I don’t know if that will affect the ipad or other apps yet, but suspect it will. The Melbourne Herald Sun ipad app requires a subscription for the news sections now, but you can still get the puzzle pages on it without registering.
Thanks heaps for that nn!
Barry, I’ve always said album because I used to by them on cassettes too, but I’m not old enough to have had an eight track.
DA for June 28 – I think fairly straight forward again this week. Did like the 8D, 16D, 18A linkage.
Today’s DA is in the recycling already. Once I realised the number of clues related to 18A, which I had no hope of getting, I gave up.