Get your confusions sorted out here. Let the Trippers sort things out for you.
23 thoughts on “DA Confusion for the 25th of November, 2022”
Good honest DA I thought today.
Have all out and understood – except for “on the house?” bit of 14D.
FOI 26A.
LOI 3D.
Pick is 15D.
Also liked 11A, 12A (clever / tricky use of a word), 1D (did not know word) and 8D (never heard of).
Enjoy all.
I nearly threw in the towel after an hour when I had only about a quarter solved. But then the Vegemite kicked in, and everything fell into place. Quite enjoyable, and quintessential DA. I’d never heard of 11a or 8d, and don’t know why it’s a beguiling time in 23a (no doubt some literary reference of which I’m ignorant). I notice the Spike in 3d is capitalised … has DA repented following our recent criticisms?
There were a couple of convoluted ones that culminated in a groan, namely 7d and 4a. (Unless I’ve missed something, which is not entirely impossible, in which case I reserve the right to retract the groan and replace it with a smile.) I don’t fully understand the wordplay in 1d or 5d. Why “dancing” in 20d? Is it solely for the surface?
I got 14d before 10a.
DAJ, think of astrology for “on the house”.
For those starting out, easy ones are 9a, 16d & 15d.
Graham M – 14D – thanks.
7D – is 10,11,12,13 then 14,15 then 1,2,3,4,5 then 6,7,8,9 – OK bit convoluted.
4A – is just 1,2,3,4,5 and 6,7,8,9 – so not too bad.
1D – look up 2,3,4,5.
5D – bit trickier – but “crush” is anagrind.
20D – think so.
Thanks, DAJ. I looked up 2-5 in 1d in Collins and it didn’t want to know. Perhaps I need a better dictionary.
First pass 9a,26a,15d,16d. LOI 5d. Plenty of question(able) marks this week including the superfluous dancing in 20d and the 2-5 in 1d which isn’t in Chambers either Graham M.
Gosh is everyone Xmas shopping?
Just started, got 9a, 16d
Grandchildren running around so it’s a bit distracting!
Any hints for 19a please?
Thanks
Not in those dictionaries because it’s primarily (South) Australian
Only done first pass on acrosses so far and haven’t read the above but I seek your indulgences for another in my ‘occasional series’: I had 25A in my October crossword, and also as a Spoonerism! It was a good fit in my theme, which sprinkled 16 coloured-square ‘ER’s symmetrically across the grid, to honour the notable event of the month before (my DA-ish ‘Note’ said, ‘Um… some royal favour for you this month. RIP Elizabeth Alexandra Mary Windsor’) The clue was part of an ellipsis-ed pair (only of the lesser only-to-make-the-surface type, I’m afraid…) See if you can get the second of the pair, too!
Most wanting passage delivered by Spooner, instead of former… (9)
…end by Albo and his party (7)
The second word wasn’t one of the 16.
Definition for 19a is the first 3 words melanie and the vessel would be found in the kitchen
Slow going today. Still missing 4A, 12A, 6D, 8D and 18D. Gentle hints welcome… if anyone’s there!
Of course now I have 12A.
… which gives me 8D.
I’ll just plough on.
18d is not the best definition SB. 4a think “sounds like”. 6d is a charade of baked bread inside a reversed word.
All out.
Thanks Tim
Always assuming I’ve got the correct answer, 8D is not a scavenger.
I think you have the correct answer IanF. Its diet, rather surprisingly, is mainly live termites which can hardly be described as carrion. Just another definitional inexactitude in describing it as a scavenger.
Thanks Tim C
Re 1D, it’s a sign of the times but I didn’t think to look in a hard-copy dictionary! :-0 Turns out 2-5 is in the (Letters And Numbers / David Astle) Macquarie dictionary! You do it with yonnies apparently!
8-down is an insectovore, not a scavenger !
Naughty DA !!
I’ve got the same query as Graham: In what way is 23A a ‘Beguiling time to make’?
johnno2 and GrahamM. 23A
After looking at dictionary definitions of ‘beguiling’ and then googling that along with April Fool’s Day , I believe it is simply the tradition of April Fool trickery.
(I too wondered about a literary reference and had a fascinating time reading T.S. Eliot’s The Waste Land.)
Good honest DA I thought today.
Have all out and understood – except for “on the house?” bit of 14D.
FOI 26A.
LOI 3D.
Pick is 15D.
Also liked 11A, 12A (clever / tricky use of a word), 1D (did not know word) and 8D (never heard of).
Enjoy all.
I nearly threw in the towel after an hour when I had only about a quarter solved. But then the Vegemite kicked in, and everything fell into place. Quite enjoyable, and quintessential DA. I’d never heard of 11a or 8d, and don’t know why it’s a beguiling time in 23a (no doubt some literary reference of which I’m ignorant). I notice the Spike in 3d is capitalised … has DA repented following our recent criticisms?
There were a couple of convoluted ones that culminated in a groan, namely 7d and 4a. (Unless I’ve missed something, which is not entirely impossible, in which case I reserve the right to retract the groan and replace it with a smile.) I don’t fully understand the wordplay in 1d or 5d. Why “dancing” in 20d? Is it solely for the surface?
I got 14d before 10a.
DAJ, think of astrology for “on the house”.
For those starting out, easy ones are 9a, 16d & 15d.
Graham M – 14D – thanks.
7D – is 10,11,12,13 then 14,15 then 1,2,3,4,5 then 6,7,8,9 – OK bit convoluted.
4A – is just 1,2,3,4,5 and 6,7,8,9 – so not too bad.
1D – look up 2,3,4,5.
5D – bit trickier – but “crush” is anagrind.
20D – think so.
Thanks, DAJ. I looked up 2-5 in 1d in Collins and it didn’t want to know. Perhaps I need a better dictionary.
First pass 9a,26a,15d,16d. LOI 5d. Plenty of question(able) marks this week including the superfluous dancing in 20d and the 2-5 in 1d which isn’t in Chambers either Graham M.
Gosh is everyone Xmas shopping?
Just started, got 9a, 16d
Grandchildren running around so it’s a bit distracting!
Any hints for 19a please?
Thanks
Not in those dictionaries because it’s primarily (South) Australian
Only done first pass on acrosses so far and haven’t read the above but I seek your indulgences for another in my ‘occasional series’: I had 25A in my October crossword, and also as a Spoonerism! It was a good fit in my theme, which sprinkled 16 coloured-square ‘ER’s symmetrically across the grid, to honour the notable event of the month before (my DA-ish ‘Note’ said, ‘Um… some royal favour for you this month. RIP Elizabeth Alexandra Mary Windsor’) The clue was part of an ellipsis-ed pair (only of the lesser only-to-make-the-surface type, I’m afraid…) See if you can get the second of the pair, too!
Most wanting passage delivered by Spooner, instead of former… (9)
…end by Albo and his party (7)
The second word wasn’t one of the 16.
Definition for 19a is the first 3 words melanie and the vessel would be found in the kitchen
Slow going today. Still missing 4A, 12A, 6D, 8D and 18D. Gentle hints welcome… if anyone’s there!
Of course now I have 12A.
… which gives me 8D.
I’ll just plough on.
18d is not the best definition SB. 4a think “sounds like”. 6d is a charade of baked bread inside a reversed word.
All out.
Thanks Tim
Always assuming I’ve got the correct answer, 8D is not a scavenger.
I think you have the correct answer IanF. Its diet, rather surprisingly, is mainly live termites which can hardly be described as carrion. Just another definitional inexactitude in describing it as a scavenger.
Thanks Tim C
Re 1D, it’s a sign of the times but I didn’t think to look in a hard-copy dictionary! :-0 Turns out 2-5 is in the (Letters And Numbers / David Astle) Macquarie dictionary! You do it with yonnies apparently!
8-down is an insectovore, not a scavenger !
Naughty DA !!
I’ve got the same query as Graham: In what way is 23A a ‘Beguiling time to make’?
johnno2 and GrahamM. 23A
After looking at dictionary definitions of ‘beguiling’ and then googling that along with April Fool’s Day , I believe it is simply the tradition of April Fool trickery.
(I too wondered about a literary reference and had a fascinating time reading T.S. Eliot’s The Waste Land.)
Thanks Gayle ?