Sorry for the delay: here, however, is the confusions thread for this week’s DA.
And a word of warning from DA himself:
He stuffs? He stuffed up. Today’s 8-down should read: ‘He classifies…’
From here: https://twitter.com/dontattempt/status/1623814471809634304?s=20&t=Y2S8087srIGsRk40vwytDA
8-D He stuffs? Really? More like he names. He stuffs up!
Apart from my bemusement at 8D, this was as straightforward as DA gets.
Yes, having just figured out 8d (I’m nowhere near finished yet), I came here early to register my horror, but it appears that Mr Astle has realised. Does this qualify as a malapropism?
Nearly done, 6 to solve. I don’t get the wordplays for 21 and 27A (yet).
My mum, who taught me how to do cryptic crosswords, is a biologist. She will not be happy about 8D!
I was so confident of 8D I wrote it in before parsing, until I came up one letter over. A quick rethink and yes, the “stuffs” gag occurred to me too. Surprised DA took so long to get the memo.
Also (4D), it’s “pretence” in this country.
Henson – 27A – I will leave for a while as it is a good one and any hint this early would not do it justice, I think.
21A – convoluted. Construct is 4,5,6 – then 7,8,9 – then 11,10 – then 1,2,3,12.
Hope helps.
My guess is it was like the Wier/Pier one from years ago, a last minute change in solution.
One might protest a little at the characterisation employed in 13D, but the meaning was clear enough.
Done in a little under normal time today. FOI 1D, 4D. LOI 3D, 1A.
After my initial shock at 8d, I settled in and enjoyed this. Haven’t fully parsed 19a nor 27a, but don’t help me yet. I don’t approve of splitting an eight-letter word over two four-letter spots, but it works here, so I won’t mention it. Oh, I just did. Some clever wordplay and convincing surfaces, eliciting plenty of smiles. I initially had COLD for 2d, which sorta kinda works.
Thanks DAJ, got 27A now! 21A – convoluted indeed.
For those who also do DA’s Quick crossword online… the solution for 11-down has an incorrect letter in the middle. It will be solved if you try the letter immediately preceding the correct letter.
Just to be clear, pretty sure AlanInWarby is referring to the on-line version of the Quick Crossword where it indicates the letter to be O instead of N ie:
.
AN ARM AOD A LEG as correct
instead of
AN ARM AND A LEG.
my typo –
.
M instead of N:
AN ARM AMD A LEG as correct
instead of
AN ARM AND A LEG.
Just worked out why the were no more posts in https://datrippers.com/2023/02/02/da-confusion-for-the-3rd-of-february-2023/#comment-530992
DAJ, I’m surprised you didn’t hide your spoiler in an obscure place. Or are spoilers for the quick OK?
Yeah – I think spoilers for Quick are OK.
I could parse 18D if it said “short philosopher donkey” but I don’t get DA’s wordplay.
Help please.
Mike – 18D – “speaking” is a homophone indicator. This gives last 6 letters.
Does that help?
Good afternoon all. Just btw – spoilers for quick are disappointing – at least give a warning. … Meanwhile, I’m plodding through cryptic at usual snail pace – just started, with 23/22D, 17A, 25A, 1D and 8D – on blissful summer afternoon.
Gayle – NW as a start – 3D – “Cycling store” = 4,3,2,1. Think you will get the rest.
Hope helps.
Re 18D Many thanks DAJ: I had missed that.
Just had another look @dontattempt. Not really an apology. Is there meant to be an ellipsis between 7D and 8D?
And sorry if it’s come up before on either of today’s confusion sites, but I don’t get 27a.
Think of the chemical symbol for the answer Gayle and what happens when you put it in tanks.
27a hint. A letter is missing from one of the words to form the last word.
No ellipsis needed between 7d and 8d I think. Can you expand on why you think there should be?
Thanks for the help with 27A.
And I’ve no idea why I thought there might need to be an ellipsis between 7d and 8d, or what other two clues I might have been thinking of. Very long day yesterday.
All out. Thanks for the warning on 8 down. I got it out and thought the clue was wrong.
All out but 27A. I’ll keep gnawing on it. It’s not an obscure word, right?
This one was a lot of fun. The Henry VIII clue made me laugh out loud.
Carol, think of the symbol for 27A and then put it into the word ‘tanks’
Thank you Jack!
That was a clever one.
Apart from the stuff-up with 8D, I believe the clue for 5A-24A is also dubious. The answer relates to the borrower – not the lender. What do others think?
I agree, Grey.
Grahams x 2, I agree. I only started the puzzle yesterday; otherwise I might have been first to the beef!
Did you parse 19A, Graham M? If so, could you share it with me? The answer is an anagram of SLAY BELLS but blowed if I can see how ‘struck second’ acts!
johnno2 – 19A – “struck” is anagrind. “second sleigh” gives L – and rest of fodder is BELLS SAY.
D’oh! Thanks DAJ (I suspected you’d still be there for me!) I did dabble with the L clueing but got distracted by as follows:
I hate (=love) it when he uses what jump out at you as typical indicators in one type of clueing (in this case ‘say’) actually as fodder for different clueing.
Do you think he’s able to do it deliberately or is it fortuitous?
DA is pretty good at misdirection – so could be deliberate.