Have your confusions sorted out for this week’s DA.
54 thoughts on “DA Confusion for the 31st of March, 2023”
Done but not dusted.
FOI 1D.
LOI 25D.
Did not know either “key bit” in 1A.
Nor “key bit” in 3D.
But could get answer from clue and then look up.
Wasted a lot of time on 6D thinking “lead actor” gave something it did not.
Liked 9A, 10A – with 22D my pick.
Do not fully get wordplay of 19D and 27A.
OK now on 19D.
Pretty good I thought. 4D gave me the most trouble. Not a word I’ve heard used. Disagree with an instruction in 20D, or maybe I’m missing something. Liked the plated one,
DAJ I think 27A is just a double def.
20A I mean.
Gayle –
27A – thanks.
20A – all OK by me.
SMH broke the crossword app on iPad yesterday, still broken today. So it me took longer than usual, the app crashed 3 times!
Not seeing a problem with 20A.
First pass 1a,10a,12a,15a,21a,26a,2d,3d,6d,7d,13d,15d,22d,25d which must be some sort of PB for me I think. LOI 23d. Didn’t know 11a. I think I know what your problem is with 20a Gayle as I had a question mark against it as well. 4d derives from a parable in the bible.
A typical DA today with an abundance of smiles. Can’t parse 3d nor 4d, but don’t help me yet. I’m fine with 20a. Never heard of 11a, so Wikipedia to the rescue.
Enjoyed today’s DA. FOI 21A. Favourites 10A and 16A
As someone whose Mum made 8Ds to die for, my mouth was watering at that one! Nothing much else to write home about, although 9A is quaint (closer to geisha indeed).
All done. I have an idea for 19d but not happy with it. I’m sure it will be a doh but asking for a hint here. I’m thinking about an anagram with an extra “s”.
I’m OK with 20a.
Margaret, my problem with 20A was ‘hem’. No doubt that will be a doh moment for me too.
Did you mean to say you’re not asking for a hint for19D? . I was thinking along the same lines as you originally. That’s not a hint :-)
Margaret – 19D. Yeah tough one. As a start, “one left heaps” gives 3,4,5,6. Hope helps.
Gayle, it needs to be read as ‘hem for blue’
DAJunkie
Thanks, I think I have it now. That was a tad obscure for me.
Gayle,
Think of hemming someone in.
Thanks for the help Jack and Margaret. Maybe it’s the trauma of my school sewing days, but for me a hem is on the bottom not on the sides. Anyway, I still have a problem with the clue, even seen from your perspective. ‘hem for blue’. What’s ‘for’ doing there?
Good fun with some of them – 2D and 21A probably my faves, plus a sweet spot for 8D!
Struggling with 23D to finish it – any hints without giving the game away?
Oh, thanks Tim C for the parabolic(?) hint for 4D. Made me correct third letter of 10A!
Andrew C, the definition is the first word and it’s not related to aerodynamics
Thanks Jack – I thought that after giving it some more thought, but having trouble to understand the wordplay
Nearly all done and moved through fairly quickly today. The five clues I have yet to solve are not mentioned by anyone so far, so must be among the more straightforward! Liked 10, 11, 21A.
Andrew 23d involves a 6-letter word that loses two.
Tim C and Andrew C. I knew the parable but have never seen or heard the adverb before.
Parabolic indeed Andrew C. :)
I’m with you Gayle. It’s not a down clue, a hemline is not a neckline and even so, it should be ‘hems for blue’ (for is just a filler). It’s not in Chambers Crossword Dictionary (one of the go to books for setters) as either a head, tail, or ends indicator.
It’s 7am in my timezone (on hols) but I have to get going so hints for 5A and 5D would be welcome!
Gayle,
The fourth letter before the hem.
Tim C,
I think of it as “hem someone in”.
Henson, what was the first movie directed by Spielberg? It gives the 5D homophone. The letters of 5A are on the page
Margaret – “for”.
I never got the definition in 5a. Surely it’s not something to do with sport in America?
Oh yes it is Graham M. The shape of the playing area in baseball
Margaret, I don’t know if we’re talking about the same thing, but for me the fourth letter of the answer is from the first ‘for’, the regulars of ‘keener for’. It’s the hem and the second ‘for’ I have trouble with, despite Tim C’s help. I just can’t get the grammar.
And softball Jack C! One of the only sports I ever played. Good clue. Liked ‘enshrined’. And of course Dodgers had to be American.
Sorry Jack (without the C, getting carried away).
I don’t really understand the angst regarding 20A. I can’t find fault with it, other than the fact that I have neither heard the stupid word spoken nor seen the stupid word in print. What sort of git would say, “I got up in the morning, had a shower and ‘enrobed’ myself in my clothes?”
Thanks Jack, double d’oh, done now
Gayle – OK – if it said “hem of” instead of “hem for”, would that be better for you?
Jack @3.37. I trust your judgment, even if I don’t get it. It’s been weeks or months now where I haven’t been able to give the crossword its dues. Today I slowed down and allowed myself the luxury of contemplating each clue. Maybe I’m overthinking and it’s time for a nap.
Nuh, DAJ. I’m going to have to give it a rest, and maybe come up with an alternative. It’s all very well finding fault if I can’t suggest a fix, as you have. Thank you.
Gayle,
I agree the second “for” isn’t DAs best wording. Personally I think “in” might’ve been better. Then you get “hem in blue”.
The second “for” doesn’t bother me and “of” or “in” would work just as well I think. My problem is if you take hem = edge, then which edge are you talking about, the front edge or the back edge. But it’s both edges and so should be “hems”.
Thanks Graham M – all clear now! I was seeing the last 2 letters of the clue and wondering where it got decapitated and where the other 2 letters came from, but your explanation makes perfect sense!
Now to relax until next Friday, subject to what DS and others have in store!
But the hem of a skirt goes all the way around — front, back and sides.
Or equally it’s just at the bottom. :)
When you “hem someone in” you have them covered on both sides.
17A – add ‘Usually,…’ to start clue? Yes, used to be the case but not always for many years now.
Well that was fun.
Like Tim C, I got a lot more than usual on the first pass (so much so that I glanced above to make sure it was DA) but then slowed down considerably, with the last four falling this morning.
Had to Google Papuan languages, of which I know nothing.
Just finished after a few bursts had 14 this morning and visited Trippers with 10 to go.
Like Carol had to Google Papuan languages which was my FOI. Last 2 were 19a & 19d.
Liked 9a & 10a . I found this week’s DA more straightforward less misdirections so was not fussed by 20a but cannot parse 25d even though I’m familiar with the term.
Thanks to TimC for steering me on the right track for 4d
IanS, what you are probably missing in 25D is a 4-letter word for company (e.g. ship’s company) that is a homophone of the answer.
Thanks Jack
Done, except for the wordplay for 1a. Nick and police station both work as definitions, and I can’t see what betrayal has to do with anything.
4d is fine, though not a word anyone actually uses. 24a we had to look up; have never heard that word before.
I think to shop someone is to report on their criminal activities, the same as to grass on them.
Do you think there will be a physical paper tomorrow (Good Friday)?
There usually is. The only “no paper” day is 25 Dec.
Done but not dusted.
FOI 1D.
LOI 25D.
Did not know either “key bit” in 1A.
Nor “key bit” in 3D.
But could get answer from clue and then look up.
Wasted a lot of time on 6D thinking “lead actor” gave something it did not.
Liked 9A, 10A – with 22D my pick.
Do not fully get wordplay of 19D and 27A.
OK now on 19D.
Pretty good I thought. 4D gave me the most trouble. Not a word I’ve heard used. Disagree with an instruction in 20D, or maybe I’m missing something. Liked the plated one,
DAJ I think 27A is just a double def.
20A I mean.
Gayle –
27A – thanks.
20A – all OK by me.
SMH broke the crossword app on iPad yesterday, still broken today. So it me took longer than usual, the app crashed 3 times!
Not seeing a problem with 20A.
First pass 1a,10a,12a,15a,21a,26a,2d,3d,6d,7d,13d,15d,22d,25d which must be some sort of PB for me I think. LOI 23d. Didn’t know 11a. I think I know what your problem is with 20a Gayle as I had a question mark against it as well. 4d derives from a parable in the bible.
A typical DA today with an abundance of smiles. Can’t parse 3d nor 4d, but don’t help me yet. I’m fine with 20a. Never heard of 11a, so Wikipedia to the rescue.
Enjoyed today’s DA. FOI 21A. Favourites 10A and 16A
As someone whose Mum made 8Ds to die for, my mouth was watering at that one! Nothing much else to write home about, although 9A is quaint (closer to geisha indeed).
All done. I have an idea for 19d but not happy with it. I’m sure it will be a doh but asking for a hint here. I’m thinking about an anagram with an extra “s”.
I’m OK with 20a.
Margaret, my problem with 20A was ‘hem’. No doubt that will be a doh moment for me too.
Did you mean to say you’re not asking for a hint for19D? . I was thinking along the same lines as you originally. That’s not a hint :-)
Margaret – 19D. Yeah tough one. As a start, “one left heaps” gives 3,4,5,6. Hope helps.
Gayle, it needs to be read as ‘hem for blue’
DAJunkie
Thanks, I think I have it now. That was a tad obscure for me.
Gayle,
Think of hemming someone in.
Thanks for the help Jack and Margaret. Maybe it’s the trauma of my school sewing days, but for me a hem is on the bottom not on the sides. Anyway, I still have a problem with the clue, even seen from your perspective. ‘hem for blue’. What’s ‘for’ doing there?
Good fun with some of them – 2D and 21A probably my faves, plus a sweet spot for 8D!
Struggling with 23D to finish it – any hints without giving the game away?
Oh, thanks Tim C for the parabolic(?) hint for 4D. Made me correct third letter of 10A!
Andrew C, the definition is the first word and it’s not related to aerodynamics
Thanks Jack – I thought that after giving it some more thought, but having trouble to understand the wordplay
Nearly all done and moved through fairly quickly today. The five clues I have yet to solve are not mentioned by anyone so far, so must be among the more straightforward! Liked 10, 11, 21A.
Andrew 23d involves a 6-letter word that loses two.
Tim C and Andrew C. I knew the parable but have never seen or heard the adverb before.
Parabolic indeed Andrew C. :)
I’m with you Gayle. It’s not a down clue, a hemline is not a neckline and even so, it should be ‘hems for blue’ (for is just a filler). It’s not in Chambers Crossword Dictionary (one of the go to books for setters) as either a head, tail, or ends indicator.
It’s 7am in my timezone (on hols) but I have to get going so hints for 5A and 5D would be welcome!
Gayle,
The fourth letter before the hem.
Tim C,
I think of it as “hem someone in”.
Henson, what was the first movie directed by Spielberg? It gives the 5D homophone. The letters of 5A are on the page
Margaret – “for”.
I never got the definition in 5a. Surely it’s not something to do with sport in America?
Oh yes it is Graham M. The shape of the playing area in baseball
Margaret, I don’t know if we’re talking about the same thing, but for me the fourth letter of the answer is from the first ‘for’, the regulars of ‘keener for’. It’s the hem and the second ‘for’ I have trouble with, despite Tim C’s help. I just can’t get the grammar.
And softball Jack C! One of the only sports I ever played. Good clue. Liked ‘enshrined’. And of course Dodgers had to be American.
Sorry Jack (without the C, getting carried away).
I don’t really understand the angst regarding 20A. I can’t find fault with it, other than the fact that I have neither heard the stupid word spoken nor seen the stupid word in print. What sort of git would say, “I got up in the morning, had a shower and ‘enrobed’ myself in my clothes?”
Thanks Jack, double d’oh, done now
Gayle – OK – if it said “hem of” instead of “hem for”, would that be better for you?
Jack @3.37. I trust your judgment, even if I don’t get it. It’s been weeks or months now where I haven’t been able to give the crossword its dues. Today I slowed down and allowed myself the luxury of contemplating each clue. Maybe I’m overthinking and it’s time for a nap.
Nuh, DAJ. I’m going to have to give it a rest, and maybe come up with an alternative. It’s all very well finding fault if I can’t suggest a fix, as you have. Thank you.
Gayle,
I agree the second “for” isn’t DAs best wording. Personally I think “in” might’ve been better. Then you get “hem in blue”.
The second “for” doesn’t bother me and “of” or “in” would work just as well I think. My problem is if you take hem = edge, then which edge are you talking about, the front edge or the back edge. But it’s both edges and so should be “hems”.
Thanks Graham M – all clear now! I was seeing the last 2 letters of the clue and wondering where it got decapitated and where the other 2 letters came from, but your explanation makes perfect sense!
Now to relax until next Friday, subject to what DS and others have in store!
But the hem of a skirt goes all the way around — front, back and sides.
Or equally it’s just at the bottom. :)
When you “hem someone in” you have them covered on both sides.
17A – add ‘Usually,…’ to start clue? Yes, used to be the case but not always for many years now.
Well that was fun.
Like Tim C, I got a lot more than usual on the first pass (so much so that I glanced above to make sure it was DA) but then slowed down considerably, with the last four falling this morning.
Had to Google Papuan languages, of which I know nothing.
Just finished after a few bursts had 14 this morning and visited Trippers with 10 to go.
Like Carol had to Google Papuan languages which was my FOI. Last 2 were 19a & 19d.
Liked 9a & 10a . I found this week’s DA more straightforward less misdirections so was not fussed by 20a but cannot parse 25d even though I’m familiar with the term.
Thanks to TimC for steering me on the right track for 4d
IanS, what you are probably missing in 25D is a 4-letter word for company (e.g. ship’s company) that is a homophone of the answer.
Thanks Jack
Done, except for the wordplay for 1a. Nick and police station both work as definitions, and I can’t see what betrayal has to do with anything.
4d is fine, though not a word anyone actually uses. 24a we had to look up; have never heard that word before.
I think to shop someone is to report on their criminal activities, the same as to grass on them.
Do you think there will be a physical paper tomorrow (Good Friday)?
There usually is. The only “no paper” day is 25 Dec.