Have your confusions sorted out for this week’s DA.
48 thoughts on “DA Confusion for the 26th of May, 2023”
All out in normal time this week. Liked 10A (although IMO def was a little off) 22A, 15A.
Took a little while to parse 18D, 7D, 26A but all good now.
FOI 1A, 1D. LOI 15A, 8D.
It’s quiet in here!
I officially give up on my last three. Been staring at 3D, 5D and10A for half an hour. I can see sort-of fits for the downs without any full understanding or certainty.
Otherwise, a good one. I thought 14D was very nice.
FOI 15A, 11A, 8D (cf. AndrewT’s LOIs!)
AG – yes all 3 a bit tricky. I may well draw a negative response, but here are 3 hints:
3D – a DA trick twice.
5D – (my pick for best) – phonetic alphabet.
10A – (and I think defn is fine) – “Lose sight” gives 1,2,3,4,5,6,9.
Hope helps. Hope not too much too early. Anyway…
Only half way through; just dropping in to say (after 30 years in the airports business) that, in Australia, it would be a Yankee pilot at work in 18D! ;-)
Thanks, DAJ – damn that phonetic alphabet! For some reason I have a blind spot, never see them.
The bottom half went in without any dramas but the top half has been very slow going, and there are still four to go. (Different to yours, AG.) Thought I might give up and reveal all, but I’ve decided a nice walk on the beach might do the trick.
DAJ, didn’t you mean 3d for the NATO phonetic alphabet? I indulged in a tiny chuckle when I got it.
I had the bits you helped with in 10a, DAJ, but the month escapes me. About the only thing that fits the intersecting clues is an expression I’ve never heard, and I can’t see what it has to do with a month.
By the way, my first in were 1d and 4a.
I shall return after my walk, and see if it has increased blood flow to the brain.
Graham M – yes – thanks. I totally mucked up (old eyes on small print) – my 3D above is actually 2D and my 5D above is actually 3D.
As for 5D “worn somewhat” gives 4,5,6,7,8.
Sorry for the confusion.
And as for 10A Graham M, you’ll get it.
You’re having a bad day, DAJ. Your tip for 5d is actually 4d. Cuppa tea, a Bex and a good lie down?
Now for that walk …
I give up. Already in bed – guess I need to ask nurse to check my drip!
Almost there. I would never have understood 3d without the above. Loved 22a when I twigged.
Still struggling with 6d and 15a. Any hints?
Sandy Mc – some hints:
6D – “shot” is an anagrind.
15A – need a bit of cricket knowledge from about 50 to 60 years ago.
About a clue in the quick x-word; the one thing in soccer you try not to do, is toe the ball DA !
The walk didn’t help, so I revealed all. I thought the 3-down prequel would be golf. Nope. Hadn’t heard of 8d, or if I had I’d forgotten. Never heard of 10a. I was working on the second word being “food”. Don’t understand 28a or 15d. In the clue for 18d I’d have said crossing tarmac.
Are you in hospital, DAJ?
Haven’t seen Tim C for a while.
Graham M –
28A – you need to have a bit of skateboard knowledge – then swap middle letter as per last 6 words.
15D – is my “disease” catching???
Do you mean 16D?
And as for hospital, in and out getting regular treatment which can make me a bit foggy for a while. Thanks for asking.
Best wishes for you recovery DAJ.
TimC said a while ago he was going to the UK around this time.
Loved this crossie. So many good surfaces. Laughed out loud when I saw the neurologist. Can just hear DA cackling when he found that. A bit self-referential?
Ha! No, I meant 15a, DAJ.
Wishing you a speedy recovery.
I meant neologist, but DA has a particular interest in the neuro connections with cryptic solving so I’m sure he will see the humour in my mistake.
With above hints, not sure I have 28A correct. Also unsure of 9A and 13A wordplays, and still struggling with 15A, 19A and 6D (despite above). A few chuckles. FOI 1D, 11A, 24D and 21D.
Yes DAJ, get well soon.
SB:
if you have 28A right, you’ll know it’s gold.
Spoiler alert: moderately heavy hints follow.
9A: 1-6 plus 11-15 is an anagram.
13A: construction is 2-5 within (1, 6-8).
19A is one of those slightly annoying DA words that hardly anyone would ever use.
6D: def is first two words.
GWS, DAJ!
Some, me included, would have 15A as the GOAT in his class.
Thanks for all the tips everyone
I love Daj mixing up the numbers…me too!
I think 3d is so clever!
Thanks AG. All out.
Help please with the parsing of 26A. Andrew T said one of his last to parse but no-one else seems to have had trouble with it.
I thought there might have been a hidden theme happening with 10A (NHO) and 7d and 9A possibly. But not that I can see. Am I missing something?
Gayle, if you’ve solved 1d, 11a & 17a, read the answers aloud. It’s a “super-homophone”!
Coming in late again! Doesn’t help when you’re on the road, and the early-opener hasn’t received the SMH yet (joys of living in the regions!).
Anyway, all done without any need to consult the DA Tripping brains trust. FOI 27A, LOI 10A. Got all the bottom half before getting anywhere on top half. Didn’t matter whether the definition for 10A was a bit iffy (ref Andrew T) as I had never heard the term before!
Looks like all questions have been answered.
Get well soon DAJ!
Very rare event for me – completing the DA in one sitting, lickety split!
Very satisfying puzzle, really enjoyed this one, with 26A being the highlight – required some rumination! 16D felt good when it clicked.
Monty Python legends, outback towns, West Indies cricketers, famous escapologists, retreating mafioso… Had it all.
Tim C has done Shetland and Orkney and is currently catching up with family in the Lake District. I’m still doing DA when I think to download it but I have to say there’s a lot of other interesting things to do so I’m out of my usual routine and get here late if at all. Still have Vera country (Northumberland) to go. Normal service will resume in about a month so have fun all of you in the meantime.
Thanks DAJ (yesterday at 3.35pm). I had family commitments just after posting and then guests for dinner. Hence this very late response. I am old enough and aware of cricket enough for your hint on 15a to have got me there.
Funny thing with 6d is the one thing I did already get was that ‘shot’ was an anagrind. But I was thinking 3d (coming as a prequel) as the fodder, with ‘director’ as the last letter. So I was struggling to find something relating to ‘one’ for letters 6-8. All meaning ‘prominent ????♂️. Thankfully 15a gave me the final crosser and I started to think again ????
Thanks Graeme M@7:38pm for 26A.
Sorry Graham M
The clues aren’t falling as quickly as last week.
Had 19A but thought it was such a rubbish definition that I couldn’t possibly be right!
Enjoy the UK Tim C! Lovely country where you are travelling.
Finally got 10a which was new for me. The online dictionary gave this example:
I went into _________ _______ this weekend and ate a tub of ice cream in my underwear while watching reality shows.
As an aside, what does everyone think of the Saturday puzzle?
Am I the only one who objects to the definition for 19a?
It’s not the definition that springs to mind, UStralian. I’d be more likely to use that word as “The other model is easy to repair, but this one is _________ .” However I can see that the word could be used the way DA has indicated.
Muntz, I thought the Saturday puzzle OK, although there were three on my “Huh?” list. Last Thursday’s quick was a doozie. There was glaring errors in the printed puzzle, from which I downloaded. They’d been fixed, with the grid modified, in the online puzzle. Pretty slack of NS, and the Herald’s puzzle editor.
Hi Muntz
Re Saturday puzzle, I’m 3/4 done, just SE corner to go – a few interesting ones, and some that made me smile (always a good sign – DA is guaranteed to have a few of these!). Noticed 18D is same answer (in almost same spot) as DA’s 16D – both clever clues, though DA’s is more original!
Just 24D to go in Saturday puzzle, and I’m stumped – any hints?
Andrew C – Saturday Cryptic – 24D – “performance” = anagrind – fodder = “wooden”, with “lift the lid”.
Defn = “theatre”.
Thanks DAJ – now why didn’t I see that??? All good now.
LOL – I was asking “What do people think of the Saturday puzzle in general?”
But thanks for the tip on 24D. Three more to go.
Muntz, I think DS is the soundest compiler of the bunch and understands the concept of deception better than most. He disguises the definition well which is the essence of a good cryptic clue IMO. He needs to work on his anagram indicators which can be mystifying. Overall his crosswords are worth doing.
All out but struggling to understand the def for 10A if anyone wants to help me sleep tonight!
Muntz – I generally find DS on Saturday to be reasonably challenging (not like DA, but harder than RM and LR). Some of his (they are all he, aren’t they?) clues are a bit clumsy IMO, while others are almost DA-worthy. Never know what to expect – some weeks are a lot easier than others. This week’s was probably one of his better ones.
Andrew C,
not all the compilers are ‘he’. Rose M and Nancy S are not.
I agree with PeterW’s view on DS and I’d suggest that some of DA’s clues are almost DS-worthy.
I think DS overuses the anagram. You can pretty much go into every clue assuming at least one part will be an anagram. I’ve noticed solvers think DS > DA at surfacing, which I think is very much secondary to a clever clue trying something new.
Thanks for enlightening me Neanderthal :-)
Good to know the cryptics are equal-opportunity!
All out in normal time this week. Liked 10A (although IMO def was a little off) 22A, 15A.
Took a little while to parse 18D, 7D, 26A but all good now.
FOI 1A, 1D. LOI 15A, 8D.
It’s quiet in here!
I officially give up on my last three. Been staring at 3D, 5D and10A for half an hour. I can see sort-of fits for the downs without any full understanding or certainty.
Otherwise, a good one. I thought 14D was very nice.
FOI 15A, 11A, 8D (cf. AndrewT’s LOIs!)
AG – yes all 3 a bit tricky. I may well draw a negative response, but here are 3 hints:
3D – a DA trick twice.
5D – (my pick for best) – phonetic alphabet.
10A – (and I think defn is fine) – “Lose sight” gives 1,2,3,4,5,6,9.
Hope helps. Hope not too much too early. Anyway…
Only half way through; just dropping in to say (after 30 years in the airports business) that, in Australia, it would be a Yankee pilot at work in 18D! ;-)
Thanks, DAJ – damn that phonetic alphabet! For some reason I have a blind spot, never see them.
The bottom half went in without any dramas but the top half has been very slow going, and there are still four to go. (Different to yours, AG.) Thought I might give up and reveal all, but I’ve decided a nice walk on the beach might do the trick.
DAJ, didn’t you mean 3d for the NATO phonetic alphabet? I indulged in a tiny chuckle when I got it.
I had the bits you helped with in 10a, DAJ, but the month escapes me. About the only thing that fits the intersecting clues is an expression I’ve never heard, and I can’t see what it has to do with a month.
By the way, my first in were 1d and 4a.
I shall return after my walk, and see if it has increased blood flow to the brain.
Graham M – yes – thanks. I totally mucked up (old eyes on small print) – my 3D above is actually 2D and my 5D above is actually 3D.
As for 5D “worn somewhat” gives 4,5,6,7,8.
Sorry for the confusion.
And as for 10A Graham M, you’ll get it.
You’re having a bad day, DAJ. Your tip for 5d is actually 4d. Cuppa tea, a Bex and a good lie down?
Now for that walk …
I give up. Already in bed – guess I need to ask nurse to check my drip!
Almost there. I would never have understood 3d without the above. Loved 22a when I twigged.
Still struggling with 6d and 15a. Any hints?
Sandy Mc – some hints:
6D – “shot” is an anagrind.
15A – need a bit of cricket knowledge from about 50 to 60 years ago.
About a clue in the quick x-word; the one thing in soccer you try not to do, is toe the ball DA !
The walk didn’t help, so I revealed all. I thought the 3-down prequel would be golf. Nope. Hadn’t heard of 8d, or if I had I’d forgotten. Never heard of 10a. I was working on the second word being “food”. Don’t understand 28a or 15d. In the clue for 18d I’d have said crossing tarmac.
Are you in hospital, DAJ?
Haven’t seen Tim C for a while.
Graham M –
28A – you need to have a bit of skateboard knowledge – then swap middle letter as per last 6 words.
15D – is my “disease” catching???
Do you mean 16D?
And as for hospital, in and out getting regular treatment which can make me a bit foggy for a while. Thanks for asking.
Best wishes for you recovery DAJ.
TimC said a while ago he was going to the UK around this time.
Loved this crossie. So many good surfaces. Laughed out loud when I saw the neurologist. Can just hear DA cackling when he found that. A bit self-referential?
Ha! No, I meant 15a, DAJ.
Wishing you a speedy recovery.
I meant neologist, but DA has a particular interest in the neuro connections with cryptic solving so I’m sure he will see the humour in my mistake.
With above hints, not sure I have 28A correct. Also unsure of 9A and 13A wordplays, and still struggling with 15A, 19A and 6D (despite above). A few chuckles. FOI 1D, 11A, 24D and 21D.
Yes DAJ, get well soon.
SB:
if you have 28A right, you’ll know it’s gold.
Spoiler alert: moderately heavy hints follow.
9A: 1-6 plus 11-15 is an anagram.
13A: construction is 2-5 within (1, 6-8).
19A is one of those slightly annoying DA words that hardly anyone would ever use.
6D: def is first two words.
GWS, DAJ!
Some, me included, would have 15A as the GOAT in his class.
Thanks for all the tips everyone
I love Daj mixing up the numbers…me too!
I think 3d is so clever!
Thanks AG. All out.
Help please with the parsing of 26A. Andrew T said one of his last to parse but no-one else seems to have had trouble with it.
I thought there might have been a hidden theme happening with 10A (NHO) and 7d and 9A possibly. But not that I can see. Am I missing something?
Gayle, if you’ve solved 1d, 11a & 17a, read the answers aloud. It’s a “super-homophone”!
Coming in late again! Doesn’t help when you’re on the road, and the early-opener hasn’t received the SMH yet (joys of living in the regions!).
Anyway, all done without any need to consult the DA Tripping brains trust. FOI 27A, LOI 10A. Got all the bottom half before getting anywhere on top half. Didn’t matter whether the definition for 10A was a bit iffy (ref Andrew T) as I had never heard the term before!
Looks like all questions have been answered.
Get well soon DAJ!
Very rare event for me – completing the DA in one sitting, lickety split!
Very satisfying puzzle, really enjoyed this one, with 26A being the highlight – required some rumination! 16D felt good when it clicked.
Monty Python legends, outback towns, West Indies cricketers, famous escapologists, retreating mafioso… Had it all.
Tim C has done Shetland and Orkney and is currently catching up with family in the Lake District. I’m still doing DA when I think to download it but I have to say there’s a lot of other interesting things to do so I’m out of my usual routine and get here late if at all. Still have Vera country (Northumberland) to go. Normal service will resume in about a month so have fun all of you in the meantime.
Thanks DAJ (yesterday at 3.35pm). I had family commitments just after posting and then guests for dinner. Hence this very late response. I am old enough and aware of cricket enough for your hint on 15a to have got me there.
Funny thing with 6d is the one thing I did already get was that ‘shot’ was an anagrind. But I was thinking 3d (coming as a prequel) as the fodder, with ‘director’ as the last letter. So I was struggling to find something relating to ‘one’ for letters 6-8. All meaning ‘prominent ????♂️. Thankfully 15a gave me the final crosser and I started to think again ????
Thanks Graeme M@7:38pm for 26A.
Sorry Graham M
The clues aren’t falling as quickly as last week.
Had 19A but thought it was such a rubbish definition that I couldn’t possibly be right!
Enjoy the UK Tim C! Lovely country where you are travelling.
Finally got 10a which was new for me. The online dictionary gave this example:
I went into _________ _______ this weekend and ate a tub of ice cream in my underwear while watching reality shows.
As an aside, what does everyone think of the Saturday puzzle?
Am I the only one who objects to the definition for 19a?
It’s not the definition that springs to mind, UStralian. I’d be more likely to use that word as “The other model is easy to repair, but this one is _________ .” However I can see that the word could be used the way DA has indicated.
Muntz, I thought the Saturday puzzle OK, although there were three on my “Huh?” list. Last Thursday’s quick was a doozie. There was glaring errors in the printed puzzle, from which I downloaded. They’d been fixed, with the grid modified, in the online puzzle. Pretty slack of NS, and the Herald’s puzzle editor.
Hi Muntz
Re Saturday puzzle, I’m 3/4 done, just SE corner to go – a few interesting ones, and some that made me smile (always a good sign – DA is guaranteed to have a few of these!). Noticed 18D is same answer (in almost same spot) as DA’s 16D – both clever clues, though DA’s is more original!
Just 24D to go in Saturday puzzle, and I’m stumped – any hints?
Andrew C – Saturday Cryptic – 24D – “performance” = anagrind – fodder = “wooden”, with “lift the lid”.
Defn = “theatre”.
Thanks DAJ – now why didn’t I see that??? All good now.
LOL – I was asking “What do people think of the Saturday puzzle in general?”
But thanks for the tip on 24D. Three more to go.
Muntz, I think DS is the soundest compiler of the bunch and understands the concept of deception better than most. He disguises the definition well which is the essence of a good cryptic clue IMO. He needs to work on his anagram indicators which can be mystifying. Overall his crosswords are worth doing.
All out but struggling to understand the def for 10A if anyone wants to help me sleep tonight!
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Goblin_mode
New to me too.
Muntz – I generally find DS on Saturday to be reasonably challenging (not like DA, but harder than RM and LR). Some of his (they are all he, aren’t they?) clues are a bit clumsy IMO, while others are almost DA-worthy. Never know what to expect – some weeks are a lot easier than others. This week’s was probably one of his better ones.
Andrew C,
not all the compilers are ‘he’. Rose M and Nancy S are not.
I agree with PeterW’s view on DS and I’d suggest that some of DA’s clues are almost DS-worthy.
I think DS overuses the anagram. You can pretty much go into every clue assuming at least one part will be an anagram. I’ve noticed solvers think DS > DA at surfacing, which I think is very much secondary to a clever clue trying something new.
Thanks for enlightening me Neanderthal :-)
Good to know the cryptics are equal-opportunity!