Crossword Genius

Temporary digs for Jonah Hill are oddly messy after a week (5)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

whale

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'temporary digs for jonah' is the definition.
I can't judge whether this defines the answer.

'hill are oddly messy after a week' is the wordplay.
'oddly' indicates alternate letters (letters in odd-numbered positions).
'messy' is an anagram indicator.
'after' means one lot of letters go next to another.
'a week' becomes 'w' (abbreviation).
'hill'+'are'='hillare'
The alternating letters of 'hillare' are 'hlae'.
'hlae' with letters rearranged gives 'hale'.
'hale' put after 'w' is 'WHALE'.

Can you help me to learn more?

(Other definitions for whale that I've seen before include "Large animal" , "Maybe humpback" , "Patch of oil, on water" , "Biblical swallower of Jonah" , "It breathes through a blowhole" .)

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