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 tell whether this definition defines the answer.

'hill are oddly messy after a week' is the wordplay.
'oddly' indicates alternate letters (letters in odd-numbered positions).
'messy' indicates an anagram.
'after' says to put letters next to each other.
'a week' becomes 'w' (abbreviation).
'hill'+'are'='hillare'
The alternate letters of 'hillare' are 'hlae'.
'hlae' is an anagram of 'hale'.
'hale' 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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