I think you are right mountainjoe.
Too late was the cry !!
Funny clue though. Not worded very well.
Direst isn't really a definition of a mess and abstract isn't really a word that would define digest . You wouldn't say one gets in a direst ! Or a digest.
I sometimes wonder who dreams these up !
Good luck anyway.
I agree with the first part of your reasoning, dwil, but an abstract can be a summary or an abridgement (as in Readers' Digest). Sorry, Shaneystar2, but I think it is a valid clue.