being not only an AoL AS but also an academic of the time she very likely knew the principles of the binding weave itself and therefore could have come up with several ways to beat the weave itself. whether gloves of air or just a specific type of warding, inverted of course.

but it doesn't have to be that complicated. whether egwene asked if they were df's or even ba, from mesaana's perspective she's neither. she's a "CHOSEN", or a "TRUE" aes sedai, or maybe even a "god" like graendal seemed to suggest.

the simple question of "do you serve the DO" might not even work if mesaana merely has to "decide" on the spot not to and then claim not to serve the DO. the better question to put them too would be "have you ever served the DO" or "have you ever considered yourself one of the chosen"

or how about "what was the name of the city were you born at the time of your birth?". that would work too, for the forsaken at least. hehe

cheers