The Times Crossword Friday Masterclass: Episode 52: ONE YEAR!!

** TODAY'S PUZZLE **
In the 52nd edition of our attempts to solve a Friday Times crossword, Simon takes on today's puzzle, which is easier than usual but does contain a few tricky answers that are probably much easier if you have some history with these puzzles!!
The puzzle is available to play on The Times crossword club website (which is behind their paywall):
www.thetimes.co.uk/puzzleclub...
If you'd like to have a look at last Thursday's puzzle with the definitions highlighted then here it is:
www.patreon.com/posts/times-c...
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Joining us on Patreon costs as little as $2 a month and includes Mark's new solve of The Times' Club Monthly special - a vicious cryptic!!
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[@reubenmckay]

The fact that this "bonus" episode is now a regular feature of the channel is a testament to how good they are. Well done on keeping them going for a year and looking forward to the next 52 editions.

[@romasteve7292]

hear, hear

[@kempisthomasa7311]

John Appleseed here; thank you for the shout-out and congratulations on a year of cryptic master classes!

[@jarvisa12345]

28:50 The word ‘sabotage’ is derived from ‘sabot’ because French weavers would wreck Jacquard looms by throwing their sabots into them.

[@ericbright1742]

Learned that from Star Trek VI.

[@andrewalbrecht4547]

@ericbright1742 Came here to reply the same. "Hence the word.. sabotage."

[@MichaelLamparty]

My favorite piece of shoe trivia. The fact that Simon kept pronouncing the T did grate on my francophone ear though.

[@killfalcon]

@@MichaelLamparty As an anglophone who watches waaaay too many videos about tanks, it sounds wrong to me as well!

[@glum_hippo]

Darn the algorithm, these videos are delightful and essential to the CtC brand. One can only hope that an increasing number of people will come to agree.

[@SourabhDas95]

I'm pretty sure the extremely long email you referred to around 24:40 was from me, and it warms my heart that for a channel this big, you not only took the time to read it, (it really was outrageously long) but took it to heart and tried incorporating some of the suggestions right away! You're always a joy to watch, but this sort of care and effort really makes this channel stand out as one of the best corners of the internet!

[@bryanroland9402]

I don't have time to watch every CTC video but I never miss the Friday crossword. I hope you'll keep them coming for at least another year.

[@shadowd63]

9:56 for those who aren't aware because Simon didn't go over it; the "about" in the clue means about-face i.e. to reverse direction/look the other way.

[@Soolseem]

I know the crossword vids don't get as many views as Sudoko but they're my favorite thing on the channel. Thanks for keeping them up.

[@Sandra_and_Nala]

I was close to subscribing to the times crossword the other day, but felt I needed to watch another year of these bonus episodes before I can actually solve any of these and make use of the subscription. I also loved to see Mark solve the times quick cryptic the other day. Would love to see this become a thing as well!

[@longwaytotipperary]

Congratulations on your one year anniversary!!! I look forward to these every week as well as the daily sudokus and the live streams!! Congrats to Mike/John Appleseed!!

[@walterxplinge3867]

Sian is usually pronounced "shaan" in my experience.

[@samspackman8750]

Thank you Simon for the Year of Living Cryptically!

[@sebastienlecoq3956]

One of the funiest thing watching those videos as a french native, is that how some words are a lot easier (sabot for exemple) as they are of french origin. (but be reassured, I didn't know the grèbe either)

[@viceliag3916]

These videos are always the perfect length for my nighttime routine. The sudokus vary a lot, but the crossword is always just right for putting the baby to bed and getting things reset for the next day.

[@ConManAU]

Thank you for a year of mind-blowing advice and obscure words!

[@archivist17]

Thank you so much for this highlight of my week! Here's to the next 52!

[@LogiBizzle]

One year on and after being terrified of cryptics my entire life, I can now complete the guardian cryptic thanks to the tutelage of these videos! Thanks for making them and please continue to do so - I'm still learning something new with every video!

[@nickburton5871]

I think I've watched every one! Thanks so much, Simon!

[@gamergirl4u]

It's taken a while of watching this series to understand the clues but parsing them out feels a lot easier now. These videos have also helped me get a lot better at the regular nyt crosswords!

[@mathhits]

Happy birthday! I will never miss a cryptic video. This one helped me clean my dishwasher.

[@richardlyons7582]

Happy anniversary Master classes Friday CTC. Simon and Mark thanks for all the fun on a Fridays and improved my cracking Cryptic crossword

[@Alex_Meadows]

Happy birthday to the Masterclass! Always a lovely way to end the week.

[@luleoli]

I just wanted to say, I’m having a really bad day today, and I am so mentally worn down, but every night, when I’m getting ready to sleep, I put on one of your videos, and every night, I feel a bit better than I did before. Seeing our special weekly Friday treat as the first video on my recommended page lit up my mood a bit when I expected nothing to. Thanks, Simon :) No matter what you say, I’d chat with you at a party any day!

[@davidrattner9]

Happy 1 year anniversary!! What a phenomenal friday these have been for us!! So enjoyable to see you Simon work you amazing cryptics skills in such aplomb fashion!!

[@timsullivan4566]

Thanks for a year of delightful Fridays!

[@RyanAtOptimism]

Great video, as usual. But I especially loved Simon by explaining the clues piece by piece with hints so we had a chance to figure it out. Love this approach!

[@MarcMcMillin]

one amazing year of mastery and learning ! 🙂Here's to another year!

[@charlesbrookes959]

As much as I love these videos (and I LOVE these videos) I do miss the thematic Independent ones and the insane Listener metas. Would love to see more of those this year ❤

[@AichoOshiro]

Love how you relate this to maths equations 😊

[@adrever1986]

Happy birthday Friday Masterclass! Here's to the next year of videos!

[@anthonyhastings5961]

Thanks to both of you for a great channel. I’m not sure whether anybody knows but Sabot being a wooden shoe was used by workers to damage the machines that were going to take their jobs hence the term SABOTage

[@mrscraftalot]

Happy Birthday to the Cryptic videos! I love this series and have learned so much. I can do the Quick Cryptics by myself now and my family and I work on the easier full Cryptics together :)

[@grenvillephillips6998]

It doesn't seem like a year but with your help I've definitely improved, so many thanks!

[@user-xl4tz4dj7v]

Happy cryptoversary! I look forward to these every week and learn so much from your explanations. My husband is the numbers person in our family and a patreon of the Sudoku side, who told me about the cryptic crosswords. I’m the words person, obviously 😊

[@thescrewfly]

Happy Birthday. I believe the correct form of encouragement on KZbin is 'moarrr!'

[@sayusekhar]

i have been following the videos for the last few weeks, and got my times puzzles subscription. Managed to crack Magellan (due to not knowing any other explorer) and Lissome 😀

[@ronaldholland9525]

Happy Birthday Master Class!

[@arthurcharest9061]

Great solve, thanks Simon!

[@paulellingham9358]

6 across not just a crossword word, it's a Star Trek word. If the shoe fits!

[@BRBTheFireball]

Yes, Simon. Ronnie Barker played Arkwright in the original "Open All Hours". The name was still used on the shop in the recent revival, "Still Open All Hours".

[@d4r4butler74]

Congrats on a year of Solving the Crosswords for us!! Please keep teaching us how the best can and do solve these awesome puzzles.

[@Emmibean77]

Happy birthday to the best series of videos on all of the internet! Thank you for doing these. May the algorithm finally catch up to the brilliance of these videos and bring them to the masses before the next birthday

[@clara931]

Me and the husband had the odd weekday off together programming my brain to think it was the weekend. Getting this masterclass was such a happy and unexpected bonus!

[@lin4579]

I look forward to these so much and have learnt a lot. In the past I have tried and failed to do cryptic crosswords apart from a few lucky guesses but now I understand how they work I can usually solve most of the quick cryptic. I’m having a go at the more difficult ones and these masterclasses are really helpful.

[@nitinunnava6388]

Great vid as usual. By the way the water spirit you were thinking of is a Naiad. Thank you Percy Jackson :D

[@jodyvanliew2514]

Congrats on one year of doing these for us . I look forward to every Friday .

[@chrisdoob]

Happy Anniversary Simon!

[@bjornbeng]

Thank you for another entertaining Friday evening. We actually managed to find some of the answers ourselves. As always, we are in awe of your genius.

[@annastevenson27]

HBTY! I have improved immensely at The Times cryptic crossword over the last year. Thank you!

[@joanabbott9531]

Congratulations! I look forward to these every week.

[@heatherbass8413]

I look forward to these videos now every week after work on Friday! Cryptic crosswords are cool! Seriously, thank you 😊

[@auximenes]

Always a good day when a YT vid surprises you with a bit of Radiohead.

[@charlesonyoutube]

Congrats -- I have really been enjoying these videos

[@barbarawhite9970]

These are so enjoyable - thanks so much Simon!

[@im6870]

These crossword videos are lit!

[@user-jb9vw5vx7p]

Loved how you just plucked 'dryad' out of the air! Another great episode and happy anniversary!

[@LorisLaboratory]

On holiday but still able to enjoy this while getting ready in the morning 😁 happy crossword anniversary!

[@Elaine-OHara]

Happy anniversary to the best part of the week!

[@francesbardsley5332]

Thankyou Simon entertaining and educating as always. Happy I year anniversay🎉🎉

[@sarahlowes1501]

Hi Simon from just outside of Ely.

[@mariusnafe26]

Love it!

[@paulellingham9358]

🎉Happy anniversary!

[@debrabowen4276]

Lovely!

[@oak3001]

Happy Birthday!!

[@louisesuth8141]

Have enjoyed all 52 episodes! I will have cake this afternoon in your honour

[@MrPartylala]

happy masterclass anniversary!

[@MultiNacnud]

Happy Birthday, have a few glasses of wine to celebrate. Not too many though or English Lit will be your condition and not a useful aid to crossword solving.

[@johnhantsuk8461]

'Ayah' is also the exclamation used when attempting to karate chop someone.

[@thefilmfilms]

'Lit' in modern slang wouldn't really be used to describe a person. You use it when something is really exciting/lively. Eg, 'that party last night was lit'. Although you don't hear it much anymore, soooo 2019.

[@JohnLeeShaw]

Hi Simon! Thanks for another masterclass, and many congratulations on a whole year of them. Hopefully many more to come, what a treat they are! Well done on another nice solve, and the excellent rendition of Oliver Twist. You nearly had the show, Open All Hours, a classic from years gone by, with Ronnie Barker playing the grumpy shopkeeper, Arkwright, and David Jason playing his Nephew, G-G-G-G-Granville. They don't (and probably can't) make them like that anymore, such a shame! Have a nice weekend 😀

[@chitraagarwal8259]

Wow. Can't believe it's been a year of these!

[@rhysbart]

Happy birthday 🎉

[@MattAshton_Profile]

The number of times that Simon predicts a pangram, vs the number of times we get one?

[@brachypelmasmith]

All the differences between English language crosswords and my native one are stunning. These types of hints and wordplays are pretty much never found.

[@antliken7757]

Most English language crosswords are just regular non-cryptic with standard definitions of the Frozen Water = Ice variety.

[@PeterMoore66]

SIAN is pronounced SHARN (with a non-rhotic 'R'). Congratulations on the anniversary!

[@Kalobi]

When you suggested margarine, and I also wasn't confident about the spelling, I was convinced for a while that the disease was going to be ger(m).

[@craftsmanwoodturner]

Margarine is made from margaric acid, pronounced with a hard g. For many years, margarine had a hard g as well, but I think it was softened in an advert to make it sound friendlier, and the change stuck!

[@danitajaye7218]

fun!

[@ranajamal3848]

Best product of CTC

[@sh4dowchas3r]

With 9 across when you first looked at it I said Ganja mainly as a joke because it would fit and was related to pot, not remotely thinking it would be right.

[@Mr_Haddles]

Just in case you're interested, I've heard the name Sian pronounced as Sharn (or as "shan't" without the "t"). Not sure if that's the standard pronunciation, but I think it relates to the welsh spelling of Shaun/Sean as Sion

[@clivebrenchley5319]

By George! You seemed to solve that without trying, thanks to your lissome brain. Thanks, as ever.

[@MrTickely]

Sian is pronounced approximately like Sharn by the way :)

[@mycroft64089]

I want to replace the clue for 16 down, it should be: Via Takei, "Oh my!"

[@Tankorr]

Lit can still mean drunk in modern slang. It also refers to something considered cool or amazing.

[@nickr3115]

Thanks once again for a very entertaining solve, and happy birthday! Small point, the T is not pronounced in "sabot", same as in french.

[@nemuchan]

a water spirit is an ondine btw

[@brycecrux2730]

YES! I got ayatollah... about 1 second before Simon...!

[@brycecrux2730]

apologies... I rarely get any of the clues before Simon does. So this is progress :)

[@brycecrux2730]

back to normal :( "belted saw"... I thought was a literal saw :(

[@rhodrijames7962]

"Sian" (or more often "Sîan") is pronounced "Shahn". I've known a few people by that name, unsurprisingly I suppose given my own name 🙂

[@TommiHimberg]

Isn't 3 down "ring" a reference to "atoll"" and not a bell ringing? Could be both, I suppose... Thanks for a great video yet again!

[@Raven-Creations]

Apparently your famously bad scanning extends to the dictionary too. You looked at the page containing lit several times before spotting it. Open All Hours was the Ronnie Barker program you were thinking of. I thought of that too when I saw Arkwright. I agree with your assessment. It requires fluency with the ways of cryptic crosswords, but if you are moderately fluent, they weren't well disguised. I suspect some of the viewers who enjoy watching you, but have yet to solve a puzzle, might have picked up enough of the tricks to have had a good chance with this one. If you consider your solves as tutorials, this would have made a reasonable year-end test. There were quite a few words that only crop up in crosswords though, and learning those wasn't really part of the curriculum. Be careful with linseed oil. If you throw out the rags or tissues you use to apply it, it can spontaneously combust, sometimes several hours later. Quite a lot of woodworkers' workshops and some factories working in wood have gone up in flames because of it.

[@fulltimeslackerii8229]

When I saw “carrying disease” I thought of “vector”

[@timotab]

Sian is pronounced Shahn

[@richwill4706]

The Welsh name Sian is pronounced "Sharn" :)

[@jojoj81Gaming]

My sister's name is Sian, pronounced like Sharne. With a long "a"

[@johncockerell4060]

100% i could not do this. is there a day of the week when there is an easy crossword so I could try?

[@bluerizlagirl]

Deity appearing on video at quarter past three in the afternoon? (4)

[@bobblebardsley]

Mini spoiler but if you know the apocryphal etymology of the answer to 1 Across, it's not a million miles away from the clue.

[@jgreen2015]

Lol 'and ganja is a synonym for pot...as in marijuana ... I think .. I'm not an expert' Sure sure ;)

[@user-og4le9tq4l]

Well, I got 'linseed' and 'aboard', and that was it 😐

[@garybrittain2223]

Ok where is Mark’s macho image