Solving the Enigma: Expert's Guide to the Times Cryptic Crossword

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In this video, I'm solving the Times Cryptic Crossword puzzle. This crossword has been published in the Times newspaper since 1 February 1930.
If you're a fan of crosswords, then you'll love this video! In this Dweebovision video, I'll show you how to solve the Times Cryptic Crossword puzzle and give you some tips on how to improve your crossword skills. If you're looking for a challenging puzzle to solve, then check out the Times Cryptic Crossword puzzle!
Live solve of Times Cryptic Crossword published 27 November 2023
The Times subscription options: www.thetimes.co.uk/subscribe/...
SNITCH - xwdsnitch.herokuapp.com/
Timesforthetimes blog - timesforthetimes.co.uk/
Music by Camtasia
Gears Of Steel

[@grenvillephillips6998]

Thanks coach!

[@damianbarr]

Impressively extensive vocabulary. Always enjoy the clarity of how you explain

[@jonbrowne]

Fabulous solving.

[@dweebovision]

Thank you!

[@rh8829]

Great video as always, thanks a lot for doing these!

[@phyphor]

As always, a fantastic solve! One thing I've noticed CtC do on their Friday solves is to "Submit without leaderboard" so as not to alter the snitch rating as solving in a video, with explanations, is slower than it would be normally.

[@dweebovision]

Simon is a reference solver whose time impacts the Snitch. I solve using the paper, not online, so am not a reference solver. Therefore my times, whether fast or slow, do not impact the Snitch

[@phyphor]

That's fair enough! I wasn't sure either way. But, still, I'm glad you put these out because I appreciate the commentary as it helps me improve and hone my own skills. Thanks for doing them! (When I get my next job I'll actually be able to support your Patreon rather than just with words, but for now words is all I can manage.)

[@phyphor]

Not a fan of using "pain" to mean "gyp" as part of the clue for the word Egypt, considering that that is its etymological root (from "gyppy/jippy tummy")

[@dweebovision]

I think gyp meaning pain and gyppy tummy may have different etymologies

[@phyphor]

I checked before posting but as I trust you (who deals with words at a more senior level than I) I went digging further and, obviously, you are right! > The sense of pain seems to be connected with a northern English dialect word, variously spelled gip or jip, that only ever appeared in the form “to give somebody or something jip”. It could mean to give a person or an object a sound thrashing (one example is of a man giving a carpet a beating), or generally to treat roughly or to cause pain. > We’re not certain where it comes from, but the English Dialect Dictionary gives one sense of the word as “to arouse to greater exertions by means of some sudden, unexpected action”. That fits with the suggestion in the Oxford English Dictionary that it’s a contracted form of gee-up, a conventionalised version of the cry one utters to get a horse to move. Presumably the pain sense evolved through the excessive use of that unexpected action in persuading a person or animal to do one’s bidding. (from www.worldwidewords.org/qa/qa-gyp2.htm )

[@chrishooks6565]

David my lips are sealed in the interim, prospects look rosy, by for now.😊

[@hoagy_ytfc]

I think the word "small" _is_ actually required in 4D (at 4:00 in the video). Small number doesn't mean "no", it means "one without the e", I think, cos it's IN the second (mo). m-ON-o

[@dweebovision]

I stand by my commentary. "Small" is not a crosswording convention for all but the last letter, and the small number is "found in second theatre award" so can be anywhere within MOTONY. The timesforthetimes blog (link in description) supports this parsing