The Times Crossword Friday Masterclass: 21 June 2024

[@glum_hippo]

Yes, Simon - thorough explanations are never unwelcome. Thanks for doing this every week.

[@glum_hippo]

Hypothesis: everything could be read as an anagram indicator if one wishes.

[@matthewjoyce1849]

Unusually, after giving a thorough explanation for most of the opening 1D, Simon didn't define why SEN is a nurse. In the UK, two of the standard initial nursing qualifications are SEN and SRN - state-enrolled nurse and state registered nurse. SEN is the lighter qualification of the two ('pupil nurse'). In crosswords, SRN can also be further abbreviated to RN.

[@jasminmai3528]

Thank you for clarifying - it’s much appreciated

[@AzraelNewtype0079]

I felt like I was going mad after he proved that D is a valid abbreviation for day and then just blew past that as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.

[@evah4431]

interesting!

[@d4r4butler74]

Thank you!!

[@DerpingIsDerp]

Hi! Im a new subscriber! I love the puzzles but am not nearly smart enough to attempt them myself. Thank you for allowing me to learn alongside you! Almost at 600k! Im sure we can reach Mr.Beast's numbers in no time!

[@emilywilliams3237]

I love these videos, and try the Times Quick Cryptic every now and then, and even sometimes get some words! I don't mind when the puzzles you explain are easier, since I am unable to do the harder ones myself. All of your explanations are fantastic and very helpful. Thanks, Simon.

[@naco8611]

Thank you so much for these videos!! 😃

[@Secretcicely]

I don't know about you but i'm very intrigued about what was in the text!!

[@MattSwain1]

I definitely feel that was a rare example of one of these Friday crosswords that I could have made a good dent in. It didn’t have the usual smattering of words beyond my vocabulary or require obscure general knowledge. Helpful as always. Even some of the concepts that come up regularly are worth repeating because they don’t all go in first (or second) time. Thanks Simon

[@MarushiaDark316]

First thing that comes to mind for how "carry" could mean "run" is like a runner as in a person who delivers, like a food runner in a restaurant is the person who carries your plates to your table.

[@Anne_Mahoney]

I was thinking about running up a tab, carrying an account, for ex. at your local pub.

[@cypher686]

@15:44 I was laughing at your anagram genius so much. Simon says that he thinks words are anagrams when the clue doesn't make sense... none of these clues make any sense to me. Just cracks me up how good you are at this and how I haven't got a clue.

[@longwaytotipperary]

It’s a beautiful but HOT day in eastern USA on this first day of summer!! Perfect way to start this lovely day - watching Simon solving a cryptic crossword and explaining the clues!!!

[@d4r4butler74]

Always love the Cryptic Crosswords! Also love the quick runs at the end.

[@angec9908]

Maverick takes off and now I’m waiting for Alexa to chime in 😂

[@David_K_Booth]

I reckon Maverick is also responsible for calling Mark's phone while he's recording video.

[@davidholt4327]

I've been watching quite a few of these lately and I seldom get anywhere near the answer before you say it, but I found 3 down quite straightforward.

[@B1GB1RDB4G3L]

"Nurse takes day in country - that's maverick" but simon it's a 6 letter clue!

[@cypher686]

Bloody hell, After I saw you solve the first clue, I thought I'll never get a single one of these. Nurse takes day in country = Sweden ?!?!?! Not with a million years would I have got that.

[@In_42_Space]

I loved how the first clue had a wonderfully long explanation about how it was solved and then the casual reference to a word I have never heard of to complete it with no explanation of how he got that meaning. I guess now it is my turn to find it in the dictionary 😂😂

[@debrabowen4276]

The best part of my Friday morning!!!

[@Rog829]

Best part of my Fridays now

[@creaghant]

Two great solves - thank you Simon - a true masterclass

[@oak3001]

Lovely video as always. My regards to the algorithm...

[@nsrikand1]

Thanks Simon. Nicely explained.

[@grenvillephillips6998]

I'm definitely improving - thanks to Simon!

[@annas3059]

Me too - I've finally managed a few Guardian cryptics in the last couple of weeks, with plenty of help from tools like One Across, Anagram Helper, WordHippo and looking at the Fifteen Squared blog afterwards to get more of the parsings.

[@gordonglenn2089]

This is my kind of cracking cryptic!

[@silasvbenson]

Great content as usual. Normally I can't keep up on anything you do, but 3 down today I got immediately

[@kplowch22]

Happy Friday Simon! Have a lovely weekend 🔥

[@B1GB1RDB4G3L]

Lovely video Simon

[@janet-dn2ot]

Wonderful as always, many thanks!

[@MarcMcMillin]

Today's was great! I enjoyed that it was a bit more approachable 🙂

[@Raven-Creations]

Quite an easy one today, but there were some lovely clues. I particularly liked the elope clue. Unclad was more like a Cyclops' clue in Private Eye, a bit risqué. I think carry/ran is exemplified by a drugs runner. Even though I touch-type, I can't imagine filling in the grid in under 90s, because you need to use the cursor keys or pointing device, taking your hand away from the home keys. To also be solving the clues is very impressive.

[@Frie_Jemi]

My take on 1st clue,.. the word (for) nurse takes the word (for) day IN. It takes it in and the definition is a COUNTRY.

[@vinyl1Earthlink]

I was quite surprised to see a puzzle like this on Friday, and I trotted through in less than my average time. Like many, I got stuck at the end on tirade, but only for two or three minutes. Simon did well to see that one quickly.

[@AragornN30]

The discussion about 'me' in 21 across reminds me of a clue from a Guardian puzzle a few months ago: "Coming back, piece of trifle's enough for me (7)"

[@debrabowen4276]

Simon’s explanations are always worthwhile because I love to hear him talk. He and Mark are my emotional support cryptologists.

[@Zihuatanejo-]

X (1D), Y (22d) and Z (25d) I'm waiting for Simon to say "pangram?"

[@PotmosHetoimos]

You blew past it but I thought 15D in the quick cryptic was a stunningly clever clue! Love these videos

[@Zihuatanejo-]

Ha I was about to write "sorry Simon I'm calling nonsense this week. the syntax of "travel to away match as intended" to mean "elope" i.e. "travel away with one's intended" is just plain wrong." However having read it for the sixth time i see it now. I now read it as: "travel to"; "away match"; "as intended" = Go to; wedding far away; as potential newlyweds.

[@Zihuatanejo-]

"Sorbet"!! 🤣

[@legatrix]

I actually did this one quite quickly for me, around 35 minutes, and then was dismayed to see that it had a fairly low SNITCH rating. But makes sense. Hardly any rare words...found it a bit meh overall but remembered (for first time ever) that if there were Xs and Ys around, it might be worth looking for Z/K/J, which helped.

[@peterbiddlecombe1939]

1A and definition possibilities. I think “takes” is OK as a linkword between def and wordplay in that order, because it can meant “requires”. I’m guessing that “take” might be close to “set” in number of definitions …

[@peterbiddlecombe1939]

Just saw that “needs” in 15A is doing the same thing as “takes” could have been doing.

[@KrisCadwell]

I wonder if we'll ever see an AI language model that can solve cryptic crosswords. A quick search says experiments have been done but language models can't solve them currently. They apparently can't create cryptic crossword clues either.

[@vic_in_austintexas]

A kind comment!! 🤠

[@angec9908]

Sauternes: the wine Simon was drinking on the last CtC live stream

[@ridefast0]

I am forced to consider whether Simon is playing a collection of light aircraft sound effects.

[@thescrewfly]

I believe a comment is also regarded favourably by the algorithm.

[@ericbright1742]

26:35 I don't think Man is a valid word for Island, because no man is an island.

[@darreljones8645]

I got 1 down more quickly than Simon. In my case, I think an American would have an easier time deciphering the clue, as we pay sales tax, while the most comparable thing in the UK is value added tax.

[@Hh12435]

Heard the explanation for 1 across, think I’m gonna stick to sudoku 😅

[@olijones4354]

You shouldn't beat yourself up about going slow on the quicks, it seems hard to do it "watched" by the camera, and you definitely end up giving enough explanation for some clues to help me get them as you do along the way.

[@tdbraun6837]

Sen means nurse?

[@rhysbart]

Three Zs in there but no Zzzs from me 😮

[@andyrichardson842]

"Run" - e.g. gun runner. Not sure why this upset you so much?

[@michaelmatter1222]

True, I was thinking to runcarry something across a boarder or state lines.

[@mikechappell5849]

another possible sense - if a newspaper runs a story, it carries it

[@michaelpdawson]

@@mikechappell5849 I was also thinking of gun running, but I like your explanation better.

[@emirspahic2886]

I thought of a football captain running a team/carrying a team, as in leading it on the pitch...but the stated examples are even clearer

[@Saryk360]

I shall be pedantic but Sauternes has an S at the end.

[@richardlyons7582]

Simon the England team have taken your boring title off you and now can go to parties with your **Clue:** Arrogant stance spotted by lofty observer (4,4,4)😜

[@puffin7285]

I just don't think my brain works. I am sure that explanation for the first clue was perfect but I just can't grasp it. Then Elope, I know the word, I know the meaning but I don't think I would have pulled it from my brain

[@angec9908]

I could never solve these puzzles. Not because I can’t learn the tricks of the clues but because there are too many British-isms. I’ve never heard “sen” as a nurse and had to Google it. It’s an entirely British thing.

[@michaelfrain6812]

SEN as in State Enrolled Nurse

[@DanConroy-w2j]

I'm British and also didn't know SEN stood for State Enrolled Nurse. But one of the resasons I like doing these crosswords is that I learn new intereting things in almost everyone.

[@andrewzmorris]

You can solve these puzzles. It just takes practice. Moreover, you don't need to know individual things like that. There are multiple ways to solve a clue, and often I don't know part of a clue when I solve it. Even Simon does that - he'll go and look up words after he's finished and often learn new things, and he's been doing these for decades!

[@thezanycat]

Spends 5 minutes explaining why D and MON/TUE etc are valid abbreviations for day and then just drops in “as in SEN for nurse” and moves right along 😂 it’s reasons like that I can never attempt British cryptics because I have literally never heard of that synonym for nurse

[@philipbrooks402]

3 minutes 44secs for the quick cryptic is terrible. I would probably have been happy with 3 hours 44 minutes.

[@nataly_171]

Why the AI thumbnail? I'm going to give the benefit of the doubt and assume you didn't know this, but Please do not ever use generative AI. It's trained off of stolen art and is harming real, human artists all over the world.