The Times Crossword Friday Masterclass: 3 May 2024

** TODAY'S PUZZLE **
In the 64th edition of our attempts to solve a Friday Times crossword, Simon tackles today's puzzle, which definitely some interesting clues and a race at the end.
The puzzle is available to play on The Times crossword club website (which is behind their paywall):
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[@iaincook5835]

"My darling returned" - "my" is equivalent to "one's" in posh talk; "my pet" = "one's pet".

[@christhecyclist5998]

Just after having explained our=setters'.

[@lucasglanville2880]

Good old proper brainfart from Simon. Once he decided that 'my darling' = 'pet' he couldn't get away from it

[@tinarion3598]

I really enjoy the crossword content, I'm glad you're still doing it. After Simon has done his usual fully-explained solve, could you perhaps, as a one-off, include a recording of at the end of the video of Mark solving the same puzzle (completely as if no one is watching, without explanations etc.) just so we can appreciate how impressive the times of the very best solvers are. I know we all understand that Simon talking through each of the clues takes considerably longer than a straight-forward solve but being able to compare them for the same puzzle would be interesting to me (no on wants to talk to me at parties either). I know there have been videos of Mark solving at "normal" pace before but I think it would make a good addition to the weekly video to see both.

[@tinarion3598]

I added this comment before getting to the end of the video so I was pleased to see a little bit of what I meant featured anyway but I still think it would be good to compare the same puzzle.

[@eggheadnurse]

@@tinarion3598 I think Mark has done one (not sure if on here or Patreon) though - would love to se Siobn solve one - also same for a Sudoku (amybe Simaon and Mark both speed solving the same one)

[@jbaidley]

Loved the Quick! More of that please.

[@Anne_Mahoney]

Yes, indeed -- blasting through the puzzle and explaining afterwards is quite fun to watch. You can even do the puzzle silently (put in some background music in the edit if you really feel you must) so we can see just how fast you can fly through it. 😺

[@Enkil01]

Oh Simon you fool!... Who here, is going to want less of you solving crosswords. I think you've started a great trend of doing the quick one at the end. I definitely would love to see more. 😀

[@jeroenw9853]

I used to be a casual sudoku solver, but thanks to this channel I am now a fan. I used to be a casual crossword solver, but I'm starting to become a fan. Can't wait until I'm interesting at parties!

[@0Taneb]

To become interesting at parties I think you might need to watch a different KZbin channel...

[@Anne_Mahoney]

You're going to have to go to our kind of parties!

[@archivist17]

I enjoyed the blast at the quick crossword at the end.

[@LieutenantMoustache]

I've been doing the Guardian's quiptics and quick cryptics - as well as watching these videos - and today I *finally* solved the actual daily cryptic in the Guardian set by Vulcan! The first 'proper' (albeit the easiest of the week being Monday) cryptic crossword that I have completed unaided and purely using the wordplay. Thank you for all of the insight you provide on how to solve these, it has being of immense help Simon.

[@robertchristopher1920]

There's an extra special treat at the end. Thank you Simon!

[@michaelpdawson]

Is it chocolate cake?

[@otterotterottercid]

I would love the race at the end every week!

[@danielaaidley1325]

Very enjoyable, and I am in favour of you doing the speed-solving of the quick crossword again!

[@davidgould9431]

If Simon likes 60s music, he'll like Palestrina. Though that was the 1560s, which perhaps isn't what he meant.

[@laurasmith2173]

Seeing the race at the end was very refreshing and while I have no questions, it is a wonderful proof of concept. I would love to see this every week. :)

[@icecreamandsadness]

Very much like the quickie at the end. More of that please!

[@Ruddigore]

A great solve. I loved the bonus content at the end, especially as this is the version of the Times Cryptic that I normally take on. Thank you so much for making the Friday solve a regular feature, I look forward to them with relish.

[@davidrattner9]

Continous pleasure, joy and amusement every Friday , as you tackle these for us Simon.

[@paulives43]

Great solve as usual, loved the speed run at the end.

[@waynethomas7406]

An r rated cracking the cryptic, at least by CTC standards. Never thought that I'd hear the like. Naughty crossword setter, I wonder of there was malice a forethought. Look forward to finding out over the next weeks. Excellent stuff

[@adrever1986]

Great video as ever. Really fun to have the solve against the clock at the end!

[@Prazzie]

I came looking for this video later than I usually do and had to scroll through many videos in my subscriptions to find it. For a second I experienced mild panic, thinking perhaps there was no cryptic solve today. Thank goodness it is here, it's wonderful, please never stop making these! It's become a part of my weekly routine and would be sorely missed.

[@Anne_Mahoney]

Well said!

[@debrabowen4276]

LOVE CRYPTIC CROSSWORD VIDEOS!

[@longwaytotipperary]

The most interesting to me is explaining how you solve it. The speed run is interesting also, but I’d rather give that up than the long form explanations! Thank you for doing this every week!

[@davidrattner9]

His explanations and how he constantly comes up with the answers is extraordinary!! Prefer this version also. 🤎💜🩵

[@longwaytotipperary]

@@davidrattner9 🩵🧡💜💛

[@sarabearyt]

I loved the quick race solve at the end! Very interesting to see how you go about it!

[@MarcMcMillin]

Once again, my Friday is made great by this Masterclass!

[@lucasglanville2880]

Enjoyed the brainfart on parsing one-step

[@Antinomiste]

Truly a weekly joy, whether in good times or (especially) at times of poor mental health and low serotonin.

[@d4r4butler74]

I actually got one before you for a change!! Can really tell you are English, with England's weather not being very cold. Toasty was obvious. Thank you for the Race at the end! FUN!!

[@Secretcicely]

Oh Simon - I loved the quick cryptic at the end. I have the book of quick cryptics because they're the only ones I can hope to solve lol.. please do them again if you have time

[@glum_hippo]

Palestrina is very, very famous to music students because he furnished models for counterpoint in "Palestrina-style", often referred to as 16th-century counterpoint. But the music is often sublimely beautiful as well. I will send you some recommendations.

[@Anne_Mahoney]

Palestrina is amazing. Simon, you have a treat coming.

[@frewid]

Always as instructive as it can be. Even though I solve it myself (but in a longer time - since I am not british myself) - it is always nice to get some references explained to better understand the setter's intention in some cases. I definitely think you should do racing at the quicks in the end since that is what often get too see what Mark does. He often battles with the hardest but he has also done some racing and/or explanation on the friday cryptics. So yes, please do the racing - in my opinion. Otherwise - thanks as always

[@philipbrooks402]

Apart from the normal solve thank you for the quick solve demonstration.

[@nsrikand1]

Excellently explained. Please keep doing. Very useful for us.

[@longwaytotipperary]

Always look forward to these! 😊

[@davidrattner9]

Absolutely!!

[@Alex_Meadows]

Yes please to more quick cryptics! You may feel that your time was unimpressive, but the same puzzle took me 20:11 so it's astounding to me. If you ran the channel according to my whims you'd do a GAS-style video every week where you plough through all the QCs in one video, but if you don't fancy that I'd love to have Friday's QC as a regular coda to the masterclass.

[@mr_enigma]

The Quick Cryptic solve was a very welcome treat. I'd love to see more of that!

[@nakorbluerider]

If anyone is looking for an easier entry into cryptics, The Guardian has recently started posting "Quick Cryptic" crosswords on Saturdays. Aside from just being even easier than their Quiptic or Everyman crosswords, these particular puzzles each only use a small selection of cryptic clue types, and list in the crossword instructions exactly which kinds of clues exist in that week's puzzle. (For example, this week's only uses charades, anagrams, hiddens, and deletions.)

[@Secretcicely]

Thanks for the recommendation

[@kathleenburns2081]

Enjoyed the quick crossword at the end - hope you do more of these.

[@dzl999]

I look forward to these videos every Friday and yes to the quick solve at the end!

[@kellwillsen]

Thanks for a fascinating solve, Simon. 46:56 I think you might be confusing "solicit" and "solicitous". According to Merrian-Webster: "Solicitous doesn't come from solicit, but the two words are related. They both have their roots in the Latin word sollicitus, meaning "anxious." Solicitous itself came directly from this Latin word, whereas solicit made its way to English with a few more steps."

[@SolarEquinox]

I would personally be very interested in a speed solve at the end of each video. It was quite entertaining

[@amoswittenbergsmusings]

One's pet was a Greek-Danish princeling, now deceased. One is also no more. One is remembered with affection by one's subjects whom one's heir and successor now has the unenviable task to nominally rule over as their king. One would not want to have had the burden of being one. One's was one class act to follow. One was one of a kind. May one rest in well-earned peace, next to one's pet.

[@mjkluck]

Good stuff, Bubs.

[@stevebellhouse1869]

Hi everyone… fans of this channel should watch Taskmaster this week! A cryptic treat from Steve in the first round 😍

[@stevewood8]

We're always welcomed to 'a bonus edition'' but this time it really came true! By the way, RSI is more a strain thing than a stress thing I believe. Probably just a slip of the tongue but it proves I was paying attention. Loving these weekly treats.

[@AO968]

RSI can be a result of stress.

[@PeterMoore66]

Loving that "cat" is a "trendy man" in the crossword world when in real life that usage probably hasn't been used unironically for nearly 60 years!

[@kevray85]

Jazz musicians still talk like that

[@Byron418]

Happy Friday everyone

[@oak3001]

Love the blast at the end. I can get some of the answer before Simon when he's explaining, but at full speed - not a chance!

[@Raven-Creations]

For the one-step clue, "My darling" would be "one's pet", except pet is reversed. One could argue that "a" is superfluous, but it's part of the definition, not the wordplay, so I have no problem with it. I agree with your other analyses of the rest of the wordplay. Not that hard today. I've never heard of Palestrina, but the wordplay didn't leave much scope for it to be anything else. The rest was pretty standard stuff. I too was a bit surprised that solicitude lost two letters, but don't have a problem with it because there isn't a single central letter.

[@kurohone]

For the first time ever I got a word before Simon! It was 1A, but still...

[@missioncardiac7599]

One's delicious anticipation on Fridays is only surpassed by one's enjoyment in watching the solve.

[@JohnADoe-pg1qk]

I like seeing a fast solve of a cryptic crossword by Simon. Well, I just watch the videos because the knowledge of the English language needed for these crosswords is much higher than I have. But I have learned a bit. And 11 down in the second crossword made me nearly instantly thinking "tramline", especially with the given start and end letter. "Rebuilt" was just shouting "anagram!!!" - and I watch a lot of videos about the London public transport systems 😁

[@RedBarchetta2019]

Ply had "direct one's course" as a definition. So perhaps to direct the king's course, you do it with ale. Regale the King with Ale. time to drink and do sudoku - cheers!

[@GordonjSmith1]

27a "One's" is another way to say "my".

[@mariusnafe26]

Really enjoyed the quick cryptic

[@ColinStiles-o9r]

Great fun as ever. Surprised you’ve not come across rep meaning cloth. It’s one of those words like erne (sea eagle) that only crossworders or specialists in these areas know!

[@HalcyonAcorn]

No, Simon you were getting Brahms and Liszt right 😂

[@heatherallan9767]

🌱thank you ✏✨

[@Illithien]

27 across: "one's" will be from "my" (with I/me being the one)

[@MitchHamer98]

I’d quite like to see you tackle The Guardian’s Cryptic crossword No 29,186. I won’t say why, but I think you should have a go.

[@craftsmanwoodturner]

We are just going to have to hold a party for all here to attend, so we can all talk to one another about what we find interesting!

[@mikechappell5849]

I don't really see Simon's problem with regale and ply. You can regale someone with food and drink, you can ply them with drinks

[@TheRedCyndaquil]

I sincerly hope the racing element will be a mainstay for future installments

[@weirdandlazy1]

I got tosh and regale by guessing.

[@ashkanpower]

As a non-native, it all seems moonshine to me!

[@tonyog9458]

Continuing on to solve the Quickie at real speed is something you should do every week please

[@thescrewfly]

Isn't it more likely that the "one's" in 27A comes from the "my" - referring to the setter himself?

[@kenthemaster]

I was just thinking "Simon's a bit of a square, isn't he? Probably enjoys music from the 60s or 70s..." Right before he mentioned all these things

[@rhysbart]

Fairy easy for a Friday 😮

[@MichaelTrick]

27A Perhaps "my" = "one's".

[@peterbiddlecombe1939]

Middles of words: it’s not that unusual for “middle” or similar to mean the middle two letters of a word with an even number of letters, especially when “half-hearted” is used to indicate getting “biter” from “bitter” or similar.

[@iaincook5835]

Bah, I had "green practice" as something to do with golf!!

[@SeanKearney-q3n]

Isn't the 'an' in 14d superfluous?

[@nithinnayak503]

Can someone explain how Square meant dated?

[@bobblebardsley]

27:00 I know people have already pointed out that "ones" is from "my" but to note something else Simon often says, why is the 'a' in the clue? Wouldn't "my darling returned for dance" be equally acceptable for that answer?

[@boina__]

it's probably because "one-step" isn't "dance", but just a type of dance

[@phyphor]

Yes, and because the "a" is part of the straight answer and not the wordplay.

[@watchmakerful]

PAL + S-I-T-N-E-A-R anagrammed has TWO A, so it gives PALESTRINA with an A at the end.

[@bibliopolist]

Always looking forward to those videos with the thumbnail guy who doesn't look like Simon at all :-)

[@JabXIII]

It has always made me think of James Potter 😆

[@longwaytotipperary]

Looks like Simon to me!! 😁

[@brenthoskisson6979]

The video has some issues, does everyone see lines flipping through? They are there even when I pause the video, so it is not me, I think.

[@AO968]

Could be a processing issue. If you watch it directly after it's uploaded, you may see some lingering issues that often resolve themselves later.

[@dizwell]

I get that if you don't know, you just don't know. But how anyone at all doesn't know of Palestrina's foundational role in Renaissance polyphony surprised me. That it was Simon, I found astonishing. Too much sixties and seventies rock and pop, methinks!! One of Palestrina's mass settings was written in memory of Pope Marcellus, around the time the Council of Trent, as part of the Counter-Reformation, was proposing to ban music from the Mass. The _Missa Papae Marcelli_ is such a glorious setting of the mass. In which every word is clearly discernible, that Marcellus decided not to ban music from the mass after all. It is apocryphally claimed therefore that Palestrina single-handedly saved Western church music and the choral tradition from oblivion.

[@mace9770]

You find it astonishing that someone hasn’t heard of a 16th century composer? Astonishing? Really?

[@dizwell]

@@mace9770 Yes. Why don't you? I assume you've heard of Lincoln and Disraeli; of Milton and Shakespeare; of Chaucer and the Venerable Bede? If you are familiar with this culture's historical and literature foundations, why would it's musical foundations be a foreign country to you? I'll further guess that even if you don't know a note of their music, I bet you've heard of Mozart, Handel and Bach? Why would the biggest name in Renaissance polyphony be a complete unknown to you or anyone else? Never having heard of Heinrich Ignaz Franz von Bieber or Joseph Bodin de Boismortier, I could understand. I also wouldn't be surprised at someone not knowing that his full name was Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina. But not having heard of Palestrina at all, except in a vague, unsure way I find as astonishing as not knowing about Newton's _Principia_ . It doesn't make a person stupid, but it is an astonishing cultural gap, I think.

[@mace9770]

@@dizwell I regularly go through episodes of Mastermind”s general knowledge rounds without error and I’ve never heard the name before in my 45 years on earth. I think you could work on your tone for an overwhelmingly positive comments section.

[@dizwell]

@@mace9770 I don't know what tone you think you've detected, but all I've said was that I was astonished at someone like Simon not knowing the name. I see you won't engage with my other examples of what I consider to be "foundational" cultural knowledge, but I'm still going to lay odds that names like Newton and Handel are not unfamiliar to you. I'm happy your general knowledge is Mastermind level. I wasn't asking g you (or Simon) to do Palestrina as a specialist subject. But never even having heard of Palestrina is, in my view, the British cultural equivalent of never having heard of Morecambe and Wise. Its absence from your sphere of knowledge remains surprising to me. And disappointing. We all have to be ignorant about lots of things, of course. But evolution and gravity would be on my list of essentials. Chaucer and Shakespeare would, too. And so would Palestrina and Monteverdi.

[@mace9770]

@dizwell are you reading what you're typing? It's coming across as being a cultural snob. You know very well that a comedy duo that played to 20 million people in living memory is not the same as a 16th-century Italian composer. I'll leave it there, and let's continue to enjoy these videos.

[@kevray85]

I find Simon’s explanations quite useful EXCEPT when an utterly British-only word like “doddery” comes up. He slides right by it as if everyone knows what doddery means, but we Americans have literally never heard it.

[@caffeinatedk937]

Uploaded 6s ago woooo

[@dimitrosskrippka2154]

Yes

[@jammysmears4077]

A guy is a cat. I will never ever learn this stuff. My brain just refuses to retain such nonsense.

[@iaincook5835]

I feel your pain, you have to be a 50s jazz afficionado to get this.

[@jammysmears4077]

@@iaincook5835 I'm sure I've even used cat as a synonym for guy myself. "Hey look at those cool cats over there". I'd just never think, "well, a guy is a cat so tacit".

[@weirdandlazy1]

These types of clues are unsatisfying to solve.