The Times Crossword Friday Masterclass: Episode 47

** TODAY'S PUZZLE **
In the 47th edition of our attempt to solve a Friday Times crossword, Simon takes on today's first Masterclass of 2024. It's a puzzle where you need to draw on a reasonably wide range of knowledge to solve!!
The puzzle is available to play on The Times crossword club website (which is behind their paywall):
www.thetimes.co.uk/puzzleclub...
The ‪@numberphile‬ video mentioned during the introduction is available here:
• A Sudoku Secret to Blo...
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[@Elaine-OHara]

Dear algorithm, please consider these videos more. They're gold!

[@ChasePhillips7]

Algorithm, so help me, I swear by Yahoo if you don't put a cryptic crossword by these global heroes on my feed, I will end your pretty floral bonnet.

[@MultiNacnud]

Simon gives a new meaning to wake up and spell the coffee.

[@benphelan88]

As Homer Simpson once said, “Give that man the ten thousand dollars!”

[@bobblebardsley]

3:31 "And I think we can create nuclear fusion out of that..." Now there IS a knowledge bomb from Cracking the Cryptic!

[@stephanieb.g.912]

Robusta might be the only time that I have ever gotten a clue before Simon. 🎉 I'm taking that as a win😂

[@ambbarnes9839]

Same here! I love Robusta xD

[@megagarrym6318]

Re 22 Across, Muir Matheson composed music for many old British black and white films between the 30s and 60s

[@sh4dowchas3r]

Robusta as a type of coffee plant. Most coffee you get these days in the shop is Arabica, but in some darker stronger roasts you'll still find robusta. edit to add - It is more hardy , or if you will, robust than Arabica, which needs fairly specific conditions to do well. it is generally higher in caffeine which makes it more insect resistant too, so has a greater range of potential growing habitats than arabica.

[@erickehr4475]

I was desperately hoping the person at the door was a cardinal, and Simon had to guess how to address him. For the record, the correct form of address is Your Eminence.

[@mikechappell5849]

of the two HEs, His Eminence is a cardinal and His Excellency and ambassador. It amused me that Simon said a Catholci caridnal might be His or Her Eminence ....

[@mikechappell5849]

sorry for rubbish spelling

[@Anne_Mahoney]

@@mikechappell5849 Where Simon lives, the prevailing religion has female bishops, so it seems a natural slip on hisi part. But I don't know whether the Church of England has cardinals at all.

[@mikechappell5849]

@@Anne_Mahoney I'm one hundred percent sure thaat Simon knows all cardinals are male (only the Catholic Church has cardinals), He just said his or her as a reflex I think, forgetting it wouldn't apply in this case

[@Zihuatanejo-]

Lol

[@Sandra_and_Nala]

Dear algorithm, we like these cryptic crossword solves a lot! Keep them coming 😊 I’m always looking forward to them

[@eckandi]

In South Africa, there is a cryptic crossword every Saturday (at least) in one of the Afrikaans papers and my dad completed it every week. He would put on some music, sit in his favourite chair and start with it. When a clue was too difficult at the time he would mull it around during the week. Slowly but surely filling in all the gaps. He tried to show me the finer nuances but my brain just couldn't grasp it. This made that memory crystal clear now. I was always in awe how he completed it. What a great flasback ❤

[@stingl8822]

This video didn't get recommended to me! Thankfully I remembered today was friday.

[@davidrattner9]

Thank you Simon for bringing these to us in 2024!! Wonderful guest appearance on numberphile!!

[@adudley8446]

Congratulations to Mark on his countdown success! Now it's time for Simon to apply! Would be great to see you both in the finals at the end of the year!

[@yehwellwhatever]

As a Swede, I don’t think I ever would’ve gotten the Scandinavian clue because Finland is not a country in Scandinavia. (Sweden, Norway and Denmark are Scandinavia. Add on Iceland and Finland and you have The Nordic countries.)

[@ChristinaMarie19]

It’s so upsetting that the algorithm is not allowing the opportunity for these videos. I absolutely love watching them because they’re brilliant! 😊

[@onijester56]

"Emo", short for "Emotive" or "Emotional", is a subgenre of Punk music, often classified by somber melodies and melancholy lyrics. A classic 'Emo' band, My Chemical Romance, did an entire concept-album from the perspective of a person dying of cancer struggling with and coming to terms with their mortality. "Robusta" is a type of coffee.

[@DaShikuXI]

Oh hey it's that one guy from Numberphile the other day. Glad to see he did end up making a KZbin channel.

[@dglthrawn1]

Thanks in no small part to these videos, my parents and I managed to complete the New Years Day Times Jumbo cryptic crossword in under 24 hrs. That would normally take most of the week (or longer).

[@mjkluck]

Yahoo! Cryptic Friday. Gotta love it.

[@jodyvanliew2514]

It is always a pleasure to watch Simon solve these difficult cryptic crosswords .

[@Terapiaelukka]

38:53 Suomi mainittu, torille! (Don't mind me, just doing my civil duty - although as someone else pointed out, Finland is not part of Scandinavia)

[@oak3001]

A lovely way to spend a Friday evening at the end of my first week back at work!

[@francesT5877]

As always thanks. This was a fun one

[@cloudbringer104]

I've just been watching you on numberphile.

[@bucherrabemittendrin9344]

Can you name the title of the video or post a link? I'd like to watch the video 😊

[@bucherrabemittendrin9344]

Oh, I've found it. The most recent video 🤦‍♀️

[@joeg451]

Great video as always. 1 across and 1 down were both surprisingly straightforward. I'm not very good at cryptics and I saw the answer to both straight away. If a dummy like me gets them that fast then I can understand why the snitch was lower today.

[@Krattack]

I must agree with Simon: You learn new stuff every time!

[@arrowproceeds8714]

So happy to have a new crossword video to watch on my work break!! Keep up the great work, Simon!

[@romanthompson2024]

Algorithm please consider these videos more!! My New Year’s resolution is to learn how to do cryptic crosswords, so I’m going to buy a copy of the times each Friday and play along!

[@Prazzie]

Great resolution! I started about two months ago and it's been a lot of fun. The Times Quick Cryptic is a bit more accessible. Good luck reaching your goal!

[@efreebairn]

Thank you so much for making these videos!

[@britmusic375]

The world needs to know who was at the door! Congrats on the numberphile appearance, my other favorite channel!

[@francesbardsley5332]

Another great solve Simon and two more words to add to vocabulary Gam and Ukase. Thankyou 😊

[@longwaytotipperary]

Love these! Love watching Simon on Numberphile (something I didn’t know existed before yesterday)! A bit under the weather, watching today wrapped in my blanket with hot herbal tea.

[@davidrattner9]

Was great to see Simon in a different environment other than his attic and from the side yesterday. 🙂 Feel better soon my friend and hot tea does wonder for the soul. Need some chicken soup with it? Will gladly bring it to you. 🙂

[@longwaytotipperary]

@@davidrattner9 yes, bring on the chicken soup. 🙂

[@coralfeatherstone7019]

@longwaytotipperary If you find that you enjoy Numberphile, then look up 3blue1brown.

[@coralfeatherstone7019]

Also, the Klein bottle content on Numberphile with Cliff Stoll is endearing.

[@shawncarter7188]

Happy Birthday Michael 🎉

[@waynethomas7406]

Another absolute classic. I advise my students to create a glossary for the new terms that they are taught and I should do the same when watching these videos. To my shame, I do not but rely on memory and repetition. 2d was a favourite today, but he for cardinal is also one that I hope to remember. Your final clue would have been a write -in with checking letters but that is the beauty of this. Your reading of the clue and ability to break it down into its constituent parts to reduce the correct answer has helped me greatly in tackling these puzzles. Many thanks for these, long may they continue.

[@swclements1]

Don’t stop these vids! Highlight of the week

[@sucrose11]

seeing you on numberphile was such a nice surprise!

[@jimsmart2522]

Thanks, great video!

[@valentinagambetti167]

I love these videos! I look forward to them every Friday. Thank you Simon!

[@iang4662]

The comments on the Numberphile videos are very good. Also looking forward to the one coming with Mark. Also enjoy these crossword videos. Also enjoying watching Mark on Countdown.

[@CPWN18]

Just watched the numberphile video right before this one! A great collab between two of my favorite channels!

[@Emmibean77]

Looking forward to these videos gets me through my week! Come on algorithm, get with it! Great solve Simon

[@archivist17]

Really enjoyed your appearance on Numberphile! Many more to come, I hope.

[@B1GB1RDB4G3L]

NO WAY! You were on numberphile?! Amazing Simon, can't wait to watch it. And once again, I LOVE these crossword videos

[@nemuchan]

robusta : this is where being a tea drinker shows its limit eh ?

[@mr_enigma]

Great video as usual!

[@robinstyles9997]

Very enjoyable

[@Ruddigore]

A great solve. Robusta is a new word for me too, though something in the back of my head was screaming that coffee could be described as robust so I would have plumped for that as well.

[@clara931]

So much fun trying to figure out this greek and realising I am miles off understanding anything

[@Prazzie]

I found this puzzle mercifully easy. I always watch these Friday videos to help me parse all of the clues. It's tremendously enjoyable, thank you for doing them.

[@azrobbins01]

Love these! Also, I loved that you were on Numberphile!

[@debrabowen4276]

Please for more of this kind of vid!

[@grenvillephillips6998]

Thank you Simon!

[@tsbit]

It's so cool you were featured in numberfile🎉

[@SametHorses]

Absolute GOLD 😍 keep it up Simon please

[@peterdunlop7691]

I got quite a few before Simon this time. So pleased with myself. The fact that I would never have got any without his checking letters and talking about the clues doesn’t bother me one bit!

[@richardlyons7582]

Happy new year to you Simon and Mark and all associated with CTK

[@michaelmarsh8237]

Every time I see "Magi" I think, "Three blokes show up and call themselves Maggie?"

[@markbreslin7189]

Lough Neagh, as in 'Nay'. The largest Lake in the UK.

[@craigliken5983]

Really enjoyed this solve. Like others, was hoping that Simon settled on Robusta. Robusta/Arabica are I think the two main varieties of coffee.

[@JohnLeeShaw]

Thanks Simon, and well done for getting the better of yet another puzzle. I actually had quite a good week solving, but had a total blank with today's, other than 25D. It is interesting to hear you contextualise the clue as a maths equation, it's very helpful to look at it that way. And your other point, that there is a great deal of knowledge covered in the puzzles, should also always be borne in mind, that's for sure. Happy New Year to you also, have a great 2024! 🙂 Will this year see me complete my first Times cryptic?? If so, I'll be over to buy you a pint -- or, now that you've given up the demon drink (again?) perhaps a robusta ... ? ☕

[@erichvereen1988]

Saw my favorite Sudoku channel on my favorites Math channel. I watched immediately... both of the ones they have put out already. Looks like Mark may have a premier soon as well. ^_^

[@arthurcharest9061]

Favorite Friday activity! Thanks Simon!

[@MarcMcMillin]

good morning Simon! Thank you for doing these. Happy 2024

[@williambarnes3868]

Neagh is pronounced NAY. lough is pronounced LOCH. Lough Neagh is in Northern Ireland, not far from Belfast. Robusta coffee comes from Kenya/Uganda area.

[@DuncanBooth]

and LOCH has a soft CH, it is not pronounced LOCK.

[@ngonStrafe]

Regarding 22 across - you've probably looked it up since posting the video, but for the benefit of the crowd - Muir Mathieson (OBE), Scottish conductor/composer.

[@bluerizlagirl]

Arabica for the subtle flavours, Robusta for the proper kick. Arabica bushes are harder to grow but the beans are easier to roast -- the flavour develops slowly before it turns bitter and burnt. Robusta bushes are less fussy about where they will grow, but the beans need more care in the roasting -- they go from ready to overdone quickly, which can ruin the flavour.

[@salfordnurse]

I know Tar for sailors from the Laurel and Hardy film Two Tars

[@MarcMcMillin]

I'm so proud of myself that I got 22 across straight away!

[@ranajamal3848]

Great video

[@aljones27uk]

As a coffeeholic who's getting into crosswords I was willing you to write Robusta! Wouldn't have got half the others though... Still, improving slowly and these Friday videos definitely help!

[@phyphor]

Pi is irrational not because it's decimal form goes on forever, which is also true of some rational numbers (such as 1/3), but because it can't be expressed as the ratio of two numbers. Because it is irrational the decimal expansion is infinite and non-repeating, but simply being infinite isn't sufficient. (I'm only being this pedantic about mathematics because of the Numberphile appearance)

[@richardlyons7582]

Another great Crossword Friday, sorry about the golf, but can the victor do puzzles and crossswords as well as you ?

[@Anne_Mahoney]

As always, the Friday crosswords are great fun to watch. And this one wasn't brutally difficult: I actually got a couple of clues before Simon, and a couple more before he'd finished explaining where he was going. Never mind the algorithm: do please keep these going! 😻

[@henrymarkson3758]

Genuinely Approachable Crossword today

[@moonsphere1750]

I look forward to the Cracking the Cryptic every Friday. One thing - could you reinstate the longer version of the outro music? Thank you!!

[@d4r4butler74]

YAY!! I love the Crosswords. No way would I ever get them, but the Coffee Clue I knew. I was wondering about the Matheson backing Muir (wait, backing meant to reverse it so really, who or what?)... so I will have to look it up myself.

[@greghill7759]

Watch any quality British film of the mid 20th century, and there's a fair chance that Muir Mathieson will be credited as Musical Director, or Conductor of the Film Score.

[@jessevennard2640]

I finally got one Simon missed. 9 across. Yay me

[@richardfarrer5616]

I think this is the first time I probably got half of the answers as quickly as Simon, and some faster. No sure I would ever have got escudo though, even as I speculated it ended in O. I hadn't considered the money meaning for capital.

[@nfc153]

Neither had I but I realised that a scud is a guided missile. Then spent minutes wondering what Portugal's previous capital could have been. Doh!

[@peterbiddlecombe1939]

Bits of detail: Eminence for a cardinal is explained in your Chambers “emincence”. I think you said “his or her”, which would be more progressive than current Cathlolicism … UKASE: if pronounced in Russian, it’s “OOKAZA” but I learned from usage of it in arecent ST GK xwd that English dictionaries give YOOKAZA as the pronunciation.

[@Frie_Jemi]

Robust is a way some describe their coffee preference. Robusta must be a coffee also a species of coffee 🫘

[@mathhits]

The first time my love of hardcore music has intersected with my love of cryptics. Emo is emotional hardcore, dating back to the mid-1980s and currently experiencing a 5th wave revival.

[@markhawthorn7438]

DBus is a Doctorate in Business although DBA would be more commonly recognised.

[@garymacmillan6401]

Interesting fact. Florence Nightingale was born in Florence.

[@KinkyTurtle]

Muir Mathieson was a Scottish orchestra conductor and composer. Yeah, I hadn't heard of him either till now.

[@Zihuatanejo-]

7 down: nil. Lough Neagh (rhymes with Nay). Largest lake in UK!

[@vinyl1Earthlink]

I put in unbearable and robusta right away - my problem was with delinquent and whereto, and then I couldn't see bald for the longest time.

[@joshuaharper372]

So, I got 4 down way before Simon, but I would have been lost with most of the clues.

[@gilladams1521]

When you get a bachelor degree in business the abbreviation is B Bus for bachelor of business

[@greghill7759]

Watch any quality British film of the mid 20th century, and there's a fair chance that Muir Mathieson will be credited as Musical Director, or Conductor of the Film Score.

[@glum_hippo]

Oh my... took me far too long to finally get to watching this video.

[@MrBigrig5]

That SCUD wordplay was devilish - messed me up on the final entry!

[@anthonyhastings5961]

Lough Neagh (pronounced Nay) is the largest lake in the UK. In Northern Ireland

[@nemuchan]

in France entrée means entrance, both for houses and for starters in a dinner. I can only imagine Americans using this word as a main course ^_^;

[@Alex_Meadows]

Well done, Simon! I unexpectedly got "escudo" immediately, but I suspect that it would be a horribly difficult clue for any solvers who weren't around during the Gulf War - a person unfamiliar with Scud missiles would presumably just have to guess.

[@akrylamid]

I am still not a fan of foreign languages including Finland in Scandinavia, but here we are...

[@bobblebardsley]

5:53 My first guess was 'cheer' but I didn't understand the 'ch' or the 'eer'. I just thought of a synonym for festive fare, and something a companion always provides, and figured it might just be a double definition. I wouldn't have written it in just from that because it felt a bit off, but I would have kept it in mind as a possible answer, I think.

[@Gorm169]

18 across really has the most obvious anagram indicator ever.

[@sh4dowchas3r]

typical Simon dictionary scanning there just next to loch was lough. anyway Lough Neagh is the big lake in the middle of Northern Ireland

[@garymacmillan6401]

The largest body of water in the UK.

[@mikechappell5849]

yes and he also stopped at entree meaning starter in a meal, when the whole rest of the entry was about entree meaning an introduction

[@rhysbart]

Bis! 👏👏👏

[@Astervista]

“The secret was not to get fooled by thinking about Florence in Italy but of Florence Nightingale, but we were not fooled” speak for yourself, Simon, I was

[@johnhantsuk8461]

Simon's not as posh as I thought. He's obviously never had quail's eggs as a starter in a restaurant.