The Times Crossword Friday Masterclass: Episode 48

** TODAY'S PUZZLE **
In the 48th edition of our attempts to solve a Friday Times crossword, Simon takes on today's puzzle, which has some of the most difficult vocabulary you're likely to find in a daily crossword. Good Luck!!
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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[@AO968]

It's funny, sudokus drew me to this channel, but the Cryptic Fridays are always the highlight of the week for me. Please don't ever stop doing these! That "digital file manager" clue is pure perfection. Misleading at first, yet straightforward once you see through it.

[@longwaytotipperary]

Simon solving difficult crosswords and chatting with us is very welcome on a gloomy day! Thank you!

[@davidrattner9]

Simon's voice and solving of anything will always make days sunny and warm, know matter what it is like outside.

[@longwaytotipperary]

@@davidrattner9 yes! And also seeing your friends in chat! 🤗

[@Sandra_and_Nala]

Happy to meet everyone here each Friday 😊

[@longwaytotipperary]

@@Sandra_and_Nala yes! Hope you and Nala are having a good day!

[@richardlyons7582]

The Friday crossword Simon is no longer an extra, but a stable part of CTC.

[@PeterMoore66]

100% correct in 1A. Ossis and Wessis are slang words for the people of East and West Germany respectively. Still used today because of some of the ingrained differences which remain since unification.

[@10prozenthimmel]

Came here to explain this

[@prunabluepepper]

Yes, and all German viewers are just here screaming at the screen "Ossis!" 😅😂

[@theadjectiveform]

I thought it was funny that he was staring at "OSSIS" trying to relate it to the clue and he actually managed to correctly deduce that "Ossi" meant an East German (with plural "Ossis"). Certainly tough for someone unfamiliar with the word!

[@Gorm169]

@@prunabluepepper I wasn't screaming. I would not expect any non-German to know those words.

[@prunabluepepper]

@@Gorm169 I was screaming inside my head so loud, it waa more like an attempt at telepathy 😂😂😂 but yeah, I don't expect non Germans to know that.

[@chitraagarwal8259]

Digital File Manager is going to be stuck in my brain forever! It was just too good

[@BijickY]

Dear algorithm, we love the crossword content. Let the Friday masterclass continue!

[@swclements1]

There’s a very loyal following for this weekly vid - please keep it up. Highlight of the week

[@stuartgoesbirding8999]

As a birdwatching history graduate I loved the fact that Gadwall & Villein are ones I got instantly but made Simon feel like I do with almost every other clue. 😂

[@Prazzie]

Spurred on by these videos, I started attempting cryptic crosswords in November last year. English is not my first language and I have only been to the UK twice as a tourist, so these are often rather challenging for me. However, I managed to finish today's puzzle, requiring the aid of 3 dictionaries to get me through, but I did it! Now I can relax and watch the video to see how I should have gone about it. Thank you very much, these videos are the highlight of my Friday evenings.

[@user-xl4tz4dj7v]

Great entertainment and brain-stretching for a sunny Friday afternoon in Newfoundland! I was pointed at these videos by my husband, a loyal supporter of CTC. He’s the number guy, I’m the word lover.

[@MaritWatery]

As a born Ossi myself, I really enjoyed you discovering that your musings about the word were correct :-)

[@rhysbart]

As a south east Londoner myself I've seen a few muntjacs. Worthy of note they are native to South East Asia, England, and nowhere else in the world. Absolutely loved this video. Learned more new words than I expected!

[@leojs5673]

on a rainy and chilly day in Brazil, watching Simon solve a puzzle, it almost feels like i’m in the UK.😂

[@clivebrenchley5319]

Nothing better than watching these videos while gadding about on a Friday. Thanks as always.

[@Anne_Mahoney]

Yes, ocelots are spotted -- they're grey, and only a little bit bigger than domestic cats. When I was in college one of the ocelots at the nearby zoo had kittens, which were the cutest things you've ever seen. You could imagine why people get the idea of trying to make pets out of them --- which BTW is very much NOT a good idea: they're wild animals, they're not cuddly. Get a regular cat instead. 🐆 Another Friday evening to kick back with the crossword -- I love these! 😺🧡

[@thescrewfly]

Hanging on through most of the puzzle waiting for Simon's brain to accept Ossi as a word... for the algorithm!

[@Skamba]

That 13 down clue is an absolute masterpiece.

[@davidrattner9]

Always a joy to see these on Friday!! Can never get enough of Simon and Mark explaining answers as only they can!

[@euanmurray3676]

Absolutely love this series Simon, it's a highlight of my Fridays. Nothing quite like the (very occasional...) pleasure of picking off a clue before you. Thank you for keeping these going, hope you enjoy doing them as much as I enjoy watching them.

[@Emmibean77]

This was brutal, but well done as always, Simon! These videos are my favorite. I always learn so much

[@orshy1]

Oh, yes, of course, the muntjac... Well done, Simon.

[@MarcMcMillin]

Thank you for continuing these master classes Simon & Mark!

[@LednacekZ]

digital file manager was amazing

[@andrewdipplecomedy]

I love Simon to bits; but then I watch these and think he's either a massive cheat ... or some kind of wizard 😂😂 x

[@rockhopper_penguin]

These videos are the highlight of my week. I knew the word villein but there's no way I would be shouting at you through the screen for not knowing it. We all have different hinterlands that expose us to different words and we are all still learning, whereever we are on that learning curve. The lovely thing is that we all get to come here and learn together. My favourite part of these videos is seeing you, with all your experience, still learning with so much enthusiasm. Thank you for your bravery in showing us your learning curve. I really appreciate it.

[@francesT5877]

Dan in Japanese in the context of martial arts just means level, 1st level, 2nd level to 10. It comes from a character meaning step, which is used in the word for staircase. Thanks as always.

[@DarklordZagarna]

Well, kind of. It means "advanced level." Shodan-- 1-dan-- means that you have reached master level. Apprenticeship levels are called "kyu," and depending on the pursuit in question, might run into the dozens before you even reach shodan.

[@davidperkins3621]

Gadwall is not monstrous, it is a duck!

[@fruitshuit]

I think the idea of splitting up the clues in advance as a sort of homework exercise for the class is a really interesting one! I know that the part I struggle with the most when I'm trying to solve these on my own is understanding the structure of the clue--it'd be really helpful, I think, if there were training puzzles which presented the clues with the option to have the intended reading highlighted, i.e. which part is definition, which is wordplay, and then within the wordplay, which words are "process" words (e.g. highlighting among as a process word to indicate insertion or restructuring as an anagram indicator).

[@d4r4butler74]

Always love the Crossword content!! My favourite clue is usually the next one... but Manicurist is going to stick with me for a while (Digital File Manager, LOL). Sort of wish that the Setters were not anonymous, so they could comment here too, like the Sudoku Setters do. And get thank yous!

[@vidaroni]

"No views 33 seconds ago" - Now that's a fresh cryptic! Love these. Keep 'em coming. :)

[@fuse625151]

I always watch your sudoku and crossword vids before bed cause they are super calming 😊 I hope you’re having a great new year!

[@JyotiDas-72]

Always a wonderful start to a Friday when there’s a fresh crossword masterclass. Thanks for keeping it going !

[@aarondobbe8400]

Love this series! Thanks so much for taking us through these lovely puzzles every Friday; it's such a nice way to wind down the week.

[@SnugglesPlays]

Very good Simon! Are you sure the deer in your garden is a Muntjac? You can tell a muntjac because they have little tusks! Looks quite funny.

[@nickloader3184]

Fantastic grid and entertaining vid. Oh. Writing poetically is what I did. Dare I boast of my performance - beating Simon to finding ringgit, manicurist and avoidance - God forbid - but the rest he left me feeling like a clumsy kid.

[@toerag572]

Hated to see that typo looming towards the end!

[@grenvillephillips6998]

Really enjoyed that, so thanks!

[@adrever1986]

Perfect lunchtime viewing Simon thank you!

[@louisesuth8141]

Another great solve!

[@finlandtaipan4454]

What a brilliant solve of a seemingly impossible puzzle! I sometines take pride in gettibg just one of the words before you do but today it was all ceazy and I had nothing.

[@profregan6937]

Manicurist- blowing top also refers to blowing nail varnish to get it to set. Cleverer than clever .Fabulous as always.

[@JohnLeeShaw]

Wow, some of the words in this clue are mind blowing -- no wonder I could only manage 1D (while being on sort of the right track with others). Well done, Simon, for cracking it. You're as modest as ever, but you are so clever and your knowledge is very impressive. By the way, as a former judoka I agree with your interpretation of 15D, 'martial artist master' would have been a little more correct I feel. Dan grade is when one attains the black belt (in Judo anyway) which is 1st to 5th dans (before dan is 'kyu'). Red and white striped belt is then worn by those who attain 6th-8th dan. Red belt is 9th and 10th dan. Thanks very much, Simon, have a nice weekend! 🙂

[@gerryeneral4609]

If Simon had read on a little, he would have seen: "a person who had gained such a level", so a fair clue after all.

[@langy2068]

Always happy if I solve one clue in these. Doubly so if I get it before Simon. I thought Ringgit was the second easiest (after ire) in the whole crossword, but maybe it’s just because I’m in Australia and we’re in close proximity to Malaysia.

[@B1GB1RDB4G3L]

Thanks for the vid Simon

[@arty9935]

Great work Simon. 13 down is an absolute belter of a clue. Love the crosswords every Friday.

[@rachelpalitto8764]

Long time sudoko watcher, short time crossword watcher, first time commenter. Just wanted to let you know that the "K" in Knesset is actually pronounced. Like "ka-nesset" :)

[@DJ_BJ]

The Adelaide Advertiser used to have a two speed crossword exactly like you propose. It literally had separate sets of regular & (relatively gentle) cryptic clues with the same solutions. An invaluable tool to reverse engineer parsing of cryptic clues & learning conventions. Just found your channel today via Dutch whispers.🤩👍

[@joshuaharper372]

Muntjacs may nibble Simon's garden, but I have certainly never encountered that word before. Or gadwall. But I have been to Malaysia and what used to be east Germany, so ossis and ringgit didn't trouble me.

[@Raven-Creations]

That was quite tough today, with so many obscure words and some fiendish (but perfectly fair) wordplay. It's definitely not the usual Times offering. I did like the manicurist clue. Croupier was also quite nice. I'm used to spotting flower for a river, but I'd never considered it might be lava before. Although the dictionary supports git=idiot, I've never heard it used like that. A git is always an unsavoury character in my experience. Some people are described as a "daft git", but without "daft" the meaning would change. It works in the same ways as "daft bastard".

[@mjkluck]

Woo-Hoo! Friday cryptic.

[@robinstyles9997]

Superb and very enjoyable

[@azrobbins01]

Love these!

[@VonBlade]

13D is both evil _and_ brilliant. One of those "aha" moments.

[@OskarMarszalek]

Thanks

[@kuchcyk]

The 'k" in 'Knesset' is pronounced as it comes from Hebrew

[@missioncardiac7599]

2 points (getting the word before Simon) for me today Gadwall (done a bit of bird watching), and ringgit. But maybe minus 2 because I hadn't heard of muntjac and ramsons. Anyway enjoyed it immensely. Digital file manger is sick!

[@heatherallan9767]

🌱✏thank you ✨

[@bobblebardsley]

I know the term 'gad about' but if I really think about it, I'm pretty sure the only place I know it from is Teddy Bears' Picnic. (And cryptic crosswords.)

[@francesT5877]

Ramsons can also be called ramps which is a good thing to know.

[@clara931]

I enjoy these master classes. Maybe one day I will advance far enough to give it a go myself. Or at least feel like I might be able to give tge in-laws a hand if they get stuck on a clue

[@fjr2go]

Simon, wow! really a masterclass ! /me bows

[@glum_hippo]

In Japanese, dan is indeed any level of proficiency. 9th dan or 10th dan is extremely proficient. It's not limited to martial arts but also things like Go.

[@danecarter5454]

You need to watch more Atomic Shrimp and his foraging of ramsons

[@dekbrown]

I love these videos and, Simon, you are brilliant. Don’t like cryptics like this though with lots of weird and arcane language. They seem impenetrable. We didn’t all go to schools that did Latin.

[@arthurcharest9061]

Thanks Simon, a delightful watch as always!

[@AlistairBuxton]

I'm pretty sure "ossi" has been in one of these before. Could have been a Mark episode though.

[@francesT5877]

I took a chance on injure instead of injury. Didn’t pan out. I knew Gadwall but certainly don’t think many people will know it. I just like birds.

[@0Taneb]

Sometimes I have to remind myself that for every word where I'm screaming at the screen because you can't see it and it's so obvious to me, there's two or three at least where you get it straight away and it's a word I've never heard of

[@romasteve7292]

Real toughie

[@michaeljarcher]

Wait until I next see my Dad, he use to say to us kids ""stupid git" ( affection of love! )

[@stevenwilliamson6236]

A quarter of your time was spent on Ossis!

[@lincolnshep]

Muntjac deer are not native to the UK. A population escaped from Woburn Abbey in the 1920s.

[@looweeg4229]

I don't think I'll never get used to Simon doing Crosswords.

[@arkb0t379]

For 1A, infiltration can refer to SIS, the Secret Intelligence Service.

[@palpytine]

West Germans did indeed refer to East Germans as "Ossis"

[@brycecrux2730]

gadwall is a type of duck ;)

[@andrewgrant6516]

Ringgit is Malaysian

[@vinyl1Earthlink]

Do you do a typo check when you are solving at full speed?

[@debrabowen4276]

Simon, if you find extra time, take a touch-typing class!

[@zachpekarsky6905]

Contrary to the expectation of any english-speaker, the K in knesset is actually not silent

[@Squishy3757]

Uh oh. Typo.

[@jokerServerDE]

reverse-engineering Os(s)is was super impressive to me

[@watchmakerful]

Usually "Knesset" is pronounced with an audible "k".

[@RoderickEtheria]

Barred crosswords or bard crosswords?

[@michaelpdawson]

Gandalf is not a duck!

[@vpr0]

I wonder if Simon knows all meanings of the word sounding 😅

[@azrobbins01]

Digital file manager = manicurist. Brilliant!

[@HienNguyenHMN]

The typo! 😭😭

[@sebastienlecoq3956]

In 22 down, wrogn is spelt incorrectly.

[@thitherword]

Simon often struggles with the easier puzzles and breezes through the difficult ones.

[@andrewgrant6516]

Anyone who still sings Teddy Bears' Picnic will know how to gad about, singing and shouting without any cares, until their Mummies and Daddies take them home to bed.

[@ahouyearno]

East Germans are affectionately called Ossie by West Germans. "Ihr seid Ossies?" is a very normal thing to ask.

[@niiii_niiii]

Wie süß 🥰🥰🥰

[@AlonAltman]

You mispronounced "Knesset", the K isn't silent. For many of us "Nick" isn't obviously a colloquial reference to police station. I've never heard of that before.

[@michaelpdawson]

I always thought "the nick" meant jail, not a police station per se.

[@nathanielhanson5007]

What an ignoramus