The Times Crossword Friday Masterclass: 16 August 2024

*** TODAY'S PUZZLE ***
In the latest edition of our attempts to solve a Friday Times crossword, Simon tackles today's puzzle which has some absolutely outstanding (and difficult) clues.

The puzzle is available to play on The Times crossword club website (which is behind their paywall):

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[Antinomiste]

For trifling: I think a fling is supposed to be a short-lived love affair, and tri is indeed taken as a prefix for three (trifecta, tripod), therefore a trifling is a short-lived ménage à trois!

[fatha]

Living in Indonesia has me waiting for this every week at 6 in the evening. I love how you are always doing it slowly to actually explain each clue. Thanks Simon 👍🏻🫶🏻

[VonBlade]

Friday: best day. It's the simplicity that I adore. No inverted renbans in killer cages, just a clue and a brain.

[cz]

Befuddled and bemused, but learning to love exploring the arcane rules of cryptic crosswords with your guidance. I find myself especially amused by my utter glee at the rare and unfathomable leap to the occasional solution before you completed explaining the reasoning on those clues! You bring light and joy - but I have a long, long path to enlightenment before I shall stop being baffled by how swiftly your brain wriggles through the word play to solve otherwise counter-intuitive conundra ! Please keep shining your light on cryptic crosswords.

[longwaytotipperary]

I really enjoy watching Simon enjoy doing these puzzles!! Particularly like Simon explaining how the clues work! Amazed at his extensive cultural knowledge!

[willjohnsnow]

Recently I haven't had time to watch these, and as I'm only doing the Quick Cryptics it's great fun to skip to the Quick Cryptic end of these videos and watch in sheer awe at the speed of these. Please keep doing the QC encore !

[stevewood]

I love watching these. In the back story this week we had Maverick go AWOL as Simon switched from Maths to Cookery, but for me it's the pleasure of seeing the penny drop when Simon sees the light and then explains it to us.

[Muse-Katze]

Even with a nightly incident Simon‘s brain is capable of so much more than mine! 😉
Always a great pleasure to watch and learn. Please never stop this wonderful peaceful, positive and inspiring channel. Thanks for being as you are!!

[jomurphy]

We're all totally down with how you roll. Today's takeaway tip - at uni = up. Thanks Simon

[mydailyminefield]

Crosswords are my favorite. I always learn something. Thank you for including them in your content!

[jayforty]

I always enjoy these videos and learn so much from them, and this one was particularly lovely!

[Emmibean]

These are the best videos! Thank you, Simon. Well done and well explained as always

[grenvillephillips]

Struggled with this week's and so was desperate for the walk-through - so many thanks!

[derekwalsh]

My favourite YouTube notification of the week 😊

[AtoZTrivia]

Thank you as always Simon 👍👍 I'm a relative Newby to cryptic croswwords, I love General Knowledge etc but now im getting into Cryptic

[annastevenson]

Thank you once again for my fav video of the week!

[dm]

Love these, joined with the daily sudoku stay for the weekly criptics

[chipsounder]

11 across is an anagram of dire omen.
Domineer 🎉 this is a great episode.

[nsrikand]

Excellently explained. Very good learning. Keep going, Simon!! Every week looking forward to it!

[amb-z]

Anaconda was my favorite this time around. Very good crossword thank you simon!