The Times Crossword Friday Masterclass: Episode 38

*** TODAY'S PUZZLE ***

In the 38th edition of our attempt to solve a Friday Times crossword, Simon takes on today's puzzle which has some great clues and some school memories!! Oh and it's harder than usual too!!

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

You can find more information about the SNITCH rating here:

*** NEW CONTENT ON PATREON ***
Joining us on Patreon costs as little as $2 a month and includes Mark's new solve of The Times' Club Monthly special - a vicious cryptic!!

*** ORDER OUR UPCOMING BOOK HERE ***

*** NEW CONTENT ON PATREON ***
Joining us on Patreon costs as little as $2 a month and includes Mark's solve of The Times' Club Monthly special - a vicious cryptic!!

*** NEW GAS PACK IS OUT ***
The new GAS pack is out on Steam for PC here:

It's already out on Android and App Store. 60 original puzzles by Sam Cappleman-Lynes, Clover and Philip Newman!! Earn party hats and dinosaurs with these brand new puzzles!

We've also released a FREE app full of handmade puzzles to celebrate reaching 500k subscribers - simply download the Cracking The Cryptic app on Android, Steam or App Store and then select the 500k pack. We're streaming a playthrough of this app and you can watch all seven episodes

▶ Contact Us ◀

Twitter: @Cracking The Cryptic

Our PO Box address:

Simon Anthony & Mark Goodliffe
Box 102
56 Gloucester Road
London
SW7 4UB

(Please note to use our real names rather than 'Cracking The Cryptic'.)

▶ SUDOKU PAD - Our New App ◀

You can input classic sudoku puzzles into our software and help support Sven, the programmer responsible for the wonderful user interface we all use to play these puzzles everyday. The app also comes with 12 handmade puzzles from us:

iOS:

Android:

ALSO on Amazon: Search for “SudokuPad”

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[MichaelTrick]

Simon is amazing, but to click "Submit without leaderboard" and then immediately wonder why he is not on the leaderboard does say a lot on how his brain is wired.

[wibbol]

Three minutes in and I’m already amazed that Simon reached “ice” from “rocks” through “diamonds” instead of the direct definition (as in “on the rocks”). The word knowledge on this man!

[stevewood]

Early on, Simon says that he'll leave his subconscious to work on the 'chum's pants' clue. Then, at 39:26 his brain seems to tap him on the shoulder to get his attention, telling him that it's TOSH, but Simon ignores him, and presses on regardless! Poor brain - so often told 'bad brain, naughty brain''. Give your brain a break, Simon, he's doing a fine job.

[grahamania]

Yay, another Friday morning (USA) of thinking "How did Simon know that" about 20 times!

[DontMockMySmock]

I believe "sky"/"vault" is a reference to the sky being the "vault of heaven."

[longwaytotipperary]

I ❤ to watch Simon do battle with cryptic crosswords!

[timsullivan]

Quite appreciated how you took pains to explain the nuances of cryptic clues such that there were never any "loose ends", so to speak.👍👍👍

[RustyBrakes]

I have an idea for an April fools prank video: your video of the day would be a cryptic crossword in which you DON'T explain your thought process, and Mark would do the same with a sudoku. I would find it hilarious to see CtC with no talking

[profregan]

The best thing of the week, forget Friday. Glorious, humble, enlightening.

[Skamba]

If you freeze at 16:55, you can actually see that ordinaire is in the Dictionary. Simon forgot to include the 'I' when fully typing it.

[elLooto]

My gods, I'm starting to get some of these.

[cqzen]

It's so funny how different brains think. 'Mankind' was just about the only one I could do and it was the clue Simon struggled with the most!

[AuntyAwesome]

yes godwits are migratory birds for anyone curious! They fly between alaska and new zealand non stop taking 8-10 days! Such beautiful birds too

[supergandalf]

Loving these, variously gob-smacked by the brilliance of Simon, grateful for the very helpful, and necessary, explanations and very, very occasionally, smug when I get one that Simon doesn't know. But it's very gratifying none the less. More please!

[davidrattner]

Continuously loving these Simon!! Makes the end of the week and start of the weekend that much sweeter!!

[CineMiamParis]

A nice example of « apostrophe » in the final minutes of Chaplin’s Great Dictator. For a bit he « addresses » the crowds, then moves to talking to the woman he loves: « Hannah… Hannah, can you hear me? » Goosebumps.

[juliannicholls]

I'm definitely gaining cryptic crossword capability from watching these every week. I did the Latest BBC Focus magazine crossword in one go in about 20 minutes this morning.

[amyworrall]

Regarding “apostrophe”, Simon you’re forgetting your Gilbert and Sullivan. It’s used in them in that meaning a lot. “You have interrupted an apostrophe, sir!”

[dglthrawn]

For 28a, the sky can be referred to as the vault of heaven.

[mistersquirrel]

I am so proud right now. I have nothing to do with cryptic crosswords at all, but at 23 - Grand House, etc, my brain snapped the answer in an instant. Never before have I felt so accomplished before lol