66 comments on “Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year, etc …”

1. Am I allowed to leave a comment? Or does it have to be approved by the Powers that Be first?

2. The only thing wrong with those ‘controversial’ crosswords is that they’re considered a ‘controversy’. My New Year’s wish for this community is for it to develop a thicker skin and not let something like “tangential ties to a BBC series that have no tangible effect on the actual crossword itself” be considered a ‘controversy.’

   Comments similar to the one above, for example – Have I mistakenly loaded the Daily Mail website by accident?

3. Dear Admin, bloggers and setters, many thanks for all the work you do. It’s much appreciated.
   I agree with your choice for puzzle of the year.
   Looking forward to the introduction of Listener blogs next year.
   Happy Christmas!

4. The Guardian blog last month also agreed that your crossword of the year was a top puzzle. However, that blog is full of spoilers.

5. Let us drink and be merry, all grief to refrain, for we may or might never all meet here again.

6. I’m told that the links weren’t set up correctly. All sorted out now, I hope.

7. Thanks Ken, and all bloggers, setters, and commenters over the year for all the dedication, insight, and entertainment.

8. Thanks Ken, and all the Bloggers and contributors. Great to see you again in York and long may it continue. Festive greetings to one and all 🌲🌲

9. Yes ken, links now work fine, hope to meet some of you fine folks next year. Here’s to a fine year’s puzzling

10. Thank you for this community which continues because of your generosity and patient moderation, Ken, and the hard work of our clever setters and our amazing volunteer bloggers. Warm festive wishes to all who contribute to a wonderful extended network that embraces solvers and participants from all around the world. Merry Christmas and a Happy 2025, Everyone!

11. I echo the thanks to Admin, bloggers, setters, and commenters. You make the world a better place.

    Have a great Yuletide, everybody.

12. Thank you for the marvelous website

    Happy Christmas to all.

13. Thanks everyone at Fifteensquared. I started to do cryptic crosswords 4 months ago after someone sent me a link to MinuteCryptic. That took the veil off and have been addicted since. I worked my way from MinuteCryptic to Lovatt to the Guardian quick and quiptic, the Everyman and finally onto the main crossword. I have a good stab at most of them now but a completion is still an achievement. Hopefully it becomes less rare in the new year.

    This blog has been invaluable at moving between all the different levels of crosswords.

    Wishing everyone related to FifteenSquared a merry Christmas.

14. Happy Christmas Ken and thanks for all the hard work. I imagine reading comments like the one from Staticman1 above must help to make it all worthwhile.
    Best wishes to you and the blogging gang, Rob (Knut/Julius)

15. Happy Christmas and thank you all. I’m also improving quickly thanks to this site. I used to rely on my work colleague, Adam, to explain all the clues to me in the Guardian. He’s a crossword genius and was kind enough to let me be his crossword apprentice. Then I retired from my job and he’s still working hard, so I couldn’t keep bothering him with endless requests to explain answers- Which I did until I discovered this wonderful site. You are my online Adam. I learn new things everyday from the blogs, and thoroughly enjoy reading the comments.

16. Seasons greetings to all involved in fifteensquared, without whose generosity I wouldn’t have a clue where to start.

17. Seasons greetings to all at FifteenSquared, and all that sail with her!

18. One site of which I was a member long ago had the etiquette that you didn’t post saying simply “I agree”.
    Fortunately, that does not apply here. I agree wholeheartedly with all the comments which have been posted thanking the ever-reliable bloggers.
    And very often the quirky comments which add to the fun.
    Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to all

19. Happy Christmas to Ken, the blogging team and everyone else.

20. I don’t often comment on the blogs, as by the time I get to read them everything has already been said. But I’d just like to thank everyone involved for the time and effort they put in every day – I love the wide-ranging nature of the comments, and everyone is so polite!
    And of course the explanations for when I get stuck are invaluable.
    A very merry Christmas and a peaceful New Year to you all.

21. Happy Christmas Ken and thanks to everyone who looks at the site whether they comment or not!

22. Thank you to all at Fifteensquared. Doing the crosswords wouldn’t be the same without you.

23. Many thanks for the year Ken and all the bloggers. I seldom comment these days as I get to read the blog with my breakfast coffee and just about everything has been said by that stage. But I still enjoy reading them to see if others found them as I did. Merry Christmas all from the other side of crosswordland.

24. Thanks for organising this site, Ken, and I doff my paper crown (from a cracker) to The Bloggers. To the Setters, I raise my annual glass of Snowball.
    Happy Christmas and a Blog-tastic New Year to all who visit this site.

25. Many thanks to Ken, and all the bloggers and setters. Great job. Seasons Greetings to you all.

    And speaking of controversies, today’s Saturday offering from Maskarade is a tad unusual 😉. I do hope we get a proper Christmas Jumbo at some point.

26. Thanks everyone!

    I agree with Crossbar @25, I hope we get a Christmas jumbo crossword in the Guardian soon.

    But I can’t find today’s Guardian cryptic (Maskarade?). I can see Ludwig in the magazine, and the quick cryptic in the main section, but just the quick crossword appears on the back of the pink section today. I’m sure it’s there. Help appreciated!

27. Jane E @26 – I thought I was going mad, too!

    I finally found it – on page 54 0f the main section, above the quick cryptic. It just isn’t headed ‘Prize crossword’ and it has a weird-looking grid! (It’s Maskarade, all right. 😉 )

28. [Jane E@26 & Eileen@27
    I’ve commented on this in General Discussion. Probably more appropriate there.]

29. Not really, crossbar, since your comment is in reply to a comment here – and Jane was wanting to know where to find the puzzle in the print version.

30. But it’s not really to do with Admin’s year end message, and there could easily be more discussion on it, Eileen. But, as they say, whatevs. 😉

31. 

32. My comments @28 and @30 were in no way meant to be critical of Jane E or Eileen. I just thought I should have posted my original thought on the Maskarade @25 elsewhere.

33. Trying to return this thread to the original purpose:

    Wishing everyone who uses the site the sort of Christmas they want (quiet, rowdy or full-on) and best wishes for the New Year.

    With particular thanks to ken for taking on this site and all the work he’s doing to keep it thriving, many thanks to all the bloggers who’ve brought clarity to the most confusing of puzzles, and to those setters who are also part of this community.

34. At the risk of posting in the wrong place. But wanted to thank to Eileen @27 for directions to today’s cryptic in the print Guardian. Yikes. I didn’t spot it as a crossword!

    Happy Christmas all!

35. Thanks, Ken, for all your hard work in keeping this site running as well as it does. Merry Christmas and a successful 2025 to all setters, bloggers and posters.

    PM

36. Many thanks for setters and bloggers especially Eileen (done 1K): wow,! My situation is that I do the crossword when I get the paper which is mid morning and do the puzzle just before lunch. So there’s often about 70 to 100 responses. It would be nice if the blogger eg Eileen or Andrew did a wrap up at say mid afternoon summarising all the views. Just a thought. Also I do cryptics for fun and to keep the brain going. Sometimes there’s too much pernicketyness in the replies. As I say it’s a pleasure to work out the clues set by great setters. It isn’t the end of the world if you can’t solve it. Moan over and happy Christmas to all especially Admin and the Eileen’s of this world.

37. Happy Christmas. Thanks to everyone for helping to unravel all the mysteries

38. So grateful to have been part of this amazing community this year. Many thanks to all setters, bloggers and contributors. I echo all the Yuletide greetings above.
    Having achieved this weekends Quick cryptic and quiptic I’m heading off for Christmas armed with Everyman.
    Maybe 2025 will see me advance to cryptics.
    Peace to you all

39. Thanks Ken for doing all you do to keep this site ticking.
    Seasons Greetings to Setters, Bloggers and Solvers.

40. Thanks for all your great work – and I’m honoured to be chosen as your puzzle of the year!

41. Merry Christmas KenMac and all your helpers.
    I know we have fallen out and I am banned but I accept it without complaint or animosity .
    I genuinely admire what you and all the bloggers provide , volunteering is my favourite human quality , and I will occasionally look in for Azed blogs.

42. Ah, lovely to see you here Roz, that will cheer up my Xmas, and KPR are doing very well thank you very much. Some have commented on missing our banter.
    Thx to Ken and everybody else who contributes to this wonderful site. I also thought Twin’s (@40) offering was stupendous. Merry Xmas all.

43. I’ve long been a cryptic solver – though by no means an expert – but it’s only in the last year or two that this site has become a staple for me. I’m very grateful for it, firstly for increasing my solving skills. Additionally, though, for being able to express my enjoyment, bewilderment, incomprehension and appreciation of the puzzles (sometimes all of those in relation to one clue), and being able to share in the experience of others.

    Thanks to the bloggers, and best wishes also to setters and fellow solvers.

44. Despite having done crossword puzzles since my teens, I only took the plunge into cryptics in March of this year. This site has been an incredible help, and because of it – and the very kind and generous help from other solvers – something I used to fear has become something I love! So, many thanks to everyone. Wishing you all joy and peace at Christmas!

45. Thank you to all the people who make this site such a lovely place. Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night!

46. To all the setters and bloggers. Thank you for your super work and long may it continue. To those who have left us too soon, RIP. Wishing you all a very merry Christmas and a happy new year 🎊

47. Thankyou from me as well to Ken and bloggers for your dedicated contribution to fifteen squared, and to sister and fellow solvers for the fun and enlightenment.
    I’m also happy to see Roz here and hope there is a way for you to join us again. I’ve always seen your contributions as helpful, informative, often humorous, and have really appreciated your “volunteering”.
    Wishing everyone good health and a happy new year.

48. Can we invite Roz back in please?

    I have not sought her permission to plead like so; however, I somehow found the gumption within myself to just, speak up.

    It is Christmas, it’s cold and I miss her scientifically rationally comments.

    Seasons greetings and thanks to all.

49. Thank you, KenMac for all you do to maintain this amazing site.

    I agree with Wittgenstein – I can’t believe I just said that 😉 – and paddymelon. It’s high time the fences were mended so that we can enjoy Roz’s company once again. We miss you, Roz.

50. Thank you to all at fifteen squared. We visit the site 2 or 3 times every day ( after Guardian with our morning tea, after FT with our afternoon tea, after indépendant and AZ on holidays) whether or not we need help, just to see what everyone else says. We also miss Roz s comments. If there was anything that would improve the site(hardly anything needed) it would be nice to have a like/ agree button to show support or agreement for individual posts.
    Thank you for all the involvement which gives us so much interest and help and best wishes for 2025.

51. To a number of recent commenters: If you look at Site Feedback on the Roz/Ludwig matter, it seems clear, (a) that some correspondence between Admin and Roz took place outside the 15-sq, public domain, so we cannot judge what was written there, and (b) that Admin offered Roz a way back that she has declined to take. She often recommended stubbornness to those learning the solving craft, but stubbornness is not always a virtue. I too have often enjoyed Roz’s input to this forum, but I do not see this current standoff being resolved with a wave of a magic wand.

52. I love the sense of shared enthusiasm and community of this site. It’s fascinating to read the often common thoughts of other solvers – the insights, and also the divergences. Thank you so much to all who make this possible, and to the setters themselves. It truly is a world community. A slightly belated Merry Christmas, and a Happy New Year to all!

53. Back at number 1, I asked whether I could say my piece without it being vetted first. I was going to say that it is a crying shame that Roz for one, (and possibly others?), are ‘banned’ from the site. This really is the stuff of totalitarianism. I can’t imagine that Roz would have said or done anything illegal, in which case she is as free to express her opinion as any one else. 225 used to be an honest site. Now it often feels home for the smug, virtue-signalling, faux-socialist, bourgeois, vicar’s-tea-party types, who will welcome you, but only ‘if your face fits’. Alas, my face doesnt.
    So can we please have a New Year’s Gift and bring back Roz.
    And don’t kick me off either.

    Oh yes, and a Happy New Year to everyone. Even though it won’t be.

54. Thank you Balfour @51 you have summed up the situation perfectly with reference to this comment: https://www.fifteensquared.net/site-feedback-10/#comment-658052

    I can assure everyone that there is no totalitarianism on this site. I received messages from several regular readers/commenters/contributors on the Ludwig matter, some of which were very upsetting both for the correspondents and for me.

    So let’s everyone join hands and sing a chorus of “Auld Lang Syne” together but please don’t sing “For the sake of” or “And days of” unless you want to upset me and my fellow Scots.

55. Merry Christmas to Ken and all the bloggers, and thanks for turning on the lightbulb on all those “Huh?” occasions

56. I’d just like to add loving thoughts of those we have lost (see Ken’s preamble).

57. Thank you to everyone who puts time and enthusiasm into this site. I started cryptics last year and have found the learning from here a great support. I enjoy the discussion comments a lot, hearing what others find challenging and where the consensus is that the setters have gone a bit off track.
    Thanks again and seasons greetings.

58. Thank you to the bloggers and to Admin for sterling work over the year which is truly appreciated.

59. Belatedly coming here to add my thanks to all involved with this site. 2024 was the year I started dipping into Cryptics and this place has been invaluable (and comments often more sympathetic to learners than in the Guardian BTL too).

60. Let me make it a round 60 comments by echoing what pianoman @58 said, and also wishing everyone a Happy New Year for 2025.

61. Happy New Year, all. Thanks Ken for keeping it all going, and to all who contribute.

62. Happy New Year to you, too, Ken. You do an amazing job keeping this fabulous site going. It is an enabler for a great global community and a fine resource for widening and bringing in new blood to what is a wonderful pastime IMHO. Thanks also for another year of great blogging from all those generous people that spare their time to do so, special mention to Eileen 1000…

    I hope 2025 will be a good year for everyone in 15^2 land

63. What paddymelon@47 said

    Happy NY all

64. As it’s officially New Year for some of this lovely community, just to add my thanks to all our wonderful, hardworking bloggers and setters. I hope for better times for all of us in 2025. Let’s hope peace and reconciliation will prevail. My very best wishes to one and all.

65. Just to add my pennyworth. Thank you to all bloggers and setters. Wishing everyone a peaceful and joyous 2025, And please repeal Roz’s (@41) ban. That would make my New Year shine a bit more…

66. Happy New Year to all, and especial thanks to the setters and bloggers who remain sources of so much entertainment, joy and frequent awe (and frustration and occasional annoyance), good humour and selfless assistance.

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