Your Fired

Out of ~850 puzzles completed this was my first Friday solve. Read into that what you will but I'll take it thank you very much.

"Fifteen minutes of fun packed into thirty-one minutes!"

I have missed rebuses but this is a bit much and inelegant.

Oh no - Ono again!

Mon CHER - are BEDROOMEYES not a French letter opener too, say?

NERTS!

Lil rippa of a puzz! Thx. BEDSLATS - Brill!

ROSINED - I bow to thee.

14 mins faster than usual so based on that makes it an easy one for me. No complaints or judgement though as it had a nice chill vibe making it a fun solve. Looking forward to Thurday's Christmas puzzle and trying to solve under the spell of a festive food coma!

Alas no solve today - too many misqq.

Third in comments! Never happens but it was a faster than normal and fun Tuesday for me. Got stuck on CRAYFISH until everything made sense.

9:28 slower than my Thu average but now enjoying a 4 day streak. Quite liked this gimmick-free, use your noodle and keep at it puzzle. And happily none of my usual shake my head, what the's on a Thursday.

Ending the year solving 8 minutes faster than my average Wednesday. For reference that's 30 minutes for me. Happy New Year everyone! May 2026 bring you more solves, less rebuses, and even more oreos 'cause who doesn't like them and their equally delectable subs - smores! Peace out. ✌️🙏

Sigh. Clever but my downs let me down so I didn't make the grade today. Now nothing for it but to drag my fail between my legs.

Would playing a bit of French horn be TOOTSWEET for a future puzzle say? When my parents were alive and in their retirement they loved going for a TOOTLE in their car when they would point themselves in one direction to see how far they could go and what they would find. Always came back with great stories.

Typical Saturday for me where I totally overthunk it and failed miserably. Really thought Sia was more contemporary than 2014 so skipped. To my recollection Cousin Itt didn't speak but rather squeaked gibberish so why would you need or pay some like Snoop to voice? Anyway, I didn't get it even though it was so plain to see it. Lesson learned - go with my gut first then unwind it later as required.

Carpe diem! Thank you!

Oddly, I had an awesome time not solving today's puzzle. And totally fine with none of the crosses helping me out. Seriously though I find it impossible to believe so many solvers know so much stuff. I had to bail out - again - but I learn a lot by doing that. Some sticks some doesn't but a few hang about in the background until a matching clue presents itself during future attempts. Words like AGAR and that thingy on the ends of shoe laces. 🤪

Solving today's puzzle made me feel like a real Shining... Brilliant... Dazzling..

Ahhh...starting to see my problem now - the puzzle title doesn't appear at the top of the puzzle but only when I click on info which I don't do until I solve or reveal the puzzle. That's what I'm telling myself anyway! ;>] Real issue is that some answers are beyond my regional domain or areas of interest like names of authors. That challenge plus figuring out revealers makes it a poor experience for me. I'm really intrigued by solvers untroubled by any of it.

Got the trick but it made me antsy trying to believe it so like a noodge I hit reveal. NW was challenging for me today. In general I felt a bit deled.

You had me at ISOMER.

I didn’t get it until the music told me I did! Not a naf.

New PB today for REVEAL PUZZLE!

I learned a new shrubbery fact today which up until now had only been informed by <a href="https://youtu.be/69iB-xy0u4A?si=-eQLS3d3YbCYfWfk" target="_blank">https://youtu.be/69iB-xy0u4A?si=-eQLS3d3YbCYfWfk</a>

Sorry but I have another beef - why are the key clues always positioned deep into puzzles? Today's was 107 down? And asking for a friend - do most worders read the column before attempting to solve? Thanks.

I fall into the 'eventually' camp on this one. Managed to complete without any help though I was so close to bailing. I was good to finish once I figured out Pieta clue (pun intended). 🤪

Crossed, the middle of the Pacific Ocean easily but got held up, west of the, Hawaiin Islands. As usual, total oblivious to the theme until MAHJONG which opened up NIHAO. CONGEE line to celebrate anyone?

PSHAW?! I know it's a valid word but can we apply a bit of GUCCI to these olde tyme wordes and refresh them with more modern lingo please? I can't remember a time when I used it as I tend to being a bit more colourful in expressing myself at times. Not my Dad - he'd use something like 'piffle' or 'bazfaz' instead.

Note To Self - Read revealers fully and correctly. Serves me right being such a slacker otherwise I would have been that much closer. I did like ANDOR though for its clever cluing and being one of my favourite Star Wars spin-offs.

ARSE is very common usage in the UK but not in Europe. And is not justified by saying the UK is part of or around Europe which it is surely not.

EX-PAST? Could the constructor please use that in a sentence please? Waved the white flag on this one but loved BABAR and SALMON. I need to work the clues a bit more for nouns, verbs and homonyms plus inflections and emphases as I'm not as exposed to them as I once was as many down here have little to no regard for nuances of this kind.

Tandoor flat bread . . . . . . . . . . NOTAFAN

Got the gimmick but north-east corner was a challenge as I have no need to know the names of other moons other than our own in everyday life or Jefferson's belief. I contend that a forensic analysts workspace is not just limited to a DNALAB though. I did have ARMIN hammer - pity.

A Thursdsy that did not Scam + I as I got the gim and successfully completed it.

Doesn't make sense for some of the crosses and some of the downs...i.e. AMPHIBIA makes sense but the cross doesn't - what exactly is a PPHINGPADDLE?