Great grid Blues! Got mixed up, summer solstice on my mind..

We've had a few good ones lately but yours are always great. I remember the summer of 69 very well - hitchhiking in France - bloody lucky to survive that!

Nice grid

Expertly put together. Great Grid.

"Merci beaucoup tout le mond."
That was for "toast" and the hazy days (daze) of sixty nine wandering through the sunflowers drinking absinthe.
Cheers "Wiz", "J" and "SMcK" have a happy and lucky new year.

Happy new year and nice grid to start with.

Nicely themed throughout - however there is (pedant alert) a summer AND winter solstice in UK, in reference to your explanations of groups...

My dearest "NL YCN N CT" thank you for taking the time to write it was illuminating to receive such a didactic comment, your alert was heeded.
(Just for clarity I am aware of the annual multi-solstice events here in the UK, the intention of the grid was to test you into selecting the correct one.) More beer needed now...

Blues - mea culpa, I understand the premise of red herrings, and this grid in particular was most enjoyable, however my initial response (and subsequent attitude) was was solely based on the word "finally" in your explanation - I initially read this as winter was when the UK finally gets its solstice, rather than how it was intended; that this was the final explanation of the four connections for the winter group. A glaring mistake on my behalf! I will attempt to learn to read properly before such invective comments are spouted forth again. Please keep up the excellent work and thanks for sharing your prolific efforts. Just tell me where to send the beer, was at a local brewery yesterday and have some lovely samples... P.S. nice use of didactic, haven't seen that since Philosophy classes...

No problem NL YCN N CT keep the critiques coming.