diff --git a/tmp/src/Makefile b/tmp/src/Makefile
index cde17fc94..b3ff8c272 100644
--- a/tmp/src/Makefile
+++ b/tmp/src/Makefile
@@ -44,7 +44,7 @@ CFLAGS= -O3 -g3 --pedantic -Wall
 # target information #
 ######################
 
-TARGETS= winner_name
+TARGETS= winner_name ioccc_status
 
 ######################################
 # all - default rule - must be first #
diff --git a/tmp/src/ioccc_status/.gitignore b/tmp/src/ioccc_status/.gitignore
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..3617626f6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tmp/src/ioccc_status/.gitignore
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+ioccc_status
diff --git a/tmp/src/ioccc_status/Makefile b/tmp/src/ioccc_status/Makefile
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..7c2f0aed3
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tmp/src/ioccc_status/Makefile
@@ -0,0 +1,67 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env make
+#
+# ioccc_status - quickly update status.json file
+#
+# Written by Cody Boone Ferguson in 2023
+#
+#	@xexyl
+#	https://xexyl.net		Cody Boone Ferguson
+#	https://ioccc.xexyl.net
+#
+# Share and enjoy! :-)
+
+#############
+# utilities #
+#############
+
+CC= cc
+CHMOD= chmod
+CP= cp
+INSTALL= install
+RM= rm
+SHELL= bash
+
+#CFLAGS= -O3 -g3 --pedantic -Wall -Werror
+CFLAGS= -O3 -g3 --pedantic -Wall
+
+######################
+# target information #
+######################
+
+DESTDIR= ../../bin
+
+TARGETS= ioccc_status
+
+######################################
+# all - default rule - must be first #
+######################################
+
+all: ${TARGETS}
+	@:
+
+ioccc_status: ioccc_status.sh
+	${RM} -f -v $@
+	${CP} -f -v $? $@
+	${CHMOD} +x $@
+
+#################################################
+# .PHONY list of rules that do not create files #
+#################################################
+
+.PHONY: all configure clean clobber install
+
+###################################
+# standard Makefile utility rules #
+###################################
+
+configure:
+	@:
+
+clean:
+	@:
+
+clobber: clean
+	rm -f ${TARGETS}
+
+install: all
+	${INSTALL} -m 0555 ${TARGETS} ${DESTDIR}
diff --git a/tmp/src/ioccc_status/ioccc_status.sh b/tmp/src/ioccc_status/ioccc_status.sh
new file mode 100755
index 000000000..474e1a41d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tmp/src/ioccc_status/ioccc_status.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,180 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env bash
+# 
+# ioccc_status.sh - quickly update status.json file
+#
+# Written by Cody Boone Ferguson in 2023
+#
+#	@xexyl
+#	https://xexyl.net		Cody Boone Ferguson
+#	https://ioccc.xexyl.net
+#
+# The script is at this just point a proof of concept but it does work, allowing
+# one to update the date of the latest news, the date of the status, the status
+# version and the status of the contest. It's not required to update all or for
+# that matter any of them.
+#
+# If that is not clear: it might or might not be needed or desired and that is
+# perfectly okay. If it's used but modified that's also okay. It gave me
+# something to do and whether or not it's useful it has served a purpose.
+#
+# If -s option is used, the status field is updated, providing that the status
+# arg is either "closed" or "open".
+#
+# If the -d or -n flags are used then it will update the status_date or
+# latest_news fields, respectively.
+# 
+# If the -I status_ver option is used the IOCCC_status_version field will be
+# updated.
+#
+export IOCCC_STATUS_VERSION="0.0.1-0 2023-10-02" # major.minor.release-patch YYYY-MM-DD
+
+USAGE="usage: $(basename "$0") [-h] [-V] [-v level] [-s status] [-d] [-n] [-I status_ver] status.json
+
+    -h			    print help and exit
+    -V			    print version and exit
+    -v level		    set verbosity level
+    -s statue		    set contest status to open or closed
+    -d			    update status_date
+    -n			    update latest_news date
+    -I status_ver	    update IOCCC_status_version
+			    
+				NOTE: status_ver must be one of \"open\" or \"closed\"
+
+    status.json		    the file to update
+
+status version: $IOCCC_STATUS_VERSION"
+
+export UPDATE_DATE=""
+export UPDATE_NEWS=""
+export UPDATE_IOCCC_STATUS_VERSION=""
+export IOCCC_STATUS_VERSION=""
+export VERBOSITY=0
+export STATUS_JSON_FILE=""
+export STATUS_FLAG=""
+export STATUS="closed" # default closed
+
+# parse args
+#
+while getopts :hVv:s:dnI: flag; do
+    case "$flag" in
+    h)	echo "$USAGE" 1>&2
+	exit 2
+	;;
+    V)	echo "$IOCCC_STATUS_VERSION" 1>&2
+	exit 2
+	;;
+    v)	VERBOSITY="$OPTARG";
+	;;
+    s)	STATUS_FLAG="-s"
+	STATUS="$OPTARG";
+	;;
+    d)	UPDATE_DATE="-d"
+	;;
+    n)	UPDATE_NEWS="-n"
+	;;
+    I)  UPDATE_IOCCC_STATUS_VERSION="-I"
+	IOCCC_STATUS_VERSION="$OPTARG"
+	;;
+    :)	echo "$0: ERROR: option -$OPTARG requires an argument" 1>&2
+	echo 1>&2
+	echo "$USAGE" 1>&2
+	exit 3
+	;;
+   *)
+	;;
+    esac
+done
+
+#
+# remove the options
+#
+shift $(( OPTIND - 1 ));
+#
+# verify arg count
+#
+if [[ $# -gt 1 ]]; then
+    echo "$0: ERROR: expected 0 or 1 args, found: $#" 1>&2
+    echo "$USAGE" 1>&2
+    exit 3
+fi
+#
+# parse args
+#
+if [[ $# -gt 0 ]]; then
+    export STATUS_JSON_FILE="$1"
+fi
+
+# firewall STATUS_JSON_FILE must be a readable file
+#
+if [[ ! -e $STATUS_JSON_FILE ]]; then
+    echo "$0: ERROR: status.json does not exist: $STATUS_JSON_FILE" 1>&2
+    exit 1
+fi
+if [[ ! -f $STATUS_JSON_FILE ]]; then
+    echo "$0: ERROR: status.json not a file: $STATUS_JSON_FILE" 1>&2
+    exit 1
+fi
+if [[ ! -r $STATUS_JSON_FILE ]]; then
+    echo "$0: ERROR: status.json not a readable file: $STATUS_JSON_FILE" 1>&2
+    exit 1
+fi
+
+# check that if -s used that the status ($STATUS) is either 'open' or 'closed'
+if [[ -n "$STATUS_FLAG" ]]; then
+    if [[ "$STATUS" != "open" && "$STATUS" != "closed" ]]; then
+	echo "$0: ERROR: status must be 'open' or 'closed'" 1>&2
+	exit 1
+    fi
+fi
+
+if [[ "$VERBOSITY" -gt 1 ]]; then
+    echo "$0: status.json file: $STATUS_JSON_FILE" 1>&2
+    if [[ -n "$STATUS_FLAG" ]]; then
+	echo "$0: will update contest status to: \"$STATUS\"" 1>&2
+    fi
+    if [[ -n "$UPDATE_DATE" ]]; then
+	echo "$0: will update status_date to: $(date)" 1>&2
+    fi
+    if [[ -n "$UPDATE_NEWS" ]]; then
+	echo "$0: will update latest_news to: $(date)" 1>&2
+    fi
+    if [[ -n "$UPDATE_IOCCC_STATUS_VERSION" ]]; then
+	echo "$0: will update IOCCC_status_version to: $IOCCC_STATUS_VERSION" 1>&2
+    fi
+fi
+
+# first status_date if requested
+if [[ -n "$UPDATE_DATE" ]]; then
+    sed -i'' "s/\"status_date\" : \".*[^\"]\"/\"status_date\" : \"$(date)\"/g" "$STATUS_JSON_FILE"
+
+    if [[ "$VERBOSITY" -ge 1 ]]; then
+	echo "$0: updated status_date to: $(date)" 1>&2
+    fi
+fi
+
+# then update latest_news date if requested
+if [[ -n "$UPDATE_NEWS" ]]; then
+    sed -i'' "s/\"latest_news\" : \".*[^\"]\"/\"latest_news\" : \"$(date)\"/g" "$STATUS_JSON_FILE"
+
+    if [[ "$VERBOSITY" -ge 1 ]]; then
+	echo "$0: updated latest_news to: $(date)" 1>&2
+    fi
+fi
+
+# then update IOCCC_STATUS_VERSION if requested
+if [[ -n "$UPDATE_IOCCC_STATUS_VERSION" ]]; then
+    sed -i'' "s/\"IOCCC_status_version\" : \".*[^\"]\"/\"IOCCC_status_version\" : \"$IOCCC_STATUS_VERSION\"/g" "$STATUS_JSON_FILE"
+
+    if [[ "$VERBOSITY" -ge 1 ]]; then
+	echo "$0: updated IOCCC_status_version to: \"$IOCCC_STATUS_VERSION\"" 1>&2
+    fi
+fi
+
+# finally if we need to change the status of the contest do so
+if [[ -n "$STATUS_FLAG" ]]; then
+    sed -i'' "s/\"contest\" : \".*[^\"]\"/\"contest\" : \"$STATUS\"/g" "$STATUS_JSON_FILE"
+
+    if [[ "$VERBOSITY" -ge 1 ]]; then
+	echo "$0: updated contest status to: \"$STATUS\"" 1>&2
+    fi
+fi