Fundamentally, a barred cryptic like Mephisto is similar to a blocked cryptic like the ST puzzle. However, in barred puzzles there are fewer unchecked letters in the solutions, this generosity to the solver being offset by (i) an extension of the vocabulary to include everything in the Chambers Dictionary (2016 edition) as well as a wider selection of proper nouns, and (ii) the use of more obscure indicators and abbreviations, eg 'shares' as an insertion indicator (meaning 'cuts, cleaves'). Apart from having Chambers (paper or electronic version) close at hand, the approach should be essentially the same as for a blocked cryptic.