So I know I need to be in the country 5 years for citizenship - and 12 of those months have to be free of immigration control - so 6 years basically
But - you can apply from the date one year from ILR, right? And you only have to show you were in the UK 5 years before you apply?
Yes - you only need to show that you were physically in the UK exactly 5 years prior to your citizenship application date.... so if you apply on 14 December 2013, you have to show you were in the UK on 14 December 2008.
So I got ILR on 14 December 2012, can I apply on the 14 December 2013, even though my exact 6 years is 03 January 2014 - and I only have to show I was in the UK 14 December 2008 and not 2007, right? If that's true, that's exciting, as if a few weeks matters, but to say I can apply for citizenship this year- well that's pretty cool to me! 
I believe so. It doesn't say anything about 6 years in the rules - it's just that 6 years is the usual time a work permit holder will end up being in the UK for before they can apply for citizenship (but they could have been in the UK for longer than that if they were on another visa before the work permit).
You just have to show that:
a) You were in the UK exactly 5 years prior to your citizenship application date (i.e. on 14 December 2008)
and
b) You have held ILR for 12 months
I am equally confused, PB, since we are both in the same ex-WP boat! Not sure if I can apply 365 days from when ILR was granted (Oct 1 2013) or if I need to wait until the full 6 years in-country (I received ILR 22 days before my 5 year WP was to expire on 23 October 2012).
As above, you need to show the 5 years in the UK, plus 12 months free of immigration restrictions, so as far as I can see, you can apply 365 days from ILR as long as you can prove you were in the UK 5 years prior.
