DT Where In The World?

[MTbowels]

Could I ask how many people are entering this competition by sending a plain postcard through the post? I've never had any luck in winning the camera despite entering for a good few years now and I'm beginning to wonder if these flimsy postcards actually reach their destination. It wouldn't do much good if they got wet from rain during transit either.

I did think at one time of putting the completed postcard in an envelope and posting it off to the entry address. The trouble is that I don't know if any envelopes received would be discarded.

I'd very much appreciate any comments about this.

Thanks.

[BabsG]

I don't know about this competition but the advice given on how to win sites is to make your postcard as big and bright as possible. You never know it might help.

[eborite60]

Just to say that I did win the camera in September-Lovely surprize & a fantastic camera too!! I also won a camera in the Daily Mail 2 years ago in September!.I'm now fully equipped so promise not to enter any more.Regarding the post-cards, I get those advertizing freebies-get mine from the gym or local bars.They are usually colourful & made from thicker card
Good Luck & hope you win soon!!!

[ianmunt]

I've been trying as long as I can remember,with assorted card sizes but no joy to date

[Tallulah!]

I've won a lot of prizes from postcard competitions using the freebie cards that eborite mentions.
My local paper discards any cards larger than 'normal' as they don't fit in the various boxes ready for the draws.
My Postie says stick to using black or blue ink as they are easily read. And never to use coloured envelopes unless you stick on a white label for the address. Red makes the writing invisible.
I don't enter your comp but my advice is to post as late as you dare. Last in - First out.
Good Luck!

[MTbowels]

Thank you all for your comments - it's much appreciated.

Would you advise putting the postcard in a SAE and sending that off instead? Would it be more secure that way? My fear is that they may discard any envelope entries!

Thanks.

[Tallulah!]

If the instructions say to enter on a postcard that's what you must do. If it says use a plain white postcard do that otherwise I would stick to a nice bright, thick one.Always stick to the rules. You could use an envelope BUT should write your details on the reverse or rule it up like a postcard.

[hadrianjeffs]

In law, a postcard is any single sheet of thick paper or card, of any shape or size, with the correct postage stamped on it, and the word "postcard" clearly written or printed on it. If a newspaper, or other competition holder, attempts to restrict their definition of "postcard" by arbitrary category of shape or size, then they are in the wrong (although probably your only practical means of protest is not to enter their competitions, which might defeat the object of the exercise).

Most competitions that require postcard entry usually acknowledge this state of affairs by specifying that a sealed envelope may be substituted in the place of a true postcard.

As to what postcard you should use, I make my own, hand-drawn, and usually A4 in size, although I have gone up to A3, notably for a Telegraph competition for tickets to see the Spice Girls at the 02 (the illustration in question was Geri Halliwell bathing in a giant mug of gingerbread latte by a well-known coffee shop chain).

I generally try to produce an illustration appropriate to the subject of the competition, & have enjoyed a reasonable rate of success, and the Telegraph Motoring supplement briefly loaded a selection of the 20+ plus postcards I sent them on their online gallery section.

Of course, an A4 postcard has four times the surface area of an A5 picture postcard, & eight times the area of a conventional A6 postcard, so it, technically, has a proportionately greater chance of being randomly drawn, but I was always told, the English only invented fair play because, if you don't have it, you can't cheat, &, anyway, it's not cheating unless it says so in the rules.

[Elspeth]

Although I have never won this competition, I have had my postcard returned to me twice by the Royal Mail, even though it was correctly addressed and stamped. I now turn the postcard 90 degrees before writing my own name and address on it. It's hard to believe that a postal sorter AND a delivery postman could make such a glaring mistake!

[Tallulah!]

hadrianjeffs Do you win??
Elspeth I use your method of turning the card for my answer and details. If your postcode is below the competition address postcode it will be delivered back to you
I prefer tiebreaker comps that usually do go in an envelope and the most apt and original wins!

[hadrianjeffs]

I think I won four times in three years doing Telegraph motoring competitions. Won several times on BBC Radio 2 Night Ride competitions in the early 1990's, & I've won fairly regularly in competitions in aviation, maritime & specialist magazines, including �130 worth of books this year alone.

Anyway, my motoring pictures now adorn the walls of the Telegraph motoring office, if no longer on their website, & it makes entry that bit more special.

[columbus]

I use ordinary shop bought plain postcards and have won this comp four times in the last year, and twice in the past.

[Dee Sa]

when you go to the local cinema they have racks of free postcards on the way out, just help yourself and use.Although I have won many local comps this way and try and match up the picture on the postcard with the comp, I have never been succesful with Where in the World !