Just curious :-) ;-)

[Beatrice35]

Wonder, how many prize x word competitions( gk or cryptic or both) everyone here has entered since 14/02/09 Valentine's day? Have entered + posted 8 ( 5 gk + 3 cryptic) x words from 3 different papers since Valentine's. Has anyone noticed how many Darwin words have appeared in recent crosswords ( cryptic + GK), too?! Good luck with all your entries, everyone here, too ;-) Big hugs, Bea :-)

[Tallulah!]

nil!
x

[novalis]

My regular six ( all from Telegraph/Sunday Telegraph )

[Aquagility]

And have you ever calculated the cost of entry x the chance of winning, and compared it with the value of the prize?
It must be the most valuable boxed pen in the world!

[novalis]

Hi Aquagility!

I take your point but I'll continue to send them in. I've been fortunate enough to have had wins in all but the Herculis ( including �200 + Whitaker's Almanac in 2001 in Saturday's G.K. and several in Enigmatic Variations ). I've made a dozen or so people happy with the pens which they use on a regular basis so I'm happy as well. Besides that all my other hobbies are relatively inexpensive!!

[shaneystar2]

I can't calculate from 14. 02 .Bea but I send in about ten a week and a couple of monthly ones .I also subscribe to Lovatts and Puzzle Monthly .Then ... I do all the ones in the womens magazines ..lol.... But I enter those on line ( bit of saving there on postage ) I won twenty five quid on the Express Skeleton a couple of weeks ago and have won runner up in the Herculis .Won the Daily record five hundred quid last year and have won the Generalist twice !
This is apart from several other small prizes from my monthly subscriptions .
I won two Barbie dolls and her horse a while ago ...don't laugh .My men did .But I sold them for a handsome profit on Ebay :))
I don't begrudge the money for stamps .It's a harmless hobby which I enjoy and you have shell out dosh for any hobby really ,one way or another .
That Telegraph pen still eludes me though although I did get the book token once :)
Happy Puzzling and good luck for a big win soon
Shaney

[Beatrice35]

Novalis- Fantastic to hear of your wins :-)!! Can you send some good luck to me please as the extra money or even the boost of winning a small prize like a pen would be fantastic right now. Love to enter them , too, even if spend more money on stamps than prizes ;-) Yet still made me smile Aquagility :-) with your comment
Thanks for the kiss Tallulah ;-x
Mightily challenged with this neurological condition yet my many hobbies which include puzzles, my friends, my family, my husband and my book are all keeping me upbeat. My dog has recently recovered really well from major surgery, too, which is a great blessing. Thanks you guys for joining in with this discussion :-) Big hugs, Bea :-)

[Aquagility]

Don't get me wrong - I still send them in. Madness!

[novalis]

Hi Beatrice 35!

Despite your problems ( or maybe because of them! ) you obviously have a very positive outlook on life. Keep it up --- and yes, I'll keep my fingers crossed for you that some of my luck comes your way.

[Beatrice35]

Bless you Shaney :-) Loved reading your post just now ;-)
Did not laugh either, promise :-)! Won a crate of beer once- do not even like beer yet gave it to a male friend who was very happy with this!! Also, won some books that were not my cup of tea- though the local library was thrilled with this donation. Have never sold a prize only given them away as a generous gal! Yet, if won something now that did not want( other than money ;-) ) may try to sell it as the extra cash would be most welcome, for sure!! Big hugs + good luck Shaney + all with future puzzles :-) Aunty Bea ;-)

[elcee45]

I have done and sent 6, I find doing them occupies my mind, I have been recently widowed and I find this very good therapy and passes my days which can be kind of lonely. I have made a lot of friends on here, never won anything though.

[shaneystar2]

I'll keep my fingers crossed for you Bea. Glad to hear your pooch is recovering .I lost my dear old Shaney nearly two years ago .Would love another one but afraid it would outlive me !
Always had dogs but there comes a time when you have to say no more .
Keep trucking girls xxxx

[Tallulah!]

I sounded a bit negative saying Nil but that's the truth.
I've got some to post soon.
in the past my best good fortune has come from the competitions to be found in supermarkets on leaflets or on products.
I did win a car from Chat when it was in newspaper form and another car from a Sainsbury's leaflet.
I won a cruise from a Tate &Lyle sugar bag and another cruise from Principals Store.
Another prize was �1,000 from Mr Kipling by estimating how many boxes of apple pies stretched along the M27. I worked it out with a map and a piece of cotton.
My holiday to Miami was from Somerfield.
I could go on boasting all day because the list is endless but I've loved this hobby, especially completing the tie breaker sentences in an apt and original way.
I don't do hugs. I find it a bit creepy but good luck for all the xwords you've entered and I hope it'll be you soon.
x

[yogasun]

Only one Bea but would do more if I had more time. Did win �88 on the Lottery (4 numbers) this week ! :o)) xx

[JMR27]

Hi all I've had a good chuckle reading your posts:o)) I was doing far too many crosswords but I've managed to whittle it down to 23 each weekend lol.
Shaney I'm impressed with your wins - very well done! and as for Tallulah, well you're in another league - well done on the pie competition:o)) you must be very good at tie-breakers....I could try for a fortnight and still not manage to find anything usable

[Tallulah!]

JMR27 When I think of the hundreds of tie breaks that the judges DIDN'T choose and tot up the cost of the stamps and the qualifiers I'm not quids in but the prizes have all been stuff we couldn't afford to buy and many have given us a lot of fun. I love playing with words.
X

[shaneystar2]

Well done Tallulah! I wouldn't have a clue as to how to write a tie breaker or a slogan . I often see these competitons in the shops but never do them .
I eat Heinz Beans because .....................err....I like them !
I'd be be pondering for weeks :)
I do enter a lot of of on line surveys however and was lucky enough to win two hundred and fifty pounds worth of House of Fraser vouchers last year from Easy Living magazine .
Mind you I had a lot of difficulty spending them :)
Still have fifty quid to get rid of .It's such a "posh " shop and overpriced really .I ended up splashing on perfume and things I would never buy in a million years :)

[Beatrice35]

Really enjoyed everyone's posts here especially elcee45, novalis, shaneystar2 + JMR27. Tallulah- hugs are one of the best inventions for arms- bizarre that you find that creepy?! Prefer hugs to kisses, too, by a long way!! Except for husband of course and love his hugs and kisses ;-) Yet, we are all different + variety is teh spice of life! Adore bats- some people find these creepy too yet cannot see that either. Love echolocators- bats, dolphins and whales. Watch bats regularly in the summer + have seen bottlenose dolphins on a Whale watching holiday with WDCS in Scotland :-)Wondeful reading of all your wins :-) Tallulah can you send some luck my way please :-)Thanks for all the warm wishes, too. Elcee45- especially hope you win something soon + you sound peachy to me- sure that if we ever met in real life we would become good friends too. Many here have challenges + puzzles are a good way of occupying the mind + distracting one pleasantly including Bea who is neurologically challenged. Big hugs to all you huggy people + smiles to everyone else ;-) Bea :-)

[Tallulah!]

Just a little footnote to Bea, I love spiders and find thunder storms to be marvelled at.
There are lots of comps to be found on loquax and prizefinder.co.uk but I only ever won A Question of Sport Quiz Book from online. signed by the Team.
T

[Beatrice35]

Tallulah, Especially for you :-)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SDJn1GtgpJ8

Love The Cure- one of my favourite bands. Are you a fan? As a spider fan think you may like this song + video ;-)

Warm wishes, Bea :-)

[Tallulah!]

Bea, I like NO bands!
x