Non-winning ways continue

[macpark]

I am feeling a bit despondent! I have just looked at the stack of envelopes on the side to go out to the post in a moment when I put out the rubbish.

There are 3 crosswords and a prize samurai sudoku from yesterday all requiring 1st class postage, plus the "Win a cruise" competition thankfully Freepost. Then there are 3 crosswords from todays paper, first class again, plus Win a holiday in Oz - not free but 2nd class will do.

As the prizes diminish, I can't help feeling that at somepoint I will have spent enough money on postages that I could have spent �15 on books and bought a rather nice pen!!

However, there is always the lure of the �500 in the puzzle extras each month. This week I had a �50 win on the premium bonds. Has my luck changed?
You my friends will be the first to know.

Thanks for your ongoing support.

[Christiana]

These things do often go in waves, so be encouraged by your premium bond win and stick with it macpark. And when you tell us of your wins I`ll be the first to cheer!

[shaneystar2]

You and me both macpark ! I have a stack sitting there waiting to be posted tomorrow .Never mind ..it's a nice hobby and keeps the old grey matter ticking over .Congrats on your win ..I find this, I get a win and then another couple trickle in .
Won that Wittakers then another book so if everything comes in threes I may get a big fat cheque tomorrow .............I live in hope !

[WTW]

Hi macpark

The truth is you wouldn't have saved up the money you have spent on postage stamps.

I am in the same position as you, in that I send off at least a dozen crosswords each week, but I have had limited success over the years, which has covered my costs.

My view is that if I have spent the time in completing a crossword, it is worth the cost of a stamp with the possibility that I may be rewarded for doing so.

I don't know if you have won, but I'm sure it will happen. As somebody once said to me, "You definitely won't win if you don't send it off".

Maybe your Premium Bond win is a sign of things to come!

Incidentally, did you know that you can access the NS&I site from about the 3rd working day of the month, enter your Premium Bond reference number, and you will be told whether or not you have won that month.

The best of luck, and keep plugging away.

Regards,

WTW

[macpark]

Nice to know I am not alone!!

I did know about the site for the NS&I but I prefer to get the surprise. I'm told that if you win the biggy then they knock on your door - or maybe ethat's the pools!
I did win a beautiful Times Atlas of the World in a crossword about a year ago. I was in Scotland and had bought the Herald which is Glagow's broadsheet. I did the GK in the weekend section and sent it off out of habit and of course couldn't check it as by the following week I was back in Englland. About a month later the prize arrived in the post.
I console myself with the hope that I am keeping the Alzheimers away.

Now I must just finish the National Truust crossword as I fancy that cookery course at the River Cottage with Hugh......

[novalis]

Nil desperandum!!
Keep trying. Once you send your entries in it's like a raffle. Sooner or later you will win. For me the joy is pitting my "wits", what few I have, against the compiler's. A win is a bonus.

[wolf63]

I use a competition forum and enter all the on-line, postal and text competitions that interest me.

The site usually gives the answers but in most cases it is just a matter of answering one question.

I sometimes do crosswords but not often.

I haven't won anything for months. But I live in hope. It is a hobby and is fun and, yes, keeps my brain active.

[jan1956]

I am in the same position, a stack to go but has already been said I would not have saved the stamp money. I too enter many on line ones.
I won a board game last week and sold it on Amazon, think I made �9.50!
not life changing but fun anyway
keep at it Macpark it keeps the old grey matter moving
all the best
jan

[kmcottrell]

I have won twice, in two different competitions, and have a theory that I will never win again in either of those competitions, which reduces the incentive to finish them each week, so be careful for what you wish for

It is also time that all of the crosswords and competitions offered a free oinline way of submitting answers, then we would all save postage!

Best of luck though

K

[macpark]

Couldn't agree more kmcottrell!

It's not as if the newspaper or whatever has any incentive from Royal Mail to get us to use snail mail.

Presumably it would make it more difficult at the other end?!? Who knows. Maybe it's time for AB-ers to lobby the press!

[NifteeNevNic]

If you have not already stamped your envelopes, suggest you take them out with the rubbish and forget about them, buy yourself a nice bottle of scotch whiskey with your premium bond money, and relax! :-)

[sincnoel]

ah, macpark, but how do we know there is no compact between the newspaper and the royal mail? herculis is a case in point. published on monday but you've got to have the answer in by wednesday. you've got to use a first class stamp. i'm more than somewhat suspicious about this. any others have similar feelings of dubiety?

[macpark]

Ah, Sincnoel or should it be cyncnoel - such cynicism! I reckon Nev has the answer. Enjoy the crossword, forget the competition and, after a nice Grouse with Crabbies, forget everything else as well!

[eddiebun]

Have heart, your time will come !

I made the effort to go into work twice on my rest days, to pick up a quiz that was running and to take back the answers.

I was rewarded for my efforts with a �300 TV. I've also just won the Mephisto in The Sunday Times, and �50 in a caption competition. So, keep going !