prize crosswords

[sgeandhu]

a few weeks ago, I was fortunate to win 1st prize from the Sunday Times cryptic Xword. Should I now stop submitting completed grids to ST, or is it fair to possibly win more than once?

[BigMac]

If I ever win one I'll keep going and let you know if I win another....

I'd be surprised if a person could win in successive weeks but if names are genuinely picked randomly then, as long as you enter, you should have a chance.

I definitely think it's fair to keep entering.

[kayakamina]

It is not the Sunday Times but I recall that the doyen of this site, Quizmonster has won the Azed crossword six times.

[Quizmonster]

In the space of about 15 months, I won the first prize for the Mephisto crossword in The Sunday Times twice and three runners-up prizes for it, too! Carry on submitting...>b>I do!

[Quizmonster]

Ah! Your response wasn't there when I started to type mine, K. I have won the Azed, but not as often as you give me credit for. Cheers

[novalis]

Well done! Carry on submitting. Last year was the first since 1999 that I wasn't lucky enough to win on the various Telegraph crosswords. Some 30 years ago a friend of mine won three consolation prizes in 20 weeks on the Saturday Telegraph cryptic. Once you send in your solution it becomes a raffle and you don't stop buying raffle tickets if you win on one.

[kettledrum]

I think I have already won the Times Jumbo 3 times, and this morning I got a lovely package with Times atlas, Collins dictionary, & 2 Times paperbacks (Su-doku & crosswords) so can only assume I've been lucky again!

Local charities are always very happy when I'm so lucky, and love having these books - or whatever - as raffle prizes.

[Aquagility]

Congratulations, kettledrum.
My prize for wining The Generalist arrived this morning - a book of American short stories!
Tell you what, I'll swap you for the Times Atlas!
Aq.

[geo0939]

Congratulations in your win sgeandhu. I have won all the Times crosswords and the Sunday Times twice over the last 24 years, but every time I win one I tend to leave it alone for a few months. I did win the Independent twice in one year, but I'm sure that was a fluke. I always say I will stop doing them but it's not so easy.

[sgeandhu]

Thanks all.
I feel a lot happier now continuing to submit entries. I guess it is fairest if all correct answers have chance of prize. (I entered "on-line", don't know how they select winner between "posted" and "submitted" entries)
anyway, thanks again for the comments

[geo0939]

As a PS sgeandhu. The question has been raised before about online submissions. I have won twice by this method, so I think the chances of winning compared to Postal entries must be about even.

[phizzy]

someone - shall we say very close to me did pretty well on the then 'lottery' - and she still does it, so take her lead and 'go for it' - and good on you

[MMAB]

Not the ST , but I've won the Darlington & Stockton Times and also the Yorkshire Post crosswords several times each in a short space of time.
I now enter all the Express and Mail every week though as of yet I havent had a win ( though I did get a cheque for �25 last year with just a compliments slip but no mention what it was for ... so I presume I got a runner up prize ! ) .

MMAB

[bathtub]

I think definitely carry on - the fun isn't just in winning, but in solving a puzzle and submitting a (hopefully correct) entry.

To add weight to others' experience of multiple wins, I've won Azed twice over a two-year period plus had a couple of VHCs for competition clues. So I think you have a fair chance, and surely papers must be very sensitive after the trouble TV shows got into over dodgy selection of winners.