Spectator 2138

[djawhufc]

Hi everyone

Bright and early- enjoy.

All the best

DJA

[barryjbutler]

Many thanks Daniel!

[roslyn251254]

Yes a quick finish today, that theme seems familiar though and there are 2 alternatives for 39d listed in Chambers?

[roslyn251254]

Forget the 39d down rant - typo on my grid!!!

[Neveracrossword]

Roslyn, you had me confused me 39 D - glad you fixed it! I too thought this theme was familiar.

[maurice]

A wee bit tedious by Spec. standards, I thought.

[teenieleek]

Thanks as usual Daniel. Definitely seen this theme before - sadly the chores now beckon.

[Piffleworthy]

Am I alone in finding Roderick Rhodes' remarkable record of win/place worthy of mention? Would love to know the secret!

[Ironie]

Can't answer for Roderick, but I'm more than happy to have been a runner up again today. Should help to defray the postal charges from Germany for another 30 weeks or so. Pity we Speccie addicts can't submit via e-mail:-(

[djawhufc]

Congrats Ironie

[barryjbutler]

I've had 4 wins ( 3 x 20 and 1 x 30) and, I assume on the basis of that, I've had a letter and a form from the Speccie asking me to confirm I'm happy for them to accept their "self-billing" arrangements. I assume this relates to the odd way they account for prize payments with that invoice thing that takes weeks to produce and action in the finance section. I didn't argue with them so I've sent back the form!

[whatsthat]

I had the same strange letter from The Spectator about their self-billing arrangement - which I just filed (understand ignored). They even manged to send it understamped.

[grumpy01]

Although R.R.'s name has cropped up a few times he isn't as regular a winner as some people who seem to win on a very regular basis in the independent newspaper nearly every week.Congratulations on your successes B.J.B. but have not seen you mentioned elsewhere, is The Speccie your only regular entry?

[barryjbutler]

I've won several Azed and Guardian prizes over the years. So long in fact that I have a couple of the luxury-style black Collins dictionaries they used to give ages ago and I've still got one of the more regular, smaller blue ones ( I seem to remember I gave one away to one of my Polish students!) and more recently I've won one pair of the books they're giving away at the moment. Actually I've also still got an unspent £25 book token from Azed on my bedside table but I do recall spending another one in Waterstones years ago. By the way, I do get out sometimes!

[cruciverbals]

Has any one noticed the proliferation of South London winners and runner ups this year? Does the editor live in South London? I think of more interest is when people send them in, at the last minute or early on? When I have one(four times), three were sent at the last minute and one early.

I note that some Sunday papers let you e mail. How do they decide if the posted and e mail entries get the prize. Some comps such as Sunday Mail YOU MAG want you to phone the answer on their line or post. I do not believe that they would award a prize to somebody who has not contributed to their premium rate line!The same with Dickinson's Real Deal. It's like Readers Digest saying you do not have to have a subscription for their draws!