What would you do if you won a crossword prize?

[MsEVP]

Accept the prize gratefully and then what? Would you keep on doing the same crossword every week or not? What are the odds that your luck would be in on another occasion? Or would you assume that even if it was `they` would discard your entry and pick another one because it wouldn`t look good for the same person to win twice? Or would you assume that nobody would notice the same name turning up? (I mean, after all, WHO looks at the names of the winners which is usually in smaller print!) And, lastly, does anyone have any idea about the number of entries for particular crosswords these days?

[MsEVP]

Well, I must admit that a couple of months ago I won the i cryptic and was sent a very expensive radio (which was nice since I collect them) which turned out to be a piece of junk (which wasn`t nice) and I`m now awaiting a replacement. Fingers crossed.

[shaneystar2]

That non Scot was probably me Dee . I won the DR a couple of years ago .
I live nowhere near Scotland :)

I've won lots of prizes over the years doing crosswords .
I still send them in .It's just a hobby really and if I win something it's a bonus .

[Quizmonster]

Obviously, the more difficult crosswords have fewer entries and - assuming you get them right, of course! - you have a greater chance of winning. In the past few years, I've won a Mephisto and a Spectator twelve times each, an Azed four times and a Guardian Prize once. Still no Listener win, though.
In fact, I went through a phase a year or two ago when I started to get pee'd off if I went six weeks or so WITHOUT a cheque, dictionary or whatever coming through the door!

Go on submitting is my advice.

[hmsganges]

I have won 3 gold pens on the Sunday Times crossword, 1 notebook as runner up in the Telegraph and £1000 on the Sunday Express General Knowledge so it is worth continuing. I wondered whether they keep a record of past winners but the Times does not appear to! My only worry is that I live in the same place as most of the entries are sent to!!

[Mikejas]

I've won the Subday Times Mephisto crossword about 5 times so they don't seem to keep a record of winner and discard prvious successes

[scotman]

I keep doing the same crosswords whether I win or not. I have won on several puzzles a few times now.

[granny grump]

Ha Ha Dee Sa I do the same

[scotman]

I do occasionally enter puzzles using the name of a relative if I have recently won. I go back to my own name after a period or if a win comes up in their name.
I am also vain enough to copy the page with my name in as winner and file it. Sad eh!

[cheatgal]

I have won the Telegraph Prize Crossword runner's up prize several times. It was in the days when they gave book tokens - the latest one was last year when the prize was a notepad!!! Not so useful. I still send in my answers but only if I have completed it myself with no help from the Eggheads on Answerbank. Does anyone remember when the Telegraph ran the Passport competition? I was so lucky to win a holiday to Rome with £500 spending money.

[poortony]

Continue doing the crossword and put a family member or friends name and address in the hope that they have some good luck. (I've had three wins but
to date no wins for them)

[daftgrandad]

I would consider it a bl00dy miracle,as I no longer send them in.
It became,to me,a complete waste of time.

[DTCwordfan]

Never won a crossword competition though I send the 2 to 3 Sat ones in from the DT every week.

I did win a radio competition in NY for some obscure historical fact on English history. However, the prize came with a sting in the tail....a meal in a restaurant on Long Island and I ended up with a dose of food poisoning.

[Voulez-vous]

Had a run of luck with the Independent...............now really considering using a relatives name, because I'm sure they may bin the entry if my name comes up again!

[boxtops]

I won a bottle of champagne 20 years ago for pointing out that the famed picture of the Prince Regent portrayed him as a dead ringer for Arthur Scargill. http://1.bp.blogspot....e_prince_of_wales.jpg