Postage Stamp Chat Board & Stamp Bulletin Board Forum
 

3 Years ago the Ten O'Clock Show started a competition. No one has managed to win it yet so I think its about time we pooled our knowledge and research on this one. The competition can be found on the link http://www.thetenoclockshow.co.uk/competition-win-cash
They say that 'some knowledge of stamps will be required' and the first picture clue is the British One Pound value from the George V Seahorse Issue. I have been on this on & off for 3 years now with little headway so far. If anyone else is interested I will start to share what little I have gleaned so far. Is anyone else working on this?

Your first post here is to plug some dodgy sounding dealer comp that apparently no-one ever wins????

Did you read the welcome email asking that you confirm your IP, and make your first post in Roll Call?

Admin

I looked at this for a little while a year ago. The organisers confirmed at that point that the prize was still active. A one pound seahorse and a grand is a fairly significant prize for me. However, I was put off by this part of the blurb:

"How do you win? Read the story and look at the picture-clues. The solution lies within. When you have found the solution, you must send it to us using the form below along with a brief description of how you reached it. The solution is very short, but we will require the winner to submit a full written solution. The reason that we are asking for this explanation is that many competitions of this ilk have finished unsatisfactorily. That is to say that the solution has been found more by luck than acute thinking and research."

Sounded a bit too vague to me, as in you need to not only get the right solution but also the right explanation of your solution.

If anyone has any good crossword skills that would be a big help on this I think. Also, if we do win it as a collective, what do we do with the prize? Charity donation would be one fair approach...

_________________
Norbert

As far as the convoluted wording goes, once you submit your answer you will not really know if you answered it correctly or with enough detail to win.

It's not meant to be won quickly and your going to have to get through the difficult writing style and phrasing the author has used.

How is that supposed to encourage young collectors into the world of stamps?

And if we all post our musings here, online, then what stops anyone else making the leap and solving it without us?

_________________
Greg - Looking for Goulburn Australia Cancels and Grangemouth Scotland Cancels and Covers
Member of the S.T.A.M.P Club for Slightly Twisted And Mad Philatelists - Motto: "Bring back the lick!"

Good point. Not sure if private threads are possible (or indeed allowed) on this board. Some arrangment of PMs between trusted participants could work but would be a bit unwieldy. I suspect it's all a bit of a non starter.

I've also previously entered a free prize draw for a 1d Black on another UK dealer site but apparently am not the lucky winner. I'm happy to post a link up so someone else can take a swag at it but not sure if that's allowed? I have no affiliation to the company in question.

Anyone else aware of any other dealer-run contests? I'd like to try my luck at landing a freebie from somewhere

_________________
Norbert

Trying the clues as 'Criptic Crossword' clues is a good idea. I had been taking them more literally.
On the first picture clue 'twisted are the heads of all creators' it is interesting to note that the first Head design of the stamps creator Sir Birtram Mackennel had been a three quatre profile but was later 'twisted ' into the full side profile as used on the stamp. Regarding the clue ' here we have another first' could refer to the fact that this stamp series was the first to use a scene of some sort alongside the sovereigns head. Sir Birtram was also the first Australian to have been knighted.
Knowing this though does not seem to move the solution forward, so I will think about the criptic angle.

Although it is not a "contest" as such, there are always the monthly giveaways at Stampwants - still can't call it bidStart; it is such a silly name.

There are seller-sponsored items which change frequently
http://www.bidstart.com/contestitems.php

and a Penny Black given away each month by the site
http://www.bidstart.com/biggiveaway.php?subsite=stamps

There is a standing joke in the forums there that only people with zero or low feedback ever win, so if you are not already registered you probably stand a very good chance

Chris.

That's going beyond having "some knowledge" of stamps to requiring one to have read a monograph on the Seahorse issue.

_________________
Collecting Mongolia; Thailand; Indo-China; Mourning Covers; OHMS.
My online 'store': http://stampsfromaethelwulf.blogspot.com/

In the common usage, I think you are correct. However, I suspect that in the literal sense only 'some' stamp knowledge is required (the other options being 'none' or 'all')

_________________
Norbert

I have had trouble with this dealer.

Sorry to hear that. I've never used them, as I could not find anything of interest to me listed on their website.

Could you provide a few more detail and also mention if it was going direct, or via their eBay site?

_________________
Norbert

Through eBay. I had bought a few things from them which were fine. One bundle I bought was advertised as covers but were all in essence, fronts. I was not happy. They said I could return them for a full refund but would then be banned from buying from them. This was, I thought, a bit rich as they badly misdescribed the items. I am still unimpressed.

I kept the items as I wanted to be able to buy other material from them, but I am very wary of them since.

I won one of the monthly contests on Bidstart (Stampwants) The penny black, Posted on another thread. Also won some covers from a seller contest on same site. I have over 500 feedback. You are right a lot of people win with 0 feedback.

_________________
I buy too much, can't sell enough - but the information here is priceless.