Christmas Conundrums 2010 : triumphant victors

Who gets what

The answer to this year's series of conundrorum was the one word 'Christmas' The explanation will follow, here. The first three prizes were awarded on a beat-the-clock basis; the remainder depended on the luck of the draw from the BtP Homburg on 6 January. Thanks to this morning's Impartial Assistant (see illustration) we can announce the Triumphant Victors: successive winners get the highest remaining item based on their prize preferences: many people got their first or second choices. If your name appears on the winners' list below, please make sure we have your 'real world' address as soon as possible, and we'll activate the BtP snails to bring the goodies to the various continents required. Do send your address even if you've won before: saves our fossicking in the files. Nice to see a good mixture of first-time winners and old hands.

Many thanks to everyone who took part in this year's puzzles – special thanks to Jane for verifying the questions and answers – commiserations to those whose names perforce remained in the BtP Homburg following the drawing of lots. We had some nicely contrasting comments, such as 'I could just scream at this one! So hard, yet so easy'; 'Thanks for this marvellous quiz!'; 'I nearly died when I saw the last question ...'; 'What devious webmasters we have! I'm glad they use their powers for good, and not evil-doing'; 'I only now see all the red crosses. As usual, very clever and enjoyable.  Thanks.'; 'Enjoyable as always'; 'I never compete,  but want to commend you on that "Booker/Reid" misdirection!'; 'I spent so many hours going over the letters (first letters, last letters, clues sorted by length etc.) that I felt like Russell Crowe in A Beautiful Mind.'; 'Thanks again for a great diversion'; and 'Big appreciation for yet another supremely entertaining puzzle!  I really looked forward each day to the challenge and, after compulsively solving all three clues, had a lot of fun visiting pages I had not seen before (or not for a while).  So, for me, the secondary aim of encouraging deeper perusal of the BtP web site was elegantly achieved.  Thanks to all responsible'

Update ... Since starting 'Beyond the Pale' Jens and Roland have been responsible for the posting out of 149 packets containing Christmas prizes (there have of course been other prize competitions along the way as well) to lucky winners as follows: one prize: Charlie Allison, Sam Behrend, Giancarlo Buletti, Bent Aronsen, Bruce Donley, Christina Hermansson, Claes-Peter Haväng, Bob Young, Dietmar Schloetel, Dominik Halas, Erik Mouridsen, Ernst Schuiki, Evan Wagshul, Giorgio Marcanato, Gordon Chalmers, Heidi Moen, Ian Berry, Ian Hockley, James Kline, James Waters, Jim Krapf, John Commons, Kerry Canfield, Kurt Harding, Mark Mott, Maurice Atkinson, Michael Haag, Mike McGill, Nancy Zohner, Pamela Miller Chwedyk, Peter Christian, Phil George, Pierre Godbout, Richard Mosely, Russell Maddox,  Stefano Ciccioriccio, Alan Semok, Alick Leslie, Aongus Collins, Avihay Abudy, Toshiya Hyakuma; two prizes Barbara Black, Stefano Carbone, Dave Knight, Greg Panfile, Heidi Widmer, Mark Allister, Mick Norman, Mogens Vinther, Peter Cohen; three prizes Beverly Peyton, John Cammalleri, Jonas Söderström, Marcelo Pereira, Tarvo Niine; four prizes Axel Leonhardt, Dave Pettit, Pat Keating, Richard Beck; six prizes Jeremy Gilien, Tormod Ringvold, Bert (and Carina sometimes) Saraco, Bob Jaccino, Kerry Holloway; seven prizes Piotr Wlaz; an incredible thirteen prizes Marvin Chassman.