Christmas Conundrums 2013 : triumphant victors

Procol Harum

Beyond
the Pale

Schedule of Triumphant Victors

The correct answer this year was 'hand' ... people seem to have been able to spot the handy clues all over the place!

Marvin Chassman (USA) was first in with the correct answer, just twenty-one minutes after midnight. He wins his first-choice prize, and his order of preference was
a c j b i g h d f e

A brand new Procol compilation 2CD from Union Square Music (due for release in the spring) provisionally entitled Inside/Outside – containing several performances that have not been released on audio CD before; the album also offers a foretaste of the next download-only live Procol Harum album, currently in preparation. (thanks, Chris, Andy)

Jan Pederson (Denmark) wins his second choice: his response came in some twenty minutes after Marvin's. His order of preference was
a c e g h i j b d f

A superb new Robin Trower compilation 2CD set, Compendium 1987–2013 (picture here): 35 classic remastered tracks (thanks, Bonnie at Repertoire Records)

Prize-donor Carlo 'Jack' Ponnisi (Germany) also wins his second choice. His response came in five minutes after Jan's, with an order of preference
a e c f j i d h b g

A 'No Stiletto Boot' CD, featuring Gary Brooker’s ‘other’ band; signed by Gary Brooker, Andy Fairweather Lowe, Dave Bronze, and Paul Beavis – this is the very last item from a sold-out limited edition (thanks, Gary)

Claire Margerison (Derbyshire) was first out of the hat, and wins her first choice with an order of preference
d e b i j a c f g h

A signed poster from this year's Gary Brooker and Friends' gig at Le Vigan in France, with two handwritten setlists – in three colours – by Gary (thanks, Gary)

Ian Hockley (Muscat) wins his second choice with an order of preference
d b g a c j i e h f

A beautiful and stylish 'Echoes in the Night' Palers' Band tee-shirt (full-colour printing on white cotton) (mono text on back in eight languages), signed by Gary Brooker, Geoff Dunn, Matt Pegg, Josh Phillips and Geoff Whitehorn. This one is size 'Large' and it's the only one of its kind that was made. Click here for picture

Prize-donor Gordon Chalmers (Isle of Mull) also wins his second choice. His order of preference was
b i a e c d f g h j

A beautiful and stylish 'Echoes in the Night' Palers' Band tee-shirt (full-colour printing on white cotton) (mono text on back in eight languages), signed by Gary Brooker, Geoff Dunn, Matt Pegg, Josh Phillips and Geoff Whitehorn. This one is size 'XL' and, again, it's the only one of its kind to have been made (it's like the one Matt is wearing here, but white)

Maurice Atkinson (West Yorkshire) wins his third choice. His order of preference was
a i f b h j g e d c

A ladies'-style 'Sixteen Vestal Virgins' tee-shirt (full colour printing, one side, on black cotton) designed by Wuppertal artist Holger Weber, size medium (details here)

Evan Wagshul (Brooklyn) wins his fourth choice. His order of preference was
e d b j i a c h f g

A nice and eccentric XL tee-shirt – picture here! – printed both sides on black cotton, limited edition, the front saying 'Procol Harum, Stockholm 7th October 2013', and the back 'Passionate about Procol', with some tour dates (thanks, John Weir and Gordon Chalmers, from the Isle of Mull)

Phil George (Bristol!) wins his fifth choice. His order of preference was
e a c d h i j g f b

A superb new Tim Renwick CD, Vintage Blues Guitar (picture here), featuring a host of top collaborators (thanks, Tim!)

Barrie Deatcher (Alberta) wins his fifth choice. His order of preference was
a b c e g d i j h f

A CD, Slidin' on the Sand, by the Italian band SormoRock (picture here), signed by the players, featuring six Procol Harum covers and two PH-inspired originals (thanks, Jack)

Some comments from competitors – Thanks for another delightful 12 day diversion! | Got out of bed this year in the middle of the night to finish the quiz! | The 2013 puzzle was highly enjoyable, as usual, but not as easy as predicted. And you never seem to run out of ideas which is amazing! | A real struggle but got there in the end. The last day was in my opinion the most challenging last day to date! | So much fun! Thanks! | (Roland, I’m stumped this year!) | I appreciate the loving devotion given to this annual custom.

This was the rank order of popularity of the prizes, incidentally: the new Procol anthology (by miles); the No Stiletto Boot CD and the Trower 2CD; the signed Brooker & Friends poster; the Procol-signed Palers’ Band tee-shirts; and (some way behind these) the Tim Renwick CD; Gordon's tee-shirt came next, and the Vestal Virgins tee-shirt (not many female competitors, sadly!). No disgrace to Jack's CD to be behind all these offerings; and it's nice that it went to someone who'd ranked it high.

Thanks to the contestants, who have sent their 'real world' addresses. the prizes are on their way to everyone except Marvin, whose Procol 2CD won't be released for a few months yet.

Thanks to everybody who took part, and commiserations to the many whose correct answers did not earn them a prize on this occasion, because of the vagaries of the BtP Homburg. Thanks also, of course, to the donors whose generosity allows us to present such delectable prizes.

Congratulations once again to Marvin Chassman, in the USA, whose improbable run of skill and luck continues ... he's been a winner every year since we started running Yuletide puzzles in 1997!

And finally, many thanks to this year's Glamorous Assistant, shown (right) on the job

Procol Harum

Beyond the Pale

Christmas Conundrums 2013

Schedule of Triumphant Victors

Beyond
the Pale