Sad to say, Marvin Chassman – having been a winner every year since we started the Yuletide puzzles in 1997 – interrupted his deeply improbable run of luck this year. When Marvin didn't emerge from the hat in the first five, the Glam. Asst. kept on drawing ... and our photo shews (as best we can) his name coming out last of all. This was a trifle ironic, since – with notable clairvoyance – Marvin had sent in the correct answer on 24 December, before the first clue had even been published. Our established rule is to accept responses only after the publication of the final clue; but in view of these rather special circumstances Prof. Chassman will be awarded an extremely tiny one-off special prize ... and we wish him renewed luck next year!
This is how individuals have fared since this puzzlefest started: One prize Alan Semok, Alick Leslie, Andrea Grasso, Aongus Collins, Arne Grue Jensen, Avihay Abudy, Barrie Deatcher, Basil Steven-Fountain, Bent Aronsen, Bernard O Connor, Bruce Donley, Christina Hermansson, Claes-Peter Haväng, Claire Margerison, Dietmar Schloetel, Dominik Halas, Erik Mouridsen, Ernst Schuiki, Giancarlo Buletti, Giorgio Marcanato, Graham Wallis, Heidi Moen, Ian Berry, Ian Elby, James Kline, James Waters, Jan Pederson, Jim Krapf, Jim Stratico, John Crouch, John Weir, Kurt Harding, Lourens Visser, Mark Laveaux, Mark Mott, Markku Huttunen, Michael Haag, Mike McGill, Nancy Zohner, Peter Bourne, Peter Christian, Pierre Godbout, Richard Mosely, Russell Maddox, Stefano Ciccioriccio, Stuart Grant, Toshiya Hyakuma. Two prizes Carlo 'Jack' Ponissi, Dave Knight, Evan Wagshul, Gabriella Vinci, Greg Panfile, Ian Hockley, Kerry Canfield, Maurice Atkinson, Mick Norman, Mogens Vinther, Pamela Miller Chwedyk, Peter Cohen, Phil George, Sam Behrend. Three prizes Beverly Peyton, Bob Young, Charlie Allison, Gordon Chalmers, Heidi Widmer, John Cammalleri, John Commons, Jonas Söderström, Marcelo Pereira, Mark Allister, Tarvo Niine. Four prizes Axel Leonhardt, Barbara Black, Dave Pettit, Richard Beck, Stefano Carbone. Six prizes Bert (and Carina sometimes) Saraco. Seven prizes Bob Jaccino, Jeremy Gilien, Kerry Holloway, Pat Keating, Piotr Wlaz. Eight prizes Tormod Ringvold. Eighteen prizes (plus a wooden spoon award) Marvin Chassman.
Thanks to this year's winning contestants, who should now send their
real-world addresses to
webmaster@procolharum.com.
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 hat (in fact, circumstances obliged us to
use not our regular Homburg, but a top hat). Thanks to the focus-group who forewent
the chance to win, and also to the donors whose generosity allows us to
present such delectable prizes.