Good heavens! I discovered the Speccie competition, and had my first win, in 1967. No wonder I hadn't come across it before.

Thanks, Bill.

I would think the first break in a competition with such a long and illustrious history would merit more comment. I suppose that the decision-makers at NS don't feel that way is part of the reason it's ending--temporarily, I hope.

In the latest issue of the NS, it is announced that the caption competition, which I know some here entered but which had no prizes - is also being dropped. On the letters page, there is a complaint about the dropping of the main literary comp.

I put a note about the ending of the NS comps onto the Snakeskin blog. In the comments section, D.A. Prince has written about what the comps mean to her, and how rising to their challenges formed her as a writer. I'm sure that others on this board will recognise this as part of their own experience, too.
https://snakeskinpoetry.wordpress.co...-competitions/

I, too, am gutted, even though I'm a comparative newbie. Having spent 30 years giving prep. to my English classes I found it rather refreshing, in "retirement", to have someone issuing me challenges with deadlines - and very occasionally a gold star rather than "Could do better". I've written to the ed. but can't threaten to cancel my subscription as I'd only get grief from the husband if I did that.

I would have cancelled my subscription but, foolishly, I recently took out a 2 year pre-paid subscription. Although I will still enjoy the columns, arts and books coverage, every subsequent NS is going to hit my doormat like a delivery of dead dog.

An update. I had a look at the NS in a newsagent this week. The competition page is now taken up by... a full page advert for student subscriptions to the New Statesman.

I did buy the Staggers once. I used to take it in to school. My wife abd I won the crossword three times. It was an easy crossword. The Speccie's are quite impenetrable. I seem to remember Wendy Cope won competitions then. I stopped buying it when Richard Crossman became editor, a dreadful philistine.

If they want to appeal to today's students they will have to stop using polysyllabic words or referring to anything that happened before about 1990.

Did you know an England cricketer writes for them? I met him once. Ed Smith. He doesn't eat his vegetables.

[quote=He doesn't eat his vegetables.[/QUOTE]

Oh, dear!

He'd better stay out of the USA. Mrs. Obama would give this misguided man a thorough scolding.


I read the link posted in George's post 25, and agree. Nothing like taking on one of the comps to accomplish the first stage of poetry .... which is to place one's butt resolutely onto the chair.