Information about Contest America Publishers puzzle contests
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CONTEST AMERICA
PUBLISHERS
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The Contest Center
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Wappingers Falls, NY 12590
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       Contest America Publishers specialize in number path puzzle contests. Contest America Publishers or CAP is the parent company of North American Award Center and Opportunities Unlimited Publications.

       Each contest starts with a very simple number path puzzle. They may use a grid as small as 3x3 (three rows by three columns) of numbers from 1 to 9. The player must find three numbers in a straight line adding to the highest total. For example, you might be asked to find the line with the highest total in the following grid. 
 
3 4 6
1 5 7
4 2 8
To make this eben easier, you are given just 2 or 3 possible answers, and the correct answer is always the highest of these choices.

       The initial fee to enter these contests is usually very low, for example there may be 3 games with $7,000 first prizes and an entry fee of $5 each. Each game will have a series of 4 or more puzzles.

       After the first puzzle, there will be a tiebreaker puzzle that is slightly harder than the initial puzzle. For example, it may have a 4x4 or 5x5 grid of one-digit numbers where you must find the straight line with the highest total. Three choices are provided, and the correct answer is always the highest of these 3 choices.

       At this point, there will be an offer of bonus prizes. The bonus prize will increase the amount of the first prize, but not any of the other prizes, if any. Typically, the maximum bonus will be about $3,000 for an additional entry fee of $25. In contests with 3 separate games, this amounts to an additional $75 beyond the original $15.

       The second tiebreaker puzzle will be harder than the first tiebreaker. Now the puzzle is typically an 8x8 grid of 2-digit signed numbers. That is, the numbers run from -99 up to +99. You must find a path of 8 numbers to get the highest total. This path may contain turns. This is a genuine tiebreaker, and will eliminate nearly all of the less-skilled players.

       This puzzle will have another offer of bonus prizes. The new bonus prize will be smaller than the first bonus prize. For example, the maximum second bonus prize might be $2,500 for an additional entry fee of $25. In contests with 3 separate games, this amounts to another $75 beyond the original $15.

       A three-game contest that initially cost only $15 to enter might end up costing $165 to play for all bonus prizes.

       Once all of the entry and bonus fees are collected, the main tiebreaker puzzle will be issued. This will typically be a 24x24 grid with numbers ranging from -999 up to +999. The player must draw a twisting path through this grid to obtain the best score. Some of the numbers will have × and ÷ signs, which multiply or divide the path score. This can make the total score range into the millions, or even the hundreds of millions. Some of the puzzles allow both positive and negative scores. The path may be any length, and may have any number of turns. Typical paths will contain over 300 numbers, and require over an hour just to calculate the score or copy a path from one worksheet to another.

       It often takes 2 years or longer from the first mailing of the initial puzzle until prizes are actually paid. Winners of any prize are required to submit notarized affidavits confirming their identities, and to provide their taxpayer ID numbers.


       By contrast, in Contest Center puzzle contests the fee that you pay when you enter the contest is usually the only fee. (There may be a small additional fee if a tiebreaker is required.) We do not have bonus prizes that require much higher additional fees. We tell you all of the prizes and all of the fees right from the start.
       Most Contest Center puzzle contests do not have any tiebreaker puzzles. Most of our contests take less than 6 months from first mailing to prize payment.

       Below are some links you may use to reach the Contest Center's puzzle contests.

 
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