General Rules for the Contest Center's Word Welter puzzle contest
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WORD WELTER
Win up to $66,500
The Contest Center
59 DeGarmo Hills Road
Wappingers Falls, NY 12590
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WORD WELTER
GENERAL RULES
Please read these rules carefully before you enter.
All players must agree to these rules as a condition of entry.
The Word Welter contest is open to any legally adult person,
except employees of the Contest Center, its suppliers, or their families.
The contest has a series of monthly puzzles called Round 1 puzzles.
Only one Round 1 entry is allowed per household each month.
Each puzzle consists of a letter supply, letter values, letter
combination values and rules for scoring the solution.
Each entry must be postmarked by the given deadline, and received within
7 days thereafter.
Each monthly Round 1 puzzle has an $12 entry fee.
No puzzle will be accepted without the entry fee.
The entry fee pays for the chance to win an $18 Round 1 prize, with the option
of continuing to higher rounds to try for larger prizes up to $66,500.
Half of all competing entries to each puzzle will be winners.
The winning entries are judged by computer on the basis of highest total score,
and then the alphabetic order of the words.
Each winner has the option of taking the prize in any round, or risking it
to play for a larger prize in the next higher round.
The cash prizes for each round are as follows:
1 $18 4 $ 86 7 $ 570 10 $ 4,250 13 $ 33,300
2 $28 5 $160 8 $1100 11 $ 8,400 14 $ 66,500
3 $48 6 $300 9 $2150 12 $16,700
Puzzles for the higher rounds will be mailed automatically when
opponents are available.
Players pay only for their first round.
There is no fee for higher rounds.
The maximum fee to play all 14 rounds is $12.
A player can reach a higher round only by winning the preceding round
and risking the prize won.
The player gets one entry to the next higher round for each prize risked.
A player can win one prize for each monthly Round 1 entry.
A player may continue to enter monthly until 10 prizes
has been won and paid.
At that point, the player may no longer enter any Round 1 puzzles, but
may continue to play in higher rounds.
Players who stop after Round 1 can win a maximum of $180, while
players who risk their prizes and continue to Round 14 can
win up to $665,000.
Players who are willing to risk more can win more, however
a player who risks a prize and then loses the following round
will not receive any part of that prize.
A recommended strategy is to play Round 1 every month until 10 prizes
have been won.
There is no limit to the total number or total value of prizes
that will be awarded in any round.
The more competing entries that are received, the more prizes will be paid.
The number of prizes in each round depends on how many players participate,
how many times each person plays, and how many winners in each round
choose to go ahead to the next round.
It is possible that no player will choose to risk a prize beyond some round,
and therefore no prizes will be awarded in higher rounds.
If the number of people who choose to play in a higher round is not
a multiple of 2, one player will be held over to play that round in
a later month.
A player may have several entries pending in each round, and may play
in several different rounds in the same month.
In the event of ties, either the prize money will be shared,
or the tied players will play again in a later month, at our option.
There will be no tiebreaker puzzles.
The puzzles will gradually become larger and more difficult in higher rounds.
Each entry must be solely the work of the individual player.
The use of computers and collaboration among contestants is forbidden,
and any person suspected of such cheating may be disqualified summarily,
without recourse or refund.
The results of each puzzle, that is, the number or names of winners,
amounts won, and the best solution, will be mailed to all participants
within 60 days after the puzzle deadline.
If the player decides not to continue to the next round (or fails to notify us
by the deadline) the prize will be paid in full with the next monthly mailing.
Prizes will be paid continually throughout the contest.
At the conclusion of the contest we will cease issuing new
Round 1 puzzles.
Players at higher rounds may continue to play until no opponents are
available.
The remaining players awaiting puzzles in higher rounds will be paid any
prizes won in lower rounds (that is, the amounts they elected to risk).
Players are not required to play Round 1 every month.
They may skip months and play when they choose.
Higher rounds must be played when they are sent.
It is not possible to predict beforehand how long the contest will last.
With a high rate of dropouts it might last just a few months,
but it is possible that the contest could last for several years.
This is not a drawing, sweepstakes or lottery.
The odds of winning depend entirely on the player's skill.
No luck or chance is involved.
Among players of equal skill, the chance of winning a prize in any
round is 50%, that is, 1 in 2.
Thus a player starting in Round 1 and electing to continue through
all 14 rounds with opponents of equal skill would have
1 chance in 16,384 of winning $665,000.
Entries must be submitted by regular first class mail only.
Registered, certified and express mail, or delivery by other than the
U.S. Postal Service will not be accepted.
Improved or corrected entries may be submitted at any time up to the
puzzle deadline for a $2 processing fee.
The Contest Center is not responsible for lost, damaged or delayed mail.
Any request for a refund for the current month's puzzle must be mailed by
the puzzle deadline and received before the judging has begun.
No refunds for any prior month's puzzle will be given.
The decision of the judges is final in all matters.
In the event of any error our liability will be limited to the amount
of entry fees paid.
Any disputes arising from this contest must be settled under the laws
of New York State.
All payments must be in U.S. dollars.
Foreign contestants must pay by check or money order in U.S. dollar
amounts payable against U.S. banks.
Credit cards are not accepted.
All taxes are the responsibility of the player.
Winners of $600 or more in any calendar year must furnish
their taxpayer identification numbers.
This contest is void in Italy, Quebec, and wherever prohibited, taxed,
or otherwise regulated.
We reserve the right to make such changes in these rules, or in the puzzles,
as we deem necessary.
Each player allows the use of his or her name and likeness to be used
in promotional materials without further compensation, and must furnish
a suitable current photograph if requested.
We welcome comments, suggestions and questions about our puzzles.
Any question must be accompanied by a long SASE to receive an answer.
Send all questions and requests to The Contest Center, 59˙DeGarmo Hills Road,
Wappingers Falls, NY 12590.
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Got questions? Send us an email or write to us at the street address above.
Be sure to change the $ to an @ in our email address.
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© Copyright 2005 The Contest Center