Contest news

Press, 12 August 1980, Page 14

Contest news

.- The number of entries in our Conservation Week word-making competition was surprisingly good; but alas, when the judges came to check them, while the presentation was generally good, too many girls and boys let their 'enthusiasm to find words run riot'.

' It seemed incredible that the nine letters of the alphabet that spell “conservation” could yield 660 or more words of four, or more letters, but that is what some -'entrants claimed. Checks reduced •the number in some cases by as many as 200 words, or claimed words. Too; many just went through a dictionary and wrote down anything that looked like a word, using prefixes, letters that make /up a word only when used in combination with others, slang, plurals, ' proper names and even imaginary-words. x All of these prolonged the judges’ task, but they did find some good efforts deserving recognition.

Trudi Minchington, aged eight, of Murchison, with 389 correct words and with few of those she submitted disallowed, was clearly the best of the entrants under the age of 10. Cindy-Jane Gebbie, of Stony Gully, 3 R.D., Christchurch, who is 10, entered 492 correct words, and this was the greatest number for any age group.

Not far behind her was Martin Smith, of Sevenoaks Drive, Christchurch. Martin is 15 and his entry was particularly well set out, which . helped the judges. J. They also found that Nicola Whitta, aged 12, of Bower Avenue, had very few incorrect words. Book vouchers will be sent to those entrants named above. Next week there will be recognition of some others, particularly those who followed the rules closely and presented their entries neatly. However, it is hoped that everyone who entered in the hunt for words found some that will be useful, and that all enjoyed the search.