Prizes!

[D-Cipher]

My guess is, they are just beginning to notify the winners. It may turn out to be a lengthy process! (Remember, they will post the winners on the website starting March 1, 2007!) (It takes about 30 seconds to fill in one name and plug it on the site, so ...winners are STILL TO COME!)

[agentleman]

Hey, I got a package from DHL yesterday that I didn't bother to look at until this evening. It was notifying me that I won the "First Prize" (not the trip to space, the one where I could choose a computer), and to claim it I'd need to fill out stuff.

Pretty cools.

If I have time later today I'll post some pics.

I hate to bring this up, but I probably should, as some of the winners may, unfortunately be ineligible...

5) ELIGIBILITY: This sweepstakes is open only to individuals 18 years or older (or have reached the age of majority in Country of residence) at time of entry who are legal residents of the following Countries: Australia, Canada (except the Province of Quebec), Germany, United Kingdom, Singapore, New Zealand, Ireland, France, Italy, Spain and the United States and District of Columbia. Void in the Province of Quebec and where prohibited by law. Employees of Microsoft Corporation, its respective affiliates, subsidiaries, prize suppliers, promotion, advertising and promotional agencies, and the immediate family members and persons living in the households of each are not eligible to enter.

[autter211]

That would be horrible

[asdfoi83wyrl]

@agentleman: My dad is eligible.

[agentleman]

That would be horrible

Definitely. While it is listed in the rules, they probably should have included an age/birthday line in the registration. That way those underaged players wouldn't receive winning notifications. It'll be horrible indeed if some people win, only to find that they can't claim their prize.

@agentleman: My dad is eligible.

You'll have to see what the paperwork you receive indicates. If you were the registered person, I don't know if they will allow a parent or guardian to have the prize given to them in your place.

[asdfoi83wyrl]

It's a W-9 tax form and affidavit of eligibility that you have to sign and return to them. There's no reason they wouldn't accept it. Same address, same last name. Those papers require you to use your LEGAL name, but the online registration only requested a "Name." Many people have and use nicknames you know....

[agentleman]

It's a W-9 tax form and affidavit of eligibility that you have to sign and return to them. There's no reason they wouldn't accept it. Same address, same last name. Those papers require you to use your LEGAL name, but the online registration only requested a "Name." Many people have and use nicknames you know....

All I can say is good luck, Jason. I do hope for your sake that they take it, but if they don't, it will unfortunately be because you weren't eligible to play the game in the first place, just as I (at my age) couldn't enter a contest for those under 18.

[asdfoi83wyrl]

Thanks :) We'll have to see how things turn out.

Oh, and btw, here's the letter I got (among other papers):

[brilo211]

looks legit to me and I have seen another winner's letter

[wanderson75]

Well I'm glad to see that the prize packets are starting to file in. Here's to crossing my fingers for a Zune! :p

[Karl Sheldon]

Well done then, Jason, Guess if MS/AMD read this stuff, and I'm sure someone is then you may well have blown it . Shame really buy hey you should know better really. If you get the prize good for you. I guess this could be the reason for the issue with prizes and the phone chat - just in case someone pointed it out or asked a question or two about the winner.

The rules state they were to call the winner Feb 1st - so did they or ??

Of course this could be a wind up - but it looks real enough . Lets see

[asdfoi83wyrl]

Nah, I doubt this would influence anything. The legal forms are all signed by my dad with his name.

The rules said they'd only call the Grand Prize Winner.

[agentleman]

looks legit to me and I have seen another winner's letter

I'm sure it's legit, and I'm glad that the awards are starting to roll out.

It's just a question of whether they'll award anything to someone under 18, or if he can pass his dad off as him and gets a Notary to sign the forms going along with that. Part of me sympathizes, and another part says that he went against the rules and is trying to work around them.

In the end, it's up to Marden-Kane if they want to bend the rules.

[asdfoi83wyrl]

It will certainly be interesting to see how this turns out. Of course, I'd be happy if I got the prize, but I wouldn't be too disappointed if I got a notice from them saying they couldn't give it to me. But why go through all that hassle when they have a legitimately signed affidavit of eligibility and W-9 form?

[dianamb2007]

Thanks :) We'll have to see how things turn out.

Oh, and btw, here's the letter I got (among other papers):

It says a 'potential' winner. What's that about?

I think it would be a total shame if a lot of people from neowin don't win the major prizes. When I first read about this contest on CNN - I couldn't solve a lot of the puzzles on my own, so I did a search and that's how I found this site. I don't deserve to win anything - all of you people here do. I think it's kind of strange that only one person - besides the meta puzzle winner - has heard anything.

Here's to hoping that the brainiacs on this site get what they deserve! :)

[asdfoi83wyrl]

That means they have to receive your legitimately signed affidavit of eligibility and W9 tax forms before they can send you the prize.

[dianamb2007]

BTW - congratulations autter!

[Alamodefender]

Potential winner, as in as long as you return this signed you won.

I'll start a side bet, how many people from here do you think already fired off an email pointing out that he isnt eligible, just so they get the very outside chance that they will win instead? Unfortunate but true.

Kudos to him though for finally letting us know something.

[asdfoi83wyrl]

Well they'd have no way of verifying that this is actually me. After all, this is why they need the affidavit in the first place. They can't use this forum as evidence to determine eligibility.

Edited February 7, 2007 by Jason He

[dianamb2007]

That means they have to receive your legitimately signed affidavit of eligibility and W9 tax forms before they can send you the prize.

I realized that after I posted. Thanks :)

I'll feel awfully guilty if I do end up winning something. I did solve some of the puzzles on my own, but to be totally honest? Most of them I just couldn't figure out for the life of me. I'd read the solutions that you guys came up with and be totally stumped at HOW you solved them.

Like I said - I hope that a lot more Neowinians win the big prizes - you all deserve it! It was fun to play and try to figure out. I was astounded sometimes at how quickly you all came up with the answers and for the life of me? I still can't figure out how the hell you all figured out those puzzles!

Kudos!

[confusio]

Definitely. While it is listed in the rules, they probably should have included an age/birthday line in the registration. That way those underaged players wouldn't receive winning notifications. It'll be horrible indeed if some people win, only to find that they can't claim their prize.

You'll have to see what the paperwork you receive indicates. If you were the registered person, I don't know if they will allow a parent or guardian to have the prize given to them in your place.

I believe it may have to do with some laws that make folks under 18 not elegible, something similar to Canada and

the pure chance games. Also don't forget that these folks are also monitoring this forum so don't screw up by

having a big mouth, just do what you have to do and enjoy the prize. Don't forget that the letter says "potential" ...

My .02

[asdfoi83wyrl]

This is a separate marketing firm. Maybe 42 Entertainment is checking this from time to time, but I doubt the folks at Marden-Kane even care about this game aside from verifying people and giving prizes.

Anyways, like I said, I highly doubt these forums can be used as evidence. They can't verify my identity on here, but they can with the affidavit and W9 forms.

[icfireball]

This is a separate marketing firm. Maybe 42 Entertainment is checking this from time to time, but I doubt the folks at Marden-Kane even care about this game aside from verifying people and giving prizes.

Anyways, like I said, I highly doubt these forums can be used as evidence. They can't verify my identity on here, but they can with the affidavit and W9 forms.

At any rate, there are multiple things in your favor:

1) The registration just asked for name didn't it. This could be popular name, nickname; it didn't imply legal name. For all they know your dad goes by Jason.

2) The 18 years old thing only has to do with tax crap.

3) People at that ad firm are probably too sleep deprived and tired to care even if they were to find out inadvertently.

Does it give a deadline for response?

[asdfoi83wyrl]

Yeah, the deadline is February 16.

[NateB1]

Congratulations, Jason! I wonder how many other Neowinians will win a prize.