How does The New Yorker Cartoon Caption Contest work. What are some of the most memorable winning captions. How can aspiring contestants improve their chances of winning the popular weekly competition.
The History and Evolution of The New Yorker Cartoon Caption Contest
The New Yorker Cartoon Caption Contest has become a beloved weekly tradition for the magazine’s readers since its inception in 2005. This engaging competition invites participants to showcase their wit and creativity by crafting clever captions for cartoons published in the magazine. Over the years, the contest has evolved and grown in popularity, attracting thousands of entries each week from aspiring humorists around the world.
The contest’s format is deceptively simple: The New Yorker publishes a cartoon without a caption, and readers are invited to submit their own witty one-liners to complement the image. A panel of editors then selects three finalists, and readers vote online to determine the winner. This democratic approach has helped make the contest a cultural phenomenon, with winners earning bragging rights and a coveted spot in the pages of one of the world’s most prestigious magazines.
Key Milestones in the Contest’s History
- 2005: The New Yorker launches the Cartoon Caption Contest as a weekly feature
- 2008: Online voting is introduced, allowing readers to participate in selecting winners
- 2012: The contest celebrates its 300th installment
- 2015: The 10th anniversary of the contest is marked with special events and retrospectives
- 2020: The contest adapts to the pandemic, featuring cartoons that reflect the new normal
Notable Winners and Their Winning Captions
Over the years, The New Yorker Cartoon Caption Contest has produced a treasure trove of memorable entries. From clever wordplay to incisive social commentary, winning captions have demonstrated the diverse range of humor that resonates with readers. Some notable winners include:
- Christine Hurt: A two-time winner, including the caption “Then maybe you should just tell me what you want for your birthday instead of saying you don’t care,” for a cartoon featuring a husband addressing his visibly upset wife surrounded by 11 monkeys.
- Luke Stancil: The 19-year-old son of Christine Hurt, who won with the caption “I told you we should have salted the roads” for a cartoon depicting a giant snail destroying a city.
- Patrick House: His winning caption “I’m sorry, but your password must contain at least one uppercase letter, one lowercase letter, and one number” for a cartoon showing a caveman speaking to God has become one of the most widely shared in the contest’s history.
The Art of Crafting a Winning Caption
Crafting a winning caption for The New Yorker Cartoon Caption Contest is no easy feat. It requires a delicate balance of humor, brevity, and relevance to the cartoon’s visual elements. Successful contestants often employ techniques such as:
- Subverting expectations: Finding a unique angle that surprises readers
- Leveraging current events: Tying the caption to timely topics or cultural phenomena
- Playing with language: Using puns, double entendres, or clever wordplay
- Embracing absurdity: Leaning into the often surreal nature of New Yorker cartoons
How can aspiring contestants improve their chances of success? Studying past winners and analyzing the elements that make their captions stand out is a good starting point. Additionally, practicing regularly by captioning cartoons even when not entering the contest can help hone one’s skills and develop a distinctive voice.
The Impact of the Contest on Popular Culture
The New Yorker Cartoon Caption Contest has transcended its origins as a simple magazine feature to become a cultural touchstone. Its influence can be seen in various aspects of popular culture:
- Social media: Winning captions and notable entries often go viral on platforms like Twitter and Instagram
- Academic study: Researchers have analyzed the contest to gain insights into humor and creativity
- Corporate world: Some companies have adopted similar contests as team-building exercises
- Entertainment: The contest has been referenced in TV shows and movies, further cementing its place in pop culture
Why has the contest resonated so strongly with the public? Perhaps it’s the democratizing effect of allowing anyone to contribute to The New Yorker’s hallowed pages, or the simple joy of wordplay and humor. Whatever the reason, the contest continues to captivate readers and inspire would-be comedians week after week.
The Role of Technology in the Contest’s Evolution
As The New Yorker Cartoon Caption Contest has grown and evolved, technology has played a crucial role in shaping its format and reach. The introduction of online voting in 2008 marked a significant shift, allowing for greater reader participation and engagement. This move not only streamlined the selection process but also helped create a more interactive community around the contest.
In recent years, social media has further amplified the contest’s impact. Winning captions and finalists are now shared widely across platforms like Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram, exposing the contest to a broader audience and sparking discussions about humor and creativity. The New Yorker has embraced this trend, using social media to promote the contest and engage with participants.
Technological Advancements in the Contest
- Online submission system: Streamlining the entry process for contestants
- Digital voting platform: Allowing readers to easily participate in selecting winners
- Social media integration: Expanding the contest’s reach and fostering community engagement
- Data analytics: Helping editors understand trends and preferences in caption submissions
How might technology continue to shape the contest in the future? As artificial intelligence and natural language processing advance, we may see new tools emerge to assist in the selection process or even generate caption suggestions. However, the human element of creativity and wit will likely remain at the heart of the contest’s appeal.
The Educational Value of the Cartoon Caption Contest
Beyond its entertainment value, The New Yorker Cartoon Caption Contest offers significant educational benefits. Many educators have recognized the contest’s potential as a teaching tool, incorporating it into their curricula to help students develop critical thinking, writing, and analytical skills.
In language arts classes, teachers use the contest to explore concepts such as brevity, wordplay, and context. Students are challenged to craft concise, clever captions that capture the essence of the cartoon while demonstrating their understanding of language and humor. This exercise not only hones writing skills but also encourages students to think creatively and consider multiple perspectives.
Educational Applications of the Contest
- Writing exercises: Practicing concise and impactful writing
- Critical analysis: Interpreting visual information and cultural references
- Humor studies: Exploring what makes something funny and why
- Current events: Using cartoons to discuss and understand contemporary issues
How can educators effectively incorporate the contest into their lessons? One approach is to create a classroom version of the contest, where students submit captions for a selected cartoon and vote on their favorites. This not only engages students in the creative process but also fosters a sense of community and healthy competition.
The Psychology Behind Successful Cartoon Captions
The New Yorker Cartoon Caption Contest provides a fascinating window into the psychology of humor and creativity. Researchers have studied the contest to gain insights into what makes certain captions more appealing than others and to understand the cognitive processes involved in crafting witty responses.
One key finding is the importance of incongruity in humor. Successful captions often create a surprising juxtaposition between the visual elements of the cartoon and the written caption. This unexpected connection triggers a cognitive shift in the reader, resulting in amusement and appreciation.
Psychological Factors in Winning Captions
- Cognitive flexibility: The ability to make novel connections between ideas
- Theory of mind: Understanding and subverting readers’ expectations
- Emotional intelligence: Crafting captions that resonate on an emotional level
- Cultural literacy: Leveraging shared knowledge and experiences for humor
How can understanding these psychological principles help aspiring contestants? By consciously considering these factors when crafting captions, participants can potentially increase their chances of creating entries that resonate with both editors and readers.
The Global Reach and Cultural Impact of the Contest
While The New Yorker is an American magazine, the Cartoon Caption Contest has garnered a global following. Participants from around the world submit entries each week, bringing diverse cultural perspectives to the competition. This international flavor has enriched the contest, introducing new forms of humor and commentary that reflect our increasingly interconnected world.
The contest’s global reach has also led to interesting cultural exchanges. Captions that resonate in one country may fall flat in another, highlighting the nuances of humor across different cultures. This aspect of the contest provides a unique lens through which to examine cultural differences and similarities.
International Aspects of the Contest
- Multilingual submissions: Some contests have featured captions in languages other than English
- Cultural references: Winning captions often incorporate globally recognized themes or events
- Translation challenges: The difficulty of maintaining humor when captions are translated
- Cross-cultural humor: Exploring how different cultures interpret and appreciate humor
How has the global nature of the contest influenced its evolution? As The New Yorker continues to expand its international readership, the contest may further adapt to incorporate more diverse perspectives and forms of humor, enriching the experience for participants and readers alike.
The New Yorker Cartoon Caption Contest stands as a testament to the enduring power of wit and creativity. From its humble beginnings to its current status as a cultural institution, the contest has provided a platform for aspiring humorists to showcase their talents and for readers to engage with the magazine in a unique and interactive way. As it continues to evolve, the contest will undoubtedly remain a beloved fixture in the world of humor and popular culture, inspiring laughter and fostering creativity for generations to come.
Past Winners of the Caption Contest
The Neopets Caption Competition
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The Caption Contest – Past Winners
This week’s picture is shown below. We had many funny entries and the lucky winners
were:
By safemoon
No neopets were harmed in the making of this.
By mikurubeam297
Yurble: Grumble Grumble
Hissi: Nom Nom
Moehog: Why are you guys saying that out loud?
By theofloppy4135
That new cookbook has come in handy.:)
By surging
We have invented fireworks but NOT a grill?
By theguy2020
On the next episode of Tyrannia’s Kitchen
By itwentbang
Moehog: What are we even celebrating, it’s May?
Yurble: Meat
By gleenut
The Neopet’s were going to hang out from Tusk ’til dawn.
By austincgibbs
The yearly Tyrannian BBQ had a great turn out this year!
By skullkidmajora
Hissi: Welcome to the MEATing, everyone.
By mr_popo1020
Hissi: Why does every meal we eat have to be even spikier than I am?!
By reply
What do you get when you cross a Tyrannia with fireworks?
Dino-mite.
By pequepanda
Moehog: Ugga ugg ugg!
Hissi: Uggh ugga?
Moehog: Ughhh!!! Ughh ugga.
Yurble: You guys know we can use words right?
By sheepmad4eva
Oh, what a coincidence! Just a totally casual gathering of Team Tyrannia plotting world domination in the Altador Cup.
By light_faerie56
Hissi: The s’more friends around, the merrier!
By azn__kiddo
Moehog: You rock!
Yurble: No, you rock!
Hissi: My body is in fact made of rocks.
By captain_js_rules
¡Verano divertido! ¡Amigos, comida y fuegos artificiales! ¿Qué más podríamos desear?
By __jamie
Moehog: I think I joined the wrong food club.
..
By yellowflower7
Yurble: Why are there cucumbers on the meat?
Hissi: Everyone deserves a spa day!
By wuackty
January 1st, Year 1!
By _itsaj
Meat A La Twig and Pteri Soup under the stars, who says Tyrannian cuisine isn’t gourmet?
By gumgum101230
Watching meat cook? Still more fun than spinning the Wheel of Monotony.
By contrito
Yurble: Uh, guys? Is that firework getting closer?
By the_creator12345
“Fireworks!”
“It sure does!”
By skeletonic
Hissi (with kebab as microphone): Baby you’re a firework!
By niddyz
Ooh, it’s my favorite film trope: meat cube!
Quick Jump
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New Yorker cartoon: Utah teen wins caption contest
Entertainment
BYU professor Christine Hurt is a proud two-time winner of The New Yorker’s cartoon caption contest.
Now, she’s passed that success onto her son.
By
Lottie Elizabeth [email protected]
[month] [day], [year], [hour]:[minute][ampm] [timezone]
Luke Stancil of Orem, Utah, is the most recent winner of the New Yorker cartoon caption contest.
New Yorker screenshot
Christine Hurt is a proud two-time winner of The New Yorker’s cartoon caption contest — so much so that one of her winning captions is framed in her office at Brigham Young University.
“Then maybe you should just tell me what you want for your birthday instead of saying you don’t care,” a husband tells his visibly upset wife as 11 monkeys jump around her.
Winning that contest is also what the law professor chose to talk about when she competed on “Jeopardy!” in 2019 and had a minute to chat — and impress — the late Alex Trebek.
BYU law professor Christine Hurt is a proud two-time winner of The New Yorker’s cartoon caption contest.
Lottie Johnson
Now, The New Yorker contest success continues in Hurt’s family for another generation. Her 19-year-old son, Luke Stancil, is the most recent winner of the contest — which generally receives about 5,000 entries each week, Hurt said.
In the latest New Yorker cartoon, a man with a pair of binoculars looks at a Godzilla-sized snail that has overtaken a busy city street and destroyed just about everything in its path.
Stancil’s winning caption? “I told you we should have salted the roads.”
Stancil — who has entered the contest several times — told the Deseret News he came up with the caption after recently experiencing a winter storm in Houston, where he attends Rice University.
“I remembered this ‘Phineas and Ferb’ episode where they stop the Snail special agent by putting a ring of salt around it, which led me to think how I wish they salted the roads and sidewalks this week in Houston,” Stancil wrote in an email to the Deseret News.
For the past few weeks, Stancil had been sending his caption ideas to his two-time winning mom. He said this was the first time she ever liked the first caption he came up with, and he didn’t hesitate to submit.
Stancil’s winning caption will remain on The New Yorker website for the rest of the week.
Sports Photography Awards 2022 winners announced
The absolute winner of the contest – David Gray’s photo with the shadow of a butterfly on the fingertips of tennis player Naomi Osaka.
Image copyright David Gray
Photo taken in 2021 during the Australian Open. It shows Osaka, a four-time Japanese Grand Slam winner, reaching out to help a lost butterfly that has landed on her.
“This is a breathtaking image,” commented Simon Burton, co-founder of the competition. “Sports photography captures special moments and tells unique stories, and more than that, engages you, reveals the unexpected, and makes you watch and re-watch.”
Established three years ago, this year 7,000 entries from all over the world were submitted in various categories including American Football, Basketball, Cycling, Gymnastics and Football.
We offer you to see the pictures of the winners in all 23 categories.
American Football: “Naval” by Dustin Sutloff
Photo copyright Dustin Satloff
Image description US Academy at Metlife Stadium in New Jersey.
Swimming: “Dressel” by Ian MacNicola
Photo credit: Ian MacNicol
Image caption
US swimmer Caleb Dressel sets the butterfly world record by winning the gold medal at the Tokyo Olympics in July 2021.
Athletics: “Uno Due Tre” by Samuel Barnes
Photo credit, Samuel Barnes/Sportsfile
Image caption,
Italy’s Ambra Sabatini celebrates winning gold and setting the women’s 100m world record with fellow countrymen Martin oh Caironi and Monica Contrafatto, who took second and third place at the Paralympic Games in Tokyo.
Baseball: Home Run Steal by Abbie Parr
image copyrightAbbie Parr
Image caption
Adolis Garcia of the Texas Rangers hits a home run off Mitch Haniger of the Seattle Mariners during the first inning at T-Mobile Park in Seattle, Washington in May 2021.
Basketball: “The Fight”
Photo copyright Kevin Jairaj
Image caption
Dallas Mavericks forward Dorian Finney-Smith intercepts the ball from Milwaukee Bucks forward Chris Middleton during a match at the American Aviation Center arena ny in Dallas, state Texas.
Boxing: untitled by Richard Pelham
Photo credit: RICHARD PELHAM
Image caption
Ebany Bridges of Australia suffered a horrific eye injury while fighting for the vacant WBA bantamweight title in London against British Shannon Courtney. Bridges was defeated by unanimous decision in an April 2021 bout.
Cricket: Untitled by Muhammad Arbaz
Photo by Muhammed Arbaz
Image caption,
Khushdil Shah, a left-handed Pakistani player, takes a shot during a match at the National Stadium in Karachi.
Cycling: “Siena loves the Giro d’Italia” by Ashley and Jered Gruber
Photo credit: Ashley & Jered Gruber
Image caption
Spectators watch the peloton in the 12th stage race in the narrow streets of Siena, Italy Giro d ‘Italia in 2021.
Equestrian: Egerton’s Rider by Mike Egerton
Image copyright Mike Egerton
Image caption
Charles Bishop rides the Goring racehorse at Wolverhampton Racecourse during the Betway Handicap.
Football: “Championship Photobombing” by Eloise Sánchez de Alba
Photo credit: ELOISA SANCHEZ DE ALBA
Image caption for the last 23 years of the club’s history, beating Santos Laguna on aggregate.
Formula One: Verstappen Crash by Clive Rose
Photo credit: Clive Rose
Image caption
Red Bull Racing driver Max Verstappen kicks his tires after crashing during the Azerbaijan Formula 1 Grand Prix on the Baku City highway.
Golf: Untitled by Richard Heathcote
Photo credit: Richard Heathcote
Image caption
Bryson DeChambeau of the United States shoots the ninth hole during Saturday afternoon fourball matches at the 43rd Ryder Cup. The United States regained the Ryder Cup with a record 19 victory over Europe:9 at Whistling Straits in Wisconsin.
Gymnastics: Untitled by Ashley Landis
Photo credit: Ashley Landis
Image caption
16-year-old Chinese Guan Chenchen wins the gold medal in the balance beam final, beating her compatriot Tang Xijing and American Simone Biles at the Olympics 2020 games in Tokyo./cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/22401140/Screen_Shot_2021_03_26_at_5.36.07_PM.png)
Hockey: “This is a batch!” Bruce Bennett
Image copyright Bruce Bennett
Image caption
The Pittsburgh Penguins defend against the New Jersey Devils at the end of the third period of an NHL game at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey. The Penguins beat the Devils 3-1.
Martial Arts: Untitled by John Barry
Photo credit: John Barry
Image caption
Max Holloway (left) punches Calvin Kattar during a UFC Featherweight bout on Yas Island, Abu Dhabi. Holloway defeated Kattar via unanimous decision.
Motorsport: Dakar Rally 2021 by Marian Chitka
Photo by Marian Chytka
Image caption,
Driver Yasi Seydan maneuvers during the 2021 Dakar Rally in Saudi Arabia.
Other: “Chen Lijun” by Isaac Julián Morillas Sánchez
Photo credit: Isaac Julián Morillas Sánchez
Image caption,
Chinese weightlifter Chen Lijun won the gold medal in the 67 kg weight class among men at the Tokyo Olympics .
Racket sports: Donald Miralle Paralympic Games
Image copyright Donald Miralle
Image caption Tokyo, 2020.
R e gbi: untitled by Steve Haag
Photo by Steve Haag
Image caption
South African Franco Mostert intercepts the ball during a lineout in a Reg match bi-union with British team British and Irish Lions at the Cape Town stadium. South Africa prevailed 19-16 to win the third and decisive Test of the series.
Urban and Extreme Sports: Untitled by Morgan Tracy
Image copyright Morgan Treacy
Image caption
Catalin Preda of Romania jumps from the 27m platform at the Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series, Downpatrick Head, Ireland in September 2021.
Venues and spectacle: “Tokyo Olympic Games Opening Ceremony” by Mark Edward Harris
Photo credit: Mark Edward Harris
Image caption in Tokyo.
Untitled water sports by Morgan Treacy
Photo credit: Morgan Treacy
Image caption
Canoeist Lukas Rohan of the Czech Republic during the C-1 slalom at the Sea Forest Waterway event in Tokyo, Japan, winning the Olympic silver medal. Joel Marklund to photo,
Lynn Persson of Sweden performs at the Biathlon World Championships in Pokljuka, Slovenia on February 13, 2021.
Photos courtesy of the World Sports Photography Awards
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Winners of competitions
http://www.
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Project implementation
Evaluation of results
Inclusion in the register of IOPU
Project implementation
Evaluation of results
Inclusion in the register of IOPU
Project implementation
The rules regarding project implementation are specified in the grant agreement. The most important of them are three:
Qualitatively carry out project activities, achieving the planned results
Use the received grant economically and strictly for the purpose of project implementation
Correctly and timely submit reports to the fund
To receive and spend the grant, the winner of the competition uses a separate current account with PJSC Sberbank. Funds are usually transferred in several tranches (for each next stage of the project).
The procedures for concluding an agreement and opening a separate current account are described in the support center articles
Reporting on the results of each stage of the project implementation includes:
- Analytical report – information and materials confirming the implementation of activities and the achievement of results
- Financial report – register of expenses from the grant and supporting financial documents
Preparation and submission of reports are carried out in electronic form through the personal account of the grantee on the official website of the Foundation.
Assistance in preparing reports: Requirements for the use of a grant and Methodological recommendations for analytical reporting, step-by-step instructions on the reports pages in personal accounts.
The grantee has the opportunity to make changes to the project if this allows better implementation of the plan or is caused by objective circumstances.
By agreement with the fund, you can change:
- composition of expenses
- characteristics of events and their format
- project implementation period
Most of the changes do not require the conclusion of additional agreements to the grant agreement and are made through legally significant correspondence through the “Dialogue with the Fund” service, available through the personal account (more on the procedure for making changes).
Evaluation of project results
The Fund strives to ensure that the process of evaluating the results is objective and independent.
The results of each project are evaluated from several angles:
- grantees themselves analyze the results and the social effect obtained, as well as the correctness of the chosen approaches to the project implementation
- Based on the reports received and other information about the project, the fund team evaluates the quality of the implementation of activities, the level of achievement of planned results and information transparency
- experts, representatives of authorities, public chambers, and other interested parties express their opinions on the results of the project on the assessment.
grants.rf portal, where anyone can register
grants.rf portal, where anyone can registerEvery year, the Coordinating Committee hears the Foundation’s report on the evaluation of the results of implemented projects and selects the 100 best projects of the corresponding year.
A full description of the evaluation process is contained in the regulation on the procedure for evaluating the results of projects of winners of competitions for grants from the President of the Russian Federation for the development of civil society.
Inclusion in the register of public service providers
If the activities under the implemented project correspond to priority areas in the provision of public benefit services, approved by Decree of the President of the Russian Federation of August 8, 2016 No. 398, the winner of the competition may be included in a special procedure by the Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation in the register of non-profit organizations performing public benefit services .
For this it is necessary that:
- the project, supported by the Presidential Grants Fund, was implemented with high quality (without violating the essential terms of the grant agreement)
- the winner of the competition did not have an overdue debt on the return of funds received from the Presidential Grants Fund and subject to return in accordance with the terms of the grant agreement
- the winner of the competition had no debts on taxes and fees, other obligatory payments provided for by law
Subject to these conditions, it is enough for the winner of the competition to submit an application to the Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation, attaching to it the conclusion of the Presidential Grants Fund on the proper implementation of the project.
An application to the Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation is drawn up in the form in accordance with Appendix No. 1 to the Rules for Deciding on the Recognition of a Socially Oriented Non-Profit Organization as a Performer of Publicly Beneficial Services, approved by Decree of the Government of the Russian Federation of January 26, 2017 No. 89 (as amended by Decree of the Government of the Russian Federation of September 2020 No. 1419).
In order to receive the conclusion of the Presidential Grants Fund on the proper implementation of the project, you need to apply for it to the fund no earlier than 3 months and no later than 2 years after the completion of the project.
List of issued conclusions on the proper implementation of projects
To get an opinion:
Fill out the form located in the “My projects” section in your personal account
It must indicate:
- names of projects implemented by the organization for the provision of public benefit services
- priority areas of activity in the field of providing publicly useful services from the list approved by the President of the Russian Federation, in which the organization carried out activities within the framework of projects
- socially useful services provided by the organization corresponding to these areas
Before filling out the form, please read the priority areas approved by the Decree of the President of the Russian Federation of August 8, 2016 No.
