The Spectator literary competition has been going strong for decades. Every week readers are invited to show off, in verse or prose, their wit, verbal dexterity and satirical genius. We have had parodies and palinodes; lipograms, limericks and double dactyls; aphorisms and acrostics. The results are brilliant, original and often hilarious.
Certain names do crop up over and again in the winning line-up (Basil Ransome-Davies is the one everyone remembers). But these are the veterans. They have had decades of practice. Newcomers do triumph from time to time, and we would like there to be more of them. So we have decided that it is time to throw down the gauntlet to CoffeeHousers.
This is your chance to pit your wit and skill against the regulars. As well as the kudos of appearing in such stellar company, there are financial rewards to be had: those entries printed earn their authors £25 and a bonus fiver is awarded to the overall winner.
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