Hello everyone and welcome to this month’s Happy Puzzle competition!
For those of you who are new to this, for 14 weeks over lockdown we had an absolute blast creating weekly puzzles which were being received by well over 50,000 people each week. We had thousands of entries and each week a winner was drawn at random from the correct entries. As the weeks passed by, the puzzles were getting more and more ambitious and in the end, Gavin had to concede that he did not have the time to produce a new one every week. So we decided to make it a monthly thing, with the puzzle coming out at 7pm on the first Tuesday of each month.
Here is the 80th PUZZLE and there is a £25 Happy Puzzle voucher up for grabs.
Here we go then!
Santa's Christmas Eve Adventure!
Hello, my name is Santa Clause, but you can call me Mr Clause, or Mr C for short.
Every year on Christmas Eve, i spend the night flying around the world on my sleigh, delivering presents to all the children across the lands. And how do I get around you may ask, well that’s simple... my reindeer fly me on my sleigh. I don’t always have enough room in my sleigh for all the presents, so I do have to go home and restock throughout the night. My reindeer are very fast at getting me places, that’s how I managed to deliver all those gifts to the lovely boys and girls who deserve them.
As we are getting nearer to my big day, I thought I would share with you a little taste of what my life was like on Christmas Eve last year.
It was the 24th December 2024, and after leaving the North Pole, I started off by delivering a toy to a child who lives in the 7th Largest capital cities of the European Union.
Next I was off to deliver a copy of The Genius Square to a little girl. I almost didn't make is as I narrowly avoided hitting my head when flying under the Brandenburg Gate.
I really love my job. Off I go to visit some well behaved boys and girls somewhere else. My sleigh Sat Nav says head to location... conveys.sensible.unites
All this work is making me thirsty. I know I probably shouldn't, but ill have a quick drink from the Danube river before my next house.
I need to head back to Lapland to restock.
I'm off to deliver some toys to a couple of well behaved children. They are lucky I have any presents left to give. The wind nearly blew everything off my sleigh. I guess that's why this call this the windy city.
The next set of lucky children are big sports fans. That's why I have bought them some memorabilia. I know they love the Barons & Legion FC. Who doesn't love their local teams.
My next gift is for a lovely girl who has been so well behaved all year. I know she wants a princess dress up set because her mother told me she lives in 'Queen City'. I guess she is taking the name literally.
Back on my sleigh to deliver a few more presents to staff who work at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue. I am sure I have seen this building before.
My last stop before I have a quick break is to deliver some books to a few children who are fast asleep. It's interesting they have asked for books, because I have just seen a sign which said the first library in the entire country was built here.
I need to head back to Lapland to restock.
Back on the road.. I mean sleigh again. All the delivering presents in making me hungry. I heard that the next lot of children live in the same place the Mars bar was first manufactured here in 1932. I wish I had a few of those right now.
On top my next location. A couple of Waxidoodles sets for the boys and girls here. Blimey, if anyone every wanted to buy me something, the size of those jewels on the crowns I can see across the road wouldn't go a miss. Someone should shut the blinds. I can see right into the that tower.
Next stop, a Jigraphy Football jigsaw to a mad football fan. His room has the word Hatters written everywhere.
The night is getting on, but there are still a few more gifts to drop off before I go home again. This one is near one of the UK oldest universities. In heard most of the recent UK Prime minsters went there like Kier Starmer and Boris Johnson, I'm not sure those two will be getting much this year.
The next child specifically requested a copy of Write Your Own Story Book. They must be an inspired writer. It doesn't surprise me given they live just down the road from the birthplace of Charles Dickens.
Finally, a fort building set to a couple of twins. Well, I know know why. There is a sign in the town saying a famous battle took place here in 1066. I see why we need to build forts.
I need to head back to Lapland to restock.
Luckily this night is nearly over and I can relax for another 364 days. I'm sure these children will like playing Word Snap XL with their family. They said I should also visit another Giza round the corner, but I cant see anyone. Just some pointy things.
My next stop is to deliver some copies of The Genius Square to a couple of children a few thousand KM away. Interestingly, the inventor of The Genius Square lives in this country, which also happens to be the largest country in the continent.
I'm struggling to find my next location and I don't want the boys and girls to miss out. My navigation system says the city is called Eko, but I cant find it on any modern map. I guess my system hasn't been updated in a few thousand years.
I have been at this for hours. Only a few thousand more homes to visit. I could do with a pick me up. I remember that my next location is actually the birth place of coffee. I better get myself a few of those to keep me going.
Just about to land at my next stop off point. Interestingly, did you know that this place is the only county in the world to have five vowels in its name.
Blimey, i thought this leg of the trip was going to be a breeze, but I almost got knocked off my sleigh and the next stop by all those blooming planes landing at Hosea Kutako.
I need to head back to Lapland to restock.
This is it now, the last push and then back home for my well deserved mince pies. These children are after a new coat and gloves. Now I understand why. This has to be the coldest capital city in the world. Lucky I have my big red robe to keep me warm.
Only a few stops left. As I squeeze my way down the chimney, I'm delighted to see that they have put on a fireworks display to honour my arrival. Actually on second thoughts, I think its actually just a space rocket launching from the nearby space pad.
A young girl wrote to me a while back and told me that all she wants is a lovely warm jumper made of goats wool. Lucky for me, this was easy to find as she actually lives in a region that is famous for these types of jumpers.
Next up, I know the game Pass The Pandas will be popular here. We are in the main hub for Giant Panda's after all.
My navigation is playing up again. This is my penultimate stop, and although I know I need to be in Saigon, all of these signs are giving me a different name. I don't have time to waste. Ill just leave the presents in a neat pile and I'm sure someone will find good use for them.
My last stop of the night. Some Spice Girls records to deliver. It's all about girl power here. I even hear that this the first country in the entire world to have a female Prime Minster.
Now the night is over and all the boys and girls have their presents, I know everyone is going to wake up happy and I can go home and relax after what has been a very, very busy night. Ho Ho Ho!
Now back to November’s competition!
We had so many correct answers. For those of you who guessed correctly, which was most of you, the answer I was looking for was Yellow and Blue which appeared the most.
The winner of this competition and the £25 voucher is Maureen Smith.
That’s it! Enjoy the competition.
Joshua Miller
General Manager
Happy Puzzle