The First Gumshoe Contest

OK folks, I’ve got a new opportunity for you to be your own Gumshoe … and win a cash prize!

There are two occasions this summer when I’ll be unable to post for at least four or five days, and during both of those times I’m going to run a contest over at the Gumshoe Forum.

Or at least, I’m going to run the contest this first time … and if it works well, I’ll do it again at the end of July. This is your two day warning to start thinking up a solution.

Here’s the deal:

I don’t want all the interesting teaser ads to be ignored while I’m traveling, so I’m going to provide an opportunity for you to share your sleuthing ability with your fellow Gumshoe readers … with a cash prize to provide a small incentive.

For this first contest, submit your own sleuthed stock to the forum (or other investment, if it doesn’t happen to be a stock), with a full writeup that explains why you think it’s the right pick and what you think about the company (more or less as the Gumshoe would do, though of course you can have whatever personal style you want).

The best one that is submitted will win its author $50 in cash.

That’s it — no second prize, other than the plaudits of your fellow sleuths. And I personally will decide which one is the best sleuthed solution and writeup.

So, the specific details:

You must be solving a stock teaser that has been used in advertising in the fairly recent past, either a web or email ad. It can be from any advisor or newsletter.

It cannot be one that was already sleuthed out either on this site, or on the forum by another reader.

The sleuthed solution you post to the forum must be submitted to the Sleuth Challenges and Solutions category of the forum between midnight Friday night, June 30 and 8 am Thursday morning, July 5, and we’re talking US EST. I’ll consider everything posted during that time to be a contest entry.

The solution must be correct.

The winner will be both correct and, I hope, both well analyzed and amusing. It doesn’t have to be a good investment, but your comments do have to be interesting or useful.

For those who don’t want to enter the contest, feel free to participate by commenting on the submissions — which ones you like, don’t like, or think are right or wrong, etc. Be nice, as always, personal attacks will still get you banned from the forum.

I’ll post the winner sometime during the day on July 5th, including the full submission on stockgumshoe.com, and I’ll send the winner $50 that same day.

If you don’t want or need the cash, I’d be happy to donate it to the charity of your choice. If you’re unable to use Paypal, I’ll figure out some other way to get it to you.

That’s it. Good luck to anyone who’s interested in participating, I’m looking forward to seeing what y’all can come up with.

And I’m sure I’ll get a few more solutions posted in the next couple days here, so I hope I don’t steal your thunder if you have a great one to submit already.

The author will always disclose any direct long or short equity, debt or option position in any stocks written about as of the day of publication, and will not trade in any stocks mentioned for three days (72 hours) after publication. Full disclaimer is at the bottom of the page.

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