Here's what the judges had to say...

So a huge thanks to all the judges, especially those who responded promptly! Had we not been waiting for one judge, who I suppose shall remain unnamed, we could have posted the winner a couple of days ago, but he has now officially missed the deadline and been disqualified. Yes, we are sticklers for the rules with the judges and carvers alike.  Someone has to be when people seem to make a sport out of breaking them!

So here is what the judges had to say this year. Some of these really cracked me up. See if you can guess who the winner was before looking at the next post...

A  The “Apple Macintosh” pumpkin. This was a good, simple carving job and very timely as Steve Jobs recently passed away, however we could not find the funny in it.

Pumpkin A: Clever and a nice photo too. Are you implying that Apple is going to self-destruct

without Steve Jobs? Perhaps you’re confusing Apple with Blackberry, both fruits I

know, so it can be a little confusing.

A: It's simple. I like it, but unfortunately I'm not so much of an Apple fan so it can't be the winner.

 B  The “yellow tooth” pumpkin. Perhaps this is how your teeth look after you eat all the Halloween candy? Poor dental hygiene does not make for funny in our books.

B: Fine looking pumpkin, but unfortunately the photo doesn’t give it the credit it deserves.

Bright light does in my world not suit a pumpkin.

Pumpkin B: SCARY ≠ FUNNY. Go consult a dictionary and better luck next year.

 C  The “crispy critter” pumpkin massively on fire. It looked like self immolation to us (a hand and a lighter) and that is not something to make one laugh.

C:

That one is funny :-) Great way to use the light. A few more details and this one would have been the winner.

Pumpkin C: I like dark humour, so this is funny in a twisted Halloween style way.

D  The “monkey clown”. Somehow a clown should make you laugh. This one looked just a little too serious.

Pumpkin D: More GOOFY than funny in my humorist opinion.

D: Yep a clown is always funny.

E   The “baby and the umbilical” pumpkin. The carving was good but the subject did not speak funny to us. Was the upper outline a belly and boobs? Is yes, that was well done.

Pumpkin E: An interesting and imaginative entry, but if you were to canvas 100 pregnant ladies if they thought pregnancy was ‘funny’, I think 99% would respond ‘no.’ So nice work at being the 1%, now go and Occupy something.

E:

Great idea. Really a good effect with the outline of the pregnant belly and the detail with the birth cord, but sorry where is the funny part? I guess the fun did take place some month before this picture! Hmm I can't stop wondering if someone is trying to tell something so if you are the boyfriend to the artist I may suggest you ask her if she has something to tell ;-)

F:

This one is funny and absolute a winner candidate :-)

I think it  looks like the fire is made of high radioactive used fuel rods from a reactor, but hope the artist used some other material (or at least did protect her / himself with plenty of lead ;-)

 F  Is it a stage with marionettes? The one big body at the back being the puppeteer and the stick figures in front being the puppets? Is it really all pumpkin or toothpicks? It looked like pipe cleaners or some other building material.

F   very creative.  I never knew!  Next year I will use a bigger candle to keep the pumpkin gnomes warmer!

Honourable mention goes to G-- very creative! I like the use of the mirror...just didn't find it funny enough :)

F - outside the box thinking and amazing use of toothpicks

Pumpkin F: Creative, but not quite Funny, unless he was burning...yes, my sense of humour is

twisted.

Pumpkin F. Man with nuclear fire

G   When I first saw this one I thought “that is super clever” rather than funny. Then a male viewer came along and said “it looks like the front pumpkin just passed gas and the rear pumpkin is making a face in reaction to that”. That’s when it moved  into the funny category.

Pumpkin G: Very creative use of a single pumpkin.

G - excellent skirting of the rules!

Pumpkin G: Clever use of a mirror and double sided pumpkin carving.

G: I was screaming cheating, but  the honorable international co-chair could tell that a mirror was used. I really like that people is trying to bend the rules so a lot of credit to this pumpkin.

H   simple idea, made me giggle, perfect expression and met the "funny " theme very well

H  The “burning up” pumpkin. The idea that the pumpkin goofed when lighting the candle inside and ended up on fire was funny, but the carving got across the emotion “sad” not “opps I goofed”.

Pumpkin H: The expression is great.  I actually feel like that poor guy's hair is on fire.

H - expression is awesome

Pumpkin H: Now we’re laughing (again in a dark humour kinda way). Witty? Check. Fire? Check.

Nice work carver.

H: I like the "oh no" expression in the face of this poor pumpkin :-) A winner candidate.

I:   The “I’m a little teapot” pumpkin with the arms out in a hug and the cute smile

Pumpkin I: Its cute funny, but I prefer dark fire burning funny. So light her on fire and we’re

laughing!

I: Yet another winner candidate. The light is used very well and a good detail with the hands. If I should complain, it would be because it might be more sweet than funny.

J: Yeah it's a funny pumpkin, but...

J    The “brain innards” pumpkin. It was not clear there was any actual carving on this one so it did not get considered. It did kind of look like the art made by the man who poses large groups of naked people in various settings and then takes a photograph though. And that is kind of funny.

Pumpkin J: Rule number 3: “You can use any carving tools you want.” And another unofficial

rule “laziness shall not be rewarded”, so next time pick up those carving tools and TRY!

K   The “knock knock” pumpkin that made us chuckle. We viewed it several times hoping for the laugh, but it didn’t break out. Nice touch having it right in front of a door.

Pumpkin K Who’s there? Not bad, a witty entry.

K: This one is the winner of the best use of the surroundings. Wondering why no one else is using the surroundings more actively.

L: How many times did I write winner candidate? Pac-Man is yet another one that fulfils the funny part.

L  The “pac man” pumpkin. Very clever carving. Hard to believe all that matter came from 1 pumpkin.

L   great design and carving skills

Pumpkin L: I have to love the use of recursion.

L - one of the best, but not thematically accurate

L- Nice carving skills, but its doesn’t shout Funny for me.

M  The “8 button” pumpkin did make us laugh but we couldn’t figure out the message so it didn’t get selected. Too bad. We debated for a long while. Is it fingers up the side holding the head or laugh lines on the face? Why 8 button eyes???

Pumpkin M: Once again, MONSTER ≠ FUNNY. Unless you’re a young child, and in this case, well done sweetie pie!

M: Yet another funny looking pumpkin.

N: This one might deserve to be the winner, but unfortunately I can't figure out what it is except from a pumpkin. I have a feeling that I really ought to know what it is, but after turning my computer upside down etc. I still can't see it. I'm sorry.

N   Is it a jagged mouth with a tongue hanging out? Is it a nose above that? Couldn’t figure out the one eye and one set of eye lashes....

Pumpkin N: MONSTER ≠ FUNNY. But perhaps Pixar might be interested in your entry since its looks suspiciously like one of their characters.

O  The “bucktooth” pumpkin. His smile made you laugh and the lighting was well done.

O: Oh no another winner candidate. Funny, nice carving, good use of light. Everything is a winner worthy.

Pumpkin O. Mr. Big Teeth

Pumpkin O: If the theme had been GOOFY, then maybe you might have won. But nice carving work

on the teeth, I’m sure your Dentist is proud of you.

OTHER COMMENTS:

We found the theme perhaps wasn’t as conducive to really good entries this year. We have been way more awed other years.

The disqualified clown with the oreo ears made us laugh a lot and would have been selected if it was legal.

The disqualified pumpkin chomping down on the canned pumpkin made us laugh too and would have been selected if it was legal.