In The New Yorker Cartoon Caption Contest #995 from the issue of June 22, 2026, a tortoise whose shell is decked out as a soccer ball also bears a satellite dish. He talks excitedly with another tortoise wearing no special sporting garb. My submission is shown below. The drawing is by Felipe Galindo (Feggo).
"The World Cup has taught me that I'm still just a Knicks fan."
These captions were at risk for a yellow card:
"I've got incredible reception! Now I'm all set for the match with the hares." "Guess what sport I'll be watching."
July 4, 2026 Update: The Finalists
July 19, 2026 Update:I voted for the caption from LA.
In the CartoonStock Caption Contest number 206, a man with an apple obscuring his face right out of a René Magritte painting is being wed in church to a woman with a fruit basket on her head à laCarmen Miranda. The cartoonist is Felipe Galindo, but his proper married name is Feggo.
Dearly beloved, this time around the rules of the monthly cash prize contest have changed: Five dollars will still buy up to three entries but now three additional dollars can optionally buy a fourth entry, and so forth ad infinitum. Real cash prizes are fifty percent of the total prize pool (previously $500) for first place and ten percent of the prize pool (previously $100) for each of five runners up. As of this writing, I've put $255 into the first fifty-one pay-to-play contests and this fifty-second challenge brings my total cash outlay up to $260. Having achieved runner-up status with three previous entries, I've collected $300 from CartoonStock, so I'm still playing with the house's money, thank you very much. The contest, though, is no longer subsidized by cash from the vast coffers of CartoonStock, making the contest's odds less favorable, I would think. To be sure, the odds may still be generally considered favorable if enough people feel inclined to pay $3 for additional entries, especially ill-considered ones, or if an entrant is generally superior at this captioning game than the average contestant.
Here's how the prize pool accumulated over time:
The prize pool as of May 11, 2026
The Prize Pool as of May 24, 2026
The Prize Pool as of May 25, 2026 before I purchased my entries
To my surprise, the full $5 entry fee was credited to the prize pool, not a percentage with fees removed. Therefore, I have no idea where the odd pennies in the pool are coming from. I would think the pool would be a sum of $5 and $3 entry fees, with no pennies.
The Prize Pool as of May 25, 2026 after I purchased my entries
If the prize pool comes to exceed $1,000, the potential take would then be greater than in previous contests.
My three entries this round are unveiled below:
"They found true love at a farmers' market." "May you kiss the bride?" "And do you promise to avoid food fights?"
June 7, 2026 Update: The Winner
Magritte's painting Le fils de l'homme (1964) is known as The Son of Man in the English-speaking world.
The Judges Deliberate
Of the judges, only the cartoonist Feggo had the good sense to choose one of my captions for his top ten. He listed it at no. 9. I'll take it. Lawrence Wood still wouldn't deign to mention it in his commentary:
As noted by Victor in the comments below, the final prize pool came to $933.22, not too far down from the old $1,000 prize before CartoonStock complicated everything with its cost-cutting. At the beginning of the video, Trevor Hoey confirms that the odd 22 cents came about as a result of foreign exchange rates.
In The New Yorker Cartoon Caption Contest #981 from the issue of March 9, 2026, two cats observe a third cat stepping out with a flamboyant mustache. The cat on the left speaks. My submission is below. The drawing is by Felipe Galindo, but his hipster name is Feggo.
"Well—hellooo, Dali."
March 21, 2026 Update: The Finalists
March 24, 2026 Update: I voted for the caption from Zurich.
The New Yorker Cartoon Caption Contest #941 appeared in the issue of April 21, 2025. A piano is drinking too much wine at a bar. The bartender speaks to two men in business attire. My entry appears below. The drawing is by Feggo, a.k.a. Felipe Galindo.
"Before I serve him again, I want to hear some scales."
These captions weren't in tune:
"At least he isn't playing." "His orchestra left him." "He doesn't need to stay sober. He's a player piano." "He's hammered."
May 3, 2025 Update: The Finalists
May 9, 2025 Update: I voted for the caption from Danvers.
A man's cardiogram sure resembles a big city skyline in The New Yorker Cartoon Caption Contest #899 from the issue of June 3, 2024. The doctor has something to say about it. My caption is shown below. The drawing is by Feggo. You know, Felipe Galindo.
"We've started congestive failure pricing."
June 15, 2024 Update: The Finalists
June 23, 2023 Update: I voted for the caption from Manassas.
There's a line at the Pearly Gates and a skier who bypasses it in The New Yorker Cartoon Caption Contest #879 from the issue of December 18, 2023. My sporting caption is shown below. The drawing is by Feggo, whom I like to call Felipe Galindo.
"I wanted the express entrance to have curling."
These captions didn't stick the landing:
"With a lift ticket you get express check-in." "We also combine a lift ticket with TSA PreCheck." "The ski jump is for atheists." "It's the latest way to jump the line." "Another gatecrasher." "Guess what else a lift ticket buys." "We never said the system was fair."
January 13, 2024 Update: The Finalists
January 15, 2024 Update: I voted for the caption from Alexandria.
The New Yorker Cartoon Caption Contest #849 from the issue of May 15, 2023 takes us to a tailor who is waiting on an unusual customer. My caption is shown below. The well-groomed drawing is by Felipe Galindo, that is, Feggo.
"Why do I still feel like a horse's ass?"
This caption wasn't a good fit:
"How do I look in tails?"
May 27, 2023 Update: The Finalists
June 4, 2023 Update: I voted for the caption from New York City. I hope it's from the Garment District.
It looks like The New Yorker Cartoon Caption Contest #839 from the issue of February 27, 2022, in the side pocket. My caption is shown below. The drawing is by Felipe Galindo, known throughout the universe as Feggo.
"Who took away Pluto?"
March 12, 2023 Update: The Finalists
March 13, 2023 Update: How could I not vote for the Pluto caption?
The World Cup finally meets The New Yorker Cartoon Caption Contest #830 from the issue of December 5, 2022. My caption is shown below. The drawing is by Felipe Galindo.
"I see our time is up."
These captions were offside:
"I can't bear the sound of 'GOOAALL!'" "It's ironic, but I'm feeling emotionally blocked." "I still can't bring myself to call this football." "Why WOULDN't I be defensive?"
December 12, 2022 Update: The Finalists
January 1, 2023 Update: For once, I voted for the caption from New York City.
A child plays at Napoleon in The New Yorker Cartoon Caption Contest #813 from the issue of August 8, 2022. My caption is shown below. The drawing is by Felipe Galindo who also answers to Feggo.
"See? We got everything we needed without invading the breadbasket of Europe."
These captions had to beat a hasty retreat:
"That's enough invading for now." "Let's go or we'll miss 1812." "Thanks for helping Mommy plunder Europe." "Thanks for helping Mommy plunder Trader Joe's."
August 15, 2022 Update: The Finalists
August 22, 2022 Update: I voted for the caption from Burlington.
This week, I made a down payment on an entry for The New Yorker Cartoon Caption Contest #803 from the issue of May 23, 2022. My fast-talking caption is shown below. The drawing is by Feggo.
"A ride like this comes along once in a lifetime."
These captions were too immature:
"This will bring out your inner child." "It's perfect for a new driver." "She'll be good as new once you hose her down." "This is a once-in-a-lifetime deal." "An opportunity like this comes along only once in a lifetime." "This is our leader in fuel economy." "You can just say good-bye to that monthly garage fee."
May 30, 2022 Update: The Finalists
June 11, 2022 Update: I voted for the caption from Baltimore.
One of the many exciting things about attending MoCCA Fest is finding new books by favorite artists and having them sign and personalize them. The case in point here is Felipe Galindo'sUsed/Reused: Artwork on Disposable Materials (2021). Feggo's table had a number of signed copies each with small drawings of a steaming coffee cup, to one of which he added my name. In retrospect, this book, with its timely environmental theme, would have made an excellent post for Earth Day, if I had had my act together on the 22nd.
