As you know, from time to time we host puzzly contests. Oftentimes, those contests involve not only our in-house personnel (as well as our friends at Penny/Dell Puzzles), but the marvelous PuzzleNation community as well.

This time around, we switched things up a bit and hosted a visual contest rather than a wordy one. The challenge? To create flag designs for either Penny/Dell Puzzles or PuzzleNation, and we thought we’d collect them here for everyone’s enjoyment!

Shall we see what visual delights our fellow puzzlers cooked up for us? Let’s do!

[A twist on the “Don’t tread on me” flag, with a potential second caption of “Don’t Bother Me: I’m Solving Puzzles.” Colors TBD. This flag is suitable for flying outside a tree house or she-shed, as need arises. It could be turned into an icon for use on-line, similar to the “away” icons on IM-type situations.]

The same designer submitted a second creation, and I feel the description captures the idea nicely:

[Three simple illustrations on a white banner. As Ina Garten prefers white dishes for food to stand out, a white background allows simple illustrations to stand out. Proportions of illustrations will be similar to the Canadian maple-leaf flag. From left to right: a penny, an index finger touching a big red button with cartoon-style puffs of air indicating motion of finger pressing down, and a puzzle-book page. This flag is more for flying at public events, company gatherings, and such.

It should go without saying that text for both flags shall be in Helvetica, the finest and most readable typeface in all the land.]

Now, back to the visual goodness:

[Here is a simple design based on the classic clown icon that decorated Penny Press books for many years.]

[This flag celebrates some of the most crucial pieces of the Penny Press company puzzle.]

[This flag combines the traditional Penny Press banner with a crossword grid and a tongue-in-cheek new company slogan.]

[This flag not only highlights some of the flagship Penny Press puzzles, but puts a nice puzzly twist on the vintage skull and crossbones imagery of pirate flags.]

[Here we have two variations on a theme, one in black and white, one in checkerboard red and black. Each features gleeful Vanna White-esque pencils with eraser hard hats.]

[PuzzleNation wasn’t ignored in the contest, though, as we received this fun design placing our logo smack dab in the middle of a crossword, right where we belong.]

[We also received this interesting entry, where some of our most popular puzzle apps are represented in an array of icons similar to the stars on the Australian or New Zealand flag. Those icons offset the simple, warm backdrop of our blog site’s background.]

What do you think of the designs, fellow puzzlers and PuzzleNationers? Do you have a favorite? Or a suggestion for another flag idea?

Let us know in the comments section below! We’d love to hear from you!

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