It's only fair.

While I was hard at work, working on my tan in Florida, the least I could do was make my pre-vacation ScuttleButton puzzle the easiest in history (a history that began the week of December 1).

And while the puzzle was indeed a cinch, not everyone remembered to include his or her last name, or city and state, which immediately disqualified them from becoming the official winner. Boo hoo!

Since it's been a while, just a refresher here: All you need to do (besides submitting your name and city/state) is to take one word or one concept per button, add 'em up, and arrive at a saying or a name.

Also: The answer does not necessarily have to be political. For instance, a few puzzles back the answer was "Minnesota Twins" — not political at all, unless you're thinking Mondale and Humphrey instead of Killebrew and Oliva.

The pre-vacation buttons, in case you forgot:

If Not Now WHEN? — I assume the Hebrew part of the button is the same words as the English, but I don't know its origin.

Irish for President Nixon — Part of a set of nationalities buttons for Nixon's 1972 re-election campaign.

All Ayes for Lori/National Committee Woman — The elephant on this button seems to indicate this is for a Republican national committeewoman, but I don't know who this is.

Rural Citizens R for Rockefeller — From New York Gov. Nelson Rockefeller's successful 1962 race.

Give the Smilin' Man a Chance — with a caricature of Jimmy Carter from his 1976 campaign.

So, when you add When + Irish + Ayes + R + Smilin', you kind of get ...

When Irish Eyes Are Smilin' — a song that dates back to 1912. And because of all the correct answers that came in (a record ScuttleButton amount!), it's a song I couldn't get out of my head all week.

The winner, selected at random among the correct responders, is (drum roll) ... Gary Crum of Junction City, Ore.

Honorable mention goes to Desmond O'Dwyer of Roscommon, Ireland! Can you blame me?

And yes, I know, most people got it after the first two buttons. That's the dilemma I face. Or, as Janet Pickel of Pittsburgh wrote, "Paraphrasing Goldilocks: this puzzle's toooo easy, last week's was toooo hard! When will you give us a Scuttlebutton that's juuuuust right?"

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Tags: ScuttleButton