David Marc Fischer at Blog About Town outdoes himself once again with his second analysis of the 100 drawings and captions thus far in the New Yorker Cartoon Caption Contest.

In his first review of the cartoonists and cartoons in the contest so far, he concluded that “the first hundred cartoons in the Caption Contest, drawn mainly by men, tend to depict male, light-skinned, and apparently heterosexual ‘protagonists’ in work and home situations. However, in the bedroom scenarios, the ‘protagonists’ tend to be female.”

In this update, DMF goes on to, as he writes, “offer what contestants will probably value most: information about what makes a winner.” The results may amaze you! (Amusingly, as he reports, “The most common first name among winners is David [4] with Bob/Robert/Rob also adding up to 4.” Are you writing to the unconscious of the editor and cartoon editor, you clever entrants?) Read on.

Meanwhile, over at the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, there’s an interview with Charles “Sandy” Sommer, a retired Ralston-Purina executive, whose caption “It’s a thongbird” is one of the finalists this week. For instant gratification as you wait for the results, read our in-depth Q. and A. with winner #100, David Kempler, as conscientious and serious a fellow as he is winsomely (and darkly) funny, and generous cartoonist Mick Stevens.