September/October 2025 Limerick Laughs Winner and Runners-up

They weren’t scared by the witches with hats,
Nor by goblins or guano from bats,
Nor by monsters or ghouls,
Nor by crazies with tools.
They were scared by a couple of cats!

Congratulations to Ryan Tilley of Longwood, Florida, who won $25 for this limerick based on Halloween Scare, Frederic Stanley’s Post cover from November 2, 1935.

If you’d like to enter the Limerick Laughs Contest for our upcoming issue, submit your limerick via our online entry form.

Here are some of our other favorite limericks from this contest, in no particular order:

In the old days a pumpkin carved well,
Would make normal folk say, “That’s swell!”
But today’s youth need more —
Photographs by the score
And TikTok merchandise you can sell.
—Bob Turvey, Stoke Bishop, United Kingdom

Monster tales told by Martin and Ed
Had each bro scared right out of his head.
They had no way to mask
Their embarrassing ask:
“Mom and Dad, can we sleep in your bed?”
—Edward Perley, Downingtown, Pennsylvania

All Hallows is noted for scaring,
But how were these two young lads faring?
They went out to scare others,
But in those ghostly covers,
Their hair raised the sheets they were wearing!
—J.E. Johnston, Poland, Ohio

Croaked big brother, quite tremulously,
“There is nothing to fear, you will see.
I won’t leave you alone,
So there’s no need to moan.”
Said the smaller boy, “That wasn’t me.”
—Sjaan VandenBroeder, Stockton, California

We meant no offense when we said
That you frightened us out of our bed.
We know you can’t see,
But the cats do agree,
Mr. Crane, we found you a head.
—Laurel Cordier, Camano Island, Washington

In our pumpkin no candle is glowing,
And there’s no electricity flowing,
So we can’t understand
What invisible hand
Has ignited this beam that it’s throwing.
—Mark L. Levinson, Herzliya, Israel

“What was that? I’m sure I heard somethin’.”
“Are you scared? You’re jumpin’ at nothin’!”
Then a growl in the night
From a beast out of sight:
“Okay boys, where’d you pick up the pumpkin?”
—Skip Russell, Venice, Florida

Jack o’ lantern, lit up, led the way
To our porch, but then suddenly — hey!
There’s two cats on the prowl!
And that hoot? It’s an owl!
Dare we still venture forth, or just pray?
—Jean McEwen, Minneapolis, Minnesota

Halloween is so great, they are told,
But they’re scared as they stand in the cold.
Scary noises so near
Make them tremble in fear.
But there’s candy, so now they are sold!
—Justin O’Connor, Leeds, Massachusetts