Style Invitational Week 991: Tour de Fours IX: V-O-T-E now; and those messed-with heads

Vel-veto: A smooth, easy-to-swallow but ultimately cheesy rejection: “He gave her the old ‘it’s not you, it’s me’ vel-veto.”

Love-toad: The once and future prince.

Given that the results to this contest will be published the weekend before Election Day, we figured that the letter block for our ninth annual Tour de Fours neologism contest ought to be pertinent (but shouldn’t be a-r-g-h). This week: Create a new word or two-word term containing the letter block V, O, T and E and define it, as in the examples above; those four letters may be in any order, but there may be no other letters between them. Hyphenate and capitalize (or not) as you wish. Using the word in a funny sentence is fine; using the word in a blah sentence is unfine.

Winner gets the Inkin’ Memorial, the bobblehead that is the official Style Invitational trophy. Second place receives a vintage but unused U.S. military surplus “Supporter, Athletic” from 1946. Donated by Loser Andrea Kelly, who dates from well after that. It’s the Style Invitational, where we give you an old jock for your new joke.

Other runners-up win their choice of a yearned-for Loser Mug or the ardently desired Grossery Bag. Honorable mentions get a lusted-after Loser magnet. First Offenders receive a smelly, tree-shaped air “freshener” (FirStink for their first ink). E-mail entries to losers@washpost.com or fax to 202-334-4312. Deadline is Monday, Oct. 15; results published Nov. 4 (online Nov. 1). No more than 25 entries per entrant per week. Include “Week 991” in your e-mail subject line or it might be ignored as spam. Include your real name, postal address and phone number with your entry. See contest rules and guidelines at wapo.st/inviterules. The subhead for this week’s honorable mentions is by Beverley Sharp; the alternative headline in the “next week’s results” line is by Chris Doyle. Join the lively Style Invitational Devotees group on Facebook at on.fb.me/invdev.

Report from Week 987

our perennial contest in which we asked contestants to take any headline from a week’s worth of The Washington Post and washingtonpost.com and follow it with a made-up “bank head,” or secondary headline, that either misinterpreted the original or commented humorously on it:

The winner of the Inkin’ Memorial

(Actual Post headline) Romney: ‘The sky seems to be crying’
(Fake bank head) ‘It’s called rain, sir,’ explains butler who had accidentally lowered boss’s umbrella (Melissa Balmain, Rochester, N.Y.)

2. Winner of the Japanese teeny toy potty with rubbery yellow mini-poo: Nats throw away chance at the end, fall to Atlanta
New version of ‘Gone With the Wind’ is big hit in Ga. (Steve Honley, Washington)

3. With Senate at stake, GOP awaits Akin’s next move
Many hope it’s to Paraguay (Howard Walderman, Columbia, Md.)

4. Rookie Morris gives ground game just what it needs
New Redskins chef makes perfectly seasoned squirrelburgers (Larry Carnahan, Arlington, Va.)

The outer banks: honorable mentions

Thousands protest new austerity cuts
‘Keep government’s hands off our austerity!’ protesters chant (Gary Crockett, Chevy Chase, Md.)