Contests and Spotlights
Talented? Bored? Feel like sharing your gifts with Neopia? Fortunately, you're in luck! There are a huge variety of spotlights and contests on the site that focus on lots of different areas, and the winners take home a trophy!
That's me in the corner, that's me in the spotlight...
Spotlights
Neopian Spotlights are a series of features that highlight a different user-customisable area of the site each week. Winners get their name in the New Features and a trophy (awarded either to the user or their pet).
User Lookup Spotlight
A spotlight for web and graphic designers everywhere, the User Lookup Spotlight is a chance to show off users' coding and graphic skills. Successful entrants use HTML and CSS, often in collaboration with a graphics program like Photoshop, to make their user lookups come to life! Users submit a short (ideally under 200 words) description of their lookup; the code is submitted automatically. This spotlight is awarded monthly, usually on Tuesdays. Prior to April 15, 2025, this spotlight was awarded weekly.
Submit Your Entry »
Can you enter on a side account? YES!
Gallery Spotlight
Neopians everywhere love to collect all sorts of things in their galleries. Why not show them off in the Gallery Spotlight? A good spotlightable gallery sticks to one central theme (it can be mainstream, it can be quirky) and showcases a wide range of themed goods. For this spotlight, users submit a name and description (around 200 words) for their gallery. It can be as big or as small as you like! This spotlight is awarded weekly, usually on Tuesdays. Submit Your Entry »
Can you enter on a side account? YES!
Customisation Spotlight
This is where stylish pets get to strut their stuff. The winners of the Customisation Spotlight are chosen by both users themselves and TNT.
Can you enter on a side account? YES!
Hi TNT! Can you please give us an insight on how the Customization Spotlight works? Do pet names matter or increase the chances of being picked as a winner? I've noticed that many of the winners have names that are related to their customs and barely any original/creative names make it to the top 3. I always try my best to dress my pets up nicely for the contest but I'm a little bit unsure if I stand any chance of winning because my pets' names don't explain their customs. Please remove my username, thanks! ~Anoynmous
Hello! For the customisation contest, what we mainly look for is creativity! While Pet names don’t increase (or decrease) your chances of winning, we do consider whether or not the user and/or Pet has won in the past few months to keep the contest fair. I hope this helps and happy customising! ~~Adler
From Neopian Times, Issue #997, published December 1, 2023
There are two categories; one for strictly Neopoint wearables only and another for outfits featuring Neocash wearables. Users simply submit their most fashion-conscious pet. This spotlight is awarded weekly, usually on Mondays. Submit Your Entry »
Contests
Neopets also features a wide range of more traditional contests, where users can show off their skills in many different areas.
Art Gallery
While not termed a contest as such, the Art Gallery takes its place with the others by virtue of its selective acceptance of exceptional Neopets-themed artwork. Often submissions will be chosen as part of a theme, for example a pet day or other Neopian holiday. Art can take many forms, whether it be traditional media or computer-crafted creations. Users submit their artwork, along with a title and a subject. This contest is updated usually twice weekly on Tuesdays and Fridays. Submit Your Entry » JN Guide »
Can you enter on a side account? NO!
Poetry Contest
Like the Art Gallery, the Poetry Contest accepts submissions based around Neopian theme days as well as general Neopian verse. There are poems of all sorts in the gallery, from acrostics to haiku to blank verse to even sestinas! Poems can be as long or as short as you like, but the recommended length is 25 to 75 lines. Users submit their poem with a title and subject, and if their poem is chosen, they will receive a trophy. This contest is updated at least once per week, although not on a consistent day. Submit Your Entry » JN Guide »
Can you enter on a side account? NO!
Beauty Contest
Like the Art Gallery, the Beauty Contest accepts stunning artwork of Neopets everywhere. Unlike the Art Gallery, the winners are chosen by you, not by TNT. You may have noticed the Beauty Contest board for this purpose - so entrants can advertise their pets in the hope of attracting votes. Users submit their artwork, along with a short blurb (8 lines) about their Neopet. This contest is updated weekly on Fridays just past noon NST. Submit Your Entry » JN Guide »
Can you enter on a side account? YES!
Storytelling
For those with a yearning for lore, the Storytelling contest is for you. Here, a story beginning is posted (either by TNT or a user) and other users complete the story, one part at a time. No funny business permitted here, though - the whole story must still make sense! New parts are posted daily except for weekends and holidays, with each story usually lasting two weeks. New stories almost always start on a Monday and end on the Friday of the following week. Submit Your Entry » JN Guide »
Can you enter on a side account? NO!
Neopian Times
The Neopian Times is Neopets' weekly newspaper, contributed to by users and edited by TNT. Published (usually) every other Friday, users are treated to a feast of user-written articles, comics, short stories and series, as well as an Editorial written by TNT about the site. Users submit their content in either written or pictorial form. Submit Your Entry » JN Guide »
Can you enter on a side account? NO!
Caption Contest
Feel your sharp-as-a-thumbtack wit is lost on your fellow players? Why not try out the Caption Contest? Users submit their captions, then finalist captions are selected by TNT, and winners are voted on by the Neopian public. This contest currently runs monthly, with the image posted toward the start of the month and voting occurring in the last few days. Submit Your Entry » JN Guide »
Can you enter on a side account? NO!
Mystery Pic
Got an eye for detail? The Mystery Pic needs you! Every Thursday, part of an image from somewhere in Neopia is posted. The hard part? It's a blown-up bunch of pixels - literally! Mystery Pics are fiendishly difficult and only a few manage to figure out the answer each week. Users submit their answer in the format specified. Submit Your Entry » JN Guide »
Can you enter on a side account? NO!
Gourmet Club and Book Awards
These two contests (well, three, really) are identical in aims and structure, but very different in items! The aim is to eat or read as many Gourmet Foods or books as possible to your pet. A third subcontest involves Booktastic Books only. If your pet can eat or read with the best of them, they'll reach the high score lists! Users don't need to submit anything, their pet does all the work. JN Guide (Gourmet Club) » JN Guide (Book Awards) »
Can you enter on a side account? YES!
PPL
The Petpet Protection League like to honour petpets that have remained attached to their pets for long periods of time, through thick and thin. Every week, a different petpet is honoured through the PPL; the longest-attached petpets win! No petpet species-colour combo can be selected more than once (though if a pet is repainted, it can win multiple times) and zapped petpets are ineligible for the honour. Users don't need to submit anything.
Can you enter on a side account? YES!
Defunct Spotlights and Contests
In addition to the active spotlights listed above, TNT have discontinued several older spotlights. Many were for games that simply weren't being played as often and had very low submission numbers. Here are the spotlights no longer being actively judged:
- Pet Spotlight: final round was 1,235 on February 19, 2019.
- Petpet Spotlight: final round was 742 on February 22, 2019.
- Neohomes Spotlight: final round was 576 on June 5, 2015.
- Site Spotlight: final round was 914 on February 19, 2015.
- Adventure Generator Spotlight: final round was 288 on June 6, 2009.
- Escape from Meridell Castle Spotlight: final round was 251 on June 17, 2009.
- Faerie Caves Spotlight: final round was 228 on June 13, 2009.
- Hannah and the Kreludor Caves Spotlight: final round was 217 on March 5, 2015.
- Hannah and the Pirate Caves Spotlight: final round was 348 on September 9, 2010.
- Tyrannian Mini Golf Spotlight: final round was 241 on June 16, 2009.
- Lenny Conundrum: final round was 502 on July 25, 2013.
- Random Contest: final round was 300, ending on January 8, 2021.
- Better Than You: final round was 962 started January 14, 2021.
Spotlights and contests come and go, but Neopian creativity lives on!
This page was written by Torratz and last updated on June 24, 2025.
