Official Rules

1. NO PURCHASE NECESSARY TO ENTER OR WIN. Total of two $500 grand prizes will be awarded to one male grand prize-winner and one female grand prize winner. The top male semi-finalist and the top female semi-finalist will each receive $100. ELIGIBILITY: The Promotion is only open to legal residents of Maine, Rhode Island, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, and Connecticut who are at least 21 years of age. The Promotion is only open to members of the Boston.com Personals community who have posted photos with their profiles by 12 noon Eastern Time ("ET") Wednesday, February 11, 2004. Photos and profiles are the property of Boston.com and may be used online or in print. Employees, officers and directors of The Boston Globe, New York Times Digital, their respective parent companies, affiliates, subsidiaries, and advertising and promotion agencies, and their immediate families and members of their households are NOT eligible. By participating, you agree to these Official Rules and to the decisions of the judges from Boston.com - which are final and binding in all respects.

2. HOW TO ENTER: The Boston.com Personals Best Catch Sweepstakes is available to users of the site by simply entering The Boston.com Personals Section and following the Sweepstakes instructions. LIMIT: One entry per person or e-mail address. To enter the Sweepstakes online, log on to the Internet through an Internet access provider and enter the web address www.boston.com/bestcatch. Entries will be deemed made by the authorized account holder of the e-mail address submitted at time of entry. Authorized account holder is deemed as the natural person who is assigned to an e-mail address by an Internet access provider, online service provider or other organization that is responsible for assigning e-mail addresses or the domain associated with the submitted e-mail address. The winner may be required to provide Boston.com with proof that he or she is the authorized account holder of the e-mail address associated with the potentially winning entry. Entrants will be required to confirm in writing that they have consented to the display of their photograph and profile on Boston.com and in the newspapers and in promotions for Boston.com.

3. PROMOTION DRAWING AND NOTIFICATION OF WINNERS: The Boston.com Personals Best Catch Sweepstakes (the "Promotion") begins on Tuesday, January 13, 2003 at 12:00:01 a.m. Eastern Time ("ET") and ends on Friday, February 20 at Noon Eastern Time ("ET"). Boston.com will post selected photos and profile answers in weekly photo galleries. Boston.com users will vote online to nominate the male/female semi-finalists from each photo gallery. Each Boston.com user gets one vote in each of the semi-final rounds, and one vote in the final round. For security purposes, all users must supply a valid e-mail address in order to cast a vote. Boston.com reserves the right to disqualify any and all votes that are determined to have been submitted in an automated fashion. If the final voting results are disputed, Boston.com reserves the final right to declare a winner. The top semi-finalists will be included in the Best Catch finals photo gallery which will go live on Wednesday, February 18, 2004. Boston.com users will vote for who they think is The Best Catch. Voting will close at Noon Eastern Time ("ET") on Friday, February 20, 2004. As determined by the final voting results, the female who received the largest number of votes and the male who received the largest number of votes will be designated as the Grand Prize winners and will each receive $500. Winners will be announced first at a party at The Rack on February 20, 2004. Winners need not be present to win. Winners will be announced online on February 23, 2004. If the final voting results are disputed, Boston.com reserves the final right to declare a winner. The decision of the judges shall be final. No correspondence can be answered. Winners will be sent their prize-winning notification via electronic mail (e-mail). Winners shall have seven (7) days from receipt of notification to claim his/her prize by completing, signing, and returning an Affidavit of Eligibility, and a Publicity Release for the winner, or an alternate winner will be selected. Similarly, an alternate winner will be selected in the event of Noncompliance with these official rules or, if a selected potential winner cannot be contacted, provides incorrect e-mail or mailing address, is ineligible, fails to claim a prize, or fails to return the completed and executed Affidavits and Releases, as required, or if the Prize Notification or prize is returned as undeliverable.

4. PRIZES: TWO (2) Grand Prizes will be awarded by the conclusion of the promotion from all eligible entries. Grand Prize: $500. The top female semi-finalist and the top male semi-finalist will each receive $100.

5. Odds of winning a prize depend on the total number of eligible entries received. No prize substitution is permitted, except by Boston.com, which reserves the right to substitute a prize of equivalent value. Prizes are non-transferable. The winner will be required to execute a declaration of eligibility and a publicity release consenting that the Sponsors and anyone they may authorize may, without compensation, use their names, photographs, or other likenesses, biographical information and statements concerning the Sweepstakes or the Sponsors for purposes of advertising and promotion. Sponsors must receive the completed declarations and releases within 7 days of notification or an alternate winner will be selected. All taxes, fees, and surcharges on prizes won are the sole responsibility of the winner.

6. WINNERS LIST: To receive a list of winners, send a self-addressed stamped envelope for receipt by 2/20/04 to: Boston.com, Best Catch Sweepstakes Winners List Request, 320 Congress Street, Boston, MA 02210

7. MISCELLANEOUS: Boston.com is not responsible for any problems or technical malfunction of any telephone network or lines, computer online systems, servers, or providers, computer equipment, software, failure or delayed or lost or illegible e-mails or entries received or sent by Boston.com on account of technical problems or traffic congestion on the Internet or at any web site, any combination thereof, or otherwise, including any injury or damage to entrant's or any other person's computer related to or resulting from participation or downloading any materials in the Promotion. Persons found tampering with or abusing any aspect of this Promotion, as solely determined by the judges, will be disqualified. CAUTION: ANY ATTEMPT BY AN ENTRANT TO DELIBERATELY DAMAGE ANY WEB SITE OR UNDERMINE THE LEGITIMATE OPERATION OF THE PROMOTION MAY BE A VIOLATION OF CRIMINAL AND CIVIL LAWS AND SHOULD SUCH AN ATTEMPT BE MADE, BOSTON.COM RESERVES THE RIGHT TO SEEK DAMAGES FROM ANY SUCH PERSON TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW. In the event any portion of this Promotion is compromised by virus, bugs, non-authorized human intervention, fraud, technical failure or other causes beyond the control of Boston.com, which, in the sole opinion of Boston.com, corrupts, or impairs the administration, security, fairness, integrity or proper play of the Promotion, Boston.com reserves the right in its sole discretion to cancel, modify, suspend or terminate the Promotion.

8. COMPLIANCE WITH LAW. Void where prohibited by law. All Federal, State and local laws and regulations apply. NO PURCHASE REQUIRED.

Solely Sponsored and Administered by: Boston.com: Boston, MA