Two separate returns cheaper than two singles (and no return for the same journey)?

[nova]

Merry Christmas, happy Hannukkah, happy Kwanzaa and... well, you can't satisfy everyone!

It seems that there is an incompatibility between me and Southern's ticketing system. I was searching for the cheapest non-advance tickets for February 1 and 15 (dates are fixed, hours are off-peak but I can't commit to a specific route), from Gatwick airport to London Victoria and back.

The results:

[A] Select return journey and specify both travel dates: £23.30

i - Outward (Feb 1): Off Peak Day Single £11.30

ii - Return (Feb 15): Anytime Day Single £12.00


Break in two one way journeys: same as above.


[C] Break in two open return journeys and leave returns unused: £11.90


i- Feb 1: Off-Peak Day Return (online discount) £5.70

ii - Feb 15: Off-Peak Day Return (online discount) £6.20


This is beyond my understanding. They don't provide a return ticket at all and two day returns (valid only for completing the journey on the same day) are cheaper than two singles!

Did I miss something?

 

[John @ home]

[C] Break in two open return journeys and leave returns unused: £11.90


i- Feb 1: Off-Peak Day Return (online discount) £5.70

ii - Feb 15: Off-Peak Day Return (online discount) £6.20


This is beyond my understanding.

There is (was?) a Southern special offer on their web site with 50% reduction on Off-Peak Day Returns where Southern set the fare. But I can't find it advertised any more and I think it ends today or tomorrow. From the info above, it seems that bookings beyond the end of the offer work as long as they are booked during the offer period.

One hazard that was pointed out on another thread is that these half-price tickets are valid only by Southern Trains even when the particular Off-Peak Day Return is normally valid by Any Permitted route.

 

[nova]

From the info above, it seems that bookings beyond the end of the offer work as long as they are booked during the offer period.

Thank you for your answer.

I've already booked. It's insane. They don't offer any kind of return tickets at all, when searching as normal (select outward journey, select return journey, click search), but if you buy two separate return tickets for each branch (and leave the respective retuns unused), you pay the price of a single for the outward journey!