Search found 146 matches

by Malcolm James
Tue May 10, 2016 12:13 pm
Forum: Countdown - General
Topic: Dress and make-up when appearing on show
Replies: 25
Views: 9444

Re: Dress and make-up when appearing on show

Jennifer Steadman wrote:Yes, this is also true (although seeing as over half the population of both Britain and Ireland is female, it's pretty unbelievable that this is defined as something which sets someone apart!).
If a girl were the only girl in a school chess club it would.
by Malcolm James
Tue May 10, 2016 11:34 am
Forum: Countdown - General
Topic: Dress and make-up when appearing on show
Replies: 25
Views: 9444

Re: Dress and make-up when appearing on show

It's true of many of the Apterous/community-based incidents though - we just need to be careful to distinguish that while poor social skills may explain it, it doesn't excuse it. No it doesn't, but we have to distinguish between people just being a p***k and behaviour which is either designed to pa...
by Malcolm James
Tue May 10, 2016 11:09 am
Forum: Countdown - General
Topic: Dress and make-up when appearing on show
Replies: 25
Views: 9444

Re: Dress and make-up when appearing on show

i have also done some similar statistical analysis going back to the start of 2002 (the start of the 15-round era) and have also noticed that things were VERY male-dominated for a number of years, but have become somewhat less so. I attributed that largely to random chance, but you may be right abou...
by Malcolm James
Tue May 10, 2016 9:21 am
Forum: Countdown - General
Topic: Dress and make-up when appearing on show
Replies: 25
Views: 9444

Re: Dress and make-up when appearing on show

I think one of the problems with female contestants being patronised by their opponents comes down to the fact that they are nerds and social skills are not their forte. I would certainly hope that the production team would have a quiet word with anyone behaving in the manner described.
by Malcolm James
Mon May 09, 2016 8:13 pm
Forum: Countdown - General
Topic: Dress and make-up when appearing on show
Replies: 25
Views: 9444

Re: Dress and make-up when appearing on show

The article on University Challenge included claims that female contestants were asked to wear false eyelashes and to wear clothes which emphasised their cleavage (whilst presumably keeping everything covered). Doesn't sound as though countdown goes in for anything like this, even assuming that what...
by Malcolm James
Mon May 09, 2016 3:22 pm
Forum: Countdown - General
Topic: Dress and make-up when appearing on show
Replies: 25
Views: 9444

Re: Dress and make-up when appearing on show

The article about University Challenge said that students who had appeared on the show might talk to students thinking about doing so in later years and that this might put them off.
by Malcolm James
Mon May 09, 2016 1:13 pm
Forum: Countdown - General
Topic: Dress and make-up when appearing on show
Replies: 25
Views: 9444

Dress and make-up when appearing on show

What sort of dress and make-up do the production team insist on for contestants appearing on the show? I am asking this for a serious reason. I write guest blogs for someone in the US and one of the things I've questioned is the dominant narrative that the male dominance of activities such as Countd...
by Malcolm James
Mon Mar 17, 2014 5:06 pm
Forum: Countdown - Spoilers
Topic: Spoilers For Monday March 17th 2014
Replies: 11
Views: 4028

Re: Spoilers For Monday March 17th 2014

Tony Atkins wrote:Why does Susie always say "Only one 6" when there are 2? (DEPUTY alt to POUTER)
Possibly because she's only spotted one of them. I assume that she means that she's only spotted one. I can't imagine that someone with her experience would assume that there aren't any more.
by Malcolm James
Mon Mar 17, 2014 3:27 pm
Forum: Countdown - Spoilers
Topic: Spoilers For Monday March 17th 2014
Replies: 11
Views: 4028

Re: Spoilers For Monday March 17th 2014

R5 CADENCE for a contestant (and DC?) beater.
by Malcolm James
Thu Feb 06, 2014 3:58 pm
Forum: Countdown - Spoilers
Topic: Spoilers for Thursday February 6th 2014 (S70 P24)
Replies: 15
Views: 3916

Re: Spoilers for Thursday February 6th 2014 (S70 P24)

A tinkler is a small bell so in R1 TINKLERS should be valid.
by Malcolm James
Mon Jan 27, 2014 3:56 pm
Forum: Countdown - Spoilers
Topic: Spoilers For Monday January 27th 2014
Replies: 16
Views: 3846

Re: Spoilers For Monday January 27th 2014

DEICING IN R7, or does it still have a hyphen?
by Malcolm James
Tue Nov 12, 2013 5:31 pm
Forum: Countdown - Spoilers
Topic: Spoilers for Tuesday November 12th 2013 (S69 P90)
Replies: 15
Views: 4221

Re: Spoilers for Tuesday November 12th 2013 (S69 P90)

So if one player doesn't offer BLEATINGS because he had remembered it being disallowed and the other playing does offer it, because he hasn't remember, the first player can cry foul if it's allowed. In football etc no two situations are ever identical. Here either BLEATINGS is OK or it isn't.
by Malcolm James
Wed Sep 18, 2013 5:52 am
Forum: Countdown - Spoilers
Topic: Spoilers for Tuesday September 10th 2013 (S69 P45)
Replies: 32
Views: 8866

Re: Spoilers for Tuesday September 10th 2013 (S69 P45)

I don't think there would have been 'uproar' if Zarte had been the challenger. It was only because he already proven himself with 5 wins and an average of 115. He was made to look good, but not exceptional, by Dylan and how many times has a recapper or poster said that the challenger might have done...
by Malcolm James
Tue Sep 17, 2013 3:13 pm
Forum: Countdown - Current recaps
Topic: Monday 16th September 2013 (Series 69, Prelim 49)
Replies: 5
Views: 2551

Re: Monday 16th September 2013 (Series 69, Prelim 49)

DESPAIR is also a verb, so yes you can have DESPAIRS!
by Malcolm James
Sat Sep 14, 2013 6:37 am
Forum: Countdown - Spoilers
Topic: Spoilers for Friday September 13th 2013 (S69 P48)
Replies: 10
Views: 3935

Re: Spoilers for Friday September 13th 2013 (S69 P48)

I suppose they weren't too strict because it wasn't crucial and Natalie hadn't racked up enough wins to be in with a chance of a finals spot, where points total and conundrums solved might have been important.
by Malcolm James
Fri Sep 06, 2013 9:34 am
Forum: Countdown - Spoilers
Topic: Spoilers for Wednesday September 4th 2013 (S69 P41)
Replies: 19
Views: 4018

Re: Spoilers for Wednesday September 4th 2013 (S69 P41)

It only takes a casual look at the list of series winners and octochamps to realise that pretty well all the very best players have been male. The last female series winner was in 1998 and in the 15-round era only Grace Page in 2002 has even broken 800 points. Assuming that she doesn't trip up in th...
by Malcolm James
Thu Aug 08, 2013 9:22 am
Forum: Countdown - Spoilers
Topic: Spoilers for Tuesday August 6th 2013 (Series 69 Prelim 23)
Replies: 43
Views: 11354

Re: Spoilers for Tuesday August 6th 2013 (Series 69 Prelim 2

Damian has himself stated that in any series the very best players (based on their audition performances) are kept apart, but i don't know how many contestants are seeded in this way in each series. I would presume that in any such decision ONLY the audition performances are considered, because not ...
by Malcolm James
Sat Jul 06, 2013 6:56 am
Forum: Countdown - Spoilers
Topic: Spoilers for Wednesday July 3rd 2013 (Series 69 Prelim...3)
Replies: 32
Views: 8697

Re: Spoilers for Wednesday July 3rd 2013 (Series 69 Prelim..

The only insight I can give to that question is a situation we had a few years ago, where a player won 5 games, then there must have been a break in recording, he then went out that night, got drunk, and finished up getting arrested in Aberdeen. The next programme he was due to play as champion, th...
by Malcolm James
Fri Jul 05, 2013 7:41 am
Forum: Countdown - Spoilers
Topic: Spoilers for Wednesday July 3rd 2013 (Series 69 Prelim...3)
Replies: 32
Views: 8697

Re: Spoilers for Wednesday July 3rd 2013 (Series 69 Prelim..

If the challenger left shortly after the recording to attend to a family member who was ill, it's quite possible the programme may have been pulled if that person died. The contestant may have requested it not to be broadcast. This has happened before on other programmes. I remember it happened a f...
by Malcolm James
Thu Jun 27, 2013 5:25 pm
Forum: Countdown - Spoilers
Topic: Spoilers For Thursday June 27th 2013
Replies: 18
Views: 6046

Re: Spoilers For Thursday June 27th 2013

I couldn't help noticing that if the I had been an E in the first round there would have been a nine-letter ARSEHOLES. What would they have done if someone had declared it? Scrapped the round and denied them their 18 points? I asked this some time ago. The answer was, IIRC, that they re-shoot the r...
by Malcolm James
Mon Jun 03, 2013 3:18 pm
Forum: Countdown - Spoilers
Topic: Spoilers For Monday June 3rd 2013
Replies: 20
Views: 4432

Re: Spoilers For Monday June 3rd 2013

Don't we talk about 'the pathetic bleatings of politicians'? INTANGIBLES (i.e. intangible assets) is a well-established accounting, so with a bit of luck TANGIBLES is fine. If so, a good spot. I would have offered BLEATINGS as well.
by Malcolm James
Thu May 16, 2013 5:41 pm
Forum: Countdown - Current recaps
Topic: Tuesday 7th May 2013 (Series 68, Prelim 40)
Replies: 4
Views: 2267

Re: Tuesday 7th May 2013 (Series 68, Prelim 40)

The probability of the same target (not just 893) coming up in 2 specified number games is 1/900. There are 6 pairs of numbers games (1,2; 1,3; 1,4; 2,3, 2,4; 3,4), so the probability of the same target cropping up twice in a show is 6/900 or 1/150, or once every 8 months or so.
by Malcolm James
Tue May 07, 2013 3:32 pm
Forum: Countdown - Spoilers
Topic: Spoilers for Tuesday May 7th 2013 (Series 68 Prelim 40)
Replies: 14
Views: 3901

Re: Spoilers for Tuesday May 7th 2013 (Series 68 Prelim 40)

Has everyone missed COGITATERS or is it not valid?
by Malcolm James
Thu May 02, 2013 5:06 pm
Forum: Countdown - Spoilers
Topic: Spoilers for Thursday May 2nd 2013 (Series 68 Prelim 37)
Replies: 22
Views: 4444

Re: Spoilers for Thursday May 2nd 2013 (Series 68 Prelim 37)

Edit: I've been working a few things out and if certain things go certain ways (some horse racing reducing the amount of shows remaining, nobody overtaking Eileen, Rachael not being able to make the finals) there could well be a Jill vs Eileen rematch in the quarter final, that would be pretty awes...
by Malcolm James
Fri Apr 19, 2013 11:03 am
Forum: Countdown - Spoilers
Topic: Spoilers for Thursday April 18th 2013 (Series 68 Prelim 28)
Replies: 18
Views: 5555

Re: Spoilers for Thursday April 18th 2013 (Series 68 Prelim

Incidentally, the total running-time fell from 36 to 35 minutes when the new format was introduced, as Channel 4 wanted an extra minute of commercials. Where was the minute taken from? Presumably a numbers round doesn't take as long as a letters round (no chat about alternative words etc), hence th...
by Malcolm James
Fri Apr 19, 2013 7:37 am
Forum: Countdown - Spoilers
Topic: Spoilers for Thursday April 18th 2013 (Series 68 Prelim 28)
Replies: 18
Views: 5555

Re: Spoilers for Thursday April 18th 2013 (Series 68 Prelim

Philip Jarvis wrote:Incidentally, are there any contestants who have appeared twice but have lost both games?
Terry Rattle.

Lost first time to Chris Wills and second time IIRC to Jeffery Hansford.
by Malcolm James
Tue Apr 16, 2013 3:51 pm
Forum: Countdown - Spoilers
Topic: Spoilers for Tuesday April 16th 2013 (Series 68 Prelim 26
Replies: 17
Views: 5652

Re: Spoilers for Tuesday April 16th 2013 (Series 68 Prelim 2

I decided to work out what Jack Hurst's score would been if you scaled his letters/numbers scoring rates in line with the new format, and if memory serves it worked out at approximately 962. A similar rescaling of Giles' score gives 954/955. And arguably he would have had an extra 11 points had it ...
by Malcolm James
Wed Apr 10, 2013 2:44 pm
Forum: Countdown - Spoilers
Topic: Spoilers for Wednesday April 10th 2013 (Series 68 Prelim 22)
Replies: 14
Views: 3997

Re: Spoilers for Wednesday April 10th 2013 (Series 68 Prelim

Awesome again, harsh of Nick to say you were slow on the conundrum but probably meant as a kind of convoluted compliment. People criticised Nick for a similar remark aimed at Jack in his first few games. We shouldn't be too sensitive about a bit of pantomime booing and Nick knows quite enough not t...
by Malcolm James
Sun Dec 09, 2012 1:37 pm
Forum: Countdown - Spoilers
Topic: Spoilers for Friday December 7th 2012 (Series 67 Prelim 88)
Replies: 19
Views: 5095

Re: Spoilers for Friday December 7th 2012 (Series 67 Prelim

I presume Sohail would have turned up if he had been in the finals, but didn't think it worth taking a couple of days off work, just on the off chance.
by Malcolm James
Mon Nov 19, 2012 3:51 pm
Forum: Countdown - Spoilers
Topic: Spoilers For Monday November 19th 2012
Replies: 30
Views: 7134

Re: Spoilers For Monday November 19th 2012

R6 CUSTOMER as well, but presumably not OUTSCREAM.

It seems that the amount DC miss is proportional to the amount of time the guest spends on making up words and silly stories to go with them!
by Malcolm James
Wed Nov 14, 2012 8:17 am
Forum: Countdown - Current recaps
Topic: Tuesday 13th November 2012 (Series 67, Prelim 71)
Replies: 6
Views: 3575

Re: Tuesday 13th November 2012 (Series 67, Prelim 71)

I missed the start of the show. Was anything said about where Alma came from originally, since she didn't look or sound British? I suspect she might originally have been from the Philippines and if English is not her first language it makes her performance all the more impressive.
by Malcolm James
Wed Nov 07, 2012 4:35 pm
Forum: Countdown - Spoilers
Topic: Spoilers for Wednesday November 7th 2012 (Series 67 #67)
Replies: 22
Views: 5478

Re: Spoilers for Wednesday November 7th 2012 (Series 67 #67)

I think we have a real contender here, people. Very well done Heather, not only on the highest score of the series, but what I argue is the spot of the series so far in PLANETOID. I really hope you get to the octochamp title. I agree. I don't know what explains the sudden rush of good female contes...
by Malcolm James
Tue Oct 30, 2012 11:02 am
Forum: Countdown - Spoilers
Topic: Spoilers For Monday October 29th 2012
Replies: 10
Views: 2765

Re: Spoilers For Monday October 29th 2012

And it also means that Susie doesn't have time to give her words which beat the contestants. I imagine she finds it tiresome as well, but is very professional about it.
by Malcolm James
Mon Oct 29, 2012 4:56 pm
Forum: Countdown - Spoilers
Topic: Spoilers For Monday October 29th 2012
Replies: 10
Views: 2765

Re: Spoilers For Monday October 29th 2012

R12 GLEAMS for a beater.

I can only assume that Susie missed this due to Jo Brand's tiresome efforts. Finding silly words is fine once or twice a show, but doing it every round makes me want to shoot her.
by Malcolm James
Thu Oct 18, 2012 7:34 pm
Forum: Countdown - Spoilers
Topic: Spoilers for Thursday October 18th 2012 (Series 67 Prelim 43
Replies: 8
Views: 2408

Re: Spoilers for Thursday October 18th 2012 (Series 67 Preli

Nick said Rose was from Inish mor today, which is the largest of the Aran Islands off Galway. previously she had been from Arannmhor, which is off Donegal!
by Malcolm James
Wed Oct 10, 2012 7:04 am
Forum: Countdown - General
Topic: COUNTDOWN 30TH CHAMPIONSHIP
Replies: 243
Views: 55886

Re: COUNTDOWN 30TH CHAMPIONSHIP

I hope I'm wrong, but I wonder if a lot of the games in this championship will be like watching a boxer making an ill-advised comeback. We remember how good they used to be and wince when they can't do it any more. Maybe quite a few potential contestants will decline for this reason.
by Malcolm James
Tue Oct 09, 2012 4:17 pm
Forum: Countdown - Spoilers
Topic: Spoilers for Tuesday October 9th 2012 (Series 67 Prelim 46)
Replies: 10
Views: 2524

Re: Spoilers for Tuesday October 9th 2012 (Series 67 Prelim

R3
UNTILED? - these un- words are often a bit of a risk.
by Malcolm James
Mon Aug 13, 2012 3:56 pm
Forum: Countdown - Spoilers
Topic: Spoilers For Monday August 13th 2012
Replies: 7
Views: 2490

Re: Spoilers For Monday August 13th 2012

R10

(((6-1)x 9 - 8) x 9) - 100 = 233
by Malcolm James
Mon Jun 18, 2012 5:35 pm
Forum: Countdown - Spoilers
Topic: Spoilers For Monday June 18th 2012
Replies: 7
Views: 3044

Re: Spoilers For Monday June 18th 2012

Rachel did make life hard for herself in R5. Far simpler was (100+25+9)x7=938
by Malcolm James
Thu Nov 24, 2011 7:23 am
Forum: Countdown - General
Topic: Should Countdown BAN Under 16's?
Replies: 44
Views: 9034

Re: Should Countdown BAN Under 16's?

I just thought a petition would force Damian to clarify things, but he has done so. It's ironic that givven the concern about the show being taken over by precocious boys, the first person we know that this affects is one of the very few young girls to pass the auditions. Clearly the patriarchy felt...
by Malcolm James
Wed Nov 23, 2011 12:08 pm
Forum: Countdown - General
Topic: Should Countdown BAN Under 16's?
Replies: 44
Views: 9034

Re: Should Countdown BAN Under 16's?

Maybe there ought to be an online petition. If nothing else it might force Damian to clarify the position.
by Malcolm James
Fri Oct 14, 2011 7:54 am
Forum: Countdown - Spoilers
Topic: Spoilers For Thursday October 13th 2011
Replies: 17
Views: 3482

Re: Spoilers For Thursday October 13th 2011

Graeme Cole wrote:Yes, Senor, Senora and Senorita are now disallowed because they're capitalised, but the aitchified versions of them are still okay. Accented letters don't cause a word to be disallowed.
And they weren't beforehand? Damn those pesky Spaniards deciding to stick in those capitals just to trip us up.
by Malcolm James
Thu Oct 13, 2011 5:37 pm
Forum: Countdown - Spoilers
Topic: Spoilers For Thursday October 13th 2011
Replies: 17
Views: 3482

Re: Spoilers For Thursday October 13th 2011

I'm presuming apterous has it right - senorita is no longer valid. It's just notarise/notaries (not sure when the change came in). Senhorita is valid as an alternate to hortensia. And pray, what is the logic in allowing the Portuguese form, but not the Spanish? And you are expected to know these an...
by Malcolm James
Tue Oct 11, 2011 4:29 pm
Forum: Countdown - Spoilers
Topic: Spoilers For Tuesday October 11th 2011
Replies: 8
Views: 2366

Re: Spoilers For Tuesday October 11th 2011

Matt Morrison wrote:
Malcolm James wrote:R3
LORICATED
My hearty congratulations.
Thank you

LORICATE v.t. to coat or armour protectively.

Definition from Chambers but similar definitions also found on several websites.
by Malcolm James
Fri Sep 30, 2011 11:21 am
Forum: Countdown - Current recaps
Topic: Thursday 29th September 2011 (Series 65, Prelim 64)
Replies: 1
Views: 944

Re: Thursday 29th September 2011 (Series 65, Prelim 64)

Round 15: Y O U N G A G E S

No one buzzes. The answer was SYNAGOGUE.

Yesterday and today is the Jewish New Year. Coincidence?
by Malcolm James
Thu Jul 07, 2011 2:42 pm
Forum: Countdown - Spoilers
Topic: Spoilers For Thursday July 7th 2011
Replies: 4
Views: 1172

Re: Spoilers For Thursday July 7th 2011

R9

BRANDIES

Surprised everyone missed that one.
by Malcolm James
Wed Jul 06, 2011 2:24 pm
Forum: Countdown - Spoilers
Topic: Spoilers For Wednesday July 6th 2011
Replies: 8
Views: 2778

Re: Spoilers For Wednesday July 6th 2011

R2

IMPIOUS for 7
by Malcolm James
Mon Jun 13, 2011 2:25 pm
Forum: Countdown - Spoilers
Topic: Spoilers For Monday June 13th 2011
Replies: 25
Views: 5052

Re: Spoilers For Monday June 13th 2011

R5

((7+5)*8*6) + 1 = 577
by Malcolm James
Fri Jun 10, 2011 5:51 pm
Forum: Countdown - Spoilers
Topic: Spoilers For Friday June 10th 2011
Replies: 28
Views: 5543

Re: Spoilers For Friday June 10th 2011

What would happen if someone lost, say, their fourth game in such a manner? It would seem very unfair to scrub their three victories if they were unable to bring them back in the same series at the end of an octochamp run.
by Malcolm James
Fri Jun 10, 2011 3:30 pm
Forum: Countdown - Spoilers
Topic: Spoilers For Friday June 10th 2011
Replies: 28
Views: 5543

Re: Spoilers For Friday June 10th 2011

Where people have lost out in this way it would surely be fairer to bring them back as one of the 2 new contestants immediately following someone completing an octochamp run rather than them have to face an established champion – something they’ve already done once before. IIRC correctly you are re...
by Malcolm James
Thu Jun 09, 2011 5:54 pm
Forum: Countdown - Spoilers
Topic: Spoilers For Thursday June 9th 2011
Replies: 11
Views: 4376

Re: Spoilers For Thursday June 9th 2011

You could surely say 'The two project's outsets were very different' or something? 'Outset' mean 'beginning', but you only use the former in 'at the outset' and, if there were more than one project you would say 'at the outset of both/all projects'. And, since when has apterous been the definitive ...
by Malcolm James
Tue May 31, 2011 12:34 pm
Forum: Countdown - General
Topic: Hardest conundrums
Replies: 11
Views: 3868

Re: Hardest conundrums

It depends what you mean by the hardest conundrum. Any conundrum is hard, if not impossible if you don't know the word. For example, how many people realised the conundrum on 26th May, LOADSPACE was a word? At best, in such a case a contestant might spot it, dismiss it as a non-word, but give it a g...
by Malcolm James
Thu Apr 07, 2011 8:00 am
Forum: Countdown - Spoilers
Topic: Spoilers For Wednesday April 6th 2011
Replies: 7
Views: 1810

Re: Spoilers For Wednesday April 6th 2011

Good to see a champion for Wales. Wales has always seemed to me to be under-represented amongst contestants, particularly the better contestants, even allowing for the proportion of the population for whom English is not a first language. Any theories?
by Malcolm James
Thu Mar 24, 2011 5:50 pm
Forum: Countdown - Spoilers
Topic: Spoilers For Thursday March 24th 2011
Replies: 13
Views: 3225

Re: Spoilers For Thursday March 24th 2011

I spotted TERRAFORM, but didn't think for one minute that it was actually a word. This is one advantage Susie has. Presuming that she had REFORMAT quickly, there was nothing to lose in looking up TERRAFORM, just on the off-chance. If it's in, it looks impressive, if not, nothing lost.