c4countdown

L'oisleatch McGraw

I NEVER HEARD OF HIM/HER EITHER, DANNI...

L'oisleatch McGraw

Congrats on making Octochampdom! Well deserved.

It was a very enjoyable run. It's not often that you are guaranteed two 4Ls per day... made for a memorable set of shows, and challenging to play along with.

gg wp

L'oisleatch McGraw

The Birdman cometh!

Good to see u joining in the fun.
That is a quality first forum post...

L'oisleatch McGraw

Elliott Mellor wrote: ↑Tue Aug 22, 2017 3:40 pm Sorry for saying my opinion.

Apologising to Mark is as useful as shaking your fist at a cloud because it's raining.

Put it down to the time of the month.

L'oisleatch McGraw

One of those episodes where I felt sorry for the challenger... ...nerves must have got to him bigtime. Round 1 = 0 Round 2 = 0 ... Round 7 = still 0! Awkward! Obviously, it's unlikely that Noel held back on a 7 or 8 to match the 6 in Rd8 just so Ben could break his duck. But if he did... massive res...

L'oisleatch McGraw

Well, surely everything is up to the producer and the team lol. Well, yeah... You're right of course. :oops: But they wouldn't be completely unaccountable at the same time. The viewership and broadcaster would have some sway. If you are a great Countdown player, but you're also consumed by the pest...

L'oisleatch McGraw

All depends what the producer and that decide to do. If that is true it's a disappointing state of play. I would argue that the programme and its legacy trumps the whims of any current production set-up, or at least it should. It makes little sense to put blame on Apterous for the trend of C4 hosti...

L'oisleatch McGraw

Hmmm, there used to be a very nice pattern with Countdown's "Championship of Champion" tournaments... i.e. they would put one on after every 4 series. This was a sensible system. Once we hit the 21st century, things went pear shaped. 2003's COCXI contained competitors from 7 series (seems ...

L'oisleatch McGraw

Bradley Horrocks wrote: ↑Mon Aug 14, 2017 10:46 pmI'm not going to be that resident nerd

...sorely tempted to become said nerd myself, but yeah, as you say... the tedium involved outweighs the rewards, and there is no viable shortcut.

L'oisleatch McGraw

CONSONANTS B C D F G H J K L M N P Q R S T V W X Y Z SUM APTO 31 54 102 31 75 40 18 18 78 82 148 68 17 145 144 148 37 41 19 18 21 SUM SHOW 35 36 113 38 55 36 15 9 115 60 134 70 16 167 150 167 36 35 13 20 15 MAX APTO 2 3 5 2 4 2 1 1 5 4 8 4 1 8 8 9 2 2 1 1 1 MAX SHOW 2 2 6 2 3 2 1 1 6 4 7 4 1 9 9 8 ...

L'oisleatch McGraw

Very tricky conundrum today...

Aside from that, what stood out to me in this show was Rd1 when DC declared PRIESTED as their 8. They avoided any mention of PERVIEST, only for Rachel to choose that one to display on the board...
...a saucy one reserved only for those who are paying close attention!

L'oisleatch McGraw

Dan Byrom wrote: ↑Sun Aug 13, 2017 3:59 pm When I watched it, I "buzzed" (in my head) a fraction before her thinking AWAKENING but in the time it took Nick to ask for it I had realised it was WEAKENING.
Wouldn't surprise me if she did the same thing.

Snap!

L'oisleatch McGraw

CO:CO!!!

That would be the best...
Cork would be a brilliant spot for a co:event.
If it happens, count me in...

L'oisleatch McGraw

I wonder about the Countdown distribution compared to Apterous... ...or more to the point, the 2017 Countdown distribution compared to the Countdown 2008 distribution. Having been in the studio and paying REALLY close attention over the last few days, these are my thoughts:- 1. Far fewer occurrences...

L'oisleatch McGraw

***SPOILER ALERT***

L'oisleatch McGraw wrote: ↑Sun Aug 06, 2017 11:10 pmI have the strangest feeling that REMBETIKA is going to feature in my game(s).

I'm not psychic.

L'oisleatch McGraw

I love superstition, predestination etc... I imagine, in the pragmatic intellectual world of countdown, there would not be too many others into that sort of silliness, but nonetheless, if you are someone who has had any signs, weird co-incidences, psychic moments regarding your CD appearance... do s...

L'oisleatch McGraw

He seems a bit sure of himself, which doesn't make for great viewing. Respect your view on this, but could not disagree more. Give me a confident happy player over meekness and/or false humility any day. For me, his matches have made for some of the best viewing of S77 so far (aside, of course, fro...

L'oisleatch McGraw

That not-quite-the-glitzy-Hollywood-actress, M. Pfeffer, is having a tough run so far!
Games #1 and #4 in particular were mighty tussles.
Makes for great viewing, mind...

L'oisleatch McGraw

L'oisleatch McGraw - I got an email about a month back from Damian saying my transmission date was due to be the 17th but he did say that was subject to change. Michael Whitehall is the guest in Dictionary Corner for my first game, which I'm pleased with. :) I'm right at the end of a filming block ...

L'oisleatch McGraw

Yeah, but I have 0 interest in going for it. Cool customer! I think the bookies odds just shortened. ;) The raw talent, the regular apto-practise, and the timing of your forthcoming run (in relation to your current pro-Rank)... it does bode well. And the thing about safe vs risky 9's, is that you w...

L'oisleatch McGraw

hmm, I didn't know this thread existed.

Good luck Martin... S77 needs a top numberist.

Though, won't the transmission date be later than that?

I'm recording 2 days before you... on the 7th, and based on the DC guest info, it seems the show will air on Sept 28th.

L'oisleatch McGraw

won't happen If you wanna put your money where your mouth is, €10 says it happens before S80, and €100 says it happens before the end of the year 2020. :) It is interesting reading back over this thread more than 7 months later... here are a few things that stand out:- 1. Of the known Apterites we ...

L'oisleatch McGraw

They were both pretty great. TRUNDLED in Rd2 was quite a spot... Very unusual to have two new players that good face off after the departure of an Octochamp. I played along with it, and by Rd7, the Michelle Pfeiffer chap was beating me by 21pts. The other fella was 3 ahead. Beat them both in the end...

L'oisleatch McGraw

Dunno who you're apologising to, Tim. Hopefully not to the dude who hasn't watched the shows in question. ;) That would be weird. The consensus from the regular viewers commentating here, is that he was being speculative, and mostly buzzing in without knowing the answer yet. You saw it yourself, sur...

L'oisleatch McGraw

Rhys Benjamin wrote: ↑Sat Apr 15, 2017 9:00 am Montenegro's entry is brilliant. Camp as Christmas, but brilliant.

And now Slavko's gonna be in the X-Factor UK! :O
...you have been warned...

L'oisleatch McGraw

ftr, I am of the opinion that so-called Hansfording is a tactic than can be employed by supremely talented conundrumists.
A tactic, rather than a cheat...

L'oisleatch McGraw

JC obviously has skills that are well above average... it would be impossible to "Hansford" without them. But it does seem to me that John used the speculative buzzing method, just as Jeffrey did before him. You can see the cogs of his mind still turning, trying to unravel the scramble dur...

L'oisleatch McGraw

My fave John Cowen declarations:-
OMINOUS
MORTALISE
HEARSE.

All we need now is for him to get something like GHOULISH in the series finals to cap things off nicely.

L'oisleatch McGraw

If they are trying to make it that potential octochamps will end runs at the end of a filming day, why have three series winners including a 900club member, had their runs other three "days", in the Nick Hewer era alone. ...probably because there is not a hard and fast rule? (though we've...

L'oisleatch McGraw

Adam Dexter wrote: ↑Thu Jul 27, 2017 5:40 pmBeat John by 66 points

That is quite something!
I doubt many put that much fresh air between themselves and John...

L'oisleatch McGraw

Elliott Mellor wrote: ↑Wed Jul 26, 2017 7:37 pm Is that a spot of Hansfording I saw on the conundrum......?

Tis, yep.
He Hansforded Tuesday's one as well, but to better effect.

L'oisleatch McGraw

Yo I'm compiling a complete list of words, using the newly updated dictionary, ranked according to their usefulness, so you can simply learn the words in order. If anyone deserves the word "legend" written after their name, it is your good self, Paul! :) Definitely keep me in mind once yo...

L'oisleatch McGraw

Tom wrote: ↑Mon Jul 24, 2017 9:22 pmI know in my series, Chris Wills

That's the mystery of just "Tom" solved now...
I had assumed you were Tom Cappleman, but that comment shows you must be Tom Hargreaves.

Which makes sense, as a single name username on here would be unlikely for anyone outside of 1982-2009 CD vintage.

L'oisleatch McGraw

I think you're doing that human thing of trying to spot patterns that aren't there. That is such an adorably hipster thing to say, Mark... and it would make sense were it were applied to some sort of natural phenomenon, but the running order of Countdown contestants is decided by those very same cr...

L'oisleatch McGraw

Ye, we need to be hush-hush about the details of recordings, I suppose. Clause 7 in the user agreement and all that... (Just in case people are wondering why some posts here got deleted.) I'm not a massive fan of the way this poll is set up here... One on facebook would work better, coz you would se...

L'oisleatch McGraw

Mine is scheduled to be the first of the day... ...but then my audition was solid, but not stellar. I can't even remember who I was chatting with in Apto-game chat, but whoever it was, their theory was that the stronger 'seeds' (rough seeding based on audition) get put as game 3 of the day. I wonder...

L'oisleatch McGraw

The rumour is that contestants who do a kickass audition tend to start their Octorun on the 3rd show recorded during the day... Logic being, they will record 3 shows that day, then finish their run during the final show recorded the following day. (There are 5 shows recorded per day) So there is a p...

L'oisleatch McGraw

2016 was an extraordinary year regarding celebrity deaths, in terms of the amount, the fame levels, and the unexpectedly young ages. It won't be matched any time soon. There's a few people who I am fairly certain will die in 2017, but I'm not morbid enough to compete in something that relies on peop...

L'oisleatch McGraw

Your profile picture looks like the money shot in some robot bukkake. ffs Mark! You've been watching too much weird porn... ...but I do see what you're saying (and can't unsee it now! :oops: ) I suppose I need to say something clever/filthy about your profile pic as revenge... ...but I can't think ...

L'oisleatch McGraw

MOOOOSE!

L'oisleatch McGraw

Ben Wilson wrote: ↑Tue Jul 18, 2017 9:50 pmSo will anyone who's never put in any effort to improve their word knowledge/anagramming skills ever win a series again? I highly doubt it.

Again?
I doubt anyone who fits that description has ever won a series of Countdown.

L'oisleatch McGraw

Martin Smith! I played along with TV during your recent appearance... and lost to both Tom and you. You were very unlucky to come up against Tom... just as you were unlucky to come up against David O'Donnell the first time. I imagine they would be sympathetic and allow "the unluckiest person in...

L'oisleatch McGraw

I have to say one thing about the gushings of how they'd be "lost without Susie" and how she's "one in a million" and much loved etc etc... It is alleged that just before the fractious departure of Carol Vorderman, one of the producers is supposed to have delivered the classic li...

L'oisleatch McGraw

Here's one for you...

Wasn't it odd the way, when Susie disallowed CONMAN, she seemed not to know that the word would have been allowed as a compound word up until May 2017. I would have expected more from her tbh...

L'oisleatch McGraw

Glad to see they aren't using ludicrously hard FIBREFILLesque conundrums for the finals Whilst I agree with the principle, I actually got fibrefill... Of course you would! I'm talking about us mere mortals having a chance :lol: That modesty while cute, is misguided... ...you're as elite an Apterite...

L'oisleatch McGraw

**TIMETABLE (approximate)*** ~Saturday~ 10:30am............. Round 1 (Five 9-rounders each) 1pm.................... Lunch (Provided) 2pm.................... Round 2 (Three 15-rounders each) 5:00pm............... Grand Final 6pm.................... Presentation of awards -----------------------------...

L'oisleatch McGraw

Thanks Elliott!

It went ok...
Solved both numbers, got the conundrum, and spotted one of the 9's.
I passed, so that's the main thing...

L'oisleatch McGraw

Mine:- #1. Fill an application. - 1st April 2017 #2. Get an audition date. - 3rd April 2017 #3. Do the audition. - 6th April 2017 #4. Find out if you passed. - 6th April 2017 (same day) #5. Get a recording date. - 17th July 2017 #6. Record your TV run. - 7th August 2017 #7. Broadcast date. - 28th Se...

L'oisleatch McGraw

I'm thinking of applying on April 1st...
...and hoping that would result in an August recording date.
But it's probably not possible to plan for these things...

[Btw... I love your account of the inter-millennial CD experience Lisa.
Not many will be able to rival the coolness of those dates!]

L'oisleatch McGraw

As I hope to on the show soon, all going well, I'm curious as to what the timeline is, and how rigid / fluid it can be. To give some of us newbies a bit of an idea of what to expect, I wonder would some of those who've already been on, give a synopsis of what to expect when applying (assuming there ...

L'oisleatch McGraw

This is going to be a good read this thread I think, I could certainly use some help! #milesawayfromserieschamp We'll try make it epic, Elliott! There is great potential to have it as a sort of one stop shop for any aspiring CD contestants / apterites. I've already improved the OP by adding links t...

L'oisleatch McGraw

As there is a strong element of community to the whole CD/Apto scene, it seems appropriate to help each other out as regards sharing tips and honing skills. So on this thread, go ahead and share anything that you find helpful... I'll keep this OP updated as replies come in (assuming replies do come ...

L'oisleatch McGraw

Noel Mc wrote: ↑Thu Feb 23, 2017 5:04 pm No, no, I mean 2018!

Really?!
Countdown is taking a year off! :O
If so, that's big news.

L'oisleatch McGraw

Surely when u say Sept 2018... u mean 2017...? Ideally, I would like a recording date in Sept/Oct... but obvs as long as I pass an audition and get on the show at some point, that's a result. The rumour I heard about S77 is that Matthew Brockwell may be appearing. If that's still true, you are looki...

L'oisleatch McGraw

Fascinating!
I just spent some time reading through the "experiences" page.
Kirk's was great.

It's been 8 years since an update...
Perhaps if the appetite is there, it might make sense to just start a thread here (or use this one), for people to share stories?

L'oisleatch McGraw

Noel!

You have a recording date for S77 already?
That is the one I've been planning on auditioning for...
Based on that, I guess it's time to fill an application form.

L'oisleatch McGraw

It's because bots. Oh Jennifer. :roll: It's not purely 'because bots'. I have first hand experience of it being precisely what I said it was in my post above. i.e. A preference for real names (a la facebook). When it was known for definite that I was a real person, the admins *still* would not appr...

L'oisleatch McGraw

Ben Wilson wrote: ↑Thu Feb 11, 2016 9:20 pm please ensure that you use your real name

Mark Zuckerberg has a lot to answer for.
(I miss pre-facebook internet and its norms...)

But having said that, it brings joy to my heart that the most active user here is called Gavin Chipper!

L'oisleatch McGraw

QUICK LINK https://www.facebook.com/events/1253386581385235/ That is the event page. -------------------------------------- WHAT IS IT? Based on Channel 4's flagship daytime TV quiz show, this will be a chance to partake in a real life Countdown tournament, in a beautiful setting. We'll have consona...

L'oisleatch McGraw

Duel not working today...
...I wonder will it get reset, or will 29-01 be omitted from the months duels.
If the day ends up being omitted, do people who played every other duel this month get necklaces?

Search found 926 matches