c4countdown

Julian Fell

Although CountMax is excellent and I take my hat off to Jim for putting in the huge effort of compiling the dictionary, I have just noticed a few mistakes recently: UNBOOT (not in the dictionary, but listed in CountMax), HIRABLE (American spelling, but listed in CountMax), POTENCES (should be listed...

Julian Fell

Heck... for the first time in five or six years, I get to post beaters which nobody else (seemingly) has got! Like going back to the old days, a time when there were no recaps, no CountMax, no Beevers etc. ... am very nostalgic MARASMIC in round 2, and POTENCES in round 3 (I got BOREHOLE as well, bu...

Julian Fell

Yes, strange that they only give the viewing public one day's notice now that the finals are about to start - and, like Howard, I remember it being different in Richard's day... so, has there never been any advance notice in the series that Des O has presented?

Julian Fell

Has he been in DC yet? If not, is there any news as to if/when he might be on?

Julian Fell

Bit surprised that it's two days before the quarter-finals start and there's still (as far as I've seen?) been no mention of this on the show - I'd've thought they would have said something at the start of this week at least... Or have they actually mentioned it and I just missed it? If so, egg on f...

Julian Fell

Howard, just a quick correction (was meaning to post this a while back but forgot...) - the second letter in round 13 was an F, not an E; so NODDIES was actually the only seven available in that round

Julian Fell

Yeah ok maybe I spoke a bit too soon - Alistair seemed a lot more bearable today, and I'll defer to the contestants who've actually met him!

Julian Fell

Thanks Damian and Jim - and Damian, are you still planning a CofC for the start of series 60?

Julian Fell

jasoncullen wrote:TSARINA? Watch out for this word in the near future - but slightly different

D'oh Jason! Surprised no-one else has said anything, since I know how touchy people are about spoilers for future games on here... never mind, we'll let you off

Julian Fell

Agreed - just like the other newsreader who regularly appears in DC (Nicholas Owen), Alistair seems to like the sound of his own voice a lot, and is pretty condescending towards both Susie and the audience... Interesting Gevin saying he should try being a stand-up, since I think the last three weeks...

Julian Fell

Damian (or anyone else who's in the know) - is series 59 going to follow straight on from the end of this series (i.e. Series 58 Final on the Friday, first game of series 59 on the Monday), or is there going to be a gap in between? Just wondering, because it seemed like this series was finishing a l...

Julian Fell

Ah right, thanks Ben

Julian Fell

Ben is 10 o'clock when the actual play (or exhibitions?) is due to start, if not do you know what time that'll be? Thanks

Julian Fell

Anybody in touch with Conor, who knows when he might be back?

Btw Charlie would you be able to update your ratings with the results from COMA? Or would you want to wait till it's finished, before you put any of the results in?

Julian Fell

But if, miraculously, Jonathan doesn't get the points he needs on Monday, we could have the situation of a player (Jason, obviously) playing in the finals of a series despite having not won a single heat game in that series, which would also be noteworthy. Such a thing has happened before, but unde...

Julian Fell

So after 105 games, JaCu is going to be knocked out of the seed list. Thats some record though JaCu :D. Yes, it could well be some record - the longest time in the seeding list without making the finals. Could this record be renamed the 'Tim Henman at Wimbledon record'? But if, miraculously, Jonath...

Julian Fell

Would your parents still have called you Jason if that had been your surname? I don't want a guess; I want you to go and ask them. I don't think theres going to be anyone called Jason Jason or Howard Howard etc. If there is, then the parents must've been real lazy to come up with a name for their c...

Julian Fell

I am currently producing word lists focusing on certain prefixes, suffixes and hooks etc (using the ODE of course) as a study aid for when I go to these CO-events. How often though is the ODE revised/updated on Countdown and is an update/revisal of the ODE around the corner, that anyone may know of...

Julian Fell

Am surprised no-one's mentioned this: with the help of that last-gasp conundrum, hasn't the challenger achieved the highest-ever score by a debutant? Correct me if I'm wrong... but I make it that the previous record was 123, and that's stood for more than 6 years! In any case, mightily impressive pe...

Julian Fell

Kudos to Ben for taking it on himself to organize a second tournament! Are you moving to Nottingham then Ben...? I'd definitely like to attend, though it's a long way for me to travel, will depend on if I can get time off work. Please put me on the list provisionally Ben. Btw does "Bristol styl...

Julian Fell

Ok. Conor and Paul still haven't got around to sorting out their final so I'm gonna extend the signup deadline a week to next Sunday, June 1st. Sorry to all those who are patiently waiting but I'd really rather they didn't overlap. Hmmm... ok, but is it likely that Conor and Paul will be able to ge...

Julian Fell

I'll have a go Jono. Will be my first Countdown competition of any kind since September 2004... I feel like I should be asking for a wildcard, I haven't played for so long.

Btw has there been any news about if/when COBris will be on this year?

Julian

Julian Fell

Just thought I'd make a quick re-appearance to say really well done to Tim, for his octochampship and especially for today's performance. In two consecutive letters rounds he beat me by a two-letter margin, I'm not sure that's ever happened to me before in the 15-round era! (I only got 4 in the roun...

Julian Fell

Mike, you'll know: what were the rules on noun plurals before the NODE and the [mass noun] tag came in?

Also why don't you like the disallowing of all mass noun plurals? (that's not meant to sound aggressive / sulky by the way, I respect your views a lot and I'm just interested!)

Julian Fell

Yes ok Conor, fair enough, Martin didn't say that exactly but I thought he was coming close to saying it, and I wanted to get in there quickly to knock that idea on the head because I feel strongly about it. And I did agree with him that it's silly to resign a game because your opponent doesn't know...

Julian Fell

Have Chris W and Craig B turned the invitation down Ben, or just not got back to you?

Julian Fell

Ah well done to him, great stuff.

Julian Fell

Nicely put Charlie! Where I do agree with Martin though, is in his impatience with people who try to argue that words which aren't in the official dictionary should be allowed on Countdown, or who get pissed off that words are disallowed for that reason. Malcolm: for 25 and a quarter years it's been...

Julian Fell

I love knowing definitions. I can appreciate why most people on this site couldn't care less as they take up precious brain space for learning more point-scoring meaningless words (I think back now to COLIN where about 6 people got SUPERACID in the Goatdown game and I asked "Wow whats that?&qu...

Julian Fell

I've had a chance to check the ODE and PALATISED is IN. I withdraw any slurs against the ODE and OUP. Sorry but - unless it's in a completely bizarre and un-cross-referenced place - I'm afraid your word definitely isn't in the ODE (2nd edition revised); it wasn't in the NODE either so I don't know ...

Julian Fell

Yes I remember reading references to Countdown in the ODE preface so that's a fair point Charlie - although the [mass noun] marking is not because of Countdown, it was in place in the NODE from when that dictionary was first published, which was quite some time before anyone proposed using it on Cou...

Julian Fell

Kirk Bevins wrote:I live just outside York whose population are seen to be quite "normal".

Hmmmm

Julian Fell

Best thread on the forum, by a mile.

Julian Fell

Thanks for drawing attention to this game Charlie, you are a legend, as is Beth Sutton. May I also draw attention to the fact that she had five words disallowed in this game and still won, which must surely be a unique achievement. I may put this on the Wiki some day!

Julian Fell

Ah I see. Thanks once again for info Ben.

Julian Fell

Can I take this chance to ask, just out of interest, what the rules on mass nouns were in the COD era? Because the CODs didn't specify mass nouns did they, and I note from Mike Brown's site that monstrosities like GUNFIRES have been allowed back in the day... but I also note from David Ballheimer's ...

Julian Fell

Hmmm... it is a thorny issue this, I don't think anyone would argue that the current uncertainty / inconsistency is a good thing, and I can certainly see where you're coming from Charlie - I just still can't get away from my gut feeling that it's a sad day when the rules of a word game become totall...

Julian Fell

Excellent points there David. I agree 100% with 1. and 2. and I think 3. may be pretty close to the mark as well

Julian Fell

Can I ask another question: what is this 'pyramid' thing that Conor won at last year's CoBRIS, how does that work?

Julian Fell

How many times did Des O say okey-doke today? I didnt notice anything til Stuart mentioned it but it IS quite annoying after a while! *grinds teeth* I still haven't noticed it, even after Stuart drew our attention to it... Edit to say: that said, Des maybe did say one too many times today to the ch...

Julian Fell

if you start allowing PEACES, MANKINDS etc. you're getting into Scrabble territory, I for one wouldn't want to see that, and imagine the letters you'd get from irate old ladies... PEACES should be allowed. Think of the Peace of Westphalia and the Peace of Prague, 2 PEACES. Aaaarrrgghhhh :D But seri...

Julian Fell

dinos_the_chemist wrote:The queen. She watches it so surely one would be up for it?

Julian Fell

Anyway back to the game - today's challenger (sorry, can't remember his name) looks like a goody. He reminds me a lot of series 49 champ John Davies - I imagine he must, like John, have Asperger's or something similar - and is he blind in one eye as well? Before you all come down on me like a ton of...

Julian Fell

Lay off the ODE Malcolm! As Charlie says, the compilers don't decide on a whim whether to include a given word or not - it's based on analysis of the British Reading Corpus which has billions of texts from all contexts, registers etc. I think it's an excellent, well-balanced dictionary - and even if...

Julian Fell

Cricket has been flogged off to Sky, which seems to have killed much of its popularity - good work MCC! The racing still interrupts broadcasts occasionally. If it's rained off, there are no Countdown specials left in the can (except ones with RW, which would be weird) so they just show something el...

Julian Fell

Yes still pissed off about GAMBIERS, I lie awake every night thinking about the injustice of it :D Seriously though, I have to disagree with Charlie - please don't allow all mass noun plurals Damian, I've always thought word games should have some connection with how words are used in real life... i...

Julian Fell

Charlie Reams wrote:Incidentally yes, those quotes are genuine. That section could easily be expanded, Kirk has a talent for the soundbite...

Kirk you actually said that to a girl? Were you drunk at the time?

Julian Fell

Yes that's something I've been meaning to ask: does Countdown still get interrupted now for cricket / horse racing like it used to when I was on?

Julian Fell

Wil, I'm sure that after doing 1000+ shows over 16 years, Susie is well aware of the rules of Countdown. The example you give is just an instance of her being gentle with contestants about disallowed words - IMHO that is one area (one of the few!) where Alison noticeably falls down in comparison; sh...

Julian Fell

Inviting back players who nearly beat eventual Octochamps might be worth doing (Austin Shin comes to mind). Agreed on all counts. If given enough time to prepare Austin would be absolutely deadly. And probably would've been 2 years ago too if he hadn't gone headlong into John Davies in his first sh...

Julian Fell

Ok Charlie - and do only online games count towards your ratings, not performances at e.g. CoLIN and CoBRIS?

Btw can I have another trophy-thing next to my name on the list, because I won the tourney at the Edinburgh Countdown Club in 2003? Go on pleeeaaase

Julian Fell

I'm just a bit confused with the way that DC are repeatedly changing their minds over mass noun plurals - in the past they've said OPALINES, MIL(E)AGES and CARMINES would be ok, then more recently they've either disallowed them or said they're not valid... conversely in the past they've said TYMPANI...

Julian Fell

Should have guessed it would be on the Wiki!

Karl Kurdistan?

Did nobody see through that?

Incidentally Charlie how did it come to light that they were the same person?

Julian Fell

They're seeded according to the rankings on the Corral- most years I'm able to use a program especially designed for COLIN by Soo (which is also being rewritten for the 2009 event), sometimes (like this year) I make do with a spreadsheet. 2005 was randomly drawn, incidentally. Even at the time, a H...

Julian Fell

Yes, brutal conundrum (didn't get it) and a lot of brutal letters rounds. DC-beaters in 7 different rounds (equalling the record?), but I wouldn't be too critical of them because there were a lot of really tough-to-spot maxes in there. I got INCREASE, UNLOADERS and ECOTONE, and STELLATE in the round...

Julian Fell

Julian Fell

Damian will you be having Alison back? I mean, more than once every 5 series or so? I do think Susie is excellent but I also think Alison brings something to DC which Susie doesn't, and it's always nice to have variety...

Julian Fell

Thanks to those who asked us to get David Mitchell, we're on the case but it might not be until June, due to his current commitments. Yeeeaaahhhhh :D :D :D Nice one Damian, that's fantastic news! It'll be worth the wait, really looking forward to it. Agree with your comments re Susie's origin-of-wo...

Julian Fell

http://www.countdownwiki.com/480_club ...Does exist, and contains the 500 club too, but I'm thinking maybe 480 was a bit of a vicious cut-off- I'm open to suggestions from anyone... Worth noting from that page though is the level of talent on display in Series 41- and #s 4 and 5 seed were on 479 an...

Julian Fell

That's interesting about the teapots Charlie, I didn't know that. What's this about Saladin Khoshnaw appearing under different names?

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