Search found 1761 matches

by Adam Gillard
Wed Feb 28, 2024 9:06 pm
Forum: Countdown - General
Topic: OED vs ODP: what’s the difference?
Replies: 9
Views: 524

Re: OED vs ODP: what’s the difference?

I guess drawing the line over what is a used word and what isn't is what I'm finding a bit weird. And classifying current usage. There's a thing called the Oxford Corpus which is basically a big list of words and how many times they appear. It is heavily biased towards traditional print media, e.g....
by Adam Gillard
Mon Feb 26, 2024 5:00 pm
Forum: Other game shows
Topic: The 1% Club
Replies: 50
Views: 4728

Re: The 1% Club

Callum Todd wrote: Mon Feb 26, 2024 1:31 pm Regional accents probably changed the answer for that one too. For example I would consider OUR and HEN to be valid answers in my dialect but not in Queen's (King's?) English
Hem and Hex alongside Hen in that case
by Adam Gillard
Thu Feb 22, 2024 10:27 pm
Forum: Off-topic
Topic: The C4C Football Thread
Replies: 1265
Views: 194596

Re: The C4C Football Thread

I'm sure the British press will be all over this, particularly if the Mendy case goes to trial and he is convicted They are decidedly not all over this. The coverage of Ronaldo's return and re-debut today has been nauseating. There is still an open civil case in the US, I wonder if Man United will ...
by Adam Gillard
Tue Feb 20, 2024 2:31 pm
Forum: Off-topic
Topic: Track and Field (and Road) Athletics
Replies: 252
Views: 49377

Re: Track and Field Athletics

And on the high jump / pole vault thing, surely nowadays they could have a system of laser beams or something to measure the height you reach, so each jump is properly measured, rather than having to get over each set height! Aye, but you can't ask people to jump over nothing. The bar provides a po...
by Adam Gillard
Sat Feb 17, 2024 7:02 pm
Forum: Countdown - General
Topic: Ask Graeme?
Replies: 1740
Views: 682563

Re: Ask Graeme?

What is the most successful first name in countdown (if we say at least 3 people have to have been called this and do it by percentage of games won) My money is on Tom/Thomas. Or maybe Mark. My gut is it will be a more unusual name. Lets say there's been 2 random people called Innis pop up over the...
by Adam Gillard
Mon Feb 12, 2024 8:44 pm
Forum: Off-topic
Topic: Track and Field (and Road) Athletics
Replies: 252
Views: 49377

Re: Track and Field (and Road) Athletics

Thomas Carey wrote: Mon Feb 12, 2024 6:56 am
Gavin Chipper wrote: Sun Feb 11, 2024 11:28 pm Kelvin Kiptum has died in a road accident. Shit. I mean, fucking hell.
These are the kinds of celebrity deaths that get me the most. I struggle to really care when someone old dies, but he had so much ahead of him :(
Horrible and shocking. Similar happened with Sammy Wanjiru in his prime.
by Adam Gillard
Sat Jan 20, 2024 6:51 pm
Forum: Off-topic
Topic: People you shouldn't trust
Replies: 921
Views: 392710

Re: People you shouldn't trust

People who put the squash/Ribena/whatever in AFTER the water. what in god's name are you thinking When at leisure, I put the squash in first and then the water, like a normal person. However, when there's a queue behind me at the office for the taps, I go mixologist style with the water and the squ...
by Adam Gillard
Thu Jan 18, 2024 7:54 pm
Forum: Off-topic
Topic: Was Jeanne Calment a fraud?
Replies: 70
Views: 24844

Re: Was Jeanne Calment a fraud?

Ian Volante wrote: Thu Jan 18, 2024 12:49 pm I just can't believe that Bluey's dead.
To be honest that was the main take-away from the article for me too.
by Adam Gillard
Sat Jan 13, 2024 8:25 pm
Forum: Countdown - General
Topic: Worst word ever
Replies: 9
Views: 1374

Re: Worst word ever

Losingest
by Adam Gillard
Wed Jan 10, 2024 3:32 pm
Forum: Countdown - General
Topic: What’s the best three-word phrase formed from the conundrum answers on consecutive days?
Replies: 13
Views: 1393

Re: What’s the best three-word phrase formed from the conundrum answers on consecutive days?

Bradley Horrocks wrote: Tue Jan 09, 2024 9:11 pm Humankind purposely negligent from my run
Sounds like a veiled statement from the conundrum setter/s there! Loving this thread; this is my favourite set of three so far :)
by Adam Gillard
Wed Jan 03, 2024 4:31 pm
Forum: Off-topic
Topic: Questions you've always wanted answered
Replies: 1609
Views: 623773

Re: Questions you've always wanted answered

Mark Deeks wrote: Tue Jan 02, 2024 7:55 pm What happens to old men that sees them become unable to shut their mouths properly?
Proliferation of nose hair?
by Adam Gillard
Mon Dec 18, 2023 7:54 pm
Forum: Off-topic
Topic: Strange things you used to believe as a child
Replies: 32
Views: 6006

Re: Strange things you used to believe as a child

That's how it's pronounced in our house. I don't understand how else it would be pronounced, I assume the 'correct' makes it sound like "tight least". Title-ist? I mean, I've not heard of it before this discussion. Yes, one time I heard an advert during the golf coverage that pronounced i...
by Adam Gillard
Sat Dec 16, 2023 7:58 pm
Forum: Off-topic
Topic: Strange things you used to believe as a child
Replies: 32
Views: 6006

Re: Strange things you used to believe as a child

Johnny Canuck wrote: Fri Dec 15, 2023 7:38 pm I thought Microsoft had misspelt Tilting in the name of the font Perpetua Titling MT, or I was like "what the hell is a tit-ling"
Watching golf on the TV I'd occasionally see players sporting the brand 'Tit-leist', which I parsed similarly (second half rhyming with 'heist').
by Adam Gillard
Sat Dec 09, 2023 8:04 pm
Forum: Countdown - General
Topic: What's the minimum time you have to be resident in the British Isles in order to qualify for Countdown?
Replies: 52
Views: 6473

Re: What's the minimum time you have to be resident in the British Isles in order to qualify for Countdown?

I think Adam G's comment was fair. But I appreciate people understanding where I was coming from. My comment was directed more towards the stereotype of people who leave university, get a comfortable job and blindly follow a standard career path without stepping back and thinking about the potentia...
by Adam Gillard
Thu Dec 07, 2023 10:41 pm
Forum: Countdown - General
Topic: What's the minimum time you have to be resident in the British Isles in order to qualify for Countdown?
Replies: 52
Views: 6473

Re: What's the minimum time you have to be resident in the British Isles in order to qualify for Countdown?

Exactly. What I'm asking is, does it really have to come to that or not? If I know the minimum buffer time, I'd be able to determine. If quitting were what I'd need to do then forget it. I'd be a pretty trash human being if I did that. Why would quitting your job to do something you're passionate a...
by Adam Gillard
Mon Dec 04, 2023 10:43 pm
Forum: Off-topic
Topic: Unpopular opinions you genuinely hold
Replies: 242
Views: 30304

Re: Unpopular opinions you genuinely hold

My sister, a guide leader, recently discovered that more than half of her group (many of whom are in secondary school) were completely incapable of reading an analogue clock, and in an activity that involved some basic maths (like, 12x4 level of basic), where they insisted phones were put away, a l...
by Adam Gillard
Fri Nov 17, 2023 9:09 am
Forum: Off-topic
Topic: Questions you've always wanted answered
Replies: 1609
Views: 623773

Re: Questions you've always wanted answered

Is it better to fill a kettle with cold water or warm water? Why? Well it's said that hot water freezes more quickly so maybe cold water boils faster. But how are you warming the water? If it's from the hot tap it's probably not drinking water. Only if its from a water tank rather than the mains Ho...
by Adam Gillard
Thu Nov 16, 2023 10:56 pm
Forum: Off-topic
Topic: Questions you've always wanted answered
Replies: 1609
Views: 623773

Re: Questions you've always wanted answered

Is it better to fill a kettle with cold water or warm water? Why?
by Adam Gillard
Sat Nov 04, 2023 11:01 pm
Forum: Off-topic
Topic: REALLY obvious things you've just realised
Replies: 627
Views: 273893

Re: REALLY obvious things you've just realised

1) "Outside in" is not the opposite of "inside out".
2) "Match of the Day" is (likely) a play on words based on "Catch of the Day".
by Adam Gillard
Sun Oct 15, 2023 7:35 pm
Forum: Off-topic
Topic: Can you be pro-Palestinian without being anti-semetic?
Replies: 14
Views: 1987

Re: Can you be pro-Palestinian without being anti-semetic?

Also I re-read that post a few times before posting it as I feel more pressured to be word-perfect in case I imply something that I didn't intend. That's because I'm not a disinterested observer in this and I do worry about a backlash. I'm still not entirely happy with the post but I felt like I was...
by Adam Gillard
Sun Oct 15, 2023 7:27 pm
Forum: Off-topic
Topic: Can you be pro-Palestinian without being anti-semetic?
Replies: 14
Views: 1987

Re: Can you be pro-Palestinian without being anti-semetic?

Yes. You can also be pro-Palestinian without being anti-Israel or anti-Zionist, and vice versa. It's very easy to sympathise with the other cause if you sympathise with one, as they are so similar. Both are peoples with a valid claim to the same land, who have been rejected and oppressed for many ye...
by Adam Gillard
Tue Oct 03, 2023 6:22 pm
Forum: Countdown - General
Topic: What’s the most remarkable anagram you know of?
Replies: 14
Views: 2610

Re: What’s the most remarkable anagram you know of?

That Britney Spears one and ELEVEN PLUS TWO = TWELVE PLUS ONE are the two more oft-cited that came to mind for me.
by Adam Gillard
Wed Sep 13, 2023 6:00 am
Forum: Off-topic
Topic: Joke Items
Replies: 250
Views: 82479

Re: Joke Items

"Click and collect". What's the point of it? Who's using it? There are two main ways to buy something. You could go to an actual bricks-and-mortar shop, and get it the same day but have the inconvenience of having to go all the way to the shop. Alternatively, you could order it from a web...
by Adam Gillard
Tue Sep 12, 2023 5:07 pm
Forum: Off-topic
Topic: Joke Items
Replies: 250
Views: 82479

Re: Joke Items

Is there no intrinsic value in the activities one would undertake to achieve the award?
by Adam Gillard
Sat Sep 09, 2023 9:31 pm
Forum: Off-topic
Topic: REALLY obvious things you've just realised
Replies: 627
Views: 273893

Re: REALLY obvious things you've just realised

Everyone at the (Last Night of the) Proms is white. Performers, audience, everyone. Watched about half an hour and must have seen 400 different faces, maybe 6 weren't white*. Ironically the conductor was talking about diversity and inclusion. *I know that 394/400 is not equivalent to "everyone&...
by Adam Gillard
Thu Aug 17, 2023 10:42 pm
Forum: Off-topic
Topic: Rachel Riley Post
Replies: 76
Views: 16483

Re: Rachel Riley Post

A highly intelligent young woman with a history of charitable work and campaigning, including against domestic abuse and other issues impacting women, has spoken out about a public case related to domestic abuse.

But I wonder what Gevin has to say on the matter?
by Adam Gillard
Tue Aug 08, 2023 10:43 pm
Forum: Games and Puzzles
Topic: Big Ben
Replies: 25
Views: 4254

Re: Big Ben

Cracked the 400:

#BigBenGame for 🕦23:19:46
422 points ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Longest word: CHEAPENERS
https://vole.wtf/big-ben/
by Adam Gillard
Mon Jul 31, 2023 6:01 pm
Forum: Games and Puzzles
Topic: Big Ben
Replies: 25
Views: 4254

Re: Big Ben

Another brag:

#BigBenGame for 🕖18:46:49
394 points ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Longest word: UNDERSIZE
https://vole.wtf/big-ben/
by Adam Gillard
Sat Jul 29, 2023 10:12 pm
Forum: Games and Puzzles
Topic: Big Ben
Replies: 25
Views: 4254

Re: Big Ben

Nice one! I've had a couple of 12s but not finished the board on either occasion. The latest one (SERENENESSES) I had 340 without finishing the board; I think the previous one was REPRESENTING.
by Adam Gillard
Sat Jul 29, 2023 9:22 pm
Forum: Games and Puzzles
Topic: Big Ben
Replies: 25
Views: 4254

Re: Big Ben

That's fun that my game has been made replayable. I beat my own score by a few points just now by tweaking the shorter words I did at the end.
by Adam Gillard
Thu Jul 27, 2023 8:48 pm
Forum: Games and Puzzles
Topic: Big Ben
Replies: 25
Views: 4254

Re: Big Ben

#BigBenGame for 🕤21:40:49
379 points ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Longest word: INTERLOPES
https://vole.wtf/big-ben/
by Adam Gillard
Tue Jul 25, 2023 7:55 pm
Forum: Games and Puzzles
Topic: Big Ben
Replies: 25
Views: 4254

Re: Big Ben

Challenging game - starting to use a method of spreading my words horizontally as much as possible.

#BigBenGame for 🕘20:46:59
318 points ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Longest word: MUTANTS
https://vole.wtf/big-ben/
by Adam Gillard
Tue Jul 11, 2023 7:08 pm
Forum: Off-topic
Topic: Threads app by Instagram
Replies: 12
Views: 1780

Re: Threads app by Instagram

Because I associate Instagram with photos, I assumed "Threads" was related to clothing / fashion. Reading this topic it seems it's a rival to Twitter, but the name threw me.
by Adam Gillard
Mon Jul 10, 2023 7:49 pm
Forum: Off-topic
Topic: Questions you've always wanted answered
Replies: 1609
Views: 623773

Re: Questions you've always wanted answered

I still think I could do it as well, and the optimism / belief would help with that. If you're going into it thinking you have no chance then you will be more likely to fail.
by Adam Gillard
Sun Jul 09, 2023 8:00 pm
Forum: Off-topic
Topic: Joke Items
Replies: 250
Views: 82479

Re: Joke Items

Saw a bus stop today that had a digital display reading "Please refer to timetables".
by Adam Gillard
Sun Jul 09, 2023 5:41 am
Forum: Off-topic
Topic: Questions you've always wanted answered
Replies: 1609
Views: 623773

Re: Questions you've always wanted answered

I've played a bit of tennis for fun in my life. Not enough to know what facing a really good serve feels like. But I think that anyone vaguely sporty with a decent amount of hand eye co-ordination would be a big favourite in this bet. You get to learn on the job with pretty good feedback . I think ...
by Adam Gillard
Mon Jun 12, 2023 6:09 pm
Forum: Off-topic
Topic: The Matt Morrison Computer Corner
Replies: 452
Views: 114785

Re: The Matt Morrison Computer Corner

A couple I think I know the answer to, but I am a bit scared / Ludditeish about changing my ways and I still think of computers as more secure than phones: 1) Is it safer to use internet banking on my 2014 Chromebook laptop where the OS and browser are both out of support, or on my 2020 mobile phone...
by Adam Gillard
Sun May 07, 2023 10:29 pm
Forum: Off-topic
Topic: Is it time to end, the Monarchy?
Replies: 66
Views: 4271

Re: Is it time to end, the Monarchy?

This is a good point. The UK is a majority atheist society nowadays, and swearing all manner of allegiances and oaths to a god that, in my mind and that of a large number of others, is purely fictional isn't really something that people can get behind. As Mark said, the ceremony yesterday seemed ex...
by Adam Gillard
Mon Apr 17, 2023 7:06 pm
Forum: Games and Puzzles
Topic: the Countdowners Outside Co:Event Meet-ups game (COCMEAT)
Replies: 97
Views: 77845

Re: the Countdowners Outside Co:Event Meet-ups game (COCMEAT)

Thomas Carey wrote: Thu Sep 12, 2019 1:07 pm Hucthings
Correctly Correctington!
by Adam Gillard
Sun Mar 19, 2023 8:22 pm
Forum: Countdown - General
Topic: Getting back on for a second go
Replies: 88
Views: 19376

Re: Getting back on for a second go

I think the key thing is don't apply until you're ready. I don't think people on the whole apply unless they feel ready I would have thought. But hindsight is a wonderful thing 😊 I wasn't "ready" when I applied, in the sense that I hadn't been on apterous for very long and I was an averag...
by Adam Gillard
Tue Jan 31, 2023 7:03 pm
Forum: Countdown - General
Topic: Countdown mentions on other shows
Replies: 315
Views: 136760

Re: Countdown mentions on other shows

Not exactly a show, but Bolton Wanderers just used Jeff Stelling-era Countdown to announce the signing of a useless player… I can say he’s useless, cos Town have had him for 5 months, in which he played 6 times, starting just 3, and in one of them, he played so bad that he basically helped concede ...
by Adam Gillard
Fri Jan 27, 2023 10:33 am
Forum: Countdown - General
Topic: Countdowners in the news
Replies: 237
Views: 116313

Re: Countdowners in the news

Maybe a candidate for the first de-spooning?
by Adam Gillard
Thu Jan 26, 2023 11:58 pm
Forum: Off-topic
Topic: What TV programmes have you been watching lately?
Replies: 753
Views: 560605

Re: What TV programmes have you been watching lately?

commercialised version Oh, I'm sorry, how did we get onto the topic of Mog? Twat. Don't fuck with me, you idiotic cunt, or I'll expose your paedophilic love all over the internet. You know I've got the evidence and you know I can expose you at the drop of a hat. By choice, I think the hat should be...
by Adam Gillard
Thu Jan 26, 2023 11:47 pm
Forum: Countdown - General
Topic: Countdowners in the news
Replies: 237
Views: 116313

Re: Countdowners in the news

Unless there are two people of that name who live on that road, then... https://www.gazettelive.co.uk/news/teesside-news/paedophile-loner-amassed-over-50000-19453696 Yikes. Looking back over Jim's posts on the first page of this topic I've done something that will annoy him, by taking a number of h...
by Adam Gillard
Sat Jan 21, 2023 6:46 pm
Forum: Off-topic
Topic: TENNIS
Replies: 136
Views: 37985

Re: TENNIS

There are active American tennis professionals named Katie Volynets and Tennys Sandgren. Nominative determinism?
by Adam Gillard
Sun Jan 15, 2023 2:00 pm
Forum: Off-topic
Topic: Questions you've always wanted answered
Replies: 1609
Views: 623773

Re: Questions you've always wanted answered

Why is Vanilla extract £7 in one supermarket and 60p in another (for the same quantity)? Same quality? Madagascar vanilla is more expensive (yes I work for Waitrose) The 60p one was Madagascan. I just can't comprehend that the quality would be so different to warrant such a vast difference in price...
by Adam Gillard
Sun Jan 15, 2023 9:06 am
Forum: Off-topic
Topic: Questions you've always wanted answered
Replies: 1609
Views: 623773

Re: Questions you've always wanted answered

Why is Vanilla extract £7 in one supermarket and 60p in another (for the same quantity)?
by Adam Gillard
Thu Jan 12, 2023 10:05 pm
Forum: Off-topic
Topic: REALLY obvious things you've just realised
Replies: 627
Views: 273893

Re: REALLY obvious things you've just realised

Marc Meakin wrote: Thu Jan 12, 2023 8:15 pm There isn't any obvious difference between flammable and Inflammable
What a country!
by Adam Gillard
Thu Jan 12, 2023 7:34 pm
Forum: Off-topic
Topic: REALLY obvious things you've just realised
Replies: 627
Views: 273893

Re: REALLY obvious things you've just realised

Elliott Mellor wrote: Thu Jan 12, 2023 6:48 pm
Marc Meakin wrote: Thu Jan 12, 2023 5:30 am The Elgin marbles are not a set of spheres but sculptures
I'm impressed you have managed to live for over half a century without learning this. Just wait until you find out what a titmouse is, or a gravy train, or a cat burglar :lol:
I also assumed they were spheres until recently.
by Adam Gillard
Mon Jan 02, 2023 7:36 pm
Forum: Off-topic
Topic: REALLY obvious things you've just realised
Replies: 627
Views: 273893

Re: REALLY obvious things you've just realised

Shea butter is pronounced as in "SHEER drop" rather than as in "John O'SHEA".
by Adam Gillard
Sat Dec 31, 2022 7:30 pm
Forum: Countdown - General
Topic: Countdowners in the news
Replies: 237
Views: 116313

Re: Countdowners in the news

Rhys Benjamin wrote: Fri Dec 30, 2022 6:41 pm A nice profile piece here on Sky. https://news.sky.com/story/countdown-ch ... a-12767414
Good article, thanks for sharing.
by Adam Gillard
Mon Dec 19, 2022 8:43 pm
Forum: Off-topic
Topic: World Cup 2022 Qatar
Replies: 54
Views: 4430

Re: World Cup 2022 Qatar

Fair play. Which is all England won, coincidentally.
by Adam Gillard
Sun Dec 18, 2022 10:00 pm
Forum: Off-topic
Topic: World Cup 2022 Qatar
Replies: 54
Views: 4430

Re: World Cup 2022 Qatar

I don't watch much football but when I do the kits heavily influence who I support. Blue is generally frowned upon. Blue and white stripes even more so. Not a good world cup. Brazil v Netherlands would have been good. Why comment on this thread at all? It's like a tortoise commenting on the Parkrun...
by Adam Gillard
Sun Dec 18, 2022 1:04 pm
Forum: Off-topic
Topic: Religion
Replies: 548
Views: 140447

Re: Religion

Can you be openly gay and religious? Wouldn't it just be contradictory? Although I'm talking about Christian faiths, Judaism and Muslim faiths as I don't know enough about other faiths like Hinduism and Budhism In Judaism it's very hard to be openly gay and religious, in this country at least. The ...
by Adam Gillard
Sat Dec 17, 2022 9:58 pm
Forum: Countdown - General
Topic: David Barnard, 1991-2022
Replies: 85
Views: 11971

Re: Please say a prayer for David Barnard

David's funeral service is available to watch here. https://screenrec.com/share/qELHatc348 Thank you for sharing this, Mark. David was a real character within our community and I could almost see his cheeky smile and hear his witty comebacks as you were speaking. Thank you for speaking on behalf of...
by Adam Gillard
Sat Dec 17, 2022 8:47 pm
Forum: Off-topic
Topic: Religion
Replies: 548
Views: 140447

Re: Religion

If you use the tool on the website I linked to choose different Bible versions, many of them are quite explicit in saying "have sexual relations with a man" or similar. So, the KJV's flowery language aside, it's fairly well agreed what that bit means. Essentially, to counter my original p...
by Adam Gillard
Sat Dec 10, 2022 10:25 pm
Forum: Games and Puzzles
Topic: Done gone done made a quiz
Replies: 26
Views: 20219

Re: Done gone done made a quiz

Annnnnnnnnd it's done. Recycled a few rounds from the 2017 edition but as it's been five years and nobody did that quiz anyway, I doubt it'll matter much. Quiz can be downloaded here for the full .docx version or here if you're Gevin and you need a pdf (this version doesn't include the audio files ...
by Adam Gillard
Fri Nov 25, 2022 9:10 am
Forum: Off-topic
Topic: Questions you've always wanted answered
Replies: 1609
Views: 623773

Re: Questions you've always wanted answered

What happens when you set the rotary heating dial thing in a car to a point between two settings? If it's set to half way between "bottom heat" and "top and bottom heat" does it supply 2/3 bottom heat and 1/3 top heat? Some cars have 3 points that the dial can rest at between eac...
by Adam Gillard
Sat Oct 29, 2022 10:33 pm
Forum: Off-topic
Topic: Joke Items
Replies: 250
Views: 82479

Re: Joke Items

Cryptic crosswords (hello Dave Gorman in DC this week). You might hear one clue and think "That's clever" but then you realise how formulaic, samey and boring they all are. Maybe not quite as bad as Sudoku but getting there. Most "brain training" style puzzles are formulaic and ...