Search found 333 matches
- Thu May 03, 2018 12:29 pm
- Forum: Off-topic
- Topic: Why do ?.....
- Replies: 21
- Views: 7853
Re: Why do ?.....
I think part of the justification is that they're "always on duty". This made more sense when they'd spend most of the time in the parish, and so could reasonably be approached by a parishioner. It makes less sense now when an Irish priest ends up on BGT. Interestingly the original purpose...
- Wed Apr 18, 2018 10:58 am
- Forum: Countdown - General
- Topic: (SPOILERS) The Countdown Scoring System.
- Replies: 9
- Views: 8978
Re: (SPOILERS) The Countdown Scoring System.
And to do so you'd need an absolutely definitive list of which words are valid, with a ruling on every edge case.Gavin Chipper wrote: ↑Wed Apr 18, 2018 10:54 am Stuff like maxes aren't even officially measured anyway.
- Wed Apr 11, 2018 3:54 pm
- Forum: Other game shows
- Topic: University Challenge and Only Connect 2016/17
- Replies: 81
- Views: 91031
Re: University Challenge and Only Connect 2016/17
Thanks very much to all of you for the kind words about UC - quite possibly the most stressful thing I've ever put myself through (it's even harder than it looks, and I'm all the more in awe now of the teams who can post high scores time after time without breaking a sweat) but also among the most ...
- Thu Apr 05, 2018 1:59 pm
- Forum: Countdown - Spoilers
- Topic: Spoilers for Thursday 5th April 2018 (Series 78, Prelim 63)
- Replies: 8
- Views: 7643
Re: Spoilers for Thursday 5th April 2018 (Series 78, Prelim 63)
https://en.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/emo
- Tue Mar 13, 2018 2:27 pm
- Forum: Countdown - General
- Topic: Lowest max for letters game
- Replies: 1
- Views: 3013
Re: Lowest max for letters game
Yes: http://wiki.apterous.org/Episode_108
Though this would now have IDDUT available for a 5: https://en.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/iddat
Though this would now have IDDUT available for a 5: https://en.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/iddat
- Tue Mar 13, 2018 2:26 pm
- Forum: Countdown - General
- Topic: So, who will be the founding member of Countdown's "1000 CLUB"?
- Replies: 129
- Views: 93162
Re: So, who will be the founding member of Countdown's "1000 CLUB"?
Well, at least the holders of the 2 highest octotals, so seems a recommended way to start your run.L'oisleatch McGraw wrote: ↑Tue Mar 13, 2018 2:03 am -How many Octochamps have faced an opponent in their first game who had up till that point an average game score of over 110pts?
- Sat Feb 24, 2018 11:19 pm
- Forum: Countdown - Events
- Topic: COREA18 - Saturday 31st March 2018
- Replies: 21
- Views: 28412
Re: COREA18 - Saturday 31st March 2018
I'll be there
- Tue Feb 20, 2018 5:21 pm
- Forum: Countdown - Spoilers
- Topic: Spoilers for Tuesday 20th February 2018 (Series 78, Prelim 31)
- Replies: 12
- Views: 8253
Re: Spoilers for Tuesday 20th February 2018 (Series 78, Prelim 31)
zorbed not valid for round 12 even though ZORBING is in. Cos obviously when you go zorbing you're not actually zorbing. That's an error surely? I'd say you should ticket that if you haven't. No (unless premium has it in). zorbing is in (https://en.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/zorbing) as is Zo...
- Tue Feb 20, 2018 10:35 am
- Forum: Other game shows
- Topic: University Challenge and Only Connect 2016/17
- Replies: 81
- Views: 91031
Re: University Challenge and Only Connect 2016/17
Also well done to Tom Rowell and team for a more comfortable Only Connect victory
- Mon Feb 19, 2018 10:46 pm
- Forum: Other game shows
- Topic: University Challenge and Only Connect 2016/17
- Replies: 81
- Views: 91031
Re: University Challenge and Only Connect 2016/17
Wow, that was a thrilling contest! Well done to Innis and team for coming through against strong opponents. Can just apply that comment for this round as well. So evenly matched all the way through, and just nicking it at the end. Edinburgh in front for a whole set of bonuses at the end this time. ...
- Wed Jan 24, 2018 6:25 pm
- Forum: Countdown - General
- Topic: Add up the numbers...
- Replies: 4
- Views: 4400
- Tue Jan 23, 2018 1:41 pm
- Forum: Countdown - General
- Topic: Letter distribution
- Replies: 37
- Views: 12798
Re: Letter distribution
Bumping this cos I can't create a new one. If the first three rounds ( i.e.first 27 tiles ) where from a pool of the 26 letters of the alphabet plus an additional A what would be the best distribution for maximum points ? Interesting. Ignoring the fact that you don't have enough vowels for 3 valid ...
- Tue Jan 23, 2018 11:56 am
- Forum: Countdown - General
- Topic: Letter distribution
- Replies: 37
- Views: 12798
Re: Letter distribution
Bumping this cos I can't create a new one. If the first three rounds ( i.e.first 27 tiles ) where from a pool of the 26 letters of the alphabet plus an additional A what would be the best distribution for maximum points ? Interesting. Ignoring the fact that you don't have enough vowels for 3 valid ...
- Wed Jan 03, 2018 3:31 pm
- Forum: Countdown - Events
- Topic: Countdown Bristol 2018
- Replies: 18
- Views: 28415
Re: Countdown Bristol 2018
Brilliant, thanks very much!Mark Murray wrote: ↑Wed Jan 03, 2018 1:42 pm Time for meal now amended to 7pm . Adam-this would also give you enough time if you got a taxi to leave for about 8 pm from restaurant to temple meads
- Tue Jan 02, 2018 11:44 pm
- Forum: Countdown - Events
- Topic: Countdown Bristol 2018
- Replies: 18
- Views: 28415
Re: Countdown Bristol 2018
Hey Meal will be booked at Za Za for 8pm to ensure enough time between finishing event and getting there to relax first. price will be £17.99 per person and this can also be paid by paypal to markmurray97@hotmail.com Any chance of getting the booking any earlier? In the past it's felt like a long w...
- Fri Dec 29, 2017 12:03 pm
- Forum: Countdown - Events
- Topic: Countdown Bristol 2018
- Replies: 18
- Views: 28415
Re: Countdown Bristol 2018
Yes please for whatever food happens as well
- Mon Dec 04, 2017 8:36 pm
- Forum: Other game shows
- Topic: University Challenge and Only Connect 2016/17
- Replies: 81
- Views: 91031
Re: University Challenge and Only Connect 2016/17
Can just apply that comment for this round as well. So evenly matched all the way through, and just nicking it at the end.Adam Gillard wrote: ↑Mon Jul 17, 2017 8:46 pm Wow, that was a thrilling contest! Well done to Innis and team for coming through against strong opponents.
- Mon Dec 04, 2017 4:21 pm
- Forum: Countdown - Spoilers
- Topic: Ongoing series 77 general discussion thread (will contain spoilers!!!)
- Replies: 69
- Views: 54932
Re: Ongoing series 77 general discussion thread (will contain spoilers!!!)
I think I know the answer to this question, but I'm genuinely curious: All spots for the Series 77 finals are now claimed, and there are still seven heats left in the series. If someone wins the next six games and loses the seventh and last heat, and six wins proves to be enough to make it into the...
- Wed Nov 22, 2017 10:36 am
- Forum: Off-topic
- Topic: What TV programmes have you been watching lately?
- Replies: 773
- Views: 675272
Re: What TV programmes have you been watching lately?
I'm also catching up with the new series of Robot Wars. I'm glad they've tweaked the format slightly. I think it's slightly better now. But in both this series and the last one the two grand finalists from the previous series have ended up in the same heat. If it's just a random thing then OK, but ...
- Tue Nov 21, 2017 11:52 am
- Forum: Off-topic
- Topic: What TV programmes have you been watching lately?
- Replies: 773
- Views: 675272
Re: What TV programmes have you been watching lately?
I'm also catching up with the new series of Robot Wars. I'm glad they've tweaked the format slightly. I think it's slightly better now. But in both this series and the last one the two grand finalists from the previous series have ended up in the same heat. If it's just a random thing then OK, but ...
- Tue Oct 17, 2017 7:13 am
- Forum: Off-topic
- Topic: How many countries have you been to?
- Replies: 172
- Views: 98074
Re: How many countries have you been to?
UK (3), Portugal, Spain, France, Belgium, Switzerland, Germany, Poland, Hungary, Italy, Vatican City, Montenegro, Croatia, Greece, UAE (transfers only), Japan, Tanzania, South Africa, Zambia, USA for 20 total. No new ones planned for this year yet - may fill in one of the holes in Western Europe Ad...
- Mon Sep 25, 2017 1:18 pm
- Forum: Games and Puzzles
- Topic: Do you know what you know?
- Replies: 13
- Views: 15310
Re: Do you know what you know?
Mean confidence: 76.00% Actual percent correct: 88.00% You want your mean confidence and actual score to be as close as possible. Mean confidence on correct answers: 77.05% Mean confidence on incorrect answers: 68.33% You want your mean confidence to be low for incorrect answers and high for correc...
- Thu Sep 21, 2017 12:56 pm
- Forum: Off-topic
- Topic: Steam codes
- Replies: 35
- Views: 29646
Re: Steam codes
I also have the following duplicate keys: VVVVVV The Stanley Parable Super Meat Boy Mini Metro And if anyone didn't get the Humble Freedom Bundle earlier this year (list here ), and wants anything from it other than those, Stardew Valley and The Witness, you can probably have those as well. I haven'...
- Tue Sep 19, 2017 10:06 pm
- Forum: Off-topic
- Topic: Steam codes
- Replies: 35
- Views: 29646
Re: Steam codes
Can I claim the Shadow of Mordor one please?
- Sun Sep 17, 2017 9:06 pm
- Forum: Off-topic
- Topic: How many countries have you been to?
- Replies: 172
- Views: 98074
Re: How many countries have you been to?
UK (3), Portugal, Spain, France, Belgium, Switzerland, Germany, Poland, Hungary, Italy, Vatican City, Montenegro, Croatia, Greece, UAE (transfers only), Japan, Tanzania, South Africa, Zambia, USA for 20 total. No new ones planned for this year yet - may fill in one of the holes in Western Europe Ad...
- Mon Jul 24, 2017 9:13 am
- Forum: Countdown - General
- Topic: Curious about the CD recording process
- Replies: 28
- Views: 18666
Re: Curious about the CD recording process
I was fourth show - 2 that day, 5 the next, then came back a week and a half later for the final one. Did mean I got to meet the standby player, the one contestant during that time who was happy to see me win.
- Tue May 16, 2017 10:38 pm
- Forum: Off-topic
- Topic: Personality types
- Replies: 7
- Views: 4358
Re: Personality types
I somehow got https://www.16personalities.com/istp-personality, but very marginal between, observant and intuitive, and all the descriptions for INTP match much better.
- Wed Mar 22, 2017 9:19 am
- Forum: Countdown - Events
- Topic: COREA17 - Saturday 15th April 2017
- Replies: 26
- Views: 62706
Re: COREA17 - Saturday 15th April 2017
I'm going to have to drop out of this, as will be away that weekend.
- Mon Feb 20, 2017 8:34 pm
- Forum: Other game shows
- Topic: University Challenge and Only Connect 2016/17
- Replies: 81
- Views: 91031
Re: University Challenge and Only Connect 2016/17
Giles and team showing how to do a proper comeback on UC tonight. Brilliantly stressful watching.
- Thu Feb 16, 2017 9:58 pm
- Forum: Off-topic
- Topic: Politics in General
- Replies: 1645
- Views: 1801273
Re: Politics in General
The last few months has been pretty insane for politics (particularly in the USA), but this manifesto (by a Stoke by-election candidate who has been arrested for it) is probably the most insane thing I've ever read . That's pretty amazing. Not decided what my favourite bit is yet. Probably either t...
- Wed Feb 15, 2017 1:35 pm
- Forum: Off-topic
- Topic: C4C/apto/Countdown Dreams
- Replies: 759
- Views: 480018
Re: C4C/apto/Countdown Dreams
I dreamed that I was on Countdown and Susie's origins bit was something interesting about words related to marine animals. It was interesting enough that well into the next round I was distracted thinking about various fish parts and how they got their name, so I could only find a three letter word...
- Wed Feb 15, 2017 10:15 am
- Forum: Off-topic
- Topic: C4C/apto/Countdown Dreams
- Replies: 759
- Views: 480018
Re: C4C/apto/Countdown Dreams
Finally got one that I can remember some details of. Was at some CoEvent, and was looking through a Countdown calendar with Jack Hurst, trying to show him the picture of our final (no idea what final). However, it had for some reason been replaced by a picture of Conor holding a trophy from the even...
- Tue Feb 07, 2017 1:46 pm
- Forum: Games and Puzzles
- Topic: the Countdowners Outside Co:Event Meet-ups game (COCMEAT)
- Replies: 97
- Views: 95482
Re: the Countdowners Outside Co:Event Meet-ups game (COCMEAT)
Catriona Cappleman (unsurprising, also comes under Countdowners whose houses I've been in and who have been in my house) Graeme Cole Phyl Styles Heather Styles (last 3 related to Only Connect filming) Jack Hurst Giles Hutchings (both at work) Many more if you count the last day of CoC filming, when ...
- Mon Jan 30, 2017 8:30 pm
- Forum: Other game shows
- Topic: University Challenge and Only Connect 2016/17
- Replies: 81
- Views: 91031
Re: University Challenge and Only Connect 2016/17
Unlucky there Giles - Bobby Seagull's a machine, and the bonuses you did get just didn't seem to fall well for you.
- Mon Jan 23, 2017 3:53 pm
- Forum: Countdown - Events
- Topic: COREA17 - Saturday 15th April 2017
- Replies: 26
- Views: 62706
Re: COREA17 - Saturday 15th April 2017
In please.
- Mon Jan 16, 2017 11:44 am
- Forum: Off-topic
- Topic: 2017 upgrade!
- Replies: 36
- Views: 93180
Re: 2017 upgrade!
Seems to be a Chrome problem (at least) - tried that first, then changed to Firefox and working fine.
- Sat Jan 14, 2017 12:46 am
- Forum: Countdown - Events
- Topic: CO-MSO 2017
- Replies: 34
- Views: 33480
Re: CO-MSO
Is that a round 1 or round 2 question?Thomas Carey wrote:Gavin Chipper wrote:You say etc, but there's not enough there to make a connection. What about drinks and forks?Tony Atkins wrote:please note food and knives etc may not be brought on site.
- Tue Nov 15, 2016 5:02 pm
- Forum: Games and Puzzles
- Topic: Grumbleweed
- Replies: 40
- Views: 21338
Re: Grumbleweed
Wrong
- Tue Nov 01, 2016 11:40 pm
- Forum: apterous.org
- Topic: Greatest ever Apterites
- Replies: 26
- Views: 20911
Re: Greatest ever Apterites
I'd put Adam Gillard in the top 10, based on his complete dominance of the top all rounders list (http://www.apterous.org/statland.php?section=top_all_rounders), and his large number of high scores (http://www.apterous.org/statland.php?section=highscores). May not be the very best in English countdo...
- Wed Oct 12, 2016 8:45 am
- Forum: Countdown - Events
- Topic: FOCAL 2016
- Replies: 114
- Views: 35573
Re: FOCAL 2016
Done. (Red/bold means first event; orange/bold means first event and former event winner; yellow means former event winner.) Is former event winner filled in retroactively? Otherwise, having won an event before your first event would be impressive, and I should only be yellow from St Albans onwards...
- Fri Aug 26, 2016 1:09 pm
- Forum: Countdown - Spoilers
- Topic: Spoilers for Thusday August 25th 2016
- Replies: 13
- Views: 5320
Re: Spoilers for Thusday August 25th 2016
Maybe an "ask Greame" in there somewhere as can't be many who have won a show after blanking the first 3 letters games? It's not common, but it's happened a few times. 9 times in 9-rounders, 14 times in old 15-rounders, and up to the end of series 74, twice in new 15-rounders. Ned Pendlet...
- Thu Jun 16, 2016 12:25 pm
- Forum: Off-topic
- Topic: EU Referendum
- Replies: 182
- Views: 55523
Re: EU Referendum
The Betfair odds look good for Remain. As long as enough people do vote, I'm still pretty confident of a win for Remain. I'm looking forward to the referendum thing being over, though - to be honest, I'm not sure one should even have been called in the first place. This by David Mitchell is quite i...
- Wed Jun 08, 2016 10:04 am
- Forum: Off-topic
- Topic: The C4C Football Thread
- Replies: 1265
- Views: 213348
Re: The C4C Football Thread
Israel do (along with other famously European countries like Kazakhstan), though never qualify. For football Australia choose to be in Asia instead.Gavin Chipper wrote:Do Israel and Australia get to enter this?
- Mon Jun 06, 2016 1:14 pm
- Forum: Off-topic
- Topic: IMDB top 250
- Replies: 57
- Views: 19617
Re: IMDB top 250
Only seen Troll 2 of those, which was bottom for a while until that made it gain in popularity.Conor wrote:There is also a list of the Bottom 100 rated films: http://www.imdb.com/chart/bottom
I have only seen one - Epic Movie - at it remains the only film where I have walked out of the cinema.
- Thu Apr 14, 2016 2:58 pm
- Forum: Countdown - Spoilers
- Topic: Spoilers for Thursday 14 April 2016 (Series 74 Prelim 52)
- Replies: 8
- Views: 2234
Re: Recapper Needed for Today! Spoilers for Thursday 14 April 2016 (Series 74 Prelim 52)
May have been a variant of http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/defin ... ish/pianet - I think that had a lot of stupid variants.Johnny Canuck wrote:Lexplorer lists PIEANNOTS as a 9 in the PANTIES/ENATIONS round, but I can't find any way to get to it on ODO. Was it one of the junked variant spellings?
- Mon Mar 28, 2016 5:27 pm
- Forum: Off-topic
- Topic: April Idiots
- Replies: 24
- Views: 3897
Re: April Idiots
Nope. They realised they stuck the leap day in the wrong place, so they're skipping April 1st.JimBentley wrote:So, apropos nothing, this is coming up again soon, isn't it?
- Mon Mar 21, 2016 1:23 pm
- Forum: Countdown - Spoilers
- Topic: Spoilers For Monday March 21st 2016
- Replies: 7
- Views: 2953
Re: Spoilers For Monday March 21st 2016
They get pushed to the following week, which leads to Nick getting even more confused as to what day it's meant to be. A lot of the time the first show on a filming day isn't a Monday.
- Thu Mar 10, 2016 2:57 pm
- Forum: Countdown - Events
- Topic: FOCAL 2016
- Replies: 114
- Views: 35573
Re: FOCAL 2016
Is there a list of positions for each individual event? No. I kind of wanted to put that info up but it massively clutters the table - I'm probably just going to link to the respective Wiki pages from the finished event pages (maybe the events calendar page too). Could be worth making a page on the...
- Thu Mar 10, 2016 2:53 pm
- Forum: Countdown - General
- Topic: Previous appearances?
- Replies: 14
- Views: 5370
Re: Previous appearances?
The last 4 series winners were all past contestants, each having won no games previously. My gap was around 6 years as well, and Dan's was even less. 2 of the losing finalists were also past contestants, and I think I played a few others as well, so they seem pretty relaxed about it these days. I ju...
- Wed Feb 17, 2016 5:13 pm
- Forum: Countdown - General
- Topic: Welcome! - Post here first
- Replies: 1962
- Views: 1108369
Re: Welcome! - Post here first
If we're going to use the previous champions ONLY as a measure for how to get good, it would seem the best bit is to fuck up your first attempt and go on again later :P (Not in any way moaning about people going back on, I hasten to add. Chances are I would) This is probably one of the best motivat...
- Fri Feb 12, 2016 3:42 pm
- Forum: Games and Puzzles
- Topic: Rainy day game for 2 players
- Replies: 10
- Views: 5558
Re: Rainy day game for 2 players
Yeah, I stopped once I found a winning move, so probably a few missing, in particular ones that don't touch the 5 immediately.
- Fri Feb 12, 2016 3:11 pm
- Forum: Games and Puzzles
- Topic: Rainy day game for 2 players
- Replies: 10
- Views: 5558
Re: Rainy day game for 2 players
I think the following is a list of winning positions (ones where your next move can get you back to a winning position no matter what your opponent does). If you strike one or more sticks from the middle of a line you effectively split it into 2 lines, hence some positions involving more than 5. As ...
- Fri Feb 12, 2016 10:42 am
- Forum: Games and Puzzles
- Topic: Rainy day game for 2 players
- Replies: 10
- Views: 5558
Re: Rainy day game for 2 players
There's a technique for analysing games like this where you assign each position a score for if you reach it at the end of your turn. If there's just 1 stick left then your opponent takes that and loses, so we'll assign that (and all other winning positions) a score of 0. Then you gradually work out...
- Fri Jan 29, 2016 4:13 pm
- Forum: Countdown - General
- Topic: How many Numbers puzzles are there in total?
- Replies: 134
- Views: 42779
Re: How many Numbers puzzles are there in total?
Which large numbers are generally most useful, across all combinations with other numbers, and which are least useful? 97 and 12 respectively? Nope. The most useful numbers, in order (some omissions) are: 11, 13, 12, 14, 17, ... , 92, 90, 98, 96, 100 97 comes in 15th from bottom. As you can see, 12...
- Fri Jan 29, 2016 3:48 pm
- Forum: Countdown - General
- Topic: How many Numbers puzzles are there in total?
- Replies: 134
- Views: 42779
Re: How many Numbers puzzles are there in total?
Which large numbers are generally most useful, across all combinations with other numbers, and which are least useful? 97 and 12 respectively?
- Fri Jan 29, 2016 3:17 pm
- Forum: Countdown - General
- Topic: How many Numbers puzzles are there in total?
- Replies: 134
- Views: 42779
Re: How many Numbers puzzles are there in total?
2 prime numbers, and 62 having 31 (a prime greater than 10) as a factor should put it much higher than the default.Johnny Canuck wrote:Where do 12, 37, 62, 87 fall?
- Fri Jan 29, 2016 12:04 am
- Forum: Countdown - General
- Topic: Did the ODO changes improve the CoC?
- Replies: 15
- Views: 6637
Re: Did the ODO changes improve the CoC?
I'll put this here because I don't know where else to. The chance of being able to declare a new word as a max is around 16%. The chance you can beat the old max (OED max) by playing a new word is around 7% I had a very convoluted way of calculating this. I'm happy to do a write up of the method if...
- Sat Jan 23, 2016 11:23 pm
- Forum: Countdown - Spoilers
- Topic: CoC Grand Final Spoilers For Friday January 22nd 2016
- Replies: 69
- Views: 20824
Re: CoC Grand Final Spoilers For Friday January 22nd 2016
That earthman case is just bizarre. Neither definition could have made sense in the Middle ages, and yet it has a spelling and earliest use from then.
- Sat Jan 23, 2016 2:54 am
- Forum: Countdown - General
- Topic: Did the ODO changes improve the CoC?
- Replies: 15
- Views: 6637
Re: Did the ODO changes improve the CoC?
I voted for improved, though also conflicted. This was an unusual case, where most players hadn't had a chance to learn which words will come up a lot, and so it led to some interesting encounters. Despite this, the best player still won each game I think, almost regardless of the new words. By the ...
- Sat Jan 23, 2016 2:45 am
- Forum: Countdown - Spoilers
- Topic: CoC Grand Final Spoilers For Friday January 22nd 2016
- Replies: 69
- Views: 20824
Re: CoC Grand Final Spoilers For Friday January 22nd 2016
Great game by both, Dan's recovery keeping it tense to the very end. Fantastic spot by Dylan on the conundrum to take it. Was a great competition to watch/be part of, with the new words and the suspiciously kind letters arrangements leading to some very interesting scores. Haha - couldn't let this ...