c4countdown

David Williams

I was wondering if GERONTICS, the science of the aged (presumably), was a plural or not, until I remembered that RECOSTING was one of those plausible words that has a valid anagram.

David Williams

Only just watched this, so I missed all the CHOLIAMBS stuff. Have to say, like Damian, I think it's a total non-issue. But it did get me wondering whether if you wrote in about something like that you'd get a reply, and if so whether it would be similar to the response you get here. I do hope so.

David Williams

As a young person I would just like to say that

(sorry, the ADHD must have kicked in)

David Williams

In the 30 minute era I don't think anyone thought much about this, or maybe there just weren't forums to discuss it. But there were fewer rounds, so more crucial conundrums, and the champion picked the final numbers, so the tactics could be quite important. I decided that one large was the option I ...

David Williams

I'm pretty sure that I've seen a reason given, but I can't remember what it was! If so, the explanation can only have come from Damian. Possibly they thought the 16 player three week affair went on too long. I'm also pretty sure Damian did say at one time that there weren't going to be any more. I k...

David Williams

When I figured that Mark Goodliffe was a good player coupled with the fact I would probably make it to the finals with 7 wins, I thought that I could knock a potential finalist out which would (will?) be advantageous come the series finals. Alternatively, if you knew someone who you thought was bet...

David Williams

Does anyone here write a weekly column for The Times called 'The Pedant'? Today's centres around the three MPs "refuting" the charges against them, and sets out the differences between refute, rebut and deny. Sadly, when I looked for it on Times-online by searching for the word "refut...

David Williams

I thought I was pretty clued up on the pedantry side, but I came across one new to me in The Times yesterday. If 30 apples are divided equally between a number of boys, how many does each get? Answer is 15, because if there were more than two they would be divided "among", not "betwee...

David Williams

On the one hand, I can't see it matters, and it depends how you define it. If you really mean identical, 100+(1+2) is not the same as (100+1)+2. For Countdown purposes what matters is the point at which Rachel would say to the second contestant "That's the same as your opponent. Show him your s...

David Williams

Interestingly, ODE doesn't give MINUS as a verb, so where "I'm adding these two numbers together" is acceptable, "I'm minusing these two numbers" is invalid. Plussing, the antonym of minusing, isn't in, either. The antonym of adding is subtracting. And the syntax changes for sub...

David Williams

I saw someone complaining a while back at "kamikaze" being used to describe almost anything self-destructive. I think he felt that this diminished the horror of the WW2 suicide attacks. But "kamikaze" actually means "divine wind", and refers to a typhoon that destroyed ...

David Williams

Jon O'Neill wrote:someone in my football team's girlfriend

Ambiguous, and topical!

David Williams

Charlie Reams wrote:For the less educated amongst us,

Should that be "fewer"? Or "less-educated"? I thought we'd implied you were home-educated anyway, or did you refute that? All fairly disinteresting, however.

David Williams

"We believe that the problems that exist in devolving policing and justice are all soluble problems" For the less educated amongst us, can you explain what's wrong with this? I think it's a trick question. You're supposed to think he's saying the problems can be dissolved, rather than sol...

David Williams

Gavin Chipper wrote:Never give the choice to Rachel unless you really don't care what you get! Didn't David Williams makes that mistake once?

If only.

David Williams

Remember that day when Carol Barnes didn't show up, and they got some unknown to stand in? How did you think that went?

David Williams

D Eadie wrote:Well its not working for me. I've had more excitement opening my electricity bill.

Be fair. When you've seen as much Countdown as we have, the excitement threshold is pretty high.

David Williams

You could ask around as to who has copies of pre-NODE dictionaries and would be prepared to check write-ups. I did that with the NODE for a short time, and I've got a COD10 as well! When the NODE was first used they made a big deal of how much bigger it was than the COD, though I suspect most of the...

David Williams

Seems we've captured the zeitgeist once again; from the current Private Eye: Mr Brian Leedham says that "fine tooth comb" should be a "fine-toothed comb". Not so. The word "toothcomb" has a long and respectable history. The word presumably indicates the difference betw...

David Williams

I assumed it was aimed at me because no-one else seemed to be talking bollocks. Scanning the list of Specials, I think I may be recalling Terence English against Glynn Leaney. I imagine you did the same for everyone, but I just remember a £50 fee seemed a bit crass for them in particular. I complete...

David Williams

The bollocks comment wasn't necessarily aimed at any one in particular, i was in the middle of typing out a response to the stuff about ratings and money etc, but halfway through, i thought 'bollocks', so i typed that instead. Why use 500 words when 1 will do :mrgreen: I assumed it was aimed at me....

David Williams

Charlie Reams wrote:David O'Donnell and David Williams, the two most negative particles in the universe, lock horns. But will they attract or repel? Stay tuned!

Just shows. I didn't even think we were being negative or locking horns. But Gavin will be upset not to figure in this negativity hall of fame.

David Williams

The point is that you would look meticulously with a comb with fine teeth - a fine-tooth comb. For some reason most people just get this wrong, and it's become a fine toothcomb. The word has found its way into common usage and even into the dictionary even though there's no such thing. OR MAYBE THE...

David Williams

I know what a fine-tooth comb looks like, but I've never seen a toothcomb. Something to do with aggressive flossing? Quite surprised to see it's in the dictionary. Oh? Toothcomb is quite a normal word I thought, i.e. the verb "to toothcomb" meaning to look meticulously. The point is that ...

David Williams

I don't read every word here, but if I've got this right, Chris and Kirk are to play in a special in a few weeks. And, as I understand it, neither of them is in full employment right now, so could doubtless do with a bit of cash. Personally I would value their contribution to this special a lot mor...

David Williams

I don't read every word here, but if I've got this right, Chris and Kirk are to play in a special in a few weeks. And, as I understand it, neither of them is in full employment right now, so could doubtless do with a bit of cash. Personally I would value their contribution to this special a lot more...

David Williams

I know what a fine-tooth comb looks like, but I've never seen a toothcomb. Something to do with aggressive flossing? Quite surprised to see it's in the dictionary.

David Williams

Why would you assume that? If I say I used the same method and was within the time, do you assume that I'm lying? If you spot that the target is 2 x (18² - 1), then using the difference of two squares you can quickly be looking for either 38 x 17 or 34 x 19. No idea how Mike approached it of course...

David Williams

Aye, as I've always understood it, only seven points can be scored from the final black. So if Player A is six points ahead, pots the final black and goes in-off, Player B gets seven points for the foul and wins the frame by one point - the black is not re-spotted like other colours would be. So ar...

David Williams

One that I've wondered about is that a frame appears to be considered over when one player is more than seven points ahead and only the black ball remains. Is this a rule, or just a convention? If the white and black were in the jaws of the corner pockets on the same side of the table it would be a...

David Williams

One that I've wondered about is that a frame appears to be considered over when one player is more than seven points ahead and only the black ball remains. Is this a rule, or just a convention? If the white and black were in the jaws of the corner pockets on the same side of the table it would be a ...

David Williams

Clive Brooker wrote:Yes, that was my method. Clearly fantasy of course.

But correct.

David Williams

What is the lowest possible total points scored in a completed frame of snooker? All balls potted, including the black.

David Williams

My point was that they know if they are innocent or guilty of anything. If they don't respond, some people might take that as an admission of guilt. Ah, I see now. I misinterpreted your "But they do know" then. I'm assuming your "don't respond" is in reference to Amaral's claims...

David Williams

But they do know. But do they know? And what do they know? They know nothing of the sort, unless they're withholding that information. Even if we take their story utterly at face value, the only thing they know is that she wasn't in bed when they returned. That's it. More importantly, why wouldn't ...

David Williams

Jon Corby wrote:
David Williams wrote:We don't know.
...is a far more tenable stance than "the child was abducted and is still alive, and I'll sue anyone that suggests anything different, even if it is more probable given the available evidence".

But they do know.

David Williams

We don't know.

David Williams

May be a little contrived, but you could have a series every three months, with the top four each series in a knock-out to determine the series champion. The four series champions would then meet to decide the champion for the year. And while a knock-out for four people is three matches, a mini-leag...

David Williams

Jon Corby wrote:Derek made a harmless, appropriate pun based on Phil's name. Of course he's gonna have heard similar before, but tough shit. It occurs to me that Phil only stuck the boot in because he knows Derek's on Charlie's shit list and it's a safe (or even 'in') thing to do.

Well said.

David Williams

I don't see why it's an issue regarding social services checking up. It's a legal requirement to attend a school which conforms to government standards, isn't it? With good reason, surely? Should people be allowed to perform home-surgery without certification or supervision too? Would you think it ...

David Williams

Charlie Reams wrote:
Marc Meakin wrote: FLAMING + O = FLAMINGO
*bows*

I'm pretty sure I remember Tom Hargreaves explaining to Richard Whiteley that he'd seen MANIFEST, and then . . .

David Williams

I don't see why it's an issue regarding social services checking up. It's a legal requirement to attend a school which conforms to government standards, isn't it? With good reason, surely? Should people be allowed to perform home-surgery without certification or supervision too? Would you think it ...

David Williams

STEM'S?

Were you home-educated, by any chance?

David Williams

E-petitions are futile. Particularly futile to have a closing date after the General Election. And not much of a plug for home education to have an ungrammatical petition with supporting material that is a poem only in the sense that alternate lines finish in approximately similar syllables. Good lu...

David Williams

Rosemary Roberts wrote:If my hazard is as low as that I guess I can lash out with impunity in future. Thanks guys.

May I suggest that if you are ever unfortunate enough to find yourself vulnerable, defenceless and outnumbered by assailants intent on doing you down, you engage them in spirited debate. They'll run a mile.

David Williams

We often hear of people being taken to court for injuring burglars. It was recently said by the Director of Public Prosecutions that, in the last 15 years, there have only been 11 cases where householders have been prosecuted after tackling intruders. As long as a householder acts instinctively, in...

David Williams

I had to read it twice before I realised what was odd about this article. It's positive. Anyone fancy re-writing it, using exactly the same facts, but in the style of the Daily Mail? (I have to admit I did raise an eyebrow when she said she "so busy". These one-day-a-week jobs really eat u...

David Williams

However "reasonably" the law might be phrased, in the absence of a complete free-for-all there will still be some jobsworth with a clipboard and boxes to tick who gets to decides whether or not you are lying. No. Someone at the Crown Prosecution Service will assess whether there is a reas...

David Williams

I don't think anybody but me knows what, at the time and in the circumstances, excessive force was. Just how terrified I am must have some bearing. And nobody else can judge that, even with hindsight. If you had used what others would consider to be excessive force, people might think that at the p...

David Williams

I know. I was correcting her. You can't correct me: I know what I think. It's not my fault if "the law" gets it wrong. It should be the perp's own risk if he picks on somebody with a insalubrious habits or a gruesome sense of humour. Or somebody like me who is prone to panic and lash out ...

David Williams

Yes. This whole argument is only about what is or is not "reasonable". And I maintain that it is whatever seems reasonable to the householder in whatever alarming situation the perp has embrangled him in. Actually, in this context, "reasonable" is whatever seems reasonable first...

David Williams

Yes. This whole argument is only about what is or is not "reasonable". And I maintain that it is whatever seems reasonable to the householder in whatever alarming situation the perp has embrangled him in. Actually, in this context, "reasonable" is whatever seems reasonable first...

David Williams

The stuff about players not caring about what the words mean was overdone I think. A lot of players *do* care about the meanings and Helen Gipson (not Gibson as on the programme) beat him on the test anyway. Also it's all a bit incidental. I mean are footballers experts on their boots and shin pads...

David Williams

Twenty years ago I was assaulted by a guy who mistakenly believed I was trying to chat up his girlfriend. He waited for me outside the nightclub with some of his mates and hit me from behind, got me on the ground and kicked me in the head. So he believed that you had trespassed on his 'property', a...

David Williams

Rosemary Roberts wrote:
David Williams wrote: Is this so far away from the people who think they perform a public service by beating up paediatricians?
Yes. A long. long way.

Yes. Sorry. Over the top. Still don't agree with you though.

David Williams

This bloke whose head looks like a cricket ball is clearly in favour of violence. You don't break into someone's house and hold a knife to his throat if you don't like violence. He likes violence, he got violence, what's the problem? There are a lot of things in life which people do under pressure....

David Williams

I have keys to my neighbours' houses. On more than one occasion alarms have gone off in the early hours and my son and I have gone round, turned off the alarm, had a quick look round, locked up and returned home. It must happen all the time. But sorry, Rosemary, if you lived next door to me I wouldn...

David Williams

He's seen a fire through your window. He's the chap who sold you the house, now suffering from dementia, and he still has a key. He's a bailiff with a right to enter, but his incompetent superiors have given him the wrong address. He's visiting the identical house next door. It's his first parachute...

David Williams

Rosemary Roberts wrote:If somebody breaks into my house I should be free to take any retribution I like.

And, once you've done so, if it turns out that there was an innocent explanation, I assume you would agree that he is entitled to take any retribution he likes on you.

David Williams

Okay, you asked for me to 'go quiet' for a bit, which I took as meaning that you wished I was dead. Are you referring to this? Jon, I already have to employ staff to keep up with all the stuff here. One is working on "The Best of Jon Corby" as we speak, but we're some months away from pub...

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