Search found 13214 matches

by Gavin Chipper
Fri Oct 04, 2013 2:37 pm
Forum: Countdown - Spoilers
Topic: Spoilers for Friday October 4th 2013 (S69 P63)
Replies: 8
Views: 2194

Re: Spoilers for Friday October 4th 2013 (S69 P63)

Tony Atkins wrote:But I didn't get either available beater in R2...anyone?
Yeah cheers.
by Gavin Chipper
Thu Oct 03, 2013 3:59 pm
Forum: Countdown - Spoilers
Topic: Spoilers for Thursday October 3rd 2013 (S69 P62)
Replies: 14
Views: 2403

Re: Spoilers for Thursday October 3rd 2013 (S69 P62)

I'm amazed that Michaela Strachan was allowed out of the studio alive after that snake spitting poem thing that she did.
by Gavin Chipper
Sun Sep 29, 2013 8:50 pm
Forum: Countdown - Events
Topic: CO:LEAM 2013 Results and Recaps
Replies: 15
Views: 4245

Re: CO:LEAM 2013 Results and Recaps

Tony Atkins wrote:Soapy Mouth: Catriona Cappleman
Clearly we need to see the reason for this.
by Gavin Chipper
Tue Sep 17, 2013 6:29 pm
Forum: Countdown - General
Topic: Jon Corby
Replies: 32
Views: 13394

Re: Jon Corby

OK I've read one post.
Andy McGurn wrote:
Ben Wilson wrote:
Ian Volante wrote:Charlie, Jon, Mark, Michael, No.
Aka the line up of the world's shittiest boy band.
No, thats Niall, Harry, Louis, Zayn, Liam
Of the members of the boy band that you don't think is the shittiest in the world, why have you only chosen to address No?
by Gavin Chipper
Tue Sep 17, 2013 6:26 pm
Forum: Countdown - General
Topic: Jon Corby
Replies: 32
Views: 13394

Re: Jon Corby

I can't bring myself to read any of the posts because it would break my heart.

RIP Jon Corby.
by Gavin Chipper
Tue Sep 17, 2013 9:35 am
Forum: Countdown - General
Topic: Best ever contestants
Replies: 509
Views: 351790

Re: Best ever contestants

Jono's got a good point though. The stats based method won't take into account the fact that people are often considered great for taking the game to new levels, as "pioneers". So Harvey and Julian might get underrated. Although you could give points specifically for beating certain record...
by Gavin Chipper
Mon Sep 16, 2013 7:28 pm
Forum: Countdown - Spoilers
Topic: Spoilers for Tuesday September 10th 2013 (S69 P45)
Replies: 32
Views: 8866

Re: Spoilers for Tuesday September 10th 2013 (S69 P45)

Definitely. You could argue that this sort of stuff averages out over a run, but if it's close between players, you could easily argue that I doesn't. I think I made up a system in the Ask Graeme thread that had this sort of thinking in mind. But these things are complicated to calculate.
by Gavin Chipper
Mon Sep 16, 2013 7:26 pm
Forum: Countdown - General
Topic: Best ever contestants
Replies: 509
Views: 351790

Re: Best ever contestants

What other key 'key performance indicators' should be used in all you opinions? Number of maxs % of max I feel is a must Games played is also to ensure % of max isnt a fuke % of games won surely should also be there What else??? You could just have one of % of max score and % of max rounds. They do...
by Gavin Chipper
Mon Sep 16, 2013 8:12 am
Forum: Countdown - Spoilers
Topic: Spoilers for Tuesday September 10th 2013 (S69 P45)
Replies: 32
Views: 8866

Re: Spoilers for Tuesday September 10th 2013 (S69 P45)

What about maxes out of 120? Wasn't it decided that that was a better measure?
by Gavin Chipper
Sun Sep 15, 2013 6:38 pm
Forum: Countdown - General
Topic: Best ever contestants
Replies: 509
Views: 351790

Re: Best ever contestants

My scoring system used (which for the record was the 16th different system I have tried over the last few months): Firstly all contestants must have been some sort of champion to qualify and all stats are taken only from championship games and not specials etc, etc. Formula: % of max + games played...
by Gavin Chipper
Sat Sep 14, 2013 11:18 pm
Forum: Countdown - Spoilers
Topic: Spoilers for Friday September 13th 2013 (S69 P48)
Replies: 10
Views: 3935

Re: Spoilers for Friday September 13th 2013 (S69 P48)

I've looked at the recording I have, and it seems that the time between the clock hand starting to move and the 30th second lighting up is about 29.5 seconds. If I look at it frame-by-frame and note when the individual lights come on, each "second" does appear to be very slightly less tha...
by Gavin Chipper
Sat Sep 14, 2013 11:16 pm
Forum: Countdown - General
Topic: Ask Graeme?
Replies: 1740
Views: 683728

Re: Ask Graeme?

And who is the 'best' former contestant to get a second bite at the cherry, ie most wins/furthest progress on first appearance? (ignoring CofC, specials etc!) Maybe Glen Webb who I believe won 2/3 games and played in a series qf?? Yes, I'd say it's Glen Webb. No other contestant that I can see has ...
by Gavin Chipper
Sat Sep 14, 2013 8:47 pm
Forum: Countdown - Spoilers
Topic: Countdown Wiki
Replies: 19
Views: 2247

Re: Countdown Wiki

You wouldn't have to have the names filled for the next two weeks but It'd be nice to know the name of the contestant who appears the next day..... just in case the camera pans the name too quick or has omitted to get it in shot as sometimes has happened in the past. Mauro I didn't think they told ...
by Gavin Chipper
Sat Sep 14, 2013 10:44 am
Forum: Countdown - Spoilers
Topic: Countdown Wiki
Replies: 19
Views: 2247

Re: Countdown Wiki

You wouldn't have to have the names filled for the next two weeks but It'd be nice to know the name of the contestant who appears the next day..... just in case the camera pans the name too quick or has omitted to get it in shot as sometimes has happened in the past. Mauro I didn't think they told ...
by Gavin Chipper
Sat Sep 14, 2013 10:39 am
Forum: Countdown - General
Topic: Best ever contestants
Replies: 509
Views: 351790

Re: Best ever contestants

Dave Preece wrote:Any suggestions to make this more accurate are more than welcome...
You can start by telling us how this one was compiled.
by Gavin Chipper
Thu Sep 12, 2013 10:22 pm
Forum: Countdown - Current recaps
Topic: Wednesday 11th September 2013 (Series 69, Prelim 46)
Replies: 9
Views: 1685

Re: Wednesday 11th September 2013 (Series 69, Prelim 46)

I'm going to have to have a couple of raviolis after reading this thread.
by Gavin Chipper
Tue Sep 10, 2013 8:51 pm
Forum: apterous.org
Topic: Is Apterous down? [DO NOT POST IN THIS TOPIC FOR ANY OTHER REASON]
Replies: 604
Views: 307754

Re: Is Apterous down?

Charlie Reams wrote:I'm investigating, unfortunately the server is not responding and I'm in California at the moment so if it's a physical problem I can't do much.
How long does a bit of vacuuming take?
by Gavin Chipper
Sun Sep 08, 2013 11:14 pm
Forum: Off-topic
Topic: What word am I looking for?
Replies: 11
Views: 2017

Re: What word am I looking for?

Thomas Carey wrote:
Gavin Chipper wrote:I'm looking for a classic Jason Larsen quote that would fit here but I can't think of it. I guess it might end in "our kidding Matt!" Is there actually a quote?
Can't think of any. Can think of one ending in "ou're kidding Matt", though.
Oh yeah. That.
by Gavin Chipper
Sun Sep 08, 2013 10:34 pm
Forum: Off-topic
Topic: What word am I looking for?
Replies: 11
Views: 2017

Re: What word am I looking for?

I'm looking for a classic Jason Larsen quote that would fit here but I can't think of it. I guess it might end in "our kidding Matt!" Is there actually a quote?
by Gavin Chipper
Fri Sep 06, 2013 4:52 pm
Forum: Countdown - Events
Topic: COLIN X- Countdown in Lincoln, 25th-26th January 2014
Replies: 216
Views: 45944

Re: COLIN X- Countdown in Lincoln, 25th January 2014

Do the conundrums have difficulty ratings on at COLIN? I know they have done at some CO events. They shouldn't. Also some people fold them over to hide them and some don't, leading to inconsistencies. Best they're just not on there.
by Gavin Chipper
Fri Sep 06, 2013 2:07 pm
Forum: Countdown - General
Topic: Ask Graeme?
Replies: 1740
Views: 683728

Re: Ask Graeme?

You can't do a sensible rating system. On Apterous people play each other hundreds of times and the players are ranked accordingly. Nothing like that exists for normal Countdown. Obviously you can come up with your own all-time ranking list but the Glicko 2 system wouldn't be close to appropriate.
by Gavin Chipper
Thu Sep 05, 2013 10:43 pm
Forum: Countdown - Spoilers
Topic: Spoilers for Wednesday September 4th 2013 (S69 P41)
Replies: 19
Views: 4018

Re: Spoilers for Wednesday September 4th 2013 (S69 P41)

Following on from Rachel's suggestion that Jen is the best female player... today's 130 was the highest ever score by a female contestant. (I'm never really sure if we should focus on gender-divided records like that - doing so might carry an implication that women can't compete with men so need th...
by Gavin Chipper
Fri Aug 30, 2013 4:41 pm
Forum: Off-topic
Topic: An open letter to the BBC regarding Eurovision
Replies: 15
Views: 5726

Re: An open letter to the BBC regarding Eurovision

Send it again as a suggestion rather than a complaint. You only need change a couple of words.
by Gavin Chipper
Thu Aug 29, 2013 10:13 pm
Forum: Off-topic
Topic: An open letter to the BBC regarding Eurovision
Replies: 15
Views: 5726

Re: An open letter to the BBC regarding Eurovision

Rhys Benjamin wrote:
Gavin Chipper wrote:
Rhys Benjamin wrote:The BBC have received my letter and have passed it on...
To refuse disposal?
... to the
relevant department
.
So yes.
by Gavin Chipper
Thu Aug 29, 2013 12:29 pm
Forum: Off-topic
Topic: An open letter to the BBC regarding Eurovision
Replies: 15
Views: 5726

Re: An open letter to the BBC regarding Eurovision

Rhys Benjamin wrote:The BBC have received my letter and have passed it on...
To refuse disposal?
by Gavin Chipper
Tue Aug 27, 2013 9:30 pm
Forum: Countdown - Spoilers
Topic: Spoilers for Tuesday August 27th 2013 (Series 69 Prelim 35)
Replies: 11
Views: 2470

Re: Spoilers for Tuesday August 27th 2013 (Series 69 Prelim

Andy Platt wrote:Nice Peter, I missed that.

Missed an 8 in round 4 as well, anyone get it?

Fuck it this is the spoiler forum, it was COLANDER
Exactly. That is a hate of mine when people do that and don't put the word.
by Gavin Chipper
Fri Aug 23, 2013 11:50 pm
Forum: Countdown - General
Topic: I like Carol, and I like Rachel, but who's better?
Replies: 17
Views: 5218

Re: I like Carol, and I like Rachel, but who's better?

Interesting, nice one Graeme. What's surprising to me is how excellent their solve rates are in 6 small. The rest is pretty much logical/expected, including Carol's decline as she gets older. I wonder if the decline was down to less practising because of other commitments or generally less inclinat...
by Gavin Chipper
Fri Aug 23, 2013 5:14 pm
Forum: Games and Puzzles
Topic: Countdown puzzles
Replies: 38
Views: 11066

Re: Countdown puzzles

What's the best 4-large selection in terms of the most solvable targets? (I don't know the answer) Charlie carried out some useful analysis of 4 large a while back here , which shows that 8 and 9 are the best pair, and answers many other questions you may have. Excellent, I can't believe I forgot a...
by Gavin Chipper
Wed Aug 21, 2013 5:08 pm
Forum: Games and Puzzles
Topic: Countdown puzzles
Replies: 38
Views: 11066

Re: Countdown puzzles

What's the best 4-large selection in terms of the most solvable targets? (I don't know the answer)
by Gavin Chipper
Tue Aug 20, 2013 6:07 pm
Forum: Countdown - General
Topic: Ask Graeme?
Replies: 1740
Views: 683728

Re: Ask Graeme?

What's the least Darrenic round that's there's been (with the most words at the max length)? I presume that this also would answer the question of what is the least Darrenic possible round, because it must have come up. (Although things may be complicated by different dictionaries at different times.)
by Gavin Chipper
Mon Aug 12, 2013 7:59 pm
Forum: Games and Puzzles
Topic: Next letter in sequence
Replies: 55
Views: 14900

Re: Next letter in sequence

New one, what is the next letter in this sequence? K R K M K K A M A M M A .. (Note the lack of hashtag) Two dots might confuse someone as they could just as much be part of a sequence as a hash symbol. At the risk of siding with Kirk, "next letter" would normally imply that they're all l...
by Gavin Chipper
Sat Aug 10, 2013 6:09 pm
Forum: Countdown - General
Topic: THE NUMBERS GAME SCORING
Replies: 4
Views: 2093

Re: THE NUMBERS GAME SCORING

I think you need to get something sensible just for getting within 10. I think it would be unsatisfactory to have 1 point as a starting point, because you've made it across the scoring threshold. So 5 for 10 away seems fairly reasonable, as opposed to 1 for 9 away as the starting point. Of course, y...
by Gavin Chipper
Sat Aug 10, 2013 4:01 pm
Forum: Games and Puzzles
Topic: Next letter in sequence
Replies: 55
Views: 14900

Re: Next letter in sequence

New one, what is the next letter in this sequence? K R K M K K A M A M M A .. (Note the lack of hashtag) Two dots might confuse someone as they could just as much be part of a sequence as a hash symbol. At the risk of siding with Kirk, "next letter" would normally imply that they're all l...
by Gavin Chipper
Wed Aug 07, 2013 3:57 pm
Forum: apterous.org
Topic: Is Apterous down? [DO NOT POST IN THIS TOPIC FOR ANY OTHER REASON]
Replies: 604
Views: 307754

Re: Is Apterous down?

Charlie Reams wrote:
Gavin Chipper wrote:At the moment it just gives a list of films.
Looks like it's working to me. Link?
It's working now, but it was http://apterous.org/
by Gavin Chipper
Wed Aug 07, 2013 3:20 pm
Forum: apterous.org
Topic: Is Apterous down? [DO NOT POST IN THIS TOPIC FOR ANY OTHER REASON]
Replies: 604
Views: 307754

Re: Is Apterous down?

At the moment it just gives a list of films.
by Gavin Chipper
Wed Aug 07, 2013 3:16 pm
Forum: Countdown - Spoilers
Topic: Spoilers for Tuesday August 6th 2013 (Series 69 Prelim 23)
Replies: 43
Views: 11354

Re: Spoilers for Tuesday August 6th 2013 (Series 69 Prelim 2

Impressive debut, Dylan, and commiserations to Zarte, who nevertheless walks away with a few records. 109.33 is the highest average score of any non-octochamp, beating the previous record held by Lesley Hines . The highest total score of any five-time winner was 593 by Marie Hayden , and Zarte smas...
by Gavin Chipper
Sat Aug 03, 2013 3:23 pm
Forum: apterous.org
Topic: Is Apterous down? [DO NOT POST IN THIS TOPIC FOR ANY OTHER REASON]
Replies: 604
Views: 307754

Re: Is Apterous down?

I got into the site this morning (didn't try to play) but can't any more. Some people must have played at some point today though because there were duel positions for the day.
by Gavin Chipper
Wed Jul 31, 2013 3:53 pm
Forum: Countdown - Current recaps
Topic: Monday 29th July 2013 (Series 69, Prelim 21)
Replies: 3
Views: 1141

Re: Monday 29th July 2013 (Series 69, Prelim 21)

James Robinson wrote:TTT: GROANSIR - "A group of warriors associated with Zina, perhaps?"

Teatime teaser: GROANSIR -> GARRISON
How well known is Zina Garrison the tennis player? I'd say that's a pretty obscure teaser, and I'm surprised no explanation was given.
by Gavin Chipper
Sat Jul 27, 2013 6:10 pm
Forum: Countdown - Spoilers
Topic: Spoilers For 8/10 Cats Does Countdown (S1, E1 - 26 July '13)
Replies: 14
Views: 4182

Re: Spoilers For 8/10 Cats Does Countdown (S1, E1 - 26 July

Are the Teatime Teasers bound by the same dictionary as the actual game? There's a discussion point for you.
by Gavin Chipper
Thu Jul 25, 2013 8:32 pm
Forum: Games and Puzzles
Topic: One Hundred Degrees of Kevin Bacon
Replies: 15
Views: 3453

Re: One Hundred Degrees of Kevin Bacon

Yeah, it was a straight up good joke.
by Gavin Chipper
Tue Jul 23, 2013 8:39 pm
Forum: Countdown - Current recaps
Topic: Calling All Wannabe Recappers!!
Replies: 486
Views: 212466

Re: Calling All Wannabe Recappers!!

Graeme Cole wrote:I'm going to be unexpectedly away for most of next week, so I can't do the recap for Monday 29th.
I expect you to be away.
by Gavin Chipper
Fri Jul 19, 2013 9:43 am
Forum: Countdown - General
Topic: Ask Graeme?
Replies: 1740
Views: 683728

Re: Ask Graeme?

Johnny Canuck wrote:A while back, I asked the same question.
So combining this all together, has the same question ever been asked twice in a row in this thread?
by Gavin Chipper
Wed Jul 17, 2013 8:05 pm
Forum: Countdown - General
Topic: Negative numbers... why not?
Replies: 15
Views: 4984

Re: Negative numbers... why not?

Amen to that brother. Here's a maybe-interesting question that seems definitely stupid at first but perhaps isn't: would allowing fractions make numbers games harder or easier? It can only make them easier to get them spot on, since you have everything you had before and more besides. But as for ge...
by Gavin Chipper
Wed Jul 17, 2013 11:35 am
Forum: Countdown - General
Topic: Negative numbers... why not?
Replies: 15
Views: 4984

Re: Negative numbers... why not?

But anyway the point with negative numbers is that they add no solving power and may add confusion so they are basically pointless. With fractions it would at least be a different argument.
by Gavin Chipper
Mon Jul 15, 2013 10:30 pm
Forum: Countdown - Spoilers
Topic: Spoilers For Monday July 15th 2013
Replies: 11
Views: 1900

Re: Spoilers For Monday July 15th 2013

Matt Morrison wrote:
Gavin Chipper wrote:Didn't watch the game, but saw how Rachel did 735 in the recap, but I thought a neater way would be 9*9*(10-1)+6.
cool story bro
I know you love alternative numbers solutions, so that post was primarily for you.
by Gavin Chipper
Mon Jul 15, 2013 8:57 pm
Forum: Countdown - Spoilers
Topic: Spoilers For Monday July 15th 2013
Replies: 11
Views: 1900

Re: Spoilers For Monday July 15th 2013

Didn't watch the game, but saw how Rachel did 735 in the recap, but I thought a neater way would be 9*9*(10-1)+6.
by Gavin Chipper
Sun Jul 14, 2013 6:07 pm
Forum: Games and Puzzles
Topic: Tubewhack challenge
Replies: 5
Views: 3133

Re: Tubewhack challenge

REPLACEABLE is 11 for St John's Wood.

There could be longer of course.
by Gavin Chipper
Sun Jul 14, 2013 5:57 pm
Forum: Games and Puzzles
Topic: Tubewhack challenge
Replies: 5
Views: 3133

Re: Tubewhack challenge

UNGUARDEDNESSES, which is Apterous valid presumably only due to the fact that mass nouns aren't listed for derivatives, is 15 letters and works for Pimlico.

I'm "cheating" though - I've been using this.
by Gavin Chipper
Sun Jul 14, 2013 5:52 pm
Forum: Games and Puzzles
Topic: Tubewhack challenge
Replies: 5
Views: 3133

Re: Tubewhack challenge

Do they have to be Apterous valid?
by Gavin Chipper
Thu Jul 11, 2013 8:40 pm
Forum: Countdown - General
Topic: Ask Graeme?
Replies: 1740
Views: 683728

Re: Ask Graeme?

Looks like the conclusion is that the letters on countdown are 'shuffled' very slightly better than apterous's shuffle algorithm, but Charlie has also done a bloody good job of replicating it. Or worse. Edit - Basically I think it's probably a bit harsh to say they're shuffled better on Countdown, ...
by Gavin Chipper
Thu Jul 11, 2013 8:36 pm
Forum: Countdown - Spoilers
Topic: Spoilers for Wednesday July 10th 2013 (Series 69 Prelim 8)
Replies: 13
Views: 3207

Re: Spoilers for Wednesday July 10th 2013 (Series 69 Prelim

But the dictionary and Countdown rules could hardly be clearer. WORNEST is fine. The dictionary says that 1-syllable adjective taking -er and -est are treated as regular and are not shown. I've never seen how this can be interpreted as implying that these forms automatically exist for every 1-sylla...
by Gavin Chipper
Tue Jul 09, 2013 7:02 pm
Forum: Countdown - Current recaps
Topic: Calling All Wannabe Recappers!!
Replies: 486
Views: 212466

Re: Calling All Wannabe Recappers!!

Presumably people fit the recaps around their lives, which may be busy in some cases. Yeah it might be nice to have a recap up within minutes of a game finishing but I don't think we should have any sort of sense of entitlement about it.
by Gavin Chipper
Fri Jul 05, 2013 7:03 pm
Forum: Games and Puzzles
Topic: Fifty Degrees of Kevin Bacon
Replies: 36
Views: 8343

Re: Fifty Degrees of Kevin Bacon

It's going to take some pretty good going to connect 50 people in less than six connections. Why are some in twice anyway? Is there some logic to the people chosen?
by Gavin Chipper
Tue Jul 02, 2013 11:19 pm
Forum: Countdown - General
Topic: Shrinidhi on Child Genius
Replies: 7
Views: 3602

Re: Shrinidhi on Child Genius

Jesus. This programme. I particularly think that having a debating round where you can get your parents to write your speech is a very good way of measuring someone's "genius".