Countdown's new format

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Mark Ivey
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Countdown's new format

Post by Mark Ivey »

For anyone who hasn't heard, Countdown is adopting a new format that will take effect on screen at the beginning of April which runs like this (thanks to Andy Platt for sending to me).

15-Round Format II:
R1 = Letters for C1
R2 = Letters for C2
R3 = Numbers for C1
Ad Break
R4 = Letters for C2
R5 = Letters for C1
R6 = Numbers for C2
Dictionary Corner Guest Talk
R7 = Letters for C1
R8 = Letters for C2
R9 = Numbers for C1
Ad Break
R10 = Letters for C2
R11 = Letters for C1
Origins of Words
R12 = Letters for C2
R13 = Letters for C1
R14 = Numbers for C2
R15 = Conundrum

The reason for this (apparently) is that Channel 4 requested that the ad breaks be placed at different points in the show in order to allow an extra minute of commericals.

Anyway, discuss.
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Johnny Canuck
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Re: Countdown's new format

Post by Johnny Canuck »

...Which brings the Teatime Teasers even further away from teatime. Wonderful.
I'm not dead yet. In a rut right now because of stress from work. I'll be back later in S89. I also plan to bring back the Mastergram - if I can find a way to run a timer or clock through pure MediaWiki without having to upload to Vimeo every time.
Mark Ivey
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Re: Countdown's new format

Post by Mark Ivey »

Johnny Canuck wrote:...Which brings the Teatime Teasers even further away from teatime. Wonderful.
Afternoon Anagrams, more like...
Lee Kelly
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Re: Countdown's new format

Post by Lee Kelly »

will apterous be changing its format to this as well?
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Grant Waters
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Re: Countdown's new format

Post by Grant Waters »

Interesting. How do we think this will affect the average scores? I'm assuming the average score is around 7 for a letters round so being able to get 10 for the new numbers round instead presumably means the average scores will be slightly increased, but surely one less letters round means there is a smaller chance of getting a record breaking high score because the chance of 9s will be lower.
It does mean though that the number picks are slightly fairer - 2 each instead of the champion only getting 1.
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James Robinson
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Re: Countdown's new format

Post by James Robinson »

Grant Waters wrote:Interesting. How do we think this will affect the average scores? I'm assuming the average score is around 7 for a letters round so being able to get 10 for the new numbers round instead presumably means the average scores will be slightly increased, but surely one less letters round means there is a smaller chance of getting a record breaking high score because the chance of 9s will be lower.
It does mean though that the number picks are slightly fairer - 2 each instead of the champion only getting 1.
Well, the max max will drop from 238 to 230, but because of an almost guaranteed extra 10 points per show, the average maxes might increase slightly................
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Kirk Bevins
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Re: Countdown's new format

Post by Kirk Bevins »

Grant Waters wrote:Interesting. How do we think this will affect the average scores? I'm assuming the average score is around 7 for a letters round so being able to get 10 for the new numbers round instead presumably means the average scores will be slightly increased, but surely one less letters round means there is a smaller chance of getting a record breaking high score because the chance of 9s will be lower.
It does mean though that the number picks are slightly fairer - 2 each instead of the champion only getting 1.
Yeah, out goes the hope for the finals when you want the challenger's seat as you get two numbers picks. It's game on now!!
Mark Ivey
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Re: Countdown's new format

Post by Mark Ivey »

I'm guessing that, whenever an Octochamp retires and two newcomers arrive it'll just be random seats instead of a coin toss with the winner deciding if they want to play as Challenger or Champion given it now makes no difference.
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Graeme Cole
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Re: Countdown's new format

Post by Graeme Cole »

Mark Ivey wrote:I'm guessing that, whenever an Octochamp retires and two newcomers arrive it'll just be random seats instead of a coin toss with the winner deciding if they want to play as Challenger or Champion given it now makes no difference.
It makes less of a difference than before, but I think it does still make a difference. There's a slight advantage to picking the last numbers game before the conundrum. If you're 11 or more ahead you go one large, if you're 11 or more behind you do something a bit offbeat.
David Williams
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Re: Countdown's new format

Post by David Williams »

When the format changed from nine rounds to fifteen there was much recalculation of fifteen round scores into the 'true' nine round format. After a couple of months nine rounds was consigned to history. Sorry, folks - you're history!

Of course the start date for the new format may be suggestive.
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Tony Atkins
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Re: Countdown's new format

Post by Tony Atkins »

Damian actually said from 25th March, which hasn't been filmed yet. We are planning to run COREA with the new format
on 30th March.
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Andy Platt
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Re: Countdown's new format

Post by Andy Platt »

Yeah, kind of frustrating that it comes in mid series, so people that have filmed on early in the series might have some kind of disadvantage (or advantage) compared to people later in the series, there might have to be some dodgy recalculation formula
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Nina Boyd
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Re: Countdown's new format

Post by Nina Boyd »

For those of us goodish at letters and hopeless at numbers it is a death knell! (Not that I'm thinking of going on Countdown, so it doesn't really matter.)
Mark James
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Re: Countdown's new format

Post by Mark James »

I liked it more on tv than I do on apterous. It made me watch the guest's bit even though I had no idea who it was.
Guy Barry
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Re: Countdown's new format

Post by Guy Barry »

Definitely an improvement in my opinion. It restores the equal treatment of the two contestants that was lost when the 9-round format was abolished, and I think the programme has a better rhythm to it now. At first I thought they were going to introduce another ad break, but now the guest talk provides an additional break rather than being tacked on to one of the ad breaks.
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