Spoilers for Friday 20th December 2019 (Series 81, GRAND FINAL)

Discuss anything that happened in recent games. This is the place to post any words you got that beat Dictionary Corner, or numbers games that evaded Rachel.

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Ray Wilding
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Spoilers for Friday 20th December 2019 (Series 81, GRAND FINAL)

Post by Ray Wilding »

Last episode of the series and the decade, James Haughton v Jamie Wing.
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Tony Atkins
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Re: Spoilers for Friday 20th December 2019 (Series 81, GRAND FINAL)

Post by Tony Atkins »

Less impressive way for first numbers (50-75/25)x7-10=319
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Re: Spoilers for Friday 20th December 2019 (Series 81, GRAND FINAL)

Post by Conor »

HEADRIG in rd 4
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Re: Spoilers for Friday 20th December 2019 (Series 81, GRAND FINAL)

Post by Tony Atkins »

(9+7-1)x10+8x8=214 but out of time.
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Re: Spoilers for Friday 20th December 2019 (Series 81, GRAND FINAL)

Post by Tony Atkins »

(75-50/25)x8+100=684 for those who don't like using 7s.
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Gavin Chipper
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Re: Spoilers for Friday 20th December 2019 (Series 81, GRAND FINAL)

Post by Gavin Chipper »

Standard 4-large method solve for the first numbers - 302+10+7=319.

(302 is (100*75+50)/25.)
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Re: Spoilers for Friday 20th December 2019 (Series 81, GRAND FINAL)

Post by Gavin Chipper »

Great game, great series etc. Some good spots today, and both players would have made worthy series champions.
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Re: Spoilers for Friday 20th December 2019 (Series 81, GRAND FINAL)

Post by samir pilica »

So who won ?
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Re: Spoilers for Friday 20th December 2019 (Series 81, GRAND FINAL)

Post by Gavin Chipper »

James Haughton. I didn't realise that people used this thread to avoid watching the game!
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Re: Spoilers for Friday 20th December 2019 (Series 81, GRAND FINAL)

Post by Ian Birdman »

Yep really enjoyable series and congrats to all the finalists - tis was good stuff.

The correct 2 in the final and a very worthy winner in the human calculator himself Mr Haughton! Definitely the best player in the series and nice that we also got a chance to see a few 4L tricks in action :-) Oh, and perineum was superb!

Roll on series 82...
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Re: Spoilers for Friday 20th December 2019 (Series 81, GRAND FINAL)

Post by Ryan Lam »

One final regular show of 2019, one final regular show of the 2010s, it's the Final many had been anticipating and predicting and it's finally here! Kudos to Tim Vine and Susie Dent for being inclusive in the Christmas spirit despite this show being recorded in mid-September (Everyone knows now thanks to the former blurting it out :lol: )

Letters: James 'recycles' Paul Nixon's declaration of ADUSTION in Round 1 which is good and after that stunning solve in Round 3, he opens up the gap with PERINEUM in Round 5! Into the final third of the show, both contestants spotted PERIODUS and SOLATIA in Rounds 12 and 13 respectively which is excellent. Unfortunately, the latter meant that by that point, James had already won. :( (See below for further details)

Numbers: I don't even need to predict what James is going to ask. YOU MAD LAD, that was perhaps the best solve in a Final since Noel McIlvenny's 925 in Series 77 two years ago!! :lol: Unsurprisingly, Jamie decides to gamble to try and take back the lead in Round 6 but alas, James was closer and beat him, widening the margin even further! :( With an okay Round 9 came the last Numbers Round...REALLY, is this how we want to end the 2010s? Oh wait, I see both of them used the 'Omelette' Method on Apterous so to both of you, you deserve a round of applause! :D

Conundrum: For the first time since Series 76, sadly we don't have a Crucial Conundrum which would definitely spice up any Grand Final. :( However, Jamie buzzes in and gets EARTHSTAR which is correct and again, I blanked out on this. Could you have imagined if it had been a Crucial? We would have seen James toppled in dramatic fashion like what happened to Martin May and Elliott Mellor in Series 79 and Series 80 respectively! :o

I had predicted a Crucial Conundrum as per the last four series with James to beat Jamie. However, the match was already decided by Round 13 so you could say it was anti-climatic, but not as bad as when Stephen Read beat Moose Rosser in Series 76 some 2.5 years ago when the game was already decided earlier on. The margin at 15 points was exactly what I predicted to be which turns out this Series' Finals has been my best prediction to date (including CoCXV) which I have made beforehand! :D Jamie, while you are indeed a 'Human Dictionary', you unfortunately couldn't outclass James who was the 'Human Dictionary and Human Calculator' as per what Rachel mentioned at the end of the show. :( However, being runner-up isn't that bad and if there's any consolation, you are perhaps the youngest Runner-Up ever this decade after Toby McDonald who was the same age as you last year was defeated in the Quarter-Finals. Congratulations on making it this far and all the best for your studies! As for James, look at this, you're combined total score is just three points shy of our reigning Xicount Zarte Siempre, that says quite a lot! You have been spectacular from start to finish and your name will forever live on after it's been inscribed on the Richard Whiteley Memorial Trophy! Who knows, your 4 Large trick might even be featured on Celebrity Countdown in the near future! :lol: All the best in your studies as well and we hope to see you one day on Apterous as Dr. James Haughton! :D

With that, the 2010s are nearly done and dusted with, BUT, if you thought Countdown has been wrapped up for this decade, it hasn't! There's still Catsdown which airs on Monday at 9pm, do watch it if you want more Christmas Action! Finally, a big 'thank you' to everyone, whether you've been a contestant, a regular watcher, a recapper etc., you've certainly in one way made what Countdown is today at the end of the 2010s. What an incredible 10 years it has been not least to say this year especially; 2019 with SO MANY RECORDS BROKEN. The highest combined score in a game, the highest score in a game, person with the most number of points (Elliott Mellor), first Series with nine Octochamps and I'm sure the list goes on and on! Personally for me, also a big 'thank you' to all those who have helped me in my journey on the Wiki as well as the Daily Chat, especially Stephen Read, Ray Wilding and company who ensures that the chat is on everyday and people can play along live wherever they are! It was also nice chatting to former contestants and finalists alike to see how the filming experience was and their personal reflections at the end of their journey on screen not to say the least. :)

The normal version will be back on Thursday, 02 January 2020, with Luke Johnson-Davies who could well follow every single finalist's footsteps here by becoming an Octochamp and returning for the Series 82 Finals come June next year and until then, in advance, Merry Christmas, Happy New Year and Happy New Decade!!! I'll see you back here in the 2020s! :D

Progress:
QF1 (12 December): James Haughton (#1) vs David Law (#8) (147 - 60)
QF2 (13 December): Jamie Wing (#2) vs Tom Silverlock (#7) (121 - 78)
QF3 (16 December): Paul Nixon (#3) vs John Osmond (#6) (117 - 102)
QF4 (17 December): Morgan Sauer (#4) vs Andy Evans (#5) (78 - 77)
SF1 (18 December): James Haughton (QF1 Winner) vs Morgan Sauer (QF4 Winner) (113 - 79)
SF2 (19 December): Jamie Wing (QF2 Winner) vs Paul Nixon (QF3 Winner) (91 - 77)
GF (20 December): James Haughton (SF1 Winner) vs Jamie Wing (SF2 Winner) (110 - 95)
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Re: Spoilers for Friday 20th December 2019 (Series 81, GRAND FINAL)

Post by Jojo Apollo »

Great final, well played lads. Many congrats James on becoming Series champ, superb performance 8-) Also well done Jamie on being series runner-up.
Well done Team Countdown, another great series :)
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