c4countdown

So, we've reached the end of the week, and to probably one of the most highly anticipated face-offs in this competition so far

And in a way, we have Marcus Hares to thank for this, as if it wasn't for his withdrawal, this game wouldn't have even existed So, a big thank you to Marcus' employers for forcing him to stay at work.

But, this battle of the titans is expected to be high scoring, too hard to call, but more importantly, MEGA AWESOME!!!!!!!!!

It's amazing to think that neither of these 2 contestants won their respective series, but they have definitely earned their places in this brilliant tournament, and this match has the potential of being the best of the best.

The 2 contestants are the Series 61 semi-finalist, and the only person who will definitely not wish to see a SLEEPSUIT again, Innis Carson, and the runner-up of Series 64, probably the coolest Jew around, Adam Gillard.

Here are the stats:

Firstly, Series 61 Semi-Finalist Innis Carson - 10 Games, 9 Wins, 1,069 Points (Average: 106.9)
Highest Score: 115 vs. Martyn Brewer (2nd Game) & Danny Marsh (7th Game)
Lowest Score: 94 vs. Mike Moran (6th Game)
9's Achieved: 5/6
Total Points/Max/%: 1069/1260 (85%)
Letters Points/Max/%: 746/860 (87%)
Numbers Points/Max/%: 243/300 (81%)
Conundrum Points/Max/%: 80/100 (80%)

Secondly, Series 64 Runner-Up Adam Gillard - 11 Games, 10 Wins, 1,222 Points (Average: 111.09)
Highest Score: 126 vs. Ray Li (3rd Game)
Lowest Score: 94 vs. Edward McCullagh (Grand Final)
9's Achieved: 6/12
Total Points/Max/%: 1222/1433 (85%)
Letters Points/Max/%: 844/998 (85%)
Numbers Points/Max/%: 298/325 (92%)
Conundrum Points/Max/%: 80/110 (73%)

Heather will be around with the recap later. Crikey, who isn't excited, and with COLIN to follow tomorrow, what a brilliant weekend this will be

Noticed the preceding programme is called "The Spoilers" - yep it looks like Innis and Adam are really up for that fight

Looking forward to the real show.

Mauro

Cracking first part. I'm guessing that Susie took rather more time thinking about BENTER than we saw on screen?

Nick Deller wrote:Cracking first part. I'm guessing that Susie took rather more time thinking about BENTER than we saw on screen?

Not really, but she did initially disallow SULFATES. Took about 2 minutes to clarify.

I thought Adam might have had that 9 the way his eyes momentarily shifted from the letters board at one point. I knew there was a 9 but couldn't remember it. Recognised the string of letters and everything but just couldn't quite remember the word

ASTROIDS as an alt in r8?

A very high standard this game, I expected nothing less. I think Innis had a 13 maxer other than the first numbers and that really obscure 9 (hasn't even been penciled yet), so very very well done. Tough luck Adam, I think with a game like that you very well could have beaten most of the field, just very unlucky, like David, that you came against someone on top form. Only thing I can claim this game is that I beat Innis to the conundrum, but other than that, you two whooped my ass 10 ways to Sunday, both of you were really on point.

Great game, well played lads, excellent standard.

Great game. Well done to Adam for not completely losing it after Innis opened with a frigging 9! The 8's in Round 2 from you both were excellent and made me want to chuck down my pen being 26-0 down to Innis. Unfortunately the game was ultimately decided on the COGITABLE spot with you matching each other pound for pound in the letters. Great conundrum solve Innis, nowhere near it and yet, once again, I have encountered it on apterous on THREE separate occasions. So this was the fourth time that this blasted conundrum escaped me. Yet more fine entertainment for me that was enjoyed.

Jojo Apollo wrote:Great game, well played lads, excellent standard.

Echo those comments, well done guys!

Mauro

Superb game, not that I expected anything else. Innis was in top form and not many would have coped with him today. Adam did really well to keep his composure after the early nine and make a game of it, whereas some players would have let their heads drop. Well played to both!

1st numbers: (75-25+6)x9-8 = 496

2nd numbers round: (75*25+5)*50/100+8

Another excellent game, plenty of words got by the contestants that I didn't spot.

You did very well to get back within 10, Adam, after that nightmare start. Almost nobody would've beaten Innis on the letters and an excellent conundrum spot too (10/10 difficulty).

First numbers: (75 + 9) x 6 - 8.

Super immense stuff from the pair of you. Just the thing to warm yourselves up in a Lincoln hotel..........

INFAMY in round 3, DUENNAS in round 7 and TEDIUM in round 11.

Thanks for the kind comments guys. I'd like to say thanks to Adam, who was delightful company before, during and after this game. We sat together in the audience for all the previous games this "week", and Adam was playing excellently the whole day - I'm very fortunate to have come up against him in a game where it was even possible for me to pull ahead before the conundrum. I really didn't have much faith that I would.

Rhys Benjamin wrote:First numbers: (75 + 9) x 6 - 8.

This is what I had actually done, but carelessly I wrote the 8 and 9 the wrong way round. By the time I realised my mistake, it was too late to backtrack. Given Adam's strength as a player, I had a horrible feeling at the time that this would cost me the game.

First numbers pure awkward 75x6+(9x8) - 25 -1

Well played Innis - excellent consistency.

Just a quick query about tactics...when you're 8 behind, is going 4 large a wise tactic? Ultimately it then meant Adam was 15 behind and was now desperately trying to get within 10...something which is very hard to do against Innis!

Also I had 948 a different way using the 937.5 rule:

(75x25+5)x50/100 + 8 = 948

Kirk Bevins wrote:Well played Innis - excellent consistency.

Just a quick query about tactics...when you're 8 behind, is going 4 large a wise tactic? Ultimately it then meant Adam was 15 behind and was now desperately trying to get within 10...something which is very hard to do against Innis!

I did think Adam would choose 1 large since he was back within 10 points. That's what I'd have done. But it could quite easily have worked and he could have been sat going into the second interval 2 points up on him. Adam had been practising 4 large before recording so perfectly sensible decision.

Parrot wrote:Also I had 948 a different way using the 937.5 rule:

(75x25+5)x50/100 + 8 = 948

So did Martin Long...about 2 hours before you posted.

Ryan Taylor wrote: Adam had been practising 4 large before recording so perfectly sensible decision.

Parrot wrote:Also I had 948 a different way using the 937.5 rule:

(75x25+5)x50/100 + 8 = 948

So did Martin Long...about 2 hours before you posted.

In that case it makes it even more shocking that someone who had practised 4 large loads missed the 937.5 trick. I guess it's the pressure of the studio and all that....but then why choose 4 large if you're under pressure? Seemed an odd decision to me.

I noticed that Adam, like me, was incorrectly told he'd be getting another teapot. I think it's worth telling how this came about. At the end of Tuesday's game Nick, with a slip of the tongue, told Jill Bright she was getting a goody bag. While filming was stopped for a retake Jill, with a fine piece of opportunism, said she was hoping for a teapot as they hadn't been around when she was on. And after a brief discussion with upstairs, that's what she got. But it seems to have got stuck in the script now. Incidentally, the kryptonite reference has been done to death, surely. Everyone knows kryptonite is green.

David Williams wrote:Incidentally, the kryptonite reference has been done to death, surely.

It won't be stopping any time soon I'm afraid.

I was really looking forward to this game between 2 of my favourite Countdowners and you guys didn't disappoint! Couldn't believe it when Innis opened with the 9 and then Adam managing to get back within 10. Some awesome words from you both too. I particularly enjoyed SLUGFEST from Adam. I'm a wee bit sad I won't get to see more from Adam but looking forward to watching Innis in action again!

Very well played both of you. Congrats to Innis, that 9 was awesome. I thought OBLIGATE would've been the max. I must say Innis, I thought you seemed much more comfortable/talkative/relaxed than when you were first on. First Countdown show I've watched since forever and it was defo worth watching.

Thanks to everyone for your comments. I had a great time returning to Countdown and everyone I met on the day was lovely. As Innis said, we spent pretty much the whole day sitting together and I'm glad we put on a good show in the end. It was an excellent performance by Innis and I'm looking forward to seeing how he and everyone else gets on in the rest of the tournament. SLUGFEST was a highlight for me; I was very pleased to spot that (especially as I've never seen it on apterous, so I proved to myself that I know some nice words from real life too!). I was also pleased to make a game of it having fallen 18 points behind straight away. There was a horrible few minutes when Susie initially disallowed SULFATES until Damian pointed out that the 'F' spelling is listed as acceptable under the entry for SULFUR (and related words). It was a great relief when it was finally allowed, as I know Innis wouldn't have disputed it and I don't think the production team would have welcomed a sit-in protest from me at 9pm after a long day's filming!

Lastly, I'd like to say what a great privilege it was to take part in this 30th Birthday Championship - I was only there because Marcus sadly had to withdraw, and I hope he feels that I gave Innis a good game in his stead! I really enjoyed meeting the other past champions, many for the first time, and the Bishop-Wills match was a particular highlight of the day. Damian spent about 10 minutes talking to a group of us during a break and he was very forthcoming in answering our questions about the future of the show - I'd like to wish him and the rest of the Countdown team all the best at MediaCity. I'm very excited to see how the rest of the 30th Birthday Championship pans out!

Adam Gillard wrote: Damian spent about 10 minutes talking to a group of us during a break and he was very forthcoming in answering our questions about the future of the show

You can't leave it there! Tell us more....

Very enjoyable game, really should have been much later in the competition.

Sorry to see you out Adam - you're always generous and considerate towards those of us rather less talented at this infernal game (so much so that in aptochat you sometimes wait several nano-seconds before solving the various nines I've embarrassingly just missed).

Great performance by Innis, just hope we get a repeat of the game against Chris D somewhere along the line. Shame nobody forced Margaret to admit that perhaps Edinburgh Uni still is what it was after all...

Keith Bennett wrote:

Adam Gillard wrote: Damian spent about 10 minutes talking to a group of us during a break and he was very forthcoming in answering our questions about the future of the show

You can't leave it there! Tell us more....

We just spoke about the shows that have taken Countdown's afternoon slot and how we hoped that it would move back to a later time of day soon.

David Williams wrote: Everyone knows kryptonite is green.

As an reader of DC Superman comics during my childhood: Red, Blue, Gold, Silver, Black, White and various other variations too

I agree: I wish Nick would stop calling it Kryptonite.

Glass Kryptonite has the effect of emptying a contestants' mind of OED3 words and replacing them with CSW only words

<MP>

David Williams wrote:Incidentally, the kryptonite reference has been done to death, surely. Everyone knows kryptonite is green.

Things I've learned:

For some reason I assumed that because there's a real element called krypton, there was also a real material called kryptonite and that's what the trophies are made of. Turns out this is a load of sloblock.

Innis plays the trumpet. I never knew that.

Well played both of you. Good to see you resisted the temptation to buzz in early on with DIACHORIC^, which I gather a lot of people (myself included) would have done.

Graeme Cole wrote:Innis plays the trumpet. I never knew that.

... introducing Innis Carson.... Maybe it just stuck in my mind, as a fellow raspberry blower.

Am I just imagining it was mentioned at least twice when Innis was previously on too? Possibly just revisionist history if Graeme didn't remember it though.

Great match and agree with Jimmy, lovely to see Innis looking so much more relaxed and talkative.

Matt Morrison wrote:Am I just imagining it was mentioned at least twice when Innis was previously on too? Possibly just revisionist history if Graeme didn't remember it though.

Yep it was mentioned quite a few times, my introductions were always highly forgettable experiences though so I can hardly blame Graeme for not remembering. Glad I was able to rectify that somewhat this time round.

Matt Morrison wrote:Am I just imagining it was mentioned at least twice when Innis was previously on too? Possibly just revisionist history if Graeme didn't remember it though.

When Innis was on originally I didn't follow the show nearly as much as now, so to me it was new information.

Graeme Cole wrote:

Matt Morrison wrote:Am I just imagining it was mentioned at least twice when Innis was previously on too? Possibly just revisionist history if Graeme didn't remember it though.

When Innis was on originally I didn't follow the show nearly as much as now, so to me it was new information.

But I mentioned it in both of my Carsoncaps. I can accept that you missed his shows, but I'm finding it hard to believe you haven't read my entire posting history.

Jon Corby wrote:But I mentioned it in both of my Carsoncaps. I can accept that you missed his shows, but I'm finding it hard to believe you haven't read my entire posting history.

Perhaps that should be the test for who gets into any subsequent champion-of-champions series, in the same way you'll need to know about Morecambe and Wise and a load of other dead white men to be allowed to live in Britain.

Just caught up with this- a great game to watch, well played guys. It must be pretty dispiriting to be 18 points behind so early, so credit to Adam for fighting back. But Innis is an amazing player, the first and last rounds in particular were great spots, so congrats!

First Round Game 6 2020 Word Update

The max would have increased by two (from 137 to 139), if played today, as there were 7's available in Rounds 4 & 11, that weren't available in 2013.

New Words Now Allowed:

R4: REBEGUN (increases MAX from 6 to 7)
R7: DUNNERS, RADEAUS
R11: IDEATUM (increases MAX from 6 to 7)
R12: ENTEROID, ETOURDIE
R13: AIRLEGS, EARLIDS, GARDIES, RIDGELS, SIDERAL

Conor wrote: ↑Fri Jan 25, 2013 4:47 pm Almost nobody would've beaten Innis on the letters and an excellent conundrum spot too (10/10 difficulty).

Only almost though. Well done Conor, playing along at home! But I doubt you'd ever play that well if you actually went on the show.