c4countdown

Andy Platt is up to 6 wins so far. I have a feeling that win or lose today, that will be enough for the finals this series, however I think Andy would certainly like to add at least a 7th win to his resume. Can he pull it off here?

Join who I believe will be Jack for the recap later.

THERIAN for alt. in R12.

Well done Andy on another superb performance. Some great spots in there, especially ISOBUTANE and MAGNETIC. I was playing along at home and still managed to lose comfortably, despite the fact I'd already witnessed it live in the studio!

Thanks Peter - MAGNETIC was a bit weird because in my head it needed two Ns... only when I wrote it down to check did I realise that it was actually completely fine! ISOBUTANE was just lucky, there was clearly only one word I was ever looking for after going CCCC, but I would have taken plan B/C/D in bounties/betaines/betonies, but to nail one of each vowel and when Rachel pulled out the final O it felt fucking incredible.

Shame I can't do simple two large solves though


Edit: Giles has pointed out that if my opponent went vowel at the end of round 10, MUTAGENIC would have been available (first vowel of R11 was U), which I'd have most likely missed, and then the ISOBUTANE round would maybe resulted in what, OBVIATES or something. Lucky how some things work out really!

Great game Andy. Couldn't match you in the letters at all today. ISOBUTANE was a belter.

Alt last numbers: 7+6=13; 13x8=104; 104x5=520; 520+9=529.

Tremendous standard to achieve the highest score of the series so far. You massacred me in that game.

Looked like you were searching for ANOTHERIE in one of the rounds?

John Garcia wrote:Great game Andy. Couldn't match you in the letters at all today. ISOBUTANE was a belter.

Philip Jarvis wrote:Tremendous standard to achieve the highest score of the series so far. You massacred me in that game.
Looked like you were searching for ANOTHERIE in one of the rounds?

Cheers gentlemen for your kind words, nice to see some people still give a shit.
And yeah I was looking for ANOTHERIE in round 1. Sherlock Jarvis in the house!

Andy Platt wrote:Shame I can't do simple two large solves though

For those who don't know, with 2 and 3 large the trick is usually to work backwards via one of the nearest multiples of 25.

Andy Platt wrote:Cheers gentlemen for your kind words, nice to see some people still give a shit.

Am I missing something here?

Tony Atkins wrote:

Andy Platt wrote:Shame I can't do simple two large solves though

For those who don't know, with 2 and 3 large the trick is usually to work backwards via one of the nearest multiples of 25.

Ah - the standard method.

Andy Platt wrote:Thanks Peter - MAGNETIC was a bit weird because in my head it needed two Ns... only when I wrote it down to check did I realise that it was actually completely fine! ISOBUTANE was just lucky, there was clearly only one word I was ever looking for after going CCCC, but I would have taken plan B/C/D in bounties/betaines/betonies, but to nail one of each vowel and when Rachel pulled out the final O it felt fucking incredible.

Could've had BOUNTEOUS too!

ISOBUTANE reminds me of Paul Howe's ISOGAMETE, which for me is still one of the greatest nines of all time, alongside MYOGLOBIN I think. Can anybody else think of any good contenders for greatest nine of all time?

Jon O'Neill wrote:Can anybody else think of any good contenders for greatest nine of all time?

FLORUITED

Michael Wallace wrote:FLORUITED

dunno why, but I properly laughed at this, nice one

Jon O'Neill wrote:

Andy Platt wrote:Cheers gentlemen for your kind words, nice to see some people still give a shit.

Am I missing something here?

Jono, I think I might well have put a few other players or forum regulars off watching me with how boring/serious/competitive I was in my first few games, and thus there hasn't been as much interest in the last few shows as I was (perhaps presumptuously or arrogantly?) anticipating from people I thought I got on with and hoped would have more of an interest, although maybe I'm overreacting cos there is like the whole matter of real life and stuff, and people not being able to get round to watch (eg for a lot of Series 67 I was just looking through the wiki recaps cos of how many late shifts I had). Plus, there has been interest from people I wasn't expecting, so maybe it balances out.

Andy Platt wrote: Jono, I think I might well have put a few other players or forum regulars off watching me with how boring/serious/competitive I was in my first few games, and thus there hasn't been as much interest in the last few shows as I was (perhaps presumptuously or arrogantly?) anticipating from people I thought I got on with and hoped would have more of an interest, although maybe I'm overreacting cos there is like the whole matter of real life and stuff, and people not being able to get round to watch (eg for a lot of Series 67 I was just looking through the wiki recaps cos of how many late shifts I had). Plus, there has been interest from people I wasn't expecting, so maybe it balances out.

Just because people aren't commenting doesn't mean they aren't interested, they may still be watching but sometimes there isn't quite as much to say compared to series finals or the 30BC. Your performances have been impressive, but not unexpected, and that's just because it's very apparent you're a strong player through apterous. So I suspect they're waiting to congratulate you on your (octo?)run and look forward to the series finals, where shit gets real and there'll be no shortage of comments.

Jon O'Neill wrote: ISOBUTANE reminds me of Paul Howe's ISOGAMETE, which for me is still one of the greatest nines of all time, alongside MYOGLOBIN I think. Can anybody else think of any good contenders for greatest nine of all time?

I remember first reading about Michael Calder spotting MYOGLOBIN in the first round of the final and thinking 'wow that's good'. But I was new to the game then and stuff like SCLEROTIN and DICENTRAS really impressed me then, and it's only years later I can really appreciate just how good it is. MYOGLOBIN is no. 1 for me. I'll say 2nd is Alison Campbell getting DESPERADO in her first round against Paul Howe, and 3rd is Andrew Dodd's POTBOILER back in series 52.

I think POTBOILER should come above DESPERADO in my opinion but LORAZEPAM is the best ever 9 spotted on the show.

Andy Platt wrote:Jono, I think I might well have put a few other players or forum regulars off watching me with how boring/serious/competitive I was in my first few games, and thus there hasn't been as much interest in the last few shows as I was (perhaps presumptuously or arrogantly?) anticipating from people I thought I got on with and hoped would have more of an interest, although maybe I'm overreacting cos there is like the whole matter of real life and stuff, and people not being able to get round to watch (eg for a lot of Series 67 I was just looking through the wiki recaps cos of how many late shifts I had). Plus, there has been interest from people I wasn't expecting, so maybe it balances out.

Well my excuse was that you blanked my witty comment when I used your "Not a word " catchphrase on a previous spoiler thread about QUEENIEST and now you never play us mere mortals on apterous.

Nah seriously, don't forget it is also Easter week, loads will have gone on holiday etc.

Another good ton win today.

THEROPODS from Kate Richardson in Series 60 has to be up there as one of the best ever nines.
http://wiki.apterous.org/Episode_4755

Great performance Andy, hopefully octochampdom tomorrow and the full set of centuries. Surely if you get seven centuries in your first seven games, you're guaranteed to make it eight.

THEROPODS is awesome, I forgot about that. MYOGLOBIN maybe edges it too, awesome.
ISOGAMETE is quality but if you have practice tools available then it's not quite as spectacular due it being one of the most probable 5-vowel nines.


Cheers Jack and Jojo <3


Edited: "most probably 5-vowel nines" makes no sense

Another impressive game Andy. I actually thought when you were on about 59 points that you might not get 100, but then you got another 9 and some more solid scoring got you WELL past 100!

I was amused at a couple of the letter selections:

In Round 1 you had RNHTOEA and you asked for another vowel but instead of saying "and ANOTHER" which would have been ironic, you said "A vowel", and
in Round N (see below) you got VSWLEO and instead of asking for "a VOWEL(S)" you said "and ANOTHER".

I don't know what round N was because I haven't got the hang of the new format. I used to know that e.g. the 2nd Letters round after the first break would be Round 7 but I haven't gotten familiar enough with the new format yet.

Grant

Very well played today Andy

OREGANO in R1.

Conor wrote:

Jon O'Neill wrote: ISOBUTANE reminds me of Paul Howe's ISOGAMETE, which for me is still one of the greatest nines of all time, alongside MYOGLOBIN I think. Can anybody else think of any good contenders for greatest nine of all time?

I remember first reading about Michael Calder spotting MYOGLOBIN in the first round of the final and thinking 'wow that's good'. But I was new to the game then and stuff like SCLEROTIN and DICENTRAS really impressed me then, and it's only years later I can really appreciate just how good it is. MYOGLOBIN is no. 1 for me. I'll say 2nd is Alison Campbell getting DESPERADO in her first round against Paul Howe, and 3rd is Andrew Dodd's POTBOILER back in series 52.

I still think these rankings are all going to be completely arbitrary as I sort of said here. I know that before someone knows much about Countdown, a lot of words look impressive that wouldn't to a seasoned campaigner because of how common they are and the result of stemming etc., but you don't know how people came across the "truly" great words anyway. It might have been a word they heard yesterday, or it might have been virtually written out in the way they wrote the letters on their paper. Saying things are great spots is fine, but when people start ranking them, it's a step too far for me.

And yes, Andy, sorry that I do keep posting off-topic things in your spoiler threads. I haven't actually seen most of your games, but from what I have seen, you have been consistently excellent. But it does annoy me when you miss a numbers round, because you could have had the courtesy to do that a bit more against me in the Apterous tournament.

Conor wrote:

Andy Platt wrote: Jono, I think I might well have put a few other players or forum regulars off watching me with how boring/serious/competitive I was in my first few games, and thus there hasn't been as much interest in the last few shows as I was (perhaps presumptuously or arrogantly?) anticipating from people I thought I got on with and hoped would have more of an interest, although maybe I'm overreacting cos there is like the whole matter of real life and stuff, and people not being able to get round to watch (eg for a lot of Series 67 I was just looking through the wiki recaps cos of how many late shifts I had). Plus, there has been interest from people I wasn't expecting, so maybe it balances out.

Just because people aren't commenting doesn't mean they aren't interested, they may still be watching but sometimes there isn't quite as much to say compared to series finals or the 30BC. Your performances have been impressive, but not unexpected, and that's just because it's very apparent you're a strong player through apterous. So I suspect they're waiting to congratulate you on your (octo?)run and look forward to the series finals, where shit gets real and there'll be no shortage of comments.

Yeah, what Conor said. I've been watching when I can and I'm waiting for the end of your run to congratulate you basically. I think you've overanalysed things, Andy. For what it's worth, I haven't found you to be boring at all.

OK cool - cheers gents.

Sorry Gevin - seems like I'm only a good numbers player from the comfort of my living room

QUODLIBET for me (in the second famous SLEEPSUIT game) http://wiki.apterous.org/Episode_S28

If we're doing DC words, CUNJEVOIS for me in one of Jayne Wisniewski's prelims http://wiki.apterous.org/Episode_5344

Andy Platt wrote:Thanks Peter - MAGNETIC was a bit weird because in my head it needed two Ns... only when I wrote it down to check did I realise that it was actually completely fine! ISOBUTANE was just lucky, there was clearly only one word I was ever looking for after going CCCC, but I would have taken plan B/C/D in bounties/betaines/betonies, but to nail one of each vowel and when Rachel pulled out the final O it felt fucking incredible.

Shame I can't do simple two large solves though


Edit: Giles has pointed out that if my opponent went vowel at the end of round 10, MUTAGENIC would have been available (first vowel of R11 was U), which I'd have most likely missed, and then the ISOBUTANE round would maybe resulted in what, OBVIATES or something. Lucky how some things work out really!

This reminds me of blackjack players

Jon O'Neill wrote:

Andy Platt wrote:Cheers gentlemen for your kind words, nice to see some people still give a shit.

Am I missing something here?

Giving a shit, by the sounds of it?

Well played (again) Andy, I've been giving a shit for nearly two weeks mate!

I hope you have a shave before the finals

Andy, the Styles household has been enjoying watching you amid "real life and stuff". I really hope you get an eighth win today, but even if you don't, we'll look forward to seeing you in the finals.