Logic Puzzle: The Case of the Missing Countdown Episodes

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Graeme Cole
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Logic Puzzle: The Case of the Missing Countdown Episodes

Post by Graeme Cole »

The Case of the Missing Countdown Episodes
by Dr John H Watson

I first learned about the Case of the Missing Countdown Episodes one Wednesday evening, as I rushed to the rooms in Baker Street which I shared with my friend and colleague Sherlock Holmes, with news of some other cases.
"Holmes!" I called, as I mounted the stairs. "The Prime Minister stopped me on my way back and told me that it is of the utmost national importance that you-"
"Pah!" interjected Holmes. "Whatever he wants, it can wait!" Holmes motioned to a letter which sat on the table. "I have a matter of much greater concern to attend to. These political trifles will have to sort themselves out."
"But what could be more important than great affairs of state?" I asked.
"You have heard, have you not, that all five episodes of Countdown last week were mysteriously pulled from the schedule?"
"Good heavens, Holmes! You don't mean..."
"Quite so, Watson. Hastily gathered repeats of Deal Or No Deal foisted on an unsuspecting British public while the Countdown Wiki itself remains incomplete. You see now why this must take precedence over your piffling matters of international diplomacy?"
"Certainly."
"Excellent, Watson. Fortunately," he continued, handing me the letter on the table, "I have been contacted by none other than the foremost Countdown expert in all the land. Read this letter and tell me what you make of it. It arrived today."
"Postmarked Mirfield, dated Monday 15th - two days ago," I observed.
  • Dear Mr Holmes,

    You may be aware of the mysterious absence of Countdown last week. The week before, Tim Jackson won his first three games 100-88, 95-70 and 99-53. Then last week's episodes, from Monday 8th to Friday 12th, were mysteriously absent with no explanation. :shock: :?: Then today, Monday 15th, Countdown returned as if it had never been away, and Nick mentioned that Tim Jackson had won his eighth game on Friday 12th! :o :o :o

    I am at a loss as to why Tim's games between Monday 8th and Friday 12th were never shown, but they were deffo recorded! The reason why I ask your help, Mr Holmes, is that we now have a gap in our Countdown Wiki, which lists all Countdown results since the show first started. We have not had to put a gap in our wiki for 16 years :!: :!: :!: , so any assistance you can provide in finding the scores of the missing games would be much appreciated. 8-)

    I have managed to gather some small snippets of information about the games from my numerous internal sources, which may help in your endeavours. They are enclosed.

    Yours sincerely,

    Mr J. Robinson.
"I have the enclosed sheet here," said Holmes, offering a large sheet of paper which had accompanied the letter.
I took the piece of paper and scanned my eyes down it.
"It's just a series of unconnected facts about scores and players' names and so on, Holmes. Surely this isn't enough information?"
"Alas, Watson, it is not. We will doubtless refer to it later, but I shall have to do some investigation of my own tomorrow morning."

* * *

When I awoke the next day, my friend had already breakfasted and left the house. I heard nothing from him until late that evening, when he returned to Baker Street.

"Where have you been, Holmes?"
"Leeds, Watson."
"What on earth were you doing there?"
"Gathering information of singular importance to our case. I'll leave the details for another time, but by my deductions, those five episodes are almost certainly missing because someone in the production gallery forgot to put a tape in the recording machine on that day. Sadly this means the recordings are lost forever."
"My dear Holmes!"
"All is not lost, Watson. If we can just deduce the final scores of the missing games, that will be enough for the wiki. Mr Robinson's research, sparse though the information is, has proved most invaluable, as has this."
Holmes showed me a small scrap of paper.
"The Countdown production office," continued Holmes, "has a computer with the details of all the potential finalists in it, so they can be ranked in seed order. We know Tim Jackson was an octochamp - I just wanted to find his total. So I took the liberty of sneaking in to the Countdown office-"
"Holmes! However did you manage that?"
"By disguising myself as a consonant."
"Fiendish!"
"I was able to hack into the computer, and I copied down the relevant information. Look."
I took the scrap of paper. "Total 739, highest score 109", I read. "Holmes, this really doesn't help us. Why couldn't you have looked up all Tim's scores while you were there?"
"Because that was as far as I got before a man came in and demanded to know what a giant consonant was doing in his office messing about with his computer. I said there was no cause for alarm, I was merely acting for James Robinson, and that just seemed to irritate him further and he threw me out. Still, I am sure this will suffice."

Without another word, Holmes strode to his writing desk, laid the scrap of paper next to the letter, selected a pencil and a fresh sheet of paper, drew some kind of grid, and began to work. After a considerable time, he slumped back in his chair.
"It's no use, Watson. I have deduced the scores for three of the five games, but still there are questions left unanswered. Surely there is something I have missed? Let's go over all the facts again."

Holmes paused for breath, and began...
  • "Tim's first three games were shown on Wednesday the 3rd, Thursday the 4th and Friday the 5th. We know the scores for those. He played five more games in shows that were intended to be broadcast on Monday 8th to Friday 12th, and won them all with a total of 739 and a top score of 109. Now we have the research the good Mr Robinson undertook for us..."
Holmes read from the large piece of paper on his desk.
  • "A contestant named Eve Ellison was supposed to appear some time that week - she said so on Facebook on Saturday after her episode had failed to materialise. Fortuitously, she divulged that her opponent, our octochamp Tim Jackson, beat her with a score of 86."
"Well, that's a start, Holmes!"
"Watson, please don't interrupt a bulleted list with dialogue, it looks messy."
"A thousand apologies, my dear Holmes. Pray continue."
  • "One member of the audience took an illicit audio recording of the end of one of the games, in which the challenger was one Dave Remenham. Mr Robinson has kindly enclosed it and I have listened to its contents. It starts just before the conundrum. Neither player buzzes. The answer is revealed, then Nick Hewer congratulates Tim on his victory, adding 'Only 77, though, Tim? You've slipped since Monday.'"
  • "The person who supplied that recording also says that in the following game, Tim Jackson impressed Nick greatly with a score of 94 against a certain Bob Dixon."
  • "Another audience member present for Tim Jackson's eighth game says that the challenger scored 79. In the game before that, the Thursday game, the challenger lost despite scoring 90."
  • "Yet another audience member says that the third game, the Wednesday game, featured a sub-second conundrum solve. Irritatingly, they didn't remember who buzzed or what their answer was."
  • "A friend of Chris Hambledon mentioned that Chris got 40 points against Tim. Sadly this witness didn't hang around for any other games, nor did anyone think to ask her which game it was, but she does remember another contestant named Alison Evans in the green room."
  • "Mark Foster was the dictionary corner guest that week. He tweeted this picture at the end of one of the games, and, as you can see, the champion's score is 89."
  • "In another game the challenger scored 58, but we don't know who that was or which game it was."
Holmes put the paper to one side.
"That's it?" I asked.
"That's it. I fear there is still too little information, and the secret will be lost for-"
Holmes stopped mid-sentence.
"Wait! Watson, pass me that letter from Mr Robinson - the first page."
I handed Holmes the letter.
"Holmes, I can't see how it tells us anything we don't already know," I warned, as he cast his eyes over the letter.
"Aha!" exclaimed Holmes, as he filled in the last couple of boxes on his grid. "Mr Robinson's famous attention to detail has proved vital! I thought the task was impossible, that too much information was missing, but provided one is well acquainted with the rules, the deduction of that last crucial piece of information is elementary."
"Holmes, explain!"

"All in good time. First, I shall write a letter to our friend Mr Robinson detailing the names of all Tim Jackson's challengers, the days on which they appeared, and the final scores of all five games. While I do so, Watson, you know my methods, you know the programme's rules, and you have seen all the clues you need. Take this blank grid. Perhaps you'd like to try your hand at solving the mystery yourself?"

Code: Select all

Day                   Mon        Tue        Wed        Thu        Fri
Challenger
Tim's score
Challenger's score
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Innis Carson
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Re: Logic Puzzle: The Case of the Missing Countdown Episodes

Post by Innis Carson »

This is just brilliant, I love it. Can't imagine where you would even start with trying to put together something like this! Took me a lot of time and scribbling, and I got myself stuck in a dead end more than once, but I'm pretty sure I've got it now - will PM you my answer to check.
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Graeme Cole
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Re: Logic Puzzle: The Case of the Missing Countdown Episodes

Post by Graeme Cole »

Innis Carson wrote:This is just brilliant, I love it. Can't imagine where you would even start with trying to put together something like this! Took me a lot of time and scribbling, and I got myself stuck in a dead end more than once, but I'm pretty sure I've got it now - will PM you my answer to check.
Full marks!
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Re: Logic Puzzle: The Case of the Missing Countdown Episodes

Post by James Robinson »

Graeme Cole wrote:
Innis Carson wrote:This is just brilliant, I love it. Can't imagine where you would even start with trying to put together something like this! Took me a lot of time and scribbling, and I got myself stuck in a dead end more than once, but I'm pretty sure I've got it now - will PM you my answer to check.
Full marks!
I actually did something on a similar line to this at work a couple of months ago, and managed to do it in about half an hour or so, and look forward to trying this one, but I've got an event to co-host in the morning, so I'm gonna go for some kip now. :P
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Re: Logic Puzzle: The Case of the Missing Countdown Episodes

Post by Innis Carson »

Woop! Cheers for this, a fun and satisfying distraction.
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Michael Wallace
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Re: Logic Puzzle: The Case of the Missing Countdown Episodes

Post by Michael Wallace »

That was a superb read. A+++
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Re: Logic Puzzle: The Case of the Missing Countdown Episodes

Post by Thomas Carey »

Graeme Cole wrote:
[*] "Mark Foster was the dictionary corner guest that week. He tweeted this picture at the end of one of the games, and, as you can see, the champion's score is 89."
Are you sure that's not meant to be 'challenger's'?
cheers maus
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Re: Logic Puzzle: The Case of the Missing Countdown Episodes

Post by Innis Carson »

Thomas Carey wrote:
Graeme Cole wrote:
[*] "Mark Foster was the dictionary corner guest that week. He tweeted this picture at the end of one of the games, and, as you can see, the champion's score is 89."
Are you sure that's not meant to be 'challenger's'?
'Champion's' is right - the puzzle can be solved as written.
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Re: Logic Puzzle: The Case of the Missing Countdown Episodes

Post by Guy Barry »

I gave up twice believing it to be insoluble, but I think I've got it now! Very well written and put together.
Monday: 89-40 against Chris.
Tuesday: 77-58 against Dave.
Wednesday: 94-84 against Bob, including 10 points for a tie-break conundrum.
Thursday: 109-90 against Alison.
Friday: 86-79 against Eve.

Tim's octochamp total excluded the 10 points for the tie-break (as I believe is the usual practice).
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Re: Logic Puzzle: The Case of the Missing Countdown Episodes

Post by sean d »

Brilliant, just brilliant. Nice narrative to accompany clean logical unambiguous clues. I came to the same solution as Guy, I hope we're both right!
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Graeme Cole
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Re: Logic Puzzle: The Case of the Missing Countdown Episodes

Post by Graeme Cole »

sean d wrote:Brilliant, just brilliant. Nice narrative to accompany clean logical unambiguous clues. I came to the same solution as Guy, I hope we're both right!
Sorry about the delay. Guy's spoiler-hiding tactics worked too well - I genuinely didn't realise he'd put a solution in his post until I read yours. Yes, you're both right.
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Re: Logic Puzzle: The Case of the Missing Countdown Episodes

Post by Mike Brown »

Haven't tried to solve it, Graeme, but really enjoyed reading it. Pure class.
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Re: Logic Puzzle: The Case of the Missing Countdown Episodes

Post by Zarte Siempre »

I hate logic puzzles, as I don't have any - but can you continue to write them please, I'm quite glad just of a story ^_^
Possibly the first contestant to accelerate with a mic clipped...
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Re: Logic Puzzle: The Case of the Missing Countdown Episodes

Post by Adam Gillard »

Wonderful stuff, Graeme! Really cheered up my day reading this during lunch and a good puzzle to get my teeth into. I got the same solution as Guy (eventually!); here's my scribble sheet just because I wanted to share it with you! SPOILERS
Mike Brown: "Round 12: T N R S A E I G U

C1: SIGNATURE (18) ["9; not written down"]
C2: SEATING (7)
Score: 108–16 (max 113)

Another niner for Adam and yet another century. Well done, that man."
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Re: Logic Puzzle: The Case of the Missing Countdown Episodes

Post by Dave Preece »

Loved reading this, then, loved more, having a go at the puzzle...

Normally I work on puzzles like this for hours and get them wrong in the end; I'm pleased to say I got this, and proud to say it only took me just over an hour (68 mins)!

My workings looked very similar to Adam's but scrawled over two A4 sheets!

Great work, as ever Graeme ;-)

SPOILER!!!!!!!!!

The biggest red herring I think was Nick saying: "Only 77, though, Tim? You've slipped since Monday". This made me think 77 wasn't scored on a Tuesday because Nick would have said, "Only 77, though, Tim? You've slipped since yesterday". BUT, we all know that's EXACTLY what Nick probably would have said...!!!???
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Re: Logic Puzzle: The Case of the Missing Countdown Episodes

Post by Dave Preece »

What is the relevance of this, I'm not sure it helped me in solving it, unless I'm mistaken???

Holmes stopped mid-sentence.
"Wait! Watson, pass me that letter from Mr Robinson - the first page."
I handed Holmes the letter.
"Holmes, I can't see how it tells us anything we don't already know," I warned, as he cast his eyes over the letter.
"Aha!" exclaimed Holmes, as he filled in the last couple of boxes on his grid. "Mr Robinson's famous attention to detail has proved vital! I thought the task was impossible, that too much information was missing, but provided one is well acquainted with the rules, the deduction of that last crucial piece of information is elementary."
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Re: Logic Puzzle: The Case of the Missing Countdown Episodes

Post by Guy Barry »

I was initially puzzled by that as well. I think the point is that if you ignore the first page of the letter, you can solve the whole problem apart from one of the losing scores - the letter allows you to calculate the actual sum of Tim's eight scores, which leads to the twist that solves the whole thing.

The bit that I thought might be significant was the fact that Holmes had to go to Leeds rather than Manchester, meaning that the story must be set in 2009 or earlier. I thought perhaps it might be a reference to the old format but that has no bearing on the solution at all. Was it just a red herring?
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Re: Logic Puzzle: The Case of the Missing Countdown Episodes

Post by Dave Preece »

Argh, right I see...

Two or three red herrings I thought.
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Graeme Cole
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Re: Logic Puzzle: The Case of the Missing Countdown Episodes

Post by Graeme Cole »

Dave Preece wrote:What is the relevance of this, I'm not sure it helped me in solving it, unless I'm mistaken???
He was looking at the previous scores and adding them up.
Guy Barry wrote:The bit that I thought might be significant was the fact that Holmes had to go to Leeds rather than Manchester, meaning that the story must be set in 2009 or earlier. I thought perhaps it might be a reference to the old format but that has no bearing on the solution at all. Was it just a red herring?
Not really significant at all, but the Countdown offices are still in Leeds, even though it's recorded in Manchester.
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Re: Logic Puzzle: The Case of the Missing Countdown Episodes

Post by James Robinson »

Graeme Cole wrote:Not really significant at all, but the Countdown offices are still in Leeds, even though it's recorded in Manchester.
Even though it's recorded in Salford.......... :P :geek: :ugeek:
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Re: Logic Puzzle: The Case of the Missing Countdown Episodes

Post by Guy Barry »

James Robinson wrote:
Graeme Cole wrote:Not really significant at all, but the Countdown offices are still in Leeds, even though it's recorded in Manchester.
Oh, I wasn't aware of that, although I really should have been, since the strap comes across the screen every day asking viewers to write in to the Leeds address. Strange arrangement - does Yorkshire Television still have some ghostly existence?
Even though it's recorded in Salford.......... :P :geek: :ugeek:
Damn, yes, I'd forgotten the old Granada studios had been closed now!
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Graeme Cole
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Re: Logic Puzzle: The Case of the Missing Countdown Episodes

Post by Graeme Cole »

James Robinson wrote:
Graeme Cole wrote:Not really significant at all, but the Countdown offices are still in Leeds, even though it's recorded in Manchester.
Even though it's recorded in Salford.......... :P :geek: :ugeek:
Pfft, Salford is still basically Manchester. Insisting that Salford isn't in Manchester is like saying Hammersmith isn't in London.
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Re: Logic Puzzle: The Case of the Missing Countdown Episodes

Post by Dinos Sfyris »

Just been trawling the forum for the first time in months. Just as I was about to go and do something productive I found this little gem and I've been captivated for the last 45 minutes.
Totes amazeballs puzzle and story. When the penny finally dropped it was very rewarding. I love you Graeme Cole xxx
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