What is it like to be on countdown?

JackHurst · Post by **JackHurst** » Fri Jan 23, 2009 10:20 pm

Firstly, i'd like to apologize if a similar topic has been created, I tried a couple of searches, but didnt find anything.

I'm 16, and i've been watching countdown since i was about 7. I've never been brilliant at it, but I can mostly manage to keep up with best players when watching at home. Of course, this doesnt mean i would be able to do this on set, but i'd like to have a chance.

This is why i want to ask the previous contestants here about three things related to getting on the show: Applying, Auditioning and actually participating.

Applying
-What method of application did you use?
-How long did you have to wait for a response, and how many applications did you send?
-What would be the ideal sort of thing to include on your application?

Auditioning
-How many people were there at the auditions?
-What was the atmosphere like?
-What did you have to do at the auditions?
-How easy was it to pass the audtions, and what did you have to do well to pass them?

Participating
-Is there anything different or surprising on set that you wouldnt realise from watchign at home?
-How smoothly do the recordings run?
-What do you get briefed on before you go on set?

Any answers would be much apreciated.

And i know what your thinking: "How does this idiot expect to get on the show if every other word he posted in the topic was spelled incorrectly"

Charlie Reams · Post by **Charlie Reams** » Sat Jan 24, 2009 12:04 am

JackHurst wrote: Applying
-What method of application did you use?
-How long did you have to wait for a response, and how many applications did you send?
-What would be the ideal sort of thing to include on your application?

You send off for a form, which has lots of different sections to fill in. But the application makes no difference to whether you get on or not, it just gives Jeff something to chat to you about.

And i know what your thinking: "How does this idiot expect to get on the show if every other word he posted in the topic was spelled incorrectly"

I've done this just to annoy Jimmy.

Jon O'Neill · Post by **Jon O'Neill** » Sat Jan 24, 2009 12:05 am

Hey buddy, you've come to the right place.

Might I suggest you check out http://www.thecountdownpage.com/experiences.htm to complement your research in this thread. I'll give you a quick summary though as it's late and COLIN's in the morning!

Applying
-What method of application did you use? Mailed for an application form.
-How long did you have to wait for a response, and how many applications did you send? Sent one application, response came back after about a week.
-What would be the ideal sort of thing to include on your application? To what end? The more information you give, the better your intro will be on the show, but I don't think anything is ideal in terms of getting you on the program.

Auditioning
-How many people were there at the auditions? 7
-What was the atmosphere like? Quite relaxed and informal. It wasn't tense.
-What did you have to do at the auditions? Solve rounds that a researcher read out.
-How easy was it to pass the audtions, and what did you have to do well to pass them? You have to give good answers. Mostly 7s is required, I think.

Participating
-Is there anything different or surprising on set that you wouldnt realise from watchign at home? Everything there will change your perspective. In a good way.
-How smoothly do the recordings run? Very smoothly, usually a 45 minute show is recorded in about 50 minutes or an hour.
-What do you get briefed on before you go on set? A whole lot of stuff, twice.

Hope this helps and enjoy the experiences page!

Katherine Birkett · Post by **Katherine Birkett** » Sat Jan 24, 2009 12:13 am

Here's another tip: Never, repeat, never do an audition when you have a massive hay fever-related headache plus runny eyes, runny nose etc and fail like I did. Nottingham 1998 that was.... I was fine when I left the house and felt like death when I got there.

Will be applying again shortly once I'm more consistent with the numbers game.

Jimmy Gough · Post by **Jimmy Gough** » Sat Jan 24, 2009 12:43 am

I haven't been on the show myself but my advice is to think about how well you really want to do. I was going to apply as soon as I found this forum (around the time Charlie applied) but if I even managed to get on the show I really wouldn't have done too well.
With quite a bit of practice (from apterous) and from just browsing the forum I've improved dramatically and, at the risk of sounding overconfident, I feel I'd have a real shot at being an octochamp with a little more practice. On the other hand, if you just want to go on for the experience and maybe have a shot at winning teapot then of course just go for it.

Just don't go on before you're ready and make the mistake that many others have made. Either way, be sure to have some practice on apterous, it's great fun.

EDIT: I've completely failed to answer your question but I hope it helps.

Kai Laddiman · Post by **Kai Laddiman** » Sat Jan 24, 2009 9:29 am

Jon O'Neill wrote:Sent one application, response came back after about a week

It took me ages to get a response.

Steven Tew · Post by **Steven Tew** » Sat Jan 24, 2009 9:39 am

As you can see from my avatar, it's been a while since I went on the programme, so I can't help you too much as far as the application process goes. Because I live close to Leeds I was invited to be a standby contestant at first (for which I got paid!!!), and was initially disappointed because I thought that meant they did not want me to go on the show for real. But I did get on. What I would say is, if you want to win at least one show, don't apply until you think you are ready - practice really does improve your game.

JackHurst · Post by **JackHurst** » Sat Jan 24, 2009 1:11 pm

Kai Laddiman wrote:
Jon O'Neill wrote:Sent one application, response came back after about a week
It took me ages to get a response.

I sent off an e-mail application about 6 months ago, and I never got a response.

I'd also like to ask how long the wait is between auditions and actually going onto the show.

Edit: Thanks for all the answers and tips people have given btw

Oliver Garner · Post by **Oliver Garner** » Sat Jan 24, 2009 9:28 pm

I sent off an email application but haven't got anything back. I am going to put in a written one when I am a bit better.

Hannah O · Post by **Hannah O** » Sat Jan 24, 2009 10:10 pm

Apologies if this is slightly off-topic, but what would be the ideal requirement to get on to Countdown, words-wise and number-wise? I've watched some of the COC games this series and I'm noticing that all the contestants get 7 letter words practically every round. Also, they seem to usually get within 5 of the target in the numbers game. Is this just down to the superhuman abilities of the contestants, or is it a regular occurence? If I applied in future, what is the average number of letters I should be getting per round to stand a chance?

Thanks!

Jimmy Gough · Post by **Jimmy Gough** » Sat Jan 24, 2009 10:23 pm

Hannah O wrote:Apologies if this is slightly off-topic, but what would be the ideal requirement to get on to Countdown, words-wise and number-wise? I've watched some of the COC games this series and I'm noticing that all the contestants get 7 letter words practically every round. Also, they seem to usually get within 5 of the target in the numbers game. Is this just down to the superhuman abilities of the contestants, or is it a regular occurence? If I applied in future, what is the average number of letters I should be getting per round to stand a chance?

Thanks!

Apterous would be the easiest test, and welcome to the forum

Martin Gardner · Post by **Martin Gardner** » Sun Jan 25, 2009 12:08 am

Hannah O wrote:Apologies if this is slightly off-topic, but what would be the ideal requirement to get on to Countdown, words-wise and number-wise? I've watched some of the COC games this series and I'm noticing that all the contestants get 7 letter words practically every round. Also, they seem to usually get within 5 of the target in the numbers game. Is this just down to the superhuman abilities of the contestants, or is it a regular occurence? If I applied in future, what is the average number of letters I should be getting per round to stand a chance?

Thanks!

Well (statement of the obvious time) the CofC contestants are the best in the country over the last 3 years. So don't compare yourself immediately to them. Comparing yourself to the real contestants of 'regular' shows is a good start. It's often said that it's a lot harder in the studio, which is true. Jeff did a really good intro about this last week (I suppose spoiling Jeff's intro isn't really a Countdown spoiler, is it?) saying that the contestants have to do it under the pressure of the studio lights with 200 people in the audience and a few million people watching at home. Although in fairness, I think some people do better in the studio than at home because the adrenalin makes them react that bit faster - Ben Wilson's 1 second conundrum against Paul Ryan comes to mind. And of course, they do five shows a day in real life, but they only show one a day.

Second paragraph, I don't think I've answered the question yet. Basically it depends on the letters, 7 is below average from AEISNDLTR but above average from EEIIOWHTR, so while working out an average is good, it doesn't really help in specific cases.

Clare Sudbery · Post by **Clare Sudbery** » Sun Jan 25, 2009 1:54 am

I can answer only half of this...

I sent an application by post (printed the form off after downloading from Channel 4 website) and got a response in about 6 weeks or so. My audition was then scheduled for about 4 weeks after I received the letter. I was told that I'd passed three days after the audition, and was offered a recording date for five weeks after that. But I couldn't make that date. That was three weeks ago and I'm still waiting to be given a new date. I understand programmes air approximately four weeks aftet they're recorded.

The audition was relaxed and friendly, there were six people there (I think), and we were given six letters rounds, two numbers rounds and three conundrums. I got three 7-letter words, two 8-letter, and one miss (a mis-spelt word). I got the exact target on both numbers rounds, and I didn't get a single one of the conundrums. That was enough to get me on the show.

Jimmy Gough wrote:Apterous would be the easiest test

Apterous is indeed bloody brilliant, and a great place to get some practice in, but a word of warning: It's frequented by several Countdown champions. It's hard not to compare yourself to them / play against them and suffer humiliating defeats, and this can seriously knock your confidence. You have to remind yourself that you don't have to be anywhere near as good as them in order to get on the show, or even to win the odd game or two. So don't think of Apterous as a place to test your competence - it's just a place to practise.

Ian Volante · Post by **Ian Volante** » Sun Jan 25, 2009 2:11 pm

You've found probably the best place to improve your skills before you go on.

I went on before I came here, and spent the day as a bag of nerves, and even though I pulled off a couple of good wins I'm sure I could have got more out of the experience. I suppose it didn't help that I had to scoot off for a train on the second day, so I missed any social things that went on that day.

Basically, although I got beat by a future octochamp anyway, I could hae got much closer to that status myself, and much more comfortably if I'd trained here first.

Richard Priest · Post by **Richard Priest** » Sun Jan 25, 2009 2:32 pm

You can apply online by visiting http://www.channel4.com/takepart and clicking on Countdown in the drop-down box, then just fill in an online application form and attach a photo.

The time span between applying and being offered an audition varies because auditions are held at various locations around the country and they wait until they've had enough applications from a particular area before arranging an audition in that area. At mine, it was very informal and we played 6 letters games, 2 numbers games and about 3 or 4 conundrums, the results of which were collected and fed back to Damian. I got 4 8s, a 9 and a 7, got all the conundrums and solved 1 numbers game and was within 1 of the other. However somebody else there who I can't remember getting any more than 7s got on the show too.

It was a few days later I had a letter telling me I'd been successful and 8 days after the audition I had a phone call offering me a recording date 6 weeks away. But again this varies so as Jono says check out the Experiences link.

Re: recording - have you ever been to the studios and watched any Countdown shows being recorded live? It might be an idea to do so before you apply/go on the show as then it wouldn't be such an unknown quantity.

Good luck.

Jason Larsen · Post by **Jason Larsen** » Sun Jan 25, 2009 8:20 pm

It would be a real pleasure, I bet!

Hannah O · Post by **Hannah O** » Sun Jan 25, 2009 8:27 pm

Well, give me about 5 years' practice and I might stand the ghost of a chance. I was thinking of going to see it, but unfortunately finances and the distance from here to Leeds have ruined that plan for now. What I find that I can't do at all is the conundrums! Out of curiosity, how many shows are actually filmed in a day? I know that there are multiple shows filmed each day, but I'm intrigued to know how many!

Clare Sudbery · Post by **Clare Sudbery** » Sun Jan 25, 2009 8:37 pm

Episodes filmed per day: Used to be 6, is now 4 on some days, 5 on others (I think).

Loads of people struggle with the conundrums. They're only one small part of the game - you shouldn't take that as a reason not to apply. I failed all my audition conundrums but still got on the show. It really does all boil down to what someone said above: Do you want to be brilliant at it, or do you just want the experience? If the former, practise for 5 years and then apply. If the latter, apply now. Apart from anything else, you are allowed to apply multiple times. So if you fail an audition, you can just have another go. And if you pass an audition, you know you're good enough to go on the show.

Hannah O · Post by **Hannah O** » Sun Jan 25, 2009 8:42 pm

I see! I was surprised when I found this out, but it makes sense- it probably saves money as well as time filming several a day. As for multiple applications, assuming that someone applies to go on Countdown for the experience and loses on their first show, would they be allowed to reapply later (after some practise) and get on the show again? Also (and I apologise if this is off-topic), are there word-lists to learn? I saw the fruitful 7 lists, but I think I'd need to learn as much as possible to stand a chance!

Jimmy Gough · Post by **Jimmy Gough** » Sun Jan 25, 2009 9:02 pm

Hannah O wrote:As for multiple applications, assuming that someone applies to go on Countdown for the experience and loses on their first show, would they be allowed to reapply later (after some practise) and get on the show again?

Ask Kirk

Clare Sudbery · Post by **Clare Sudbery** » Sun Jan 25, 2009 10:16 pm

Hannah O wrote:I saw the fruitful 7 lists

I didn't. Where was that?

There are some references to lists in the "How-To Guides" thread, I think... I've been meaning to check them out but haven't got round to it yet. Somebody told me there are useful lists in the back of Mark Tournoff's book, and aparently there is a piece of software called CountMax which is useful for generating lists.

I don't think you are generally allowed to go back on the show after you've played and lost. The re-application thing just applies to failed auditions. Then again, it's all quite loose I think. I bet if you played and lost, then spent years practising and became some kind of Countdown super-champ, they may consider having you back on again.

Junaid Mubeen · Post by **Junaid Mubeen** » Sun Jan 25, 2009 10:24 pm

Clare Sudbery wrote:I bet if you played and lost, then spent years practising and became some kind of Countdown super-champ, they may consider having you back on again.

The thought of letting contestants back on a second time sickens me, no matter how many years they have been waiting. Unless of course they waited 10 years and were youngish, say 13, when they were first on. Or if they only lost because they missed DELATIONS and an easy target, say 246 for example. In those cases it's fine...otherwise NO WAY!!!

Joseph Bolas · Post by **Joseph Bolas** » Sun Jan 25, 2009 10:44 pm

Junaid Mubeen wrote:
Clare Sudbery wrote:I bet if you played and lost, then spent years practising and became some kind of Countdown super-champ, they may consider having you back on again.
The thought of letting contestants back on a second time sickens me, no matter how many years they have been waiting. Unless of course they waited 10 years and were youngish, say 13, when they were first on. Or if they only lost because they missed DELATIONS and an easy target, say 246 for example. In those cases it's fine...otherwise NO WAY!!!

Yeah, you're right. I suppose it would be a bit unfair on the contestants who only get one shot at winning a series (or even the people who just want to win one game so they can get the sought-after teapot etc) to be beaten by someone who got a second chance

Martin Gardner · Post by **Martin Gardner** » Sun Jan 25, 2009 10:48 pm

I don't know a lot about this since I'm from Leeds myself, but you can get money back for travel expenses. I think you can get the train journey paid for, plus the hotel stays or even petrol money. I just got a taxi from home which cost about £10 which I also got back. One time I just got the bus (two buses) but I couldn't really be arsed claiming the money back, which was about £3.

Gavin Chipper · Post by **Gavin Chipper** » Sun Jan 25, 2009 10:50 pm

Junaid Mubeen wrote:
Clare Sudbery wrote:I bet if you played and lost, then spent years practising and became some kind of Countdown super-champ, they may consider having you back on again.
The thought of letting contestants back on a second time sickens me, no matter how many years they have been waiting. Unless of course they waited 10 years and were youngish, say 13, when they were first on. Or if they only lost because they missed DELATIONS and an easy target, say 246 for example. In those cases it's fine...otherwise NO WAY!!!

I know someone who lost on his first game when he was 13. He did alright but missed DELATIONS and a numbers round, and so lost. I told him he might be able to get back on, but the numbers target he missed was 247 - no chance!

Ben Wilson · Post by **Ben Wilson** » Sun Jan 25, 2009 10:59 pm

Martin Gardner wrote:I don't know a lot about this since I'm from Leeds myself, but you can get money back for travel expenses. I think you can get the train journey paid for, plus the hotel stays or even petrol money. I just got a taxi from home which cost about £10 which I also got back. One time I just got the bus (two buses) but I couldn't really be arsed claiming the money back, which was about £3.

Yep, all travel and accommodation expenses are met by the studios. They even feed you for free.

Phil Reynolds · Post by **Phil Reynolds** » Sun Jan 25, 2009 11:14 pm

Martin Gardner wrote:I don't know a lot about this since I'm from Leeds myself, but you can get money back for travel expenses.

Surely that's only for contestants? Hannah was talking about going to watch a recording (i.e. as an audience member).

Richard Priest · Post by **Richard Priest** » Sun Jan 25, 2009 11:26 pm

Phil Reynolds wrote:
Martin Gardner wrote:I don't know a lot about this since I'm from Leeds myself, but you can get money back for travel expenses.
Surely that's only for contestants? Hannah was talking about going to watch a recording (i.e. as an audience member).

Yes, people attending a recording have to fund their own travel and (where applicable) accommodation. In the case of contestants, YTV will book and pay for accommodation for the contestant plus one guest - any guests over and above that have to arrange and pay for their own accommodation.

With travel, as Martin said, YTV will pay the cost of an open return rail fare from the contestant's nearest train station to Leeds and back, as this should cover fuel expenses if the contestant is driving. When I was on they also provided £15 towards meal expenses in the studio canteen.

tonywarren · Post by **tonywarren** » Sun Jan 25, 2009 11:39 pm

If they hadn't let JM have a second go I might have had to tolerate being beaten by someone who wasn't young and smart.

But seriously, with regard to audition delays it depends where you apply to audition. For their away locations like Bristol they need to have enough people booked for auditions to make the journey worthwhile. Bristol needs half a dozen more applications...

I think the tip for the auditions is "try not to miss the sevens that will be the minimum in each round. Make sure you get within 10 for the numbers games. Do not forget to declare because you're obsessing about being exact. And remember to enjoy the audition. It might well be the first time you are co-located with 7or8 other Countdown fans.

Being on the show was great. Being in the finals was better. Being in CofC was the most fun possible with clothes on.

Kirk Bevins · Post by **Kirk Bevins** » Sun Jan 25, 2009 11:54 pm

tonywarren wrote: Being in CofC was the most fun possible with clothes on.

You mean no naked frivolities were had? I'm shocked.

Hannah O · Post by **Hannah O** » Mon Jan 26, 2009 7:01 am

Thank you for the advice! I can see where you're coming from about going on it a second time.

Clare: I think they're on the Countdown wiki, I might have got the list name wrong. It gives a stem and then gives you 5 possible 8-letter words which you get by adding on any vowel! NITRITES is on the list, I think, which sticks in my mind because I think I've seen it a lot recently.

Junaid: *tries not to go all fangirl-ish!* I watched today's repeat and you were on it! Wow! It was superb. Anyway, I understand your point, and that means it's practice and more practice for me!

Rich: I looked up tickets to Leeds in February, as when I phoned the ticket line they offered some dates roughly in the middle of it. Unfortunately it would have cost over £80! If, hypothetically, I ended up becoming a contestant, would YTV cover that? (The large cost was probably due to an adult and two children's tickets, I'm sure with one guest it'd be less.)

Tony: Ah! I see. Unfortunately Bristol happens to be where I'm situated, and due to financial stuff (I need to get a job!) it's unlikely that I'll be travelling as an audience member quite yet.

Martin Gardner · Post by **Martin Gardner** » Mon Jan 26, 2009 11:50 am

I'm quite in favour of people who've lost their first show being allowed on again. They've made quite a few exceptions now, I'd quite like them to change the rule completely. The issue for me, the main one, is the quality of contestants, and since they need about 200 contestants each year, I think they're having to accept people that aren't very good to make the numbers up. There just aren't enough quality contestants out there to have 200 new contestants a year, every year.

Gavin Chipper · Post by **Gavin Chipper** » Mon Jan 26, 2009 2:54 pm

Martin Gardner wrote:I'm quite in favour of people who've lost their first show being allowed on again. They've made quite a few exceptions now, I'd quite like them to change the rule completely. The issue for me, the main one, is the quality of contestants, and since they need about 200 contestants each year, I think they're having to accept people that aren't very good to make the numbers up. There just aren't enough quality contestants out there to have 200 new contestants a year, every year.

I'd go along with that as well. But would there be an amount of time you'd have to wait and would you be barred if you reached a certain stage?

Richard Priest · Post by **Richard Priest** » Mon Jan 26, 2009 7:06 pm

Hannah O wrote:Thank you for the advice! I can see where you're coming from about going on it a second time.

Rich: I looked up tickets to Leeds in February, as when I phoned the ticket line they offered some dates roughly in the middle of it. Unfortunately it would have cost over £80! If, hypothetically, I ended up becoming a contestant, would YTV cover that? (The large cost was probably due to an adult and two children's tickets, I'm sure with one guest it'd be less.)

When I was on the show YTV were agreeing to covering travel expenses for the contestant + 1 guest. They've had people on the show from far further afield than Bristol so I don't see why it should be a problem, but if 3 people were going one of them would have to meet their own travel costs.

Debbi Flack · Post by **Debbi Flack** » Mon Jan 26, 2009 7:29 pm

Kirk Bevins wrote:
tonywarren wrote: Being in CofC was the most fun possible with clothes on.
You mean no naked frivolities were had? I'm shocked.

No, no naked frivoloities

Martin Gardner · Post by **Martin Gardner** » Mon Jan 26, 2009 9:00 pm

Re: Gevin's comment, I think the original idea (posted by Eadie himself, on the forum's predecessor, I think) was to allow people who lost their first game to do the auditions again, and pass if they can. So Kirk, for example, would qualify, as would Joseph. Dan V. wouldn't qualify because he won one game before being knocked out.

Hannah O · Post by **Hannah O** » Mon Jan 26, 2009 9:24 pm

Thanks all for your input and clarifications, with that and reading the experiences of past contestants on the Countdown page I'm really enjoying building up my knowledge of the process behind the actual show! I'm full of questions though, and I have another one to pose! I got up at 5am to watch the repeat of Friday's episode, and it took me until the second set of letters/number round for my brain to fire up properly. In an ideal situation, when I would wake up and be reasonably alert before playing along with the TV, how else would I prepare for playing a proper game? I think I've read that people have watched episodes before their game or used a Countdown puzzle book. Are these highly recommended? Secondly, if you do well on the Teatime Teasers, should you therefore stand a chance at the conundrums? It's a small step up from 8 letters to 9, but then again there is a clue provided with the Teatime Teasers that sometimes make them even easier to solve!

Thanks again for being so patient with all my questions!

Junaid Mubeen · Post by **Junaid Mubeen** » Mon Jan 26, 2009 9:43 pm

Hannah O wrote:In an ideal situation, when I would wake up and be reasonably alert before playing along with the TV, how else would I prepare for playing a proper game?

APTEROUS!!!!

The site has everything and is the best way to practise and improve. I and many others have benefited so much from it.

Clare Sudbery · Post by **Clare Sudbery** » Mon Jan 26, 2009 10:11 pm

Hannah O wrote:I got up at 5am to watch the repeat

I've been wondering about repeats, since I often miss the afternoon slot cos of childcare commitments and other issues. I scoured the schedules but couldn't find a repeat. When are they on, and which channel?

Michael Wallace · Post by **Michael Wallace** » Mon Jan 26, 2009 10:16 pm

Clare Sudbery wrote:
Hannah O wrote:I got up at 5am to watch the repeat
I've been wondering about repeats, since I often miss the afternoon slot cos of childcare commitments and other issues. I scoured the schedules but couldn't find a repeat. When are they on, and which channel?

If you're on Windows you can just use 4oD and watch them online - it works surprisingly well for me (even if I do have to reboot whenever I want to watch Countdown).

Heather Culpin · Post by **Heather Culpin** » Mon Jan 26, 2009 10:21 pm

I'm not sure I agree about the need for all contestants to be high quality. They need to be quite good, but not all octochamp level or it would stop appealing to people who play along at home and like to beat the contestants occasionally.

My tips for the audition would be to practise writing down the letters at home first, as you'll have to write them down at the audition and you might not spot the words so easily as looking at the screen if you are not used to it. Also assume most of the letter games have long answers. The selections are planned in advance and are not just random selections, so look for 8s and 9s and don't settle for 5s and 6s. I wasn't sure beforehand if they had target of how many they would take from each audition group, but from the 7 or 8 of us in the room when I auditioned I think three of us ended up on the show, including Mr Corby who did quite well ........

Lesley Jeavons · Post by **Lesley Jeavons** » Mon Jan 26, 2009 10:53 pm

Clare Sudbery wrote:
Hannah O wrote:I got up at 5am to watch the repeat
I've been wondering about repeats, since I often miss the afternoon slot cos of childcare commitments and other issues. I scoured the schedules but couldn't find a repeat. When are they on, and which channel?

Clare, you're maybe not seeing Countdown in the schedules as you're probably looking at the early hours of the day it's on, when it's in fact listed in the wee small hours of the night before.

So for example the next repeat on C4 is of today's show and it's on on Thurs 4.55-5.40am, but it's listed in the Radio Times as the last thing on C4 on Wed night.

I've got up a couple of times to watch it, but never on C4 - only on C4+1 - 6am seems a much more civilised time to be up and about (though admittedly two hours earlier than I usually rise

). C4+1 - what a Godsend!

Jimmy Gough · Post by **Jimmy Gough** » Mon Jan 26, 2009 11:32 pm

Junaid Mubeen wrote:
Hannah O wrote:In an ideal situation, when I would wake up and be reasonably alert before playing along with the TV, how else would I prepare for playing a proper game?
APTEROUS!!!!

The site has everything and is the best way to practise and improve. I and many others have benefited so much from it.

I think Hannah means like a couple of hours before she goes on the show(?), in which case a puzzle book or something woud be easier. I think I'd probably make up some anagrams of common words or word lists of common endings for popuar words (LEOTARDS, PRONATES, PRONATED, etc) just to refresh my memory.

Junaid's right though, get yao ass on apterous, you need serious improvement before going on the show

.
Apterous practise = win.

Richard Priest · Post by **Richard Priest** » Mon Jan 26, 2009 11:44 pm

Heather Culpin wrote: I wasn't sure beforehand if they had target of how many they would take from each audition group, but from the 7 or 8 of us in the room when I auditioned I think three of us ended up on the show, including Mr Corby who did quite well ........

When I auditioned (for the 2nd time) Lara told us that they weren't looking to pass a specific number of people from the audition, just as many as reached the standard that they were looking for. Out of 5 of us myself and David Sandbach were successful. The others were mostly only getting 5s and 6s which sadly won't get you on the show.

Re:preparing for televised games - I just took my Countdown board game up there with me and a Countdown puzzle book for conundrums and got in some practice at the hotel before leaving for the studios. Having said that, each time I went (with the exception of CoC) mine was the first game to be recorded so I knew I had to be in tune and ready, whereas if your game was later on, say 3rd or 4th, you could also practise beforehand by watching the games being recorded live in the audience or on the tv in the Green Room.

Clare Sudbery · Post by **Clare Sudbery** » Mon Jan 26, 2009 11:47 pm

Heather Culpin wrote:The selections are planned in advance and are not just random selections, so look for 8s and 9s and don't settle for 5s and 6s.

It occurred to me during the audition that this makes it a subtly different game. The very first selection we were given contained a 9, and after that (and also because of a hint she gave in the preamble) I was looking for 8s and 9s in every round, because I knew they were probably there. Which is not the same as the real thing, when the selections are genuinely random and it's possible there's nothing higher than a 7 (or even less) available.

But they do make it slightly more realistic in that there aren't 9s (or even 8s) available in every round. So don't tie yourself in knots looking for non-existent 9s!

Jimmy Gough · Post by **Jimmy Gough** » Mon Jan 26, 2009 11:49 pm

I've wondered, do they have unofficial seedings for the series - like spread out the potential octochamps to stop them playing each other each other early on, which would suck. Does anybody know how this works exactly?

Clare Sudbery · Post by **Clare Sudbery** » Mon Jan 26, 2009 11:56 pm

Jimmy Gough wrote:I've wondered, do they have unofficial seedings for the series - like spread out the potential octochamps to stop them playing each other each other early on, which would suck.

I've wondered the same thing and was told that unofficially, yes they do.

And then I panicked that my audition performance would give me a relatively low seed and therefore make it more likely that my first game would be against some potential-octochamp genius, and I even considered contacting the production team and saying 'look 'ere, I've been practising and I'm actually ever-so-slightly better at it than I was when I auditioned, and please don't make me play a genius in my first game' but then I thought no, that would be really silly. So I didn't.

Michael Wallace · Post by **Michael Wallace** » Mon Jan 26, 2009 11:58 pm

Clare Sudbery wrote:
Jimmy Gough wrote:I've wondered, do they have unofficial seedings for the series - like spread out the potential octochamps to stop them playing each other each other early on, which would suck.
I've wondered the same thing and was told that unofficially, yes they do.

And then I panicked that my audition performance would give me a relatively low seed and therefore make it more likely that my first game would be against some potential-octochamp genius, and I even considered contacting the production team and saying 'look 'ere, I've been practising and I'm actually ever-so-slightly better at it than I was when I auditioned, and please don't make me play a genius in my first game' but then I thought no, that would be really silly. So I didn't.

As far as I'm aware, all they do is try to separate anyone who really shines at the audition, rather than give everyone a seeding (that would be a bit impractical, to say the least). So the best you can do is be so insane at the audition that they make note, otherwise it's just down to the luck of the draw (or lack of it).

Hannah O · Post by **Hannah O** » Tue Jan 27, 2009 6:53 am

Thanks again for the advice, I shall invest in a puzzle book if possible now so I can practice in school! Jimmy, on apterous my opponents tend to select letters too fast for me to write down, so I have trouble with the letters rounds sometimes

But one thing that does happen is that I see that the room is full of people who have been contestants at various stages, I start to panic, and I keep panicking when I can't see a 7 (which is fairly often

), or in the numbers rounds where my lack of multiplication skills really hinder me. I know I need to practice at the numbers, but does anyone have any advice about dealing with pressure? If I succumb to it on apterous, I'll stand no chance at the real thing!

Rosemary Roberts · Post by **Rosemary Roberts** » Tue Jan 27, 2009 7:48 am

Hannah O wrote:I need to practice at the numbers, but does anyone have any advice about dealing with pressure? If I succumb to it on apterous, I'll stand no chance at the real thing!

I am that rare thing on this forum - somebody who is not planning to apply to be a candidate (mainly because I don't live in the UK), so I guess I don't experience quite the same pressure. But I don't think you can become proficient at anything while under pressure. You first have to practise solving the problems, then you can work at your speed. Sometimes I spot a solution before the clock has even started, sometimes I have to halt the video and spend minutes figuring out what ought to be obvious or perhaps finding several solutions. Every problem solved at whatever speed serves to hone your skills - it won't help you to try and run before you can walk.

Phil Reynolds · Post by **Phil Reynolds** » Tue Jan 27, 2009 9:11 am

Clare Sudbery wrote:
Heather Culpin wrote:The selections are planned in advance and are not just random selections, so look for 8s and 9s and don't settle for 5s and 6s.
It occurred to me during the audition that this makes it a subtly different game. The very first selection we were given contained a 9, and after that (and also because of a hint she gave in the preamble) I was looking for 8s and 9s in every round, because I knew they were probably there.

This relates to a phenomenon I've noticed when watching the show. Sometimes I'll sit there, looking at the letters on screen while the clock ticks round for 30 seconds, and only come up with a 5 or a 6. Then one of the contestants declares a 7 or an 8 and immediately, before they've said what it is, I've spotted it too. Once I'm told that there's a word of a particular length to be found, it somehow becomes easier.

Kai Laddiman · Post by **Kai Laddiman** » Tue Jan 27, 2009 10:50 am

Phil Reynolds wrote:
Clare Sudbery wrote:
Heather Culpin wrote:The selections are planned in advance and are not just random selections, so look for 8s and 9s and don't settle for 5s and 6s.
It occurred to me during the audition that this makes it a subtly different game. The very first selection we were given contained a 9, and after that (and also because of a hint she gave in the preamble) I was looking for 8s and 9s in every round, because I knew they were probably there.
This relates to a phenomenon I've noticed when watching the show. Sometimes I'll sit there, looking at the letters on screen while the clock ticks round for 30 seconds, and only come up with a 5 or a 6. Then one of the contestants declares a 7 or an 8 and immediately, before they've said what it is, I've spotted it too. Once I'm told that there's a word of a particular length to be found, it somehow becomes easier.

Similarly, in one of my heats, as soon as DC declared an 8 I found it.

Clare Sudbery · Post by **Clare Sudbery** » Tue Jan 27, 2009 11:46 am

Hannah O wrote:I know I need to practice at the numbers, but does anyone have any advice about dealing with pressure? If I succumb to it on apterous, I'll stand no chance at the real thing!

I struggled with the same things on Apterous at first, too. Some pieces of advice:

1. Play against the bots. The fact that they're not real people somehow makes it less daunting.

2. Select the option that prevents people from spectating. As soon as I know someone's watching (partic if it's someone with a high rating) I go all to pot.

3. Don't let yourself be panicked by the speed at which some players pick letters. Write them down anyway. At first I tried not writing them down because I didn't think I had time, but it really doesn't take long, and it's worth it.

4. Related to num 3 above... be aware of when you're panicking, and try not to give in to it. It has a big effect on brainpower. As soon as you find yourself slipping into Panic Mode, stop for a second, take a deep breath, remind yourself you can do it.

5. If you choose Custom mode, you can increase the time available to as much as 3 minutes per round. Practise against the bots with 180-second round times, particularly on the numbers. Get good at doing it slowly (which also eases the pressure) and then gradually speed up.

Ian Dent · Post by **Ian Dent** » Tue Jan 27, 2009 12:27 pm

You can always ask your opponent to select the letters a bit slower. Most people don't write them down so wouldn't think to allow their opponent time to write them down.

I play a lot better when playing along to the tv than on apterous due to writing the letters down.

Gavin Chipper · Post by **Gavin Chipper** » Tue Jan 27, 2009 12:56 pm

Apterous is very much geared towards people who don't write the letters down, and it's made all the harder by people's obsessions with speed rounds.

JackHurst · Post by **JackHurst** » Tue Jan 27, 2009 6:24 pm

All the posts here have been very helpful, thanks.

This is a bit off topic, but since i joined these forums, i've only been able to connect to apterous about thrice, is this because the website goes down a lot, or because theres something with my web connection going wrong? (I've tried on firefox and IE)

Hannah O · Post by **Hannah O** » Tue Jan 27, 2009 6:59 pm

Continuing the off-topicness, how do you play against a bot? Do you need to subscribe? I assumed that I need to subscribe, then again, I didn't read any instructions, so I'm blaming ignorance of the controls for my first awful game! Anyway, thanks again for all your comments, and Clare, your advice seems tailor-made for me! Thank you very much

Ian Volante · Post by **Ian Volante** » Tue Jan 27, 2009 11:21 pm

Hannah O wrote:Continuing the off-topicness, how do you play against a bot? Do you need to subscribe? I assumed that I need to subscribe, then again, I didn't read any instructions, so I'm blaming ignorance of the controls for my first awful game! Anyway, thanks again for all your comments, and Clare, your advice seems tailor-made for me! Thank you very much

Aye, subscription is required, and you can do the Daily Duel every day and not just at weekends then too.

Dinos Sfyris · Post by **Dinos Sfyris** » Wed Jan 28, 2009 1:44 am

Clare Sudbery wrote:...stop for a second, take a deep breath, remind yourself you can do it...

Yes just stay positive. If we can get to the next offer with the quarter of a million still in play then we're on the verge of a phenomenal game! Now think blue! BLUE! BLUE! BLUE! BLUE... Oh no wait thats tips on another game show

Clare Sudbery · Post by **Clare Sudbery** » Wed Jan 28, 2009 9:39 am

After you subscribe, the bots have to be manually activated (I assume) - so be prepared to wait a day or so depending on whether Charlie is busy elsewhere.