Claims to Fame

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Martin Gardner
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Re: Claims to Fame

Post by Martin Gardner »

This is the page you really want to see. I seem to think I had a couple of others to add as well; Paul Gallen got 15 consecutive maxes over two games. Also as for scoring in every round, I think the Briers-O'Donnell game probably contains the most rounds in which both contestants scored - 13 out of a possible 14 (both players can't simultaneously get the conundrum) and the Howe-Travers match, not only did both players score in every letters game, both players maxed all of them. Not even a DC-beater.
If you cut a gandiseeg in half, do you get two gandiseegs or two halves of a gandiseeg?
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Jason Larsen
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Re: Claims to Fame

Post by Jason Larsen »

Very interesting, everyone!
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Martin Gardner
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Re: Claims to Fame

Post by Martin Gardner »

I've been meaning to post this for a while. Julia Wilkinson is the only person I've ever seen offer a word when TWO of the right letters were missing. She offered GAOLERS when there was no R and no O, although she might have thought it was GAILERS which again, there was no R and it's not spelt right anyway.

Bernard Gudgin against me, for declaring one away on a numbers game, then getting it spot on, thus scoring no points because he misdeclared. That is a bit harsh!
If you cut a gandiseeg in half, do you get two gandiseegs or two halves of a gandiseeg?
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Kai Laddiman
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Re: Claims to Fame

Post by Kai Laddiman »

Youngest unbespectacled teapot owner?
16/10/2007 - Episode 4460
Dinos Sfyris 76 - 78 Dorian Lidell
Proof that even idiots can get well and truly mainwheeled.
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Jon O'Neill
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Re: Claims to Fame

Post by Jon O'Neill »

Martin Gardner wrote:I've been meaning to post this for a while. Julia Wilkinson is the only person I've ever seen offer a word when TWO of the right letters were missing. She offered GAOLERS when there was no R and no O, although she might have thought it was GAILERS which again, there was no R and it's not spelt right anyway.

Bernard Gudgin against me, for declaring one away on a numbers game, then getting it spot on, thus scoring no points because he misdeclared. That is a bit harsh!
This reminds me of the HEMEROID woman. 5 letters wrong?
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Jason Larsen
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Re: Claims to Fame

Post by Jason Larsen »

Tanmay Dixit and Allan Saldanha both wear glasses?
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Re: Claims to Fame

Post by Chris Corby »

Jon O'Neill wrote: This reminds me of the HEMEROID woman. 5 letters wrong?
I can't remember how many letters she did get wrong but I know it was piles of them
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Kai Laddiman
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Re: Claims to Fame

Post by Kai Laddiman »

Most declarations of the same word?
16/10/2007 - Episode 4460
Dinos Sfyris 76 - 78 Dorian Lidell
Proof that even idiots can get well and truly mainwheeled.
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Martin Gardner
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Re: Claims to Fame

Post by Martin Gardner »

Chris Corby wrote:
Jon O'Neill wrote: This reminds me of the HEMEROID woman. 5 letters wrong?
I can't remember how many letters she did get wrong but I know it was piles of them
*Rolls eyes*
If you cut a gandiseeg in half, do you get two gandiseegs or two halves of a gandiseeg?
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Martin Gardner
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Re: Claims to Fame

Post by Martin Gardner »

Kai Laddiman wrote:Most declarations of the same word?
I got SCOUTER twice, I can't think of anyone getting the same word three times, but we don't have complete enough records to do that. In about Series 50 or 51, the exact same letters came up twice in the same game. In the first case, the challenger offered ATOMISE and the champion CLIMATES. The second time, the challenger offered ATOMISE again, and naturally the champion went for CLIMATES. Unless it's on the Database, I don't think I can find it.

Edit: Useful thing that Google!
If you cut a gandiseeg in half, do you get two gandiseegs or two halves of a gandiseeg?
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Kai Laddiman
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Re: Claims to Fame

Post by Kai Laddiman »

Martin Gardner wrote:
Kai Laddiman wrote:Most declarations of the same word?
I got SCOUTER twice, I can't think of anyone getting the same word three times
OK, it begins with T...
16/10/2007 - Episode 4460
Dinos Sfyris 76 - 78 Dorian Lidell
Proof that even idiots can get well and truly mainwheeled.
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Charlie Reams
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Re: Claims to Fame

Post by Charlie Reams »

Martin Gardner wrote:
Kai Laddiman wrote:Most declarations of the same word?
I got SCOUTER twice, I can't think of anyone getting the same word three times, but we don't have complete enough records to do that. In about Series 50 or 51, the exact same letters came up twice in the same game. In the first case, the challenger offered ATOMISE and the champion CLIMATES. The second time, the challenger offered ATOMISE again, and naturally the champion went for CLIMATES. Unless it's on the Database, I don't think I can find it.

Edit: Useful thing that Google!
I missed DIADEM in my first game, then got DIADEMS in my second game and DIADEM in my fourth game. Not very interesting but there you go.
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Re: Claims to Fame

Post by Gary Male »

I had COSTLIER twice in game 7, then nearly offered it again in game 8 but the niner was fairly obvious.

About as uninteresting as Charlie's reply, alas.
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Jason Larsen
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Re: Claims to Fame

Post by Jason Larsen »

What was your word, Kai?
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Kai Laddiman
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Re: Claims to Fame

Post by Kai Laddiman »

Jason Larsen wrote:What was your word, Kai?
...TRAINED!
16/10/2007 - Episode 4460
Dinos Sfyris 76 - 78 Dorian Lidell
Proof that even idiots can get well and truly mainwheeled.
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Jason Larsen
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Re: Claims to Fame

Post by Jason Larsen »

Interesting!
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Re: Claims to Fame

Post by Lisa Hermann »

(Phrasing this to avoid tedious discussions about when the new millennium began)
I am the only person to be reigning champion in years beginning 19... and 20.... (I won the last game to be recorded in 1999 and the first in 2000). I was also, as far as I know, the first contestant called Lisa with short dark hair and glasses (we have a lookalikes board at work and mine is Lorraine Kelly) to win 3 games - I never thought there would be a second but well done to my namesake!
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Re: Claims to Fame

Post by Allan Harmer »

Lisa Hermann wrote:(Phrasing this to avoid tedious discussions about when the new millennium began)
(we have a lookalikes board at work and mine is Lorraine Kelly) to win 3 games - I never thought there would be a second but well done to my namesake!
And coincidentally, I think Lisa Thomson is also a bit of a Lorraine Kelly lookalike too.

And you can't have too many Lorraine kelly lookalikes as far as I'm concerned ;)

Al
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Re: Claims to Fame

Post by Lisa Hermann »

another one I'm quite proud of is coming up with a maximum-equalling word Damien didn't have listed and appeared not to know in my audition.
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Re: Claims to Fame

Post by Gavin Chipper »

Lisa Hermann wrote:another one I'm quite proud of is coming up with a maximum-equalling word Damien didn't have listed and appeared not to know in my audition.
What was it? Hello by the way Lisa. Haven't seen you around for a while!

Gevin (in case you didn't know)
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Jason Larsen
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Re: Claims to Fame

Post by Jason Larsen »

Lisa Hermann!

I thought your name sounded familiar!

Good to see you here!
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Kai Laddiman
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Re: Claims to Fame

Post by Kai Laddiman »

I'm gonna claim the hardest (and most ridiculous) finals conundrums.
16/10/2007 - Episode 4460
Dinos Sfyris 76 - 78 Dorian Lidell
Proof that even idiots can get well and truly mainwheeled.
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Re: Claims to Fame

Post by Jason Larsen »

How do you know, Kai?

Will you be there for the Series 60 finals?
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Re: Claims to Fame

Post by Chris Philpot »

Oooh, I'm surprised I haven't replied to this already!

To the very best of my knowledge, I am the only contestant ever to have read out (part of) their own introduction.
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Re: Claims to Fame

Post by Jason Larsen »

Chris, I think you're the only contestant to have sung your original Countdown song on the air.

I would sing, "We Love Countdown" if I were on, but I'm 3000 miles away!
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Re: Claims to Fame

Post by Chris Philpot »

I never sang during my show, unless I've forgotten this (or blocked it out).
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Martin Gardner
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Re: Claims to Fame

Post by Martin Gardner »

I'll add a few other ones, then.

Tamnay Dixit, youngest ever contestant and youngest ever to win a game.

Beth Sutton, according to RW, was the youngest female player to win at least one game.

Jonathan Coles, highest debut score (124).

I thought I had more than this, but now I can't think of any.
If you cut a gandiseeg in half, do you get two gandiseegs or two halves of a gandiseeg?
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Jason Larsen
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Re: Claims to Fame

Post by Jason Larsen »

I thought you did sing, Chris!

I'm sorry!
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Chris Philpot
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Re: Claims to Fame

Post by Chris Philpot »

I wouldn't worry. I did just about everything else besides! :)
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Jason Larsen
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Re: Claims to Fame

Post by Jason Larsen »

Ok, Chris!
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Re: Claims to Fame

Post by tonywarren »

Kai Laddiman wrote:I'm gonna claim the hardest (and most ridiculous) finals conundrums.
That's just an example of absurdism :D
Who says Morris dancing ain't cool...
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Jason Larsen
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Re: Claims to Fame

Post by Jason Larsen »

Is that a joke, Tony?
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Martin Gardner
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Re: Claims to Fame

Post by Martin Gardner »

In my heats, the first three I got set were INNERMOST, OVENPROOF and UNSIGHTED. In fairness they tucked in a few -ING conundrums after that.
If you cut a gandiseeg in half, do you get two gandiseegs or two halves of a gandiseeg?
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Kai Laddiman
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Re: Claims to Fame

Post by Kai Laddiman »

16/10/2007 - Episode 4460
Dinos Sfyris 76 - 78 Dorian Lidell
Proof that even idiots can get well and truly mainwheeled.
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Re: Claims to Fame

Post by Charlie Reams »

Kai Laddiman wrote:Most darrenic game ever?
9/11, quite possibly, yes.
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Kai Laddiman
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Re: Claims to Fame

Post by Kai Laddiman »

Nick Wainwright: The Athers Award (scored 99 three times).
16/10/2007 - Episode 4460
Dinos Sfyris 76 - 78 Dorian Lidell
Proof that even idiots can get well and truly mainwheeled.
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Matthew Green
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Re: Claims to Fame

Post by Matthew Green »

I think and hope that I'm the only person to ever win a round with the word LINE.

Also, I filmed my first show when Des O'Connor was legally single, then filmed my second 7 days later when he was married. Thats unique, yet not very interesting.
If I suddenly have a squirming baby on my lap it probably means that I should start paying it some attention and stop wasting my time messing around on a Countdown forum
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Re: Claims to Fame

Post by Rob Thomas »

I was once in a small waiting room with one other person into which (we were told in advance by excited staff) Tom Cruise would soon be entering. One of the few DVD's available in said waiting room was Mission Impossible so we froze-framed it on the bit where he is thrown screaming towards the camera following the explosion of the tube train.

When Tom came in and saw it, I was impressed that he managed to contain the hilarity and give no response whatsoever, and that he professionally resisted the temptation to come over and befriend us along the lines of "great what you did there with the DVD guys, hey i've got a premiere next weekend, why don't we hook up.." etc.
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Re: Claims to Fame

Post by Ian Volante »

Rob Thomas wrote:I was once in a small waiting room with one other person into which (we were told in advance by excited staff) Tom Cruise would soon be entering. One of the few DVD's available in said waiting room was Mission Impossible so we froze-framed it on the bit where he is thrown screaming towards the camera following the explosion of the tube train.

When Tom came in and saw it, I was impressed that he managed to contain the hilarity and give no response whatsoever, and that he professionally resisted the temptation to come over and befriend us along the lines of "great what you did there with the DVD guys, hey i've got a premiere next weekend, why don't we hook up.." etc.
Were you waiting to take a personailty test?
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Kai Laddiman
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Re: Claims to Fame

Post by Kai Laddiman »

Charlie Reams wrote:
Kai Laddiman wrote:Most darrenic game ever?
9/11, quite possibly, yes.
It's a tie.
16/10/2007 - Episode 4460
Dinos Sfyris 76 - 78 Dorian Lidell
Proof that even idiots can get well and truly mainwheeled.
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James Robinson
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Re: Claims to Fame

Post by James Robinson »

It's a bit of a rubbish one compared to some of the others, but there can't be too many people who have won and lost in both the champion's and the challenger's chair, but I have.

My first episode in 2003, I lost as a challenger. In my 2004-broadcasted special and my first show in this series, I won in the challenger's chair.

I won my second and lost my third show in the champion's chair. So, if there are any more, please say.
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Re: Claims to Fame

Post by Paul Howe »

James Robinson wrote:It's a bit of a rubbish one compared to some of the others, but there can't be too many people who have won and lost in both the champion's and the challenger's chair, but I have.
I've done that, and so will a decent number of series finalists (especially non-octochamp finalists). Your method could well be unique though.
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Re: Claims to Fame

Post by Charlie Reams »

Paul Howe wrote:
James Robinson wrote:It's a bit of a rubbish one compared to some of the others, but there can't be too many people who have won and lost in both the champion's and the challenger's chair, but I have.
I've done that, and so will a decent number of series finalists (especially non-octochamp finalists). Your method could well be unique though.
Yep, me too.
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Re: Claims to Fame

Post by Junaid Mubeen »

Charlie Reams wrote:
Paul Howe wrote:
James Robinson wrote:It's a bit of a rubbish one compared to some of the others, but there can't be too many people who have won and lost in both the champion's and the challenger's chair, but I have.
I've done that, and so will a decent number of series finalists (especially non-octochamp finalists). Your method could well be unique though.
Yep, me too.
I've won and lost in both chairs. Can't figure out if this is a good thing or a bad thing.
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Jon Corby
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Re: Claims to Fame

Post by Jon Corby »

Junaid Mubeen wrote:I've won and lost in both chairs. Can't figure out if this is a good thing or a bad thing.
Me too...
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Re: Claims to Fame

Post by Phil Reynolds »

Junaid Mubeen wrote:I've won and lost in both chairs.
But, having thus met with Triumph and Disaster, did you treat those two impostors just the same?
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Re: Claims to Fame

Post by James Robinson »

Having said that, I'm probably the only one who has never reached a series final or a champion of champions tournament while winning and losing in both chairs.
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