Maspoiler for Monday 20 July 2009

[JimBentley]

Fantastic stuff from Andrew, really well played, sir, and totally deserved. And commiserations to Kirk, but as Craig said earlier, cumulative scores over 900 aren't going to be the hens' teeth they used to be, so it was inevitable the record would fall, I think. Gonna be exciting seeing what Chris can come up with now, and who knows who else might be in the pipeline?

[Eoin Monaghan]

It took you ages to solve the conundrum! I was waiting for the challenger to buzz in.

No, seriously marvellous stuff, Chris Davies will need to do something special to beat that. Although I still want Innis to win.

[James Robinson]

I managed to get AEROSOL in round 1 and ENACTORS in round 12.

Many congratulations, Andrew. A fantastic display from start to finish.

It seems very peculiar that your record breaking 930 score get no mention, but still well done.

There's something about you that seems more friendly then some of the other octochamps from recent series, which I find refreshing. You just seem to take everything in your stride.

Once again, well done. Good luck to you in the finals.

I definitely need to be in the audience for those finals

A Carson-Hulme final sounds very interesting at this moment in time

[Kai Laddiman]

Carson, Hulme, Laddiman

All the best octochamps start on Thursdays

[Gavin Chipper]

Brilliant to get this record. I wonder if he'll pose a threat to the not-mentioned-enough 11-game total record of 1307 by Julian Fell. He needs 377 points in 3 games - 125.67 points a game. Should be a piece of piss, no?

[Jon Corby]

Congratulations Andrew! Very well done.

I don't think second-timers should really count in the records though, so for me Julian still holds it at 924.


*sits back eating popcorn*

[Michael Wallace]

*sits back eating popcorn*

Salt or sweet?

[Charlie Reams]

*sits back eating popcorn*

Salt or sweet?

Sweet popcorn is not popcorn.

*sits back eating popcorn*

[James Robinson]

*sits back eating popcorn*

Salt or sweet?

Sweet popcorn is not popcorn.

*sits back eating popcorn*

How is sweet popcorn, NOT popcorn

[Charlie Reams]

How is sweet popcorn, NOT popcorn

Because popcorn is nice, which sweet popcorn is not.

[James Robinson]

How is sweet popcorn, NOT popcorn

Because popcorn is nice, which sweet popcorn is not.

Nah, you have to enjoy sweet popcorn in the correct environment to appreciate its sweet, SWEET taste.

Salty is just UGGHH!!

[Andrew Hulme]

Thanks everyone for your comments! I obviously really enjoyed filming todays episode. Had had a whole night to think about the possibility of breaking the record, but knew it would be pretty unlikely. In my head I thought I needed a 9, and to score in every other round.

When no I appeared for MORALISER in rd1 I thought my chance may have gone, so when the last letters for MUTILATES popped out in rd2 I knew it was game on. I was ultra cautious today, making sure to keep getting at least some score. I had DEWIEST, SALEROOM, THRONING and RUBICONED written down in all of those rounds but was certain of none of them and so just wanted to make sure I kept the scoreboard ticking over.

Phenomenal. A well-deserved spot atop the table of all-time greats. And the scary thing is how much better he's got since this was filmed... Great that it went to the final conundrum. I wonder how tempting CAROTENES must've been.

Fortunately I knew that CAROTENES wasn't in

WOW! Congratulations Andrew! I hope you don't mind me saying that I didn't expect you to do that well! Fantastic, absolutely fantastic. Well played.

I don't. I didn't either.

Well done Andrew liked the ' Unbelievable Jeff ' at the end, this could become a catchphrase

It's a shame that there was no mention of the Octochamp record though. I know it got mentioned when Kirk took it although admittedly it had lasted quite sometime.
I wonder how long this record will last?

Haha. I earnt 50 quid off a mate for saying this... so I could barely afford not to!

I don't think anyone had realised I'd done it (except me), so this is why it wasn't mentioned.

[Ben Wilson]

How is sweet popcorn, NOT popcorn

Because popcorn is nice, which sweet popcorn is not.

You know how dogs lick their own testicles? They probably think that tastes 'nice' too.

Back OT, cracking performances Andrew, can't wait for December!

[Allan Harmer]

Very well played Andrew. It was a great pleasure watching you and I am delighted that you broke the series record.

Many congratulations and I look forward to seeing you in the Finals.

Well done mate!

[Charlie Reams]

The other consequence of today is that all three members of the Smith family lost to eventual octochamps; Pam to Aaron Webber in Series 56, Barry to Jonathan Coles in Series 58 and Vicky to Andrew on Friday. Not that exciting, really, but quite a cute fact.

[Philip Jarvis]

Congratulations Andrew

Great set of performances. Can't wait for the finals. There should be some fantastic matches.

[Richard Brittain]

I must admit I had no idea what was going on until just now, because I haven't watched an episode of Countdown for months and was just browsing the Countdown wiki and saw you got 930. Amazing stuff, very well done. It's wonderful to see Kirk's record broken.

Though I'm also inclined to agree with Corby that Julian is still the official record holder, because it seems you were on in Series 42, but that doesn't detract from this monumental achievement and in the eyes of the majority of casual viewers you may well be the best ever.

[Andrew Hulme]

I must admit I had no idea what was going on until just now, because I haven't watched an episode of Countdown for months and was just browsing the Countdown wiki and saw you got 930. Amazing stuff, very well done. It's wonderful to see Kirk's record broken.

Though I'm also inclined to agree with Corby that Julian is still the official record holder, because it seems you were on in Series 42, but that doesn't detract from this monumental achievement and in the eyes of the majority of casual viewers you may well be the best ever.

I agree with that aswell. Also, although being a nice little trophy achievement, as a measure of ability, the total score for 8 games is pretty meaningless. Percentagee of max is obviously far more meaningful and I'm sure when thats updated I'll be languishing somewhere quite a way down the list!

[Gavin Chipper]

I agree with that aswell. Also, although being a nice little trophy achievement, as a measure of ability, the total score for 8 games is pretty meaningless. Percentagee of max is obviously far more meaningful and I'm sure when thats updated I'll be languishing somewhere quite a way down the list!

Of the three that reached 900 before you I think they are in reverse order of maximum percentage. Will this trend continue?

[Jojo Apollo]

A belated message of congratulations from me, Andrew, that was absolutely brilliant, 930 simply amazing, thought Kirk's record would last quite a long time. Done in style too, every game a ton. BTW How many other Octo-Centurian champs have there been? I know Julian and Craig done it, not sure if anyone else has.

The quarters are guaranteed to be great games with Innis and now Andrew in them, hopefully Chris Davies can make it also, he has two tough acts to follow though.

[Charlie Reams]

BTW How many other Octo-Centurian champs have there been? I know Julian and Craig done it, not sure if anyone else has.

Yes, they're the only two. An elite club indeed. Julian and Kai are the only two to get every conundrum.

[David Williams]

Julian and Kai are the only two to get every conundrum.

I think not.

[Charlie Reams]

Julian and Kai are the only two to get every conundrum.

I think not.

...in the 15 round era, obviously. No one cares about 9 round octochamps.

[Jojo Apollo]

BTW How many other Octo-Centurian champs have there been? I know Julian and Craig done it, not sure if anyone else has.

Yes, they're the only two. An elite club indeed. Julian and Kai are the only two to get every conundrum.

Cheers Charlie.

[David Williams]

No one cares about 9 round octochamps.

Sniff . . .

[Charlie Reams]

No one cares about 9 round octochamps.

Sniff . . .

I jest of course. I assume you were implying that you got all 8. Did anyone else?

[Kai Laddiman]

No one cares about 9 round octochamps.

Sniff . . .

I jest of course. I assume you were implying that you got all 8. Did anyone else?

I heard Jojo did.

[Martin Gardner]

I'm still out of the country so I'm trying to catch up by reading the recaps online. Congratulations to Andrew, amazing stuff. What really amazes me more than anything is that Julian is now 3rd on the overall list. I always thought Julian's record was beatable, but I didn't think that it would be beaten twice in less than six months. Not a lot more to say really... awesome.

[Gavin Chipper]

No one cares about 9 round octochamps.

Sniff . . .

I jest of course. I assume you were implying that you got all 8. Did anyone else?

I think Harvey Freeman did.

[Ben Hunter]

Nice one Andy our kid. Been away all this week so missed your last few games but I'm catching up now. Congratz