Spoilers for Thursday 8th February 2024 (Series 89, Heat 28)

[Philip A]

R2: MASTOID, MIKADOS

[Gavin Chipper]

Although not as long as FACTOTUM, TACTFUL was the standard method contestant-beater in round 4.

[Philip A]

Although not as long as FACTOTUM, TACTFUL was the standard method contestant-beater in round 4.

I got FACTOTUM, but the lack of E always makes the game harder IMO.

[Philip A]

“Unpowder” was unfortunate. Very unlucky, Katharine. I’m sorry to see you go so soon.

[Martin Long]

I think MASTOID was there in round 1.

[David Williams]

She looked as if she saw the right answer as she was actually half way through giving the wrong one. I wonder what they'd have done if she'd said something like "UNPOWD ... Oh no, GUNPOWDER". You are the ref . . .

I think I'd have to say that she lost, and she shouldn't be able to profit by actually giving the answer away completely, so any sort of rerun would be wrong. Maybe just refilm the same conundrum with her not buzzing at all.

[Toby McDonald]

IDIOTAS also in R2

[Steve Hyde]

DIATOMS too

[Ryan Lam]

I wonder what they'd have done if she'd said something like "UNPOWD ... Oh no, GUNPOWDER". You are the ref . . .

I think I'd have to say that she lost, and she shouldn't be able to profit by actually giving the answer away completely, so any sort of rerun would be wrong. Maybe just refilm the same conundrum with her not buzzing at all.

My guess is the conundrum would have to be thrown out and redone with another one. The same rule applies for University Challenge where if the player accidentally blurts out the correct answer after an incorrect response, the host will throw the question out (happened in 2022 or 2023 iirc when Jeremy Paxman was still the host).

[Gavin Chipper]

I wonder what they'd have done if she'd said something like "UNPOWD ... Oh no, GUNPOWDER". You are the ref . . .

I think I'd have to say that she lost, and she shouldn't be able to profit by actually giving the answer away completely, so any sort of rerun would be wrong. Maybe just refilm the same conundrum with her not buzzing at all.

My guess is the conundrum would have to be thrown out and redone with another one. The same rule applies for University Challenge where if the player accidentally blurts out the correct answer after an incorrect response, the host will throw the question out (happened in 2022 or 2023 iirc when Jeremy Paxman was still the host).

That seems the wrong way. Would she still be allowed to buzz in this scenario? Are the team that blurted out the answer in UC allowed to buzz for the new question?

You shouldn't benefit from your mess-ups.

[Philip A]

I wonder what they'd have done if she'd said something like "UNPOWD ... Oh no, GUNPOWDER". You are the ref . . .

I think I'd have to say that she lost, and she shouldn't be able to profit by actually giving the answer away completely, so any sort of rerun would be wrong. Maybe just refilm the same conundrum with her not buzzing at all.

My guess is the conundrum would have to be thrown out and redone with another one. The same rule applies for University Challenge where if the player accidentally blurts out the correct answer after an incorrect response, the host will throw the question out (happened in 2022 or 2023 iirc when Jeremy Paxman was still the host).

That seems the wrong way. Would she still be allowed to buzz in this scenario? Are the team that blurted out the answer in UC allowed to buzz for the new question?

You shouldn't benefit from your mess-ups.

I’m quite sure the answer to both questions is no. They have, in the past, replaced spoilt conundrums for only the player who is not yet frozen out to answer. FWIW I would have disallowed, “UNPOWD… oh, GUNPOWDER.” They should always take the first guess uttered, complete or not. One answer.

They’ve even asked players who solved the conundrum to do a bit of acting: wait 5 seconds before buzzing in with the right answer in a re-take. Welcome to TV.

Now that conundrums are digital, it’s a lot easier to re-take them now, when necessary. They can cut out conundrums in lengthy tie-breakers too.

At least a re-take wasn’t necessary on this occasion. It was an unfortunate case of one doing the work and the other getting the bonus. These things happen.

[Gavin Chipper]

I think MASTOID was there in round 1.

This was round 2 btw.