c4countdown

WAHEY!! WE'RE BACK IN BUSINESS!!!

Yes, that's right, folks. Christmas is officially over. How do we know this It's because Countdown is back on air.

We're now at the start of Series 64, as we start the search, which will presumably go on til June, to find the next series champion.

Maybe we've already seen him, as Mike Pickering returns after winning the last 2 prelims of Series 63, but will a month off mean he's not back up to speed yet..... We'll soon see.

In DC for the start of the New Year, is the brilliant comedian (I should know, I've met him. ), and star of Not Going Out, Tim Vine.

Before I go, just a couple more pointers for you all.

1. Today, the show switches dictionaries. Out goes the 2nd Edition Revised of the OED, and in comes the 3rd Edition of the OED. (If anyone knows some words that have come in and out, please feel free to share with us all.)

2. Remember also, that the show isn't starting at 3:25pm today. You'll have to be ready a quarter of an hour earlier from now on for its 3:10pm start.

So, Ryan will be around later for the first recap of 2011. See you later.

Took me by surprise. I forgot. Good times.

Tim vine is C4c awards approved.

CAPITALLY?

In round 4, CAPITALLY for nine.

Meh stewart beat me.

Can't believe Susie didn't find CAPITALLY

ENDNOTES in the SONNETED round

A couple of things. Firstly TINFOIL in round 3, and ATYPICAL in round 4 as beaters, even though CAPITALLY was there (good spot Stewart and Joseph). In the 2nd half there was also ARMIGER and TENONERS as a beater and equaller in rounds 8 and 9 respectively.

Clever conundrum scramble.

Decent game to start off 2011. Are DC better or am I deranged? Also nice spot by the person in the audience.

Josh Hurst wrote:A couple of things...and ATYPICAL in round 4

LOL. Still didn't see that even with TYPICAL and after going through the whole game twice (due to it being my recap). I'm bloody terrible.

Surpising that DC didnt mention CAPITALLY, it was quite an obvious spot so I imagine lots of viewers at home would be left thinking it mustnt be in. Had that, TINFOIL and ARMIGER as dc beaters. Very nice spot from the audience member, its not valid on apterous, so it must be one of the new additions to the dictionary. I must confess that I am not really a fan of todays conundrum as I thought EARTHSOME/HEARTSOME also sounded like plausible answers, and conundrums where you spot various possible answers are just stupid.

Great to see Tim Vine back in DC, my Grandad hates him, but I think he is awesome. The challenger was a bit good looking for a countdown contestant, nice to see her smiling throughout (that sounds incredibly creepy).

JackHurst wrote:Surpising that DC didnt mention CAPITALLY, it was quite an obvious spot so I imagine lots of viewers at home would be left thinking it mustnt be in.

You overestimate the audience.

DOWNTIME is new too.

JackHurst wrote:DOWNTIME is new too.

OMG and so was BIRDBATH!!!!!!

I think I remember Marcus H having downtime disallowed. If only he'd waited a series... (Not that it would have changed anything)

Joseph Krol wrote:I think I remember Marcus H having downtime disallowed. If only he'd waited a series... (Not that it would have changed anything)

It might have. Marcus was only 6 behind Daniel Pati, those 8 points woulda put him 3rd seed.

Eoin Monaghan wrote:

Joseph Krol wrote:I think I remember Marcus H having downtime disallowed. If only he'd waited a series... (Not that it would have changed anything)

It might have. Marcus was only 6 behind Daniel Pati, those 8 points woulda put him 3rd seed.

ERUPTING should have changed it anyway. TBH, If Marcus would have prefered to have been number 3 seed over number 4, then he only has himself to blame for not kicking up a fuss about it aftwerwards, I am sure the points would have been awarded retrospecively.

JackHurst wrote:Very nice spot from the audience member, its not valid on apterous, so it must be one of the new additions to the dictionary. I must confess that I am not really a fan of todays conundrum as I thought EARTHSOME/HEARTSOME also sounded like plausible answers, and conundrums where you spot various possible answers are just stupid.

Yeah, another newbie to the dictionary, as were the teasers, as already mentioned.

I only missed TEFILLIN and ARMIGER, so would've got a max game minus 3 in ODE2r mode.

Although I was slightly surprised that 985 was impossible.

My 984 was ((50 - 1) x ((9 x 3) - 7)) + 4.

James Robinson wrote:
I only missed TEFILLIN and ARMIGER, so would've got a max game minus 3 in ODE2r mode.

Very well done for spotting HORSEMEAT then.

JackHurst wrote:

Eoin Monaghan wrote:

Joseph Krol wrote:I think I remember Marcus H having downtime disallowed. If only he'd waited a series... (Not that it would have changed anything)

It might have. Marcus was only 6 behind Daniel Pati, those 8 points woulda put him 3rd seed.

ERUPTING should have changed it anyway. TBH, If Marcus would have prefered to have been number 3 seed over number 4, then he only has himself to blame for not kicking up a fuss about it aftwerwards, I am sure the points would have been awarded retrospecively.

I did have DOWNTIME disallowed - Susie commiserated at the time and mentioned it would probably make the next dictionary which was fair enough. REPUTING was the controversial one which was disallowed because it is valid on apterous. Yes, if either or both had been allowed I would have been #3 seed but I didn't see the point in kicking up about it as I had already done what I wanted to achieve. I played pretty poorly (in my head) against Tom when I watched his quarter-final so it probably worked out for the best, and I certainly wouldn't have beaten Eoin in the semi-final who was on fire

JackHurst wrote:

James Robinson wrote:
I only missed TEFILLIN and ARMIGER, so would've got a max game minus 3 in ODE2r mode.

Very well done for spotting HORSEMEAT then.

Thank you, was well happy with that. I didn't even spot your suggestions, which might've have made me consider one of those.

Nice to have Countdown back to accompany my trumpet practice.

GONADS jumped out in R1.

I almost do a screencap of Rachel standing next to the letters as arranged on the board:
CAI P
TALLY

after they'd all missed the 9.

By the way, did anyone notice that in the end credits, the dictionary credit has been replaced with a person with the title "Dictionary Engineer".

James Robinson wrote:By the way, did anyone notice that in the end credits, the dictionary credit has been replaced with a person with the title "Dictionary Engineer".

To be exact (and I know you like to be ), it's been supplemented, not replaced. Wonder what this person does? Let the conspiracy theories begin! (if they haven't already)

Mike Brown wrote:

James Robinson wrote:By the way, did anyone notice that in the end credits, the dictionary credit has been replaced with a person with the title "Dictionary Engineer".

To be exact (and I know you like to be ), it's been supplemented, not replaced. Wonder what this person does? Let the conspiracy theories begin! (if they haven't already)

Indeed you are correct, Mike. I actually realised after watching today's show, but was in a rush to see the Terriers, so didn't have chance to correct myself. Oh well.