c4countdown

So, in a week's time, we'll be preparing for the grand final of this magnificent tournament.

Who knows........................, maybe the winner is taking part in today's match

Our 2nd quarter-final takes place between 2 very evenly fought competitors, at least as far as the stats are concerned, and they're the Series 53 semi-finalist Jon O'Neill, and the still undefeated Series 66 champion Jack Worsley.

Here are the stats:

Firstly, Series 53 Semi-Finalist & CoC XII Contestant Jon O'Neill - 13 Games, 11 Wins, 1,299 Points (Average: 99.92)
Highest Score: 122 vs. Darryl Francis (30BC Round 2)
Lowest Score: 87 vs. Steve Smith (1st Game)
9's Achieved: 3/9
Total Points/Max/%: 1299/1663 (78%)
Letters Points/Max/%: 854/1147 (74%)
Numbers Points/Max/%: 365/386 (95%)
Conundrum Points/Max/%: 80/130 (62%)

Secondly, Series 66 Champion Jack Worsley - 13 Games, 13 Wins, 1,283 Points (Average: 98.69)
Highest Score: 115 vs. Christine Hunt (30BC Round 2)
Lowest Score: 75 vs. Mark Murphy (Quarter-Final)
9's Achieved: 2/7
Total Points/Max/%: 1283/1614 (79%)
Letters Points/Max/%: 855/1097 (78%)
Numbers Points/Max/%: 368/387 (95%)
Conundrum Points/Max/%: 60/130 (46%)

Heather is off this week, so Graeme has agreed to step in to do the recap.

Jon "only non-university-educated quarter-finalist" O'Neill.

Keep on keeping on.

Jon "only non-educated quarter-finalist" O'Neill.

Jon O'Neill wrote:Jon "only non-university-educated quarter-finalist" O'Neill.

Doddy too, if we ignore all degrees other than maths.

was that a MAX game?

Very very well done Jon, was that a max game? Didn't keep full track, but I felt like it was. And very very unlucky to Jack, by that count that would have been 13 maxes, and some of the spots for those maxes were unbelievable. Arguably this may have been the greatest joint standard out of any of the games.

No-one commented during the show. Clearly a shit game.

Yep, max game (and so 28/29 maxes to boot). Was not expecting that. Some really cracking spots as well. Great times.

Wow! I had you as the underdog there Jon, clearly a huge underestimate. I think that has to be the single best performance of this Championship for me. DRUPELET, TOLERANT, SWIPERS, DISABUSE, JONESING just to defend that 8 point lead that you got in Round 1. Even going into the conundrum I still didn't doubt that Jack would beat you to it so to hear you buzz I thought "he must have it wrong!". And then I thought you had as I thought "you need two H's for ECHOSPHERE!!" but of course that was my stupidity.

And Jack was phenomenal throughout. These are the two most comfortable beatings I've had from both players in the tournament.

Anyway, well-bloody-done to you both, but moreso Jon for, what I believe, to be the best individual performance thus far.

srslytho, someone needs to make a gif of Jono upon solving the conundrum - seriously amazing game and probably the best ever

Matt Coates wrote:was that a MAX game?

Think so!

Awesome performance... if only Jack's REPULLED* in round 1 was there... who knows what would have happened?

@ Oliver - a mere walk in the park for these guys

Mauro

Wow what a game, I was really looking forward to that battle, particulary the numbers rounds, between two of the best ever numbers players, it lived up to all expectations, excellent standard, well done lads, very enjoyable game to watch between two class acts.

Also congrats on being the third ever person to do a 15 max on TV (if confirmed), Jon.

Amazing game! Has to be the best of the tournament so far, out of some great performances.
I'm just happy that I'm mentioned at the top of this page as the person who held Jack to his lowest score... Although it's more likely the incredibly crap letters selections we got that game

Oliver Garner wrote:srslytho, someone needs to make a gif of Jono upon solving the conundrum - seriously amazing game and probably the best ever

Got a screen shot of Jon with his head titled back if that's what you mean. Someone will need to give me a quick guide as to how to post it inside this message and I'll do it.

Mauro

great game. shame there was a loser.

This was one of the few games that I didn't get to watch from the audience - absolutely brilliant game, lads. Properly enjoyed that.
All I knew about this game before watching it is hearing that Jono maxed it, confirmed by Conor/Kirk/Christine Buffrey/whoever etc from the green room.
Insane standard, so many quality words there. And ECOSPHERE is a great conundrum under pressure.

My only (microscopic) complaint stopping this being arguably the best performance ever is that the numbers were flatter than Keira Knightley.
Would have been great to see two of the best numbers players ever actually be challenged to do a difficult solve under pressure, but unfortunately that wasn't to be!

Still, yet another wonderful game, and you can both be very proud of that. Loving Jono's emotion at the end (relief, or did you know it was a televised max? Maybe both?)

szodiac wrote:
Got a screen shot of Jon with his head titled back if that's what you mean. Someone will need to give me a quick guide as to how to post it inside this message and I'll do it.

Mauro

You click the Img button and insert the URL there I think, Mauro

Andy Platt wrote:My only (microscopic) complaint stopping this being arguably the best performance ever is that the numbers were flatter than Keira Knightley.
Would have been great to see two of the best numbers players ever actually be challenged to do a difficult solve under pressure, but unfortunately that wasn't to be!

I think any solve under pressure (which all of the numbers games were) is difficult. And they weren't that flat judging by the fact that Jack didn't have time to write his solution down in two of the numbers games. Even the 1 large game required a good bit of thought and had huge amounts of pressure for Jack knowing that he needed it just to take it to a crucial.

Ryan Taylor wrote: Even going into the conundrum I still didn't doubt that Jack would beat you to it so to hear you buzz I thought "he must have it wrong!". And then I thought you had as I thought "you need two H's for ECHOSPHERE!!" but of course that was my stupidity.

That was my exact thinking too with the two H's

I only managed to start watching at 3pm, but I've just caught up on the first part on 4+1. Just WOW! MAX GAME from Jono and Jack only one round off the max going into the conundrum! Best game of Countdown ever, at least in terms of the two players' performances compared to the maximum available! They weren't regulation spots either. So many great words from both players! DRUPELET, TOLERANT, IDEOGRAM, DISABUSE and JONESING was probably the best of the lot - so easy to discount the J! I agree with Ryan that the numbers rounds weren't gimmes. The conundrum solve was also excellent. Congratulations on the max game Jono and very well played too, Jack! Just amazing stuff, thank you both!

Ryan Taylor wrote:

Andy Platt wrote:My only (microscopic) complaint stopping this being arguably the best performance ever is that the numbers were flatter than Keira Knightley.
Would have been great to see two of the best numbers players ever actually be challenged to do a difficult solve under pressure, but unfortunately that wasn't to be!

I think any solve under pressure (which all of the numbers games were) is difficult. And they weren't that flat judging by the fact that Jack didn't have time to write his solution down in two of the numbers games. Even the 1 large game required a good bit of thought and had huge amounts of pressure for Jack knowing that he needed it just to take it to a crucial.

Actually yeah fair point the last one was by far the hardest of the three (ironically most people find 1 large the easiest!), I managed to see a more straightforward method for it but yeah fair play, it is a pretty good solve in the conditions actually, point retracted for round 14 at least.

That was amazing

But yeah I did actually solve the 4 large and 6 small which is a rarity for me, so you're right that they weren't too difficult!

Ryan Taylor wrote:But yeah I did actually solve the 4 large and 6 small which is a rarity for me, so you're right that they weren't too difficult!

Can we have more details of what you got in other rounds today please? After all, I only read the spoilers thread to here how people who weren't even in the episode did.

*hear

JackHurst wrote:

Ryan Taylor wrote:But yeah I did actually solve the 4 large and 6 small which is a rarity for me, so you're right that they weren't too difficult!

Can we have more details of what you got in other rounds today please? After all, I only read the spoilers thread to here how people who weren't even in the episode did.

You're trying to be funny there but that actually is what 90% of spoiler threads tend to be.

Well done Jono. Claire texted me with a love heart that was intended for you, so I guess she extends similar congratulations.

Oh, and vwp Jono gg ul Jack.

Some lovely words in there, but it wasn't a max because I got ARTHOUSE in the round where you got AUTHORS, which is a cinema that people whack off in. Sorry.

This was the best game I've ever seen on TV: amazing stuff. I watched this in the green room and got absolutely destroyed by both of you; I watched it on telly and got duffed up again. Jack is such a gent; Jono's still a cunt.

Phenomenal!

OH MY GOOD GOD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

YOU THINK THIS SERIES HAS THROWN OUT EVERYTHING POSSIBLE, AND THEN THIS COMES ALONG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

An super epic game Jono and Jack, and when you consider that the gap appeared in round 1, it was such a phenomenal effort from Jack to stay in touch and from Jono to maintain his lead.

As I've said before, and I'm sure I'll say again next week, when this finishes , it is just an absolute pleasure being able to watch the cream of the crop battling each other for supremacy, and the sheer guts, skill and mental determination needed to maintain the high level of performance is definitely worthy of a bow or something similar.

28/29 maxes is also JUST ABSO-BLUMMING-LUTELY BRILLIANT TOO!!!!

P.S. Well done on entering the MAX CLUB, Jono. Now you'll face another one of its members next Thursday.

Thank you all for your support throughout my time on Countdown! I would like to say a massive congratulations to Jon on his victory which was very well deserved. He played exceptionally well and I was happy just to stay in touch until the end. This is one of the best ways in which I could have gone out so I can't have any complaints. He's also a great guy so I was very happy for him that he made it through to the semis. I would have loved to have made it myself but it wasn't to be this time. At least it meant I could sleep without having to worry about playing Conor or Kirk the next day. I've completely exceeded my expectations for the tournament, both by reaching the quarter finals and in terms of performances. I actually enjoyed recording these championships more than my original series because of this.

I was disappointed to miss DRUPELET in round 1 as I'd written down DUPELET (which is complete rubbish anyway, I was obviously thinking of DRUPELET) as soon as the letters came out and then forgot to add the R when it came out. You could probably tell that I wasn't very confident with REPULLED and I wouldn't have gone for it had I not been forced into it. Very well done to Jon for that spot. I'm sure I'd have got the conundrum in 30 seconds but in the time it took Jon, I was nowhere near it. ECOSPHERE has a hardness of 10 on apterous so for Jon to hold his nerve under immense pressure and solve that was very impressive, so he rightly won the game.

The whole experience has been wonderful from the moment I was given a place on the show back in September 2011 to seeing the final five shows being recorded. I found everyone very friendly and easy to talk to throughout the experience. The three days of recording were brilliant fun as everyone seemed to bond really well. The games were all played in a wonderful spirit as everyone respected their opponents before, during and after the games. It was sad when the time came to leave them.

Finally, I would like to thank the Countdown team for getting this wonderful tournament to go ahead and inviting me back. It was a privilege just to take part, regardless of how I did in the competition. I hope you all enjoy watching the final five games, I'm sure you will. I certainly can't wait to watch them back, even if I do know the results.

Jack - you're a gentleman and a superb player of Countdown. Blackpool's finest in fact.

Congrats on your excellent journey over the last 18 months or so.

Jono - you were in inspired form and unstoppable. I can't think you'd have lost that game no matter who you played, 99.9% unbeatable, especially with that tough last round. Could anyone have solved it quicker? I doubt it.

Anyway, a brilliant contest from two of Countdown's most popular contestants. Well done to both of you, and to Nick for stealing those cakes.

Great day.

What the kid on the trike said. Great game all round - the best MAX GAME on TV ever from Jono (sorry Kirk/Conor), a great attempt to keep up by Jack that would've beaten most contestants in or out of the tournament, and Dr Phil's in Dictionary Corner. What's not to like?

Andy Platt wrote:Actually yeah fair point the last one was by far the hardest of the three

I know I suck at 6 small, but that one took me a lot longer than 30 seconds to solve when the 1L, by comparison, took about 3 secs As ever, though, I guess it depends how you approach it at first.

I forgot to mention that Jono's score of 122 is the highest ever without a nine (I think).

That game was just beautiful. Just as great to watch today as it was live. Commiserations Jack - incredible spirit to keep fighting the whole way after the first round. And congrats Jono, we'll add you to the Max Game Club mailing list. Awesome. Another game where it's so unfair for someone to lose.

Jack Worsley wrote:I forgot to mention that Jono's score of 122 is the highest ever without a nine (I think).

Yeah, the previous highest was 120 by Craig Beevers in Series 57.

Amazing game! I knew it'd be a close one, but I was expecting Jack to extend is 100% record for just ONE more game!

Nice at the end with the old, emotions from John, and Jack a true gent in defeat.

Awesome to have a record stolen from Beevers. People's Champ Jono, even if Nick got your location wrong.

Probably the best episode of Countdown I've ever seen, Rachel looked absolutely stunning in that outfit.

Cheers everyone who said nice things!

Oliver Garner wrote:srslytho, someone needs to make a gif of Jono upon solving the conundrum

Agreed.

szodiac wrote:Got a screen shot of Jon with his head titled back

Andy Platt wrote:Still, yet another wonderful game, and you can both be very proud of that. Loving Jono's emotion at the end (relief, or did you know it was a televised max? Maybe both?)

My aim going in to this game was just to not completely fuck it up, and I did much better than I thought I was capable of! So as we went through and we kept drawing the rounds, I got more and more nervous, and when I got the conundrum I was so surprised that I appeared to have an orgasm. I had no idea I was even close to a max game.

James Robinson wrote:28/29 maxes is also JUST ABSO-BLUMMING-LUTELY BRILLIANT TOO!!!!

Haha glad you enjoyed it James. I'm honoured to share this record with Jack.

Jack Worsley wrote:Thank you all for your support throughout my time on Countdown! I would like to say a massive congratulations to Jon on his victory which was very well deserved. He played exceptionally well and I was happy just to stay in touch until the end. This is one of the best ways in which I could have gone out so I can't have any complaints. He's also a great guy so I was very happy for him that he made it through to the semis. I would have loved to have made it myself but it wasn't to be this time. At least it meant I could sleep without having to worry about playing Conor or Kirk the next day. I've completely exceeded my expectations for the tournament, both by reaching the quarter finals and in terms of performances. I actually enjoyed recording these championships more than my original series because of this.

I was disappointed to miss DRUPELET in round 1 as I'd written down DUPELET (which is complete rubbish anyway, I was obviously thinking of DRUPELET) as soon as the letters came out and then forgot to add the R when it came out. You could probably tell that I wasn't very confident with REPULLED and I wouldn't have gone for it had I not been forced into it. Very well done to Jon for that spot. I'm sure I'd have got the conundrum in 30 seconds but in the time it took Jon, I was nowhere near it. ECOSPHERE has a hardness of 10 on apterous so for Jon to hold his nerve under immense pressure and solve that was very impressive, so he rightly won the game.

Without wanting to turn this into a massive love-in.. Jack, it was a total pleasure to play against you, you're a complete gent and a brilliant guy as well as an amazing player, and it was a pleasure to share the set with you. I'm glad we seem to have made it quite a memorable show.

Jack Worsley wrote:The whole experience has been wonderful from the moment I was given a place on the show back in September 2011 to seeing the final five shows being recorded. I found everyone very friendly and easy to talk to throughout the experience. The three days of recording were brilliant fun as everyone seemed to bond really well. The games were all played in a wonderful spirit as everyone respected their opponents before, during and after the games. It was sad when the time came to leave them.

Couldn't agree more.

I can only eco the comments already made. I know Jono's a bit of a dickhead and everything, but after watching that, I really wanted it to have been a max game, so was really pleased to find out on here that it was. Excellent play from both players and really well done to Jono for maxing that. Jack did an excellent job to beat a player on 13 maxes (Graeme Cole), and now he's lost himself on 13 maxes. It seems that 13 maxes isn't enough any more!

Gavin Chipper wrote:I can only eco the comments already made.

Good.

Jono's performance has to go down as one of the all-time greats, and actually makes a very strong case for greatest. To pull off a max game in a contest as heated as that is unprecedented in itself, and the difficulty of the rounds just makes it all the more amazing. Phenomenal display of skill and resolve - truly the apex of the game. Massive congrats.

Jack, I'm sure you're getting fed up of being praised, but I'm afraid I insist. You've been an exemplary contestant, and you've made a fantastic account of yourself as both a player and a human being. While it was a shame that you had to go out like this, it gave us all a chance to see the true depth of your character. Without your contribution, this game wouldn't have been half as much of a pleasure to watch as it was. Take your place in Club 13 with pride.

What a brilliant game! A great contest played in an excellent spirit by two abolutely top blokes.

.

Another interesting point that I've noticed is that in Jack's 3 games this series, he has got 13-maxers in all 3 of his games, so he's only missed the max in 6 out of 45 rounds

If that says nothing of the tip quality of this series, I've no idea what does

James Robinson wrote:If that says nothing of the tip quality of this series...

Oo-er.

James Robinson wrote:

Jack Worsley wrote:I forgot to mention that Jono's score of 122 is the highest ever without a nine (I think).

Yeah, the previous highest was 120 by Craig Beevers in Series 57.

Interesting, but this is an arbitrary record. What's the record without an 8, or the record without getting 10 from any of the numberses?

Of course the only reason this record "exists" is that 18 points are given for 9s which means that records are always going to be from games with the most 9s, but instead of simply disqualifying scores helped by this bonus, you can be more inclusive and look and the record with 9 for a 9, or "Gevin" scoring. Jack Hurst's game against Alex Curran holds this record I believe.

Matt Morrison wrote:

Gavin Chipper wrote:I can only eco the comments already made.

Didn't notice this - great comment

Andy Platt wrote:

Matt Morrison wrote:

Gavin Chipper wrote:I can only eco the comments already made.

Didn't notice this - great comment

No it isn't, they're both equally legitimate pronunciations, so fuck off the lot of you.

Just watched this. Super game, to pull out a max game there is phenomonal Jon, one of, if not the, best performances of all time. Kinda disappointed that I already knew the result but it was classic nonetheless.

As everyone has said, Jack is a credit to the game and it was great meeting you at the finals! Seeing you bound over with a big smile on your face to say hello was such a great moment.

Bring on Conor/Kirk!

Eoin Monaghan wrote:Just watched this. Super game, to pull out a max game there is phenomonal Jon, one of, if not the, best performances of all time. Kinda disappointed that I already knew the result but it was classic nonetheless.

As everyone has said, Jack is a credit to the game and it was great meeting you at the finals! Seeing you bound over with a big smile on your face to say hello was such a great moment.

Bring on Conor/Kirk!

Can't wait for Conor v Bevins, shame you weren't put on the show Eoin; I was very impressed when you were on, and your only loss was against probably the best ever player?

How did some of the others get on the show with such poor records in comparison? What was the criteria?

Dave Preece wrote:

Eoin Monaghan wrote:Just watched this. Super game, to pull out a max game there is phenomonal Jon, one of, if not the, best performances of all time. Kinda disappointed that I already knew the result but it was classic nonetheless.

As everyone has said, Jack is a credit to the game and it was great meeting you at the finals! Seeing you bound over with a big smile on your face to say hello was such a great moment.

Bring on Conor/Kirk!

Can't wait for Conor v Bevins, shame you weren't put on the show Eoin; I was very impressed when you were on, and your only loss was against probably the best ever player?

How did some of the others get on the show with such poor records in comparison? What was the criteria?

Thanks David! New legislations were brought in after I appeared, meaning you have to be 16+ to appear from now on. I am 16, but haven't finished my GCSEs so wasn't able to take part.

Maybe in the future, are 'they' planning any Champion of Champions' events?

I doubt it after this one. It'll be a long time before there's another tournament like this, if ever.

Almost hope there isn't another - so many good games and I can't see it being topped for a VERY long time.

Jack Worsley wrote:I doubt it after this one. It'll be a long time before there's another tournament like this, if ever.

Indeed, never to be repeated.