Search found 255 matches

by Dan McColm
Sun May 22, 2016 11:18 am
Forum: Countdown - Spoilers
Topic: Spoilers for Friday 20 May 2016 (Series 74, Prelim 71)
Replies: 8
Views: 3072

Re: Spoilers for Friday 20 May 2016 (Series 74, Prelim 71)

I find it so annoying that he never picks 4 large like he would on apterous, he has enough of an advantage against non-apterites as it is, without the obvious point grabbing 1 large picks. Well done you scored over 100 against a non-apterite Thumbs up Surely picking 4 large would give him an even b...
by Dan McColm
Sun Apr 10, 2016 3:27 pm
Forum: Off-topic
Topic: EU Referendum
Replies: 182
Views: 47218

Re: EU Referendum

Paul Worsley wrote:Odds Comparison gave 10/1 for a 2016 Cameron exit at William Hill in February, but when I tried to put a bet on their website it didn't allow it.
How much did you try to have on? The market for politics bets on William Hill is probably quite small so very low limits!
by Dan McColm
Tue Mar 29, 2016 6:24 pm
Forum: Off-topic
Topic: EU Referendum
Replies: 182
Views: 47218

Re: EU Referendum

I was thinking about this again today (aside from the immediate need to implement Proportional Representation, it's one of my major concerns). So, I was wondering if I could sort of back-of-an-envelope calculate how the vote will turn out, based on the results of 2015's General Election (which I al...
by Dan McColm
Mon Mar 28, 2016 8:52 pm
Forum: Off-topic
Topic: US Politics
Replies: 15
Views: 3727

Re: US Politics

- What happened in Washington? I definitely read that there are 101 delegates, and Google tells me the vote was 72.7% Bernie Sanders vs 27.1% Hillary Clinton. If they're awarded proportionally, then I make that 74 delegates for Sanders and 27 for Clinton, but the result was 25 for Sanders and 9 for...
by Dan McColm
Mon Mar 28, 2016 7:56 pm
Forum: Off-topic
Topic: US Politics
Replies: 15
Views: 3727

Re: US Politics

I've been following the whole US election as closely as I can, but there's a lot of stuff I'm not understanding. So I'm hoping one of our American readers (I know we have some) or anyone else who knows what they're on about can explain some of the following: - How do the caucuses work? As soon as I...
by Dan McColm
Thu Mar 10, 2016 8:46 pm
Forum: Countdown - General
Topic: Previous appearances?
Replies: 14
Views: 5242

Re: Previous appearances?

REDACTED
by Dan McColm
Thu Feb 25, 2016 1:58 am
Forum: Countdown - General
Topic: If all of us were to meet...
Replies: 22
Views: 9895

Re: If all of us were to meet...

https://www.gofundme.com/4kr35e9d Let's make this happen!
by Dan McColm
Tue Feb 09, 2016 2:57 am
Forum: Countdown - Spoilers
Topic: Spoilers For Monday February 8th 2016
Replies: 7
Views: 3194

Re: Spoilers For Monday February 8th 2016

Paul Erdunast wrote:Would you allow PARIGOTS... and more importantly would susie allow it?

Intenders/indenters
PARIGOT is listed as a noun so she'd have to allow the plural.
by Dan McColm
Mon Jan 25, 2016 9:25 pm
Forum: Countdown - Spoilers
Topic: Spoilers For Monday January 25th 2016
Replies: 12
Views: 3406

Re: Spoilers For Monday January 25th 2016

Philip Wilson wrote:Having now missed it twice in a few days I need to write down "ugliest + o = eulogist" 10 times before CoBristol!
Yeah me too :D
by Dan McColm
Sun Jan 24, 2016 12:53 am
Forum: Countdown - Spoilers
Topic: CoC Grand Final Spoilers For Friday January 22nd 2016
Replies: 69
Views: 19131

Re: CoC Grand Final Spoilers For Friday January 22nd 2016

That earthman case is just bizarre. Neither definition could have made sense in the Middle ages, and yet it has a spelling and earliest use from then. It would've made sense as "inhabitant of the planet Earth", even though it's mainly used in science fiction nowadays. I found a text from ...
by Dan McColm
Sun Jan 24, 2016 12:11 am
Forum: Countdown - Spoilers
Topic: CoC Grand Final Spoilers For Friday January 22nd 2016
Replies: 69
Views: 19131

Re: CoC Grand Final Spoilers For Friday January 22nd 2016

That earthman case is just bizarre. Neither definition could have made sense in the Middle ages, and yet it has a spelling and earliest use from then. It would've made sense as "inhabitant of the planet Earth", even though it's mainly used in science fiction nowadays. I found a text from ...
by Dan McColm
Fri Jan 22, 2016 5:17 pm
Forum: Countdown - Spoilers
Topic: CoC Grand Final Spoilers For Friday January 22nd 2016
Replies: 69
Views: 19131

Re: CoC Grand Final Spoilers For Friday January 22nd 2016

Rachel: "Going 1 large to try and force a crucial which Dylan is notoriously good at, good luck with those tactics" - at 7 points behind a crucial conundrum was the best case scenario!
by Dan McColm
Fri Jan 22, 2016 4:34 pm
Forum: Countdown - Spoilers
Topic: CoC Grand Final Spoilers For Friday January 22nd 2016
Replies: 69
Views: 19131

Re: CoC Grand Final Spoilers For Friday January 22nd 2016

Absolutely fantastic game and tournament to have taken part in, so thanks first of all to the Countdown Team for inviting me and making this possible. And thanks Damian for letting me reappear on TV - not even in my wildest dreams did I think I'd go from losing my first heat game to being a CoC fina...
by Dan McColm
Thu Jan 21, 2016 10:40 pm
Forum: Countdown - Spoilers
Topic: CoC Semi-Final 2 Spoilers For Thursday January 21st 2016
Replies: 13
Views: 5746

Re: CoC Semi-Final 2 Spoilers For Thursday January 21st 2016

Can you watch Countdown live on Channel 4's website or anything? I have pissing forgotten to watch everything every day. Yeah you can watch at this link http://www.channel4.com/now/c4. Thanks all for the comments so far, though I don't think I'm one of the best two contestants in this CoC - Giles w...
by Dan McColm
Wed Jan 20, 2016 2:10 pm
Forum: Countdown - Spoilers
Topic: CoC Quarter-Final 4 Spoilers For Tuesday January 19th 2016
Replies: 11
Views: 4543

Re: CoC Quarter-Final 4 Spoilers For Tuesday January 19th 2016

I saw REPOURING and decided it was bollocks. When Dan declared 9, I instantly knew it would be good though, and decided he was DEFINITELY trying to throw Mark off declaring it too by being all "ooh, I really don't know, it's so risky" shit. Anyone else get that? I knew that there were loa...
by Dan McColm
Tue Jan 19, 2016 1:28 pm
Forum: Countdown - Spoilers
Topic: CoC Quarter-Final 3 Spoilers For Monday January 18th 2016
Replies: 53
Views: 9497

Re: CoC Quarter-Final 3 Spoilers For Monday January 18th 2016

Out of interest, what did Jen say that you guys thought was particularly spoilerish?
by Dan McColm
Mon Jan 18, 2016 6:04 pm
Forum: Countdown - Spoilers
Topic: CoC Quarter-Final 3 Spoilers For Monday January 18th 2016
Replies: 53
Views: 9497

Re: CoC Quarter-Final 3 Spoilers For Monday January 18th 2016

Great game. I did think that maybe Callum was a bit below par in a couple of rounds but Jen was very good throughout so a worthy winner regardless. Perhaps it was the sarcastic comment Jen made at the beginning about there not being enough "young geeky males" on Countdown. True, there has...
by Dan McColm
Sun Jan 17, 2016 8:34 pm
Forum: Off-topic
Topic: How many UK cities have you been to?
Replies: 43
Views: 16234

Re: How many UK cities have you been to?

England: 35/50
Scotland: 7/7
Wales: 2/6
NI: 0/5

Total: 44/68
by Dan McColm
Thu Jan 14, 2016 3:14 pm
Forum: Off-topic
Topic: How many countries have you been to?
Replies: 172
Views: 81729

Re: How many countries have you been to?

UK (England, Scotland, Wales)

France, Belgium, Luxembourg (brief petrol/coffee stop, definitely over 10 minutes), the Netherlands, Germany, Spain, Portugal, Austria, Czech Republic, Poland, Bulgaria, Turkey, Sweden, Estonia, Finland, Russia, USA, St. Kitts & Nevis, Brazil. 20 countries in total.
by Dan McColm
Tue Jan 12, 2016 7:22 pm
Forum: Countdown - Spoilers
Topic: CoC Preliminary 7 Spoilers For Tuesday January 12th 2016
Replies: 23
Views: 7776

Re: CoC Preliminary 7 Spoilers For Tuesday January 12th 2016

Round 5... Me in the audience: PIONEERS is there but Dan will go for ISOPRENE, because, you know, it's Dan. Dan: PIONEERS. Me: Well. A complete misjudgement on my part there. Later in the pub... Dan: I just realised I could have had ISOPRENE! :D I actually had RIPIENOS written down, not PIONEERS, b...
by Dan McColm
Tue Jan 12, 2016 12:05 am
Forum: Countdown - Spoilers
Topic: CoC Preliminary 6 Spoilers For Monday January 11th 2016
Replies: 17
Views: 5940

Re: CoC Preliminary 6 Spoilers For Monday January 11th 2016

Philip Wilson wrote:Anyone else notice Nick said today's match is the last before the quarter-finals?!
A few of us noticed at the time of filming, didn't think it would make it to air though!
by Dan McColm
Mon Jan 11, 2016 1:57 pm
Forum: Countdown - General
Topic: How many Numbers puzzles are there in total?
Replies: 134
Views: 39968

Re: How many Numbers puzzles are there in total?

Do you think, for example, there is a selection of numbers for which you can always get 10 points, regardless of the target? This has come up before and the answer's yes. From memory maybe 100, 1, 3, 5, 7, 9. That is just one of 1,226 selections which can be maxed with every possible target from 10...
by Dan McColm
Mon Jan 11, 2016 1:25 pm
Forum: Countdown - Spoilers
Topic: CoC Preliminary 2 Spoilers For Tuesday January 5th 2016
Replies: 17
Views: 6906

Re: CoC Preliminary 2 Spoilers For Tuesday January 5th 2016

Thanks all for the kind comments! It felt great to be back in the chair (be it challenger's or champion's), and luckily one of the 9s I'd crammed into my brain the night before popped up. And a great play by Heather going for UNREALIST! I remembered OUTRAKES since when I first saw it on a word list...
by Dan McColm
Fri Jan 08, 2016 6:59 pm
Forum: Countdown - Spoilers
Topic: CoC Preliminary 5 Spoilers For Friday January 8th 2016
Replies: 24
Views: 5934

Re: CoC Preliminary 5 Spoilers For Friday January 8th 2016

Jon Corby wrote: Is there another way to make the 302 other than the standard 4L way? George's little smirk as 302 came out made me lol. Probably not what he was hoping for though!
50x6 = 300, then you can do 100/(75-25) for the 2 to add on
by Dan McColm
Fri Jan 08, 2016 4:52 pm
Forum: Countdown - Spoilers
Topic: CoC Preliminary 5 Spoilers For Friday January 8th 2016
Replies: 24
Views: 5934

Re: CoC Preliminary 5 Spoilers For Friday January 8th 2016

Johnny Canuck wrote:Got the conundrum quickly as, uniquely among those we've seen so far in CoC, it was used before -- anyone know when?
It was used at some point in the 30th BC, not sure exactly which game it was though.
by Dan McColm
Wed Jan 06, 2016 2:29 pm
Forum: Countdown - Events
Topic: COLIN XII- Countdown in Lincoln, 30-31 January 2016
Replies: 132
Views: 41662

Re: COLIN XII- Countdown in Lincoln, 30-31 January 2016

Hello - there is a spare bed going for the Friday and Saturday nights. £25 in total, payable to danmccolm@hotmail.com. The only catch is you have to share with Andy Platt ;)
by Dan McColm
Mon Jan 04, 2016 2:22 pm
Forum: Countdown - Spoilers
Topic: Who do you think is going to win Champion of Champions?
Replies: 5
Views: 2350

Re: Who do you think is going to win Champion of Champions?

Someone should ask Martin Sinclair for his views.
by Dan McColm
Fri Dec 18, 2015 10:41 am
Forum: Countdown - General
Topic: Countdowners in the news
Replies: 237
Views: 116313

Re: Countdowners in the news

They've used the photoshopped GANDISEEG photo again, brilliant.
by Dan McColm
Sat Nov 14, 2015 4:53 pm
Forum: Off-topic
Topic: C4C/apto/Countdown Dreams
Replies: 758
Views: 399357

Re: C4C/apto/Countdown Dreams

In my dream last night, I was losing to Paul James in my CoC game - I then saw Jack Worsley's face beaming down on me (kind of like a vision from God), who said "PICK THREE VOWELS" in a really boomy voice. I picked three vowels and ended up winning. I thanked Jack after the game, but he di...
by Dan McColm
Tue Nov 03, 2015 6:03 pm
Forum: Countdown - Spoilers
Topic: Spoilers For Monday November 2nd 2015
Replies: 8
Views: 3431

Re: Spoilers For Monday November 2nd 2015

James Robinson wrote: Well, I was thinking ACEDIAS possibly in round 10, which I think is good...... :P
Not valid on apterous - interesting one because the entry for ACEDIA doesn't specify that it's a mass noun, but it's given as another term for ACCIDIE, which is listed as a mass noun.
by Dan McColm
Thu Oct 22, 2015 11:13 am
Forum: Countdown - General
Topic: The restaurant rule
Replies: 17
Views: 3766

Re: The restaurant rule

Ravioli (like spaghetti, panini, broccoli) is singular in English though. SPAGHETTI is also listed as a plural noun but "Can I have two spaghetti, please" sounds strange to me. But surely it's about whether it's listed as a singular or plural noun, not how we use it. The dictionary is sup...
by Dan McColm
Tue Oct 20, 2015 2:44 pm
Forum: Countdown - General
Topic: The restaurant rule
Replies: 17
Views: 3766

Re: The restaurant rule

Ravioli (like spaghetti, panini, broccoli) is singular in English though. SPAGHETTI is also listed as a plural noun but "Can I have two spaghetti, please" sounds strange to me.
by Dan McColm
Fri Sep 04, 2015 6:01 pm
Forum: Countdown - Spoilers
Topic: Spoilers for Friday September 4th 2015 (S73 P46)
Replies: 18
Views: 5928

Re: Spoilers for Friday September 4th 2015 (S73 P46)

UNPADLOCK R10 Is that one of the new words? I saw that when DC offered PADLOCK leaving the U and N. It's not on Apterous so I presume it's new. It is new, I saw PADLOCK + UN and checked it because loads of new words have been added, and to my surprise it was in! Makes me wonder what other silly wor...
by Dan McColm
Thu Aug 27, 2015 7:42 pm
Forum: Countdown - Spoilers
Topic: Spoilers for Wednesday August 26th 2015 (S73 P40)
Replies: 9
Views: 3417

Re: Spoilers for Wednesday August 26th 2015 (S73 P40)

See this discussion . Recently a large number of new (and old?) words have been added to ODO without any of the usual notes which tell you what the inflections are if they differ from the standard -ed, -ing etc. Cheers Graeme, hadn't seen all that. I wonder how difficult it would be to create a dic...
by Dan McColm
Fri Jul 03, 2015 2:32 pm
Forum: Countdown - General
Topic: memorising words
Replies: 7
Views: 3407

Re: memorising words

My advice would be not to play the Countdown app as the dictionary probably isn't 100% accurate, head over to apterous.org and enjoy unlimited games of Countdown with an accurate dictionary for just £20 a year. As for remembering words, you could make flashcards with the scramble of the word you're ...
by Dan McColm
Sun Mar 15, 2015 10:17 pm
Forum: Countdown - General
Topic: Best ever contestants
Replies: 508
Views: 350647

Re: Best ever contestants

Tracey Anne Mills wrote:My Top 10 is
1.Jen Steadman
2.Dylan Taylor
3.Jack Hurst
4.Edward McCullagh
5.Andy Platt
6.Jonathan Rawlinson
7.Adam Gillard
8.Jack Worsley
9.Giles Hutchings
10.Conor Travers
Quite a few good-looking young men in this top 10, Tracey, any reason? ;)
by Dan McColm
Mon Mar 02, 2015 9:54 pm
Forum: Countdown - Spoilers
Topic: Spoilers for Friday February 27th 2015 (S72 P40)
Replies: 9
Views: 2835

Re: Spoilers for Friday February 27th 2015 (S72 P40)

Oh bloody hell, posted MICRONISE in the wrong thread
by Dan McColm
Mon Mar 02, 2015 4:07 pm
Forum: Countdown - Spoilers
Topic: Spoilers for Friday February 27th 2015 (S72 P40)
Replies: 9
Views: 2835

Re: Spoilers for Friday February 27th 2015 (S72 P40)

Josh Hurst found MICRONISE in the ISOMERIC round, must be new to ODO?
by Dan McColm
Tue Feb 10, 2015 3:08 pm
Forum: Countdown - Spoilers
Topic: Spoilers for Tuesday February 10th 2015 (S72 P27)
Replies: 14
Views: 4458

Re: Spoilers for Tuesday February 10th 2015 (S72 P27)

Tony Atkins wrote:
Gavin Chipper wrote:LABOUR was the standard method alternative to ARBOUR.
But there is a beater in that round...
RUBEOLA if there was an E
by Dan McColm
Fri Dec 19, 2014 9:28 pm
Forum: Countdown - Spoilers
Topic: Grand Final Spoilers For Friday December 19th 2014
Replies: 23
Views: 7510

Re: Grand Final Spoilers For Friday December 19th 2014

Miriam Nussbaum wrote:This game was super exciting and fun to watch! Both Dan and Antoinette played great.

ELEGIACS in that one round, I think.
Yes, that was there, I didn't write it down because I thought it was a 7, oops! Just goes to show what nerves can do!
by Dan McColm
Fri Dec 19, 2014 4:36 pm
Forum: Countdown - Spoilers
Topic: Grand Final Spoilers For Friday December 19th 2014
Replies: 23
Views: 7510

Re: Grand Final Spoilers For Friday December 19th 2014

If Wednesday's max game was a 147 break, that 840 6 small was being faced with a straight red and chipping the cue ball off the table.
by Dan McColm
Wed Dec 17, 2014 10:01 pm
Forum: Countdown - Spoilers
Topic: Spoilers For Wednesday December 17th 2014
Replies: 24
Views: 7025

Re: Spoilers For Wednesday December 17th 2014

Channel 4 need a new subtitler. We've already had "VALITA" and "PUTTIE" when it should be VALETA and PATTIE^. I actually declared VELETA (there was only one A in the selection), but VALETA is also valid. Thanks everyone else for the nice comments so far, and well played George!
by Dan McColm
Mon Dec 15, 2014 11:33 pm
Forum: Countdown - Spoilers
Topic: Spoilers For Monday December 15th 2014
Replies: 34
Views: 8414

Re: Spoilers For Monday December 15th 2014

FLORUIT is listed as a noun, so FLORUITS would have to be accepted. And saying that FLORUITED should be disallowed because it is already past tense in Latin is applying Latin grammar to English!
by Dan McColm
Mon Dec 15, 2014 3:11 pm
Forum: Countdown - Spoilers
Topic: Spoilers For Wednesday December 10th 2014
Replies: 33
Views: 8365

Re: Spoilers For Wednesday December 10th 2014

At least I waited until after my last heat game had been broadcast to ask that!
by Dan McColm
Mon Dec 15, 2014 1:47 am
Forum: Countdown - Spoilers
Topic: Spoilers For Wednesday December 10th 2014
Replies: 33
Views: 8365

Re: Spoilers For Wednesday December 10th 2014

My invalid declaration of logboats^ brought to end to my scoring run - before that round, I had scored in 102 consecutive rounds.
by Dan McColm
Wed Dec 10, 2014 5:18 pm
Forum: Countdown - Spoilers
Topic: Spoilers For Wednesday December 10th 2014
Replies: 33
Views: 8365

Re: Spoilers For Wednesday December 10th 2014

As Tony correctly points out, there was a standard method for the 4L - I was overcomplicating it by looking for a route via 175*5 or 125*7.
by Dan McColm
Fri Dec 05, 2014 4:53 pm
Forum: Countdown - Spoilers
Topic: Who Will Win Series 71? (Spoilers Included)
Replies: 20
Views: 6439

Re: Who Will Win Series 71? (Spoilers Included)

I don't think any of those will win Series 70
by Dan McColm
Wed Dec 03, 2014 7:18 pm
Forum: Countdown - Spoilers
Topic: Spoilers for Wednesday December 3rd 2014 (S71 P99)
Replies: 26
Views: 5990

Re: Spoilers for Wednesday December 3rd 2014 (S71 P99)

Dave Preece wrote:Why?
They only film for 3 or 4 days of the month, Antoinette was at the end of one month's block and continued her run in the next block.
by Dan McColm
Wed Dec 03, 2014 5:16 pm
Forum: Countdown - Spoilers
Topic: Spoilers for Wednesday December 3rd 2014 (S71 P99)
Replies: 26
Views: 5990

Re: Spoilers for Wednesday December 3rd 2014 (S71 P99)

There was indeed a break in the recordings.
by Dan McColm
Tue Oct 21, 2014 6:55 am
Forum: Countdown - General
Topic: Ask Graeme?
Replies: 1740
Views: 682570

Re: Ask Graeme?

What is the highest number of consecutive rounds a contestant has scored in?
by Dan McColm
Mon Oct 20, 2014 2:16 pm
Forum: Countdown - Spoilers
Topic: Spoilers For Monday October 20th 2014
Replies: 7
Views: 2693

Re: Spoilers For Monday October 20th 2014

I didn't declare it, but I told Susie I was thinking of it
by Dan McColm
Mon Oct 20, 2014 1:57 pm
Forum: Countdown - Spoilers
Topic: Spoilers For Monday October 20th 2014
Replies: 7
Views: 2693

Re: Spoilers For Monday October 20th 2014

Chickened FANNER, but overall very happy with that performance and with my octorun!
by Dan McColm
Thu Oct 16, 2014 3:25 pm
Forum: Countdown - Spoilers
Topic: Spoilers for Thursday October 16th 2014 (S71 P67)
Replies: 12
Views: 3376

Re: Spoilers for Thursday October 16th 2014 (S71 P67)

Must've been a good performance if I beat Tony Atkins!
by Dan McColm
Wed Oct 15, 2014 2:19 pm
Forum: Countdown - Spoilers
Topic: Spoilers for Wednesday October 15th 2014 (S71 P66)
Replies: 15
Views: 6133

Re: Spoilers for Wednesday October 15th 2014 (S71 P66)

Martin Long wrote:INAMORATO was an absolutely awesome spot.

Another excellent performance Dan, well done! (even though I was hoping you would go 4L in round 3:D)
I thought about going 4L, but I decided to stick with 1L because I was already in the lead at that point.
by Dan McColm
Wed Oct 15, 2014 2:00 pm
Forum: Countdown - Spoilers
Topic: Spoilers for Wednesday October 15th 2014 (S71 P66)
Replies: 15
Views: 6133

Re: Spoilers for Wednesday October 15th 2014 (S71 P66)

Tony Atkins wrote:I guess Dan got something to eat before the show as he looked better and played marvelously. I was in fact a
little shocked when I beat him on the last two words rounds, but brilliant performance all the same.
I did indeed get something to eat before this show (a sandwich).
by Dan McColm
Wed Oct 15, 2014 2:00 pm
Forum: Countdown - Spoilers
Topic: Spoilers for Wednesday October 15th 2014 (S71 P66)
Replies: 15
Views: 6133

Re: Spoilers for Wednesday October 15th 2014 (S71 P66)

Excellent game throughout. Not sure what the Gevin scoring record is but 128 can't be far off. Pity about those two missed maxes at the end. I don't know if it was a max game up to then but it's always more frustrating if the misses come in the end rounds. It was a max game up until then, but I'm n...