c4countdown

Ben Wilson

If you extend 'my place' to include 'driveway and pavement outside house' you can include Callum Todd as of this year's COLIN hangover. If you include 'road outside house' you can also include whoever Callum was giving a lift home to (which I can't remember off the top of my head).

Ben Wilson

Fun little one last night. I'm at a railway station somewhere in the UK, but a strange one where the platforms are both open and elevated about 30 feet above the concourse so I can see my train (all 35 odd carriages of it) pull in and immediately leave without me. However, James Robinson then arrive...

Ben Wilson

Awful news. :'-( I had the pleasure of meeting Pete for the first time (after first communicating by email in something like 2004) at Co:Brum a few years ago and he every bit as cool as I expected him to be. RIP Pete.

Ben Wilson

Gavin Chipper wrote: ↑
Wed Mar 21, 2018 7:54 am

Conor wrote: ↑
Tue Mar 20, 2018 10:19 pm
I weigh 11st. Trying to get it down to 10 by COLIN.
Is that why you didn't come this year?

Or this year.

I'm down to 12st 12lb now after a quick peak around the 13 and a half stone area. Done virtually no exercise and eaten more junk food than usual so god knows how.

Ben Wilson

Last night's one was a bit different even by my standards. It started with me helping some friends move into their new home, before driving home over some photographs of James Robinson and Oliver Garner. Along the way I pass a random Countdown meet-up on Hykeham Road (sort of here-ish ), and by 'on'...

Ben Wilson

Brief dream last night- me, Graeme and TCap trying to manoeuvre a Smart car into a parking space about the size of a coffee table. From the outside of the car, naturally.

Ben Wilson

In last night's dream, I was, shock horror, organising a COLIN, and getting in a total flap as Graeme announced he had to go home early (in fairness this would send people into a flap even if they weren't organising the event). The final table was Rob Foster, Dylan Taylor and Rhys Benjamin (though I...

Ben Wilson

Matt Morrison wrote: ↑
Fri Jan 25, 2019 11:26 pm

Ben Wilson wrote: ↑
Fri Jan 25, 2019 2:21 pm
there are plenty of top players who haven't got around to their first chances yet *cough* MB *cough* RF *cough*
Weird way to spell MM and TB. (Seriously have no idea who you mean though.)

Either that's a weird way of spelling TP or I have no idea who you mean by the second one lol.

Ben Wilson

Austin Shin is the first name that comes to mind, he could easily be up there as a top player if he applied himself on apterous. That said though there are plenty of top players who haven't got around to their first chances yet *cough* MB *cough* RF *cough*

Ben Wilson

Gavin Chipper wrote: ↑
Wed Jan 23, 2019 9:36 pm

James Robinson wrote: ↑
Wed Jan 23, 2019 8:46 pm
Well, I certainly wouldn't decline an invite, and it has been 10 years since the last time...

But, I have a feeling that "you know who" might have other ideas....
Voldemort?

Similar 'hairstyle' if nothing else.

Ben Wilson

Another year has passed, I've sweated buckets of nervous sweat and COLIN has been and gone. 51 people played on Saturday and 33 on Sunday, amazing numbers for a city in the middle of nowhere on a cold weekend in January. At the main event, prizes were given out in the form of t-shirts with amusing s...

Ben Wilson

I've seriously thought about doing a Goatdown event before (either in place of a CoNot one year or at the COLIN Hangover) so I can definitely get behind this idea.

Ben Wilson

Up to 45 now with the addition of COLIN I veteran Anthony Endsor! We are actually in danger of maybe needing some more sets...

Ben Wilson

Adam Dexter wrote: ↑
Sun Jan 13, 2019 11:56 am
Is there a prize for doing well based on your seeding? I could claim to have been playing the long game if so.

Yes. there will be two 'overachiever' prizes at the main event and one or two at the hangover as well.

Ben Wilson

Mike Springett beat me to it in the Facebook discussion, but obviously there will be a parkrun happening as well on this weekend. Just like to let everyone know there will be a parkrun happening over the weekend for Colin 2020 too. And Colin 2022. 2021 however will controversially take place midwee...

Ben Wilson

What's the situation with game sets this year? Can bring mine if needed And the even bigger question...., is the dartboard at the Fox & Hounds still the evil Lincoln style one :!: :!: :?: :?: Yes, personally I prefer the Bristol style dartboard. Charlie, please fix likes. I've been buying game sets...

Ben Wilson

Seedings are based on averages of finishing positions from the previous 5 events (which all had more or less the same number of participants). Slightly worse news is that most prospective unconfirmed sign-ups are likely to slot in in the top 12. Great, thanks. As I suspected, what I need to do boil...

Ben Wilson

Seedings are based on averages of finishing positions from the previous 5 events (which all had more or less the same number of participants). Slightly worse news is that most prospective unconfirmed sign-ups are likely to slot in in the top 12. And you put new players in the middle don't you? Yep....

Ben Wilson

Seedings are based on averages of finishing positions from the previous 5 events (which all had more or less the same number of participants). Slightly worse news is that most prospective unconfirmed sign-ups are likely to slot in in the top 12.

Ben Wilson

Time for the usual outrage that are the provisional seedings. :-) I've used the same 'algorithm' to determine seedings as I did last year, hence why it looks like there may be a few anomalies in there. But it all makes sense, honest. 1 Jack Worsley 2 Dylan Taylor 3 Thomas Cappleman 4 Dan McColm 5 Ma...

Ben Wilson

8 entries in the last 2 days bring us up to 37 overall!

Ben Wilson

Ben Wilson wrote: ↑
Thu Jan 03, 2019 10:03 pm
30 now for the main event and 24 for the hangover! Just 16 days to go- plenty of spaces left...

...And a drop-out reminds me why I don't usually make 'milestone number of entrants' posts like this.

Ben Wilson

30 now for the main event and 24 for the hangover! Just 16 days to go- plenty of spaces left...

Ben Wilson

Gavin Chipper wrote: ↑
Tue Jan 01, 2019 6:41 pm
I think it would be good to have tournament wins as one of the columns.

FWIW the COLIN stat file has this as one of the columns though obviously it doesn't include the people who've won events but haven't been to COLIN. Yet.

Ben Wilson

I agree with Marc about the toffee pennies in Quality Street but the hard chewy caramels in Roses are usually my favourites. I don't mind it putting up a bit of a fight but if it takes out a tooth, then I don't consider it to be a 'sweet'.

Ben Wilson

1. Malteasers (obviously)
2. Galaxy ('normal' chocolate is ridiculously underrated)
3. Twix
4. Milky Way
5. Bounty (despite coconut being my favourite food)
6. Galaxy Caramel
7. Mars
DQ Snickers (allergic)

Ben Wilson

Last night I was leaving a co-event and saying goodbye to Dan McColm, Andy Platt and Conor Travers, all of whom insisted on hugs. As I was going to give Conor his, he leaned back on his chair and accidentally squashed the feet of Paul Howe, who was at the same place as the co-event for unrelated rea...

Ben Wilson

I've dropped to 13st even since my last weighing (in March), still a bit overweight.

Ben Wilson

Congratulations to Jonathan Wynn, FOCAL champion 2018! :D A well-deserved win after a hard-fought final. FULL RESULTS Round 1 FOCAL Finals Zarte Siempre 60 - 46 Tracey Mills Bradley Horrocks 51 - 55 Tom Cappleman Graeme Cole 43 - 50 Tim Down James Robinson 47 - 58 Jonathan Wynn CoBrum Karen Pearson ...

Ben Wilson

The standsings after 7 games are thus: Standings Players are ranked by wins, then points. FOCAL Finals Played Wins Draws Points Spread 1st/2nd 1 Tom Cappleman 7 6 0 408 +24 4/3 2 Jonathan Wynn 7 5 0 424 +50 4/3 3 Zarte Siempre 7 4 0 440 +43 4/3 4 Tim Down 7 4 0 392 -19 3/4 5 James Robinson 7 3 0 407...

Ben Wilson

Last night's dream was a short one- Jono randomly showed up at my workplace and I basically kept badgering him to join me and Mark Deeks on an only connect team with the theme of 'countdowners with nine letters in their names'.

Ben Wilson

Travelodge is now up to £81 for the two nights. Will be premiering the 'not a mug or a calendar this year' prize in short order. Entries now at 16/14 for Saturday and Sunday, last year they were 17/16 by December the 9th so now would be a good time to make me actually feel positive about the event. ...

Ben Wilson

Matt Morrison wrote: ↑
Sun Nov 11, 2018 10:21 pm
Now, come on. Have you or have you just been Googling people off of Countdown's names?

Searching Wikipedia usually yields better results. Or unexpected ones, such as the top search result for 'Matt Bayfield'. Also, on that topic...

Ben Wilson

On the topic of football...

Ben Wilson

Last night's dreams started with CoNot VI, which was under threat from a saboteur leaving the wrong kind of cakes out for people to nibble on. Fortunately, this was quickly resolved, resulting in a final between Jen and Robbo (I woke up before I found out who was won). Next dream was explicitly bill...

Ben Wilson

Travelodge prices are still £76. The price for COLIN is also still £16 for both nights, which includes a freebie whether you like it or not in the shape of this year's puzzle magazine. If you're interested in contributing a puzzle to the magazine, let me know and space will be saved for it.

Ben Wilson

Countdown in Nottingham is never a definite 'no' for the next year, just a 'very unlikely unless someone else wants to pick up the baton'.

Also I'm up to 31 now thanks to CoCam earlier in the year.

Ben Wilson

Last night I dreamed I was assigned to work in Skegness for some reason, and I showed up at about 7am in my sleepwear and wrapped in a bedsheet (hey, they say 'dress for the job you want, not the job you have', right?). I enter a nearby pub to discover that my mum is now its owner and Tom Carey is a...

Ben Wilson

Do you even need to have a third person for Edinburgh-style? I don't see why that's a necessity and why it can't be done between two? Technically you don't but you'd need to draw each round separately, and the event would only be as fast as your slowest table. This has been known to be a hassle at ...

Ben Wilson

Most important things to consider when organising an event, in descending order- -Venue -Means of playing the game -Refreshments -Promotion of the event -Prizes -Other things like freebies -Format of the day (related to means of playing the game but much less relevant) (Technically you could also in...

Ben Wilson

Safe, an 8-part miniseries on Netflix starring Michael C. 'Dexter' Hall doing a passable English accent. Highly recommended (the show, the accent less so).

Ben Wilson

Double whammy last night. In the first, I'm taking a friend's trousers to be altered at a tailor's shop, the owner of whom is very unhappy to see me as it means he has to do work rather than playing darts, which is apparently more important to him. Long story short, I become persona non grata at eve...

Ben Wilson

I'm getting worse and worse at remembering details from dreams but last night I definitely remember being trapped in the Oval Office toilet having to deal with the aftermath of a truly apocalyptic poo when James Robinson dropped in and started telling be about an absolutely amazing thing that happen...

Ben Wilson

Had a brilliant one that I can hardly remember anything about other than Jen was trying to stuff Graeme into a wardrobe and I got the impression the reason was benevolent.

Ben Wilson

Probably 8 times a day. Yesterday my bladder went from empty to bursting in 40 minutes flat, which doesn't seem normal to me.

Ben Wilson

...And we're live.

The Ark has been confirmed for the Saturday and I've got my costings all worked out so get your cash to me asap to guarantee a place at what will undoubtedly be the most first co-event of 2019!

Ben Wilson

Matt Morrison wrote: ↑
Tue Aug 14, 2018 8:31 am
Apropos of not much, has Colin ever been held in Lincoln rather than Hykeham?

The first two were, which is IMHO enough to establish COLIN as a legacy name.

Ben Wilson

The formal announcement of COLIN has been delayed as there is no a doubt over whether we can have the Ark on the weekend in question. But fear not! I'm already looking at potential other venues.

Ben Wilson

Two unusual ones last night. In the first one, I'm walking through Lincoln when I bump into a friend I went to university in Nottingham with but who lived in Lincoln. He talks at me for a while (he always was a bit of an enthusiast when it came to talking), then I remember that I still have a ticket...

Ben Wilson

Also my spies tell me that co events are much more fun and nothing like the A level exam level of seriousness at a countdown tournament . I haven't played a scrabble tournament in six years and this is the main reason why. Jen wrote it much more succinctly in point 4 of her post- co-events are much...

Ben Wilson

3 or 4, can't be sure without checking. All from the world of Scrabble and all gone before their time.

Ben Wilson

JimBentley wrote: ↑
Tue Jul 31, 2018 8:58 pm
Plenty of other people feature, people I've known from school, from university, from previous jobs and so on, but never any Countdown people. What's that about, I wonder?

It could just mean you're normal.

Sorry about that.

Ben Wilson

Last night's dream is Countdown-related in the most tenuous sense of the word but the rest of it is mental enough that I feel it's worth sharing. I start by walking home along the back roads of North Hykeham, accompanied by Scrabble player and former Countdown quarter-finalist Brett Smitheram. I arr...

Ben Wilson

Particularly disturbing one last night. In my dream, the world was being overrun with robotic replicants, and me and my family are holed up in my late grandmother's conservatory being menaced by a robotic replica of James Robinson. We eventually concoct a way to defeat RoboRobbo by hitting him with ...

Ben Wilson

So last night, or rather this morning as I didn't get to bed until 1215. It started out with a semi-final of the show between hazel drury and mark deeks. Hazel won in convincing style, and everyone went back to the green room, where A snooker table had been set up in memory of the recently deceased ...

Ben Wilson

Hangover venue has been confirmed and is (surprise surprise) the Memorial Hall again. I had discovered a venue that was about a three minute walk* from my house but they don't do room bookings, despite the fact that they have in the past. Oh well. Prices will be announced once I work out costs which...

Ben Wilson

Very weird one a few nights ago. Long story short, I make a little girl cry, then me, Zarte and Dinos form a bowling team.

Ben Wilson

Last night I find myself reliving the final episode of Lost, where- spoiler- everyone is in the afterlife, in a church and ready to 'move on'. Much to my surprise/disappointment, my 'church' is full of countdowners and apterites. It's soon decided that the first thing that needs to be done is a wedd...

Ben Wilson

Young Steven Ogg, aka Trevor from Grand Theft Auto V, aka young Ted Bundy.

Ben Wilson

This has to be the earliest I've ever posted a COLIN thread but I felt the need to confirm the dates if nothing else. So, here we go: Dates: 19-20 January 2019 Venue (Saturday): The Ark, Moor Lane, North Hykeham Itinerary (Saturday): Doors open at 10am, round 1 draw is done at 11:30am, round 1 start...

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