Search found 390 matches

by David Roe
Mon Jan 08, 2024 1:16 am
Forum: Countdown - Events
Topic: COLIN XIX- Countdown in Lincoln, 27-28 January 2024
Replies: 44
Views: 16828

Re: COLIN XIX- Countdown in Lincoln, 27-28 January 2024

Series 44 semi-finalist David Roe brings numbers to 28 and sets a new record for most time between consecutive COLIN appearances at 14 years since he played at COLIN 2010. Only two other people have gaps of 10 years or more between appearances- can you name either of them? Quarter-finalist. I was w...
by David Roe
Wed Jan 03, 2024 10:57 pm
Forum: Countdown - General
Topic: Countdown Finals Seeds
Replies: 4
Views: 2058

Re: Countdown Finals Seeds

Questions like this should go here http://www.c4countdown.co.uk/viewtopic.php?t=9519 No 8th seed has yet won a Grand Final, 7th is the lowest (most recently Callum Todd in Series 69). No 8 knocked out No 1 in the following series: Series 05 (1984) Series 21 (1991) Series 24 (1992) Series 30 (1995) ...
by David Roe
Thu Mar 26, 2020 1:20 am
Forum: Countdown - General
Topic: You Are The Ref
Replies: 345
Views: 146828

Re: You Are The Ref

1. The conundrum is revealed: RAINTENTS. Alice buzzes first with INSTANTER. The host says that's wrong and restarts the clock. Then Bob buzzes with TRANSIENT. Then after the conundrum, the host finds that INSTANTER is in fact a valid word. (a) Scrap that conundrum round and redo it with a spare. (b...
by David Roe
Mon Jul 04, 2016 11:40 am
Forum: Off-topic
Topic: EU Referendum
Replies: 182
Views: 47218

Re: EU Referendum

What I have yet to understand is why clutching at straws for a cause you still believe in is a bad thing. This was never a mandatory referendum, only advisory. I know Parliament suffers from playground politics to far too great an extent, but not quite to this extent. There's always the risk at sch...
by David Roe
Mon Jul 04, 2016 11:36 am
Forum: Off-topic
Topic: EU Referendum
Replies: 182
Views: 47218

Re: EU Referendum

The various things that are stacking up here make me think that Parliament may have the chutzpah to give the electorate two fingers, which may lead us to a general election. That election would then really test the issues around the idea of leaving the EU more thoroughly (well, it bloody well bette...
by David Roe
Mon Jun 20, 2016 12:52 am
Forum: Off-topic
Topic: EU Referendum
Replies: 182
Views: 47218

Re: EU Referendum

True - I suppose an MP with expertise in formerly being a businessman, for example, doesn't necessarily have any other expertise. I'm still cross with Cameron, though, for not showing more backbone as a leader and saving us the rigmarole of this referendum. I'm not. I have a deep distrust of politi...
by David Roe
Sun Jun 19, 2016 1:21 am
Forum: Off-topic
Topic: EU Referendum
Replies: 182
Views: 47218

Re: EU Referendum

True - I suppose an MP with expertise in formerly being a businessman, for example, doesn't necessarily have any other expertise. I'm still cross with Cameron, though, for not showing more backbone as a leader and saving us the rigmarole of this referendum. I'm not. I have a deep distrust of politi...
by David Roe
Mon Aug 20, 2012 6:39 pm
Forum: Countdown - General
Topic: Should This Yankee Try To Apply?
Replies: 14
Views: 5117

Re: Should This Yankee Try To Apply?

There was a man from Dublin in the last quarter-finals, and that's not UK.
by David Roe
Mon Nov 21, 2011 3:36 pm
Forum: Countdown - General
Topic: Subtitling errors
Replies: 24
Views: 6955

Re: Subtitling errors

It's not done "as live". I've seen it done live once, when for some reason the proper subtitles didn't come up, and while you can't fault the subtitler for effort, it was a bit of a disaster. From what I've seen of American TV, which isn't much, when they're doing live shows the subtitler ...
by David Roe
Sun Apr 10, 2011 11:36 pm
Forum: Countdown - General
Topic: This year's final?
Replies: 12
Views: 4362

This year's final?

Can anyone please tell me the date of this year's first season final? Presumably late June, but when exactly? Thanks in advance.
by David Roe
Mon Jan 31, 2011 6:40 pm
Forum: Countdown - General
Topic: Jeff Stelling to replace Richard Keys?
Replies: 10
Views: 3173

Re: Jeff Stelling to replace Richard Keys?

It's a better option than "Richard Keys replaces Jeff Stelling". :shock:
by David Roe
Mon Jan 31, 2011 6:38 pm
Forum: Games and Puzzles
Topic: Countdowner Initials
Replies: 9
Views: 2493

Re: Countdowner Initials

CC - Clarke Carlisle can appear again. But I don't think Zinedine Zidane has been on the show yet.
by David Roe
Thu Jan 13, 2011 6:27 pm
Forum: Off-topic
Topic: The C4C Football Thread
Replies: 1265
Views: 194661

Re: The C4C Football Thread

Blaming it all on Benitez is a bit mad. Remember, 8 of the 11 who slaughtered RM 4-0 at Anfield a couple of years ago are still here, and we sent more players to the 2010 WC than any other club in the world. But for 4 or 5 years we have been basically starved of any real investment, and that is rea...
by David Roe
Thu Jan 13, 2011 6:22 pm
Forum: Off-topic
Topic: Countdowners with Microwaves
Replies: 12
Views: 3266

Re: Countdowners with Microwaves

Ian Fitzpatrick wrote:Our DAB radio suffers from interference when the microwave is on - do you think it's time it was chucked?
The DAB radio? Too right. It uses far too much power.
by David Roe
Wed Dec 22, 2010 11:10 pm
Forum: Countdown - General
Topic: RAISING THE BAR ON COUNTDOWN
Replies: 22
Views: 4589

Re: RAISING THE BAR ON COUNTDOWN

Joking aside, it pisses me off when Jeff makes comments about obscure words like 'Don't worry Gino - we don't know the meaning of these words either' when DC found an obscure word in one of Gino d'Acampo's shows and 'He speaks a completely different language to us' to Jack. When an obscure word com...
by David Roe
Wed Dec 22, 2010 11:04 pm
Forum: Games and Puzzles
Topic: Favourite board game
Replies: 101
Views: 58727

Re: Favourite board game

Press Previous on the same link - Haunted House. It's the same game, that's what my version was called in about 1974.
by David Roe
Wed Dec 22, 2010 10:57 pm
Forum: Games and Puzzles
Topic: Sleeping Beauty Problem
Replies: 53
Views: 7804

Re: Sleeping Beauty Problem

Reading the original question, there is only one coin toss on the Sunday. It doesn't actually say there's another coin toss on the Monday to determine if you will be woken on the Tuesday. Only one coin toss means it's 50:50. Although according to Qi even fair coin tosses aren't quite 50:50 because ...
by David Roe
Sat Dec 18, 2010 12:36 am
Forum: Off-topic
Topic: Sports Personality of the Year 2010
Replies: 23
Views: 4901

Re: Sports Personality of the Year 2010

Last time I checked though being an anorexic shortarse whilst an animal does all the work wasn't a pre-requisite for any sport I can think of. I'd sooner call darts a sport than horse racing. Particularly if it's flat racing. Could Phil Taylor maintain his high level if every dozen matches or so, J...
by David Roe
Fri Dec 17, 2010 2:14 pm
Forum: Off-topic
Topic: Sports Personality of the Year 2010
Replies: 23
Views: 4901

Re: Sports Personality of the Year 2010

McCoy's at about the same level in his sport as Taylor is in his, and McCoy has to work a lot harder for it.

As for "personality", Nigel Mansell won it. Which roughly demonstrates how important the "personality" part of it is, as against sporting achievement.
by David Roe
Thu Oct 21, 2010 9:30 pm
Forum: Countdown - Spoilers
Topic: Spoilers For Thursday October 21st 2010
Replies: 41
Views: 6742

Re: Spoilers For Thursday October 21st 2010

It's a bit strange in NODE1 (I don't have NODE2 so can't comment about that) but "head first" is shown as two words in the lead entry, but within the definition it's used in an example as head-first. Not that it matters for Countdown purposes because it's disallowed either way, but what wo...
by David Roe
Mon Oct 18, 2010 12:05 pm
Forum: apterous.org
Topic: Words You Would Have Thought...
Replies: 479
Views: 160730

Re: Words You Would Have Thought...

You can surely get reds and greens and things, so why not mauves? The justification Susie has given on the show is that 'primary' colours like reds and greens have various shades, while colours like mauve are a shade already and don't have sub-shades. (That's a paraphrase.) [Edit - And I dare say r...
by David Roe
Sat Oct 09, 2010 4:22 pm
Forum: Off-topic
Topic: Capitalism
Replies: 22
Views: 4462

Re: Capitalism

What is the real problem with capitalism? It introduces a medium by which value is assessed and this medium may lose/gain value independently of the value of the thing-in-itself. It's introduces the spectre of speculation in what were previously held to be concrete values. But didn't this arise rig...
by David Roe
Mon Oct 04, 2010 2:04 pm
Forum: Off-topic
Topic: School Fees
Replies: 15
Views: 3494

Re: School Fees

If all the children now at private schools were put back into the state sector, compulsorily or otherwise, then the cost to the taxpayer in educating them would be greater than the charitable benefit per child that the taxpayer now pays. As for the schools Jeff's children would have to attend, how d...
by David Roe
Sat Sep 18, 2010 10:17 pm
Forum: Off-topic
Topic: Poop Visits UK
Replies: 24
Views: 4920

Re: Poop Visits UK

I don't associate all kissing with sex. In my lifestyle, and in the lifestyles of the people I know, there is a huge difference between kissing a baby and kissing someone you want to have sex with. It's a very obvious difference for me, even if you can't see it. I do not want to extend my "limi...
by David Roe
Sat Sep 18, 2010 7:34 pm
Forum: Off-topic
Topic: Poop Visits UK
Replies: 24
Views: 4920

Re: Poop Visits UK

OK, maybe the association wasn't automatic. But you did make the association, as would so many people. And that's what disturbs me, that many people (even if it takes an effort) do associate kissing babies with child molesting.
by David Roe
Sat Sep 18, 2010 7:32 pm
Forum: Off-topic
Topic: Which minority would you most like to belong to?
Replies: 19
Views: 3694

Re: Which minority would you most like to belong to?

Charlie Reams wrote:Another David Roe post, another point for "all conservatives are idiots". Ho hum!
Do you put on a veneer of politeness when you're out in public, Charlie? Or is politeness your normal self and you put on a veneer of unpleasantness for here?
by David Roe
Fri Sep 17, 2010 11:20 pm
Forum: Off-topic
Topic: Which minority would you most like to belong to?
Replies: 19
Views: 3694

Re: Which minority would you most like to belong to?

I voted for other - ie. women. I know women aren't literally a minority, but politically they get treated as one with all the special sex discrimination rules which apply 98% to women, and of course they get to retire 5 years earlier and live 5 years longer. 10 years extra retirement sounds good to ...
by David Roe
Fri Sep 17, 2010 11:12 pm
Forum: Other game shows
Topic: Mastermind Specialist Subject
Replies: 41
Views: 8336

Re: Mastermind Specialist Subject

Burnley Football Club. Antonia Forest's books. And the chances of me needing a third are negligible-to-nil, if that. (As are the chances of me needing a second, or even a first.) [Edit - I should add, I have actually appeared on Mastermind. In two of last year's heats, if you looked very carefully i...
by David Roe
Fri Sep 17, 2010 11:03 pm
Forum: Off-topic
Topic: Poop Visits UK
Replies: 24
Views: 4920

Re: Poop Visits UK

Interesting that, after an admission on his arrival that the catholic church made big mistakes in its handling of paedophile priests, he should then lean out of his vehicle and kiss a kid when he turned up at the mass in Glasgow. I find it interesting that anyone should automatically associate kiss...
by David Roe
Fri Sep 17, 2010 10:59 pm
Forum: Games and Puzzles
Topic: BBC Mental Agility Tests
Replies: 17
Views: 2849

Re: BBC Mental Agility Tests

18/23/18/18. Which means that my brain's wandering round having a good time and staying young, while my body's stuck in the attic getting older and older. :cry:
by David Roe
Tue Aug 31, 2010 11:15 pm
Forum: Countdown - Historical recaps
Topic: Monday 25th June 2001 (Series 44, 3rd QF)
Replies: 1
Views: 903

Re: Monday 25th June 2001 (Series 44, 3rd QF)

It's painful to watch. I'd have read it with my eyes shut, if that were possible. I've just replayed it and beat myself 71-22 - can I have another go please? :oops:
by David Roe
Mon Aug 30, 2010 11:12 pm
Forum: Countdown - Historical recaps
Topic: Wednesday 13th June 2001 (Series 44, Prelim 119)
Replies: 1
Views: 1001

Re: Wednesday 13th June 2001 (Series 44, Prelim 119)

Bah. Unplaited. Not that I'm bitter or anything, but UNPLAITED! It's a perfectly good word. Magnus Magnusson thought so , too. :x

(I had pantiled, as well.) And I got FACETIOUS this time round. Please may I have another go? Pretty please? Oh well, thought not. ;)
by David Roe
Mon Aug 30, 2010 11:09 pm
Forum: Countdown - Historical recaps
Topic: Wednesday 6th June 2001 (Series 44, Prelim 114)
Replies: 1
Views: 808

Re: Wednesday 6th June 2001 (Series 44, Prelim 114)

Yay! Thanks for this, Ian. Idolaters, eh? It was up about twice a week at that time.
by David Roe
Sat Aug 28, 2010 12:07 am
Forum: Off-topic
Topic: Favourite Breakfast Cereal
Replies: 50
Views: 5154

Re: Favourite Breakfast Cereal

Ricicles win. Frosties and Golden Nuggets placed.
by David Roe
Sat Aug 14, 2010 5:23 pm
Forum: Off-topic
Topic: The C4C Football Thread
Replies: 1265
Views: 194661

Re: The C4C Football Thread

If today's result doesn't get a certain Countdown producer posting again, nothing will. ;)
by David Roe
Tue Aug 10, 2010 12:43 am
Forum: apterous.org
Topic: Max Game Moment: What Would You Do?
Replies: 48
Views: 4459

Re: Max Game Moment: What Would You Do?

It's not really a max game if the opponent isn't trying. One of my opponents in real life got the Conundrum ahead of me to reduce my lead. She suggested I might have deliberately let her get it to score some points; I was happy to be able to say that would have been patronising and I hadn't done it....
by David Roe
Fri Aug 06, 2010 5:08 pm
Forum: Off-topic
Topic: Copyright war (JackHurst, please read)
Replies: 29
Views: 3567

Re: Copyright war (JackHurst, please read)

Dmitry Goretsky wrote:JackHurst. I'm Truly yours, Dmitry Goretsky <0668964628@mail.ru>
And you can't deny you wrote that. I've lifted it all out of the first post in this thread.
by David Roe
Fri Aug 06, 2010 4:55 pm
Forum: Games and Puzzles
Topic: Mastermind online quiz
Replies: 2
Views: 1513

Re: Mastermind online quiz

I'm not sure how big the question base is, but I did it twice and got three repeated questions.
by David Roe
Sat Jul 24, 2010 10:40 pm
Forum: Off-topic
Topic: Anyone ever hung out in Venice/Bologna?
Replies: 8
Views: 1826

Re: Anyone ever hung out in Venice/Bologna?

Venice - get a day pass for the vaporettos, water-buses. Unlimited travel, Grand Canal or little backwaters, take your pick. (And your map.)
by David Roe
Wed Jul 21, 2010 8:18 pm
Forum: Off-topic
Topic: Straplines
Replies: 16
Views: 2899

Re: Straplines

I've just spent 3 days in Blackpool and it's the most run down place in the world. I nearly killed myself through boredom. It didn't stop blowing gales or raining and I walked for miles looking for proper shops and pubs, particularly ones with dartboards or people in that didn't look like they were...
by David Roe
Tue Jul 20, 2010 12:58 pm
Forum: Off-topic
Topic: Straplines
Replies: 16
Views: 2899

Re: Straplines

When you drive from Yorkshire into Lancashire you are greeted by signs that say "Welcome to Lancashire - Where Everyone Matters". Who can see that without wondering what the signs on the other side of the road welcoming you to Yorkshire say? I think the Yorkshire ones say "If you're ...
by David Roe
Sun Jul 18, 2010 10:46 pm
Forum: Countdown - General
Topic: Which Host Would Be Or Have Been The Best Player?
Replies: 12
Views: 3139

Re: Which Host Would Be Or Have Been The Best Player?

I voted for Richard, just marginally, because I think they're pretty close on words - Jeff sometimes gives his words before dictionary corner gets the chance to speak, Richard always gave them first go, so that gives Jeff a false impression of having the edge - but I think Richard was that bit sharp...
by David Roe
Mon Jul 12, 2010 12:32 pm
Forum: Off-topic
Topic: Favourite mammal
Replies: 42
Views: 4971

Re: Favourite mammal

Difficult one to vote on because of the different interpretations of the question. I went for human as my favourite living mammal, but if it had been favourite dead mammal, young sheep definitely.
by David Roe
Mon Jul 12, 2010 12:12 am
Forum: Off-topic
Topic: Should Technology Be Introduced In Football?
Replies: 121
Views: 9318

Re: Should Technology Be Introduced In Football?

After every single incident in cricket, there's a natural break where nothing can happen. If football went the same way, there'd be a vastly increased number of disallowed goals, caused mostly by offsides not being given "live" as they are now, but by waiting and seeing what the video said.
by David Roe
Wed Jul 07, 2010 9:54 pm
Forum: Off-topic
Topic: FIFA World Cup 2010
Replies: 328
Views: 28941

Re: FIFA World Cup 2010

Ben Hunter wrote:They need to get that psychic octopus solving crimes...
They've left it a bit late, 2 years is getting on a bit for a captive octopus. He might not live to give evidence.
by David Roe
Sun Jul 04, 2010 2:09 pm
Forum: Off-topic
Topic: Should Technology Be Introduced In Football?
Replies: 121
Views: 9318

Re: Should Technology Be Introduced In Football?

I thought it was Bill Nicholson Wikipedia's hardly definitive. So what your saying is your thoughts are a more definitive resource than Wikipedia? What I'm saying is, I thought it was Nicholson, and the fact that an anonymous person on Wikipedia uses his unattributed source to say it's Shankley doe...
by David Roe
Sun Jul 04, 2010 12:21 pm
Forum: Off-topic
Topic: Should Technology Be Introduced In Football?
Replies: 121
Views: 9318

Re: Should Technology Be Introduced In Football?

Liam Tiernan wrote:It was definitely Shankly
Wikipedia's hardly definitive.
by David Roe
Sun Jul 04, 2010 1:51 am
Forum: Off-topic
Topic: Should Technology Be Introduced In Football?
Replies: 121
Views: 9318

Re: Should Technology Be Introduced In Football?

I'm pretty sure it was Bill Shankly who said "If he is not interferring with play, he should be" As usual Atkinson was stealing ideas from better managers. I thought it was Bill Nicholson. Possibly he didn't like wingers and was trying to cut out the tactic of getting to the goalline and ...
by David Roe
Sun Jul 04, 2010 1:46 am
Forum: Off-topic
Topic: Should Technology Be Introduced In Football?
Replies: 121
Views: 9318

Re: Should Technology Be Introduced In Football?

Jon O'Neill wrote:And you can't be offside if the ball's played backwards.
Isn't there enough confusion on this subject without deliberate misinformation?

As for technology, they already do use it. Check the referee - he's got a walkie-talkie strapped to his face. ;)
by David Roe
Sat Jul 03, 2010 12:13 am
Forum: Off-topic
Topic: What would you have done?
Replies: 38
Views: 4441

Re: What would you have done?

More or less the same thing happen in the last minute of the Island Games women's final in 2001. It was 4-4 in the last minute, the Faroe Islands player handled on the line, the Aland player missed the penalty, and Faroes won 5-4 in extra time. Am I the only person on this forum who saw it? (Yes, I ...
by David Roe
Fri Jul 02, 2010 12:03 am
Forum: Off-topic
Topic: Trade Secrets
Replies: 155
Views: 42755

Re: Trade Secrets

Ben Wilson wrote:Someone really should make a 'c4countdowncart'. Paul Howe can throw bananas opened from the side, Kirkie can throw darts, Corby can throw insults and Jono can throw squirming penises from his lap.
And at that last thought, I think I may throw up. :roll:
by David Roe
Thu Jul 01, 2010 8:15 am
Forum: Off-topic
Topic: How to make darts better
Replies: 50
Views: 6487

Re: How to make darts better

Some of the sports channels were a bit desperate for something to cover, as well. I remember two of them simultaneously showing rival 10-pin bowling competitions. Worse than darts. ;)
by David Roe
Fri Jun 25, 2010 12:13 pm
Forum: Countdown - General
Topic: Where are they now?
Replies: 18
Views: 4485

Re: Where are they now?

If there's a vegan winner, does Channel 4 still have to pay for the dictionaries, or are they on sale or return? Or are they free anyway, considering all the free publicity the OED gets from the programme?
by David Roe
Thu Jun 24, 2010 4:36 pm
Forum: Off-topic
Topic: FIFA World Cup 2010
Replies: 328
Views: 28941

Re: FIFA World Cup 2010

It's a revenge mission from now on. We beat Germany on penalties, argentina with a handball goal, and Portugal after Rooney gets Ronaldo sent off. Just watch. :lol:
by David Roe
Thu Jun 24, 2010 11:12 am
Forum: Off-topic
Topic: Wimbledon 2010
Replies: 54
Views: 4517

Re: Wimbledon 2010

They're third match on Court 18, but not before 3.30. Which seems a bit chancy really, they may not have time to finish. I'd suggest they play "last one left standing", but even when standing was all that Isner could do, Mahut still couldn't win.
by David Roe
Wed Jun 23, 2010 8:36 pm
Forum: Off-topic
Topic: Wimbledon 2010
Replies: 54
Views: 4517

Re: Wimbledon 2010

Presumably with having to come back tomorrow, the winner will get the rest of the day off and not have to play the second round till Friday? Assuming they finish tomorrow, that is?
by David Roe
Wed Jun 23, 2010 7:11 pm
Forum: Games and Puzzles
Topic: Sleeping Beauty Problem
Replies: 53
Views: 7804

Re: Sleeping Beauty Problem

You have misread the question. Given that it was a head and there's no second awakening, the probability of being "asked" (a term you have introduced which was not in the question) whether it was a head or tail is 1, not 0.5. You always get "asked" in the sense that each time yo...
by David Roe
Wed Jun 23, 2010 1:09 pm
Forum: Games and Puzzles
Topic: Sleeping Beauty Problem
Replies: 53
Views: 7804

Re: Sleeping Beauty Problem

Further thoughts: It's a fair coin, so on Sunday it's a 50/50 chance whether it's heads or tails. There are up to two awakenings. On Monday, the probability of being awoken is 1. 1a. The probability of being awoken after a head is 1.0 * 0.5 = 0.5. And given that it was a head and there's no second a...
by David Roe
Wed Jun 23, 2010 12:53 pm
Forum: Off-topic
Topic: Jess the Cat
Replies: 23
Views: 2190

Re: Jess the Cat

I voted male because I know that in Denmark Jess is called Per, and Per (pronounced pier, approx.) is a boy's name.
by David Roe
Wed Jun 23, 2010 12:29 pm
Forum: Games and Puzzles
Topic: Sleeping Beauty Problem
Replies: 53
Views: 7804

Re: Sleeping Beauty Problem

I don't think the answer is wrong, so much as the question is phrased wrongly. At any given time, the odds of the coin having come down heads last time it was tossed is 1/2. And if this experiment takes place only once, then similarly, the answer is 1/2 - because what happens after the initial coin ...