Search found 1123 matches

by Peter Mabey
Thu Dec 06, 2018 3:04 pm
Forum: Off-topic
Topic: Celebrations - a ranking
Replies: 35
Views: 17566

Re: Celebrations - a ranking

Tom S wrote: Wed Dec 05, 2018 9:23 pm Gah it's just the coconut that is the issue in Bounty, and the nuts in Snickers............
No particular preferences otherwise :) , but entirely agree about those.
by Peter Mabey
Thu Nov 29, 2018 3:04 pm
Forum: Countdown - Spoilers
Topic: Spoilers for Thursday 29th November 2018 (Series 79, Prelim 110)
Replies: 5
Views: 3347

Re: Spoilers for Thursday 29th November 2018 (Series 79, Prelim 110)

APTEROUS in RESPONAUT round - and neither saw it :)
by Peter Mabey
Fri Nov 16, 2018 2:20 pm
Forum: Off-topic
Topic: Things normal people normally own but you don't own for some reason
Replies: 66
Views: 121137

Re: Things normal people normally own but you don't own for some reason

I've never even thought of getting a pizza cutter, as I don't buy pizza.
by Peter Mabey
Fri Nov 09, 2018 2:24 pm
Forum: Off-topic
Topic: Greatest Ever Sportsman?
Replies: 126
Views: 31583

Re: Greatest Ever Sportsman?

I don't have a nomination, but am protesting against the inclusion of boxers - whose objective is to inflict brain injury - the one part of the body which never heals. (They even wear padded gloves to protect themselves against injuring themselves in doing so.) :( I don't think their purpose is to ...
by Peter Mabey
Thu Nov 08, 2018 2:59 pm
Forum: Off-topic
Topic: Greatest Ever Sportsman?
Replies: 126
Views: 31583

Re: Greatest Ever Sportsman?

I don't have a nomination, but am protesting against the inclusion of boxers - whose objective is to inflict brain injury - the one part of the body which never heals. (They even wear padded gloves to protect themselves against injuring themselves in doing so.) :(
by Peter Mabey
Fri Oct 12, 2018 1:23 pm
Forum: Countdown - Spoilers
Topic: Spoilers for Thursday 11th October 2018 (Series 79, Prelim 75)
Replies: 7
Views: 5906

Re: Spoilers for Thursday 11th October 2018 (Series 79, Prelim 75)

Gavin Chipper wrote: Fri Oct 12, 2018 9:21 am I'm always a bit surprised that POUNDER isn't one of those "in combination" words.

TOBESTER was in round 7. Not valid though as it's a name.
POUNDER would be OK as someone who pounds something into a pulp
by Peter Mabey
Tue Oct 09, 2018 2:02 pm
Forum: Countdown - Spoilers
Topic: Spoilers for Tuesday 9th October 2018 (Series 79, Prelim 73)
Replies: 13
Views: 7132

Re: Spoilers for Tuesday 9th October 2018 (Series 79, Prelim 73)

Avoiding the easy way (still in time, though) ;)
312=(5+7)(10+4x4)
498=6(10x8+7-4)
by Peter Mabey
Wed Sep 19, 2018 6:32 pm
Forum: Off-topic
Topic: Deathwatch 2018
Replies: 134
Views: 95850

Re: Deathwatch 2018

Fenella Fielding - for me, the sexiest voice ever!
by Peter Mabey
Fri Sep 07, 2018 1:45 pm
Forum: Off-topic
Topic: Lunch at Breakfast time
Replies: 8
Views: 4901

Re: Lunch at Breakfast time

When I'm on holiday I have a full English (and don't need lunch) but it's too much hassle to cook for myself.
by Peter Mabey
Wed Sep 05, 2018 7:18 pm
Forum: Countdown - Spoilers
Topic: Spoilers for Monday 3rd September 2018 (Series 79, Prelim 48)
Replies: 8
Views: 5448

Re: Spoilers for Monday 3rd September 2018 (Series 79, Prelim 48)

8x51 was obvious, and then saw 17 was available
by Peter Mabey
Mon Sep 03, 2018 8:39 pm
Forum: Countdown - Spoilers
Topic: Spoilers for Monday 3rd September 2018 (Series 79, Prelim 48)
Replies: 8
Views: 5448

Re: Spoilers for Monday 3rd September 2018 (Series 79, Prelim 48)

Last numbers was a bit boring, so found a fun alternative: (5x5-1)x(8+9) :)
by Peter Mabey
Mon Aug 27, 2018 1:52 pm
Forum: Countdown - Spoilers
Topic: Spoilers for Thursday 23rd August 2018 (Series 79, Prelim 42)
Replies: 15
Views: 8450

Re: Spoilers for Thursday 23rd August 2018 (Series 79, Prelim 42)

What is unfortunate is that it is probable that as other octochamps come along he'll be pushed further and further down the list of seeds - although I don't think there are enough rounds left for him to lose a final place altogether.
by Peter Mabey
Wed Aug 01, 2018 7:49 pm
Forum: Off-topic
Topic: How many of your Facebook friends are dead?
Replies: 26
Views: 10813

Re: How many of your Facebook friends are dead?

When one of my friends died his family kept his site up so that his friends could post in remembrance :)
by Peter Mabey
Wed Aug 01, 2018 7:15 pm
Forum: Off-topic
Topic: Politics in General
Replies: 1636
Views: 1684625

Re: Politics in General

Marc Meakin wrote: Wed Aug 01, 2018 6:24 pm Society seems to think you can't be pro Palestinian without being accused of being an anti-semite.
.. which is ironic because the Palestinians are also a Semitic race ;)
by Peter Mabey
Mon Jul 30, 2018 6:55 pm
Forum: Countdown - Spoilers
Topic: Spoilers For Monday 30th July 2018
Replies: 12
Views: 6646

Re: Spoilers for 30th July 2018

After doing 75x8=600, and needing to take off 76, it was astonishing that the challenger didn't at once see that he should have used 7 as the multiplier - pressure of the occasion, I guess.
by Peter Mabey
Wed Jul 25, 2018 7:49 pm
Forum: Off-topic
Topic: What Degrees do you have
Replies: 28
Views: 23540

Re: What Degrees do you have

BA (pass only) Maths - subsequently paid fee to register as MA. Oxford/Cambridge? Or does anywhere else do this? I don't know anything about this, but it reads like "I got a BA and then I paid to upgrade it to an MA without doing any work". Is that what is meant? Is this common? There's p...
by Peter Mabey
Tue Jul 24, 2018 12:48 pm
Forum: Off-topic
Topic: What Degrees do you have
Replies: 28
Views: 23540

Re: What Degrees do you have

Noel Mc wrote: Sat Jul 21, 2018 6:54 pm
Peter Mabey wrote: Mon Jul 16, 2018 7:04 pm BA (pass only) Maths - subsequently paid fee to register as MA.
Oxford/Cambridge? Or does anywhere else do this?
Cambridge
by Peter Mabey
Thu Jul 19, 2018 1:31 pm
Forum: Countdown - Spoilers
Topic: Spoilers for Wednesday 18th July 2018 (Series 79, Prelim 16)
Replies: 30
Views: 27465

Re: Spoilers for Wednesday 18th July 2018 (Series 79, Prelim 16)

Dunno why 114 was tricky : it's obviously 19x6 , so 25+3-9 x 7-1 with time to spare :)
by Peter Mabey
Mon Jul 16, 2018 7:04 pm
Forum: Off-topic
Topic: What Degrees do you have
Replies: 28
Views: 23540

Re: What Degrees do you have

BA (pass only) Maths - subsequently paid fee to register as MA.
by Peter Mabey
Fri Jun 29, 2018 8:07 am
Forum: Off-topic
Topic: Deathwatch 2018
Replies: 134
Views: 95850

Re: Deathwatch 2018

Harlan Ellison - legendary in the SF fan world
by Peter Mabey
Thu Jun 21, 2018 1:35 pm
Forum: Countdown - Spoilers
Topic: Spoilers for Thursday 21st June 2018 (Series 78, SF2)
Replies: 26
Views: 15426

Re: Spoilers for Thursday 21st June 2018 (Series 78, SF2)

GARTERED as alternative to REGRATED :)
by Peter Mabey
Tue Jun 19, 2018 2:09 pm
Forum: Countdown - Spoilers
Topic: Spoilers for Tuesday 19th June 2018 (Series 78, QF4)
Replies: 14
Views: 7631

Re: Spoilers for Tuesday 19th June 2018 (Series 78, QF4)

INDWELT to beat BLEWIT
A couple of interesting alternatives for the numbers:
(25+9x(6-4))x(10+1) = 473
(75/3-7)x9 = 162
If I see factorisation of a the target, I like to go for it & I saw these in time :D
by Peter Mabey
Wed Jun 13, 2018 7:56 pm
Forum: Countdown - Spoilers
Topic: Spoilers for 13th June 2018
Replies: 11
Views: 6445

Re: Spoilers for 13th June 2018

More concise way for last numbers: (75-6)x7 = 483 :)
by Peter Mabey
Tue Jun 12, 2018 2:48 pm
Forum: Countdown - Spoilers
Topic: Spoilers for Tuesday 12th June 2018 (Series 78, Prelim 109)
Replies: 5
Views: 4163

Re: Spoilers for Tuesday 12th June 2018 (Series 78, Prelim 109)

I hoped to beat MEGABIT with GAMBITED, but the verb doesn't seem to be allowable, even though it's regularly used by chessplayers :(
by Peter Mabey
Tue Jun 12, 2018 1:15 pm
Forum: Countdown - Spoilers
Topic: Spoilers for Monday 11th June 2018 (Series 78, Prelim 108)
Replies: 3
Views: 2938

Re: Spoilers for Monday 11th June 2018 (Series 78, Prelim 108)

ALGATES is OK, not that I saw it at the time :(
by Peter Mabey
Mon May 21, 2018 8:40 pm
Forum: Countdown - Spoilers
Topic: Spoilers for 21st May 2018
Replies: 1
Views: 1677

Re: Spoilers for 21st May 2018

Was hoping to beat WAHOOS with ATISHOO but Scrabble only :(
by Peter Mabey
Mon Apr 16, 2018 6:50 pm
Forum: Countdown - Spoilers
Topic: Spoilers for Monday 16th April 2018 (Series 78, Prelim 70)
Replies: 17
Views: 11461

Re: Spoilers for Monday 16th April 2018 (Series 78, Prelim 70)

Although Y isn't in the 'vowel' box it is certainly pronounced as one in RHYTHM :?
by Peter Mabey
Tue Mar 27, 2018 1:43 pm
Forum: Countdown - Spoilers
Topic: Spoilers for Monday 26th March 2018
Replies: 17
Views: 10528

Re: Spoilers for Monday 26th March 2018

Elliott Mellor wrote: Tue Mar 27, 2018 5:40 am
Peter Mabey wrote: Mon Mar 26, 2018 10:49 pm (100+7)x50x9/75+25 = 667 :)
If you legitimately got that, especially in time, that's amazing.
Way out of time - took around half an hour after exploring blind alleys (2001/3 and 23x29 obviously weren't going anywhere, but 100+567 looked promising)
by Peter Mabey
Mon Mar 26, 2018 10:49 pm
Forum: Countdown - Spoilers
Topic: Spoilers for Monday 26th March 2018
Replies: 17
Views: 10528

Re: Spoilers for Monday 26th March 2018

(100+7)x50x9/75+25 = 667 :)
by Peter Mabey
Mon Mar 19, 2018 7:55 pm
Forum: Countdown - Spoilers
Topic: Spoilers for Monday 19th March 2018 (Series 78, Prelim 50)
Replies: 12
Views: 8174

Re: Spoilers for Monday 19th March 2018 (Series 78, Prelim 50)

Odd that in the last numbers she could have got within 2 by simply taking the 30 she had from her 900, but decided to use the 50 to finish further away - heat of the moment, I suppose !
by Peter Mabey
Fri Mar 09, 2018 3:01 pm
Forum: Countdown - Spoilers
Topic: Spoilers for Thursday 8th March 2018 (Series 78, Prelim 43)
Replies: 12
Views: 7486

Re: Spoilers for Thursday 8th March 2018 (Series 78, Prelim 43)

It was a pity that it wasn't realised that this episode would have been transmitted on International Women's Day, so there was no recognition of the occasion :roll:
by Peter Mabey
Mon Mar 05, 2018 7:42 pm
Forum: Countdown - Spoilers
Topic: Spoilers for Monday 5th March 2018
Replies: 7
Views: 4727

Re: Spoilers for Monday 5th March 2018

FUNGOUS to beat FAMOUS
by Peter Mabey
Fri Jan 26, 2018 2:45 pm
Forum: Countdown - Spoilers
Topic: Spoilers for Friday 26th January 2018 (Series 78, Prelim 14)
Replies: 8
Views: 5151

Re: Spoilers for Friday 26th January 2018 (Series 78, Prelim 14)

As I commented in 'add up the numbers' the first one can be found without rearranging - (25-4+6)x(3x5-4)=297
by Peter Mabey
Fri Jan 26, 2018 2:21 pm
Forum: Countdown - General
Topic: Add up the numbers...
Replies: 4
Views: 3999

Re: Add up the numbers...

A nice variant is to try to achieve the target by simply inserting operators & brackets without rearranging the numbers
e.g. (25-4+6)x(3x5-4)=297
by Peter Mabey
Thu Jan 18, 2018 2:24 pm
Forum: Countdown - General
Topic: Former series champion slates the show in today's Guardian
Replies: 22
Views: 16347

Re: Former series champion slates the show in today's Guardian

Furthermore, Rachel sometimes beats Susie (not to mention the audience) on the words !
by Peter Mabey
Tue Jan 02, 2018 2:48 pm
Forum: Off-topic
Topic: Music
Replies: 295
Views: 84964

Re: Music

There is still some music to be found on Radio 3 and Classic fm even though the latter is invaded by film and game stuff, and Einaudi pootling around aimlessly
by Peter Mabey
Wed Dec 27, 2017 9:58 pm
Forum: Countdown - Spoilers
Topic: Spoilers for Friday 22nd December 2017 (Series 77, GRAND FINAL!)
Replies: 12
Views: 8354

Re: Spoilers for Friday 22nd December 2017 (Series 77, GRAND FINAL!)

Great game. Great show. Great players. Great series. Need I say more? Well done to both! I echo this. Except to add - shit conundrum. Should be a real word. I concur - however, although I didn't get the conundrum, it is a word I'd had occasion to use in my days in the aerospace industry (back in th...
by Peter Mabey
Thu Dec 14, 2017 2:21 pm
Forum: Countdown - Spoilers
Topic: Spoilers for Thursday 14th December 2017 (Series 77, QF1)
Replies: 3
Views: 1951

Re: Spoilers for Thursday 14th December 2017 (Series 77, QF1)

Was hoping for WARISONS in R1, but Scrabble only :(
by Peter Mabey
Fri Nov 17, 2017 6:29 pm
Forum: Countdown - Spoilers
Topic: Spoilers for Thursday 16 November 2017 (Series 77, Prelim 97)
Replies: 4
Views: 4358

Re: Spoilers for Thursday 16 November 2017 (Series 77, Prelim 97)

I guess that Susie was really relieved to find SLITTIER was valid, as there was an H there to give an alternative :!: :D :o
by Peter Mabey
Fri Nov 03, 2017 2:56 pm
Forum: Countdown - Spoilers
Topic: Spoilers for Friday 3rd November 2017
Replies: 4
Views: 2952

Re: Spoilers for Friday 2nd November 2017

Third numbers alt.: (50+7)x4x2
by Peter Mabey
Mon Oct 30, 2017 8:56 pm
Forum: Countdown - Spoilers
Topic: Spoilers for Monday 30th October 2017 (Series 77, Prelim 84)
Replies: 9
Views: 5638

Re: Spoilers for Monday 30th October 2017 (Series 77, Prelim 84)

It always surprises me that when contestants can get near the target by multiplying the large number by something they fail to see that all they need to do is adjust the multiplicand by using one of the small numbers, as Rachel showed in the first and third numbers rounds here. :roll:
by Peter Mabey
Wed Oct 04, 2017 8:55 pm
Forum: Countdown - Spoilers
Topic: Spoilers for Wednesday 4th October 2017 (series 77, prelim 66)
Replies: 10
Views: 5882

Re: Spoilers for Wednesday 4th October 2017 (series 77, prelim 66)

Elliott Mellor wrote: Wed Oct 04, 2017 7:51 pm Did I hear "only an 8" used in a round today?
Yes - it looked as if MILEPOST + A was going to come to something - "epistomal" perhaps, as EPISTOME is OK, and you'd expect the related adjective to exist, as PERISTOME/PERISTOMAL are listed.
by Peter Mabey
Thu Sep 14, 2017 1:22 pm
Forum: Off-topic
Topic: Songs that make you switch off the radio
Replies: 21
Views: 14621

Re: Songs that make you switch off the radio

La donna e mobile - because the Duke is such a loathsome character
by Peter Mabey
Tue Sep 12, 2017 1:25 pm
Forum: Off-topic
Topic: Things you can't do that it always seems like everyone else can
Replies: 91
Views: 77867

Re: Things you can't do that it always seems like everyone else can

so why should non-tea drinkers be expected to faff about with tea? Because to make an adequate cup of tea, you literally put a bag in a cup then pour water on it. But what foreigners don't understand that the only way to get it right is that it must be BOILING water - as my mum said 'take the pot t...
by Peter Mabey
Wed Sep 06, 2017 7:40 pm
Forum: Off-topic
Topic: REALLY obvious things you've just realised
Replies: 635
Views: 278666

Re: REALLY obvious things you've just realised

You only need a maximum of four colours to make a political map of the world without any adjacent countries having the same colour Is this still true when considering exclaves and colonies that aren't connected to the countries' main landmasses (e.g., Sint Maarten as part of the Netherlands)? No, t...
by Peter Mabey
Wed Sep 06, 2017 6:34 pm
Forum: Countdown - Spoilers
Topic: Spoilers for Wednesday 6th September 2017 (Series 77, Prelim 46)
Replies: 3
Views: 3452

Re: Spoilers for Wednesday 6th September 2017 (Series 77, Prelim 46)

As I meant to say here - PURLIEUS to beat USURPER :oops:
by Peter Mabey
Mon Aug 28, 2017 2:22 pm
Forum: Countdown - Spoilers
Topic: Spoilers for Bank Holiday Monday 28th August 2017
Replies: 3
Views: 2715

Re: Spoilers for Bank Holiday Monday 28th August 2017

Also PATRIOTS - I was hoping to beat MELODIES with EMBOLISED, but that's Scrabble only :(
by Peter Mabey
Fri Aug 18, 2017 1:41 pm
Forum: Countdown - Spoilers
Topic: Spoilers for Friday 18th August 2017
Replies: 4
Views: 3956

Spoilers for Friday 18th August 2017

Alt 3rd numbers: (25+6)x(10+100/50) = 372