c4countdown

The Martin Long max numbers octorun attempt falls at the first hurdle!

and the second...

Close game. Unlucky Martin. I think we would have seen you hit your stride with some nice numbers solves if you'd got through the tough first game.

Gavin Chipper wrote: ↑Tue Oct 17, 2017 1:54 pm Close game. Unlucky Martin. I think we would have seen you hit your stride with some nice numbers solves if you'd got through the tough first game.

Thanks.

This is what I posted about my game on Facebook (only initials used for names):

Today, I was on the TV show Countdown. If you don’t want to know how I did then I suggest you look away now.

Before my Countdown appearance, I got to go into the green room (which surprisingly wasn’t actually green in the slightest) and got some make up and (somewhat unbelievably) hair spray to make myself look better on TV. I then got to watch two Countdown games before I appeared on TV in front of millions of people. I did okay against my opponent-to-be AS but was really nervous before going on. My hands were shaking and I needed a big hug from my fiancée NH before sitting down to play the game.

In the first round, AS picked the letters and I was quite pleased with a 7 that I got but AS found an excellent 8 in ETHANOLS to take the lead and increase my nerves. It was my pick for the second round but we were dealt a shocking set of letters from which I could only muster a 4 letter word. Fortunately for me, AS also only had a 4 and I was off the mark. AS picked his usual 1 large for the first numbers game and we were given a tricky numbers selection. For the first 25 seconds, I couldn’t get anywhere but managed to muster a solution that was 3 away and write it down just before the time ran out. AS didn’t have anything to declare so I was 12-11 down going into the first break.

My nerves hadn’t gone away when the 3rd round started and could only manage some 5s and 6s then the word OUTVOTES leapt out at me just before the time elapsed. I wasn’t even sure that the right letters were there for it but due to having little else, I decided to declare it anyway. Fortunately for me, the correct letters were there and I was in the lead! I was disappointed to miss TOUCANS in the round that followed but remained in the lead going into my first numbers game. I picked 4 large as planned (in my opinion, the easiest of the numbers selections because there are less possible numbers combinations available therefore it’s the easiest to learn) and found a solution to the 388 target virtually straight away. However, I used a 10 instead of an 8 for some inexplicable reason so had to find a new solution. I scribbled down what I thought was a good solution to get the target but I had used the 50 twice. It didn’t occur to me to do 75-25 for the 2nd 50 so AS got 7 points for a good one-way solution to level the scores again. AS then spotted REALTOR to take the lead.

I was still nervous throughout the remaining rounds but was pleased with my play. I constantly found good words which were only bettered by Dictionary Corner on a couple of occasions but AS found words of the same length each time. I was particularly pleased with my spot of BEDTIME and (as some people may have noticed) I was rather amused when AS declared FLOGGER in one of the rounds. The last two numbers games were reasonably easy, meaning we went to a crucial conundrum.

I’m not brilliant at conundrums but I spotted this one after a few seconds. Sadly, AS buzzed in a split second before me and declared CONFUSING to win the show.

When I watched it back, I really enjoyed myself on TV. I expected to be a little emotional but I wasn’t.

I would recommend the whole Countdown experience to anyone who wants to apply. Everyone in the Countdown crew contributed to make my time there very enjoyable and memorable. If any of them ever read this, then thank you for this. I particularly enjoyed seeing how everything worked – how the boards are switched round for the numbers games and how a man with a lever reveals the conundrum scramble and answer etc.

I hope you all enjoyed seeing me on TV. I will be applying for The Chase and maybe Pointless (hint, hint AH) so hopefully you all will see me on your TV screens again soon.

Thanks for reading.

Also, something interesting that was pointed out to me the other day that I missed when we filmed the show:

In the final letters round, Alex picks the letters and Nick went to me first for my declaration. A little slip up from Nick but made no difference to the outcome.

Susie, Nick and Rachel were all thoroughly nice people and added to the experience. I had a decent chat with Rachel after the game and had my photo taken with her!

Hi Martin, you played a good game on Tuesday and your insider is very interesting for a prospective contestant like myself. As I'm diagnosed with anxiety, then this would be the main thing I'd be worried about. On another note, Alex did come up with some great letters, so you should have no shame in losing to him.
Cheers

Nice to have met you Martin. Say hello to Denise for me next time you pop into Hargreaves Opt. in Marske.

Zubair Patel wrote: ↑Fri Oct 20, 2017 7:28 pm Nice to have met you Martin. Say hello to Denise for me next time you pop into Hargreaves Opt. in Marske.

It was nice to meet you as well.