Spoilers for Wednesday, 3rd June

[Phil Reynolds]

The debut appearance today of Apteroid Chris Kirby, and he's off to a flying start: 37-0 going into the first break.

[Matt Morrison]

I was going to start this thread earlier but I didn't catch the other guy's name.

Oh well, I doubt he'll want to be remembered the way this is going...

[Sue Sanders]

Stop shouting that at the television!!!!

[Chris Davies]

(75+4*4)*8+3

[Ben Wilson]

R10

(75+4*4)=91
91*8=728
728+3=731

In time too

[Lesley Jeavons]

4x4
+75
x 8
+3
= 731

[Phil Reynolds]

I was going to start this thread earlier but I didn't catch the other guy's name.

It's Ian Sinclair. This is turning into a bloodbath.

I was quite pleased to beat both contestants with DECODES in the GEODESIC round.

[Jimmy Gough]

(75+4*4)*8+3=731

[Jimmy Gough]

I wonder whether Chris had DISCOED as his risky 7

[Mark Kudlowski]

Rachy got the numbers solution after the break !

[Mark Kudlowski]

3rd numbers:

(100 x 8) + 10 + 9 + 6 - 2

[Jojo Apollo]

Good ton debut Chris

Bit surprised you missed the two nines, but to be expected under the tv studio/audience pressure.

Well played sir.

[Jimmy Gough]

Good ton debut Chris

Bit surprised you missed the two nines, but to be expected under the tv studio/audience pressure.

Well played sir.

Yeah. From his facial expression in the INGATHERS round it seemed like he knew he'd missed a nine
I actually did great today - got both the nines, all the numbers and conundrum.

[Kirk Bevins]

I was 1 away on the numbers, check this out:

(3+1)x4+75 =91. 91x8=728 and add on the 4.

How flippin' annoying. What an idiot.

Anyway I 'beat' Ian 136-13; probably my biggest winning margin for quite some time.

Well done Chris, a fantastic debut.

[Chris Kirby]

Cheers everyone! Was a bit disappointed to miss the two 9's.. played it a little safe throughout, but I cant complain

[Andrew Hulme]

Nice one mate. EZ Game innit.

[Chris Kirby]

Hahaha i wish!

[Ralph Gillions]

Good performance Chris.
Congratulations.

[Phil Reynolds]

Cheers everyone! Was a bit disappointed to miss the two 9's.. played it a little safe throughout, but I cant complain

Hi Chris, good to see you on C4C at last! Excellent debut performance today. If you haven't already done so, check out the Series 60 finals thread - there's a link somewhere to some of my photos, including one or two of you before you passed out.

[Chris Kirby]

Cheers everyone! Was a bit disappointed to miss the two 9's.. played it a little safe throughout, but I cant complain

Hi Chris, good to see you on C4C at last! Excellent debut performance today. If you haven't already done so, check out the Series 60 finals thread - there's a link somewhere to some of my photos, including one or two of you before you passed out.

Haha thanks v.much Phil! And Ill check em out and put em on facebook hehe. When are we gonna see you on the show?

[Junaid Mubeen]

Anyway I 'beat' Ian 136-13; probably my biggest winning margin for quite some time.

Yeah that was around how much I 'whooped' you by in your 2nd heat game. For a moment I thought Julian Fell was gonna get name checked in the INGATHERS round. Wasn't to be.

I had INLAYERS as a nice equaller in one of the later rounds.

Great debut Chris, an absolute battering.

[Keith Bevins]

3rd numbers alternative (100+6/2)*8-(10-9)=823

[Jon Corby]

For a moment I thought Julian Fell was gonna get name checked in the INGATHERS round. Wasn't to be.

Yeah I thought Richard was leading to something specific with the way he introduced the word as well, but alas no.

Great debut Chris, very well done.

[Phil Reynolds]

Haha thanks v.much Phil! [...] When are we gonna see you on the show?

Well, having heard this week that audience participation on missed conundrums is to be reintroduced, I might have to get some audience tickets and try to ease myself in that way. These things can't be rushed.

[Tracey Lilly]

Haha thanks v.much Phil! [...] When are we gonna see you on the show?

Well, having heard this week that audience participation on missed conundrums is to be reintroduced, I might have to get some audience tickets and try to ease myself in that way. These things can't be rushed.

But will they stretch to a Countdown Mug as a prize!

[Richard Priest]

Well done Chris, impressive debut.You must have got on the show pretty quickly as I remember chatting to you not long ago and you were about to audition.

[Derek Hazell]

I always thought specialty was an American word, and specialIty was the British version. I personally have never heard anyone in England say specialty in conversation YET, but perhaps it is another one of those that are creeping in through the proliferation of American films and TV.

Good work Chris.

[David Roe]

I always thought specialty was an American word, and specialIty was the British version. I personally have never heard anyone in England say specialty in conversation YET, but perhaps it is another one of those that are creeping in through the proliferation of American films and TV.

I'm fairly sure it's in general use in medical terminology. I remember it being used during my Operational Research course at university (mid-80's).

[Brian Moore]

I always thought specialty was an American word, and specialIty was the British version. I personally have never heard anyone in England say specialty in conversation YET, but perhaps it is another one of those that are creeping in through the proliferation of American films and TV.

I'm fairly sure it's in general use in medical terminology. I remember it being used during my Operational Research course at university (mid-80's).

Hmm, I've never thought of it as an American word ... I've come to the weak conclusion that a specialty is more likely to be a skill, and a speciality a produced item. Chambers leaves me none the wiser though.

[Rosemary Roberts]

I always thought specialty was an American word, and specialIty was the British version. I personally have never heard anyone in England say specialty in conversation YET, but perhaps it is another one of those that are creeping in through the proliferation of American films and TV.

If it were merely a variant American spelling of "speciality" it would presumably be disallowed on Countdown, so it must - at some level - be an inherently different word. But FWIW (not a lot!) Word's American spellchecker thinks that "speciality" is a wrong spelling of "specialty", while its UK spellchecker takes the contrary view.

[Phil Reynolds]

I always thought specialty was an American word, and specialIty was the British version.

Hmm, I've never thought of it as an American word ... I've come to the weak conclusion that a specialty is more likely to be a skill, and a speciality a produced item. Chambers leaves me none the wiser though.

According to Collins, the UK spelling is SPECIALITY for both senses mentioned by Brian (a special interest or skill, and a service or product specialized in). However, SPECIALTY is listed under a separate entry, having a particular meaning in law - a formal contract or obligation expressed in a deed - with a subsidiary definition being another word, chiefly US and Canadian, for SPECIALITY.

[Derek Hazell]

According to Collins, the UK spelling is SPECIALITY for both senses mentioned by Brian (a special interest or skill, and a service or product specialized in). However, SPECIALTY is listed under a separate entry, having a particular meaning in law - a formal contract or obligation expressed in a deed - with a subsidiary definition being another word, chiefly US and Canadian, for SPECIALITY.

Thank you Phil!
So, I was half right then.

[Brian Moore]

According to Collins, the UK spelling is SPECIALITY for both senses mentioned by Brian (a special interest or skill, and a service or product specialized in). However, SPECIALTY is listed under a separate entry, having a particular meaning in law - a formal contract or obligation expressed in a deed - with a subsidiary definition being another word, chiefly US and Canadian, for SPECIALITY.

Thank you Phil!
So, I was half right then.

Back to Chambers, and confusion abounds. SPECIALTY is listed twice under SPECIAL: once as the US version of SPECIALITY, defininition a "special occupation or object of attention"; once as an ordinary (UK) word, definition "any special product [...] any special pursuit". As I say, it leaves me no wiser than before. I guess that usage is confused, and therefore so is the dictionary definition.