Spoilers for Friday, 7th November

[Joseph Bolas]

Post any word round equalisers/beaters and any alternative number solutions here

[Jon Corby]

Post any word round equalisers/beaters and any alternative number solutions here

I'd rather that the 'spoiler' threads were just more labelled as 'discuss anything to do with today's episode in here'. Encouraging beaters makes it sound too competitive against the contestants.

Christ, I sound like Lee Bailey

Edit: The actual subforum itself basically says both of these things. Ignore me, I've been to the pub as my mate's leaving work today

[John Douglas]

R2: BORAGE is an equaller for 6.

[Joseph Bolas]

I'm doing the recap, but I did see EXORDIA

EDIT: Did they just pan onto Carol showing the word MINISTERS (or something like it) on the board?

EDIT 2: How do I put something in the OT box for the numbers round. Its not letting me put anything in it.

[Martin Bishop]

That was a tough one, wasn't it?

If you're wondering why Paul Zenon got such a big cheer for that last trick, it's because it took him three goes to get it right.

[Dan Vanniasingham]

I really enjoyed that show - first time in memory I've not maxed any of the numbers rounds. I felt Martin's 732 solution was superb under considerable pressure - well done mate. The challenger could easily have won a few shows against another opponent too, so hard luck to him.

I had SEPARATE as a beater in one of the later rounds, and 954 on the last numbers (which must be possible, maybe Kirk has got it in his latest almost-perfect game ) but I feel a little stupid confidently telling my mum there wasn't a 9 from MIGRATES + S...

[Allan Harmer]

[quote="Martin Bishop"]That was a tough one, wasn't it?

Yes it was - and very well played Martin - That last numbers game was a master stroke!

[Martin Bishop]

There's no way to prove it, but I actually had MAGISTERS. I was never going to risk it with the scores so close.

Carol and I had a nice chat about that last numbers game in the hallway after the show. It was a special moment. Neither of us had got any closer to getting it, though.

[Joseph Bolas]

There's no way to prove it, but I actually had MAGISTERS. I was never going to risk it with the scores so close.

Carol and I had a nice chat about that last numbers game in the hallway after the show. It was a special moment. Neither of us had got any closer to getting it, though.

I am doing the recap so I have used a number solver for this and the last numbers is not solveable, but then even to get 1 away (961 is the closest) is very impressive.

[Kai Laddiman]

I'm doing the recap, but I did see EXORDIA

EDIT: Did they just pan onto Carol showing the word MINISTERS (or something like it) on the board?

EDIT 2: How do I put something in the OT box for the numbers round. Its not letting me put anything in it.

It was MAGISTERS.

I had SEPARATE as a beater and in 3rd numbers I got closer (still 6 away) with (100+50)*6+75+4-25.

Well done Martin, you beat me 82-77 today (I didn't get the conundrum)!

[Ben Hunter]

There's no way to prove it, but I actually had MAGISTERS. I was never going to risk it with the scores so close.

Carol and I had a nice chat about that last numbers game in the hallway after the show. It was a special moment. Neither of us had got any closer to getting it, though.

But hopefully you got closer to each other.

[Kirk Bevins]

I really enjoyed that show - first time in memory I've not maxed any of the numbers rounds. I felt Martin's 732 solution was superb under considerable pressure - well done mate. The challenger could easily have won a few shows against another opponent too, so hard luck to him.

I had SEPARATE as a beater in one of the later rounds, and 954 on the last numbers (which must be possible, maybe Kirk has got it in his latest almost-perfect game ) but I feel a little stupid confidently telling my mum there wasn't a 9 from MIGRATES + S...

Ha, I messed the numbers up today - was 2 away from 515, was 4 away from 732 (well done Martin) and had 953 for the last. I missed one max on the letters. Annoying to have really hard numbers today to mess things up a little - never mind.

Also, didn't anybody notice the challenger today? Thomas Cappleman - he has been playing a lot on apterous. I knew the name rang a bell - he kept that quiet!
Thirdly, I also noticed the edit of MAGISTERS being behind Carol after round 5 and then in round 9 out it came. Spooky....

[Joseph Bolas]

Also, didn't anybody notice the challenger today? Thomas Cappleman - he has been playing a lot on apterous. I knew the name rang a bell - he kept that quiet!

The name did seem sort of familiar, but I couldn't place it.

[Phil Reynolds]

I also noticed the edit of MAGISTERS being behind Carol after round 5 and then in round 9 out it came.

Just goes to show the tight production schedule on which the show is run. Most other game/panel shows spend lots of time recording shots of each participant pretending to react to what's going on, for use as cutaways during editing; on Countdown, they evidently don't have time. There is also quite often an uncomfortable hiatus before the start of a letters round, with Des noticeably slowing down as he says something like, "So now, let's see what you can do with this next... set of letters... and....... Doris............ it's................. your turn....................... to put them up." I presume this is because the show is recorded more or less "as live" and Des has to fill in while the previous letters are cleared off the board. On a show with a less punishing schedule, they'd just edit out the gap.

[Joseph Bolas]

I also noticed the edit of MAGISTERS being behind Carol after round 5 and then in round 9 out it came.

Just goes to show the tight production schedule on which the show is run. Most other game/panel shows spend lots of time recording shots of each participant pretending to react to what's going on, for use as cutaways during editing; on Countdown, they evidently don't have time. There is also quite often an uncomfortable hiatus before the start of a letters round, with Des noticeably slowing down as he says something like, "So now, let's see what you can do with this next... set of letters... and....... Doris............ it's................. your turn....................... to put them up." I presume this is because the show is recorded more or less "as live" and Des has to fill in while the previous letters are cleared off the board. On a show with a less punishing schedule, they'd just edit out the gap.

Maybe Martin, Thomas or Damian etc, could explain why this happened.

[Keith Bevins]

Jerboa in R2
(((8*8)+(10*6))-2)*6=732
And i went for BOUNTIED in R8 (as in placed a bounty on someones head) but it wasnt mentioned so assume its invalid

[Joseph Bolas]

And i went for BOUNTIED in R8 (as in placed a bounty on someones head) but it wasnt mentioned so assume its invalid

Sorry Keith, there is no BOUNTIED , just BOUNTY and BOUNTIES

[Howard Somerset]

Only just watched this show over breakfast. Delighted to get MAGISTERS, and also to beat Martin with the conundrum, but even then probably took longer than others here.

As with many others here, I missed out on all the numbers games today.

Great show from both players. Bad luck Thomas for coming up against Martin. And well done Martin! Half way, exactly, to catching Charlie in number 1 position.

[jeff wharton]

I also noticed the edit of MAGISTERS being behind Carol after round 5 and then in round 9 out it came.

Just goes to show the tight production schedule on which the show is run. Most other game/panel shows spend lots of time recording shots of each participant pretending to react to what's going on, for use as cutaways during editing; on Countdown, they evidently don't have time. There is also quite often an uncomfortable hiatus before the start of a letters round, with Des noticeably slowing down as he says something like, "So now, let's see what you can do with this next... set of letters... and....... Doris............ it's................. your turn....................... to put them up." I presume this is because the show is recorded more or less "as live" and Des has to fill in while the previous letters are cleared off the board. On a show with a less punishing schedule, they'd just edit out the gap.

Maybe Martin, Thomas or Damian etc, could explain why this happened.

Damian E.did explain about the editing in a post elsewhere but I can,t find it now.

[Martin Bishop]

And i went for BOUNTIED in R8 (as in placed a bounty on someones head) but it wasnt mentioned so assume its invalid

Sorry Keith, there is no BOUNTIED , just BOUNTY and BOUNTIES

You'll notice that I declared a "safe six" in that round. BOUNTIED would have been my risk. That bit was cut out for some reason.

I have no idea why they cut to Carol with MAGISTERS on the board. I don't recall them having to retake Paul Zenon's first trick, only the second, twice.

On the subject of the first trick, Susie was really superstitious about it and during the ad break, she made Paul alter the contract so she hadn't signed her soul away.

[John Douglas]

Thanks, Martin, for all these interesting glimpses into what actually happens! (I can imagine Susie insisting on this, somehow...)!

[Thomas Cappleman]

I seem to vaguely remember them wanting to film Carol's reaction to the first trick for some reason, but I could be wrong about that.

I think I also had a risky word in Round 8, so persumably they decided to save time by cutting out two words being looked up.

My Dad now needs to go on Countdown, as my Mum was on before the teapots existed, and I came up against Martin, so neither of us actually got the teapot.

I'm definitely looking forward to the rest of Martin's games, as it's now got to the ones I haven't seen at all.

[Dinos Sfyris]

I had AGISTERS