An interesting spot
- Kirk Bevins
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An interesting spot
Watching any Countdown episode on Youtube (well, specifically, the few from series 58 on there) when it comes to the numbers game - if you pause the video when CECIL is deciding a target, you find something interesting. The hundreds digit and the units digit are always the same and the tens digit is always one more, e.g. you will only ever see:
121, 232, 343, 454, 565, 676, 787, 898, 909, and, interestingly, 010. Why is this? Is it something to do with computers or is it when CECIL is pretending to be circulating through numbers it actually just reels off multiples of 111 starting at 010?
121, 232, 343, 454, 565, 676, 787, 898, 909, and, interestingly, 010. Why is this? Is it something to do with computers or is it when CECIL is pretending to be circulating through numbers it actually just reels off multiples of 111 starting at 010?
Last edited by Kirk Bevins on Tue Dec 30, 2008 10:22 pm, edited 1 time in total.
- Innis Carson
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Re: An interesting spot
My uneducated guess would be that this was set deliberately as it creates the illusion of the numbers cycling about "randomly". If it really was random, you'd get the same number occurring more than once in a row and making it look jerky instead of smooth. And the middle one is one digit ahead of the others so that it looks like the three digits are moving independently. Maybe.
- Kirk Bevins
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Re: An interesting spot
But the interesting thing is that 010 comes up and of course the first digit is never 0. I'm sure they can program around that - that's not my forte.
- Jon O'Neill
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Re: An interesting spot
They probably could, to appease the one or two people who have ever noticed it. If only Damian still came here...
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Re: An interesting spot
Sorry Kirk, but I found Jason's observations on Seattle's weather (much) more interesting than this.
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Re: An interesting spot
It's come up before that CECIL will repeatedly generate the same number until reset by a second button on the back, to facilitate retakes. So it sounds to me as if the big red button only initiates the display, and the actual number generation is initiated by the reset button. In other words, the numbers have nothing to do with the pseudorandom generation process at all.
- Charlie Reams
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Re: An interesting spot
Actually I think this is kinda interesting, but I have nothing to add since Innis already gave the answer I would've given.
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Re: An interesting spot
Or what about Jason's observations on Bangers & MashDan Vanniasingham wrote:Sorry Kirk, but I found Jason's observations on Seattle's weather (much) more interesting than this.
- Jason Larsen
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Re: An interesting spot
Why do you only see this when you watch Countdown episodes on Youtube? You would think that this is a normal pattern of CECIL whether you watch Countdown on TV or not.
One of my old math teachers said, "You should never put a 0 in front of a number." She was absolutely right!
By the way, Charlie locked my topic that stated my encounter with bangers and mash, but he still found it funny. He pointed it out in the special podcast he did for my birthday this year. I don't know why, though.
One of my old math teachers said, "You should never put a 0 in front of a number." She was absolutely right!
By the way, Charlie locked my topic that stated my encounter with bangers and mash, but he still found it funny. He pointed it out in the special podcast he did for my birthday this year. I don't know why, though.
- Kirk Bevins
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Re: An interesting spot
Err - what you see on TV is exactly the same as on Youtube (for most episodes). You only see this if you pause the computer during the randomisation. Similarly, if you paused the TV (or video if you'd recorded) at the same point, you'd see the same thing.Jason Larsen wrote:Why do you only see this when you watch Countdown episodes on Youtube? You would think that this is a normal pattern of CECIL whether you watch Countdown on TV or not.
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Re: An interesting spot
Oh, now I understand it, Kirk!
If you watch it live, you don't see that!
If you watch it live, you don't see that!
Re: An interesting spot
Try telling that to James BondJason Larsen wrote: One of my old math teachers said, "You should never put a 0 in front of a number." She was absolutely right!
- Kirk Bevins
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Re: An interesting spot
If you watch it on Youtube, you don't see that either. It's only when you pause the video. Your last post really wasn't necessary as all relevant information was given to you in my first post. All you had to do was read carefully, Jason.Jason Larsen wrote:Oh, now I understand it, Kirk!
If you watch it live, you don't see that!
- Kai Laddiman
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Re: An interesting spot
That's new.Kirk Bevins wrote:Your last post really wasn't necessary
16/10/2007 - Episode 4460
Dinos Sfyris 76 - 78 Dorian Lidell
Proof that even idiots can get well and truly mainwheeled.
Dinos Sfyris 76 - 78 Dorian Lidell
Proof that even idiots can get well and truly mainwheeled.
- Jason Larsen
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Re: An interesting spot
You're funny, Gary, and I'm sorry, Kirk.
- Phil Reynolds
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Re: An interesting spot
She was absolutely wrong. Octal constants in many of the most widely used programming languages would be impossible to specify otherwise.Jason Larsen wrote:One of my old math teachers said, "You should never put a 0 in front of a number." She was absolutely right!
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Re: An interesting spot
Phil, maybe she said that because she wasn't planning on teaching what you just wrote.
Re: An interesting spot
Writing down phone numbers could be a bit tricky, too.Phil Reynolds wrote:She was absolutely wrong. Octal constants in many of the most widely used programming languages would be impossible to specify otherwise.Jason Larsen wrote:One of my old math teachers said, "You should never put a 0 in front of a number." She was absolutely right!
- Kirk Bevins
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Re: An interesting spot
And writing down bearings - she'd definitely teach that as we teach that to 14 year olds.
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Re: An interesting spot
David, I have an easier time writing down numbers than I do remembering them.
And Kirk, are you ready for this? This old math teacher of mine is still alive and her name is Mrs. Curtis-Morris. That is quite a tongue twister! (She has gotten married since the end of the last day she had me as a student.)
And Kirk, are you ready for this? This old math teacher of mine is still alive and her name is Mrs. Curtis-Morris. That is quite a tongue twister! (She has gotten married since the end of the last day she had me as a student.)
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Re: An interesting spot
That's a bit harsh! Sometimes people miss things.Kirk Bevins wrote:If you watch it on Youtube, you don't see that either. It's only when you pause the video. Your last post really wasn't necessary as all relevant information was given to you in my first post. All you had to do was read carefully, Jason.Jason Larsen wrote:Oh, now I understand it, Kirk!
If you watch it live, you don't see that!
Edit - like http://www.c4countdown.co.uk/viewtopic. ... 905#p15905
Last edited by Gavin Chipper on Thu Jan 01, 2009 9:33 pm, edited 1 time in total.
- Jason Larsen
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Re: An interesting spot
Right, Gavin.
I still like you, Kirk!
I still like you, Kirk!
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Re: An interesting spot
Well said Gavin.
- Jason Larsen
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Re: An interesting spot
That's right.
We never know, but all of us make mistakes!
We never know, but all of us make mistakes!
- Kirk Bevins
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Re: An interesting spot
It's not just the one-off occasion though, I get fed up of repeating something that's already been clearly said. Anyway, I didn't understand why you pointed me to that thread of the spelling of EMBARRASS because you didn't know what you were talking about in that thread and I just let you win that argument as I couldn't be bothered.Gavin Chipper wrote: That's a bit harsh! Sometimes people miss things.
Edit - like http://www.c4countdown.co.uk/viewtopic. ... 905#p15905
And yes I know this reply has just meant I'm rising to the bait..
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Re: An interesting spot
That's fine, Kirk.
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Re: An interesting spot
No, you didn't know what I was talking about, just like Jason didn't know what you were talking about and needed clarification.Kirk Bevins wrote:Gavin Chipper wrote: Anyway, I didn't understand why you pointed me to that thread of the spelling of EMBARRASS because you didn't know what you were talking about in that thread
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Re: An interesting spot
Thank you for understanding me, Gavin.
- Charlie Reams
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Re: An interesting spot
Stop trying to be a champion of the oppressed, you sound like a twat. Kirk is right that it's annoying. However my advice is just to ignore such pointless requests for repetition.Gavin Chipper wrote: No, you didn't know what I was talking about, just like Jason didn't know what you were talking about and needed clarification.
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Re: An interesting spot
I'm not trying to be any sort of "champion". But Kirk's post did seem overly harsh (nothing to do with it being Jason). To be honest, some of your posts about the posts you don't like (of which there are many on this forum) make you look like a twat.Charlie Reams wrote:Stop trying to be a champion of the oppressed, you sound like a twat. Kirk is right that it's annoying. However my advice is just to ignore such pointless requests for repetition.Gavin Chipper wrote: No, you didn't know what I was talking about, just like Jason didn't know what you were talking about and needed clarification.
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Re: An interesting spot
Thanks for your input! I'll put it in a pile with all the other valuable things you've contributed to this place, along with...Gavin Chipper wrote:To be honest, some of your posts about the posts you don't like (of which there are many on this forum) make you look like a twat.
Oh wait, I guess I'll have to start a new pile.
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Re: An interesting spot
Do you all understand that that's a common problem?
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Re: An interesting spot
Yes, I feel really silly lowering the tone of this thread by introducing the word "twat" into it. Oh hang on...Charlie Reams wrote:Thanks for your input!
Pile reached the ceiling already has it?I'll put it in a pile with all the other valuable things you've contributed to this place, along with...
Oh wait, I guess I'll have to start a new pile.
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Re: An interesting spot
It took you a whole day to come up with that? Very disappointing.Gavin Chipper wrote:Pile reached the ceiling already has it?
Edit: Maybe I should make you post under your real name, and we'll see whether you're so bold in your opinions then.
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Re: An interesting spot
Too busy at work!Charlie Reams wrote:It took you a whole day to come up with that? Very disappointing.Gavin Chipper wrote:Pile reached the ceiling already has it?
Maybe but maybe not.Edit: Maybe I should make you post under your real name, and we'll see whether you're so bold in your opinions then.
- Kirk Bevins
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Re: An interesting spot
Hmm, why bold - is this cryptic? Are you Peter Mabey?Gavin Chipper wrote: Maybe but maybe not.
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Re: An interesting spot
Ha ha - no it was just because Charlie said about me being bold in my opinions.Kirk Bevins wrote:Hmm, why bold - is this cryptic? Are you Peter Mabey?Gavin Chipper wrote: Maybe but maybe not.
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Re: An interesting spot
Quite a good joke (for a twat)
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Re: An interesting spot
Thankfully, noKirk Bevins wrote:Hmm, why bold - is this cryptic? Are you Peter Mabey?Gavin Chipper wrote: Maybe but maybe not.