c4countdown

Thanks Ben,

I'll see if Ben is back by tomorrow evening. If not, I can do Tuesday evening instead.

Mark

I can play tonight, my email address is benjpugh@hotmail.com but this is the last day I can play as I have a German exchange student coming tomorrow, so if Mark can't play tonight then DoD will have to replace me.

Hi Ben,

Yes, I can play this evening. Is 9pm okay?

Mark

For anyone reading this, the game is about to kick off. Get yourself on MSN Messenger pronto!

Hi Charlie, I wish it were about to kick off! I've tried to get hold of Ben, via the forum and via email, but haven't had a reply yet. I've just had a problem with my PC, which appears resolved now, so I'll try emailing him again.

Mark

The game seems to have been played, as there is a final score on the Countdownwiki. Ben won 90-89, by just one point!

Martin

Indeed- the semi-finals are now decided, and they are:

Conor Travers vs. Chris Wills
Paul Howe vs. Ben Pugh

Games are all best-of-3 15 rounders- the winner of each tie will be the first to win two games outright regardless of score- and are to be completed by Friday 21st March.

Note- for sanity's sake, you don't have to play the entire semi-final on one night! Especially not when the final will be best-of-5...

Can the group inform us of any games that are going on and what dates, I'd quite like to watch, as would many others.

Martin

Martin Gardner wrote:Can the group inform us of any games that are going on and what dates, I'd quite like to watch, as would many others.

Martin

I normally stay away from Countdown games in Messenger, but I would like to see the final, if it hasn't been played yet.

First game of the Wills/Travers semi-final is being played tonight- I've not heard anything from either Paul or Ben so not sure what's happening there. Deadline for SF games to be completed is March 21st.

What time is the match being played tonight?

Ben Wilson wrote:First game of the Wills/Travers semi-final is being played tonight- I've not heard anything from either Paul or Ben so not sure what's happening there. Deadline for SF games to be completed is March 21st.

Oh yeah, sorry about that, been very busy lately and this just slipped my mind.

Ben, I can play any evening this week after 7 (after 10 on Weds). If you read this in time can I suggest we get the first game out of the way tonight, either before or after Conor vs Chris ?

Conor Travers beat Chris Wills 2-0 in the best of three, the second of those games is here : http://www.countdownwiki.com/COMA_-_Chr ... %2C_game_2.

Martin

Martin Gardner wrote:Conor Travers beat Chris Wills 2-0 in the best of three, the second of those games is here : http://www.countdownwiki.com/COMA_-_Chr ... %2C_game_2.

Martin

What time was this match on last night? I logged on to see if I could catch it and I think I missed it.

If anyone wants to watch, me and Ben should be playing the second match of our semi-final tonight, not sure what time yet. I won the first game 90-67

I'll be online tonight at about 7, so if Conor is there we can get another game of the COMA final played.

Any news on when game 2 of the final is likely to be played?

I've been on holiday for a week and had no Internet access. But I can play at any time now.

I should be online this evening sometime, probably about half seven.

Any more word of this game being played? If you are stuck for a host I am more than willing ...

PS I will have a specific conundrum

Yes, sorry to keep you all waiting, I've been unexpectedly busy. Conor, can you do Friday at about 8?

David, your offer to host is gratefully accepted, but I think you should email me the conundrum beforehand so I can check it's not ridiculously obscure.

2nd leg is being played right now- look for results soon!

Ben Wilson wrote:2nd leg is being played right now- look for results soon!

Is the game over or is there still chance to catch it?

Game 3's just started. Will this be the decider...?

Expect an awesome recap coming up from one of the participants soon.

Ben Wilson wrote:Game 3's just started. Will this be the decider...?

Is the COMA over or is there still games to play?

Paolo won a cracker after a crucial conundrum to take the final to 2-1- expect a recap shortly.

Ben Wilson wrote:Paolo won a cracker after a crucial conundrum to take the final to 2-1- expect a recap shortly.

Do we know when the next (or final) game is? If the games are crackers, I don't want to miss this.

Any news on when we can see game 4 of the final, guys? Don't want to prolong the agony any further.

Ah yes, sorry Ben! I'll leave myself signed in on MSN for the next three nights, it might take me a few minutes to respond to any messages though as I'll mostly be doing revision.

Final should be starting soon.

Ben Pugh wrote:Final should be starting soon.

How do you mean final? as in match 4 or match 5?

Match 4.

Paul wins 99-92 after the conundrum goes unsolved, meaning this one's going right to the wire!

Ben Wilson wrote:Paul wins 99-92 after the conundrum goes unsolved, meaning this one's going right to the wire!

Oooh, what was the conundrum?

CANNYPLEG

...

...

...

...

...

...

...

...

...

...

...

...

PLANGENCY.

The answer still looks like a conundrum scramble

Corby wrote:The answer still looks like a conundrum scramble

I agree with you Corby .

I don't really like it to be honest, when the conundrum only has 2 vowels.

Joseph Bolas wrote:I don't really like it to be honest, when the conundrum only has 2 vowels.

I guess when you run a successful tournament, you can choose how many vowels are in the conundrums.

Joseph Bolas wrote:I don't really like it to be honest, when the conundrum only has 2 vowels.

Why?

Corby wrote:

Joseph Bolas wrote:I don't really like it to be honest, when the conundrum only has 2 vowels.

Why?

I'd guess it's because it couldn't come up in a standard letter round.

Are there any conundrums with 1 vowel? I can think of 'strengths' off hand, but that is pluralised so not really valid.

Also, what conundrum has the most amount of vowels in it?

The first to answer wins a rotting Many-Zoned Polypore fungus.

Michael Wallace wrote:I'd guess it's because it couldn't come up in a standard letter round.

Well yeah, that's the obvious reason for making the distinction, but... why would that cause dislike?

Richard Brittain wrote:Are there any conundrums with 1 vowel? I can think of 'strengths' off hand, but that is pluralised so not really valid.

Also, what conundrum has the most amount of vowels in it?

The first to answer wins a rotting Many-Zoned Polypore fungus.

I think it was mentioned on Countdown once before that STRENGTHS is the only one-vowel 9-letter word. Off hand the highest vowel:consonant ratio I can think of for a conundrum is 6:3 in LEUKAEMIA. Is that the right answer? If there's a 7:2 one I'll be impressed.

There was a related thread on the old group about the 9 with the most syllables; the closest we got was OCEANARIA but we decided that it probably only had five. Anyway, that turfed up plenty of 6 vowelled 9's but none with 7 vowels. Riveting stuff.

Back to the subject of the thread, I accidently deleted the MSN window containing the details of last night's game, so here's an executive summary: I got SEVICHE, Conor got CITROUS, I got GATEAUS, everyone got ECZEMA, the numbers were ridiculously easy and the conundrum was ridiculously hard. Oh, and there was some excellent literary discussion about the onanistic subtext of the Harry Potter novels.

Michael Wallace wrote:

Corby wrote:

Joseph Bolas wrote:I don't really like it to be honest, when the conundrum only has 2 vowels.

Why?

I'd guess it's because it couldn't come up in a standard letter round.

Pretty much. I try to learn every 9 that comes up in either word rounds and/or used for the conundrum (practicing for COLIN or COBRIS) so I think that the conundrum should tie in too with that rule (incase the letters of the conundrum came up in a word round and it was not an everyday or common word).

Joseph Bolas wrote:Pretty much. I try to learn every 9 that comes up in either word rounds and/or used for the conundrum (practicing for COLIN or COBRIS) so I think that the conundrum should tie in too with that rule (incase the letters of the conundrum came up in a word round and it was not an everyday or common word).

But the 3-vowel rule exists solely (I think) so that one player can't intentionally sabotage the round, so it's not relevant in the slightest. It doesn't exist so that you have to learn less words.

dinos_the_chemist wrote:I think it was mentioned on Countdown once before that STRENGTHS is the only one-vowel 9-letter word.

There are loads, SPRIGHTLY, LYNCHPINS, SKYLIGHTS etc.

Ben Pugh wrote:

dinos_the_chemist wrote:I think it was mentioned on Countdown once before that STRENGTHS is the only one-vowel 9-letter word.

There are loads, SPRIGHTLY, LYNCHPINS, SKYLIGHTS etc.

STRENGTHS might be the only one-syllable 9? There aren't many of them, anyway.

STRAIGHTS is the only other 1-syllable niner I can think of.

Ben Wilson wrote:STRAIGHTS is the only other 1-syllable niner I can think of.

GRAUNCHED is a word isn't it? STRETCHED definitely is.

Ben Pugh wrote:

dinos_the_chemist wrote:I think it was mentioned on Countdown once before that STRENGTHS is the only one-vowel 9-letter word.

There are loads, SPRIGHTLY, LYNCHPINS, SKYLIGHTS etc.

Yeah but Y is effectively a vowel in those words.

Gevin-Gavin wrote:GRAUNCHED is a word isn't it?

Yes it is (anagram of UNCHARGED) STRENGTHS is still my favourite. Its many consonant sounds make it difficult to repeat quickly and successively

dinos_the_chemist wrote:

Richard Brittain wrote:Are there any conundrums with 1 vowel? I can think of 'strengths' off hand, but that is pluralised so not really valid.

Also, what conundrum has the most amount of vowels in it?

The first to answer wins a rotting Many-Zoned Polypore fungus.

I think it was mentioned on Countdown once before that STRENGTHS is the only one-vowel 9-letter word. Off hand the highest vowel:consonant ratio I can think of for a conundrum is 6:3 in LEUKAEMIA. Is that the right answer? If there's a 7:2 one I'll be impressed.

I don't know what the answer is! But I doubt there is anything more than 6:3 as well, Leukaemia is good.

Ben Pugh wrote:There are loads, SPRIGHTLY, LYNCHPINS, SKYLIGHTS etc.

Ah, good one.

6 vowels is the most in a nine letter word, of which there are quite a few, such as LEUKAEMIA, AUDITORIA, IDEOLOGUE, AUDACIOUS and best of all BOOBOISIE.

Richard Brittain wrote:

dinos_the_chemist wrote:

Richard Brittain wrote:Are there any conundrums with 1 vowel? I can think of 'strengths' off hand, but that is pluralised so not really valid.

Also, what conundrum has the most amount of vowels in it?

The first to answer wins a rotting Many-Zoned Polypore fungus.

I think it was mentioned on Countdown once before that STRENGTHS is the only one-vowel 9-letter word. Off hand the highest vowel:consonant ratio I can think of for a conundrum is 6:3 in LEUKAEMIA. Is that the right answer? If there's a 7:2 one I'll be impressed.

I don't know what the answer is! But I doubt there is anything more than 6:3 as well, Leukaemia is good.

Got to admit here I cheated and stuck it through zyzzyva- whilst it doesn't work fully with Oxford, it does at least say there aren't any 7:2s in Collins.

There are a few 6:2 eights though- sadly none of which are Oxford-friendly.

I know there's AUDIOTAPE and a few others with 6 vowels, I could run it through my program and tell you, not counting the Y as a vowel.

Ok so here it is, using the Scrabble dictionary unless someone wants to send me a text version of the Oxford, all capital letter, one word per line. Unless they get used as conundrums, you can't play them in the letters games as you need at least 4 consonants.

ABOIDEAUS
ABOIDEAUX
ABOITEAUS
ABOITEAUX
AEOLIPILE
AEROPAUSE
AMOEBAEAN
ANAEROBIA
ANOXAEMIA
APIACEOUS
APOLOGIAE
AQUILEGIA
ARAUCARIA
AUBRIETIA
AUDACIOUS
AUDIENCIA
AUDIOBOOK
AUDIOTAPE
AUDITORIA
AUREITIES
AURICULAE
AUTECIOUS
AUTOCUTIE
AUTOGUIDE
AUTOICOUS
AUTOROUTE
AVIFAUNAE
AZOTAEMIA
BEAUTEOUS
BOOBOISIE
BOUSOUKIA
BOUZOUKIA
DIOECIOUS
ELAEOLITE
ELAIOSOME
EPIFAUNAE
EPIGAEOUS
EPINEURIA
EPOPOEIAS
EQUIPOISE
EQUIVOQUE
EUDEMONIA
IDEALOGUE
IDEOLOGUE
IMINOUREA
IONOPAUSE
ISEIKONIA
LAQUEARIA
LEUCAEMIA
LEUKAEMIA
MAIASAURA
MEIOFAUNA
NEOTEINIA
NIAISERIE
OCEANARIA
OENOMANIA
OLEACEOUS
OLIGAEMIA
OLOLIUQUI
RELIQUIAE
SEAQUARIA
ZOOGLOEAE


And with only one vowel.

CHRYSANTH
CHYMISTRY
CRYPTONYM
CYMBLINGS
DYSTHYMIC
DYSTROPHY
FLYSPECKS
GLYCERYLS
GLYCOSYLS
GYPSYDOMS
GYPSYISMS
GYPSYWORT
HYDRANTHS
HYDROXYLS
HYPERNYMS
HYPERNYMY
KLYSTRONS
LYNCHINGS
LYNCHPINS
MISTRYSTS
NAPHTHYLS
PHYLARCHS
PHYLARCHY
POLYPTYCH
POSTSYNCS
PROPHYLLS
PSYCHISMS
PSYCHISTS
PYGMYISMS
RHYTHMICS
RHYTHMIST
SCHMALTZY
SKYLIGHTS
SPRIGHTLY
STRENGTHS
STRONGYLS
STRYCHNIC
STYLISHLY
SYMPHYSES
SYMPHYSIS
SYMPHYTIC
SYMPLASTS
SYNCHRONY
SYNCHYSES
SYNCHYSIS
SYNDACTYL
SYNGRAPHS
SYNTHPOPS
TRIGLYPHS
TRIPTYCHS
TSKTSKING
TWELFTHLY


Of these, the only two without a Y are STRENGTHS and TSKTSKING


Martin

Nice lists Martin.

If you download Countmax I believe you get a notepad document in the zip file where each word allowed on Countdown is listed alphabeticallly (all capital letters, one word per line).

6 vowels and valid in the OED:

AUDITORIA
EQUIPOISE
IONOPAUSE
QUILEGIA
EQUIVOQUE
AUDACIOUS
MEIOFAUNA
AUDIOBOOK
BOOBOISIE
AUBRIETIA
DIOECIOUS
OLEACEOUS
LEUKAEMIA
OLIGAEMIA
RELIQUIAE
ARAUCARIE
BEAUTEOUS
IDEOLOGUE
AUTOROUTE
OCEANARIA
AUDIOTAPE

1 vowel, valid in the OED:

SCHMALTZY
TWELFTHLY
FLYSPECKS
CHRYSANTH
STRENGTHS
HYDROXYLS
SYMPHYSIS
CRYPTONYM
HYPERNYMS
SYNDACTYL
SYMPLASMS
DYSTROPHY
GYPSYWORT
DYSTHYMIC
POLYPTYCH
SPRIGHTLY / TRIGLYPHS
LYNCHPINS
SYMPLASTS
SYMPHYSES
SYMPHYLAN
SKYLIGHTS
KLYSTRONS STYLISHLY
SYNCHRONY

How do you pronounce TSKTSKING?