c4countdown

Paul Worsley got a 3rd win yesterday, can he wrap up the week with win number 4?

Join Anthony for the recap later.

Another apterite battle today as Kieran O'Driscoll is the challenger. Such a nice guy too.

Had long talks to Keiran on apterous before the recording to reassure him - I don't think I mentioned
Paul being on....

And stupid me went for "OVERARMS" in R1.

Anyone get the 8 in R4?

CINEASTE as one of the alts to DISTANCE

COALING in R8

CALZONI/INOCULA in R8

Tony Atkins wrote:CINEASTE as one of the alts to DISTANCE

Also CANEDEST if you're playing apterous, although I doubt it would be allowed on the show. Missed the round 4 beater but CALZONI was available in round 8.

Edit: Damn, beaten to it.

CINGULA in R8

DC should have got FUNDERS in R12 not just FUNDS.

Well done to both players for a high quality show.

Another high quality game today. I would have tied with Paul going into the conundrum.. very strong series... Andesite as alt in round 7

UNLACING for 8 in R8

Callum P wrote:UNLACING for 8 in R8

Only one N.

Jack Worsley wrote: Only one N.

Not necessarily an issue this series.

Jack Worsley wrote:

Callum P wrote:UNLACING for 8 in R8

Only one N.

ffs swear I'm getting letter blindness so much recently

Jack Worsley wrote:Also CANEDEST if you're playing apterous, although I doubt it would be allowed on the show.

They should allow it since they've done nothing with the rules to stop it despite the opportunity to do so. They can't disallow a word because they don't like the look of it (even though it's happened on several occasions).

Gavin Chipper wrote:

Jack Worsley wrote:Also CANEDEST if you're playing apterous, although I doubt it would be allowed on the show.

They should allow it since they've done nothing with the rules to stop it despite the opportunity to do so. They can't disallow a word because they don't like the look of it (even though it's happened on several occasions).

Offerings like CANEDEST are potentially allowable because they are arguably regular forms and therefore covered by the section on inflections included in all* printed dictionaries used on Countdown and on which the rules are based. As far as I can tell, the concept of regularity has disappeared completely in the ODO, and continuing to use rules built around it is certain to lead to conflicts, as it did last week.

It would be interesting to see what Susie makes of a word like SHALLOWER, surely part of standard vocabulary for practically all English speakers but falling through the cracks in the ODE and therefore not allowable on Countdown. Unsurprisingly, the ODO redirects to SHALLOW, indicating that it is in some sense recognised. The comparative and superlative forms are not specified in the entry for SHALLOW, but do the compilers of the ODO intend that this should matter any more?

Nevertheless, I think it was a racing certainty that the programme would elect not to use the ODO's search facility for adjudications. The rules belong to them and they can do as they wish. Switching to an automatic process would effectively kill Susie's current role, and it's hard to see how it could be redefined.

Cringeworthiest pun of the week award goes to Damian for that first teatime teaser!

Clive Brooker wrote:It would be interesting to see what Susie makes of a word like SHALLOWER, surely part of standard vocabulary for practically all English speakers but falling through the cracks in the ODE and therefore not allowable on Countdown. Unsurprisingly, the ODO redirects to SHALLOW, indicating that it is in some sense recognised. The comparative and superlative forms are not specified in the entry for SHALLOW, but do the compilers of the ODO intend that this should matter any more?

ODO is also fine with UNKINDER and HUMANER. Two years ago to the game, this discussion came up. And here.