c4countdown

So, we're now into Week 3 of this truly fantastic Champion of Champions series, and if you watched the first 2 quarter-finals, and didn't think they were spectacular, quite frankly your brain needs to be thoroughly examined

So, the first semi-final on Wednesday will be between Giles Hutchings and Dylan Taylor, but who will the 2nd semi-final be between....

Our 3rd quarter-final is a REMATCH game. We have the #2 seed from Series 69, Jen Steadman, and her conqueror, the #7 seed, Callum Todd (who would then conquer all in the finals of those series).

Will history repeat or reverse itself in this one, I wonder

Statistics Corner:

Firstly, Series 69 Quarter-Finalist Jen "The Paddock Wood Princess" Steadman - 10 Games, 9 Wins, 1,183 Points. (Average: 118.3)
Highest Score: 130 vs. Ian Toulson (4th Game)
Lowest Score: 104 vs. Peter Etherington (1st Game)
9's Achieved: 6/7
Total Points/Max/%: 1183/1294 (91%)
Letters Points/Max/%: 748/797 (94%)
Numbers Points/Max/%: 365/397 (92%)
Conundrum Points/Max/%: 70/100 (70%)

Secondly, Series 69 Champion Callum "The Tingley Tearaway" Todd - 12 Games, 11 Wins, 1 Draw, 1,215 Points. (Average: 101.25)
Highest Score: 127 vs. Samir Pilica (CoC Preliminary)
Lowest Score: 70 vs. Ritch Greenwood (1st Game)
9's Achieved: 5/9
Total Points/Max/%: 1215/1554 (78%)
Letters Points/Max/%: 728/973 (75%)
Numbers Points/Max/%: 397/461 (86%)
Conundrum Points/Max/%: 90/120 (75%)

Making her DC début this week (and not a bad time to do it either), is BBC Breakfast's Naga Munchetty.

Join Andy for the recap later.

Another top draw contest, well done both.

On another note, to have SRSLY in the dictionary is dumbed-down bllsht/bllcks.

Tough game today and glad Jen got her revenge - well done!

I think she meant (6+1)x3x4x(8+2) for the 840.

Great game. I did think that maybe Callum was a bit below par in a couple of rounds but Jen was very good throughout so a worthy winner regardless. That said, it went against my prediction in that other thread so I think it would have been only polite for Jen to throw this game (even if it did take place before I made the prediction).

Did Callum have a 6 in the SRSLY round? What if Jen's 7 was disallowed?

Gavin Chipper wrote:Great game. I did think that maybe Callum was a bit below par in a couple of rounds but Jen was very good throughout so a worthy winner regardless.

Perhaps it was the sarcastic comment Jen made at the beginning about there not being enough "young geeky males" on Countdown. True, there has been a dominance of young male finalists in recent years who are very much into Countdown in a big way, but I think such a comment is unsportsmenlike. Callum laughed it off, but for some people, comments like that can knock their confidence a bit. Susie was only just defending geekiness the other day. O well. Great game all the same and Jen did play well.

Ciaran Thompson wrote:

Gavin Chipper wrote:Great game. I did think that maybe Callum was a bit below par in a couple of rounds but Jen was very good throughout so a worthy winner regardless.

Perhaps it was the sarcastic comment Jen made at the beginning about there not being enough "young geeky males" on Countdown. True, there has been a dominance of young male finalists in recent years who are very much into Countdown in a big way, but I think such a comment is unsportsmenlike. Callum laughed it off, but for some people, comments like that can knock their confidence a bit. Susie was only just defending geekiness the other day. O well. Great game all the same and Jen did play well.

Callum seemed to take the comment in good spirits, I doubt that affected his game. Jen was just the better player on the day.

Ciaran Thompson wrote:unsportsmenlike

*unsportswomanlike

Callum thought he was going to lose before the game began, because I'd improved my numbers hugely (especially 6 small, my weak point last time) while he hadn't been practising at all - a complete reversal of our last match. He seemed to struggle with the fact that he was perceived as the blatant favourite this time when he didn't believe he had any chance of beating me (more so than last time). If anything, my comment seemed to make him lighten up a bit.

I think you could argue that it might have been unsportswomanlike if they were two players who'd never met and didn't know each other's senses of humour. This isn't the case here.

Gavin Chipper wrote:I think you could argue that it might have been unsportswomanlike if they were two players who'd never met and didn't know each other's senses of humour. This isn't the case here.

Perhaps yes. I did consider that they might have known each other well enough for that, but because Callum didn't seem himself throughout I got the impression that the comment might have been part of the reason he struggled. As Jen said, he was feeling nervy before the show and her comment may have helped rather than hindered.

Find it rather intriguing as to why Callum chose to offer a 5 letter word, SRSLY, when a player of his quality surely must have spotted SAILORS .

samir pilica wrote:Find it rather intriguing as to why Callum chose to offer a 5 letter word, SRSLY, when a player of his quality surely must have spotted SAILORS .

My parents assumed he'd thrown the game because of this, but he clarified with my dad afterwards. Basically he had a 6, but assumed that when I declared a 7 it was going to be a legit word (I think he had that thing where you KNOW there's a longer word in the selection but can't see it, esp with him being a bit rusty), so decided to have some fun by declaring a 5 - it's a shame that Nick's confusion was edited out, as Callum had to say SRSLY a bunch of times before he understood what the word was. It was very funny on set.

Said it to you both in the studio but very well played both of you. Wd Jen and unlucky Callum but I'm disappointed that Nick's reaction to SRSLY was edited. It was SRSLY funny.

Anyone else want a special as a deciding match? But then again I just like watching specials.

Jennifer Steadman wrote:My parents assumed he'd thrown the game because of this

SRSLY? Why on earth would Callum want to throw the game? And wouldn't it have been deeply insulting if he had? It's not as if you need any help to win games of Countdown!

Great performance though, v well done - even if I kind of knew you were going to win just based on your own comments on this very forum! Nothing deliberately spoilerific, just things that I didn't think you would have said if you had not had a great run in this competition. Or maybe I was just reading too much into it.

James Laverty wrote:Anyone else want a special as a deciding match? But then again I just like watching specials.

That's a bit harsh.. I think they're both very intelligent people.

Fred Mumford wrote:Great performance though, v well done - even if I kind of knew you were going to win just based on your own comments on this very forum! Nothing deliberately spoilerific, just things that I didn't think you would have said if you had not had a great run in this competition. Or maybe I was just reading too much into it.

I got a similar feeling. Nothing that counts as concrete proof, but I made an analogy to Graham Nash in his CoC in another thread somewhere.

Gavin Chipper wrote:

Fred Mumford wrote:Great performance though, v well done - even if I kind of knew you were going to win just based on your own comments on this very forum! Nothing deliberately spoilerific, just things that I didn't think you would have said if you had not had a great run in this competition. Or maybe I was just reading too much into it.

I got a similar feeling. Nothing that counts as concrete proof, but I made an analogy to Graham Nash in his CoC in another thread somewhere.

Do either of you know who wins the remaining matches? If not, let's have your predictions.

Graeme Cole wrote:

Gavin Chipper wrote:

Fred Mumford wrote:Great performance though, v well done - even if I kind of knew you were going to win just based on your own comments on this very forum! Nothing deliberately spoilerific, just things that I didn't think you would have said if you had not had a great run in this competition. Or maybe I was just reading too much into it.

I got a similar feeling. Nothing that counts as concrete proof, but I made an analogy to Graham Nash in his CoC in another thread somewhere.

Do either of you know who wins the remaining matches? If not, let's have your predictions.

I've made predictions in another thread. I think I had Callum down to lose in the semis after beating Jen, so Jen will assume that position.

I made my predictions ignoring any feelings I might have had from comments though. Jen beating Callum was the only game where I had any sort of hunch outside my predictions, and given that Jen has now made the semis, I think that might be enough to explain any extra enthusiasm, so I'm sticking with my predictions.

Ciaran Thompson wrote:

Gavin Chipper wrote:Great game. I did think that maybe Callum was a bit below par in a couple of rounds but Jen was very good throughout so a worthy winner regardless.

Perhaps it was the sarcastic comment Jen made at the beginning about there not being enough "young geeky males" on Countdown. True, there has been a dominance of young male finalists in recent years who are very much into Countdown in a big way, but I think such a comment is unsportsmenlike. Callum laughed it off, but for some people, comments like that can knock their confidence a bit. Susie was only just defending geekiness the other day. O well. Great game all the same and Jen did play well.

Nah fuck that. As one of those young geeky males, that comment was both hilarious and very true (and as someone said, they both knew each other and shit). Nothing wrong with challenging an issue in the game, and especially having the balls to do it on telly. I'd feel the same if I were Callum tbh, whether I knew Jen or not.

Good revenge Jen, smashed it etc, but I've talked to both of you since the game so this is a bit pointless. Callum was definitely not on top form here but take nothing away from Jen, obsessive practice pays off (for some... [/salt])

Sent you a PM Graeme - don't want to spoil it for others if I'm right.

EDIT - hmm, it seems to be stuck in my outbox though - is your inbox full or am I doing something wrong?

Gavin Chipper wrote:I've made predictions in another thread. I think I had Callum down to lose in the semis after beating Jen, so Jen will assume that position.

I made my predictions ignoring any feelings I might have had from comments though. Jen beating Callum was the only game where I had any sort of hunch outside my predictions, and given that Jen has now made the semis, I think that might be enough to explain any extra enthusiasm, so I'm sticking with my predictions.

Although it does still shift the probabilities.

Graeme Cole wrote:

Gavin Chipper wrote:

Fred Mumford wrote:Great performance though, v well done - even if I kind of knew you were going to win just based on your own comments on this very forum! Nothing deliberately spoilerific, just things that I didn't think you would have said if you had not had a great run in this competition. Or maybe I was just reading too much into it.

I got a similar feeling. Nothing that counts as concrete proof, but I made an analogy to Graham Nash in his CoC in another thread somewhere.

Do either of you know who wins the remaining matches? If not, let's have your predictions.

Do you know?

Fred Mumford wrote:Sent you a PM Graeme - don't want to spoil it for others if I'm right.

EDIT - hmm, it seems to be stuck in my outbox though - is your inbox full or am I doing something wrong?

PMs stay in your Outbox until the recipient (or a recipient, if there's several) opens them. You can still edit it (or delete it) while it's in your Outbox.

Jon Corby wrote:

Graeme Cole wrote: Do either of you know who wins the remaining matches? If not, let's have your predictions.

Do you know?

Could be a spoiler couldn't it? Basically Jen doesn't win the final. Also Jen got defensive about someone saying Dylan was the best in the first round (ahead of Giles) because Dylan beats Giles. Dylan then beats Jen in the final.

Gavin Chipper wrote:

Jon Corby wrote:

Graeme Cole wrote: Do either of you know who wins the remaining matches? If not, let's have your predictions.

Do you know?

Could be a spoiler couldn't it?

Exactly. As in "oh, you think you know what's gonna happen eh? Well let's hear it then BECAUSE THERE'S NO WAY YOU COULD PREDICT WHAT'S GONNA HAPPEN HERE". Has made everything rather predictable now for me, unfortunately

Out of interest, what did Jen say that you guys thought was particularly spoilerish?

I have no idea. I didn't pick up on anything Jen said. Graeme's just totally ruined EVERYTHING though.

Dan McColm wrote:Out of interest, what did Jen say that you guys thought was particularly spoilerish?

For me it was no one thing. Just a sense from the general level of enthusiasm about certain things. It's perfectly possible that I am completely wrong. I'm no Derren Brown after all.* Fred Mumford, on the other hand, is a certified mind reader. But anyway my "official" prediction in the other thread is still for you to win, Dan.

But anyway it's not spoilers like "You've ruined everything" - just things that make you wonder but could all be wrong/red herrings.

*Although arguably Derren Brown is no Derren Brown.

Jon Corby wrote:I have no idea. I didn't pick up on anything Jen said. Graeme's just totally ruined EVERYTHING though.

As it happens, I have no idea either.

But since you dangle the bait... my thought process was "Gevin says he predicted the outcome of this match from inadvertent clues left by contestants on the forum. I don't know what specifically he's referring to, but this feat would have been a bit more impressive had he made his opinion known before the episode was shown rather than after. So in case further posts have given him clues to the remaining matches, let's get him to predict those later matches now."

Jesus Graeme, you just can't stop yourself can you? I'm pretty sure I even know the scores now.

Graeme Cole wrote:

Jon Corby wrote:I have no idea. I didn't pick up on anything Jen said. Graeme's just totally ruined EVERYTHING though.

As it happens, I have no idea either.

But since you dangle the bait... my thought process was "Gevin says he predicted the outcome of this match from inadvertent clues left by contestants on the forum. I don't know what specifically he's referring to, but this feat would have been a bit more impressive had he made his opinion known before the episode was shown rather than after. So in case further posts have given him clues to the remaining matches, let's get him to predict those later matches now."

Sometimes things shift the probabilities in your mind without necessarily changing the outcome. So I didn't think that Callum had no chance or anything. Anyway see above for my bet hedging prediction for the final.

Gavin Chipper wrote:Just a sense from the general level of enthusiasm about certain things.

I get enthusiastic about loads of things m8. (My Facebook message history reveals a range of occasions which I have dubbed "the best day ever", including the day Jason Larsen first got a max conundrum attack, the day I went above Ed McCullagh on Facebook Scrabble rankings, and the day when Domino's pizzas were half price between 4 and 6pm.)

Jennifer Steadman wrote:

Gavin Chipper wrote:Just a sense from the general level of enthusiasm about certain things.

I get enthusiastic about loads of things m8. (My Facebook message history reveals a range of occasions which I have dubbed "the best day ever", including the day Jason Larsen first got a max conundrum attack, the day I went above Ed McCullagh on Facebook Scrabble rankings, and the day when Domino's pizzas were half price between 4 and 6pm.)

What Corby and Gevin probably don't realise is that they actually enjoy having things spoiled. That's why they engage everyone in this debate every time it's a finals or CoC and a significant number of people on the forum know the outcome, and it inevitably leads to more clues and more spoiling, such as the response above.

If you just ignored the clue that moved the probabilities from your perspective by 2% (and there would be enough of them in either direction to probably wash out), you wouldn't get the big 10%-movers we've seen since.

I'm just dicking about, I have had no clue about any game I've watched so far, nor any one still to come.

Jon Corby wrote:I'm just dicking about, I have had no clue about any game I've watched so far, nor any one still to come.

That makes it even worse.. you're actively spoiling Gevin's life. You fiend!

Jennifer Steadman wrote:I get enthusiastic about loads of things m8. [...] and the day when Domino's pizzas were half price between 4 and 6pm.)

That's a pretty obvious thing to get enthusiastic about. This isn't worth a thread, so I'll say it here - I went to Pizza Hut for an early birthday thing at the weekend, and since they've resized their pizzas they don't really have a pizza the right size. The individual is too small and the "sharing" is too large. But as it was for my birthday I had a sharing pizza after my garlic bread with cheese and before my cookie dough for pudding. I did consider having a sharing cookie dough as well but ended up not doing so. So there you go.

Gavin Chipper wrote:

Jennifer Steadman wrote:I get enthusiastic about loads of things m8. [...] and the day when Domino's pizzas were half price between 4 and 6pm.)

That's a pretty obvious thing to get enthusiastic about. This isn't worth a thread, so I'll say it here - I went to Pizza Hut for an early birthday thing at the weekend, and since they've resized their pizzas they don't really have a pizza the right size. The individual is too small and the "sharing" is too large. But as it was for my birthday I had a sharing pizza after my garlic bread with cheese and before my cookie dough for pudding. I did consider having a sharing cookie dough as well but ended up not doing so. So there you go.

You're making me hungry Maybe we should get some Domino's pizzas and take them on the train to COLIN.

Jennifer Steadman wrote:

Gavin Chipper wrote:

Jennifer Steadman wrote:I get enthusiastic about loads of things m8. [...] and the day when Domino's pizzas were half price between 4 and 6pm.)

That's a pretty obvious thing to get enthusiastic about. This isn't worth a thread, so I'll say it here - I went to Pizza Hut for an early birthday thing at the weekend, and since they've resized their pizzas they don't really have a pizza the right size. The individual is too small and the "sharing" is too large. But as it was for my birthday I had a sharing pizza after my garlic bread with cheese and before my cookie dough for pudding. I did consider having a sharing cookie dough as well but ended up not doing so. So there you go.

You're making me hungry Maybe we should get some Domino's pizzas and take them on the train to COLIN.

We could do that. Is there a Domino's nearby? Do we normally eat in the pub?

Gavin Chipper wrote:

Jennifer Steadman wrote:You're making me hungry Maybe we should get some Domino's pizzas and take them on the train to COLIN.

We could do that. Is there a Domino's nearby? Do we normally eat in the pub?

There's one that delivers to O'Neills. I think this is the best plan ever.

Jennifer Steadman wrote:

Gavin Chipper wrote:

Jennifer Steadman wrote:You're making me hungry Maybe we should get some Domino's pizzas and take them on the train to COLIN.

We could do that. Is there a Domino's nearby? Do we normally eat in the pub?

There's one that delivers to O'Neills. I think this is the best plan ever.

It is pretty good. Even if Corby and Jono are against it, we don't all have to do the same.

Jennifer Steadman wrote:

Gavin Chipper wrote:

Jennifer Steadman wrote:You're making me hungry Maybe we should get some Domino's pizzas and take them on the train to COLIN.

We could do that. Is there a Domino's nearby? Do we normally eat in the pub?

There's one that delivers to O'Neills. I think this is the best plan ever.

THIS would be better http://corporate.dominos.co.uk/news/the ... ris-ramsay. Reckon the only problem would be the small issue of ticket barriers at some stations.

Jennifer Steadman wrote:

Gavin Chipper wrote:We could do that. Is there a Domino's nearby? Do we normally eat in the pub?

There's one that delivers to O'Neills. I think this is the best plan ever.

FFS, now that I know you're not traumatized by the thought of pizza, if the conundrum PARAPIZZA comes up I can be slightly more sure you will solve it rather than fall on the floor foaming at the mouth curled up in a little ball rocking back and forth with a vacant stare in your bloodshot eyes as the thought of sweet sweet mozzarella plagues your thoughts, brain and consciousness.

COC = RUINED

A COLIN train of Dominos and lager would be amazing for us, my only concern is for the other passengers, for whom it would undoubtedly be disgusting.

Jon O'Neill wrote:

Jennifer Steadman wrote:

Gavin Chipper wrote:We could do that. Is there a Domino's nearby? Do we normally eat in the pub?

There's one that delivers to O'Neills. I think this is the best plan ever.

FFS, now that I know you're not traumatized by the thought of pizza, if the conundrum PARAPIZZA comes up I can be slightly more sure you will solve it rather than fall on the floor foaming at the mouth curled up in a little ball rocking back and forth with a vacant stare in your bloodshot eyes as the thought of sweet sweet mozzarella plagues your thoughts, brain and consciousness.

COC = RUINED

I think all contestants should go into hiding until their games have been shown to be seen by no-one not involved in the making of the show. It's not just about the result - someone could die in a game or at least lose an eye. And if they're seen out and about before it's shown we know certain things haven't happened and it takes the edge off the excitement.

That should also go for audience members as well, who might also die or lose an eye or something.

Jon Corby wrote:A COLIN train of Dominos and lager would be amazing for us, my only concern is for the other passengers, for whom it would undoubtedly be disgusting.

CORBY IN CONSIDERATE SHOCKER

Matt Morrison wrote:

Jon Corby wrote:A COLIN train of Dominos and lager would be amazing for us, my only concern is for the other passengers, for whom it would undoubtedly be disgusting.

CORBY IN CONSIDERATE SHOCKER

It's amazing. I don't think it will be disgusting though. We'll have our own table and won't exactly be chucking bits of food around.

Gavin Chipper wrote:

Matt Morrison wrote:

Jon Corby wrote:A COLIN train of Dominos and lager would be amazing for us, my only concern is for the other passengers, for whom it would undoubtedly be disgusting.

CORBY IN CONSIDERATE SHOCKER

It's amazing. I don't think it will be disgusting though. We'll have our own table and won't exactly be chucking bits of food around.

Yeah, but it'll smell.

Hang on, are you sure that you can deliver Dominos to O'Neill's though? I seem to recall last year (or year before?) that we needed food, and their kitchen was closed, and yet I don't remember chowing down on delicious pizza then. And I also seeem to remember asking if we could have pizza delivered. And I seem to remember them saying "no". And I certainly don't remember washing down delicious pizza with delicious lager in the pub.

Jon Corby wrote:Hang on, are you sure that you can deliver Dominos to O'Neill's though? I seem to recall last year (or year before?) that we needed food, and their kitchen was closed, and yet I don't remember chowing down on delicious pizza then. And I also seeem to remember asking if we could have pizza delivered. And I seem to remember them saying "no". And I certainly don't remember washing down delicious pizza with delicious lager in the pub.

Well, we definitely didn't have pizza last year because I'd remember. As for the rest, I don't know. You probably won't remember the delicious lager because it's a figment of your imagination though.

Gavin Chipper wrote:

Jon Corby wrote:Hang on, are you sure that you can deliver Dominos to O'Neill's though? I seem to recall last year (or year before?) that we needed food, and their kitchen was closed, and yet I don't remember chowing down on delicious pizza then. And I also seeem to remember asking if we could have pizza delivered. And I seem to remember them saying "no". And I certainly don't remember washing down delicious pizza with delicious lager in the pub.

Well, we definitely didn't have pizza last year because I'd remember. As for the rest, I don't know. You probably won't remember the delicious lager because it's a figment of your imagination though.

We're not eating Domino's IN O'Neills - we just have it ordered there about half an hour or so before we leave, pay for it at the door when it arrives, and go to the station/get on the train with it. Obviously!!

Must be nice getting on a train with your friends and having pizza.

Matt Morrison wrote:Must be nice getting on a train with your friends and having pizza.

Wasn't my fault. But if you must know, it will be a much lesser experience without you guys.

Gavin Chipper wrote:

Matt Morrison wrote:Must be nice getting on a train with your friends and having pizza.

Wasn't my fault. But if you must know, it will be a much lesser experience without you guys.

Er, I dunno, we're having pizza?

I don't know the outcome but from the stats/probabilities Jen will beat Dan and the winner of Dylan and Giles (probably Dylan) will win the event!

I'm hoping the Countdown team also fudge the first round so we start with a nice 18-18 start for the final, and hopefully an ambulance or two too please?

I'm going for a 148-147 final score to Dyls

Dan McColm wrote:Out of interest, what did Jen say that you guys thought was particularly spoilerish?

She said something a couple of weeks back about the fact that she had never made it to a final, which was clearly a bluff that totally gave away that she made it to the final in this competition. Fortunately for everyone else, I was the only one clever enough to spot it, and have the semi final result spoiled in this way.