Improvements to the wiki and Countdown Database

[Toby McDonald]

Hi everyone, I've written this post just to let everyone know I've added a "Discussions" box to the Main Page of the wiki. I've made this for a couple of reasons:

Firstly, I've noticed that when someone asks a question on a talk page, hardly anyone responds to them, so they are mostly going unanswered. This has happened to me a few times recently and I've not known what to do. Therefore, I've created a couple of links to help find which talk pages are active and unanswered.

Secondly, I've made a proposals page for a few big changes that I've thought about making, but obviously would like some other opinions.

Also, while I'm writing this, I've got a lot of queries about word validity on the wiki, but I don't have any of the correct dictionaries.

Firstly, there are some recaps from 2004-2007 that have incorrect maxes (this page details the words). From the way the lead paragraph is worded, it seems like the first words are invalid and the other word(s) are valid, but I'm unsure as this isn't true for all of them. For example, the words for episodes 3811 and 3812 don't follow this.

I've also got some queries about whether the words below are valid or not as well:

1) ADONIS - allowed in Episode 168, disallowed in Episode 695 (both used COD7)
2) DEARESTS - mentioned in Episode 2893, but Mike Brown's notes say "questionable". If valid, should also be added to Episode 3456 (both used NODE)
3) POTAGES - disallowed in episodes 3094, 3280 and 3311 but allowed in Episode 3535 (all used NODE)
4) RAPIDER/RAPIDEST - not sure when comparatives and superlatives of multiple syllable adjectives stopped being allowed (I've found one instance mentioned by DC in Episode 3973)
5) RIBAND - not in recap for Episode 2163 but is in recap for Episode 2244 (both used COD9)
6) STIMIED - Freda Thornton said it was ok in Episode 540, but not in recap for Episode 470.
7) TRIAGES - TRIAGE and TRIAGED in recaps under NODE dictionary, so should it be in recaps for episodes 2933, 2967, 3036 and 3532?
8) Episode 192 - Add GEUM and PUCE?
9) Episode 230 - Add BEET BITE BYTE TWEE VIBE VIEW and YETI?
10) Episode 440 - Add OPERANTS and PRONATES?
11) Episode 462 - Add EROTISM MISTIER MORTISE RIMIEST and WIRIEST?
12) Episode 1471 - Add MEAGERLY? (US spellings allowed at the time)
13) Episode 1589 - Should FALLERS be invalid? (Mike Brown's notes say not in COD)
14) Episode 1709 - Add FOETIDLY and HEJIRA?
15) Episode 2158 - Remove PERSUANT?
16) Episode 2542 - Remove FOEMAN and FOEMEN?
17) Episode 2617 - Remove PIGFACES? (DC said invalid)
18) Episode 2678 - Add EXINE?
19) Episode 2874 - Remove UNPOISED EMBRUING UMBERING and OUTTELL?
20) Episode 2912 - Remove FOEMAN KENAFS SOAKEN and COISTREL?
21) Episode 3000 - Remove GAHNITE and NIGHTED?
22) Episode 3334 - Add TZARDOM? (plural in recap for Episode 3342 - both used NODE)
23) Episode 3400 - Add ABLEISM ADMIRES AMBLERS AMBRIES BAILERS BALDIES BALMIER BARDIES BLADERS BRAILED BRAISED BRIDLES DARBIES DERAILS LAMBERS LIMBERS MAILERS MARBLES MEDLARS MISDEAL MISLEAD MISREAD RAMBLES REALISM REDIALS RIDABLE SEABIRD SIDEARM and SIDEBAR?
24) Episode 3527 - Add DELIRE HERDER HOLDER HOLIER LIEDER LOERIE RELIED and ROILED?
25) Episode 3532 - Add AGISTER BAPTISE BARITES GAITERS PARGETS PARTIES PIASTRE PRATIES STAGIER and TRAIPSE?
26) Episode 3891 - Add GORSIER? (mentioned by DC)
27) Episode 4106 - pretty sure LOERIR is a typo of LOERIE, but just wanted to check
28) Episode 4524 - Add TEMENOI and DETANGLE?
29) Episode 4538 - Remove ATROPIA HONORED HORDEIN and RONDINO?
30) Episode 4539 - Remove STEALAGE ENROUND PIGBOATS REALTIME MADURO SHOOGLE UNTOMB AIDERS and DAISES?
31) Episode 6271 - Should FENNELS be invalid?
32) Episode 6272 - Should REWAKED be invalid?
33) Episode S10 - Add NARIAL and HUGEST?
34) Episode S15 - Add CITOLES and OBELISK?
35) Episode S(25) - Add FELSPAR PARLIES and PILFERS?

Finally, I've also wondered if it's possible to update the Countdown Database? Because it's very outdated and it would be nice if it was updated more regularly. If possible, I'd be willing to update it.

It also seems that recaps on the Countdown Database between 18 May 2006 and 22 January 2008 don't work, so these may need to be redone.

[Rhys Benjamin]

Also, while I'm writing this, I've got a lot of queries about word validity on the wiki, but I don't have any of the correct dictionaries.
[…]
I've also got some queries about whether the words below are valid or not as well:

(snip)

The short answer is that when the recaps are created (between 2003 and 2011), they are checked against the dictionary available at the time. I believe the recap writer (at the time) was able to identify against Lexplorer for modern recaps and NODE for older recaps based on their series (Charlie is free to correct me here), but I believe a combination of Jack Worsley and Mike Brown then checked all the maxes as a human against the relevant dictionaries pre-NODE. This, however, means anything that has dropped out of the dictionary gets missed altogether.

Compounding this problem is the show not having consistent standards until Susie Dent became full-time lex in 2003. I believe Damian has talked about this in interviews before with the example of US spellings, but before that the likes of comparatives/superlatives, mass noun plurals, and accented words. A few off-the-top-of-my-head examples (since I’m writing this on the Piccadilly Line en route to Fulham vs Arsenal):

- Catherine Clarke offered GUNFIRES in a Masters game, which is obviously nonsense.
- Round 1 of this game may theoretically have allowed DEMEANORS but by modern standards, absolutely not. That will need checking against COD8.
- Mark Nyman offered the non-specified TORRIDEST in the COC10 final, which the recap writer would miss if it wasn’t given explicitly. (Bizarrely, Scott Mearns’ disallowed DISTORTER has now found its way in.)
- Judy Pearsall disallowed ELITIST on the grounds it had an accent in COD8 but I’ve no idea how she came up with that rule. The points were later reinstated in the contestant’s octotal.

I believe this covers most of the examples above?