c4countdown

Before the show starts, I'd just like to say how much I'm enjoying it and how I think the show's improved - notably because Jeff talks to the contestants and gets them more involved than Des did, and secondly because I think Rachel is hot.

Agreed on the Jeff point. He's perfect, and actually intelligent and understands the game too. I don't recall any other hosts ever offering a DC beater before (Jeff did recently with an 8 that I've forgotten) and he comes up with cracking words pretty regularly.

I agree, and Jeff is also the most attractive host there's been. ( )

Funny, I was gonna bump one of the "new presenter" threads today to make this exact point. Both presenters are excellent and the show is better than it has ever been IMO. It also helps that we've had some fantastic games already this series, and that's before the arrival of the Kirkulator next week...

Another "me too". I was only thinking this morning how very natural both presenters are. I'm in total agreement with earlier comments about how Jeff talks with the contestants, bringing in very appropriate comments about them during the programme, rather than just during the introductions.

And as for Rachel, there was one point this morning when I was trying to remember what Carol looked like. Rachel really has fitted into that role so well.

Jeff is still introducing himself at the start, so I wonder how long will it be before he will just say welcome and go in to the first piece of banterfodder.

CEREBRA was in the previous selection I think. Easier to type than say.

R3: I got the rather nice PERVIER for an equal 7

That's a bit annoying, why didn't he just choose six consonants and try and get an eight?

Seriously impressive numbers game, I can get 784 (98 * 8).

I'm surprised neither contestant went for UPRIVER

LINKMEN (apparently).

Can't think of any other Octochamp who's had some many good scores, despite so many close games! Well done again, very neat last numbers solution.

TERATOID for round 7

Rachel managed to get that numbers game brilliantly, I must say I'm starting to say "Carol who?" now.
In agreement with above messages, I really like Rachel & Jeff. Jeff has a lovely smile and dresses very smartly (and he DOESN'T say "Okey-Dokey"!!!)
I hope they both stay for a long time.

Martin Gardner wrote:Can't think of any other Octochamp who's had some many good scores, despite so many close games! Well done again, very neat last numbers solution.

Just caught this on +1 hour and I agree that that was a nice solution there by Neil for the last numbers.

Joseph Bolas wrote:

Martin Gardner wrote:Can't think of any other Octochamp who's had some many good scores, despite so many close games! Well done again, very neat last numbers solution.

Just caught this on +1 hour and I agree that that was a nice solution there by Neil for the last numbers. Well done on becoming an Octochamp and the best of luck for the finals later on this year Neil .

Spoiler!!!!! Anyway, he has only won 7 Joseph. His 8th appearance is tomorrow.

Kirk Bevins wrote:Spoiler!!!!! Anyway, he has only won 7 Joseph. His 8th appearance is tomorrow.

I misread Martin's post. My bad

Eoin Monaghan wrote:TERATOID for round 7

It's not in. Where are you coming up with these gems from?

Kirk Bevins wrote:

Eoin Monaghan wrote:TERATOID for round 7

It's not in. Where are you coming up with these gems from?

http://homepage.ntlworld.com/adam.bozon ... solver.htm

It might be American - I'm not sure.

Oh right, Eoin. I assume when people post in the spoiler thread it's because they got it themselves. This is the place where satisfied people go who get DC-beaters. Anyone could use a solver.

Kirk Bevins wrote:Oh right, Eoin. I assume when people post in the spoiler thread it's because they got it themselves. This is the place where satisfied people go who get DC-beaters. Anyone could use a solver.

Sorry Kirk
Oh BTW that is the first time I have ever used an anagram solver for Countdown or apterous.
And the last time I will ever use one.

Can I just comment on a few observations, the zooming in factor, you don't see the letters fully close up till around the 4th letter (some of our old eyes aren't what they used to be ). Also you can nearly always see the last number Rachel puts up, before she actually puts it up, because of the way she holds the number cards, no real advantage I suppose but it sort of prepares you eg. if you see 75, you get your head into the 75 times table mentality several seconds before the clock is started.

ps. well done again Neil, hopefully you will be an Octochamp tomorrow.

Another good game and congratulations Neil. Rick put up a good fight, but he was up against a real 'goodie' in Neil. By the way, what does JOSHED mean? I can't find it in my little dictionary and my new OED from Amazon hasn't arrived yet. I also got ELUDING, but wasn't sure if it needed the other 'E'. I got WIRELESS too.

Well played Neil! Wireless was a great spot. As was the 87 times table!

For the JOSHED round, I got BOSHED, but the more I look at the more it seems like slang? Can anyone clear that up?

FTR, I totally agree with the comments about Jeff. Obviously I didn't appear on the show under any other host, but just from watching it on TV it seems like there's a lot more contestant-host banter.

My worst start to a match in 7 attempts, not helped by round 3. This match was filmed before I'd had a chance to read this post http://www.c4countdown.co.uk/viewtopic. ... 889#p26889 which is a bit unfortunate. Though I didn't have another 7 anyway, so I'd still have lost the round...

Dominic Colley wrote:Well played Neil! Wireless was a great spot. As was the 87 times table!

Thanks! I was annoyed with myself for not getting the first numbers game right (always factorise first!!) so it stuck in my mind.

Martin Gardner wrote:That's a bit annoying, why didn't he just choose six consonants and try and get an eight?

Which round are you referring to?

Dominic Colley wrote:Well played Neil! Wireless was a great spot. As was the 87 times table!

For the JOSHED round, I got BOSHED, but the more I look at the more it seems like slang? Can anyone clear that up?

Slang is very much included in the dictionary, but not in this particular case I'm afraid.

Neil Zussman wrote:

Dominic Colley wrote:Well played Neil! Wireless was a great spot. As was the 87 times table!

Thanks! I was annoyed with myself for not getting the first numbers game right (always factorise first!!) so it stuck in my mind.

Martin Gardner wrote:That's a bit annoying, why didn't he just choose six consonants and try and get an eight?

Which round are you referring to?

Not you, your opponent. When the Q came up he went for five vowels to get the U, when I'd prefer to go for some consonants, ignore the Q, and most likely get at least a seven given the good quality of the letters before the Q.

For the numbers, yeah, I usually add up the digits to see if they make nine, and this time I didn't! In fact Rachel's 783 is probably as simple or simpler than my way of getting one away.

Martin Gardner wrote:Can't think of any other Octochamp who's had some many good scores, despite so many close games! Well done again, very neat last numbers solution.

Yeah I know he's only won seven, I'm just "assuming" the 8th one. Knowing him, he'll probably be 40-0 after five rounds, and win 99-98.

Kathleen Batlle wrote:By the way, what does JOSHED mean? I can't find it in my little dictionary and my new OED from Amazon hasn't arrived yet.

See here.

Loved Neil's "I've been practising my 87times table" comment, so he should have found this for the second numbers round:
75+9+3=87, 87x2=174, 174+3=177

Phil Reynolds wrote:

Kathleen Batlle wrote:By the way, what does JOSHED mean? I can't find it in my little dictionary and my new OED from Amazon hasn't arrived yet.

See here.

Thanks Phil. I've bookmarked that website as I think it could come in handy (especially if my OED fails to arrive!)

Exciting game, a bit scary for Neil up to round 5. Rick was a great player, as many of Neil's opponents have been.
One more win and he'll be an octochamp and fairly definitely in the finals.

Great quip from Neil after round 14 about learning his 87 times tables after Rachel's solution for round 5!

I always seem to forget the 'digits added up divisible by 9 means the whole number is divisible by 9' rule.
I made myself find 87 in round 5 afterwards (different to Rachel), writing it down, and I hope it'll stick in my mind now.

I did:

5 + 4 + 2 = 11
11 x 8 = 88
88 -1 = 87
87 x 9 = 783

After Rachel's method, though, as I said.

Julie T wrote:I did:

5 + 4 + 2 = 11
11 x 8 = 88
88 -1 = 87
87 x 9 = 783

After Rachel's method, though, as I said.

I went for that method too, but well within the time. Got the conundrum, and in a shorter time than Rick. As a result, beat both contestants in this game - a rare occurrence.

Howard Somerset wrote:

Julie T wrote:I did:

5 + 4 + 2 = 11
11 x 8 = 88
88 -1 = 87
87 x 9 = 783

After Rachel's method, though, as I said.

I went for that method too, but well within the time. Got the conundrum, and in a shorter time than Rick. As a result, beat both contestants in this game - a rare occurrence.

Great stuff, Howard!
Did you enjoy your family half term holiday BTW? Skiiing wasn't it?

I must remember 'digits added up divisible by 9 means the whole number is divisible by 9'
I must remember 'digits added up divisible by 9 means the whole number is divisible by 9'
I must remember 'digits added up divisible by 9 means the whole number is divisible by 9'
I must remember 'digits added up divisible by 9 means the whole number is divisible by 9'
I must remember 'digits added up divisible by 9 means the whole number is divisible by 9'
.....

Julie T wrote:I must remember 'digits added up divisible by 9 means the whole number is divisible by 9'

Also, a number is divisible by 3 if the sum of its digits is divisible by 3, and obviously by 6 if the sum of its digits is divisible by 3 and it's even.

Howard Somerset wrote:Got the conundrum, and in a shorter time than Rick. As a result, beat both contestants in this game - a rare occurrence.

I got 'Laterally' straight away for the conundrum, but then decided to pursue a totally different path Fortunately, it wasn't crucial... Rick told me that he had been practising conundrums on the hand-held game a few days earlier and Literally had come up. So he actually got Literally straight away, but couldn't believe that would be the answer! Well done for beating us though anyway.

Matt Morrison wrote:Agreed on the Jeff point. He's perfect, and actually intelligent and understands the game too. I don't recall any other hosts ever offering a DC beater before (Jeff did recently with an 8 that I've forgotten) and he comes up with cracking words pretty regularly.

Fucking bastard poofter melon arse.

Howard Somerset wrote:Another "me too". I was only thinking this morning how very natural both presenters are. I'm in total agreement with earlier comments about how Jeff talks with the contestants, bringing in very appropriate comments about them during the programme, rather than just during the introductions.

And another "me too". I'm also glad that Jeff has a good stock of different phrases to start the time timer, rather than Des's "here's the clock" or "one more clock" which really started to irritate me for reasons I can't explain rationally.

And as for Rachel, there was one point this morning when I was trying to remember what Carol looked like. Rachel really has fitted into that role so well.

I'm glad she is starting to get the numbers that contestants don't. I'm sure nerves were restricting her at first. She is indeed settling in. Still needs to lose those tall shoes though