c4countdown

How does it all work?

As far as I can remember (--this far-->) it's either 4 or 6 letters rounds, 2 numbers rounds and 3 conundrums, 45 seconds for everything. Also, you put your hand up to signify you have the conundrum.

It's really informal, there's generally only a few other people and you all sit round a table. They read the selections out loud, so you have to make sure you copy them down right. (Not exactly hard, though I failed at this more times than I'd like to admit)

I had 6 words rounds - there were quite a few 8 and nine letter words available in the selections so look out for them.

There were 3 numbers rounds that were all reasonable and 3 conundrums. The process was as Kai advised.

Good luck Ian

Innis, you've auditioned before?


Thanks Allan. You get through all of that and then face Charlie Reams in your first game. Very unfortunate.

Auditioned 3 times a few years ago when I was useless, you'll do a lot better.

Love your new avatar Innis btw.

Ian Dent wrote:Innis, you've auditioned before?


Thanks Allan. You get through all of that and then face Charlie Reams in your first game. Very unfortunate.

Absolutely Ian - You hit the nail on the head mate - I should have added that you need to keep your fingers firmly crossed all the way to the studio and hope that you don't get an apterous superstar.

Cheers!

Kai Laddiman wrote:Love your new avatar Innis btw.

Thanks.

At mine we had 6 letters rounds, 2 numbers and about 3 conundrums, but we had 35 seconds not 45 - you had it easy young Laddiman

I passed at the second attempt, the first having been 21 and a half years previously.Plenty of time to brush up (or perhaps rediscover the youthful carefree approach to life that I had in my teens).

At my audition (and it may have changed since), the letters were read out in alphabetical order. Once I realised this, I started writing them down in a random order and did much better.

At my audition, they read out the conundrums out loud, which caused me a little trouble when he read out the conundrum MINDNOISE and I wrote down MINEDNOISE...

Rich Priest wrote:At mine we had 6 letters rounds, 2 numbers and about 3 conundrums, but we had 35 seconds not 45 - you had it easy young Laddiman

D'oh! That's what I meant.

Ian Dent wrote:How does it all work?

This thread, gives you an idea of the audition I had back in 2003. I can't remember the time limits per round though.

Mine had 6 letters, 2 numbers and 3 conundrums. The letters and numbers rounds were just read out loud by the lovely Lara, while the conundrums were held up on a piece of paper.

How did people do in their auditions (bearing in mind that if yours was recent it may be used again)? I was super-nervous in my audition. My first word was a nine and thereafter my hands were shaking. I went on to get another nine (IBUPROFEN!) and four eights. It went quite well. The end result was that I went on the show knowing that if I got nervous, I could still perform. Knowing that meant I wasn't nervous at all.

My first audition, in 1998, was quite long, something like 10 letters, 4 numbers and 3 conundrums. I remember getting MILESTONE, OBLIGATE and all 4 numbers, but no conundrums. A certain Mr Eadie was chairing.

When I auditioned again last year I messed up the first one, which had 6 letters, 2 numbers and 3 conundrums. I was average on all 3, spotting no 9s. In hindsight this was a good thing as I'd have ended up in DoD's series had I have passed.

When I auditioned again it was another 6-2-3 format...this time I got maxes on the numbers and conundrum and spotted POSTERITY on the letters.

I wonder how I'll do next time...

Mine was 7L3N3C. Bit of a mixed bag, I missed 2 9s and ICEBOATS (which I'd never heard of at the time) and managed to get a word disallowed (poolman) despite specific instructions you could offer a backup word if you thought your longest offering was risky. Got all 3 numbers and conundrums, and even spotted that one (SUPEREVIL) had two solutions.

Junaid Mubeen wrote: I wonder how I'll do next time...

Haha

Junaid Mubeen wrote:My first audition, in 1998, was quite long, something like 10 letters, 4 numbers and 3 conundrums. I remember getting MILESTONE, OBLIGATE and all 4 numbers, but no conundrums. A certain Mr Eadie was chairing.

When I auditioned again last year I messed up the first one, which had 6 letters, 2 numbers and 3 conundrums. I was average on all 3, spotting no 9s. In hindsight this was a good thing as I'd have ended up in DoD's series had I have passed.

When I auditioned again it was another 6-2-3 format...this time I got maxes on the numbers and conundrum and spotted POSTERITY on the letters.

I wonder how I'll do next time...

4 numbers games, 10 letters.......? You're miles off the mark. Max i've ever done is 7 letters 3 numbers 3 cons. I remember it v well, like it was yesterday, as we've discussed since.

As for next time, unless you come back as Marjorie Winstanley from Brize Norton, there's no hope. (for either of us)

D Eadie wrote:4 numbers games, 10 letters.......? You're miles off the mark. Max i've ever done is 7 letters 3 numbers 3 cons. I remember it v well, like it was yesterday, as we've discussed since.

Really? I don't wanna go all John Mayhew but I'm sure there was a 4th numbers. However I only remember it like it was 11 years ago so I'll take your word for it. One thing I do know for sure, every one of my auditions was really fun and an experience in themselves.

I thought it was like "The Price is Right," where it's like they could have just said to me, "Jason Larsen, come on down!" until Kirk assured me that it wasn't that way.

In all honesty, I think I would have to practice more at numbers games before I got on the show.

Jason Larsen wrote:I thought it was like "The Price is Right," where it's like they could have just said to me, "Jason Larsen, come on down!" until Kirk assured me that it wasn't that way.

In all honesty, I think I would have to practice more at numbers games before I got on the show.

You need to be good at letters too, averaging about 6 or 7 every round.

I had four 8s, a 9 and a 7, missing 2 other 9s.Was 1 away on a numbers and solved the other one, and solved all 3 conundrums. Lara presided, and 4 other hopefuls attended. The only other one who was successful was David Sandbach who beat Matt Coates then lost.

It was at Granada TV studios and on the way out I saw Jeremy Kyle briefly.Seemed a nice guy.

6L, 2N, 3C for mine. In the first round I had the letters:

L T E A R F M P O

I was so nervous I didn't see PLATFORM or TEMPORAL and opted for TERAFLOP instead; this generated quite a few quizzical looks around the room and I had a sweaty few moments while it had to be checked. Getting a good start, though, calmed me down. I agree with Martin, it was encouraging that nerves didn't seem to hinder performance too much.

My advice for anyone doing the audition is to get one of the Countdown puzzle books: you may not get the same selections but it'll give you an insight into the mindset.

For those trying it, its a relaxed atmosphere and not majorly competitive, I was really at ease doing mine.

From memory, I think mine had 7 letters altogether, 3 numbers and 3 conundrums. Marie Wale did mine in September 2001. Round a big table, with 6 including myself IIRC - very chilled. Anyone else here had Marie do their audition as I thought she was great. Got 1 or 2 out on all the numbers rounds and 2 conundrums.

RREEATTSC - 8

SPLTAAHDE - 7

RRPTEAEDU - 7

YBJLEAENL - 5

BVROIAPET - 7

MNNPEIUSG - 6

The answers above were probably touch and go but what probably swung it for me I reckon between pass and failure was the final letters round getting 8 from LGNOUAMTE which Marie said no-one else had ever got before.

Out of interest, does anyone know how many times the average person has auditioned before getting on and how many of auditioners they accept?

Tom wrote:For those trying it, its a relaxed atmosphere and not majorly competitive, I was really at ease doing mine.

From memory, I think mine had 7 letters altogether, 3 numbers and 3 conundrums. Marie Wale did mine in September 2001. Round a big table, with 6 including myself IIRC - very chilled. Anyone else here had Marie do their audition as I thought she was great. Got 1 or 2 out on all the numbers rounds and 2 conundrums.

RREEATTSC - 8

SPLTAAHDE - 7

RRPTEAEDU - 7

YBJLEAENL - 5

BVROIAPET - 7

MNNPEIUSG - 6

The answers above were probably touch and go but what probably swung it for me I reckon between pass and failure was the final letters round getting 8 from LGNOUAMTE which Marie said no-one else had ever got before.

Out of interest, does anyone know how many times the average person has auditioned before getting on and how many of auditioners they accept?

Majority pass first time, Tom. There is no limit on who we accept, its like a driving test, if you pass, then you pass. There are occasions where we accept people out of sympathy, based on their unfortunate looks, which i think applied when Charlie sent his form in.

Tom wrote:YBJLEAENL - 5

Presumably JELLYBEAN was valid when this was set - doesn't seem to be in anymore.

Bugger! I felt clever getting that one too.

Tom wrote:
MNNPEIUSG - 6

I've seen this round before - hmmmm:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CLBFyV7XOTs

Kirk Bevins wrote:

Tom wrote:
MNNPEIUSG - 6

I've seen this round before - hmmmm:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CLBFyV7XOTs

I was thinking exactly the same thing

Innis Carson wrote:Auditioned 3 times a few years ago when I was useless, you'll do a lot better.

When I auditioned last year I was told that the 3 strikes and you're out rule had been relaxed so if you want to have another go...

Was there such a rule? Even after my third attempt, the letter I got still essentially said "You weren't far off, feel free to try again". Might have been an oversight I suppose.

Innis Carson wrote:Was there such a rule? Even after my third attempt, the letter I got still essentially said "You weren't far off, feel free to try again". Might have been an oversight I suppose.

Serious respect for keep going back for another go. Your persistence will (hopefully) pay off when you destroy everybody in your octorun