c4countdown

Hi there! Countdown news!

Myself and Innis are going to play some Countdown for charity.

The comedian Mark Watson is doing a 25 hour stand-up comedy show for Comic Relief. Concurrent to this, he wants the show's audience to participate in fundraising activities for those same 25 hours, either at the venue or somewhere else where it can be reported upon. Those activities will then be made into a part of the show, which, ultimately, is the point of the show. If that makes sense. He explains it better himself here, if you have a minute to read it.

In that explanation, Watson presents some ideas of what people can do to raise funds at/with the show. One of those ideas was for two people to play some kind game for 25 straight hours. Ever the anagram addict, this idea appealed to me immediately, and I have spoken to Watson about whether a couple of us Countdowners could get together and play a 25 hour Countdown marathon as a part of the show. It is a way for those of us mildly addicted to the game to play it socially, have some fun, do something novel, and most importantly raise some funds for charity along the way. Watson was REALLY KEEN about this, which was nice, so now the whole thing is a go.

In a back room in the theatre, we will be playing a gruelling 25 hour long head-to-head Countdown marathon. It might be the most insanely monotonous thing anyone has ever attempted, and we might have trouble spelling our own faces after hour 20, but my God, we're doing it anyway.

The whole shaboodle is going to go down on the 28th February-1st March. On those dates, with the official endorsement of Mr Countdown Team, we hope to put our endless amounts of practice and enthusiasm for the game to the best use possible, and raise a significant amount of money to a worthy cause. We can do this with your support. Please visit the Just Giving.com page below and donate.

Thanks!

https://www.justgiving.com/CountdownMarathon

Does that mean you'll be playing during the CoC final? I don't get it. But I like it so I've donated. Awesome.

Before, during, and a few hours after. Yeah. Unavoidable, sadly. Thanks!

Why do you need the blessing of the Countdown Team? Is it gonna be on TV and that?

No.

We've decided what we're going to do is play one reaaaaaaaaaaallllllllllly long game of Countdown; LLLNLLLN for 24 hours and 55 minutes, then ending with a final Conundrum flourish. This way scores will run into the tens of thousands, which most behooves an endurance event.

Set up a YouTube account and do a livestream of this thing.

And give all the notes to Robbo or me and we'll try to recap this.

We're not sure if we're allowd a DC or not yet. If we are, it all becomes easier. Either way, notes will be taken.

Mark Deeks wrote:LLLNLLLN

You can break this down further by saying "LLLN". That should help.

You're lucky you bought my affection or else I'd totally be ripping you for your pedantry right now.

Mark Deeks wrote:DC

I Googled this and couldn't find anything noteworthy. Unless this means Dictionary Corner (which doesn't answer the question), explanation please.

Rhys Benjamin wrote:

Mark Deeks wrote:DC

I Googled this and couldn't find anything noteworthy. Unless this means Dictionary Corner (which doesn't answer the question), explanation please.

It stands for direct current- the loser gets electrodes attached to their balls.

David Coulthard isn't it? He's playing too.

Rhys, yes it's obviously Dictionary Corner. The electrodes are just to keep us awake. And David Coulthard turned us down, the git.

Rhys Benjamin wrote:

Mark Deeks wrote:DC

I Googled this and couldn't find anything noteworthy. Unless this means Dictionary Corner (which doesn't answer the question), explanation please.

Perhaps you found David Cameron in the search and didn't find him noteworthy. This is the first step. Good on you.

Awesome idea! I don't usually donate if the person has fun in the process so you have to promise me for every max you miss you have to stab yourself with a pencil.

In all seriousness this is so exciting, I look forward to the mega-recap and I've donated.

Thanks Kirk, and everybody. We've hit 55% of the fundraising target in only one day! That's pretty awesome, so hopefully we can hit it all really soon and then make an even bigger target!

I'd like to know the precise setup please before I donate. Do you have a target number of rounds? Breaks? Etc.

Jon Corby wrote:I'd like to know the precise setup please before I donate. Do you have a target number of rounds? Breaks? Etc.

That's a good point. I'd want a refund for every minute one or other playing was shitting instead of playing. Unless the two events were concurrent, I might donate more in that case.

Jon Corby wrote:I'd like to know the precise setup please before I donate. Do you have a target number of rounds? Breaks? Etc.

Aiming for approximately 750 rounds. LLLLN indefinitely, then a final conundrum. Piss and poo when we need to, but as quickly as possible, and with otherwise no breaks (eat and drink at the table).

The World Record rules stipulate you can have 5 minutes per hour per break, and you can save them up for longer breas if you wish. We're not setting a world record, but we'll adhere to that as closely as possible. The amount of rounds we can play ultimately determines on whether we have a host or not - if we do, the less time we spend faffing about with the scoring and cards and stuff, so the more we can cram in.

Mark Deeks wrote:Aiming for approximately 750 rounds.

That's a round every two minutes, you'll never manage that surely unless you have a dedicated host + DC?

Might do depending on the scoring tekkers.

In any case, that's a ballpark figure. If we manage only 700 or 650 or whatever, it changes nothing. The grind comes from the sheer amount of time rather than the round count.

Mark Deeks wrote:In any case, that's a ballpark figure. If we manage only 700 or 650 or whatever, it changes nothing. The grind comes from the sheer amount of time rather than the round count.

Well, to a point. If you only did 250 rounds I'd say you were taking the piss and demand my money* back from the charity.

Have you considered using apterous?

*haven't donated yet

We're gonna cram in as much as possible. I can't be any more specific than that because I don't know, but we're not gonna play for half an hour then go watch the show or play FIFA for half an hour. We're in for the grind. The grind is the lure, the purpose.

Apterous would make things much easier from a logistical point of view. However, Watson wants this to be about Countdown (and all non-Aptos in the world will only engage with it that way). Apterous isn't Countdown, and furthermore is proud not to be. So we could play more rounds with Apterous, by quite a long way, but for reasons of purism and visual display, we're going to play the actual game.

Anyone notice that Carl Williams donated £100?

Me and him always got on really.

If this goes well, I'm hoping Innis will join me for a world record attempt in two years time. The current world record for board game playing marathon is 61 hours. If we can do 40% of it, we can surely do ALL OF IT.

Mark Deeks wrote:We're gonna cram in as much as possible. I can't be any more specific than that because I don't know, but we're not gonna play for half an hour then go watch the show or play FIFA for half an hour. We're in for the grind. The grind is the lure, the purpose.

Apterous would make things much easier from a logistical point of view. However, Watson wants this to be about Countdown (and all non-Aptos in the world will only engage with it that way). Apterous isn't Countdown, and furthermore is proud not to be. So we could play more rounds with Apterous, by quite a long way, but for reasons of purism and visual display, we're going to play the actual game.

Are Countdown providing you with proper tiles and stuff then? Or are you going to be using some shitty board game?

I've asked them for them!

Won't proper tiles be a bit cumbersome?

Also you're gonna need hundreds haha!

The whole thing will be cumbersome to be honest. I get what you mean. But there's an obligation to give some kind of official tilt to the viual display of it all (which is why we'll bring our name boards, so they'll help with that,

Who owns the thingy that played the music in the final of CoLin?

Where is this happening? Presumably it would be pretty easy to get a few volunteers to host in rotation?

Zarte Siempre wrote:Who owns the thingy that played the music in the final of CoLin?

That might do our nut after a while. I'm thinking of cutting together a variety of 30 second samples of songs popular in the hit parade to mix it up a little.

Michael Wallace wrote:Where is this happening? Presumably it would be pretty easy to get a few volunteers to host in rotation?

If they let us, we will. Out of our hands though.

Mark Deeks wrote:

Zarte Siempre wrote:Who owns the thingy that played the music in the final of CoLin?

That might do our nut after a while. I'm thinking of cutting together a variety of 30 second samples of songs popular in the hit parade to mix it up a little.

You should make sure that all the Comic Relief singles are included, then

Zarte Siempre wrote:

Mark Deeks wrote:

Zarte Siempre wrote:Who owns the thingy that played the music in the final of CoLin?

That might do our nut after a while. I'm thinking of cutting together a variety of 30 second samples of songs popular in the hit parade to mix it up a little.

You should make sure that all the Comic Relief singles are included, then

Not the Hale & Pace one though, that would be a deal-breaker for me.

Mark Deeks wrote:The World Record rules stipulate you can have 5 minutes per hour per break, and you can save them up for longer breas if you wish.

Presumably this is according to one arbitrary bunch of people who have set themselves up as some sort of "governing body" for such things. Make up your own if you want.

I might donate on the condition that it's a double max game. I wouldn't expect anything less.

Are we allowed to do the Gevin form of maxing which involves liberal, unapologetic and frankly boastful use of Lexplorer? If so, DEAL.

Mark Deeks wrote:Are we allowed to do the Gevin form of maxing which involves liberal, unapologetic and frankly boastful use of Lexplorer? If so, DEAL.

Have you got a massive phone with a bright yellow cover? If so, it's on.

The cover wasn't as bright as that SODDING LIGHT.

Mark Deeks wrote:The cover wasn't as bright as that SODDING LIGHT.

Yeah, sorry about that. I actually had no idea that it was on, as it was in my blind spot, the other side of the camera. At least I know that it can do that now.

You could've saved 35 minutes of everyone's life if you were at the Superbowl the other night.

Heh

Jon O'Neill wrote:You could've saved 35 minutes of everyone's life if you were at the Superbowl the other night.

Why? What?

We've raised £920 in, what, three days? And it's all because of you guys. You guys rule.

Mark Deeks wrote:We've raised £920 in, what, three days? And it's all because of you guys. You guys rule.

I'm about to make that £921

^ This guy. This is the guy.

Some people are asking if they can come and watch. I'm hopeful, but it's not likely. Tickets sold out within four minutes of going on sale. However, it is possible that you may be able to buy them at the door. The tickets are 25 pounds for the full 25 hours, but, if someone leaves after 6 hours, they can sell their remaining 19 hours worth of ticket for 19 pounds on the door. If that makes sense. I don't know how much this goes on, but it's the strategy.

Mark Deeks wrote:Some people are asking if they can come and watch. I'm hopeful, but it's not likely. Tickets sold out within four minutes of going on sale. However, it is possible that you may be able to buy them at the door. The tickets are 25 pounds for the full 25 hours, but, if someone leaves after 6 hours, they can sell their remaining 19 hours worth of ticket for 19 pounds on the door. If that makes sense. I don't know how much this goes on, but it's the strategy.

That sounds like a stupid strategy to me, if you're raising money for charity I wouldn't expect to be refunded the full prorated amount (or anything).

The idea, I assume, is it keeps attendance at its highest level possible for the full 25 hours, and a full room makes for both a better show and better on-the-night donations.

Since you got moved to a separate room rather than the main theatre, there's surely going to be space for a few extra spectators/helpers, even if it's only 10. Something ought to be done.

Mark Deeks wrote:The idea, I assume, is it keeps attendance at its highest level possible for the full 25 hours, and a full room makes for both a better show and better on-the-night donations.

Yeah, by all means have a ticket reselling policy, but why refund those on the way out? There's no way that'll keep attendance higher, it's an incentive to leave.

That's as may be. But, if it behooves those of us who might want to come in late, then it works in our favour.

Mark Deeks wrote:That's as may be. But, if it behooves those of us who might want to come in late, then it works in our favour.

Yes, but that would happen irrespective of whether those leaving got a refund.

I'd have thought they just hand the ticket it in at the ticket office and then the first in line gets to pay £1 per remaining hour on that ticket. Which would go to charity. Surely that is what they would do? It makes more sense from a charity point of view. You could in theory have one ticket generate £300 this way.

Well whatever. That's not my remit. I'm just sorting the Countdown bit.

We will be seated separate from the stage, in a "Countdown Arena", occasionally called onto the stage for updates and some possible live game action. This will essentially be our stage debut. IMDB entries to follow.