c4countdown

Before I start the thread, a huge mention must go out to Deeksy and Innis, who at the end of today will commence their 25 hour Countdown marathon in aid of Comic Relief in the Pleasance Theatre, London. Please make a donation, as it's for a well worthy cause.

Now, back to the TV show, and today sees the arrival of the penultimate match of this series, and after yesterday's excitement in the first semi-final, this 2nd semi-final has got a lot to live up to, but these 2 contestants are both coming here on the back of MAX GAMES in their quarter-finals, so it's only fair to label this match:

MAX GAME 2: MAX HARDER!!!

These 2 leviathans are the Series 53 semi-finalist, Jon O'Neill and the Series 54 champion, Conor Travers.

Here are the stats:

Firstly, Series 53 Semi-Finalist & CoC XII Contestant Jon O'Neill - 14 Games, 12 Wins, 1,421 Points (Average: 101.5)
Highest Score: 122 vs. Darryl Francis (30BC Round 2) & Jack Worsley (30BC Quarter-Final)
Lowest Score: 87 vs. Steve Smith (1st Game)
9's Achieved: 3/9
Total Points/Max/%: 1421/1785 (80%)
Letters Points/Max/%: 936/1229 (76%)
Numbers Points/Max/%: 395/416 (95%)
Conundrum Points/Max/%: 90/140 (64%)

Secondly, Series 54 Champion & CoC XII Semi-Finalist Conor Travers - 18 Games, 17 Wins, 2,013 Points. (Average: 111.83) (I've not included the 12-round 25th Birthday Special)
Highest Score: 124 vs. Andrew Christley (6th Game), Paul Howe (Semi-Final) & John Hunt (CoC Prelim)
Lowest Score: 98 vs. Matthew Shore (Grand Final)
9's Achieved: 7/12
Total Points/Max/%: 2013/2270 (89%)
Letters Points/Max/%: 1403/1562 (90%)
Numbers Points/Max/%: 460/528 (87%)
Conundrum Points/Max/%: 150/180 (83%)

Heather will be around with the recap later today.

Palpable relief from Conor there after that relatively straightforward 4 large round.

Did it their way on the day, but today did 5x75+(4x100/25)

Don't know how so many people got tickets - I applied for this final recording day as soon as I saw the dates announced on this forum and never got a response (chased it up once too).

Adam Gillard wrote:Don't know how so many people got tickets - I applied for this final recording day as soon as I saw the dates announced on this forum and never got a response (chased it up once too).

The trick was to get an unknown member of the public to apply and join their group.

Tony Atkins wrote:

Adam Gillard wrote:Don't know how so many people got tickets - I applied for this final recording day as soon as I saw the dates announced on this forum and never got a response (chased it up once too).

The trick was to get an unknown member of the public to apply and join their group.

Really? Why would that make a difference?

Alt 2nd numbers: (50+8)x(6+3)

Adam, Did you email Shantelle or the general address? My contact was sent a whole list of recording dates
by her and I told him which date to apply for. He replied to her and got the date we wanted.

Alt in R13 MADDERS

Alt 3rd numbers : (5x7+8)x6

Tony Atkins wrote:Adam, Did you email Shantelle or the general address? My contact was sent a whole list of recording dates
by her and I told him which date to apply for. He replied to her and got the date we wanted.

I emailed Shantelle on 10 October (two days after the dates were announced) and then again on 4 November and didn't get a response. After I got a place in the tournament, she suddenly started responding immediately to my ticket requests for guests.

Three...max...games...in a row. This just blows my mind. Well done yet again Conor, this sounds like it's going to be a very tough final between you and Jack. Unlucky Jon, scoring 13 maxes against Conor is no mean feat, but with the standard Conor's been on, very few people could beat him.

Jack vs Conor in the final tomorrow, this is going to be good.

No Conor-beaters in this game.

You know what that means.

Wow. Another great game. Well done Conor.Was that another max game?

Congratulations Conor on what I can only assume is ANOTHER max game (and almost a double max if Jono hadn't risked the 9)! Incredible standard and played in great spirit, brilliant stuff! Congratulations Jono on an unbelievable run to the semi-finals, with the max game and not far off another one here.

Have to hope I don't pick up any spoilers for tomorrow when I meet up with the marathoners later!

When I have met folk who thought it had been good up until then, I say that it keeps getting better.
Brace yourselves for the battle of the jumpers tomorrow!

Wow what a game, another great one, well played lads. Well done Jon on making the semis and all games played in great style. Many congrats on another max, Conor and for making the final.

What a final to look forward to between two all time greats, very reminiscent of the Supreme final all those years ago between the great Harvey Freeman (who was unbeaten in the normal format) and the amazing Allan Saldanha. I can't wait for the final tomorrow.

56 maxes in a row is insane.

Congratulations Conor on another perfect game

That was incredible scoring from both players but Conor is just incredible. My score against both today was 37!!

I don't know what the stats are between Jack and Conor but I can't foresee anything other than 2 x 14 maxes and a 0.5s crucial.

I was hoping for SPORULATE to come up in r6 and NEUROMAST in r7 but alas neither emerged.

3rd number alt : 9 x 8 x ( 7 - 3 ) - 6 x 5

Tough, Jono, having SULPHATED^ disallowed, as it's a word I've come across in everyday life - years ago my car battery wouldn't hold its charge because it had become sulphated

This is just getting ridiculous from Conor now, three max games in a row is extraordinary! The conundrum solve was a bit slow after Monday's but well done for keeping your nerve. Fantastic game again, brilliantly played both! I feared a bit for Jono after he had SULPHATED disallowed but taking Conor to a crucial is a fantastic achievement. I'm glad he performed really well in this game to follow on from Friday and I'm certainly not too disappointed to have gone out to a player as good as him.

DASYURE to equal REMUDAS in round 13.

Jojo Apollo wrote:Wow what a game, another great one, well played lads. Well done Jon on making the semis and all games played in great style. Many congrats on another max, Conor and for making the final.

What a final to look forward to between two all time greats, very reminiscent of the Supreme final all those years ago between the great Harvey Freeman (who was unbeaten in the normal format) and the amazing Allan Saldanha. I can't wait for the final tomorrow.

100% agree!

ANOTHER COMBINED 28-MAXER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

This tournament has gone far and beyond just about everything imaginable. This final tomorrow is going to be the GREATEST MATCH OF ALL TIME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Conor, you and Jack are gonna be involved in something truly magical tomorrow, I can feel it.

Jono, you deserved massive praise for hanging on for all the match, and if only you stuck with SULPHATE, we would've had a DOUBLE MAX GAME (Ah well, you did what you had to at the time, so we'll not pull you up on that. )

The atmosphere that has been around in every game too is just something to treasure. Something that we'll unlikely see again, except in CO-events of course.

AND NOW, BRING ON TOMORROW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Adam Gillard wrote:(and almost a double max if Jono hadn't risked the 9)

An absolutely perfectly calculated risk though IMO. Jono presumably backed himself to match Conor in the remaining rounds (which he did) and wouldn't get the chance elsewhere to take two rounds off him (which he didn't) so it would come to the conundrum regardless (which it did). It changed nothing other than giving him the chance to win the game.

Brilliant show, phenomenal standard by both guys and a lovely atmosphere once again. Conor is playing at such a ridiculous standard... but I'm still not really expecting anything other than a crucial tomorrow deciding it... can't wait to see what Damian's come up with

There's no letting off on the standard, I've not been able to compete at all this week, comfortable defeats from all contestants.

I believe the two people in the final tomorrow were the best players from their respective halves of the draw before the tournament so I'm pleased that they will contest the final. And I think if Conor wins, for me, he will be the Best Countdowner in history, no questions asked. If Jack is the winner, his claim to being the Best Countdowner is incredibly strong but not quite as strong as Conor's and I think I'd have to have a joint top 2 between them based upon the phenomenal achievement of 3 consecutive max games. Conor is as close to perfection as any contestant has ever been. So for completeness, it would be nicer if Conor wins. Preferably with a max game. Although if Jack can win it with a max game then that would be pretty sweet too. Greatness on top of greatness.

Anyway, well played Jono today, pretty impressive taking Conor to a crucial (and pretty much maxing every round too) and here's wishing for an equally competitive final tomorrow!

Jon Corby wrote:

Adam Gillard wrote:(and almost a double max if Jono hadn't risked the 9)

An absolutely perfectly calculated risk though IMO. Jono presumably backed himself to match Conor in the remaining rounds (which he did) and wouldn't get the chance elsewhere to take two rounds off him (which he didn't) so it would come to the conundrum regardless (which it did). It changed nothing other than giving him the chance to win the game.

He's not a risk analyst for nothing!

Ryan Taylor wrote:

Jon Corby wrote:

Adam Gillard wrote:(and almost a double max if Jono hadn't risked the 9)

An absolutely perfectly calculated risk though IMO. Jono presumably backed himself to match Conor in the remaining rounds (which he did) and wouldn't get the chance elsewhere to take two rounds off him (which he didn't) so it would come to the conundrum regardless (which it did). It changed nothing other than giving him the chance to win the game.

He's not a risk analyst for nothing!

Good point, forgot that I reckon I was thinking he must be a sex model or something after watching that.

Unbelievable. Just unbelievable.

The tension in the studio was palpable, I was kinda hoping Conor would win, because I think Jack vs Conor is the perfect final and can't wait to (re)watch it tomorrow!

Oh, and:

Eoin Monaghan wrote:Great game guys! Thought Jon was rock solid and Kai was unlucky with the ECHIDNAS round. Great stuff to watch, think Jon could be a dark horse!

You're ing yourself for predicting something that you already knew?

When I thought about how the tournament might pan out, I kinda felt that a crucial conundrum was inevitable, and the thought of one made me a bit queasy. But as the clock ticked down at the end of round 14, I felt exactly as I'd felt before my only previous crucial: relaxed, happy with how I'd done and knowing that whatever disappointment I'd feel should I lose would be trumped by the admiration I felt for my opponent. Jono mentioned our apterous record, but when we used to play on-line in the MSN the head-to-head was similarly flattering but failed to tell the whole story, which is that our games almost invariably went to a crucial. And the game today deserved a crucial.

Jono was unlucky with sulphated and it had me worried, I don't think I'd have went for it (I didn't see SULPHATE) but at the same time I didn't know it wasn't in and it's a very plausible word with usage outside of the ODE. And as the rest of the game unfolded, it was a well calculated risk. Jono has been immense in the tournament, 13 maxes followed by probably the best max game ever and he more or less maxed the game today and would've been a worthy finalist. Irrespective of the result, just so glad to have been part of a game like this.

Nice conundrum setting by Damian....TURNMOIST followed by FINEGIRTH. Would have made more sense if they were the other way round

Awesome game and awesome play Conor. We were discussing if my 17 maxes in a row was a record and that's been totally smashed now! My girlfriend was calling me Captain Maxface after I was on 2 max games and nobody else had had one and when she found out you had THREE she's stopped calling it me now Sad times.

I can't help but feel this game, just a week before recording, helped him get INFIGHTER so quickly:
http://www.apterous.org/viewgame.php?ga ... #r13035181

Jon Corby wrote:You're ing yourself for predicting something that you already knew?

I said that way before I'd been to the finals, Kai/Jon was shown before I knew who'd got where...

I've just watched the show again - great ending and witty remarks from Jon. I couldn't hear what Conor said when Nick spoke over him (Care to enlighten us, Conor?) but I heard Jon swear once, if not twice, after the conundrum! "Fucking brilliant"...this was the portent of things to come after the final with a few drinks!

Eoin Monaghan wrote:I said that way before I'd been to the finals, Kai/Jon was shown before I knew who'd got where...

Ah fair enough, I never did quite get my head around the whole filming/broadcast schedule. In that case, very good call!

Kirk Bevins wrote:I heard Jon swear once, if not twice, after the conundrum! "Fucking brilliant"

Haha, didn't catch that the first time around but you're right, it's pretty clear Fucking brilliant!

Cheers for the nice comments guys. I never expected to get this far and my only goal going in was to not get destroyed. To take Conor to a crucial was far far beyond what I was expecting so I was ridiculously happy with how it went.

A quick note about sulphated... I would've had to be pretty sure it was in to risk it with 7 rounds until the conundrum I felt about 80% sure. The biggest factor working against it was that Conor only had an 8. Also Conor's very modest but if it was in, he would've seen it at some point in the last 10 years, and generally when he sees them they stick.

Anyways I really enjoyed that show and it was a pleasure to lose to a total gent.

A lovely sincere, erudite, polite message on a cunt-filled forum, and on TV he goes with "fucking brilliant". Love it.

Great game. I actually thought the SULPHATED risk was based on the fact that Jono would have thought that Conor probably wouldn't miss anything else, not that necessarily backed himself to match Conor in the remaining rounds or that he was 80% sure it was in. So interesting to see Jono's comments.

But that max game from Conor sets up the dream final against Jack Hurst. Jack clearly hasn't been as convincing as Conor so far, but let's see what the final brings. (I watched the last three games in a row late this evening, so I fucking well know what the final brings.)

Just caught up with this game (even though it had already been spoilered to death on Facebook) and couldn't resist dropping in here to see if anyone had remarked on Jono's "Fucking brilliant" - surprised that made it past the edit as it's so clearly audible but it did make me smile. Well done matey, sorry you didn't make it through but you put up a great performance against a worthy finalist. Oh, and with you sitting next to her I'm sure it's no coincidence that Susie chose "drop dead gorgeous for today's OOW.

Phil Reynolds wrote:Just caught up with this game (even though it had already been spoilered to death on Facebook) and couldn't resist dropping in here to see if anyone had remarked on Jono's "Fucking brilliant" - surprised that made it past the edit as it's so clearly audible but it did make me smile. Well done matey, sorry you didn't make it through but you put up a great performance against a worthy finalist. Oh, and with you sitting next to her I'm sure it's no coincidence that Susie chose "drop dead gorgeous for today's OOW.

I was surprised to see today, after Jon was apparently still choosing between PODGIER and FIREDOG in R2 when asked for his word, that he didn't immediately forfeit the round.

Sam Cappleman-Lynes wrote: ↑Thu Jun 25, 2020 1:58 pm I was surprised to see today, after Jon was apparently still choosing between PODGIER and FIREDOG in R2 when asked for his word, that he didn't immediately forfeit the round.

Haha that's brilliant.
I have learnt how not to cheat in the intervening 6 years.

Has SULPHATED been added to the dictionary used now ? (It is in Collins, and OK for Scrabble, but not Lexico)

Jon O'Neill wrote: ↑Thu Jun 25, 2020 2:20 pm

Sam Cappleman-Lynes wrote: ↑Thu Jun 25, 2020 1:58 pm I was surprised to see today, after Jon was apparently still choosing between PODGIER and FIREDOG in R2 when asked for his word, that he didn't immediately forfeit the round.

Haha that's brilliant.
I have learnt how not to cheat in the intervening 6 years.

I thought the same, but I think because he went for it on the basis that it's a nicer word rather than because Conor went for the other one, it might just about be acceptable.

Peter Mabey wrote: ↑Thu Jun 25, 2020 2:40 pm Has SULPHATED been added to the dictionary used now ? (It is in Collins, and OK for Scrabble, but not Lexico)

Invalid on Apterous.

This was another contender for best game of the series. Very similar to Jono v Jack - one round in it, and the player on for a max gets the conundrum. Maybe this one edges it because it was a semi-final and because Conor had to face a crucial. I still probably prefer Jack Worsley v Graeme Cole overall though. Today's game was also a bit flat. Other than COVENANT I matched the contestants and therefore would have won at home if I'd remembered the conundrum like in some of the other games. I know that's not a reliable measure and I have seen the game before (though the SULPHATED round was the only one I explicitly remembered) but when you have to split these top games, this is enough to give Graeme v Jack the edge.

(Obviously this isn't a comment on the standard of play and both players maxed other games. You can only play the rounds you've got. But yeah, they were a bit shit. Especially the way they both desperately groped for a solution for the final numbers game.)

Did they silence the swearing today? I couldn't hear it.

Gavin Chipper wrote: ↑Thu Jun 25, 2020 3:27 pm Did they silence the swearing today? I couldn't hear it.

I think they did. And if I'm not remembering this completely differently, didn't I make a comment about our online head to head record that wasn't in today's edit?

Sorry for asking this again, but it has piqued my interest: was this game originally supposed to be decided on AHNICELAD?

Because in any case, this game was totally The Big one.

I never got round to watching barely any of these at the time. Been a very welcome addition to my lockdown, some great games, think this is my favourite so far. Never had the chance to meet jono irl but comes across as a total legend on screen, Conor too and has to be the GOAT! Thanks for the entertainment!

Semi-Final 2 2020 Word Update

The max would have stayed the same if played today, for only the fifth time in this series.

WHICH IS BRILLIANT, AS THIS MAX GAME IS THE ONLY ONE OF THE FIVE THAT WAS ACHIEVED DURING THIS SERIES THAT SURVIVED THE TEST OF TIME!!!

New Words Now Allowed:

R3: AGENESIC, AGNESITE, CENTAGES
R6: PLATSHED
R7: MONTUNAS
R8: DOOF, OOID
R9: ARTILISE
R12: NODULATE
R13: MADDERY, MUDDERS