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Difference between revisions of "14 round format (old)"

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Episodes played to this format normally lasted for 45 minutes, including one advertising break after the first conundrum (round 7), though the 1500th episode special was extended to 50 minutes. The additional numbers rounds and conundrums arguably added an air of chance to the final, as there was a greater emphasis on numbers and conundrum skill than in a normal game.
 
Episodes played to this format normally lasted for 45 minutes, including one advertising break after the first conundrum (round 7), though the 1500th episode special was extended to 50 minutes. The additional numbers rounds and conundrums arguably added an air of chance to the final, as there was a greater emphasis on numbers and conundrum skill than in a normal game.
  
[[Episode C10|Episodes C10]] and [[Episode C12|C12]], the second and fourth in the 2019 ''[[Celebrity Countdown]]'' revival series, had a set of rounds with the same overall composition as those used in the 14-round format, though their order was rearranged to LNCLLNLLNLLLNC.
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The format effectively plays a final over two legs, but squished into one, slightly longer, programme (thus necessitating the removal of two letters games), thus explaining the conundrum in the middle of the game which has baffled many modern-day fans. Like many ideas from the early years of Countdown, this concept of a two-legs final was first used on [[Calendar Countdown]], with [[Episode CC7]] being a 20-round game played over two episodes.  
  
 
==Rounds==
 
==Rounds==

Revision as of 01:10, 11 October 2020

The 14-round format is the arrangement of letters, numbers and conundrum rounds used for grand finals of series and Championships of Champions between Series 2 and Series 45. Described by fans as "LLNLLNCLLNLLNC", the format was also used for two special games celebrating Countdown's 1000th and 1500th episodes.

Episodes played to this format normally lasted for 45 minutes, including one advertising break after the first conundrum (round 7), though the 1500th episode special was extended to 50 minutes. The additional numbers rounds and conundrums arguably added an air of chance to the final, as there was a greater emphasis on numbers and conundrum skill than in a normal game.

The format effectively plays a final over two legs, but squished into one, slightly longer, programme (thus necessitating the removal of two letters games), thus explaining the conundrum in the middle of the game which has baffled many modern-day fans. Like many ideas from the early years of Countdown, this concept of a two-legs final was first used on Calendar Countdown, with Episode CC7 being a 20-round game played over two episodes.

Rounds

Rnd Selection Champion (C1) Score Challenger (C2) Others Max.
1 C1LETTERS  – 
2 C2LETTERS  – 
3 C 2 NUMBERS →  – 


4 C1LETTERS  – 
5 C2LETTERS  – 
6 C 1 NUMBERS →  – 


7 CONUNDRUM  – 
8 C2LETTERS  – 
9 C1LETTERS  – 
10 C 1 NUMBERS →  – 


11 C2LETTERS  – 
12 C1LETTERS  – 
13 C 2 NUMBERS →  – 


14 CONUNDRUM  – 
Chosen by champion Chosen by challenger Total
Letters rounds 4 4 8
Numbers rounds 2 2 4
Conundrums 2