| February's featured article
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Episode S29 was a special episode of Countdown broadcast on 16 August 2010. It was the third game contested by Junaid Mubeen, the Series 59 champion, and Charlie Reams, runner-up to Mubeen in the series final (pictured) by a score of 88 – 84. The two players were drawn against each other in the second quarter-final of Championship of Champions XIII, broadcast six weeks to the day after the Series 59 final. Therein, neither contestant could solve the crucial conundrum LEGALSIRS and this time Reams prevailed by 88 points to 79. With their head-to-head wins therefore tied at one-all, Episode S29 was played as a decider.
Under the original 15 round format, the player in the challenger's chair chose how many large numbers would be available to use to reach the target for two numbers rounds, whereas the challenger only did so for one. To alleviate this advantage, arithmetician Rachel Riley chose the numbers throughout Episode S29. Furthermore, the standard large numbers – 25, 50, 75 and 100 – were swapped for 12, 37, 62 and 87, first used for a special episode to decide the overall Countdown champion of 2009.
In Episode S29, both Reams and Mubeen scored seven points in the first round, before the darren DOORMAT put Reams ahead in round 2. He extended his lead with SAVANTE in round 4, and took advantage when Mubeen had shooted ☓ disallowed in round 8. A perfect numbers solution reduced Mubeen's arrears in round 10, and at the second commercial break the players were separated by 10 points. Reams spotted ISOTOPIC in round 11 to go further in front, but Mubeen replied with INLANDER in round 12. In the final letters round, Reams offered VIZIERS to go 17 points ahead, but failed to declare in the final numbers round. Mubeen found a route to 651, two away from the target. This earnt seven points and set up a crucial conundrum – wherein a correct solution by Mubeen would force the game to sudden death. However, Reams unravelled KILLABAAA in half a second to win by 87 points to 67. (more...)
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| Today in Countdown history
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- 2025: Isaac McIlwrath beat Verity Ridgman, with scores of 69 – 58.
- 2024: Jack Harvey beat Keith Aldridge, with final score 85 – 67.
- 2021: Declan McGurk beat Jason Menzies, with the game finishing 91 – 51.
- 2020: Ian Volante beat Bethany Austin with a score of 90 – 28.
- 2019: Misba Sheikh beat Elaine Hunt in a 81 – 61 game.
- 2018: Phil Davies beat Ben Jenkins with final score 104 – 77.
- 2016: Jack Creswell beat Jamie Dunn with scores of 74 – 21.
- 2015: Kevin Steede beat Terry Stapleton, by a score of 108 – 41.
- 2014: Andrew Farr beat Graeme Cheek in a game that ended 76 – 65.
- 2013: Jon O'Neill beat Darryl Francis, scoring 122 – 91.
- 2010: Craig Chittenden beat Mark Gascoigne with a score of 107 – 40.
- 2009: Kate Richardson beat Phil Baker in a 79 – 53 game.
- 2008: Tim Reypert beat Ian Scott with final score 100 – 37.
- 2007: Vivienne Mead beat Marie Pegg with scores of 83 – 58.
- 2004: Richard Pay beat Sue Booton in a game that ended 102 – 74.
- 2003: Russell Fleckney beat Christine Scott, by a score of 81 – 52.
- 2002: David Franks beat Jeremy Kimber with a score of 95 – 56.
- 2001: Ray McNamara beat Tim Robinson, scoring 60 – 44.
- 1999: Alan Williams beat Lillias Thompson in a 48 – 20 game.
- 1998: Gary Davis beat Dave Bonas with scores of 68 – 31.
- 1997: Roger Hayward beat Jackie Manton with final score 43 – 26.
- 1996: Steve Gruzd beat Seamus McAteer in a game that ended 62 – 41.
- 1993: Lynne Belgum beat Juliette Hall, by a score of 48 – 37.
- 1992: Phil Jordan beat Anthony Annakin-Smith with a score of 53 – 44.
- 1991: Nick Saloman beat Douglas Whittle in a 58 – 11 game.
- 1991: Sandie Simonis played Jane Smith in the second leg of a Countdown Masters game, which has not been broadcast.
- 1990: Elaine Newcombe beat Dave Claridge, scoring 45 – 44.
- 1990: Cath Powell played Neil Wilkins in the first leg of a Countdown Masters game.
- 1987: Alan Johnson beat Ted Taylor with scores of 33 – 21.
- 1986: Andy Keeble beat Paul Hunter in a game that ended 52 – 42.
- 1985: Sheila Alder beat Richard MacFarlane, by a score of 29 – 27.
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- A brief overview of Countdown and some of its records and terminology.
- The team – Colin Murray, Rachel Riley, and Susie Dent.
- The show's institutions – the conundrum, the Countdown clock and its music, Dictionary Corner, the pencam, and the Teatime Teaser.
- Rhys Jones, the reigning series champion, and his series grand final against Tim James.
- The most recent Championship of Champions grand final between James Haughton and Ahmed Mohamed.
- The 30th Birthday Championship grand final between Conor Travers and Jack Hurst.
- Richard Whiteley, Des Lynam, Des O'Connor, Carol Vorderman, Jeff Stelling, Nick Hewer and Anne Robinson – the show's former permanent presenters.
- The highest ever score – 154, achieved by Tom Stevenson on 29 September 2022 and Cillian McMulkin on 31 January 2023.
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| Everyone can edit the Countdown Wiki, just register and then click the edit link at the top of any page (except this one!) and start editing. Here are some useful links:
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- Apterous, an online game from the same people that run this site.
- Beat The Clock: Words & Maths, a Countdown-inspired Android app created by Series 63 champion Jack Hurst.
- The Countdown Database, detailed statistics and round-by-round details of over 7,800 episodes.
- FOCAL, regular in-person events that anyone can enter.
- c4countdown, Countdown's main online forum, populated by many past octochamps.
- Quantum Tombola, a numbers game solver designed by Series 65 champion Graeme Cole.
- Greem, a website listing nearly all Co-event scores until early 2020.
- The Countdown Page, the original site of Countdown stats, created by Mike Brown.
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| Upcoming Countdown tournaments
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The full list of FOCAL tournaments for 2026 is here.
The next scheduled event is Countdown in London on 21 February.
Almost all online tournaments are now held on Apterous: the list of ongoing tournaments is here. |
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