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9 round format
The 9-round format is one of the four principle arrangements of letters, numbers and conundrum rounds to have been used on Countdown. It was used on the programme from its inception up to and including Series 45. Summarised by fans of the programme as LLLNLLLNC, this format saw each episode run to approximately 30 minutes including advertising breaks. Compared to the 15-round format used today, games tended to be closer with many more crucial conundrums; the fewer number of rounds heightened the element of chance or luck, as a single mistake or disallowed word could easily lead to defeat. Furthermore, unlike the original version of the 15-round format that replaced it (used from Series 46 to mid-68), 9-round games had the advantage of contestants making the same number of letters and numbers choices, arguably offering a fairer game. This imbalance was rectified when the current 15-round format was introduced in Episode 5666.
During what fans refer to as the "9-round era", all preliminary, quarter-final and semi-final matches were contested over 9 rounds, while each series' grand final was decided over 14 rounds (effectively a standard 9-rounder of two legs but with two letters rounds removed from each). Onwards from Series 46 however, the programme has used the 15-round format exclusively for regular series games. The only exceptions were the three-day junior tournament in Series 47 and the similar ladies' tournament in Series 49. The Australian version of Countdown, Letters and Numbers was played over episodes consisting nine rounds, however the order was LLNLLNLNC. The format lives on in unofficial online games and at many of the regular in-person Countdown tournaments such as COLIN.
Original Rounds
| Rnd | Selection | Champion (C1) | Score | Challenger (C2) | Others | Max. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | C1LETTERS | – | ||||
| 2 | C2LETTERS | – | ||||
| 3 | C1LETTERS | – | ||||
| 4 | C 2 N U M S → | – |
|
|||
| 5 | C2LETTERS | – | ||||
| 6 | C1LETTERS | – | ||||
| 7 | C2LETTERS | – | ||||
| 8 | C 1 N U M S → | – |
|
|||
| 9 | CONUNDRUM | – |
Rounds for the Junior Tournament
| Rnd | Selection | Champion (C1) | Score | Challenger (C2) | Others | Max. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | C1LETTERS | – | ||||
| 2 | C2LETTERS | – | ||||
| 3 | C1LETTERS | – | ||||
| 4 | C 2 N U M S → | – |
|
|||
| TTT | TEATIME TEASER | |||||
| 5 | C2LETTERS | – | ||||
| 6 | C1LETTERS | – | ||||
| 7 | C2LETTERS | – | ||||
| 8 | C 1 N U M S → | – |
|
|||
| 9 | CONUNDRUM | – | ||||
| Chosen by champion | Chosen by challenger | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Letters rounds | 3 | 3 | 6 |
| Numbers rounds | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| Conundrums | 1 |
