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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- 2024: Michael Calder beat Aaron McAree, with a score of 116 – 63.
- 2021: Coral Heath beat Declan McGurk, with the game finishing 100 – 61.
- 2020: Ryan Styles beat Steve Collins with scores of 104 – 57.
- 2019: Dorcas Brown beat Zak Saidani in an 71 – 40 game.
- 2018: Becky Taberner beat Robert Zara, scoring 80 – 64.
- 2016: Paul Erdunast beat Stuart Moore in a game that ended 127 – 46.
- 2015: Andy Lambert beat Lou Marriott, by a score of 79 – 64.
- 2014: Andy Naylor beat Brett Davids with a score of 76 – 65.
- 2013: Jack Worsley beat Christine Hunt with final score 115 – 67.
- 2010: Heather Badcock beat Irene Wilson with scores of 93 – 77.
- 2009: Neil Zussman beat Simon Greening in an 86 – 76 game.
- 2008: Tim Reypert beat Jennie Ferris, scoring 113 – 40.
- 2007: Ganesh (Subrahmanyam) beat Mildred French in a game that ended 88 – 63.
- 2004: Victoria Thompson beat John Hayward, by a score of 92 – 54.
- 2003: John Marlowe beat Judy Smedley with final score 88 – 18.
- 2002: Lee Hartley beat Beryl Ridehalgh with scores of 72 – 42.
- 2001: Stephen Howe beat Nick Evans in a 50 – 45 game.
- 1999: Ricky Cohen beat David Andrew, scoring 56 – 51.
- 1998: Ruth Atkin beat Peter Lindeck with a score of 57 – 38.
- 1997: Steve Coberman beat Huw Morgan in a game that ended 56 – 52.
- 1996: Peter Burt beat Les Dodd with scores of 74 – 46.
- 1993: Don Reid beat Frank McKenzie in a 62 – 40 game.
- 1992: Martyn Smith beat John Cobb with final score 57 – 33.
- 1991: Barry Grossman beat Val Carter with a score of 69 – 35.
- 1991: Marianne Croll played Diana Beasley in the second leg of a Countdown Masters game, which has not been broadcast.
- 1990: Mark Cooper beat Jackie Pinkney, by a score of 40 – 38.
- 1990: Sheila Mann played Clive Spate in the first leg of a Countdown Masters game.
- 1987: Ken Heaton beat Roy Commins, scoring 48 – 34.
- 1986: YT beat Sandie Simonis with scores of 56 – 46.
- 1985: Olivia Lloyd-Potts beat Rodney Smith in a 40 – 37 game.
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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.
- Fiona Wood, the reigning series champion, and her series grand final against Chris Kirby.
- 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.
- The Countdown 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, by Mike Brown.
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Upcoming Countdown tournaments
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The full list of FOCAL tournaments for 2025 is here.
The next scheduled event is Countdown in Oxford on 1 March 2025.
Almost all online tournaments are now held on Apterous: the list of ongoing tournaments is here. |
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