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The Complete Countdown Companion

From Countdown
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The Complete Countdown Companion was a 1990 book written by word-puzzle specialist Peter Newby together with series producer John Meade.

The book was published by Peltham Books in association with Channel 4 and Yorkshire Television, and was dedicated in memory of people who had worked on the show and had passed away - Dictionary Corner guests Russell Harty, Ted Moult and Kenneth Williams, the show's first executive producer Frank Smith, and Calendar Countdown director David St. David-Smith. The foreword was written by Richard Whiteley.

This 188-page paperback book was very much an earlier version of Countdown:Spreading The Word with its blend of behind the scenes stories from the producer, peppered with anecdotes and some word games.

Chapters

  • Preface by John Meade (as John B. Meade).
  • Foreword by Richard Whiteley.
  • The Countdown to Countdown by John Meade
  • Pignuts - and Why Not? by Peter Newby. An in-depth examination of the validity or otherwise of confusing words.
  • Aardvarks (A little Aardvark never hurt anyone) by Peter Newby. A comparison of the way different dictionaries treat words, and the sometimes absurd contradictions.
  • Target Practice by Peter Newby. Four word games played by the Pears Word Games Society, which work as good training tools for Countdown.
  • Alternative Countdown Word Games by Peter Newby
  • Looking at Words by Peter Newby. Word-building exercises.
  • Short Cuts to Success by Peter Newby
  • Anagrams by Peter Newby
  • Countdown Crosswords. Crosswords where each clue is 9 mixed-up letters, the specified number of which must be extracted to make a word.
  • Those Who Dwell in Dictionary Dell by John Meade
  • The Contestants by John Meade
  • Coinage by Peter Newby. Chapter on "sportmanteaux" words, which are deliberately-constructed fun portmanteau words.
  • The Vital Statistician by John Meade
  • Bringing Numbers into Play by Peter Newby
  • Sum Fun by Peter Newby