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| [[Image:Oxford Dictionary of English (2nd Edition revised).jpg|right|thumb|The ''Oxford Dictionary of English'' (2nd Edition revised), which is the current dictionary, added only a few new words to its predecessor.]]
| | #redirect [[Oxford Dictionary of English|Editions]] |
| All words used on ''[[Countdown]]'' are judged against the '''Oxford Dictionary of English''', which has been through numerous versions during Countdown's lifespan. Each edition typically adds a number of new words, removes a few and clarifies the validity of some inflections (see [[Countdown#Letters round|Letters round rules]].)
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| ''Countdown'' has always favoured shorter editions over the various comprehensive tomes issued by Oxford, both for reasons of television convenience and in an attempt to reward skill rather than knowledge of unusual words. Nevertheless even the concise dictionary includes a huge number of words which are likely to be unfamiliar to any one person, and some of these have become popular favourites on the show, such as {{word|TANGELO}}. Recently the most successful players, such as [[Conor Travers]] and [[Craig Beevers]], have taken knowledge of the high-probability obscurities to new heights. [[Stewart Holden]] admits that his [[Episode 3728|Grand Final]] win over [[Steve Graston]] hinged on his spotting the word {{word|WALDOES}}, which he had learnt only for its probability.
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| [[Susie Dent]], the programme's longest-serving [[lexicographer]], has frequently suggested that the words seen on ''Countdown'' contribute to decisions made about what to include in future editions. For example, after many years of being disallowed, {{word|RESOLE}} was finally introduced with the ODE 2nd Edition. Current popular requests include {{word|MOANIEST}} ☓ and {{word|CLOUTER}} ☓.
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| Originally the show began with the Concise Oxford Dictionary and continued to use updated editions of it until the disaster of the 10th Edition, in which many compound words were removed if their meanings were considered from their constituents. After a contestant lost a game after having {{word|ROADSIDE}} disallowed, it was realised that this sort of dictionary was not suitable for a word game. The next series switched to the New Oxford Dictionary of English, and the show has followed that line ever since.
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| The first person to offer a new word in the current dictionary (known as the ODE2r) was [[Jon O'Neill]], when he used {{word|EUROLAND}} in [[Episode 4116|his Championship of Champions game]] against [[Jack Welsby]].
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| ==Editions==
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| * Concise Oxford Dictionary
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| ** 7th Edition - [[Series 1]] to [[Series 20|20]] ([[Episode 1015]])
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| ** 8th Edition - [[Series 20]] ([[Episode 1016]]) to [[Series 30|30]]
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| ** 9th Edition - [[Series 31]] to [[Championship of Champions X]], and most of [[Series 42]] (see above)
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| ** 10th Edition - [[Series 42]] (first six games only)
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| * Oxford Dictionary of English
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| ** New Oxford Dictionary of English - [[Series 43]] to [[Series 50|50]]
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| ** 2nd Edition - [[Series 51]] to [[Series 54|54]]
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| ** 2nd Edition revised - [[Championship of Champions XII]] to present
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| ==See also==
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| {{WP|Oxford English Dictionary}}
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| [[Category:Countdown]]
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