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February's featured article 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...) More featured articles... [edit] Did you know... ...that during Series 42 Helen Wrigglesworth had the word ROADSIDE disallowed by Mark Nyman, prompting Countdown to revert to the previous edition of the COD for adjudications during the rest of the series? ...that in his first heat game, Ben Nicholson had his offerings disallowed in five consecutive letters rounds – but still won by 32 points? ...that the third letters round on 26 September 2012 produced the selection SIENUEDST, which could be rearranged to spell the name of resident lexicographer Susie Dent? ...that eleven games have contained two numbers rounds with the same target, but it has never been possible to solve two rounds exactly the same way in a given episode? Nominate an article [edit] Today in Countdown history 2025: Christine Smith beat Andy Hopper, with scores of 110 – 31. 2024: Michael Calder beat Mark Fielding, with a score of 104 – 60. 2023: Seán Dennehy beat Peter McQuillan, scoring 80 – 68. 2020: Ryan Styles beat Barbara Danks with scores of 120 – 57. 2019: David Ellis beat Dorcas Brown in a game that ended 77 – 58. 2018: Jill Thwaites beat Becky Taberner, scoring 103 – 99. 2017: Wesley Jardine beat Des Hinks with final score 78 – 57. 2015: Andy Lambert beat James Mathers, by a score of 82 – 72. 2014: Andy Naylor beat Douglas Horne with a score of 104 – 19. 2013: Neil Zussman beat Dave Hoskisson in a 90 – 75 game. 2012: Peter Lee beat Chris Butler with scores of 101 – 75. 2009: Neil Zussman beat Matthew Meads in a game that ended 101 – 55. 2008: Brian Morley beat Mike Simons, scoring 64 – 58. 2007: David Tuddenham beat Ganesh (Subrahmanyam) with final score 85 – 81. 2006: Matthew Shore beat Greg Bell, by a score of 115 – 35. 2004: Philip Aelberry beat Victoria Thompson in an 87 – 78 game. 2003: Isabel Wilson beat John Marlowe with scores of 85 – 81. 2002: Lee Hartley beat Liz Roper with a score of 114 – 68. 2001: Elspeth Wilkes beat Stephen Howe, scoring 54 – 53. 1998: Ruth Atkin beat Mary Kelleher, by a score of 66 – 49. 1997: Steve Coberman beat Martin Thomas in a game that ended 56 – 48. 1996: Kevin Fisk beat Peter Burt with scores of 51 – 44. 1995: Darren Shacklady beat Peter Andrews in a 68 – 41 game. 1992: Ken Tully beat Martyn Smith with final score 37 – 24. 1991: Barry Grossman beat Richard Foster with a score of 47 – 34. 1991: Marianne Croll played Diana Beasley in the third leg of a Countdown Masters game, which has not been broadcast. 1990: John Morrissey beat Mark Cooper, scoring 42 – 34. 1990: Sheila Mann played Clive Spate in the second leg of a Countdown Masters game. 1989: Jim Saywell beat Len Marshall, by a score of 60 – 45. 1987: Ken Heaton beat Daren Putt in a game that ended 68 – 23. 1986: YT beat Steve Lang with scores of 59 – 49. 1985: Helen Grayson beat Olivia Lloyd-Potts in a 62 – 42 game.

[edit] Popular articles A brief overview of Countdown and some of its records and terminology. The team: Colin Murray, Rachel Riley and Susie Dent since the first episode of Series 87. The show's institutions: the conundrum, the Countdown clock and its music, Dictionary Corner, the pencam and the Teatime Teaser. Jase Cullen, the reigning series champion and his series grand final against Brett Davids. The latest Championship of Champions grand final between James Haughton and Ahmed Mohamed. The 30th Birthday Championship grand final between Conor Travers and Jack Hurst. The show's former permanent presenters: Richard Whiteley, Des Lynam, Des O'Connor, Carol Vorderman, Jeff Stelling, Nick Hewer and Anne Robinson. The highest ever score: 154, achieved by Tom Stevenson on 29 September 2022 and Cillian McMulkin on 31 January 2023. [edit] Editors 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: Learn about this wiki and how to use it. Episode style guide - if you want to help us edit the episode pages, this style guide gives comprehensive help. Suggest a featured article which will in turn be featured on the Main Page. [edit] Other Countdown websites 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. A mobile version of the above. 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. [edit] Upcoming Countdown tournaments 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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