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| − | [[Image: | + | [[Image:Countdown letters game.jpg||thumb|right|Example of a letters game.]] |
| − | ''' | + | A '''letters game''' is one of the 11 rounds during a [[15 round format|15 round game]] in which the contestant chooses 9 letters by selecting either a vowel or a consonant until there is a total of 9 letters. The player in the champions chair chooses 6 letters games and the challenger chooses 5, but gets an extra choice of [[Numbers game|numbers]]. The player can choose the letters in any order, but the selection must include at least 4 consonants and 3 vowels, hence there are only three valid choices in modern Countdown: 3 vowels, 6 consonants; 4 vowels, 5 consonants and 5 vowels, 4 consonants. |
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| + | When the show was first broadcast, and for a number of years, contestants could choose as many vowels and consonants as they liked, which often led to poor selections where only 4's and 5's were available. Since then the rules have been changed. In the original [[9 round game|9-round format]], there were 6 letters games. | ||
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| + | A player scores points on a letters game by writing down a valid word within the 30 seconds. This word must be in the current New Oxford English Dictionary, but not a proper noun, nor an abbreviation. Players can use each lettter only once, but can use a letter more than once if it appears more than once in the selection. For example from {{word|EEEECDLST}} the player could play {{word|SELECTED}}, which uses three E's, but there are four E's in the selection. Words score 1 point per letter, but 18 points for a nine-letter word. | ||
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| + | Unlike the game of [[Scrabble]], [[Countdown]] does not allow all nouns to have a plural form. In particular, a mass noun is a noun that that does not logically have a plural, like {{word|GUNFIRE}} or {{word|HEALTH}} -- in standard English they would rarely be used in the plural. This system has been the cause of some controversy and confusion. Since the start of [[Series 49]], the rules have been refined to allow the plural of some mass nouns; for example, {{word|CONGEES}} was allowed in [[Series 58]] because it was argued that one could ask for "two congees". Again this rule has been enforced with some inconsistency, and words like {{word|OPALINES}} have been allowed on some occasions and not others. | ||
<noinclude>[[Category:Countdown:Main Page|Featured article]]</noinclude> | <noinclude>[[Category:Countdown:Main Page|Featured article]]</noinclude> | ||
Revision as of 10:24, 1 November 2008
A letters game is one of the 11 rounds during a 15 round game in which the contestant chooses 9 letters by selecting either a vowel or a consonant until there is a total of 9 letters. The player in the champions chair chooses 6 letters games and the challenger chooses 5, but gets an extra choice of numbers. The player can choose the letters in any order, but the selection must include at least 4 consonants and 3 vowels, hence there are only three valid choices in modern Countdown: 3 vowels, 6 consonants; 4 vowels, 5 consonants and 5 vowels, 4 consonants.
When the show was first broadcast, and for a number of years, contestants could choose as many vowels and consonants as they liked, which often led to poor selections where only 4's and 5's were available. Since then the rules have been changed. In the original 9-round format, there were 6 letters games.
A player scores points on a letters game by writing down a valid word within the 30 seconds. This word must be in the current New Oxford English Dictionary, but not a proper noun, nor an abbreviation. Players can use each lettter only once, but can use a letter more than once if it appears more than once in the selection. For example from EEEECDLST the player could play SELECTED, which uses three E's, but there are four E's in the selection. Words score 1 point per letter, but 18 points for a nine-letter word.
Unlike the game of Scrabble, Countdown does not allow all nouns to have a plural form. In particular, a mass noun is a noun that that does not logically have a plural, like GUNFIRE or HEALTH -- in standard English they would rarely be used in the plural. This system has been the cause of some controversy and confusion. Since the start of Series 49, the rules have been refined to allow the plural of some mass nouns; for example, CONGEES was allowed in Series 58 because it was argued that one could ask for "two congees". Again this rule has been enforced with some inconsistency, and words like OPALINES have been allowed on some occasions and not others.
