14 round format (old)
The 14-round format was used almost exclusively for grand finals of series and championships of champions, as well as two special games celebrating Countdown's 1000th and 1500th episodes. It comprised:
- 2 letters rounds
- a numbers round
- 2 letters rounds
- a numbers round
- the first conundrum
- the half-time commercial break
- 2 letters rounds
- a numbers round
- 2 letters rounds
- a numbers round
- the final conundrum
Fans of the show sometimes describe the format in compressed notation as LLNLLNCLLNLLNC.
The episodes lasted for forty-five minutes. Many people felt that the added numbers rounds and conundrums added an air of random chance to the final, with a greater emphasis on numbers and conundrum skill than in a normal game.
The 14-round format was not used until the grand final of series 2 – the series 1 final was played to the 9 round format. Likewise, the final of Championship of Champions I was also 9 rounds rather than 14, though from Championship of Champions II onwards the 14 round format was used.
The last 14-round game broadcast was the grand final of series 45, with John Rawnsley being the last-ever 14-round winner. All competitive games from the start of series 46 onwards have been played to the 15 round format.
