Series 3

Series 3
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Series information
First episode	19 September 1983
Last episode	15 December 1983
Highest score (9-round games only)	79 (Mark Nyman)
Number of contestants	47
Number of episodes	52
Results
Winner	Andrew Guy
Runner-up	Mark Nyman

Series 3 ran from 19 September to 15 December 1983, and was broadcast on Mondays to Thursdays. Episodes were mainly broadcast at 5:00pm, with Tuesday episodes shown at 4:45pm, but several episodes were moved. This was also the first series to introduce the modern eight-way knockout tournament for the finals. The third of 53 series presented by Richard Whiteley was won by Andrew Guy.

This series also saw future Scrabble star Mark Nyman, who would rise through the ranks to win Championship of Champions I. He would then serve as one of the show’s lexicographers, as well as become the show’s former producer.

Seed table

Rank	Name	Wins	Points
1	Mark Nyman	8	427
2	William Bradford	8	399
3	Allan Simmons	7+1	385
4	Harry Venet	6	303
5	Esther Byers	4	216
6	Andrew Guy	2	118
7	David Brook	2	104
8	Ted Wiles	1	55

Numbers after "+" signs in the Wins column represent drawn games.

NOTE: Matthew Wright, with 2 wins and 100 points, would have been the #8 seed, but for unknown reasons, he didn't return for the finals, so Ted Wiles took his place.

Between Series 3 and Series 20, players were ranked by total number of points, including winning and drawing scores, but not losing ones.

Finals progress

Mark Nyman (1) vs Ted Wiles (8)	Mark Nyman (1) vs Esther Byers (5)	Mark Nyman (1) vs Andrew Guy (6)
Esther Byers (5) vs Harry Venet (4)
Allan Simmons (3) vs Andrew Guy (6)	Andrew Guy (6) vs William Bradford (2)
David Brook (7) vs William Bradford (2)

The winner of each game is displayed in bold.

Episodes

#	Date	Type	Contestant 1	Score	Contestant 2	Presenters				Guest	Lex	Max
81	19/09/1983	P	Harry Venet	36 – 26	David Drake-Brockman	Richard Whiteley	Carol Vorderman	Beverley Isherwood	Cathy Hytner	Ned Sherrin	Yvonne Warburton	68
82	20/09/1983	P	Harry Venet	56 – 40	Len Daniels	Richard Whiteley	Carol Vorderman	Beverley Isherwood	Cathy Hytner	Ned Sherrin	Yvonne Warburton	81
83	21/09/1983	P	Madge Newall	12 – 57	Harry Venet	Richard Whiteley	Carol Vorderman	Beverley Isherwood	Cathy Hytner	Ned Sherrin	Yvonne Warburton	72
84	22/09/1983	P	Isabel Bagley	45 – 47	Harry Venet	Richard Whiteley	Carol Vorderman	Beverley Isherwood	Cathy Hytner	Ned Sherrin	Yvonne Warburton	71
85	26/09/1983	P	Ron Hendra	40 – 42	Harry Venet	Richard Whiteley	Carol Vorderman	Beverley Isherwood	Cathy Hytner	Ned Sherrin	Yvonne Warburton	68
86	27/09/1983	P	Trish Scott	23 – 65	Harry Venet	Richard Whiteley	Carol Vorderman	Beverley Isherwood	Cathy Hytner	Ned Sherrin	Yvonne Warburton	72
87	28/09/1983	P	Jackie Nathan	46 – 45	Harry Venet	Richard Whiteley	Carol Vorderman	Beverley Isherwood	Cathy Hytner	Ned Sherrin	Yvonne Warburton	71
88	29/09/1983	P	Jackie Nathan	47 – 55	Ted Wiles	Richard Whiteley	Carol Vorderman	Beverley Isherwood	Cathy Hytner	Ned Sherrin	Yvonne Warburton	81
89	03/10/1983	P	Allan Simmons	41 – 35	Ted Wiles	Richard Whiteley	Carol Vorderman	Beverley Isherwood	Cathy Hytner	William Rushton	Yvonne Warburton	69
90	04/10/1983	P	Allan Simmons	47 – 37	George France	Richard Whiteley	Carol Vorderman	Beverley Isherwood	Cathy Hytner	William Rushton	Yvonne Warburton	70
91	05/10/1983	P	Allan Simmons	36 – 36	Alan Walker	Richard Whiteley	Carol Vorderman	Beverley Isherwood	Cathy Hytner	William Rushton	Yvonne Warburton	70
92	06/10/1983	P	Allan Simmons	61 – 42	Alan Walker	Richard Whiteley	Carol Vorderman	Beverley Isherwood	Cathy Hytner	William Rushton	Yvonne Warburton	70
93	10/10/1983	P	Allan Simmons	61 – 18	Pat Williams	Richard Whiteley	Carol Vorderman	Beverley Isherwood	Cathy Hytner	William Rushton	Yvonne Warburton	73
94	11/10/1983	P	Peter Dean	21 – 47	Allan Simmons	Richard Whiteley	Carol Vorderman	Beverley Isherwood	Cathy Hytner	William Rushton	Yvonne Warburton	72
95	12/10/1983	P	John Rusted	40 – 47	Allan Simmons	Richard Whiteley	Carol Vorderman	Beverley Isherwood	Cathy Hytner	William Rushton	Yvonne Warburton	70
96	13/10/1983	P	Eric Shaw	19 – 45	Allan Simmons	Richard Whiteley	Carol Vorderman	Beverley Isherwood	Cathy Hytner	William Rushton	Yvonne Warburton	73
97	17/10/1983	P	Allan Simmons	31 – 38	William Bradford	Richard Whiteley	Carol Vorderman	Beverley Isherwood	Cathy Hytner	William Rushton	Yvonne Warburton	72
98	18/10/1983	P	Andrew Long	40 – 47	William Bradford	Richard Whiteley	Carol Vorderman	Beverley Isherwood	Cathy Hytner	Gyles Brandreth	Yvonne Warburton	70
99	19/10/1983	P	Pat Bowlas	40 – 50	William Bradford	Richard Whiteley	Carol Vorderman	Beverley Isherwood	Cathy Hytner	Gyles Brandreth	Yvonne Warburton	68
100	20/10/1983	P	David Coss	40 – 50	William Bradford	Richard Whiteley	Carol Vorderman	Beverley Isherwood	Cathy Hytner	Gyles Brandreth	Yvonne Warburton	73
101	24/10/1983	P	Christine Williams	24 – 42	William Bradford	Richard Whiteley	Carol Vorderman	Beverley Isherwood	Cathy Hytner	Gyles Brandreth	Yvonne Warburton	70
102	25/10/1983	P	Adrian Yonace	42 – 50	William Bradford	Richard Whiteley	Carol Vorderman	Beverley Isherwood	Cathy Hytner	Gyles Brandreth	Yvonne Warburton	70
103	26/10/1983	P	Pat Flowers	16 – 53	William Bradford	Richard Whiteley	Carol Vorderman	Beverley Isherwood	Cathy Hytner	Gyles Brandreth	Yvonne Warburton	72
104	27/10/1983	P	Jane Kestin	34 – 69	William Bradford	Richard Whiteley	Carol Vorderman	Beverley Isherwood	Cathy Hytner	Gyles Brandreth	Yvonne Warburton	83
105	31/10/1983	P	Andrew Guy	57 – 32	Christopher Tunnah	Richard Whiteley	Carol Vorderman	Beverley Isherwood	Cathy Hytner	Gyles Brandreth	Yvonne Warburton	74
106	01/11/1983	P	Andrew Guy	61 – 39	Phil Slade	Richard Whiteley	Carol Vorderman	Beverley Isherwood	Cathy Hytner	Gyles Brandreth	Yvonne Warburton	70
107	02/11/1983	P	Andrew Guy	50 – 51	Syd Spilsbury	Richard Whiteley	Carol Vorderman	Beverley Isherwood	Cathy Hytner	Gyles Brandreth	Yvonne Warburton	71
108	03/11/1983	P	David Brook	53 – 35	Syd Spilsbury	Richard Whiteley	Carol Vorderman	Beverley Isherwood	Cathy Hytner	Gyles Brandreth	Yvonne Warburton	67
109	07/11/1983	P	Bernard Oakes	33 – 51	David Brook	Richard Whiteley	Carol Vorderman	Beverley Isherwood	Cathy Hytner	Gyles Brandreth	Yvonne Warburton	71
110	08/11/1983	P	Matthew Wright	42 – 36	David Brook	Richard Whiteley	Carol Vorderman	Beverley Isherwood	Cathy Hytner	Gyles Brandreth	Yvonne Warburton	73
111	09/11/1983	P	Matthew Wright	58 – 50	Alan Cross	Richard Whiteley	Carol Vorderman	Beverley Isherwood	Cathy Hytner	Gyles Brandreth	Yvonne Warburton	71
112	10/11/1983	P	Matthew Wright	32 – 39	David Lawton	Richard Whiteley	Carol Vorderman	Beverley Isherwood	Cathy Hytner	Gyles Brandreth	Yvonne Warburton	70
113	14/11/1983	P	David Lawton	23 – 59	Mark Nyman	Richard Whiteley	Carol Vorderman	Beverley Isherwood	Cathy Hytner	Gyles Brandreth	Yvonne Warburton	71
114	15/11/1983	P	Mark Nyman	54 – 44	Alan Morris	Richard Whiteley	Carol Vorderman	Beverley Isherwood	Cathy Hytner	William Rushton	Yvonne Warburton	71
115	16/11/1983	P	Mark Nyman	57 – 4	Fred Jean	Richard Whiteley	Carol Vorderman	Beverley Isherwood	Cathy Hytner	William Rushton	Yvonne Warburton	69
116	17/11/1983	P	David Hughes	33 – 57	Mark Nyman	Richard Whiteley	Carol Vorderman	Beverley Isherwood	Cathy Hytner	William Rushton	Yvonne Warburton	68
117	21/11/1983	P	Roy Davenport	36 – 43	Mark Nyman	Richard Whiteley	Carol Vorderman	Beverley Isherwood	Cathy Hytner	William Rushton	Yvonne Warburton	73
118	22/11/1983	P	Heather Twidle	22 – 62	Mark Nyman	Richard Whiteley	Carol Vorderman			Cathy Hytner	Ned Sherrin	Julia Swannell	66
119	23/11/1983	P	Mark Nyman	40 – 35	Myra Mayor	Richard Whiteley	Carol Vorderman			Cathy Hytner	Ned Sherrin	Julia Swannell	70
120	24/11/1983	P	Peter Richardson	46 – 55	Mark Nyman	Richard Whiteley	Carol Vorderman			Cathy Hytner	Ned Sherrin	Julia Swannell	69
121	28/11/1983	P	Leonard Moore	53 – 42	Susan Boulter	Richard Whiteley	Carol Vorderman			Cathy Hytner	Ned Sherrin	Julia Swannell	67
122	29/11/1983	P	Leonard Moore	28 – 57	Esther Byers	Richard Whiteley	Carol Vorderman			Cathy Hytner	Ned Sherrin	Julia Swannell	70
123	30/11/1983	P	George McGee	43 – 49	Esther Byers	Richard Whiteley	Carol Vorderman			Cathy Hytner	Ned Sherrin	Julia Swannell	70
124	01/12/1983	P	Susan Hands	26 – 56	Esther Byers	Richard Whiteley	Carol Vorderman			Cathy Hytner	Ned Sherrin	Julia Swannell	74
125	05/12/1983	P	Pamela Barrie	26 – 54	Esther Byers	Richard Whiteley	Carol Vorderman			Cathy Hytner	Ned Sherrin	Julia Swannell	71
126	06/12/1983	QF	Mark Nyman	79 – 18	Ted Wiles	Richard Whiteley	Carol Vorderman			Cathy Hytner	Ned Sherrin	Julia Swannell	83
127	07/12/1983	QF	David Brook	37 – 51	William Bradford	Richard Whiteley	Carol Vorderman			Cathy Hytner	Ned Sherrin	Julia Swannell	72
128	08/12/1983	QF	Andrew Guy	62 – 35	Allan Simmons	Richard Whiteley	Carol Vorderman			Cathy Hytner	Ned Sherrin	Julia Swannell	70
129	12/12/1983	QF	Harry Venet	38 – 50	Esther Byers	Richard Whiteley	Carol Vorderman			Cathy Hytner	Ned Sherrin	Julia Swannell	71
130	13/12/1983	SF	Mark Nyman	56 – 51	Esther Byers	Richard Whiteley	Carol Vorderman			Cathy Hytner	Ned Sherrin	Julia Swannell	72
131	14/12/1983	SF	William Bradford	42 – 65	Andrew Guy	Richard Whiteley	Carol Vorderman			Cathy Hytner	Ned Sherrin	Julia Swannell	67
132	15/12/1983	GF	Andrew Guy	92 – 85	Mark Nyman	Richard Whiteley	Carol Vorderman			Cathy Hytner	Ned Sherrin, Gyles Brandreth	Julia Swannell	114

External Links

• Series 3 on The Countdown Database.
• Series 3 on The Countdown Page.