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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... 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 Today in Countdown History edit  2020: Ian Volante beat John Barlow in a game that ended 108 – 60. 2019: Kerry Copland beat George Needham in an 82 – 72 game. 2018: Phil Davies beat Simon Block with scores of 96 – 28. 2017: Elliott Mack beat Tony Slaughter, scoring 98 – 36. 2015: Jon Richardson and Bob Mortimer beat Vic Reeves and Sean Lock by 30 – 28. 2015: Nick Briggs beat Shaun Gill with a score of 91 – 63. 2014: Martin Hamill beat Andy Gardner with final score 87 – 76. 2013: Conor Travers beat Mark Tournoff, by a score of 112 – 62. 2012: Victoria James beat Jocelyn Menyhart in a game that ended 67 – 61. 2009: Mike Spellar beat Lisa Thomson in an 82 – 80 game. 2008: Ian Lamb beat Beryl Ogley with scores of 114 – 49. 2007: Paddy Izod beat Margaret Lee, scoring 71 – 62. 2006: Paul Howe beat Judith Shade with final score 109 – 72. 2004: Richard Pay beat Sue Babb with a score of 95 – 61. 2003: Christine Scott beat Paul Best, by a score of 70 – 52. 2002: Kevin Thurlow beat Tony Painter in a game that ended 100 – 67. 2001: Tim Robinson beat John Scott with scores of 70 – 39. 1998: Grace Nardone beat Gerry Pearce, scoring 69 – 35. 1997: Paul Peters beat Mark Wilbraham with final score 58 – 45. 1996: Brian Phillips beat Richard Hayes with a score of 52 – 23. 1995: Tony Buffey beat Simon Halstead in a 59 – 53 game. 1992: Nick Atkinson beat Michael Woods in a game that ended 46 – 38. 1991: Simon Bavin beat Bernard Baker with scores of 53 – 49. 1991: Andrew Fisher played Clive Freedman in the third leg of a Countdown Masters game, which has not been broadcast. 1990: Roger Smith beat Maureen Harmer, scoring 43 – 30. 1990: Mark Nyman played Harvey Freeman in the second leg of a Countdown Masters game. 1989: Evan Simpson beat Nick Camp, by a score of 65 – 45. 1987: Pat Harvey beat Maurice Sobell with a score of 48 – 30. 1986: Clive Spate beat Michael Purdie with final score 70 – 28. 1985: Robert Healan beat Sally Hampson in a 42 – 38 game.

Popular Articles edit  A brief overview of Countdown and some of its records and terminology. The team: Colin Murray, Rachel Riley, and Susie Dent. The show's institutions: The conundrum, the pencam, and the Teatime Teaser. Tom Stevenson, the reigning series champion, and his series grand final against Edward Byrne. The most recent Championship of Champions Final between James Haughton and Ahmed Mohamed. The 30th Birthday Championship final between Conor Travers and Jack Hurst. Richard Whiteley, Des Lynam, Des O'Connor, Carol Vorderman, Jeff Stelling, Nick Hewer and Anne Robinson - the show's former permanent presenters. The highest ever score: 154, achieved by Tom Stevenson in Episode 7860 and Cillian McMulkin in Episode 7943. Editors edit  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. Other Countdown websites edit  Apterous, an online game from the same people that run this site. The Countdown Android App, Created by Series 63 champion Jack Hurst. The Countdown Database, detailed statistics and round-by-round details of over 7,700 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 Graeme Cole. A mobile version of the above. Greem, a website listing nearly all co-event scores. Upcoming Countdown tournaments edit  The full list of FOCAL tournaments for 2023 is here. The next scheduled event is Countdown in Manchester on 25 February 2023. Almost all online tournaments are now held on Apterous: the list of ongoing tournaments is here.

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