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Max game

From Countdown
Revision as of 18:05, 25 September 2021 by JohnnyCanuck (talk | contribs)

A max game is a game in which the maximum possible score is achieved in every single round. This is indicated by bolding the score, max, and name in episode tables. Whether or not a numbers round with the max score but not the closest possible solution to the target is considered a max is a matter of debate in the community. Allan Saldanha's win against Joyce Cansfield is the only such game in the list below and is considered by some not to be a true max game.

A double max game is a game where the two players achieve the maximum possible joint score. This results from both players maxing all letters and numbers rounds, and one then solving the conundrum. This has never been achieved on televised Countdown, with Episodes 5649 and 5653 below each being one maxed letters round short of the achievement.

Some games from the early years of Countdown are not known, so it is possible that Haldane's max game was not the first.

List of max games

The list is sorted chronologically.

# Date Type Contestant 1 Score Contestant 2 Presenters Guest Lex Max
792 5/08/1988 P John Widdowson 46 – 70 Jenny Haldane Richard Whiteley Carol Vorderman Karen Loughlin Ned Sherrin Freda Thornton 70
1621 16/02/1995 P Darren Shacklady 69 – 38 Tony David Richard Whiteley Carol Vorderman Jan Harvey Ruth Killick 69
1903 16/12/1996 SQF Joyce Cansfield 50 – 67 Allan Saldanha Richard Whiteley Carol Vorderman Nigel Rees Catherine Clarke 67
4770 4/03/2009 P Kirk Bevins 126 – 47 Ben Nicholas Jeff Stelling Rachel Riley Dr Phil Hammond Susie Dent 126
5634 1/02/2013 30B1 John Ashmore 92 – 130 Kirk Bevins Nick Hewer Rachel Riley Mark Foster Susie Dent 130
5642 13/02/2013 30B2 Chris Hawkins 85 – 119 Conor Travers Nick Hewer Rachel Riley Ken Bruce Susie Dent 119
5649 22/02/2013 30BQF Jon O'Neill 122 – 104 Jack Worsley Nick Hewer Rachel Riley Dr Phil Hammond Susie Dent 122
5650 25/02/2013 30BQF Conor Travers 119 – 94 Kirk Bevins Nick Hewer Rachel Riley Jenny Eclair Susie Dent 119
5653 28/02/2013 30BSF Jon O'Neill 102 – 120 Conor Travers Nick Hewer Rachel Riley Jenny Eclair Susie Dent 120
6054 17/12/2014 SF Dan McColm 123 – 77 George Ford Nick Hewer Rachel Riley David Baddiel Susie Dent 123
7407 10/12/2020 QF Luke Johnson-Davies 136 – 89 David Kempshall Nick Hewer Rachel Riley John Inverdale Susie Dent 136

See also