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Difference between revisions of "Template:FA August"

From Countdown
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'''[[CECIL]]''' is a random number generator used to set three-digit target numbers for [[numbers round]]s on ''Countdown''. CECIL is an acronym, short for "''Countdown''<nowiki>'</nowiki>s Electronic Calculator in [[YTV Studios|Leeds]]". Although production of ''Countdown'' moved to Manchester in 2009, the name CECIL is still used today. In [[Episode 1|the first episode of ''Countdown'']], [[presenter]] [[Richard Whiteley]] stated that the name CECIL was an affectionate nod to [[wikipedia:Premium Bond#ERNIE|ERNIE]], the random number generator used to generate Premium Bonds winners. The choice of name is a tribute to the late [[Cecil Korer]], former Head of Entertainment at [[Channel 4]], who first commissioned ''Countdown'' in [[Series 1|1982]].
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'''[[Scott Mearns]]''' from Montrose in Scotland was [[champion]] of [[Series 41]] and [[Championship of Champions X]]. A student at Leeds University when he appeared, Mearns foreshadowed his form on the programme by passing his audition with a 100% score. Famously wanting to "put Montrose on the map", Mearns became an octochamp with an aggregate score of 510, before running out victorious in three relatively tight finals games to win the series. He later returned for the five game [[Championship of Champions X]], wherein he was seeded to automatically reach the semi-final. He defeated [[Series 39]] octochamp [[Terry Knowles]] and champion [[Kate Ogilvie]] to win the mini-series and claim the title of Countdown's tenth Champion of Champions. Along the way, Mearns demonstrated his prowess with the 6 small selection in numbers rounds. He is arguably one of the best players to have not contested the [[Series 33|Supreme Championship]] nor the [[30th Birthday Championship]].
  
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Before each numbers round begins, CECIL is reset and displays "000". During the round, a co-[[presenter]] &ndash; originally [[Beverley Isherwood]], later [[Carol Vorderman]] and most recently [[Rachel Riley]] &ndash; places six numbered tiles into recessed boxes directly below CECIL's three-digit display. To prompt CECIL to generate a random target number, which the contestants must reach using the numbers on the tiles, the co-presenter then presses a button. CECIL's digits then briefly flash at random, before settling on a three-digit number which is declared the target figure. The target numbers generated by CECIL were originally 100 to 999 inclusive, but the lowest possible target was later revised to 101. A 100 tile is one of the four large number tiles used in numbers rounds, and therefore the target could potentially be reached without needing to perform any calculations. Notably, pressing the button which prompts CECIL to generate a random number without resetting CECIL beforehand will cause its digits to flash again, then settling on the same target figure as before. This is a precaution in case retakes need to be filmed with the same target figure.
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He first appeared on Countdown in the [[Episode 2553|very first game]] of [[Series 41]], beating incumbent champion [[Bobby Johnson]] by 80 points to 12 in a phenomenal debut performance that included the nine letter word {{word|SERRATING}}. Johnson had amassed his 12 points by the end of round two and failed to score again throughout the rest of the contest, including having {{word|compense}} {{X}} disallowed. Mearns unravelled the conundrum {{word|VIPERWEED}} in little more than a second, offering a ''preview'' of what was yet to come. His next five games featured scores of 50+, peaking at 76 in his third heat game against [[Sarah Houchin]]. Mearns suffered an uncharacteristically low score in his his penultimate heat game, beating [[William Brewer]] {{score|34|30}}, but he outplayed [[Lesley Millar]] {{score|61|27}} to become the first [[octochamp]] of [[Series 41]], averaging 63.75 points a game. Having secured the third-highest total of the nine round era, Mearns entered the series finals as #1 seed. ('''[[Scott Mearns|More...]]''')
  
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CECIL's appearance has varied throughout ''Countdown'' history to match the set design of the time. However, the functionally of its surroundings has remained unchanged. Beneath its display and the aforementioned six recesses is a sheet of card, on which the [[arithmetician]] writes down solutions to the numbers rounds. Collectively this is known as "the numbers board". Throughout most of ''Countdown''<nowiki>'</nowiki>s history, the numbers board has been integrated into a wall of the main studio set. For [[Championship of Champions XI]] in 2003, a new striped set was introduced which moved the numbers board to a separate island isolated from the main desk. The current set design, introduced when [[Jeff Stelling]] became the main presenter of ''Countdown'', has CECIL mounted directly behind the board used for [[letters round]]s. With the advent of ''Countdown'' being produced in high definition, CECIL's display was upgraded from a segmented LCD display to a flat-screen monitor. ('''[[CECIL|more...]]''')
 
 
<noinclude>{{episode|previous=Template:FA July|next=Template:FA September}}
 
<noinclude>{{episode|previous=Template:FA July|next=Template:FA September}}
 
[[Category:Templates|FA08]]</noinclude>
 
[[Category:Templates|FA08]]</noinclude>

Revision as of 20:32, 27 July 2021

Scott Mearns.JPG

Scott Mearns from Montrose in Scotland was champion of Series 41 and Championship of Champions X. A student at Leeds University when he appeared, Mearns foreshadowed his form on the programme by passing his audition with a 100% score. Famously wanting to "put Montrose on the map", Mearns became an octochamp with an aggregate score of 510, before running out victorious in three relatively tight finals games to win the series. He later returned for the five game Championship of Champions X, wherein he was seeded to automatically reach the semi-final. He defeated Series 39 octochamp Terry Knowles and champion Kate Ogilvie to win the mini-series and claim the title of Countdown's tenth Champion of Champions. Along the way, Mearns demonstrated his prowess with the 6 small selection in numbers rounds. He is arguably one of the best players to have not contested the Supreme Championship nor the 30th Birthday Championship.

He first appeared on Countdown in the very first game of Series 41, beating incumbent champion Bobby Johnson by 80 points to 12 in a phenomenal debut performance that included the nine letter word SERRATING. Johnson had amassed his 12 points by the end of round two and failed to score again throughout the rest of the contest, including having compense ☓ disallowed. Mearns unravelled the conundrum VIPERWEED in little more than a second, offering a preview of what was yet to come. His next five games featured scores of 50+, peaking at 76 in his third heat game against Sarah Houchin. Mearns suffered an uncharacteristically low score in his his penultimate heat game, beating William Brewer 34 – 30, but he outplayed Lesley Millar 61 – 27 to become the first octochamp of Series 41, averaging 63.75 points a game. Having secured the third-highest total of the nine round era, Mearns entered the series finals as #1 seed. (More...)

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