Countdown Game Show - Number Rounds (16 June 2023)

Colin Murray and Rachel Riley host as contestants race against the clock to pit their wits against vowels, consonants and numbers. Marcus Brigstocke joins Susie Dent in Dictionary Corner. Each day two contestants compete in 15 rounds of words and numbers to become the Countdown Champion.
#Channel4 #Countdown
BACKGROUND
Countdown is the channel’s longest running show and the first show ever broadcast on Channel 4 when it launched 40 years ago, in November 1982. The original version of Channel 4's Countdown is the French television programme « Des chiffres et des lettres » (literally "numbers and letters"), where the Numbers Round is referred to as « Le compte est bon » ("the total is right"). The show debuted in 1965 as « Le mot le plus long » using letters only, and reached its present format in 1972. This year marks the shows 51st anniversary.
Playlist: • The Original Countdown...
SPIN-OFF
"8 Out of 10 Cats Does Countdown" is hosted by Jimmy Carr, with Rachel Riley and Susie Dent assuming their Countdown roles. The formation of the crossover with "8 Out if 10 Cats" began as a series of specials, the first of which was broadcast on 2 January 2012, when Channel 4 orchestrated a special "mash-up night", merging two shows to form a special edition of the pair, as part of its 30th-anniversary celebrations eleven years ago.
Playlist: • Series 23 - 8oo10cdc (...

[@dcnole]

The fact that the 2nd numbers game, with one slight additional step, allowed you to give the same exact same simple solution as the 1st numbers game for a target that was only 1 away from the 1st numbers game target, and yet the winning response was 5 away is kind of funny. All you had to do was 7-2=5 and then do the same (100+25+2)x5 to get 635 again. My solution for the second game was on the mark, though. (100-2) x 7 - (50+2) = 634.

[@ricksimon9867]

"kind of funny"? It is impossible. The only explanation I can think of is that this episode was filmed on two different day.

[@seangates900]

I love that on my birthday, everything was my favourite: 3 large, 3 small.

[@alos1978]

1. (2+25+100)x5=635 2. 50/2x25+2+7=634 3. (25-1)x8=192 4. (25+50-2/2)x10=740

[@Nullifidian]

In the first numbers game, I saw Graham's solution and also had these solutions: 100 + 25 = 125 125 x 5 = 625 625 + 8 + 2 = 635 8 - 2 = 6 100 x 6 = 600 600 + 25 = 625 50 / 5 = 10 625 + 10 = 635 100 x 50 = 5000 5000 / 8 = 625 5 x 2 = 10 625 + 10 = 635 How on earth did Graham go wrong? What he declared was the exact same target he had in the first round and could be reached the same way: (100 + 25 + 2) x (7 - 2) = 635. In the second numbers round, I saw Rachel's solution at once, and also had these solutions: 100 - 2 = 98 98 x 7 = 686 686 - 50 - 2 = 634 100 x 25 = 2500 2500 + 50 = 2550 2550 / 2 = 1275 1275 - 7 = 1268 1268 / 2 = 634 In the third round, I saw the contestants' solution, of course, and also had these alternatives: 25 - 1 = 24 24 x 8 = 192 25 x 5 = 125 125 + 75 = 200 200 - 8 = 192 75 - 25 = 50 5 - 1 = 4 50 x 4 = 200 200 - 8 = 192 It was too easy. In the final numbers round, I had the one-away solution, as follows: 100 + 2 = 102 10 - 2 = 8 102 x 8 = 816 816 - 50 - 25 = 741 However, I think this is the only viable solution to get close.

[@hannahpreece3651]

634 (100-2)*7= 686 -50 -2 = 634

[@watcher314159]

(100+25)*5=625, add the 8 and 2 for 635. Trivial. 7*(100-2)=686. Take away 50 and the other 2 for 634. Kind of embarrasing how long it took me to try that approach, given how simple the solution is. Everyone saw (100+75+25)-8=192 instantly. ((100+50)-2)*10=1480. Divide by 2 for 740. Add the other 2. This was a bit rough for me, given I started on this halving approach and then abandoned it for (100+25+50+10)*(2+2)=740 before noticing the actual solution. Definitely went more over time than I usually allow myself (given I play purely with mental math before writing out my solutions), but I'm happy to have actually figured it out... Hold on a sec, I used a third 2. Oh well, getting 2 away by 2 methods is still decent.

[@IndomitableT]

Well done, however with the last one you unfortunately already used the second 2, so you would still end up with 740😅

[@watcher314159]

@@IndomitableT Read the second last sentence.

[@IndomitableT]

@@watcher314159. Ah yes, my bad, I just read the numbers🤭

[@williamapers3031]

100-2=98x7=686-50=636-2=634

[@bmcl364]

Exactly how I did it!

[@MatthewPlato91]

And there was me bemoaning the lack of 3 large selections!

[@DylanWagner]

It's a shame you can't use the root, otherwise the solution for the last round would have been sqrt(25) = 5 5(100 + 50) = 750 750 - 10 + 2 = 742 That would have been something for 8 out of 10 cats xD

[@Gretchaninov]

What's with Rachel singing for each number reveal? It's hilarious. 2:14 "And the target to REACH..."

[@medusa_404]

192: 100 + 75 + 25 - 8 = 192 25 - 1 = 24 24 * 8 = 192 75 / 25 = 3 3 - 1 = 2 (or 5 - 3 = 2) 100 * 2 = 200 200 - 8 = 192

[@AkshayDhargave]

[(100 × 25 × 2) / 8] + (50 / 5) = (25 × 25) + 10 = 635.

[@williamapers3031]

50/5=10+100=110x(8-2)=660-25=635

[@delilh325]

Did the same thing in the opposite order

[@ThomasRowland-dl2em]

I never knew that I often don’t think of it as it is complicated

[@eccehomer8182]

My solutions: (100+25+2)x5 = 635 (100-2)x7-50-2 = 634 (25-1)x8 = 192 (100+50+25+10)x2x2 = 740

[@medusa_404]

634: 50 / 2 = 25 25 * 25 = 625 625 + 7 + 2 = 634 100 - 2 = 98 98 * 7 = 686 686 - 50 - 2 = 634

[@skies_have_fallen]

(100+2)*(10-2)-50-25 = 741

[@medusa_404]

635: 8 - 2 = 6 100 * 6 = 600 50 / 5 = 10 600 + 25 + 10 = 635 50 / 5 = 10 100 + 10 = 110 8 - 2 = 6 110 * 6 = 660 660 - 25 = 635 100 + 25 + 2 = 127 127 * 5 = 635

[@IsaacKing2006]

634: 100 - 2 = 98 98 x 7 = 686 686 - 50 - 2 = 634

[@boybawang1981]

100÷5 = 20 50X25 = 1,250+20 = 1,270÷2 = 635 25-5 = 20 100+2 = 102X50 = 5,100-20 = 5,080÷8 = 635 100+25+2 = 127X5 = 635 100X25 = 2,500+50 = 2,550÷2 = 1,275-7 = 1,268÷2 = 634 5+1 = 6X100 = 600X8 = 4,800÷25 = 192 25-1 = 24X8 = 192 100÷25 = 4X8 = 32 5+1 = 6X32 = 192 742 Is impossible!! Closest is 741

[@einSteppenwolf]

192=100+75+25-8=8×(25-1)

[@ThomasRowland-dl2em]

I got 635.5 100 *7=700 25/2=12.5 12.5 +50+2= 64.5 700- 64.5

[@wanmoke]

Whole numbers only.

[@IsaacKing2006]

635: 100 + 25 + 2 = 127 127 x 5 = 635

[@leonhardeuler675]

50 x 25 / 2 = 625 + 7 + 2 = 634

[@einSteppenwolf]

634=7×(100-2)-50-2

[@einSteppenwolf]

635=(25×50+100/5)/2

[@einSteppenwolf]

635=5×(100+25+2)

[@garethlambert5300]

2.30 - Rachael tries hard not to look at the calculator on the celling :)

[@johnghigliotti9647]

100-25x10 = 750. 2x2 = 8 . 750-8. Not that hard… (that’s what she said)

[@paulmdavies1]

...apart from 2x2 being 4, yes...

[@IsaacKing2006]

192: 25 - 1 = 24 24 x 8 = 192

[@MaxSchnell43]

How could she tell that 742 was important with those numbers? I'm not sure how you'd prove it impossible

[@leonhardeuler675]

A computer tries all the possible ways (obviously)

[@NomadUniverse]

Like you always prove it, try and do it. There's a bunch of other rules and stuff that will tell you straight away as well.

[@Chris-dm1je]

Experience. She's probably done so many of these now that she can recognise what numbers will work before she does the sums. It's also probably easier to judge when they pick more than 2 large ones as that limits the permutations.

[@lilysowden4035]

​@@Chris-dm1jeNo, she is told when its impossible to save her the effort

[@MaikNL]

Because she's a genius