TV Quiz Shows

[StanSP]

17 hours ago, Trav Le Bleu said:

Watched The Chase today (sadly all the early evening slot quizzes are now repeats) and there were two great moments.

 

First the guy who thought that the Bible had the 4 commandments in it.

 

Second, the woman who said he speciality cooking dish was Apple crumble because of the special secret ingredient she puts in it... cinnamon!

 

Who would have guessed cinnamon would go with Apple!? I mean, that's just crazy right? 

 

3 hours ago, kingcarr21 said:

 We all laughed when she came out with the secret ingredient. Mother in law was like 'F*** she on about'  

My mum said similar 'isn't that what's always put in it'

 

[Sharpe's Fox]

Love The Chase, me.

[Steve_Guppy_Left_Foot]

Enjoy Colin Murray on countdown, he's a bit too keen sometimes though, think Anne Robinson will be abysmal. 

[tom27111]

23 hours ago, Trav Le Bleu said:

Watched The Chase today (sadly all the early evening slot quizzes are now repeats) and there were two great moments.

 

First the guy who thought that the Bible had the 4 commandments in it.

 

Second, the woman who said he speciality cooking dish was Apple crumble because of the special secret ingredient she puts in it... cinnamon!

 

Who would have guessed cinnamon would go with Apple!? I mean, that's just crazy right? 

I though The Chase was new? 

 

A much bigger desk so they're socially distanced, no hugging when they get back, or handshakes with Brad?

 

Tenable is the same.

 

Tipping Point looks like it was pre-covid though? Good job, Ben can still get close to the token hot young woman 

[Mike Oxlong]

I’m enjoying University Challenge 

 

No self respecting 20 year old knows what these geeks know though 

 

I’m lucky if I get into double figures with right answers 

 

 

[StanSP]

27 minutes ago, tom27111 said:

I though The Chase was new? 

 

A much bigger desk so they're socially distanced, no hugging when they get back, or handshakes with Brad?

 

Tenable is the same.

 

Tipping Point looks like it was pre-covid though? Good job, Ben can still get close to the token hot young woman 

It has been for a good few months but this week started off with repeats. 

[String fellow]

15 hours ago, Steve_Guppy_Left_Foot said:

Enjoy Colin Murray on countdown, he's a bit too keen sometimes though, think Anne Robinson will be abysmal. 

Agree about Anne Robinson. I made a similar point a couple of days ago. Two other thoughts. Firstly, why do so many of the numbers rounds result in the players looking at the big number first then adding the smaller numbers? More often than not, the target number can be got very close to or exactly, by spotting suitable factors. Yesterday, one target was 361. Even RR didn't use the blatantly obvious method of spotting that it is 19x19. The 19s were both obtainable from the small numbers. Secondly, it would be better imo if the players weren't allowed pens. Most quizzes don't involve use of pens, so why bother with them here? 

Edited 17 March 2021 by String fellow

[StanSP]

8 minutes ago, String fellow said:

Agree about Anne Robinson. I made a similar point a couple of days ago. Two other thoughts. Firstly, why do so many of the numbers rounds result in the players looking at the big number first then adding the smaller numbers? More often than not, the target number can be got very close to or exactly, by spotting suitable factors. Yesterday, one target was 361. Even RR didn't use the blatantly obvious method of spotting that it is 19x19. The 19s were both obtainable from the small numbers. Secondly, it would be better imo if the players weren't allowed pens. Most quizzes don't involve use of pens, so why bother with them here? 

Is this for real

 

People process and calculate in a different way. Whatever is easier for them. 

 

And pens? Seriously

 

 

[String fellow]

1 hour ago, StanSP said:

Is this for real

 

People process and calculate in a different way. Whatever is easier for them. 

 

And pens? Seriously

 

 

Like RR, I have a degree in Mathematics (2 degrees in fact), but that's where the similarity between us ends! I still maintain that spotting factors is the best strategy, and there are various simple tricks one can use to spot them.

[StanSP]

31 minutes ago, String fellow said:

Like RR, I have a degree in Mathematics (2 degrees in fact), but that's where the similarity between us ends! I still maintain that spotting factors is the best strategy, and there are various simple tricks one can use to spot them.

Not everyone has that privilege to be as educated as you in that field. 

[Stoopid]

32 minutes ago, String fellow said:

Like RR, I have a degree in Mathematics (2 degrees in fact), but that's where the similarity between us ends! I still maintain that spotting factors is the best strategy, and there are various simple tricks one can use to spot them.

Yeah, well I failed Maths O-level twice. Then I waited a while and failed it again. That means I failed it 4 times. 

Don't think it's for me...

[Xen]

46 minutes ago, String fellow said:

Like RR, I have a degree in Mathematics (2 degrees in fact), but that's where the similarity between us ends! I still maintain that spotting factors is the best strategy, and there are various simple tricks one can use to spot them.

Also have a maths (&stats) degree, but I most definitely dont do it the same way as you! Different strokes for different folks, and seems silly to judge when it makes literally zero difference if you get the same answer. Like that bloke that took the total up to 24k or something before dividing it back down to the answer, when in reality it was equivalent to multiplying by 3 and subtracting 2 - seems ridiculous on the face of it (and iirc there was a more 'normal' solution), but whatever works best for him. 

 

And w.r.t pens, there's a fatal flaw that if you dont use them in that you could easily claim you did it the same way as the other person, with no way to prove otherwise. Whether or not it would make things more challenging would be irrelevant if it breaks the format...

 

 

On a different note, absolutely love Only Connect. Was very tempted to apply for the next season but totally forgot before the deadline passed. Oh well, might go for it next year  

[String fellow]

Tbf, the technology they use on Countdown is antiquated. Not only the use of pen and paper and the method of drawing out the letters and the numbers, but also the whiteboard used by Rachel. If the players each had a tablet, they could type their words and calculations directly onto them. This would get round the problem of false claims about the method used in the numbers round, and also prevent the solving the word puzzles by playing around with the letters on paper. In other words, the show would require the players to do the same mental gymnastics that most of us do when we play along at home.     

[FoxesDeb]

1 hour ago, Stoopid said:

Yeah, well I failed Maths O-level twice. Then I waited a while and failed it again. That means I failed it 4 times. 

Don't think it's for me...

That took me longer than it should have 

[Dunge]

2 hours ago, String fellow said:

Like RR, I have a degree in Mathematics (2 degrees in fact), but that's where the similarity between us ends! I still maintain that spotting factors is the best strategy, and there are various simple tricks one can use to spot them.

I find the single best trick to know in the numbers rounds is the split multiplication. e.g.

100 + 4 = 104

(100 + 4) x 7 = 104 x 7

(100 x 7) + (4 x 7) = 104 x 7

700 + 28 = 728 = 104 x 7.

 

And to know or write down your 75 times table before you start.

 

As for improved technology... it’s only a parlour game. 

 

The series winner wins a dictionary, for pity’s sake. The most ironic prize in quiz show history given that they’ve spent all series proving they don’t need one.

[Stoopid]

24 minutes ago, FoxesDeb said:

That took me longer than it should have 

Should have used a pencil and paper...

 

[Countryfox]

22 hours ago, Sharpe's Fox said:

Love The Chase, me.

Same here ..  it was always about the chase for me too ....  two dates then on the third ..  Bingo ! ..  you’re in !!    

 

 

Errr ..  am I on the right thread ???

[The Syrup]

1 hour ago, String fellow said:

Tbf, the technology they use on Countdown is antiquated. Not only the use of pen and paper and the method of drawing out the letters and the numbers, but also the whiteboard used by Rachel. If the players each had a tablet, they could type their words and calculations directly onto them. This would get round the problem of false claims about the method used in the numbers round, and also prevent the solving the word puzzles by playing around with the letters on paper. In other words, the show would require the players to do the same mental gymnastics that most of us do when we play along at home.     

The old school way they do things on Countdown... pen, paper, whiteboard, clock etc is part of its charm. Giving Susie a laptop in place of a dictionary and pencam was enough modernisation imo. 

[Trav Le Bleu]

16 hours ago, StanSP said:

It has been for a good few months but this week started off with repeats. 

It seems a whole bunch of them have decided it at the same time, which is disappointing.

[The Syrup]

2 hours ago, Xen said:

Also have a maths (&stats) degree, but I most definitely dont do it the same way as you! Different strokes for different folks, and seems silly to judge when it makes literally zero difference if you get the same answer. Like that bloke that took the total up to 24k or something before dividing it back down to the answer, when in reality it was equivalent to multiplying by 3 and subtracting 2 - seems ridiculous on the face of it (and iirc there was a more 'normal' solution), but whatever works best for him. 

 

[String fellow]

2 hours ago, Dunge said:

I find the single best trick to know in the numbers rounds is the split multiplication. e.g.

100 + 4 = 104

(100 + 4) x 7 = 104 x 7

(100 x 7) + (4 x 7) = 104 x 7

700 + 28 = 728 = 104 x 7.

 

And to know or write down your 75 times table before you start.

 

As for improved technology... it’s only a parlour game. 

 

The series winner wins a dictionary, for pity’s sake. The most ironic prize in quiz show history given that they’ve spent all series proving they don’t need one.

With a number like 728, 7 is an easy divisor to spot, so that would be my starting point. Knowing the multiples of 75 is handy, as is knowing the square numbers. As regards to the way the numbers are laid out face down to begin with, why don't they instead have 2 stacks (large nos. and small nos.) just as they do with the vowels and consonants? As regards the prehistoric technology in general, just compare it with what almost all the other quiz shows use.

[Dunge]

4 minutes ago, String fellow said:

With a number like 728, 7 is an easy divisor to spot, so that would be my starting point. Knowing the multiples of 75 is handy, as is knowing the square numbers. As regards to the way the numbers are laid out face down to begin with, why don't they instead have 2 stacks (large nos. and small nos.) just as they do with the vowels and consonants? As regards the prehistoric technology in general, just compare it with what almost all the other quiz shows use.

I’m not saying what you’re doing is wrong, more that the split multiplication is a great “next step” from going “100 x 7 = 700... what next?”

 

Spotting the patterns for multiples of 6,8,9 and 12 is relatively simple, but I do think the division is where that gets tricky. ie You work out that 477 is divisible by 9, which is great, but you still have to work out what to multiply by that 9 to get it. To many humble Countdown-playing contestants, that’s half their time gone. It’s relatively advanced stuff IMO, at least compared to the split multiplication - plus, the split multiplication often gives you scope to get close and then work the puzzle from there, whereas picking factors takes all the more brainpower when you’re having to do it for numbers that are close as well as the target itself. I know there are ways of doing it, but doing it quickly and under pressure I think takes either flair or a heck of a lot of practice.

 

It’s why, if you’re a whizz at the numbers and really want to win, you pick 6 small. For many opponents, their minds go blank as soon as no 10 appears.

 

But most contestants that I’ve seen on the show go on there because it’s a fun little game and they like words, rather than because they aspire to being the best of the best.

[Dunge]

As for why they still have all the numbers laid out - I don’t see any reason to change it. And people sometime like asking for patterns like the famed Inverted T.

 

It’s not a show that needs efficiency savings. 

To most it’s just a fun little game to pass the time on weekday afternoons.

[RoboFox]

I find Countdown incredibly difficult, and I just don't know why. 

 

I consider myself to be fairly astute, with a decent grasp of spelling, grammar and with a developed lexicon from years of copywriting.

 

Yet, my mind just won't make fvcking words from the letters, no matter how hard I try. I genuinely think there's something amiss. I'm absolutely hopeless at anagrams, too. 

 

I suppose it ain't the way my brain is wired.

[Dunge]

I should add - a few years back I went to a Countdownathon event (I can’t remember exactly what it was called but it was like that), made of a whole load of Countdown community enthusiasts who booked a golf club event room near Bradford to play Countdown all day, against each other. It was for a mate’s stag do. I enjoyed it but almost everyone else was livid. 

 

I understand these happen (or happened, pre-Covid) quite regularly and across the country. The standard is very high, and includes people who have won whole series playing each other at the top end. But if you really enjoy that kind of thing and you genuinely want to test yourself against the best, I would recommend. Everyone was friendly, and put up with our rabble turning up with very good humour.