No the singular is not allowed either, if it was the plural would have been allowed.

However "fainter" itself is allowed because it's the comparative form of faint e.g. "fainter colouration" rather than as someone who faints.

That's what I meant - if he'd left the S off, everyone would have assumed that meaning.

Right, I understand now re-reading your post.

This observation should possibly be in the 'boobs' thread...

...but that's a rather snug fitting top Rachel's wearing today. I've seen looser fitting leotards.

Blimey [O'Riley}, how many elderly men have had to be rushed to hospital over the last two days because of Rachel's outfits? Someone was saying earlier it looked as though she'd been told to cover up, but if so she's clearly rebelled...

Massive retro-rockets on Rachel tonight, and Suzie is doing a kind of "Why Miss jones ..." with that unbuttoned blouse.
An episode for the breast-fascinated tonight.

For anybody who watched the 1991 Countdowns on Challenge, I see they've got hold of the series finals that were missing from the initial run. The grand final is next Thursday at 7AM.

I'm never sure if Rachel's number solutions that are more complicated than necessary, are just her showing off or does her brain work differently?

(100+6)*6-25-10

When you are good at numbers you often miss the easy solutions because you are going for the methods most likely to succeed on average, then if they don't work try the easy ones.

Those not good at the numbers almost always get the easy method.

Not sure I understand the logic there.

There are percentage ways to get the numbers and this is not to look for the simplest methods first as this wastes time as the simplest methods may not work and there are less ways of getting it simply. People who are not so good at the numbers always try the simple methods first.

I'm very good at the numbers game*, there's only been one I haven't got this year that was possible and that was one which several people on here were surprised Rachel also didn't get because they found it so easy whereas in fact going for the percentage methods of getting the solution it was not so easy. I'm certain most of those surprised that Rachel didn't get the numbers are not as good at them as she is.

*I'm good at the numbers when I'm sitting at home with no pressure, I'm sure if I was a contestant I wouldn't be so good and would probably fare worse than many of the contestants do.

............

was the numbers round answer:

(50+(100/(75-25))*10+6

?

Yes, unbelievable miss by both contestants and Rachel. The answer was 526, you had a 50 a 10 and a 6 so all you had to do was find a 2, which as you say is 100/(75-25).

only 2 episodes next week, the rest of the week, the trots.

Oh no, not again. I'll be getting withdrawal symptoms.

Aaaaaargh!!!!

Roll on next year.

They're spoiling us this week, it's on every day!

Interesting to see what will happen next year as ITV have all the horse racing coverage 2017 onwards.

The unfortunate challenger on Wednesday scored only 8 points against the current Champ (Rob). I felt really sorry for him. Is 8 an all-time low, I wonder?

Rachel looked really fed up and uninterested today, wonder what's up?

Having watched Countdown for many years, there are a couple of things that irritate me. One is Nick's insistence on saying 'Stand By' when starting the clock. That's the last thing they should be doing ! 'Stand By' means get ready to act when instructed. It would be more appropriate to say 'go' or 'start' or even 'action'!

The other thing is the increasing number of contestants who ask Rachel 'Can I GET a consonant, instead of 'Can I HAVE a consonant'. I would love Rachel to say 'No you can't because that's my job!'

Gripe over!

'Can I get' is one of the things contestants are told not to say when they are briefed before the show. Some forget!

In the 15 round era, the lowest is Wendy Cooke who got 6 points in series 72

http://wiki.apterous.org/List_of_15-...cores_under_30

In the 9 round era, there were a couple of 0 points though. If you are genuinely interested, that's a good wiki.