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I just downloaded something of UKNova that in light of the recent discussion of Kids Week on Card Sharks will make you laugh, shudder and/or cry. Eight-year-old Tanmay Dixit was a contestant on U.K.'s Countdown last week. And he was treated like any normal contestant, he was playing the current multi-time champion, a mother with a son older than Tanmay. And Tanmay won.
Here's a clip. Sorry for the poor quality, my encoder is in the shop for repairs...
http://www.mikeburger.com/cdtanmay1.avi (http://\"http://www.mikeburger.com/cdtanmay1.avi\")
--Mike, playing along, lost to him as well.
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Is Fiveroad a word? If not, then I lost as well.
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Wow! Even I got "outsmarted" by that 8-year old kid. How'd he manage to get on that show is beyond me. I never EVEN heard of that word(if it's actually a real word).
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He's not the first child to appear and almost certainly won't be the last. Countdown are more than happy to let intelligent kids on, provided they pass the audition like anyone else.
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[quote name=\'Craig Karlberg\' date=\'Mar 28 2005, 04:46 AM\']Wow! Even I got "outsmarted" by that 8-year old kid. How'd he manage to get on that show is beyond me. I never EVEN heard of that word(if it's actually a real word).
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Wow.
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Ok Craig - first I saw your comment about being "outstmarted". It is possible for kids to be smarter than alot of people older than them. Fine, point taken.
But then you say you haven't heard of the word in the video? Surely you mean the longer word, right? That I might be able to understand... but you can't be serious about the word that the kid came up with?
Yeesh. If you're going to make inane comments, please clarify what you mean.
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[quote name=\'vtown7\' date=\'Mar 28 2005, 08:15 AM\']Ok Craig - first I saw your comment about being "outstmarted". It is possible for kids to be smarter than alot of people older than them. Fine, point taken.
Yeesh. If you're going to make inane comments, please clarify what you mean.
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Before the usual Karlberg bashers weigh in on this, just know that most of us know what to expect from Karlberg. Asking him to clarify something is futile.
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[quote name=\'zachhoran\' date=\'Mar 28 2005, 08:31 AM\']Before the usual Karlberg bashers weigh in on this, just know that most of us know what to expect from Karlberg. Asking him to clarify something is futile.
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Yeah, like you're one to talk. :-P
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[quote name=\'zachhoran\' date=\'Mar 28 2005, 08:31 AM\']Before the usual Karlberg bashers weigh in on this, just know that most of us know what to expect from Karlberg. Asking him to clarify something is futile.
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Hello....Pot? This is Kettle.
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[quote name=\'aaron sica\' date=\'Mar 28 2005, 09:45 AM\'][quote name=\'zachhoran\' date=\'Mar 28 2005, 08:31 AM\']Before the usual Karlberg bashers weigh in on this, just know that most of us know what to expect from Karlberg. Asking him to clarify something is futile.
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Hello....Pot? This is Kettle.
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My thoughts exactly, Aaron, but I forgot something. This is the great Zach Horan © we're talking about! He is exempt from anything and everything on this board. He automatically takes exception to any rule and/or policy! And do we have the authority to question him, just because he calls people out for the same things he's guilty of? I think not!
Sarcasm, Zach, let's not boost your ego any higher.
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I got the other 6-letter word mentioned in that clip while the last letter were being chosen.
Nice clip! Too bad nothing as intellectually stimulating as Countdown will ever make it in the U.S.
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I'm surprised no one's said yet what a FUNNY clip it is. For some reason, I was expecting some amazing display of the kid's skills, not a giggle fit.
[quote name=\'hmtriplecrown\' date=\'Mar 28 2005, 11:51 AM\']Nice clip! Too bad nothing as intellectually stimulating as Countdown will ever make it in the U.S.[/quote]
I see your point, and I bemoan the lack of good word games here as well. Still, one could argue that Jeopardy! fills our intellectually-challenging game show requirements.
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[quote name=\'zachhoran\' date=\'Mar 28 2005, 08:31 AM\']Before the usual Karlberg bashers weigh in on this, just know that most of us know what to expect from Karlberg. Asking him to clarify something is futile.
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Sounds like someone else, eh Zach?
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Would "favorite" for 8 or "favored" for 7 have worked? I think they would have wanted the "u" in there.
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[quote name=\'CarShark\' date=\'Mar 28 2005, 05:25 PM\']Would "favorite" for 8 or "favored" for 7 have worked? I think they would have wanted the "u" in there.[/quote]
Wow, good catch there! (Of course, I'm guessing it may have taken you more than thirty seconds to find it!)
According to a fan site, their official source these days is the Oxford Dictionary of English (2nd Edition). Surely the ODE would include American variations, so I think you get the eight points.
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[quote name=\'Matt Ottinger\' date=\'Mar 28 2005, 12:29 PM\'][quote name=\'hmtriplecrown\' date=\'Mar 28 2005, 11:51 AM\']Nice clip! Too bad nothing as intellectually stimulating as Countdown will ever make it in the U.S.[/quote]
I see your point, and I bemoan the lack of good word games here as well. Still, one could argue that Jeopardy! fills our intellectually-challenging game show requirements.[/quote]
Don't forget the numbers games. I think the numbers segments are substantially more difficult than the word portions, and I work with numbers every day for several hours.
Without question, Jeopardy! is indeed the gold standard for quiz shows. However, Countdown isn't based on your ability to recall information. You're shown problems for the first time and you have just 30 seconds to come up with your best answer. While both games are challenging, they're challenging for different reasons.
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[quote name=\'Matt Ottinger\' date=\'Mar 28 2005, 04:35 PM\'][quote name=\'CarShark\' date=\'Mar 28 2005, 05:25 PM\']Would "favorite" for 8 or "favored" for 7 have worked? I think they would have wanted the "u" in there.[/quote]
Wow, good catch there! (Of course, I'm guessing it may have taken you more than thirty seconds to find it!)
According to a fan site, their official source these days is the Oxford Dictionary of English (2nd Edition). Surely the ODE would include American variations, so I think you get the eight points.
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The ODE does not include American variations, so you can't use favorite or favored.
--Mike
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[quote name=\'mmb5\' date=\'Mar 28 2005, 05:05 PM\']The ODE does not include American variations, so you can't use favorite or favored.
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So they could accept "farted" but not "favorite"? Darn. I actually had "favored" and "favorite" within the 30 seconds. I lucked out by picking out "favor" first, though.
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[quote name=\'zachhoran\' date=\'Mar 28 2005, 08:31 AM\']
Before the usual Karlberg bashers weigh in on this, just know that most of us know what to expect from Karlberg. Asking him to clarify something is futile.
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This coming from you?
NOBODY asked you Zach. NOBODY usually does.
I'd love for you to clarify that for us.
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Whilst I couldn't be 100% certain if they'd allow "favorite", I'm fairly sure that US derivations on words that end "-ised" (i.e. "-ized") are acceptable. Actually, I'll ask someone who would know.
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[quote name=\'CarShark\' date=\'Mar 28 2005, 03:13 PM\']So they could accept "farted" but not "favorite"? Darn. I actually had "favored" and "favorite" within the 30 seconds. I lucked out by picking out "favor" first, though.
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People still fart in England. :) But they curry favour. :)
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[quote name=\'Matt Ottinger\' date=\'Mar 28 2005, 12:29 PM\']I'm surprised no one's said yet what a FUNNY clip it is. For some reason, I was expecting some amazing display of the kid's skills, not a giggle fit.
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Fine, here's one showing his skills. I thought I had the kid beat, but nooooooooo....
http://www.mikeburger.com/cdtanmay2.avi (http://\"http://www.mikeburger.com/cdtanmay2.avi\") (10.4 MB)
--Mike
(Link corrected to .avi not .jpg -- DZ)
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[quote name=\'Craig Karlberg\' date=\'Mar 28 2005, 04:46 AM\']Even I got "outsmarted" [/quote]
On a good day, irismason could outsmart you.
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[quote name=\'mmb5\' date=\'Mar 28 2005, 07:09 PM\']Fine, here's one showing his skills. I thought I had the kid beat, but nooooooooo....[/quote]
I got the 9-letter word in that puzzle with about half the time left. Woohoo! I'm as smart as an 8-year-old!
Is this kid the current champ? If not, how many times did he win?
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[quote name=\'hmtriplecrown\' date=\'Mar 28 2005, 07:26 PM\']I got the 9-letter word in that puzzle with about half the time left. Woohoo! I'm as smart as an 8-year-old!
Is this kid the current champ? If not, how many times did he win?
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He wins twice. The story here (http://\"http://www.raisingkids.co.uk/todaysnews/news_170305_03.asp\")
says he was auditioned on the spot. There's hope for me yet.
--Mike
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[quote name=\'Modor\' date=\'Mar 28 2005, 07:23 PM\'][quote name=\'Craig Karlberg\' date=\'Mar 28 2005, 04:46 AM\']Even I got "outsmarted" [/quote]
On a good day, irismason could outsmart you.
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On any day.
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Don't forget the numbers games. I think the numbers segments are substantially more difficult than the word portions, and I work with numbers every day for several hours.
Interesting. I was part of a "Chiffres et Lettres" club when I lived in France, and I found the numbers part quite easy. That was probably compounded with the fact that French is my second language, but by the end I was getting very good scores. Not TV worthy... yet :)
However now the problem with that clip is that I instantly went for the French word. *sigh*
Ryan :)
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[quote name=\'mmb5\' date=\'Mar 28 2005, 02:05 PM\'][quote name=\'Matt Ottinger\' date=\'Mar 28 2005, 04:35 PM\'][quote name=\'CarShark\' date=\'Mar 28 2005, 05:25 PM\']Would "favorite" for 8 or "favored" for 7 have worked? I think they would have wanted the "u" in there.[/quote]
[...] their official source these days is the Oxford Dictionary of English (2nd Edition). Surely the ODE would include American variations, so I think you get the eight points.
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The ODE does not include American variations, so you can't use favorite or favored.[snapback]79697[/snapback]
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Au contraire. <pulls out Official Countdown Dictionary (http://\"http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/0198603770/qid%3D1112064587/026-4033935-4338815\")>
favela
favelas
faves
favor
favorable
favored
favoring
favorite
favorites
favors
favour
favoured
favourer
favourers
favouring
favourite
favours
fawn
I came up with favor, then remembered just as time was expiring to add the -ed. Failed to come up with the nine, so I trail the eight-year-old 18-7. Sigh.
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[quote name=\'Steve McClellan\' date=\'Mar 28 2005, 09:50 PM\'][quote name=\'mmb5\' date=\'Mar 28 2005, 02:05 PM\'][quote name=\'Matt Ottinger\' date=\'Mar 28 2005, 04:35 PM\'][quote name=\'CarShark\' date=\'Mar 28 2005, 05:25 PM\']Would "favorite" for 8 or "favored" for 7 have worked? I think they would have wanted the "u" in there.[/quote]
[...] their official source these days is the Oxford Dictionary of English (2nd Edition). Surely the ODE would include American variations, so I think you get the eight points.
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The ODE does not include American variations, so you can't use favorite or favored.[snapback]79697[/snapback]
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Au contraire.
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I'll have to go through the old episodes, but I swear I have one where they didn't allow a certain word because it was the American spelling. That will be for another night when the ravages of the head cold go away.
--Mike
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My Countdown Champion contact suggests American spellings are prohibited, and when they do allow "-ized" words, the production team gets complained to. So there you go.
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Besides the OED being the authority, isn't an OED editor always on stage in Dictionary Corner as the final authority and offerer of expert suggestions (while the celeb guest offers less expert suggestions)?
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Yes, although Scrabble champion and show producer Mark Nyman also lends a helping hand through the earpieces too.
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[quote name=\'Brig Bother\' date=\'Mar 29 2005, 06:42 PM\']Yes, although Scrabble champion and show producer Mark Nyman also lends a helping hand through the earpieces too.
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You know, I'm so dumb...when I read that, my first thought was, "they have an American game show champ working there?"
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[quote name=\'Steve Gavazzi\' date=\'Mar 29 2005, 04:21 PM\'][quote name=\'Brig Bother\' date=\'Mar 29 2005, 06:42 PM\']Yes, although Scrabble champion and show producer Mark Nyman also lends a helping hand through the earpieces too.
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You know, I'm so dumb...when I read that, my first thought was, "they have an American game show champ working there?"
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You're not alone, Steve. lol.
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[quote name=\'Matt Ottinger\' date=\'Mar 28 2005, 04:35 PM\'][quote name=\'CarShark\' date=\'Mar 28 2005, 05:25 PM\']Would "favorite" for 8 or "favored" for 7 have worked? I think they would have wanted the "u" in there.[/quote]
Wow, good catch there! (Of course, I'm guessing it may have taken you more than thirty seconds to find it!)[/quote]
If I may be wholly immodest, my exact words (in my head) were "if that last vowel's an E, you've got FAVORITE". It pretty much jumped out at me.
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American spellings are banned. So you can have FAVOURED but not FAVORED.
And the current champion is 15 year old Jon O'Neill. He won on Friday beating the guy who beat the lady who beat the guy that beat Tanmay.