The Game Show Forum
The Game Show Forum => The Big Board => Topic started by: DrBear on November 05, 2010, 08:49:59 AM
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A Cambridge University contestant on the long-running British word game gives an answer that won't get on the air (http://\"http://www.guardian.co.uk/tv-and-radio/2010/nov/04/student-slang-too-strong-for-countdown\")...
and the sad part is he didn't use the D he still had.
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I have to think that this were a U.S. show, there would be a serious S&P problem with the way the handled it.
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[quote name=\'Jay Temple\' post=\'250285\' date=\'Nov 5 2010, 10:44 AM\']I have to think that this were a U.S. show, there would be a serious S&P problem with the way the handled it.[/quote]
I have to think that the clause "if the producers deem a round to be unacceptable to air, they reserve the right to throw it out and replace it with another round" is prominently in the game's rules.
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You'll recall we found out some years ago that PYL had provisions to throw out entire rounds due to a lack of spins earned/"a flood of whammys" (sic). The only way these are issues is if they're not stated beforehand and/or agreed to by all parties. Whether you agree with the philosophy of it seems to be the issue at hand. I personally would rather have the round remain in the game canon, but censor it/retape it in a way that doesn't change the results.
-Jason
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[quote name=\'clemon79\' post=\'250287\' date=\'Nov 5 2010, 10:47 AM\'][quote name=\'Jay Temple\' post=\'250285\' date=\'Nov 5 2010, 10:44 AM\']I have to think that this were a U.S. show, there would be a serious S&P problem with the way the handled it.[/quote]
I have to think that the clause "if the producers deem a round to be unacceptable to air, they reserve the right to throw it out and replace it with another round" is prominently in the game's rules.
[/quote]
You could also have a clause in the rule that any word categorized as "vulgar slang" in the dictionary is inadmissible. Not saying that's what the British show does, but it's an option there for the taking.
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[quote name=\'Kevin Prather\' post=\'250300\' date=\'Nov 5 2010, 04:04 PM\']You could also have a clause in the rule that any word categorized as "vulgar slang" in the dictionary is inadmissible.[/quote]
Well, yeah, that's effectively what I mean. But you still pretty much have no choice but to toss the whole round out and do it again. Otherwise you get:
HOST: "Very good, Robert, what do you have?"
ROBERT: "I have an 8, Host."
H: "Excellent. Let's have your 8."
R: "<censored>"
H: "Oh my, that's the filthiest word I've ever heard. No points for you."
...which, while I would find it personally hilarious, is pretty awful television to Joe Sixpack.
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[quote name=\'clemon79\' post=\'250306\' date=\'Nov 5 2010, 04:48 PM\']R: "<censored>"[/quote]
There's precedent for this as recently as last year:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uFthbY1g0XU (http://\"http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uFthbY1g0XU\")
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Haven't they censored "wankers" before? Or has those been from blooper specials?
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It took me a few minutes to figure out what the article meant by, "the highest ever total for the word 'octochamp'".
(Apparently, the show retires players after eight wins, and the contestant in question set the record for the most total points scored in winning eight games.)
-- Don
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[quote name=\'DrBear\' post=\'250280\' date=\'Nov 5 2010, 07:49 AM\']and the sad part is he didn't use the D he still had.[/quote]
If you're to believe Fark, the past tense is hyphenated in OED, and thus would have been disallowed.
Give the skill level of the player in question, I'm almost willing to buy that.
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I don't have the OED at hand. Collins Scrabble Words lists SCAITHED as the only eight; there aren't any eights in the North American word list. Both list SHITFACED (but not SHITFACE) as a legal word, which would mean it's unhyphenated.
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[quote name=\'Fedya\' post=\'250321\' date=\'Nov 5 2010, 09:08 PM\']I don't have the OED at hand. Collins Scrabble Words lists SCAITHED as the only eight; there aren't any eights in the North American word list. Both list SHITFACED (but not SHITFACE) as a legal word, which would mean it's unhyphenated.[/quote]
Unfortunately, that puts those lists in conflict with the word source on Countdown. So that's another conundrum. (But it's not crucial.)
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Well! I'm not sure that I should be proud of this, but this could be the most entertaining contribution that I ever make to this forum. I'm able to help on two fronts.
First, from the OED that every contestant gets in their goody bag upon departure from the programme: sh*tface is "an obnoxious person" and is acceptable whereas sh*t-faced is "drunk or under the influence of drugs" and is unacceptable. They are very strict that the OED is the only acceptable source and has sunk many a scrabbler.
Secondly, I went and checked my copy of the rules... and there is nowhere in the rules saying that they will throw out the round. Not to say that it doesn't exist as many players wouldn't even go down that road. My hunch is that the game was so in hand that they could delete the round and it wouldn't affect the scoring. Just my thought, however.
Ryan :)
/"Please say consonant clearly so it does not come out as constonant, continent or even condiment.
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It just always amazes me that words that make it into Scrabble still haven't made it into the supposedly complete and comprehensive OED.
(I would only have found one of the sevens, of which there are several.)
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[quote name=\'vtown7\' post=\'250331\' date=\'Nov 5 2010, 11:53 PM\']First, from the OED that every contestant gets in their goody bag upon departure from the programme: sh*tface is "an obnoxious person" and is acceptable whereas sh*t-faced is "drunk or under the influence of drugs" and is unacceptable. They are very strict that the OED is the only acceptable source and has sunk many a scrabbler.[/quote]
Wait, confused. You're saying BOTH words are in the OED, yet one is acceptable and the other isn't? How does that work?
[quote name=\'vtown7\' post=\'250331\' date=\'Nov 5 2010, 11:53 PM\']/"Please say consonant clearly so it does not come out as constonant, continent or even condiment.[/quote]
THIS they have a rule about?
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[quote name=\'Matt Ottinger\' post=\'250334\' date=\'Nov 6 2010, 07:35 AM\'][quote name=\'vtown7\' post=\'250331\' date=\'Nov 5 2010, 11:53 PM\']First, from the OED that every contestant gets in their goody bag upon departure from the programme: sh*tface is "an obnoxious person" and is acceptable whereas sh*t-faced is "drunk or under the influence of drugs" and is unacceptable. They are very strict that the OED is the only acceptable source and has sunk many a scrabbler.[/quote]
Wait, confused. You're saying BOTH words are in the OED, yet one is acceptable and the other isn't? How does that work?
[/quote]
Kind of lost in the italics and censoring. SHITFACE is ok. SHIT-FACED is not (you can't break the hyphen).
Also, I'm sure everything in the scrabble dictionary is in the COMPLETE OED (20 volumes). The show uses a single volume edition of the OED.
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[quote name=\'Matt Ottinger\' post=\'250334\' date=\'Nov 6 2010, 07:35 AM\'][quote name=\'vtown7\' post=\'250331\' date=\'Nov 5 2010, 11:53 PM\']First, from the OED that every contestant gets in their goody bag upon departure from the programme: sh*tface is "an obnoxious person" and is acceptable whereas sh*t-faced is "drunk or under the influence of drugs" and is unacceptable. They are very strict that the OED is the only acceptable source and has sunk many a scrabbler.[/quote]
Wait, confused. You're saying BOTH words are in the OED, yet one is acceptable and the other isn't? How does that work?
[quote name=\'vtown7\' post=\'250331\' date=\'Nov 5 2010, 11:53 PM\']/"Please say consonant clearly so it does not come out as constonant, continent or even condiment.[/quote]
THIS they have a rule about?
[/quote]
My apologies - the nine letter is indeed hyphenated and thus would be disallowed.
And there are many other requests in the rules - mostly they are things like the consonant/continent subject. Apparently the production team doesn't like letters from viewers dealing with that topic! I was also asked not to do things like ask Rachel for the third number to the left of the pentultimate row for the numbers game, and not to say please when asking for letters (which IIRC Wheel asks you to do as well).
Ryan :)
/is waiting for Greek letters or Egyptian hieroglyphs to pop up on Countdown
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[quote name=\'vtown7\' post=\'250336\' date=\'Nov 6 2010, 07:59 AM\']I was also asked not to do things like ask Rachel for the third number to the left of the pentultimate row for the numbers game, and not to say please when asking for letters (which IIRC Wheel asks you to do as well).[/quote]
The please thing is a bugger. Does "Jeopardy!" also make that request? It's the vulgarization of the Western World!
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[quote name=\'vtown7\' post=\'250336\' date=\'Nov 6 2010, 08:59 AM\']I was also asked not to do things like ask Rachel for the third number to the left of the pentultimate row for the numbers game, and not to say please when asking for letters (which IIRC Wheel asks you to do as well).[/quote]
During my audition I was told that Pat wants you to say only the letter. That way you don't have "OK, can I have aaaaaaa... T?"
[quote name=\'vtown7\' post=\'250336\' date=\'Nov 6 2010, 08:59 AM\']/is waiting for Greek letters or Egyptian hieroglyphs to pop up on Countdown[/quote]
How about a Z, a 4, three Q's and the Batman symbol? :D
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[quote name=\'Neumms\' post=\'250342\' date=\'Nov 6 2010, 11:22 AM\']Does "Jeopardy!" also make that request?[/quote]Considering that was a quirk I noticed I did every time I picked a category ("I'll take x for $y, please.") I'd certainly hope not.
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My understanding is that if a rude word pops up during the letters selection, they re-pick. If you claim a rude word as your scoring word and it's a game-changer, they'll either give you another word of the same length to claim or, if no such word exists, they'll - in extremis - invent a rack of letters that allows you to claim the right number of points.
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[quote name=\'Matt Ottinger\' post=\'250334\' date=\'Nov 6 2010, 05:35 AM\'][quote name=\'vtown7\' post=\'250331\' date=\'Nov 5 2010, 11:53 PM\']/"Please say consonant clearly so it does not come out as constonant, continent or even condiment.[/quote]
THIS they have a rule about?[/quote]
It looks more like a polite request, kinda like when their policemen say "Stop! Or I'll ask you to stop again!"
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[quote name=\'clemon79\' post=\'250384\' date=\'Nov 6 2010, 11:47 PM\'][quote name=\'Matt Ottinger\' post=\'250334\' date=\'Nov 6 2010, 05:35 AM\'][quote name=\'vtown7\' post=\'250331\' date=\'Nov 5 2010, 11:53 PM\']/"Please say consonant clearly so it does not come out as constonant, continent or even condiment.[/quote]
THIS they have a rule about?[/quote]
It looks more like a polite request, kinda like when their policemen say "Stop! Or I'll ask you to stop again!"
[/quote]
Yes Chris, indeed it was. And considering they paid my hotel for myself and a guest for two nights, our meals, our taxi rides to and from the train station, and my train ticket RT from where I was staying in England, I was happy to oblige!
R.
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[quote name=\'davidbod\' post=\'250380\' date=\'Nov 6 2010, 08:46 PM\']My understanding is that if a rude word pops up during the letters selection, they re-pick. If you claim a rude word as your scoring word and it's a game-changer, they'll either give you another word of the same length to claim or, if no such word exists, they'll - in extremis - invent a rack of letters that allows you to claim the right number of points.[/quote]
I'd be kind of curious how "game changer" would be defined. I can just see someone complaining when they get a winning but unbroadcastable word early in the game, the producers decide to throw the round out (rather than providing a word of equal length) and the new round has a different outcome which ends up making the difference between that contestant winning and losing a tight game. I assume there's an "all decisions are final" clause in there somewhere that means that the person who lost doesn't have any formal grounds for complaint, but I always wonder when it's left up to the producers' discretion like that.
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I'd presume 'game changer' means 'when the outcome of the game is still in doubt'. Quite often in the 45 minute version of Countdown, a player can win the show several rounds from the end.
Countdown is built on reasonableness and fair play (in the early series, players didn't even need to prove they'd got the same word as their opponent) so I can't imagine it causes too many problems.