Countdown Numbers and Letters Game

About this Game

Countdown Numbers Game

In the TV game show Countdown, contestants have 30 seconds to reach a target number using six given numbers. The rules for the game are as follows:

• Contestants do not have to use all the numbers provided.
• Each number can only be used once.
• Only addition (+), subtraction (-), multiplication (×), and division (÷) are allowed.
• There are four big numbers: 25, 50, 75, and 100.
• There are twenty small numbers: two each of 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, and 10.

Scoring:

• Within 10 of the target: 5 points
• Within 5 of the target: 7 points
• Hit the target exactly: 10 points

If both contestants are the same distance from the target, both score points.

Countdown Letters Game

In the Letters Game of Countdown, contestants have 30 seconds to form the longest possible word using nine given letters. The rules for the game are as follows:

• Proper nouns, hyphenated words, and foreign words not accepted as English are not allowed.
• The dictionary used is the New Oxford Dictionary.
• Contestants are encouraged to choose at least three and no more than five vowels.

Scoring:

• The contestant who achieves the longest word scores points equal to the number of letters in their word.
• A 9-letter word scores 18 points.
• If both contestants have words of the same length, both score points.

Both games require quick thinking and problem-solving skills, testing contestants’ arithmetic abilities and vocabulary knowledge within a limited timeframe.