Countdown Games

9th July 2013

The most recent changes to Pencil and Paper Games have been to improve the two word and number countdown games, and to add a third game inspired by the same TV programme, called Conundrum.

Countdown

The Countdown word game now chooses a more sensible sequence of vowels and consonants based on the following standard English word frequencies:

A:15 B:2 C:3 D:6 E:21 F:2 G:3 H:2 I:13 J:1 K:1 L:5 M:4

N:8 O:13 P:4 Q:1 R:9 S:9 T:9 U:5 V:1 W:1 X:1 Y:1 Z:1

To make the game more challenging the computer's play varies in strength, between Novice and Master, depending on the difference in scores.

Number Countdown

In Number Coundown the computer's play now varies in strength, between Novice and Master, depending on the difference in scores.

Conundrum

The new Conundrum game is based on the "Countdown Conundrum" which forms the last stage of the TV programme. It presents an anagram of a nine-letter word, and you have to guess the original word.

For example, try this one:

You can also play Conundrum with eight-letter anagrams, like the TV programme's Teatime Teaser, or if you want something a bit more challenging, try it with ten-letter anagrams.