Editing Countdown (game show) (section)

===Numbers Round===
The contestant in control chooses six of 24 shuffled face-down number tiles, arranged into two groups: 20 "small numbers" (two each of 1 to 10) and four "large numbers" of 25, 50, 75 and 100. The contestant decides how many large numbers are to be used, from none to all four, after which the six tiles are randomly drawn and placed on the board. A random three-digit target figure is then generated by an electronic machine, known as "CECIL" (which stands for ''Countdown's Electronic Calculator In Leeds'').<ref>[http://www.ukgameshows.com/ukgs/Countdown UK Game Shows] on game equipment—Retrieved 20 June 2006.</ref> The contestants have 30 seconds to work out a sequence of calculations with the numbers whose final result is as close to the target number as possible. They may use only the four basic operations of [[addition]], [[subtraction]], [[multiplication]] and [[division (mathematics)|division]]<ref name="rulesref" /> and do not have to use all six numbers. A number may not be used more times than it appears on the board. Division can only be performed if the result has no remainder (i.e., the divisor is a factor of the dividend). Fractions are not allowed and only positive [[integer]]s may be obtained as a result at any stage of the calculation.<ref name="rulesref" /> As in the letters rounds, both contestants must declare their results and any contestant who has not fully written their calculations down in time must go first if both declare the same result. In addition, both contestants must show their written work to each other if their results and calculations are identical.

The contestant who has declared a result closer to the target is called upon to state their calculations first. Only if they make a mistake or if both contestants are equally close to the target, is the opponent called upon.

Only the contestant whose result is closer to the target scores points: ten for reaching it exactly, seven for being between one and five from the target and five for being within six and ten from the target. Contestants score no points for being more than ten away, if their calculations are flawed or if they take too long to give a solution or after saying they have not written it down. Both score if they reach the same result or if their results are the same distance away. Should neither contestant reach the target exactly, the assistant is called upon to attempt a solution, either immediately or at a later time during the episode.

:'''''Example:'''''
::Contestant One requests two large numbers and four small numbers.
::Selection is:
:::<span style="display:block;float:left;margin:0 0.25em;width:1.5em;text-align:center;border:1px solid #000">75</span> <span style="display:block;float:left;margin:0 0.25em;width:1.5em;text-align:center;border:1px solid #000">50</span> <span style="display:block;float:left;margin:0 0.25em;width:1.5em;text-align:center;border:1px solid #000">2</span> <span style="display:block;float:left;margin:0 0.25em;width:1.5em;text-align:center;border:1px solid #000">3</span> <span style="display:block;float:left;margin:0 0.25em;width:1.5em;text-align:center;border:1px solid #000">8</span> <span style="display:block;float:left;margin:0 0.25em;width:1.5em;text-align:center;border:1px solid #000">7</span>{{clear left}}
::Randomly generated target is:
:::<span style="display:block;float:left;margin:0 0.25em;width:3em;text-align:center;border:1px solid #000">812</span>{{clear left}}
::Contestant One declares 813, while Contestant Two declares 815.
::Contestant One is closer and so reveals: 75 + 50 – 8 = 117, and 117 × 7 – (3 × 2) = 813, which scores 7 points for being 1 away. Contestant Two does not score.
::Assistant notes: 50 + 8 = 58, and 7 × 2 × 58 = 812, which would have scored 10 points.

In some games, there are many ways to reach the target exactly; the example target above could also be reached by 7 × (75 + 50 + 2 – 8 – 3) = 812. Not all games are solvable, and for a few selections it is impossible even to get within 10, most commonly when a contestant picks six small numbers and the target number is quite large.<ref>{{cite arXiv | eprint=1502.05450 | last1=Alliot | first1=Jean-Marc | title=The (Final) countdown | year=2015 | class=cs.AI }}</ref> There is a tactical element in selecting how many large numbers to include. One large and five small numbers is the most popular selection,<ref>[http://www.pagetworld.plus.com/countdownresults.htm Countdown Statistics] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071228171319/http://www.pagetworld.plus.com/countdownresults.htm |date=28 December 2007}} on the frequency of each numbers games' selection—Retrieved 19 June 2006.</ref> despite two large numbers giving the best chance of the game being solvable exactly.<ref name="numstats">[http://www.crosswordtools.com/numbers-game/faq.php#stats Crossword Tools] on analysis of the numbers game—Retrieved 20 June 2006.</ref> Selections with zero or four large numbers are generally considered the hardest.<ref name="numstats" />

The 24 tiles are laid out in four rows, the topmost of which contains only the four large numbers. The contestant may specify how many tiles to draw from each row, or simply state how many large and small numbers will be used; in the latter case, the assistant draws the tiles randomly. The numbers are usually placed on the board from right to left, starting with the small ones, but have occasionally been displayed in scrambled order. On rare occasions, the contestant has declined to make any choices, in which case the assistant selects the tiles. Unlike the letters round, the pool of tiles is fully replenished after each numbers round.

:'''''Example:'''''
::Contestant requests one from the top (large), two from the second row (small), and three more from the top (large).
::Selection is (in disorder):
:::<span style="display:block;float:left;margin:0 0.25em;width:1.5em;text-align:center;border:1px solid #000">50</span> <span style="display:block;float:left;margin:0 0.25em;width:1.5em;text-align:center;border:1px solid #000">10</span> <span style="display:block;float:left;margin:0 0.25em;width:1.5em;text-align:center;border:1px solid #000">6</span> <span style="display:block;float:left;margin:0 0.25em;width:1.5em;text-align:center;border:1px solid #000">25</span> <span style="display:block;float:left;margin:0 0.25em;width:2em;text-align:center;border:1px solid #000">100</span> <span style="display:block;float:left;margin:0 0.25em;width:1.5em;text-align:center;border:1px solid #000">75</span>{{clear left}}

A special edition, broadcast on 15 March 2010, for two previous series champions, Kirk Bevins and Chris Davies, used instead of the usual four large numbers, the numbers 12, 37 and two numbers unrevealed for the duration of the show. In a further special broadcast on 16 August 2010 between the Series 59 finalists Charlie Reams and Junaid Mubeen, the other two numbers were revealed to be 62 and 87.