Editing Countdown (game show) (section)

==Evolution==
[[File:Countdownset.jpg|right|thumb|The studio used from 2003 until 2008 before the start of a game]]
[[File:Countdown (Game Show) studio.JPG|thumb|The studio used from 2009 until 2012, after the end of a game]]
[[File:Countdownset2017.jpg|thumb|Panorama of the 2017 set]]
The rules of ''Countdown'' are derived from those of ''[[Des chiffres et des lettres]]''. Perhaps the biggest difference is the length of the round; ''DCedL''<nowiki>'</nowiki>s number rounds are each 45 seconds long to ''Countdown''<nowiki>'</nowiki>s 30. ''DCedL'' also features "duels", in which players compete in short tasks such as mental arithmetic problems, forming two themed words from a set of letters, or being asked to spell a word correctly. Other minor differences include a different numbers scoring system (9 points for an exact solution, or 6 points for the closest inexact solution in ''DCedL'') and the proportion of letters to numbers rounds (10 to 4 in ''Countdown'', 8 to 4 in ''DCedL'').<ref>[http://cybercl.free.fr/reglem/dreglem.html cybercl.free.fr] rules of ''Des Chiffres et des Lettres'' (in French)—Retrieved 7 July 2006.</ref>

The [[pilot episode]] followed significantly different rules from the current ones. Most noticeably, only eight letters were selected for each letters round. If two contestants offered a word of the same length, or an equally close solution to a numbers game, then only the contestant who made the selection for that round was awarded points. Also, only five points were given for an exact numbers solution, three for a solution within 5, and one point for the closer solution, no matter how far away.<ref>''Countdown: Spreading the Word'' (Granada Media, 2001), p. 18.</ref>

Though the style and colour scheme of the set have changed many times (and the show itself moved to Manchester after more than 25 years in Leeds), the clock has always provided the centrepiece and like the clock music (composed by [[Alan Hawkshaw]]), it is an enduring and well-recognised feature of ''Countdown''. [[Executive producer]] John Meade once commissioned Alan Hawkshaw to revise the music for extra intensity to introduce at the start of Series 31 in January 1996; after hundreds of complaints from viewers, the old tune was reinstated after just 12 shows.<ref>''Countdown: Spreading the Word'' (Granada Media, 2001) p. 33.</ref>

The original set, known as the Pastel set, was used from its launch in 1982 until Series 17 in early 1989. A new brown wooden set was introduced in Series 18 in July 1989 but remained in use for less than two years. Series 22 from July 1991 saw the introduction of the familiar and long-lived "Wings" set which was used in its original form, a red colour scheme, until 1995. Series 31 in January 1996 saw its colour scheme change to purple and changed again to tangerine at the end of 1999 alongside updated displays for the scores and CECIL. January 2003 saw the set updated to a new pink and purple striped theme with the letters and numbers boards now on separate islands rather than being integrated into the set. Six years later, in January 2009, the set received another redesign with a numerical blue theme and the letters and numbers boards mounted on opposite sides of a single display stand. New modern displays for the scores and the numbers round came in January 2013 while the set received a slight redesign in July 2017 while retaining the blue background which has been used to up to the most recent series. The original clock featured until September 2013, when it was replaced.

Until the end of Series 21, if the two contestants had equal scores after the first conundrum, the match was declared a draw and they both returned for the next show.<ref>''Countdown: Spreading the Word'' (Granada Media, 2001), p. 133.</ref> A significant change in the format occurred in September 2001, when the show was expanded from nine rounds and 30 minutes to the current fifteen rounds and 45 minutes.<ref>[http://www.thecountdownpage.com/series46.htm The Countdown Page] showing the expanded format—Retrieved 20 June 2006.</ref> The older format was split into two halves, each with three letters and one numbers game, plus the conundrum at the end of the second half. When the format was expanded to fifteen rounds, Richard Whiteley continued to refer jokingly to the three segments of the show as "halves". Under the old format, Grand Finals were specially extended shows of fourteen rounds,<ref>[http://www.thecountdownpage.com/final14.htm The Countdown Page] showing a fourteen-round final—Retrieved 20 June 2006.</ref> but now all shows use a fifteen-round format.<ref>[http://www.thecountdownpage.com/final54.htm The Countdown Page] showing a fifteen-round final—Retrieved 20 June 2006.</ref>

The rules regarding which words are permitted have changed with time. [[American spelling]] was allowed until 2002<ref>[http://jono.nebagram.co.uk/node.html New Oxford Dictionary of English Guidelines] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071111210131/http://jono.nebagram.co.uk/node.html |date=11 November 2007 }} on the change in rules regarding American spelling—Retrieved 21 June 2006.</ref> and more unspecified inflections were assumed to be valid.<ref>[http://www.thecountdownpage.com/final8.htm The Countdown Page] series final recap in which ''dominater'' was deemed valid—Retrieved 20 June 2006.</ref>

In September 2007, an "Origin of Words" feature was added to the show, in which Susie Dent explains the origin of a word or phrase she has been researching. This feature follows the eighth letters round, partway through the third section of each episode. The feature was omitted during the time that she was absent for maternity leave and was reinstated upon her return.

When the 15-round format was first introduced in September 2001, the composition of the rounds was different from that used by the programme today. The three sections each had five rounds; four letters rounds and one numbers round in each of the first two sections with three letters rounds, one numbers round and the conundrum in the third section. This meant that there was a slight imbalance, whereby one contestant made the letters sections for six rounds, but had the choice of the numbers selection just once, whereas the other contestant chose letters five times and numbers twice. The Dictionary Corner guest's spot was immediately before the first advertising break and Susie Dent's Origin of Words spot preceded the second numbers game shortly before the second break. The change to the present format was made on 25 March 2013, three weeks into the second section of Series 68, to comply with Channel 4's decision to increase the amount of advertising and to alter the times when they occur during the programme, therefore reducing ''Countdown''{{'}}s actual show length from 36 to 35 minutes.