Tempted to try one our events but don’t know quite what to expect? Read some testimonials from folk who’ve recently bitten the bullet:

ANNIE GALLAGHER: (First event: London 2024)

After being a lifelong Countdown fan it wasn’t until after I appeared on the show that I found out about the wonderfully active Countdown community via a post inviting people to the CO:London event in the ‘Countdowners’ Facebook group.

My first event was Countdown in London in August 2024, which I attended with my husband and despite some initial nerves around not knowing what to expect (and my first draw being against the legendary series champion Thomas Cappleman!) but I soon relaxed and enjoyed the day. The community are so welcoming and friendly and I felt like one of the gang straight away.

The FOCAL events are a brilliant way to spend a weekend. Aside from the practice and improvements I’ve seen in both mine and my husband’s game, it’s a great way to meet new people and I’ve made some brilliant new friends. Here’s to many more tournaments and events to come! If anyone is considering attending an event I would highly recommend.

JOE HENRY (First event: London 2024)

Over the years I had watched Countdown on and off – but my interest in the show really piqued when I moved in with my then girlfriend (now wife) about 6 years ago. I noticed that she was often getting better words than those on the telly. She began to record her scores and with a little bit of persuasion applied to go on the show. I became a practice buddy for her during her prep and began to enjoy playing.

Once she’d been on the show, we began to look at ways which we could continue this shared hobby. We first stumbled upon the ‘Countdowners’ Facebook group and noticed that these events were regularly held. We decided to come to our first event at London in 2024. I didn’t know what to expect, and was a little nervous when I started to notice names of previous contestants who had done well on the show had entered. However, there was no need to be nervous. Everybody who I met was extremely welcoming to me. I am by no means a good player, and had been worried that I would spend the day being beat by more experienced players. However, as the games are drawn based on your results through the day, you are matched with players in similar form. I won two games on my first attempt.

We went out for drinks and dinner with others after the event, and felt really welcome. I had really caught the bug for events after this and booked onto future events. The sense of community associated with these events is the key selling point for me and the reason I have kept coming back. I always feel like I have had a great time, and look forward to the next event in the calendar. It has been great to discover a new hobby and meet some lovely new people.

KATE SCRANAGE (First event: Sheffield 2024)

I was very nervous about attending my first FOCAL event, but I didn’t need to be; I received a warm welcome and although I’m very shy, it was easy to talk to people as everyone there had a shared interest. I’d been on the show many years before and lost my only game, so I was pretty apprehensive about being drawn to play against octochamps, series champions and champions of champions! Although the standard at FOCAL events can be high, there are a mix of player abilities in attendance and after the first round draw, we were then drawn against people playing at a similar level for all subsequent rounds. Phew…

There was a range of prizes awarded at the end of the tournament, including prizes for things like ‘best newcomer’ and ‘rudest word’ – so everyone had a shot at winning something! There’s an informal atmosphere at FOCAL events and people do their own thing at lunchtime. There’s usually a meal out after the event, which is optional but is a great way to get to know people. And if you like to party on into the night, there’s often the opportunity to do so if you’re up for that! There’s a mixed age range – I’m in my 50s and I’m probably one of the more ‘senior’ (ahem) attenders, but definitely not the only one and I think one of the best things I’ve found about the FOCAL community is that it’s incredibly egalitarian. (That said – women remain under-represented at FOCAL events, so come on ladies – join us and up the numbers!

I’ve met some great people through FOCAL events, many of whom I now consider friends. It’s an eclectic community of like-minded people and you get to spend all day playing Countdown… what better way to spend a Saturday? I’m really glad I took the plunge and attended my first event. It was a big personal challenge for me to take that step… but if I hadn’t done so then I would never have experienced the pride of winning a ‘rudest word’ award (at Blackpool 2024), which is up there with my life’s greatest achievements and will no doubt be mentioned in my eulogy at my eventual demise. Hopefully they’ll stop short of putting the word in question on my gravestone… “Here lies Kate. Lost at Countdown, but had a prize-winning Boner.”

SAMUEL STOCK: (First event: London 2024)

I took a shine to Countdown about a year ago after randomly tuning into the show one day and watching a contestant effortlessly word-flex their way through every letters round. I’d be stuck on a four/five letter words whilst they’d submit something I’d never even heard of – like “sfumato” (which I later learned is a Renaissance painting technique; who knew?).

It looked like a lot of fun, and I was keen to improve my vocabulary and maybe reach that level of play myself one day. I started practising with anagramming games online, which led me to discover FOCAL and their unofficial Countdown tournaments. Before long, I found myself signing up for my first event in London.

Since then, I’ve been hooked, attending events in Braintree, Milton Keynes, Oxford, and Rugby. Each tournament is hosted by a fellow fan of the show and often has its own unique spin, format, and atmosphere. They’ve all been brilliant days out with plenty of friendly competition, the chance to test yourself against players of all levels, and a great mix of serious gameplay and light-hearted fun.

After the games, there’s usually the option to stick around for food and drinks where you can chat with other attendees about the show or just life in general. Everyone’s been incredibly welcoming, and it’s been lovely to meet people who share the same niche interest. The tournaments have helped me build confidence, improve my gameplay, and get a better sense of what to expect if I ever go on the show. As a bonus, a bunch of us usually do the local parkrun beforehand (a free, timed 5k run) which is a great way to get the blood pumping before a day of anagramming and number-crunching.

If you’re even slightly tempted to try a tournament, I’d absolutely recommend it. You don’t need to be an expert. Just turn up, play a few games, and soak it all in. It’s a great experience and you might even walk away with a prize!