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Countdown's Numbers Game

(Last Update 09:54 on Friday, 20 July 2001)

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How to play

The applet displays a target three-digit number at the top, using separate digits for easy selection. There are also six starting numbers at the bottom. Using these numbers, the four arithmetic operations +, -, × and ÷ (and brackets), try to compute the target number.

Controls

(Shortcut key: ?): Generates new random target and starting numbers.
All (Shortcut key: A): Makes the applet solve all 900 numbers. N.B. The output is rather long so any existing output is cleared first. If the applet cannot find a solution for a given number, "null" is displayed instead.
(Shortcut key: Enter): The applet will try to compute the target number. This only takes a few seconds on a fast computer.
(Shortcut key: Esc): Clears the output area of any previous calculations.
: Choose how many random numbers are big or small. Fixed keyboard selection, even in Netscape 3 or IE 3.

Hints

You don't need to use the random numbers, you can choose the numbers or you can enter the numbers from the show. The random numbers only allow one of each big number or two of each little number.
Some platforms support pop-up menus as an alternative to the standard choice control. I've even resolved the problem with JDK1.2 on Windows 9x/NT.
You don't need to stay online after the applet has started.
The applet will display the nearest solutions to the target, or the solution using the fewest number of starting numbers. For example, 442 = (100 × (7 - 3)) + (7 × (5 + 1)) but the applet will only display the solution 442 = ((100 + (7 × 7)) × 3) - 5 which doesn't use the 1.
Try Channel 4's applet.
More Countdown links.

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