Countdown scoring
Countdown has three scored round types: letters rounds, numbers rounds, and the conundrum.
Letters rounds
In a letters round, players try to find the longest valid word they can from the 9 letters.
If both players have invalid words, they both score 0. If both players have valid words and one player's word is longer than the other, only the player with the longer word scores. If they both have equal-length valid words, they both score.
| Word length | Score |
|---|---|
| 9 letters | 18 points |
| 8 letters | 8 points |
| 7 letters | 7 points |
| 6 letters | 6 points |
| 1-5 letters | 0 points |
Numbers rounds
In a numbers round, players try to get as close as possible to the target number.
Only the player whose valid result is closest to the target scores. If players are equally close with valid calculations, they both score.
| Result | Score |
|---|---|
| Exact target | 10 points |
| 1-5 away | 7 points |
| 6-10 away | 5 points |
| More than 10 away | 0 points |
Conundrum
In the conundrum, the first player to buzz in with the correct 9-letter answer scores 10 points.
If nobody solves the conundrum, nobody scores.
Daily puzzle scoring
The Daily Countdown Puzzle uses slightly gentler solo scoring than the TV game:
| Round | Daily puzzle scoring difference |
|---|---|
| Letters | Valid 1-5 letter words score their length, instead of scoring 0. A 9-letter word still scores 18. |
| Conundrum | A valid shorter word made from the conundrum letters scores its length, but only the hidden 9-letter answer counts as solving the conundrum. The full answer still scores 10. |
The numbers round uses the normal Countdown scoring table.