Countdown conundrum solver
Type the nine scrambled letters from the final round. Only nine letter answers are shown, because in the conundrum nothing shorter counts.
Guide
How to use it
- Type all nine letters exactly as revealed on the board.
- The answer appears the moment the ninth letter goes in. No button to press.
- If several valid nine letter words exist, you see them all, highest scoring first.
- Tap the answer to copy it.
Examples
Worked examples
A classic single-answer board. The only nine letter word is CHAMPIONS.
The scramble hides its answer well because the F and W pull the eye. It resolves to WONDERFUL.
Spot the common ending. ANT, TION, TANT... it is IMPORTANT, the only valid nine.
Proof that some letter sets have several nines: EDUCATION, AUCTIONED and CAUTIONED are all valid. The show avoids sets like this.
Method
How it works
The solver counts your nine letters and compares them against every nine letter word in its list, about 25,000 candidates. A word matches only if it uses exactly the same letters in exactly the same quantities. That check takes a few milliseconds in your browser.
The list is ENABLE, a public domain list of about 168,000 words. Nothing you type is transmitted anywhere. If you want shorter words from the same nine letters, switch to the Countdown solver.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
What is the Countdown conundrum?
It is the final round of Countdown. Nine scrambled letters are revealed, both contestants have 30 seconds and the first to buzz with the correct nine letter word scores ten points.
Does a conundrum always have exactly one answer?
The show crafts each conundrum to have one intended answer. Some letter sets happen to make more than one valid nine letter word, and this solver shows every one it finds.
Why does the solver show only nine letter words?
Because that is the round. Only a word using all nine letters counts. If you want shorter words from the same letters, use the main word unscrambler.
What is a crucial conundrum?
When the scores are close enough that the conundrum decides the match, the presenter declares it a crucial conundrum. The rules are the same, only the stakes change.
Can I buzz with a guess?
Yes, but a wrong buzz locks you out and your opponent gets the remaining time. Buzz when you are sure, or when time is nearly gone and you have nothing to lose.
What if no nine letter word exists?
On the show that does not happen, every conundrum is built from a real word. If this solver finds nothing, double-check you typed all nine letters correctly.
Which word list does this use?
The public domain ENABLE list of about 168,000 words. The show checks against the Oxford Dictionary of English, so a very rare word could differ between the two.
More tools