Countdown Clock

The Countdown Clock (also known as The Conundrum Clock) is a jingle that is frequently played during the long running British game show Countdown which is broadcast on Channel 4 in the UK. It is a meme on the SiIvaGunner channel.
== Overview ==
Countdown was the first program to premier on Channel 4. The show has been running since November 2nd, 1982 with over 8,000 episodes and is considered a staple of British culture. The format involves two contestants competing in a round of games involving letters and numbers. In the Letters Round, which the game is mostly centered around, the contestants must create the longest word possible from nine letters chosen blindly by an assistant. The contestant can dictate the result somewhat, as they choose whether a vowel or consonant is selected. In the Numbers Round, the contestants must reach a randomly generated three digit number using six numbers which have again been selected blindly be the assistant. The contestant can also dictate the selection, being between small numbers (anything between 1 to 10) and big numbers (25, 50, 75, 100). The contestant who reaches the number closest wins. The contestants alternate turns between rounds selecting the letters and numbers. In the final round, the contestants are presented with a nine letter anagram in which they must buzz in and correctly solve in order to win.
The Countdown Clock is a jingle that lasts approximately 30 seconds. It plays during each game, allowing both parties half a minute to solve an answer. There have been many variations of it through the years, but the 1989 arrangement has remained the current version for decades and is regarded as most recognizable.
== Composition ==
Its percussion mainly consists of the sound of a clock ticking every beat and a timpani that gradually becomes louder throughout the piece. The melody is an ostinato played on a marimba. It jumps between two octaves of the key it is currently in. After the first measure, the key is raised by 200 cents and a vibraslap is introduced, playing on the second beat of every succeeding measure. The composition continues for another two measure before concluding with the iconic jingle. The marimba is replaced with a ticking sound that performs a similar, ostinato that quickly ends and is followed by a drum fill consisting of some toms. A walk up bass then leads into a short but powerful brass section and the jingle ends with a synth gong.
== Rips ==
The meme first appeared on the SiIvaGunner channel in "35 Legends", where it can be heard very faintly. "World 3: Snow Land - New Super Mario Bros. Wii" is the first rip to use the audio of the composition itself in a rip alone, although the recognizable finish would not be referenced until "Bramble Blast". "Character Select - Street Fighter II: The World Warrior (SNES)" is the first rip to completely recreate the piece in the style of another song.
Standard Countdown rips consist of taking tracks with repetitive compositions and arranging the Countdown Clock with their respective instruments, with some of them using tracks originally associated with timed events, such as "Switch (PAL Version) - Super Mario World" and "Drowning (PAL Version) - Sonic the Hedgehog". However, the source has also been incorporated into a few mashup rips and also made a few appearances in medley rips, both those with melody swaps and those sampling the original track. 
== External Links ==
*Rips featuring - YouTube playlist by Pik.
Category:Memes