Letterbox

(Synopsis: I can't read a word of that prose list. I've formed a list in Word and converted it into wikimarkup, but there's got to be a prettier way than that. I'll come back to it after broadcast)
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<div class=image>[[File:Letterbox title.jpg|300px]]</div>
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<div class="box">
<div class="box">
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== Host ==
== Host ==
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== Broadcast ==
== Broadcast ==
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Hindsight Productions for BBC Two, 17 July 2017 to present <!--4 August 2017 (15 episodes in 1 series)-->
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Hindsight Productions for BBC Two, 17 July 2017 to 8 November 2018 (45 episodes in 2 series)
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== Synopsis ==
== Synopsis ==
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Pairs of contestants try to crack a series of passwords. Each correct solution earns letters for later in the game. The winning team gets to crack the final password which unlocks the Letterbox and releases the prize of £2500.
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Anyone for a game of competitive hangman?
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For publicity, host [[Mel Giedroyc]] said, "I played a version of this game and was
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<div class=image>[[File:Letterbox mel with box.jpg|400px]]''Mel's always up for a game.</div>
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin"><span style="mso-list: Ignore">a)<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman""> </span></span></span>extremely competitive at it,
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Blanks appears on screen, denoting each letter in a password. One player guesses a letter of the alphabet. If it's in the word, the letter appears, and they can guess again. Should the letter not be in the word, play passes to the opponent. Whoever completes the password wins the round.
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin"><span style="mso-list: Ignore">b)<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman""> </span></span></span>annoyingly bad at it,
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<div class=image>[[File:Letterbox hand over letters.jpg|400px]]''The hand shake of...a hand shake.''</div>
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin"><span style="mso-list: Ignore">c)<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman""> </span></span></span>strangely addicted to it,
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Four pairs take part in the show, head-to-head matches reduce them to one winner. It's solo play in the first round, they can confer in the final and the cash round.
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin"><span style="mso-list: Ignore">d)<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman""> </span></span></span>needed to do more of it,
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<div class=image>[[File:Letterbox country blanks.jpg|400px]]''Hmm, a country with an "O" and an "A". What could it possibly be?''</div>
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin"><span style="mso-list: Ignore">e)<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman""> </span></span></span>asked the big cheeses if I could present it,
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The cash round? A box of letters is in front of Mel Giedroyc. There's a password hidden in the "letterbox" - it's eight letters, none of them repeated. The rest of the alphabet is also in the box, and whoever solves a word gets to pick two letters from the box. These tokens are handed over, and finalists will know eight letters that aren't in the mystery password.
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin"><span style="mso-list: Ignore">f)<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman""> </span></span></span>was delighted when they said yes,
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<div class=image>[[File:Letterbox mel holds p.jpg|400px]]''There is no P.''</div>
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin"><span style="mso-list: Ignore">g)<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman""> </span></span></span>can't wait to start recording the shows and meeting the contestants,
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There's a top prize of £2500, but the money drops by £500 for each letter that isn't in the final password. Most daily winners take £1500 or so.
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin"><span style="mso-list: Ignore">h)<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman""> </span></span></span>hoping to get seriously skilled at playing it so that
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<div class=image>[[File:Letterbox prove answer.jpg|400px]]''There is an E.''</div>
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin"><span style="mso-list: Ignore">i)<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman""> </span></span></span>I'll be able to SMASH IT if the board game comes out.
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''Letterbox'' is a slight programme, quiet and unassuming. The entertainment comes from playing along - the password isn't said until it's solved. Fun also comes from reaction shots from the non-playing partner. It goes well with [[Eggheads]] in the teatime slot, but is perhaps too laid-back for its own good.
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Now how many letters have I used up?"
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<div class=image>[[File:Letterbox releases cash.jpg|400px]]''Cash galore!''</div>
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{{notaired}}
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== Key moments ==
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A nine letter word for a fictional character. Our contestants are stumped with only two letters left to reveal.
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<div class="video"><object width="640" height="385"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/trjCmZUOp-0?fs=1&amp;hl=en_US"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/trjCmZUOp-0?fs=1&amp;hl=en_GB" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="640" height="385"></embed></object><br/>''Surely they must be Disney fans.''</div>
== Inventor ==
== Inventor ==
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== Trivia ==
== Trivia ==
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Went out at 6.30, immediately after [[Eggheads]].
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The first series went out at 6.30, immediately after [[Eggheads]]. The second series actually displaced ''Eggheads'' to 4:45, before [[Pointless]]; this is the earliest ''Eggheads'' has aired since 2005.
Hindsight Productions was established by David Young. This was the company's first BBC commission.
Hindsight Productions was established by David Young. This was the company's first BBC commission.
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== Theme music ==
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Marc Sylvan
== Web links ==
== Web links ==
[http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b08yx3yt BBC programme page]
[http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b08yx3yt BBC programme page]
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== See also ==
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[[Weaver's Week 2017-08-06|Weaver's Week review]]
[[Category:Puzzle]]
[[Category:Puzzle]]
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[[Category:Current]]
 
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[[Category:Awaiting Review]]
 

Revision as of 16:07, 22 September 2019

Contents

Host

Mel Giedroyc

Broadcast

Hindsight Productions for BBC Two, 17 July 2017 to 8 November 2018 (45 episodes in 2 series)

Synopsis

Anyone for a game of competitive hangman?

Mel's always up for a game.

Blanks appears on screen, denoting each letter in a password. One player guesses a letter of the alphabet. If it's in the word, the letter appears, and they can guess again. Should the letter not be in the word, play passes to the opponent. Whoever completes the password wins the round.

The hand shake of...a hand shake.

Four pairs take part in the show, head-to-head matches reduce them to one winner. It's solo play in the first round, they can confer in the final and the cash round.

Hmm, a country with an "O" and an "A". What could it possibly be?

The cash round? A box of letters is in front of Mel Giedroyc. There's a password hidden in the "letterbox" - it's eight letters, none of them repeated. The rest of the alphabet is also in the box, and whoever solves a word gets to pick two letters from the box. These tokens are handed over, and finalists will know eight letters that aren't in the mystery password.

There is no P.

There's a top prize of £2500, but the money drops by £500 for each letter that isn't in the final password. Most daily winners take £1500 or so.

There is an E.

Letterbox is a slight programme, quiet and unassuming. The entertainment comes from playing along - the password isn't said until it's solved. Fun also comes from reaction shots from the non-playing partner. It goes well with Eggheads in the teatime slot, but is perhaps too laid-back for its own good.

Cash galore!

Key moments

A nine letter word for a fictional character. Our contestants are stumped with only two letters left to reveal.


Surely they must be Disney fans.

Inventor

David Young, who described the show thus: "It's a word game designed to appeal to a family audience because it doesn't contain any general knowledge questions. On Letterbox you don’t need to be an Egghead to walk away a winner!"

Trivia

The first series went out at 6.30, immediately after Eggheads. The second series actually displaced Eggheads to 4:45, before Pointless; this is the earliest Eggheads has aired since 2005.

Hindsight Productions was established by David Young. This was the company's first BBC commission.

Theme music

Marc Sylvan

Web links

BBC programme page

See also

Weaver's Week review

Feedback

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