Des chiffres et des lettres

(un) chiffre (sheefr) = a number. To be exact, a number below 10 or a digit, numbers in general being called "nombres".
(une) lettre (leytr) = a letter.
Des chiffres et des lettres ("Numbers and letters") is a famous TV game show that's been around for about 40 years.

It started as "Le mot le plus long" ("The longest word") in the mid-60s, and in its current version, it consists of two types of challenges:

• In the first challenge (les lettres), each candidate turn by turn decides to pick a random vowel or consonant, until 9 letters have been drawn. Candidates have 30 seconds to assemble the longest possible word using the random letters, whoever comes up with the longest wins the round. "Pas mieux" (nothing better) is how candidates announce they don't have a longer word than their opponent.
  
• In the second challenge (les chiffres), 6 random numbers are drawn, as well as a random total between 1 and 999. Using the 6 numbers and any combination of +, -, x and /, candidates have 45 seconds to come up with a formula that brings them as close as possible to the total. Whoever is closer wins the round. "Le compte est bon" ("the count is exact", literally) is the holy grail of this challenge, meaning someone managed to get the exact total.

The show is so popular, it also exists in a variety of board games and electronic versions.

And now, on for some examples. Let the games begin! Some answers tomorrow.

Lettres:
Drawing #1: R U N E R E F E B
Drawing #2: C I L O N E T A T

Chiffres:
Drawing #1: 6 10 3 75 9 2, total 839
Drawing #2: 75 6 3 3 1 5, total 799