Monday 4th November 2013 (Series 69, Prelim 84)

[Graeme Cole]

Countdown recap for Monday 4 November 2013.

C1: Champion Alan Young (2 wins, 161 points) is a recruitment consultant co-ordinator from Glasgow looking for his third win.
C2: Challenger Ian Kenny is a golfer, Scrabble player and fisherman from Newcastle. He once saw Bobby Robson with a pocketful of kippers, and Sting used to be his milkman.
DC: Susie Dent and Mark Foster.
RR: Rachel Riley.
OT: Other words or solutions.

R01: R C T O U E N L O
R02: M R I E D T O A S
R03: 25, 75, 3, 5, 9, 4. Target: 316.
TTT: NICKLAGS - "Nick lags behind, he needs to pull his socks up."
R04: D L E O M A Q J O
R05: T S I U E H N I G
R06: 75, 50, 3, 4, 5, 1. Target: 882.
R07: W R H E O A S P R
R08: T E A L D E T N O
R09: 25, 100, 5, 4, 2, 3. Target: 141.
TTT: TINYTREE - "Nothing tiny about this - it goes on forever."
R10: P T A U E N G I V
R11: P K O E D H R I E
R12: N T O A M I G O R
R13: P S V E A E M G U
R14: 25, 50, 9, 8, 5, 9. Target: 699.
R15: B I G O N E M A N (conundrum)


And now a brief interlude before our main feature:

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Enjoy the show.


Round 1: R C T O U E N L O

C1: COUNTER (7)
C2: CONTOUR (7)
DC: TROUNCE (7) NOCTULE (7)
OT: CLOTURE (7) CONTROL (7) CORONET (7) COULTER (7) CROUTON (7) ECOTOUR (7) RECOUNT (7)
Score: 7–7 (max 7)

We start the week with a flat round. Mark and Susie find an unusual 7, NOCTULE, which is a species of bat native to Eurasia and North Africa.


Round 2: M R I E D T O A S

C1: ROASTED (7)
C2: STORMED (7)
DC: ATOMISER (8) MEDIATORS (18)
OT: AMORTISED (18)
Score: 14–14 (max 25)

Sevens again for Alan and Ian, but Susie has no trouble finding MEDIATORS. Its cousin AMORTISED was also there.


Round 3: 25, 75, 3, 5, 9, 4. Target: 316.

C1: 316. (75+9-5)*4 (10)
C2: 316. 4*75+25-9 (10)
Score: 24–24 (max 35)

A not-too-taxing numbers game ensures our contestants are level at the break.


Teatime teaser: NICKLAGS -> SLACKING


Round 4: D L E O M A Q J O

C1: LOOMED (6)
C2: LOOMED (6)
DC: MOJO
Score: 30–30 (max 41)

Now they've both found the only six, and Mark seemed to suggest that DC didn't have it.


Round 5: T S I U E H N I G

C1: SUITING (7)
C2: -
DC: HEISTING (8) NIGHTIES (8)
OT: THINGIES (8)
Score: 37–30 (max 49)

The first breakthrough arrives as Ian can't find any words. Well, he probably saw SHITE and then couldn't see anything else.


Round 6: 75, 50, 3, 4, 5, 1. Target: 882.

C1: 881. (75*3-5)*4+1 (7)
C2: -
RR: 882. (75*4-5-1)*3 (10)
Score: 44–30 (max 59)

Champion Alan extends his lead with 1 away. Attempting to factorise this one into 63*14 shows a good knowledge of your 63 times table, but unfortunately won't be of any help to you solving this one. Although if you break it down into 7*9*7*2, that's 49*18, which is (50-1)*(75/5+3).

Round 7: W R H E O A S P R

C1: HOARSER (7)
C2: WHORES (6)
DC: SPARROW (7) HARROWS (7)
OT: WARHORSE (8)
Score: 51–30 (max 67)

Ian apologises for offering WHORES, and Alan wins his third round in a row with HOARSER. Nobody finds the darrenic 8 WARHORSE.


Round 8: T E A L D E T N O

C1: TALENTED (8)
C2: DONATE (6)
DC: DETONATE (8)
Score: 59–30 (max 75)

Alan wins yet another round, and Susie comes up with an explosive eight.


Round 9: 25, 100, 5, 4, 2, 3. Target: 141.

C1: 141. 2*25+100-5-4 (10)
C2: 141. 2*25+100-5-4 (10)
Score: 69–40 (max 85)

Next.


Teatime teaser: TINYTREE -> ETERNITY


Round 10: P T A U E N G I V

C1: PAVING (6)
C2: peaving
DC: PETUNIA (7)
OT: VINTAGE (7)
Score: 75–40 (max 92)

Alan can only find six from this selection, so it looks like Ian might make up some ground, but his word is a misspelling of PEEVING.


Round 11: P K O E D H R I E

C1: PORKED (6)
C2: HIRED (5)
OT: DOPIER (6) HOKIER (6) PERIOD (6) PERKED (6) POKIER (6)
Score: 81–40 (max 98)

Susie asks Alan if he said POKED. "PORKED", repeats Alan, as the audience start laughing. Susie confirms that PORK is indeed a verb, but Nick doesn't absent-mindedly enquire as to what it means. Just as well.


Round 12: N T O A M I G O R

C1: ROAMING (7)
C2: MOTORING (8)
DC: ROGATION (8)
Score: 81–48 (max 106)

Ian's spot of MOTORING means the game isn't quite over yet, but it would require a record comeback now to deny Alan his third win.


Round 13: P S V E A E M G U

C1: VAGUE (5)
C2: GAMES (5)
DC: AMUSE (5)
OT: MAUVES (6)
Score: 86–53 (max 112)

Only fives, and a slightly suspicious six.


Round 14: 25, 50, 9, 8, 5, 9. Target: 699.

C1: 699. (9+5)*50-(9-8) (10)
C2: 699. (9+5)*50-(9-8) (10)
Score: 96–63 (max 122)

The numbers have been reasonably kind today, and this one doesn't trouble Alan or Ian.


Round 15: B I G O N E M A N

Alan buzzes on 3.5 seconds to say BEMOANING which is correct.
Final Score: 106–63 (max 132)

Alan finishes off his third win with his first century. He's not in the top eight yet, but if things keep going his way he could well be later in the week. Ian started strongly today but Alan had the better of him in the midgame, so he's back off to Newcastle with his goody bag.

Finally, before I go, it's worth mentioning that there do exist quality game shows other than Countdown, such as Only Connect. Raccoon and CF are on it now. Get to it! For some reason CF thinks he needs to make his own buzzer noises.

(If anyone knows why we call Jamie Karran CF, do tell. I've no idea.)

Further summaries are at:
http://cdb.apterous.org/series.php?series=69