Countdown recap for Friday 13 December 2013.
C1: Champion Jen 'The Paddock Wood Princess' Steadman (8 wins, 952 points.) First female to score more than 100 points in every Prelim game, scored highest score by any female player, of 130. The third highest scoring octochamp in Countdown's 30 year history.
C2: Champion Callum 'The Tingley Tearaway' Todd (7 wins, 747 points.) Sixth form student from Leeds. Just missed out on becoming an octochamp.
DC: Susie Dent and Dan Walker.
RR: Rachel Riley.
OT: Other words or solutions.
R01: S G R O E I T D Z
R02: N T L D A U E R O
R03: 1, 9, 5, 3, 1, 75. Target: 829.
TTT: OURRICES - "Might they deliver our rices and our main courses."
R04: F S B G A E U I R
R05: T V P E O I V B S
R06: 10, 1, 8, 6, 4, 2, . Target: 688.
R07: P D N A E O K S E
R08: N M H R I E O I A
R09: 5, 7, 5, 3, 1, 75, . Target: 873.
TTT: CREAMTEA - "It's much easier to swallow if you make it soft."
R10: H S H R E U O A Y
R11: O E O N T S D W R
R12: M T T S A E O I J
R13: S M L U E O T A N
R14: 9, 2, 9, 10, 7, 1. Target: 361.
R15: G A N G L I O N S (conundrum)
And now a brief interlude before our main feature:
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Enjoy the show.
Round 1: S G R O E I T D Z
C1: STODGIER (8)
C2: EDITORS (7)
DC: GOITRED (7)
Score: 8–0 (max 8)
Great start for Jen. STODGIER for 8. Callum asks the programme EDITORS if he can start again
Round 2: N T L D A U E R O
C1: OUTLANDER (18)
C2: OUTLANDER (18)
Score: 26–18 (max 26)
Well spotted folks. Dressed to the nines with OUTLANDER.
Round 3: 1, 9, 5, 3, 1, 75. Target: 829.
C1: 829. (9+3-1) x 75 +5-1 (10)
C2: 829. (9+3-1) x 75 +5-1 (10)
Score: 36–28 (max 36)
A maximum 10 points for 829 from both players.
Teatime teaser: OURRICES -> COURIERS
Round 4: F S B G A E U I R
C1: BRUISE (6)
C2: ARGUFIES (8)
DC: BRAISE (6) BARGES (6) FIREBUGS (8)
Score: 36–36 (max 44)
Jen is feeling a bit BRUISEd as Callum gets ARGUFIES for 8. Argufies means to argue or quarrel. A fanciful formation, a bit like speechify. But of course you all knew that, didn't you?
Round 5: T V P E O I V B S
C1: VOTIVES (7)
C2: PIVOTS (6)
Score: 43–36 (max 51)
Jen takes the lead with VOTIVES for 7.
Round 6: 10, 1, 8, 6, 4, 2. Target: 688.
C1: -
C2: 688. (10 x 4 x 2) + 6) x 8 (10)
Score: 43–46 (max 61)
Jen misses the numbers, and consequently falls behind as Callum hits home with the 6 small tactic.
Dan Walker talks about correct grammar.
Round 7: P D N A E O K S E
C1: SPANKED (7)
C2: SPANKED (7)
DC: DAPSONE (7)
OT: SNEAKED (7) SPONDEE (7)
Score: 50–53 (max 68)
All square as both players get SPANKED. Nice
Round 8: N M H R I E O I A
C1: MORAINE (7)
C2: MORAINE (7)
DC: ROMAINE (7) MENORAH (7)
Score: 57–60 (max 75)
No morons here,
only MORAINEs. Seven again for both players.Round 9: 5, 7, 5, 3, 1, 75. Target: 873.
C1: 873. (75-1) x 12 - (3x5) (10)
C2: 873. (75x3) -5 x (5-1) -7 (10)
Score: 67–70 (max 85)
Maximum points for both players, as 873 is scooped up.
Teatime teaser: CREAMTEA -> MACERATE
Round 10: H S H R E U O A Y
C1: HOARSE (6)
C2: AROUSE (6)
DC: ASHORE (6)
OT: HORAHS (6) HORSEY (6) HOUSEY (6) REHASH (6)
Score: 73–76 (max 91)
Jen feels a bit HOARSE as Callum begins to AROUSE. Six points each.
Round 11: O E O N T S D W R
C1: DOWNERS (7)
C2: SWOONED (7)
DC: RODENTS (7)
OT: DOWNEST (7) ROOSTED (7) SNORTED (7) STROWED (7) WONDERS (7) WORSTED (7)
Score: 80–83 (max 98)
All square again with 7 points.
Susie talks about words that originated from medical terms.
Round 12: M T T S A E O I J
C1: ATOMISE (7)
C2: ATOMISE (7)
DC: TOASTIE (7)
OT: AMOSITE (7) ATOMIES (7) ATOMIST (7) MATIEST (7) OATIEST (7) STOMATE (7)
Score: 87–90 (max 105)
And again as the game edges closer to its climax.
Round 13: S M L U E O T A N
C1: SEAMOUNT (8)
C2: SOULMATE (8)
DC: AMULETS (7)
Score: 95–98 (max 113)
Two excellent 8's. SEAMOUNT and SOULMATE.
Round 14: 9, 2, 9, 10, 7, 1. Target: 361.
C1: 361. (9-7) +2x9 x 10 +1 (10)
C2: 361. (9-7) +2 x 9 x 10 +1 (10)
Score: 105–108 (max 123)
Another perfect 10 for both with 361.
Round 15: G A N G L I O N S
C2 buzzes on 8 seconds to say which is incorrect.
C1 does not buzz.
The answer was SINGALONG.
Final Score: 105–108 (max 133)
So we have a crucial conundrum. Callum thinks he's got it as he buzzes on 8 seconds to say 'sloganing'. 'Incorrect' says the board, much to Callum's horror. The next 22 seconds must have felt like a lifetime, as Callum's entire Countdown career flashed before him. However, Jen was unable to come up with an answer, so Nick revealed all. (The conundrum that is
) SINGALONG was the answer.So Callum produces a 'shock' result by defeating Jen. He now faces a semi final against either Glen Webb or Jonathan Liew. Their QF is on Monday. Join Graeme Cole to see how they get on. So the next few days will be very interesting as we see the finalists for series 69 unfold. I'll be here next Friday for the final. Join me then to find out who walks off with the title of series champion for series 69. Thank you for reading and goodbye for now.
Further summaries are at:
http://cdb.apterous.org/series.php?series=69
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