[20081024] Friday 24th October, S59, G70

[DaveC]

Countdown recap for Friday 24 October 2008.

C1: Champion: CHARLIE REAMS (7 wins, a flyaway total of 747 points thus far, 4 out of 7 Conundrums)
C2: Challenger: JOHN EVA.

DC: Susie Dent and Brian Capron.
CV: Carol Vorderman.
OT: Other words or solutions.
DC: Appearing in numbers rounds is my solution
GS: Generated Solution (numbers round)


R01: P D T N A I E T S
R02: G P O I D E O R T
R03: H F C T I A A N S
R04: M R N I O A C W I
R05: 100, 3, 7, 1, 9, 1. Target: 381.

TTT: HOTFIRER - "More light and airy, like a soap perhaps"

R06: T R L A O E C R I
R07: N L P Y E I E M T
R08: S H R U E O D F E
R09: R N G D A E A T O
R10: 25, 10, 5, 1, 4, 7. Target: 814.

TTT: ASHCUMIN - "If you go out a lot you're not this to an extent"

R11: B S T V A E I E A
R12: N L M E O E L Q I
R13: S R L M A U O E R
R14: 25, 2, 3, 10, 5, 8. Target: 946.

R15: D E A D S U P E R (conundrum)



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Round 1: P D T N A I E T S

C1: PAINTED (7)
C2: PATIENTS (8)
DC: INSTATED (8)
OT: another 27 sevens.
Score: 0–8 (max 8)


Round 2: G P O I D E O R T

C1: DIOPTRE (7)
C2: GRIPED (6)
DC: PODGIER (7), TROOPED (7), TORPEDO (7), PERIDOT (7)
OT: GOITRED (7), GOOPIER (7), TROOPIE (7)
Score: 7–8 (max 15)


Round 3: H F C T I A A N S

C1: CATFISH (7)
C2: FINCH (5)
DC: FANATICS (8)
OT: CAFTANS (7), SATANIC (7), SHAITAN (7), SHITCAN (7)*
Score: 14–8 (max 23)

To SHITCAN something is vulgar slang for throwing it away. This is the first time to my knowledge a rude word has crept by without Charlie declaring it... very disappointing.


Round 4: M R N I O A C W I

C1: CROWN (5)
C2: MICRON (6)
OT: MORAINIC (KB, 8), IRONIC (6), ANOMIC (6), COWMAN (6), MANIOC (6)*, MANOIR (6)
Score: 14–14 (max 31)

A MANIOC or CASSAVA is the root of a tropical tree or the starch extracted from it.


Round 5: 100, 3, 7, 1, 9, 1. Target: 381.

C1: 381x. Mistake in working.
C2: 381. ( 3 * 100 ) + ( ( 7 + 1 + 1 ) * 9 ) =(10)
JB: 381. ( ( 100 - 7 ) * ( 3 + 1 ) ) + 9 =(10)
Score: 14–24 (max 41)


Teatime teaser: HOTFIRER -> FROTHIER


Round 6: T R L A O E C R I

C1: CROTALE (7)
C2: REALTOR (7)
DC: RECTORIAL (18)
OT: CARRIOLE (8), LORICATE (8)
Score: 21–31 (max 59)


Round 7: N L P Y E I E M T

C1: EMPTILY (7)
C2: PLENTY (6)
OT: INEPTLY (Jimmy, 7)*, another 16 sixes including LIMPET, a Pam Ayres favourite word of course.
Score: 28–31 (max 66)


Round 8: S H R U E O D F E

C1: defuser (x)
C2: REFUSED (7)
DC: REHOUSED (8)
OT: USHERED (7) - i.e. shown to your seat by a bloke singing "Love in This Club"
Score: 28–38 (max 74)


Round 9: R N G D A E A T O

C1: NEGATOR (7)
C2: GRANTED (7)
DC: TANAGER (7)
OT: DRAGONET (MG, 8), DRAGNET (7), GRADATE (7), TANGOED (7), GROANED (7)
Score: 35–45 (max 82)

A DRAGONET is a marine fish which often lies partly buried, presumably while stalking prey. As we might expect the origin of the word has to do with it being little and having an apparently dragon like appearance.


Round 10: 25, 10, 5, 1, 4, 7. Target: 814.

C1: 815. ( 7 + 1 ) * 4 * 25 + 10 + 5 =(7)
C2: 805. not explained.
CV: 814x made a hash of it. (X)
MK: 814. ( ( 5 * 10 ) + 25 - 1 ) * ( 7 + 4 ) =(10)
NW: 814. ( 7 * 4 + 5 ) * 25 - 10 - 1 =(10)
Score: 42–45 (max 92)


See "multiples of 11" at end.


Teatime teaser: ASHCUMIN -> INASMUCH


Round 11: B S T V A E I E A

C1: BEASTIE (7)
C2: ABATES (6)
DC: AVIATES (7)
OT: ABATIS (6), BAASIE (6), BETISE (6), BEVIES (6), SAVATE (6), STEVIA (6)
Score: 49–45 (max 99)


Round 12: N L M E O E L Q I

C1: millen (X)
C2: oleine (X)
DC: MOLLIE (6)
OT: MOLINE (6), OILMEN (6), NIELLO (6)
Score: 49–45 (max 105)


Round 13: S R L M A U O E R

C1: ARMOURS (7)
C2: MAULERS (7)
OT: MORULAE (7), REMORAS (7), ROAMERS (7), SURREAL (7)
Score: 56–52 (max 112)


Round 14: 25, 2, 3, 10, 5, 8. Target: 946.

C1: 945. (3 * 10 + 8 ) * 25 - 5 =(7)
C2: -X-. nothing declared.
NW: 946. ( ( 25 * 5 ) - ( 10 - 3 ) ) * 8 + 2 =(10)
Score: 63–52 (max 122)


Round 15: D E A D S U P E R

C1 gives himself 8 seconds to convince himself that he has the answer before buzzing in.

.............
.............


C1: PERSUADED, the correct answer.

Score: 73–52 (max 132)


Charlie promptly becomes No. 1 seed for the finals with a total of 820 points, 30 points ahead of Junaid the current second seed. Charlie is now the 21st member of the 800 Club, i.e. players from the 15 round era who score an average of 100 points or more throughout their octochamp run.


MULTIPLES OF 11
===============

To work out whether any number is a multiple of 11 simply add then subtract the sequence of digits as though they are single figures and obtain the total, if the total is 0 or divisible by 11 the original figure is divisible by 11 too.

e.g. 946 = 9 - 4 + 6 = 11, so 946 is divisible by 11, as is 814 because 8 - 1 + 4 = 11.

similarly 253 is also divisible by 11 because 2 - 5 + 3 = 0.

Taken to an extreme....
9462728 is divisible by 11 because 9-4+6-2+7-2+8 = 22, which is of course 11 * 2

When you multiply or divide something by 11 the "units" figure remains the same. It's quite easy then to estimate what should go in the 10's.

253 / 11 = ?3 , bearing in mind 20 * 11 = 220 and 30 * 11 = 330 the "tens" figure must be a 2 because 253 is above 220 and below 330. There are probably better ways of working that out, perhaps offered by the Trachtenberg system and the like... which I've yet to explore.


200 AND OUT
===========

Well, this is my 200th review and I'm handing Friday over now, it's sort of reached that point. To bow out with one of Junaid's games, two of Kai's games, Charlie's 3rd then 8th games has been a particular pleasure. Thanks a lot everyone for all the various contributions especially Jim for his Jimdic and supplying me with word lists over the course of many weeks and of course Charlie for maintaining the place the reviews go and the review writer which has proven very useful for the last few weeks... and all the people who spotted it when I F**ked up.... as usual.. Haha. Looking forward to some awesome reviews from Joseph and Allan in the near future for sure.... enjoy.


Further summaries are at:
http://www.apterous.org/cdb/series.php?series=59

Current Series Seeds can be seen here..
http://www.countdownwiki.com/Series_59

[Kirk Bevins]

Round 3: H F C T I A A N S

C1: CATFISH (7)
C2: FINCH (5)
DC: FANATICS (8)
OT: CAFTANS (7), SATANIC (7), SHAITAN (7), SHITCAN (7)*
Score: 14–8 (max 23)

Interesingly, another E would have yielded SHITFACE which I'm sure Charlie would have seen.

[Joseph Bolas]

200 AND OUT
===========

Well, this is my 200th review and I'm handing Friday over now, it's sort of reached that point. To bow out with one of Junaid's games, two of Kai's games, Charlie's 3rd then 8th games has been a particular pleasure. Thanks a lot everyone for all the various contributions especially Jim for his Jimdic and supplying me with word lists over the course of many weeks and of course Charlie for maintaining the place the reviews go and the review writer which has proven very useful for the last few weeks... and all the people who spotted it when I F**ked up.... as usual.. Haha. Looking forward to some awesome reviews from Joseph and Allan in the near future for sure.... enjoy.

Well done Dave for batting 200 recaps

It's going to be a tough act to follow, but Allan and I will certainly give it our all, and continue the awesome Friday recaps

[Jason Larsen]

Once again, congratulations, Charlie on becoming an Octochamp!

[Howard Somerset]

Thanks Dave for all those recaps you've done. Also for the encouragement you gave me when I did my first a few years ago, when standing in one week for you.

You're quite correct - you picked some very memorable games to finish on. Or maybe it was the other way round - was it the contestants who gave you some memorable games, knowing that they were going to be the subjects of your last few recaps?

[Allan Harmer]

200 AND OUT
===========

Well, this is my 200th review and I'm handing Friday over now, it's sort of reached that point. To bow out with one of Junaid's games, two of Kai's games, Charlie's 3rd then 8th games has been a particular pleasure. Thanks a lot everyone for all the various contributions especially Jim for his Jimdic and supplying me with word lists over the course of many weeks and of course Charlie for maintaining the place the reviews go and the review writer which has proven very useful for the last few weeks... and all the people who spotted it when I F**ked up.... as usual.. Haha. Looking forward to some awesome reviews from Joseph and Allan in the near future for sure.... enjoy.

Well done Dave for batting 200 recaps

It's going to be a tough act to follow, but Allan and I will certainly give it our all, and continue the awesome Friday recaps

Congratulations on a 'Double Ton' Dave.

That is a hard act to follow. Joseph and I will have to go some to emulate your sparkling reviews but we will give it our best shot and have a few giggles on the way.

[Michael Wallace]

Just to add to the 'well done and thanks' brigade, I certainly appreciated the extra bits and pieces you put into your recaps, and will be expecting no less from your successors

[Paul Howe]

Yep, cheers Dave for all the dedicated recapping, much appreciated. And well done Charlie for completing the octo run and giving Dave an interesting last game.

I had a similar experience of not being able to find my best form and having to scrap for the win in my fourth game, not pleasant if you'd be disappointed with anything less than 8 wins, which I expect you would've been. I actually felt far less tension in the series finals and CofC because the pressure of being expected to win was gone.

[Julian Fell]

Yeah just to very belatedly say well done to Charlie on a great run (which obviously isn't over yet) - illness and a malfunctioning internet connection meant it took me a while to get through your last few games, so sorry if I haven't commented before now. As mentioned before, you beat me on a fair few letters rounds, and you showed a promising tendency to pull excellent numbers solutions out of the bag during tight games. Looking forward to watching you in the finals.

It's interesting what Paul said - for me it was the opposite, I felt almost no pressure in the heats but it was piling down on me in the series finals... though I suppose Paul was in a slightly different position, not being no.1 seed and favourite for the finals etc.

[David O'Donnell]

Yeah just to very belatedly say well done to Charlie on a great run (which obviously isn't over yet) - illness and a malfunctioning internet connection meant it took me a while to get through your last few games, so sorry if I haven't commented before now. As mentioned before, you beat me on a fair few letters rounds, and you showed a promising tendency to pull excellent numbers solutions out of the bag during tight games. Looking forward to watching you in the finals.

It's interesting what Paul said - for me it was the opposite, I felt almost no pressure in the heats but it was piling down on me in the series finals... though I suppose Paul was in a slightly different position, not being no.1 seed and favourite for the finals etc.

I don't think I have gave Charlie a proper (a proper Charlie, shurely) "well done" either. Great stuff, Charlie, and also highly entertaining to watch. I don't know how you managed to crack a few quips and still belt out the maxes, very enjoyable indeed.