Monday July 6th 2015 (series 73 prelim 12)

[Andy McGurn]

Countdown recap for Monday 6 July 2015.

C1: Champion Judy Bursford (2 wins 171 points) - Judy scored two wins last week including avictory over four time winner Pat who beat Rhys earlier on. By succession (and no octochamps) that makes Judy the best player of the series so far.

C2: Challenger Phil Lane. a call centre advisor from Barnsley who is also a steward at Barnsley FC.. He plays "words with friends" on facebook and hopes to "give Judy a contest"


DC: Susie Dent and Helen Fospero.
RR: Rachel Riley.
OT: Other words or solutions.

R01: N B L O A E V R F
R02: H I U S D T N A O
R03: 3, 2, 6, 9, 1, 50. Target: 572.
TTT: CALLINBY - "It sounds like william is able to cook when camping"
R04: R I S P D A U J H
R05: S T G E I O M A W
R06: 3, 2, 4, 3, 25, 75. Target: 166.
R07: R S G E I E R K A
R08: P D I O N E R T A
R09: 8, 2, 1, 6, 10, 50. Target: 779.
TTT: ACEGOTIT - "if you're gonna get this you have to think hard about it"
R10: M D U A N L P E G
R11: M S G O I O U D I
R12: T V S A E U F Q A
R13: C R T O E I R D A
R14: 9, 7, 1, 6, 5, 100. Target: 173.
R15: O T H E R W A Y S (conundrum)


And now a brief interlude before our main feature:

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Enjoy the show.

Round 1: N B L O A E V R F

Judy: FABLE (5)
Phil: LOVER (5)
DC: BLARE (5) VERONAL (7)
OT: FLAVONE (7)
Score: 5–5 (max 7)

It's easy to get fives here but there are a couple of obscure sevens and DC get one of them.


Round 2: H I U S D T N A O

Judy: HANDOUTS (8)
Phil: shunts
DC: THOUSAND (8)
Score: 13–5 (max 15)

Phil declares shunts as a seven so he has double messed up as it is only a six and needs another s. Great round from Judy though as she gets one of the two max eights available.


Round 3: 3, 2, 6, 9, 1, 50. Target: 572.

Judy: 569. ((9+2)*50)+((6*3)+1) (7)
Phil: 568.
RR: 572. (9+2)*((6/3)+50) (10)
Score: 20–5 (max 25)

You get the impression that Judy would prefer it if there were no numbers rounds. Whether this is the case or not she is nearer that her challenger on this one and gets he points. A spot on solution however was quite straightforward and Rachael shows us how.


Teatime teaser: CALLINBY -> BILLYCAN

Round 4: R I S P D A U J H

Judy: PARISH (6)
Phil: SPAR (4)
DC: PRUDISH (7)
OT: PUJARIS (7) PURDAHS (7) RUPIAHS (7)
Score: 26–5 (max 32)

Judy wins another round with a six as Phil phails to get anywhere near.


Round 5: S T G E I O M A W

Judy: STOWAGE (7)
Phil: magots
DC: STIGMA (6) ATOMISE (7) EGOTISM (7)
Score: 33–5 (max 39)

It hardly look like a contest as Judy impresses again while Phil...doesn't.


Round 6: 3, 2, 4, 3, 25, 75. Target: 166.

Judy: 163. ((2*75)+25)-(4*3) (7)
Phil: 167. Mistake in working.
RR: 166. ((2*75)+25)-(4*3)+3 (10)
Score: 40–5 (max 49)

Phil declares 167 but describes a route to 169 which pens the door for Judy who is three away with a three left. But she won't mind as she is shooting ahead ad pretty much has the game won already.

DC Guest: Helen talks about some time she spent with Elton John and some time she spent at his home in the south of France.


Round 7: R S G E I E R K A

Judy: SARKIER (7)
Phil: risker
DC: GREASIER (8)
Score: 47–5 (max 57)

Phil hitshis fourth invalid declaration andhis sixth zero pointer of the game. How stringent are the contestant selections these days?


Round 8: P D I O N E R T A

Judy: TRAINED (7)
Phil: ORDINATE (8)
DC: PREDATION (18)
Score: 47–13 (max 75)

Phil gets a round of applause for winning this round. It appears as though the audience feel sorry for him.


Round 9: 8, 2, 1, 6, 10, 50. Target: 779.

Judy: -
Phil: 800.
RR: 779. (((50*8)-10)*2)-1 (10)
Score: 47–13 (max 85)

Judy declares nothing so with his 21 away Phil is the better contestant in this round. Way to go him.


Teatime teaser: ACEGOTIT -> COGITATE

Round 10: M D U A N L P E G

Judy: MANGLED (7)
Phil: MANGLED (7)
DC: PLAGUED (7) PLUNGED (7)
OT: PLUMAGED (8)
Score: 54–20 (max 93)

A round with good sevens all round but DC surprisingly miss the one available eight.


Round 11: M S G O I O U D I

Judy: ODIOUS (6)
Phil: SUMO (4)
DC: SODIUM (6)
OT: SIGMOID (7)
Score: 60–20 (max 100)

The game has been all but over as a contest since at least the halfway point. Judy piles on the points as she beats Phil again.

OoW- Susie talks about words tat have their origins in giddiness.


Round 12: T V S A E U F Q A

Judy: FEAST (5)
Phil: QUEST (5)
DC: STAVE (5) SUAVE (5)
OT: ESTUFA (6) SAVATE (6)
Score: 65–25 (max 106)

Both sixes are obscure so fivefulness all round is acceptable here.


Round 13: C R T O E I R D A

Judy: CREDITOR (8)
Phil: TORRID (6)
DC: CARRIED (7) ERRATIC (7) EROTIC (6) DIRECTOR (8)
OT: REDACTOR (8)
Score: 73–25 (max 114)

More good stuff from Judy. She has had weak opposition today but credit to her for playing well.


Round 14: 9, 7, 1, 6, 5, 100. Target: 173.

Judy: 173. 100+(9*7)+((6-5)+5) (10)
Phil: 171.
Score: 83–25 (max 124)

Phil misses another easy numbers game. Not a huge surprise.


Round 15: O T H E R W A Y S

No one buzzes. The answer was SEAWORTHY.
Final Score: 83–25 (max 134)

No conundrum for Judy but she scores her third win in pretty impressive fashion. No real opposition today but she has a chance of being the series first octochamp.

As for Phil he finishes the show by doing a rap about countdown. It's awful, really really awful but he is still better at rapping tan he is at countdown.

Join James L tomorrow for Judy's third game. Hopefully she'll have stronger opposition.

[Gavin Chipper]

I think you're a bit hard on Phil here. Also I think you have double standards on their numbers abilities. "You get the impression tat [sic] Judy wold [sic] prefer it if there were no numbers rounds." compared with "Phil misses another easy numbers game. Not a huge surprise."

Also it's one thing to mention that you don't think a player did very well, but this barrage after pretty much every round is taking it way too far. I'd suggest reconsidering your recapping style.

[Andy McGurn]

I think you're a bit hard on Phil here. Also I think you have double standards on their numbers abilities. "You get the impression tat [sic] Judy wold [sic] prefer it if there were no numbers rounds." compared with "Phil misses another easy numbers game. Not a huge surprise."

Also it's one thing to mention that you don't think a player did very well, but this barrage after pretty much every round is taking it way too far. I'd suggest reconsidering your recapping style.

I have edited the sick bits.

Maybe I was just in a bad mood and took it out on Phil.