Wednesday 2nd June 2021 (Series 83, Preliminary 108)

Rhys Benjamin · Post by **Rhys Benjamin** » Thu Jun 03, 2021 7:36 pm

Unfortunately C4C decided to log me out, and thus my well-crafted recap was lost. So you'll have to have a bare bones one.

All4 gave me no ads on this one, w00p w00p.

Countdown recap for Wednesday 2 June 2021.

C1: Champion Louis Ross (3 wins, 257 points.)
C2: Challenger Linda Piper. NHS person from Reading.
DC: Susie Dent and Dr Phil Hammond.
RR: Rachel Riley.
OT: Other words or solutions.

R01: I A I L N T H D U
R02: M A L I E N B E L
R03: 100, 8, 6, 9, 3, 2. Target: 169.
TTT: CARCLASH - "Not a long whinge, just a small harp."
R04: R U D O G I P O F
R05: E I I Y J C P M U
R06: 75, 5, 4, 8, 7, 4. Target: 604.
R07: A E A P D C T B A
R08: N S M E E M O R E
R09: 100, 1, 7, 4, 1, 2. Target: 696.
TTT: TINABURY - "Tina lived in Bury, so was used to this."
R10: O S A K D E F I S
R11: A E E S R L H T O
R12: N A W O O R I G S
R13: E A E V T G R N O
R14: 50, 6, 9, 7, 4, 5. Target: 720.
R15: C A N T D I G I T (conundrum)

And now a brief interlude before our main feature:

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Enjoy the show.

Round 1: I A I L N T H D U

Louis: UNLAID (6) (risky)
Linda: DAUNT (5)
DC: NAUTILI (7)
Score: 6–0 (max 7, jos 7)
Darren-o-meter: 1/1 (100%)

Good start for Louis and also for Phil, who has "naughty lie" for 7.

Round 2: M A L I E N B E L

Louis: MENIAL (6)
Linda: ALIEN (5)
DC: MINEABLE (8)
Score: 12–0 (max 15, jos 15)
Darren-o-meter: 2/2 (100%)

Two rounds, two sixes, two fives, two darrens. In that order.

Round 3: 100, 8, 6, 9, 3, 2. Target: 169.

Louis: 169. 8 × 9 − 3 + 100 (10)
Linda: 169. (2 + 8) × 6 + 9 + 100 (not written down) (10)
Score: 22–10 (max 25, jos 25)

thank u, next...

(although Linda nearly messes it up)

Teatime teaser: CARCLASH -> CLARSACH

Round 4: R U D O G I P O F

Louis: PROOF (5)
Linda: GROUP (5)
DC: PROUD (5) PUDOR (5)
OT: PORFIDO (7)
Score: 27–15 (max 32, jos 30)
Darren-o-meter: 3/3 (100%)

Fives all round, beaten by computer.

Round 5: E I I Y J C P M U

Louis: PUMICE (6)
Linda: PUMICE (6)
Score: 33–21 (max 38, jos 36)
Darren-o-meter: 4/4 (100%)

Four out of four darrens here, and the lead stays at 12.

Round 6: 75, 5, 4, 8, 7, 4. Target: 604.

Louis: 604. 8 × 75 + 4 (10)
Linda: 604. 8 × 75 + 4 (10)
Score: 43–31 (max 48, jos 46)

thank u, next...

Dr Phil gets Nick to say "I pledge to pleasure myself", and we don't need to go any further.

Round 7: A E A P D C T B A

Louis: ABATED (6)
Linda: PACTED (6) (risky, not written down)
DC: ADAPT (5)
OT: PATACA (6) PETACA (6)
Score: 49–37 (max 54, jos 52)
Darren-o-meter: 4/5 (80%)

Two sixes here, Susie allowing PACTED as a verb.

Round 8: N S M E E M O R E

Louis: SERMON (6)
Linda: MORES (5)
DC: SNORE (5)
OT: MERESMEN (8) MESOMERE (8)
Score: 55–37 (max 62, jos 58)
Darren-o-meter: 4/6 (67%)

SERMON on the mount, giving Louis an extra 6 points in his lead. Both eights go unnoticed.

Round 9: 100, 1, 7, 4, 1, 2. Target: 696.

Louis: 696. 7 × 100 − 4 (10)
Linda: 696. 7 × 100 − 4 (10)
Score: 65–47 (max 72, jos 68)

3/3 Arianas.

Teatime teaser: TINABURY -> URBANITY

Round 10: O S A K D E F I S

Louis: KISSED (6)
Linda: SOAKED (6)
DC: FOSSAE (6)
OT: AIDOSES (7)
Score: 71–53 (max 79, jos 74)
Darren-o-meter: 5/7 (71%)

Sixes all around here, although the computer can take us to seven. Time is running out for Linda to make her charge.

Round 11: A E E S R L H T O

Louis: OLEASTER (8)
Linda: hosteler (risky) (disallowed as US spelling)
DC: LEATHERS (8) LOATHERS (8) RATHOLES (8)
OT: TREHALOSE (18)
Score: 79–53 (max 97, jos 82)
Darren-o-meter: 6/8 (75%)

Linda risks an 8, but it's disallowed as the correct UK spelling is HOSTELLER. Louis gives us OLEASTER ("olly aster"), and I initially misheard that as "Olly Alexander", the lead singer of Years & Years (and nowadays the ONLY member of Years & Years). Dictionary Corner rattle off a load of eights but the nine eludes everyone.

Susie gets a wonderful email from stroke recoveree Coral Lake, who praises Countdown for helping her to re-learn how to speak, and asks Susie whether there is any connection between the homophones source and sauce. No there isn't, says Susie.

Round 12: N A W O O R I G S

Louis: SOARING (7)
Linda: SOARING (7)
DC: WOOING (6)
OT: AGRIONS (7) ORIGANS (7) ROOINGS (7) ROOSING (7)
Score: 86–60 (max 104, jos 89)
Darren-o-meter: 6/9 (67%)

Just one studio seven spotted here, by both contestants. This means that with a 26-point deficit, Linda needs to win the next round, with at least a six...!

Round 13: E A E V T G R N O

Louis: ORANGE (6)
Linda: ORNATE (6)
DC: RENOVATE (8) VETERAN (7) OVEREAT (7)
Score: 92–66 (max 112, jos 97)
Darren-o-meter: 7/10 (70%)

Linda gets a six, but Louis's six puts him across the line and into his fourth win, whilst Phil rounds us off with a cheeky darren.

Round 14: 50, 6, 9, 7, 4, 5. Target: 720.

Louis: 720. (5 × 6 + 50) × 9 (10)
Linda: -
Score: 102–66 (max 122, jos 107)

Not an Ariana, but still easy enough for Louis to give him an extra 10 points.

Round 15: C A N T D I G I T

Louis buzzes on 6.5 seconds to say DICTATING which is correct.
Final Score: 112–66 (max 132, jos 117)

He rounds it off in style: 46 points is perhaps a little flattering, but now he's halfway to becoming an octochamp and with just 5 points off the jos a very good performance.

Further summaries are at:
http://cdb.apterous.org/series.php?series=83