Monday 11th October 2021 (Series 84, Preliminary 75)

[Rhys Benjamin]

Annedown LXXIV and at least I'm watching this episode thanks to Chloe Jones, but again we're without subtitles. I've said it before unironically - I miss the simplicity of VCRs!

Countdown recap for Monday 11 October 2021.

Today is the start of Legs Matter Week, says Anne. Just another horrid reminder for Anne, but not for Rachel "egg on legs" Riley. And Rachel also said "covvid" again.

C1: Challenger Oliver Bisset. Reading Politics and Business at Edinburgh. Plays rugby and badminton, which, according to Anne, is "for people who can't play tennis." "Just" 19 years old. I was 16 when I was on, pfft.
C2: Challenger Matt Watts. Has just made a new human, who's now 18 months old. From Maidenhead. R&D in medical devices. Matt suggests Anne needs to improve her blood circulation. (May have appeared in 2006. Played Stewart Gordon.)
DC: Susie Dent and Keith Allen. Keith Allen, one of Anne's favourite Sheriffs of Nottingham, and my personal favourite. I rewatched Robin Hood in the first lockdown (the 2006 BBC series) and it's genuinely very good.
RR: Rachel Riley.
OT: Other words or solutions.

R01: M E O T L N E U R
R02: P S C A A U E G N
R03: 50, 10, 9, 3, 2, 5. Target: 785.
TTT: BATLOUSE - "The divorce is final, according to this decree."
R04: R K D I O A S W I
R05: N A I L R H E E D
R06: 75, 100, 9, 2, 7, 8. Target: 324.
R07: M L R U O O B I S
R08: L G B A I E N D U
R09: 75, 3, 1, 10, 8, 4. Target: 934.
TTT: GRINDHAP - "It's not bitter, but it's definitely twisted."
R10: G N T I E E P H A
R11: M T O E S D O F N
R12: Z R T O E I C N A
R13: S I E Y F P U A M
R14: 75, 5, 8, 5, 7, 2. Target: 666.
R15: T O W E R R A V E (conundrum)


And now a brief interlude before our main feature:

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Enjoy the show.

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

Oliver: METER/METRE (5) (not spelt)
Matt: UNREMOTE (8)
DC: NEUTER (6) MOLTEN (6)
OT: ROULEMENT (18)
Score: 0–8 (max 18, jos 8)
Darren-o-meter: 1/1 (100%)

Up and running with an excellent spot from Matt, although the nine goes begging.

Round 2: P S C A A U E G N

Oliver: SCAPE (5)
Matt: PAGES (5)
DC: SAUCEPAN (8) CANAPES (7)
Score: 5–13 (max 26, jos 16)
Darren-o-meter: 2/2 (100%)

Two rounds, two darrens. Both contestants are on five, but Dictionary Corner gently warm up the game.

Round 3: 50, 10, 9, 3, 2, 5. Target: 785.

Oliver: 785. (3 × 9 + 2 + 50) × 10 − 5 (10)
Matt: -
Score: 15–13 (max 36, jos 26)

Oliver's solution nets him the lead for the first time.

Teatime teaser: BATLOUSE -> ABSOLUTE

Round 4: R K D I O A S W I

Oliver: RADIOS (6)
Matt: RADIOS (6)
DC: RAIOIDS (7)
OT: KOWARIS (7)
Score: 21–19 (max 43, jos 33)
Darren-o-meter: 2/3 (67%)

RAIOIDS are a type of fish, according to Susie.

Round 5: N A I L R H E E D

Oliver: renailed (risk)
Matt: HEADLINE (8) (not written down)
DC: HEADLINER (18)
Score: 21–27 (max 61, jos 51)
Darren-o-meter: 3/4 (75%)

Whoops. Matt sees HEADLINE at the last moment and realises all too late he could have stuck an R on the end. Oliver sees RENAILED^ which, surprisingly in Susie's view, isn't in.

Round 6: 75, 100, 9, 2, 7, 8. Target: 324.

Oliver: 325. (9 − 7 + 2) × 100 − 75​ (7)
Matt: 316.
RR: 324. (100 − 75 + 7 + 8 ÷ 2) × 9​ (10)
Score: 28–27 (max 71, jos 61)

Oliver's scored 17 on the numbers to Matt's 0 and it's essentially keeping him in the game at this point.

Anne and Keith haven't seen each other since an episode of The Weakest Link in 2006. Like most of the guests these days, today's anecdote is "what I got up to in lockdown".

Oliver has a girlfriend, even though he doesn't look old enough to have one, and she's studying Politics & International Relations.

Round 7: M L R U O O B I S

Oliver: BROOMS (6)
Matt: BLOOMS (6)
DC: subroom MOOLIS (6)
OT: BOMORS (6) BROILS (6) LIMBOS (6) LIMBUS (6) MOLOIS (6) MORBUS (6) OBOLUS (6) OBOSUM (6) ORMOLU (6) OROBUS (6) RIMOUS (6) RUBIOS (6) RUMBOS (6)
Score: 34–33 (max 77, jos 67)
Darren-o-meter: 3/5 (60%)

Flaaaaaaaaaaaaaat.

Matt "used to be" athletic, but the new human has stopped that for now.

Round 8: L G B A I E N D U

Oliver: bailing
Matt: bundling
DC: DEALING (7) LEADING (7) BUNGLED (7)
OT: ABLUDING (8) GUIDABLE (8)
Score: 34–33 (max 85, jos 74)
Darren-o-meter: 3/6 (50%)

Welcome to phantom-letter-down as both contestants see phantom letters.

Round 9: 75, 3, 1, 10, 8, 4. Target: 934.

Oliver: 910.
Matt: 935. (8 + 4) × (75 + 3) − 1 (7)
RR: 934. (75 × 4 + 8) × 3 + 10​ (10)
Score: 34–40 (max 95, jos 84)

Matt gets his numbers in order with a crucial seven points to take the lead off Oliver.

Teatime teaser: GRINDHAP -> HANDGRIP

Matt once went up Kilimanjaro when he was 22. 6 days up, 1.5 days back down.

Round 10: G N T I E E P H A

Oliver: HEATING (7)
Matt: HEAPING (7)
OT: PEGANITE (8) PHENGITE (8)
Score: 41–47 (max 103, jos 91)
Darren-o-meter: 3/7 (43%)

Both contestants are on seven, with Dictionary Corner missing both the eights.

Oliver is doing four years at University (as did I) and I can tell him it's 33% better than doing a three-year course.

Round 11: M T O E S D O F N

Oliver: snooted (risk)
Matt: FOOTMEN (7)
DC: FESTOON (7) MOONSET (7)
OT: MESODONT (8)
Score: 41–54 (max 111, jos 98)
Darren-o-meter: 4/8 (50%)

Sevens all around, except for Oliver whose word isn't valid, and eight for the computer.

OOW Susie talks about the history of the Cornish Pasty.

Round 12: Z R T O E I C N A

Oliver: CRANE (5)
Matt: CREATION (8) (stick with)
DC: NARCOTIZE (18)
OT: ZIRCONATE (18)
Score: 41–62 (max 129, jos 116)
Darren-o-meter: 4/9 (44%)

Matt extends his lead and crucially gets it above 20 by sticking with an 8. I do wish we'd known what he rejected. Creationz? Meh. Replacing Ss with Zs iz a bit noughtiez, man iz down wiv da kidz innit

Round 13: S I E Y F P U A M

Oliver: -
Matt: EASY (4) (stick with)
DC: SAMEY (5) PUMAS (5)
OT: EMPUSA (6) MISPAY (6) PIUMAS (6) SAMFIE (6) UMPIES (6)
Score: 41–66 (max 135, jos 121)
Darren-o-meter: 4/10 (40%)

Matt's EASY four is anything but, but it does get him over the line.

Round 14: 75, 5, 8, 5, 7, 2. Target: 666.

Oliver: 666. (5 ÷ 5 + 8) × 75 − 7 − 2​ (10)
Matt: 666. (75 + 7) × 8 + 5 + 5 (10)
Score: 51–76 (max 145, jos 131)

Lovely jubbly.

Round 15: T O W E R R A V E

Matt buzzes on 9.5 seconds to say OVERWATER which is correct.
Final Score: 51–86 (max 155, jos 141)

Perhaps a bit flattering, but Matt gets his first win with a 35-point margin in the end. A good challenge from Oliver, but it fell apart in the second half.

Anyway, join us again whenever someone gives us Tuesday's game details. Or when Channel 4 gets shut down by Ofcom for their subtitles having not been available for three weeks.


Further summaries are at:
http://cdb.apterous.org/series.php?series=84