Thursday 17th September 2009 (Series 61, Prelim 44)

[Jon Corby]

Countdown recap for Thursday 17 September 2009.

C1: Champion Jeffrey Burgin (1 win, 91 points.)
C2: Challenger Phil Reed.
DC: Susie Dent and Jo Brand.
RR: Rachel Riley.
OT: Other words or solutions.

R01: R G T E O A R G O
R02: T L S I A G T O R
R03: C P R E A I L T E
R04: C M N O I T N E L
R05: 75, 6, 7, 5, 4, 1. Target: 307.
TTT: PROUDCAB - "It can't be naked, but it was once bare"
R06: N L F U E D M I T
R07: N S R O E O C X L
R08: S Z P S A E D R A
R09: N S B I E A D E O
R10: 75, 7, 8, 3, 3, 4. Target: 541.
TTT: DUNETIDE - "Like a hippy's hair, it's never been cut"
R11: K T H E A E P R P
R12: T S W I E T S A J
R13: D S N E A O Y M V
R14: 100, 3, 5, 4, 1, 6. Target: 938.
R15: G U I T T A R E D (conundrum)


And now a brief interlude before our main feature:

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A battle of two apterists yesterday saw Jeffrey see off Bob De Caux with some degree of comfort, showing signs that he may be able to put together a pretty good run. Jeffrey's 18, has appeared in an 'Early Learning Centre' catalogue, and is fast becoming something of a gay pin-up. Hoping to stop him in his tracks (in the context of Countdown, not rise-to-gay-icon) is challenger Phil Reed. Phil is from Dudley in the Midlands, works for British Gas, has a cat called Mother and a son called Jack, and his comedy hero is Norman Wisdom. Jeff points out that Phil's tie is borrowed from a previous Countdown contestant... but Phil doesn't namecheck them! My money's on Kate Richardson.

Enjoy the show.

Round 1: R G T E O A R G O

C1: tagger
C2: groater
DC: ORGEAT (6)
OT: AGOROT (6) GARGET (6) GARRET (6) GARTER (6) GRATER (6) GORGER (6) GORGET (6) ORATOR (6) TOERAG (6) ROOTER (6) TORERO (6)
Score: 0–0 (max 6)

An appalling start from both players suggests that this is gonna be a right load of shit today, and you'd probably be better off watching something else. I have to admit I almost gave up here myself, but then Susie said "orgies" for no real reason other than it sounds a bit like "orgeat", which is a cooling drink.

Round 2: T L S I A G T O R

C1: TRAILS (6)
C2: ROAST (5)
OT: GALIOTS (7) GIRASOL (7) GLOTTIS (7) ORALIST (7) TAILORS (7) SALOTTI (7) STARLIT (7)
Score: 6–0 (max 13)

Mmmm, bit better I suppose from Jeffrey. A few common sevens missed though. I'll give it one more round before I turn over...

Round 3: C P R E A I L T E

C1: REPLICATE (18)
C2: CREATE (6)
DC: TREACLE (Jeff) (7)
Score: 24–0 (max 31)

Nope, rubbish, I'm out of here.













Well done Jeffrey! Oh dear, poor Phil looks like he might be in for a bit of a tonking here...

Round 4: C M N O I T N E L

C1: MENTION (7)
C2: MENTION (7)
DC: CONTEMN (7)
OT: CENTIMO (7) TONEMIC (7) LECTION (7)
Score: 31–7 (max 38)

Contemn is a useful one for Scrabble players, according to Susie. Anyone?
Jo's making up stupid words, which are neither clever nor funny, and appeals to be sacked from the show at this point. Please?


Round 5: 75, 6, 7, 5, 4, 1. Target: 307.

C1: 307. 75*4+7 (10)
C2: 307. 75*4+7 (10)
Score: 41–17 (max 48)

Nice easy numbers gives Phil a more respectable score going into the first break, but Jeffrey looks well in control with the niner.

Teatime teaser: PROUDCAB -> CUPBOARD

Round 6: N L F U E D M I T

C1: MINTED (6)
C2: MINDFUL (7)
DC: MINUET (6)
OT: DILUENT (7) MINUTED (7)
Score: 41–24 (max 55)

Nice spot by Phil, but surely there's not a comeback on, is there?

Round 7: N S R O E O C X L

C1: CROONS (6)
C2: CLONERS (7)
DC: COOLERS (7)
OT: CONSOLER (8)
Score: 41–31 (max 63)

...THERE ONLY BLOODY IS! Phil makes a storming start to the second half to bring the difference down to that all important ten points.

Round 8: S Z P S A E D R A

C1: PASSED (6)
C2: drapers
DC: PARADES (7)
OT: PASSADE (7) PRASADS (7) SARAPES (7) SPREADS (7)
Score: 47–31 (max 70)

D'oh! But then misses a chance to come within 3 as he uses a phantom R.

Round 9: N S B I E A D E O

C1: EBONISED (8)
C2: sabine
Score: 55–31 (max 78)

A fantastic spot by Jeffrey (which he appeared to be playing for with the final vowel selection) surely kills off Phil's mini-comeback.

Round 10: 75, 7, 8, 3, 3, 4. Target: 541.

C1: 540.
C2: 541. 75*7+(3+3)*4-8 (10)
Score: 55–41 (max 88)

But no! Phil's right back at him with a neat numbers solution.

Teatime teaser: DUNETIDE -> UNEDITED

Round 11: K T H E A E P R P

C1: HEATER (6)
C2: PRATE (5)
DC: PREHEAT (7)
Score: 61–41 (max 95)

Round 12: T S W I E T S A J

C1: SWEATS (6)
C2: WASTES (6) (or could've been WAISTS)
DC: SIESTA (6)
OT: TASSIE (6) STATES (6) TASTES (6) TAWSES (6) TATIES (6) TESTIS (6) TWISTS (6) TWITES (6) WAISTS (6) WISEST (6)
Score: 67–47 (max 101)

Round 13: D S N E A O Y M V

C1: MOANED (6)
C2: MOANED (6)
DC: SOMEDAY (7) (Jeff)
OT: DAEMONS (7) MASONED (7) DYNAMOS (7) NOYADES (7)
Score: 73–53 (max 108)

Round 14: 100, 3, 5, 4, 1, 6. Target: 938.

C1: 937. (100+4)*(6+3)+1 (7)
C2: 930.
Score: 80–53 (max 115)

It was all over for Phil once the target had been given, as it was impossible. Jeffrey does the best possible with one away.

Round 15: G U I T T A R E D

C2 buzzes on 8 seconds to say GRATITUDE which is correct.
Score: 80–63 (max 125)

So Jeffrey goes onto fight another day, which will surprise nobody who read yesterday's spoilers thread. Had he not got that nine though (or Phil had REPLICATEd it), he'd have been on his way after one win. How far can he go? I genuinely can't predict it, he's certainly capable of some cracking spots but he's also living dangerously... (particularly if he gives any more spoilers away)

Further summaries are at:
http://www.apterous.org/cdb/series.php?series=61

[Jeffrey Burgin]

I'd have to agree with everything there. Although, and this is the honest to God truth, my 'spoilers' were entirely unintentional- I really didn't remember that I was this unpredictable in this game, and afterwards though it would seem my comments were relating to today I was genuinely talking generically about the standard of my play. Rounds 1 and 2, plus rounds 6-10 bar EBONISED, were utterly woeful today, although admittedly I've only heard of ORALIST and TAILORS in round 2.

I also find it odd how people say things similar to 'if Phil had got 9 he would have won etc.'- if he had got it, the events that followed would have been changed as he may have picked different numbers/letters or I may have got PARADES etc. and so the result would have been different.

P.S. I must add, throughout my recordings, I secretly hoped I'd get a Corby recap for the LOLs and a Laddiman recap for the stats.

[Jon Corby]

I'd have to agree with everything there. Although, and this is the honest to God truth, my 'spoilers' were entirely unintentional- I really didn't remember that I was this unpredictable in this game, and afterwards though it would seem my comments were relating to today I was genuinely talking generically about the standard of my play. Rounds 1 and 2, plus rounds 6-10 bar EBONISED, were utterly woeful today, although admittedly I've only heard of ORALIST and TAILORS in round 2.

I also find it odd how people say things similar to 'if Phil had got 9 he would have won etc.'- if he had got it, the events that followed would have been changed as he may have picked different numbers/letters or I may have got PARADES etc. and so the result would have been different.

P.S. I must add, throughout my recordings, I secretly hoped I'd get a Corby recap for the LOLs and a Laddiman recap for the stats.

Ha, sorry mate, this was pretty half-arsed. Tell you what, if you're still around next Thursday I'll put a proper effort in. (DON'T SAY ANYTHING IN RESPONSE TO THAT)

(Oh, and if I say stuff about contestants being shit, I'm nearly always joking!)

[Martin Smith]

I'm not convinced that CONTEMN is a better Scrabble word than GLOTTIS or DILUENT, I've never come across any of those in life or games.

I think I only lost this one on REPLICATE, I spotted ORALIST, SPREADS and MASONED (surprised I didn't spot it as the almost-cliché DAEMONS though). I'm sure Jeffrey gets better. He's obviously more popular here than the other Jeffrey.

[Charlie Reams]

I'm not convinced that CONTEMN is a better Scrabble word than GLOTTIS or DILUENT, I've never come across any of those in life or games.

Playability scores:
DILUENT: 22
GLOTTIS: 9
CONTEMN: 4

So yeah, what you said.