Friday 29 October 2010 (Series 63, Prelim 80)

[Mike Brown]

Countdown recap for Friday 29 October 2010 (Series 63, Prelim 80).

C1: Champion Steve Turvey (1 win, 96 points.)
C2: Challenger Stephen Troop.
DC: Susie Dent and Rory McGrath.
RR: Rachel Riley.
OT: Other words or solutions.

After eight days’ worth of Hurstness, it’s been a bit of a shock to come down to earth this week, but having said that, there have been some good games nevertheless. Let’s hope that the game between Steve and Stephen (oh no, not again!) is another one. As always, let’s see. Oh yes, and Stephen Troop is from Manchester, although he’s originally from the fine Roman town of Ratae (aka Leicester, of course). Hmm, maybe we should have christened its tournament CoRat... Enough, I hear you cry!

R01: F D H E I O L N E
R02: K R N O A E P L M
R03: R G T A E O L D I
R04: Q P R U A E S T H
R05: 100, 8, 10, 1, 3, 7. Target: 335.
TTT: FOURJABS - "A delightful word from Lewis, perhaps."
R06: M S J A O O S R I
R07: N T C E O I S D A
R08: G T N E A U W S T
R09: P C R O I E N L I
R10: 50, 5, 10, 8, 4, 3. Target: 499.
TTT: TURNBUNS - "Turn your buns over; otherwise, they'll end up like this."
R11: P M S A E U T S I
R12: N R Y N E A E G R
R13: B C D A U E R L I
R14: 25, 3, 1, 10, 4, 8. Target: 338.
R15: S T E L L A I C E (conundrum)

Countdown is still being sponsored by Immunace, but I expect that will change on Monday.

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This show opens with Jeff bemoaning the fact that there are lots of TV programmes these days where the title features the name of the presenter, so he suggests there should be a chat show called simply “Stelling”, on to which he could invite the latest celebs and talk to them about their latest activities. Sounds a bit like Countdown to me, but without the rather interesting words and numbers games between the chatter!

Round 1: F D H E I O L N E

C1: DEFINE (6)
C2: FOILED (6)
DC: FELINE (6) DOLINE (6)
OT: OLEFINE (7)
Score: 6–6 (max 7)

A slowish start to today’s proceedings. No one gets the darren, although Rory does make a passable joke about Dolly Parton singing ‘Doline’. Oh yes (or should that be ‘oh dear’?).

Round 2: K R N O A E P L M

C1: PLONKER (7)
C2: PLONKER (7)
DC: PLONKER (7) ALMONER (7)
OT: LAMPERN (7) PLEROMA (7)
Score: 13–13 (max 14)

Everyone’s a plonker. Cue the usual giggles. Some interesting OT words there: a LAMPERN is a type of LAMPREY (for the uninitiated, they’re a bit like eels on acid); a PLEROMA is the spiritual universe which contains God (for further details, please consult your local theologian).

Round 3: R G T A E O L D I

C1: GLOATED (7)
C2: TRAILED (7)
DC: IDOLATER (8) TAILORED (8)
Score: 20–20 (max 22)

Sevens for our contestants, but no one mentions LEOTARD. Oh, how times change. DC (and most of C4C, I’ll warrant) got the only two eights available.

Round 4: Q P R U A E S T H

C1: UPRATES (7)
C2: SQUARE (6)
DC: PARQUETS (8)
Score: 27–20 (max 30)

A nice spot from Steve and an even nicer spot from ‘RorySusie’. QUARTES (a term from fencing) was another good seven hidden in the selection.

Round 5: 100, 8, 10, 1, 3, 7. Target: 335.

C1: 334. ((100+10+1)x3)+8-7 (7)
C2: 334. ((100+10+1)x3)+8-7 (7)
RR: 335. ((100+8)x3)+10+1 (10)
Score: 34–27 (max 40)

One away for both our contestants leaves the score finely balanced as we go towards the first break. Rory uses his last guest spot of the week to regale us with three limericks about Jeff, Susie and Rachel, the last of which was rather ‘cheeky’, as it involved Rachel’s attire and a rather dodgy rhyme with part of her anatomy.

Teatime teaser: FOURJABS -> FRABJOUS

O frabjous day! Callooh! Callay!' It must be time for Part Two. I must confess I wonder whether anyone uses the word ‘frabjous’ when they’re not quoting Jabberwocky, but there you are. My campaign to get ‘froody’ into the dictionary starts here.

Round 6: M S J A O O S R I

C1: ROOMS (5)
C2: ROOMS (5)
DC: MAJORS (6)
OT: ARIOSOS (7) MASOORS (7)
Score: 39–32 (max 47)

Whenever I see the word ARIOSO, I always think, “oh yeah, that’s the rice they use for risotto.” Then I remember that that’s Arborio and that ARIOSO is a musical term. And a MASOOR is a small orangey-red lentil. Very tasty in some Indian cuisine, I expect, especially with a garlic naan.

Round 7: N T C E O I S D A

C1: SEDATION (8)
C2: SECTION (7)
DC: CATENOIDS (18)
OT: SONICATED (18)
Score: 47–32 (max 65)

Our champ does well by spotting one of the several eights available, but DC go one better with the obscure CATENOIDS. They could also have had the equally (or perhaps even more) obscure SONICATED, which, as you may have guessed, is related to sound.

Round 8: G T N E A U W S T

C1: AGENTS (6)
C2: ASTUTE (6)
DC: AGENTS (6) GAUNTEST (8)
Score: 53–38 (max 73)
Susie credits the gallery with spotting GAUNTEST (and extends a finger upwards to emphasise the point). I, meanwhile, was lamenting the fact that TUTENAG is no longer valid on Countdown. Perhaps those copper and zinc mines have run out.

Round 9: P C R O I E N L I

C1: PRINCE (6)
C2: porcelin
DC: REPLICON (8)
OT: POLICIER (8)
Score: 59–38 (max 81)

Some surprise, perhaps, when Stephen offers an eight, but sadly for him, he’s misspelled PORCELAIN, which allows Steve to take the points with PRINCE and increase his lead to over twenty points for the first time. What seemed at first like a tight game is now beginning to look less so, but there’s still plenty of time to go. DC’s offering of REPLICON is a nucleic acid molecule (which Susie helpfully uses the pen-cam to demonstrate), while a POLICIER is a film based on a police novel. Who uses these words?? I mean, I use ‘froody’ quite a lot and that’s not in. I’m going to write to my MP and complain. Just call me disgusted of King’s Lynn.

Round 10: 50, 5, 10, 8, 4, 3. Target: 499.

C1: 499. (50x10)-(5-4) (10)
C2: 499. (50x10)-(5-4) (10)
Score: 69–48 (max 91)

Teatime teaser: TURNBUNS -> SUNBURNT

Nice conundrum, Damian, and at least the second reference to people’s behinds in the show so far. Bum jokes are killing Countdown.

Round 11: P M S A E U T S I

C1: PASTIMES (8)
C2: IMPUTES (7)
Score: 77–48 (max 99)

Not much to add here, except that PASTIMES is one of those nice gentle words and that Stephen now looks in fairly serious trouble.

Round 12: N R Y N E A E G R

C1: RANGER (6)
C2: angerer
DC: YEARNER (7)
Score: 83–48 (max 106)

Yikes – another blob from our challenger means that it’s all over unless he can pull a nine-letter word out of the bag in the last letters round. And that’s just for starters.

Round 13: B C D A U E R L I

C1: CALIBRE (7)
C2: CRADLE (6)
DC: CURABLE (7) BUILDER (7)
OT: CALIBRED (8)
Score: 90–48 (max 114)

Steve’s offering may have been a high-calibre one and it may have been enough to give him the victory, but it’s not quite as good as CALIBRED for eight. Bit surprised DC didn’t spot it, but then it is the last recording of the day, so we’ll let them off.

Round 14: 25, 3, 1, 10, 4, 8. Target: 338.

C1: 338. ((10+3)x25)+8+4+1 (10)
C2: 338. ((8+4+1)x25)+10+3 (10)
Score: 100–58 (max 124)

Round 15: S T E L L A I C E

No one buzzes. The answer was CELESTIAL.
Final Score: 100–58 (max 134)

When I first saw the scramble, I thought it was meant to be ‘Stell Aice‘, as in ‘Jeff is ace’, but I then realised Damian was probably referring to ‘Stella Ice’, the latest alcoholic treat no doubt available from a public house near you. Anyways, it fooled both our contestants and all but a few of the audience.

Well done to Steve for reaching the century, but how will he do against Marcus Hares, who I gather is Monday’s challenger. And for those that can’t be bothered to check the wiki, or look at the Radio Times, the DC guest will be John Parrott. See you next week, when this recap will doubtless be a bit late, as usual (Hi, James).

This recap is sponsored by the Lentil Marketing Board (who are probably quite froody).

Further summaries are at:
http://www.apterous.org/cdb/series.php?series=63

[D Eadie]

Stella Ice was how it was meant to look.
It was the last show of the day, and that was a slight pick-me-up reference to the team, because that's where we were heading straight after.

[Kai Laddiman]

Stella Ice was how it was meant to look.
It was the last show of the day, and that was a slight pick-me-up reference to the team, because that's where we were heading straight after.

It's a hard life...

[Mike Brown]

Stella Ice was how it was meant to look.
It was the last show of the day, and that was a slight pick-me-up reference to the team, because that's where we were heading straight after.

Good to see you're still lurking, Damian. Better be careful what I put in my recaps...

[D Eadie]

Stella Ice was how it was meant to look.
It was the last show of the day, and that was a slight pick-me-up reference to the team, because that's where we were heading straight after.

Good to see you're still lurking, Damian. Better be careful what I put in my recaps...

Put what you like Mike. I don't read much, i sometimes egosurf Damian to see what it is i've done or not done to upset somebody, and more often than not it's you praising a TTT or something. I do lurk yes, but not much. I'm hoping to get banned pretty soon.