Thursday, 12th June 2008 (Series 58, Game 113 - QF1)

[Jon Corby]

Countdown recap for Thursday 12th June 2008.

C1: Champion David O'Donnell (No.1 seed - 8 wins, 880 points.)
C2: Champion Ben Hanks (No.8 seed - 6 wins, 580 points.)
DC: Susie Dent and Alastair Stewart.
CV: Carol Vorderman.
OT: Other words or solutions.

R01: E O U G R L R E P
R02: S V T O E A M H K
R03: I I E C N X D A B
R04: S L O A E M T J S
R05: 50, 100, 25, 75, 7, 8. Target: 959.
TTT: GIRLGANG - "An action performed by the blue rinse brigade."
R06: R D P F I E A U C
R07: E I A M S N M I D
R08: O E N R T W A N N
R09: I O I D S Q N U E
R10: 75, 7, 3, 9, 7, 8. Target: 865.
TTT: SHYDATER - "Gives water only to conceal the price."
R11: A I A R Z N R I T
R12: S L R E A B I R S
R13: O U E L L T P A T
R14: 25, 50, 4, 9, 3, 10. Target: 647.
R15: A B A D G I R L I (conundrum)


SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER
SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER
SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER
SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER
SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER
SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER
SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER
SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER
SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER
SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER
SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER
SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER
SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER
SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER
SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER
SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER
SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER
SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER
SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER
SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER

The first quarter final of series 58 sees two beloved c4c forummers lock horns. Number one seed David O'Donnell burst onto the scene (he was previously very 'non-scene' apparently) back at the end of January, and (with no disrespect meant towards any of his opponents) steamrollered anyone foolish enough to stand in his way. The "closest" game he had saw his opponent trailing by 30 points; he scored 880 points in total, and is undoubtedly the clear favourite to win the series. However, upsets do happen (see Steve Briers for the most recent no.1 seed to fall at the quarter final stage) and hoping to cause one today is Ben Hanks. Ben is 21 (now, but wasn't when this was filmed) and managed 6 wins back in April. The first of these was possibly (I can't be bothered to check) the highest scoring game of the series thus far, with Ben solving a crucial conundrum of PITCHFORK to win 101-92. He never managed another century, and eventually lost 71-66 in his seventh appearance with a couple of disallowed words.

David is exceptionally strong on both the letters and numbers, but feels he isn't as sharp on conundrums as he could/should be, so I'd imagine he'll be sweating a bit if he doesn't manage to establish a 10 point lead...

Round 1: E O U G R L R E P
C1: REGROUP (7)
C2: REGROUP (7)
DC: GROUPER (7)
Score: 7–7 (max 7)

Round 2: S V T O E A M H K
C1: OVATES (6)
C2: STEAM (5)
OT: VOETSAK (7)
Score: 13–7 (max 14)
Voetsak (also voetsek) is apparently a South African verb (does this mean voetsaked is allowed?) meaning to "go away".

Round 3: I I E C N X D A B
C1: DANCE (5)
C2: CANED (5)
DC: CABINED (7)
Score: 18–12 (max 21)

Round 4: S L O A E M T J S
C1: JOSTLES (7)
C2: MOLESTS (7)
DC: MALTOSE (7)
Score: 25–19 (max 28)

Round 5: 50, 100, 25, 75, 7, 8. Target: 959.
C1: 958.(100+50)*7-75-25+8 (7)
C2: 958.(100+25)*7+75+8 (7)
OT: 959. (75+50+8+(100/25))*7 (10)
Score: 32–26 (max 38)

Teatime teaser: GIRLGANG -> GARGLING

Round 6: R D P F I E A U C
C1: PACIER (6)
C2: PACIER (6)
DC: FIACRE (6)
Score: 38–32 (max 44)

Round 7: E I A M S N M I D
C1: DIAMINES (8)
C2: MAINS (5)
DC: MINIMA (6) MEDIANS (7)
OT: MISNAMED (8)
Score: 46–32 (max 52)

Round 8: O E N R T W A N N
C1: NORTENA (7)
C2: wantoner
DC: ORNATE (6)
Score: 53–32 (max 59)

Round 9: I O I D S Q N U E
C1: IODINES (7)
C2: IONISED (7)
OT: QUOINED (7)
Score: 60–39 (max 66)
A quoin is a cornerstone of a wall/building, and if you "quoin" a wall, you provide it with such things.

Round 10: 75, 7, 3, 9, 7, 8. Target: 865.
C1: -
C2: -
CV: 865. (8+3)*75+(7*7)-9 (10)
Score: 60–39 (max 76)
Quite possibly (again, I can't be bothered to check) the first numbers game that David has failed to score on, but, with no obvious place to start, a horribly tricky one to attempt under studio conditions.

Teatime teaser: SHYDATER -> HYDRATES

Round 11: A I A R Z N R I T
C1: TZARINA (7)
C2: TRAIN (5)
Score: 67–39 (max 83)

Round 12: S L R E A B I R S
C1: BRASSIER (8)
C2: brailers
DC: SERIALS (7)
Score: 75–39 (max 91)

Round 13: O U E L L T P A T
C1: POLLUTE (7)
C2: POLLUTE (7)
DC: POULET (6) OUTLET (6)
Score: 82–46 (max 98)

Round 14: 25, 50, 4, 9, 3, 10. Target: 647.
C1: 647.(4+9)*50-3 (10)
C2: 648.
Score: 92–46 (max 108)

Round 15: A B A D G I R L I
C2 buzzes on 7 seconds to say BIGRADIAL which is incorrect.
C1 does not buzz.
Ben spots GARIBALDI a few seconds after giving his answer, and is congratulated by David on "an awesome spot".
Score: 92–46 (max 118)

The first of the quarter finals go with form then, although Ben did manage to stay within touching distance during the first third which, as predicted, did appear to make David look a little nervous. However, there's absolutely no evidence that this affected his game adversely as he reeled out several terrific spots to pull comfortably ahead, so one still can't really see the title heading anywhere else...

Further summaries are at:
http://www.thecountdowncorral.com/cd/se ... ?series=58

[Charlie Reams]

The first of these was possibly (I can't be bothered to check) the highest scoring game of the series thus far, with Ben solving a crucial conundrum of PITCHFORK to win 101-92.

The highest of the series was in fact Tony Durrant's debut against Andrew Swale, which finished 106-96 in favour of the challenger. However, the game was 96-96 after 15 rounds and included a second conundrum. If you discount that then Ben's might be the top, but now even my botheredness threshold has been reached.