Monday 8 September 2008

[Charlie Reams]

Countdown recap for Monday 8th September 2008.

C1: Champion Debbi Flack (4 wins.)
C2: Challenger Alasdair Duguid.
DC: Susie Dent and Anton Du Beke.
CV: Carol Vorderman.
OT: Other words or solutions.

R01: T N C O U M D I Q
R02: T B D B O E A P M
R03: L T N E A U R N G
R04: L S R T A E I S E
R05: 100, 75, 4, 4, 3, 2. Target: 475.
TTT: DOCSTRAP - "Send a spade to say how life is."
R06: F K L S O A I D S
R07: G N A O H S R E A
R08: T H R S I U O P I
R09: P Z D O E O R N L
R10: 75, 7, 6, 6, 2, 5. Target: 384.
TTT: SCOREHOT - "In the westerns, these were hot property."
R11: V S A O N P R E I
R12: Y J T T E E O D M
R13: N X L O I A G T M
R14: 75, 1, 3, 9, 10, 5. Target: 634.
R15: L O V E F R A U D (conundrum)


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Round 1: T N C O U M D I Q

C1: DICTUM (6)
C2: MOUNT (5)
DC: CONDUIT (7)
OT: NOCTUID (7)
Score: 6–0 (max 7)

Round 2: T B D B O E A P M

C1: BOATED (6)
C2: MOBBED (6)
DC: POMADE (6) BOMBED (6)
OT: MOATED (6) TABBED (6) TAMPED (6)
Score: 12–6 (max 13)

Round 3: L T N E A U R N G

C1: UNTANGLE (8)
C2: LANTERN (7)
DC: NEUTRAL (7) GRANULE (7)
OT: UNLEARNT (8)
Score: 20–6 (max 21)

Round 4: L S R T A E I S E

C1: EARLIEST (8)
C2: STAIRS (6) (or maybe STARES)
DC: SALTIRES (8)
OT: ATELIERS (8) LEISTERS (8) REALISES (8) REALISTS (8) SERIATES (8) STEALERS (8) TEARLESS (8) TESSERAL (8) TIRELESS (8)
Score: 28–6 (max 29)

Round 5: 100, 75, 4, 4, 3, 2. Target: 475.

C1: 475. 4x100+75 (10)
C2: 475. 4x100+75 (10)
Score: 38–16 (max 39)

Teatime teaser: DOCSTRAP -> POSTCARD

Round 6: F K L S O A I D S

C1: FLASKS (6)
C2: SOLIDS (6)
DC: FOSSIL (6)
OT: DOSSAL (6) SKALDS (6) SLOKAS (6)
Score: 44–22 (max 45)

Round 7: G N A O H S R E A

C1: ORANGES (7)
C2: ORANGES (7)
DC: HANGERS (7) HANGARS (7)
OT: AGAROSE (7) ANGORAS (7) GHERAOS (7) HOARSEN (7) ONAGERS (7) REHANGS (7) SENHORA (7)
Score: 51–29 (max 52)

Round 8: T H R S I U O P I

C1: HOURIS (6)
C2: SPIRIT (6)
DC: PURIST (6)
OT: HOTSPUR (7) - I failed to spot this, despite my football team of choice
Score: 57–35 (max 59)

Round 9: P Z D O E O R N L

C1: POODLE (6)
C2: PONDER (6)
OT: PROZONE (7)
Score: 63–41 (max 66)

Susie's "origins of words" today concerns computer jargon, such as BOOTING, GEEK and NERD. Her explanation of bootstrap loaders is, of course, exactly right, although she does imply that they are a thing of the past when in fact they are still very much with us.

Round 10: 75, 7, 6, 6, 2, 5. Target: 384.

C1: 384. 75x5+7+2 (10)
C2: 384. 75x5+7+2 (10)
Score: 73–51 (max 76)

Teatime teaser: SCOREHOT -> CHEROOTS

Round 11: V S A O N P R E I

C1: VAPORISE (8)
C2: PRAISE (6)
DC: PERVASION (18)
Score: 81–51 (max 94)

Round 12: Y J T T E E O D M

C1: DEMOTE (6)
C2: JOTTED (6)
OT: EMOTED (6) JETTED (6)
Score: 87–57 (max 100)

Round 13: N X L O I A G T M

C1: OXTAIL (6)
C2: MALTING (7)
OT: ANTILOG (7) MOATING (7)
Score: 87–64 (max 107)

Round 14: 75, 1, 3, 9, 10, 5. Target: 634.

C1: 634. (9-1)x(75+3)+10 (10)
C2: 635.
Score: 97–64 (max 117)

Round 15: L O V E F R A U D

No one buzzes. The answer was FLAVOURED.
Score: 97–64 (max 127)


A very solid performance from Debbi, pulling out the occasional winner amongst some very flat selections, and she was unlucky not to make the century. She becomes the second contestant of the series to reach 5 wins, although her points total of 448 leaves her still as second seed behind Neil MacKenzie on 480. However she will become number 1 seed tomorrow unless she loses with a score of less than 32, which seems rather unlikely.

Further summaries are at:
http://cdb.apterous.org/series.php?series=59

[David O'Donnell]

Ten maxes today equals a good performance even if some of the selections were flat. I didn't spot PERVASION either and nearly put down steralise* in one round

[Howard Somerset]

OT: HOTSPUR (7) - I failed to spot this, despite my football team of choice

Likewise, both before and after the comma.