Friday 18 November 2011 (Series 65, Prelim 100)

[Mike Brown]

Countdown recap for Friday 18 November 2011 (Series 65, Prelim 100).

C1: Champion Paul Keane (6 wins, 538 points.)
C2: Challenger Jane Wrightson.
DC: Susie Dent and John Parrott.
RR: Rachel Riley.
OT: Other words or solutions.

It’s the 100th episode of the series and Paul Keane is in the champion’s chair for a second time on a Friday. Can he win again and carry his bat into a third week by defeating newcomer Jane Wrightson, who hails from the lovely village of Coniston in Cumbria and once swam with sharks in Ellesmere Port? As usual, you can find out by scrolling in a downward direction...

R01: T N V W A I E K D
R02: L U T E G A R E S
R03: T N A O G P I A S
R04: R E L U T E P I G
R05: 100, 75, 10, 6, 1, 1. Target: 627.
TTT: BONETHUG - "Went to the shops in America, perhaps."
R06: N O M E L I B A T
R07: M S W U O E S R A
R08: T U M O Q E F A H
R09: N R C I O U C V O
R10: 50, 6, 9, 6, 2, 8. Target: 381.
TTT: RACESLIP - "They might slip in the race: they've got odd legs."
R11: P T R S E O E T R
R12: J I L O N E R U D
R13: C D L N O E I S A
R14: 50, 1, 3, 10, 7, 6. Target: 226.
R15: S I D F I E S T A (conundrum)

Countdown is sponsored by Vitabiotics Visionace.

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Jeff reminds us about the release of the latest film in the Twilight Saga, which is naturally the opportunity for lots of good vampire puns. We also learn that Rachel, Susie and associate producer Lara Routh are all fangs (sorry, fans) of the series.

Round 1: T N V W A I E K D

C1: TANKED (6)
C2: WAITED (6)
DC: WANTED (6) WAIVED (6) WINKED (JS) (6)
OT: DEVIANT (7)
Score: 6–6 (max 7)

Rachel chuckles as she puts the last letter on the board – has she spotted a slightly risqué six? Surprised no one spotted the darren.

Round 2: L U T E G A R E S

C1: LEAGUES (7)
C2: GREASE (6)
DC: REGULATES (18)
Score: 13–6 (max 25)

As well as the niner spotted by JohnSusie, there were two good eights in GESTURAL and LEAGUERS.

Round 3: T N A O G P I A S

C1: POSTING (7)
C2: panting
DC: PASTING (7) SOAPING (7)
OT: AGAINST (7) AGNOSIA (7) AGONIST (7) PAISANO (7) PATINAS (7) PINATAS (7) STOPING (7) TAIPANS (7)
Score: 20–6 (max 32)

Unfortunately Jane is seeing double and misdeclares. Otherwise this is a bit of a flattie. To STOPE means to excavate layers when mining, in case you were wondering.

Round 4: R E L U T E P I G

C1: REPTILE (7)
C2: REEL (4)
DC: REPTILE (7) PUERILE (7)
OT: PERLITE (7)
Score: 27–6 (max 39)
I thought Susie pronounced PUERILE in an interesting way when she mentioned it (‘pwerile’); and PERLITE is not to be confused with PEARLITE, which although valid on Countdown, is a different thing altogether.

Round 5: 100, 75, 10, 6, 1, 1. Target: 627.

C1: 630. (75-((1+1)x6))x10 (7)
C2: -
RR: 627. ((100-10+1+1)x6)+75 (10)
Score: 34–6 (max 49)

Paul seems to be running away with this one – let’s hope Jane can recover some ground in Part Two. In the meantime, John Parrott talks about old golfers, tells an old joke about a golfer going to his wife’s funeral and other golf-related stuff.

Teatime teaser: BONETHUG -> BOUGHTEN

Pardon? BOUGHTEN? Really?

Round 6: N O M E L I B A T

C1: ELATION (7)
C2: BLAME (5)
DC: AILMENT (7) TOENAIL (7)
OT: BAILMENT (8)
Score: 41–6 (max 57)

If only DC had thought to put the B on the front of their AILMENT, they’d have gone all darrenic. Never mind, I’m sure they’ll shine again later.

Round 7: M S W U O E S R A

C1: MOUSERS (7)
C2: MOUSERS (7)
DC: MOUSERS (7)
OT: MESOSAUR (8)
Score: 48–13 (max 65)

Paul is a bit unsure about his MOUSERS, although Jane (rightly) seems pretty confident about hers. A MESOSAUR is an extinct small aquatic reptile from the Permian period.

Round 8: T U M O Q E F A H

C1: FATHOM (6)
C2: FATHOM (6)
DC: FATHOM (6)
OT: MAHOUT (6)
Score: 54–19 (max 71)

I confess I was floundering on a five at this point. Nice to see Jane spotting the six. I also thought that Tumoqefah sounds a bit like the name of an Egyptian pharaoh.

Round 9: N R C I O U C V O

C1: RUIN (4)
C2: CONCUR (6)
Score: 54–25 (max 77)

Great spot from Jane – could she still be in with a chance after all?

OoW: Susie concludes her week of surname analysis with a section on those derived from first names, like Wrightson, for example.

Round 10: 50, 6, 9, 6, 2, 8. Target: 381.

C1: 380. (6x50)+(9x(6+2))+8 (7)
C2: 380. (6x50)+(9x8)+6+2 (7)
RR: 381. ((50-2)x8)-9+6 (10)
Score: 61–32 (max 87)

Jane scores for the fourth round in succession. She’s obviously found her confidence and we’ll see what she can do in the final third.

Teatime teaser: RACESLIP -> CALIPERS

Round 11: P T R S E O E T R

C1: REPORTS (7)
C2: PROTEST (7)
DC: PROTESTER (18) POTTERERS (18)
Score: 68–39 (max 105)

Jane was contemplating going for PROTESTER but played safe, as she wasn’t sure whether it was an –ER or an –OR agent noun. As Susie helpfully points out (although a bit too late for Jane), it’s both.

Round 12: J I L O N E R U D

C1: ROUNDEL (7)
C2: ROUNDEL (7)
DC: INJURED (7) JOINDER (7)
OT: UNOILED (7)
Score: 75–46 (max 112)

Nice to see both contestants spotting ROUNDEL (ha, ha), while UNOILED probably doesn’t describe most of the attendees after (or during??) the recent CO:LON event. Jane now needs a niner in the next round to stand any chance of beating Mr Keane...

Round 13: C D L N O E I S A

C1: DEACONS (7)
C2: CANDLES (7)
DC: CANDLES (7) DIOCESAN (8)
OT: CELADONS (8) INCLOSED (8)
Score: 82–53 (max 120)

... and DIOCESAN+L certainly looks like one of those selections that ought to contain one, but sadly for her it doesn’t. There are some nice eights there, though. Although Susie has allowed CELADONS in the past, CELADON is clearly stated as a mass noun and I wonder if she’d be so lenient today.

Round 14: 50, 1, 3, 10, 7, 6. Target: 226.

C1: 226. (50x6)-(7x10)-3-1 (10)
C2: 223.
Score: 92–53 (max 130)

More good work from Paul rounds off his numbers week in style.

Round 15: S I D F I E S T A

C1 buzzes on 11.25 seconds to say SATISFIED which is correct.
Final Score: 102–53 (max 140)

Paul’s a bit hesitant as to whether he’s got the answer right, but he should be well satisfied with his performances this week (and another century today to boot). He’ll return for his final game on Monday when (and I think I’ve got it right this time!) the ‘Punslinger’ himself Tim Vine returns to Dictionary Corner. I wonder if he’ll do his ‘pen behind the ear trick’? You’ll have to watch to find out. See you next weekend.

Jeff Stelling shows remaining: 20.

Further summaries are at:
http://www.apterous.org/cdb/series.php?series=65

[Peter Mabey]

My old Auntie Edie only liked home made cakes - and told me she couldn't "abear boughten ones". (That would have been in about 1940, and she would have been about 60, so that would have been Isle of Wight dialect from 100 or so years ago )