and once more I find myself doing the Thursday slot as James is busy with a quiz this evening, though not a televised one I believe this time. As such, he will therefore be stepping in to my Friday slot this week. This is in fact the last week for 3 weeks that either James or myself will be doing recaps, as we have decided we can't be bothered doing these anymore 
no really in fact the real reason this is our last time for 3 weeks is because Countdown is only on for 2 days a week for the next 3 weeks as horseracing yet again commandeers. So on to today, and Neil Green returns for the 5th time, as he heads towards Octochampdom. He has done rather well in the last 4 games and is proving a real handful. Will he get his 5th win today? Standing in his way is Gary Warland. Enjoy.
Countdown recap for Thursday 1 May 2014.
C1: Champion Neil Green (4 wins, 351 points.) A scrabbler and comedy writer from Cardiff.
C2: Challenger Gary Warland. A financial controller from Bicester. A gamesmaker at the 2012 Paralympics.
DC: Susie Dent and Tony Jacklin.
RR: Rachel Riley.
OT: Other words or solutions.
R01: G L N S U I A B S
R02: R V D O E A R N U
R03: 1, 7, 5, 1, 3, 75. Target: 788.
TTT: MYAMIGOS - "It's about never saying I do and always saying I won't."
R04: G S M K I E O P R
R05: C T Z S I E U F A
R06: 8, 9, 10, 1, 6, 100. Target: 893.
R07: G T F N E I A R T
R08: O E I N T P L S O
R09: 1, 1, 9, 4, 4, 50. Target: 711.
TTT: GOFINDUS - "Let's go find us some lovely wild mushrooms."
R10: V N R E O I M T D
R11: S M S D A E O N I
R12: S P Q E O A T S P
R13: R H R L E O E H T
R14: 5, 2, 3, 2, 10, 100. Target: 513.
R15: M E E T C O R G I (conundrum)
And now a brief interlude before our main feature:
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Enjoy the show.
Round 1: G L N S U I A B S
Neil: BUSSING (7)
Gary: SLINGS (6)
DC: ABUSING (7)
OT: ISABGUL (7) SIGNALS (7)
Score: 7–0 (max 7)
Gary SLINGS his hook in the very first round, as Neil gets 7 points by BUSSING his way here.
Round 2: R V D O E A R N U
Neil: ROUNDER (7)
Gary: ORDER (5)
DC: OVERRAN (7) DEVOUR (6)
OT: ADORNER (7) OVERRUN (7) RONDEAU (7)
Score: 14–0 (max 14)
Neil was the ROUNDER figure here, as Gary takes an ORDER, so it's a 14 point head start for Neil.
Round 3: 1, 7, 5, 1, 3, 75. Target: 788.
Neil: 780. (75+5 - 1-1) x 10 (5)
Gary: -
RR: 788. ((1+1) x 75 + 7) x 5 + 3 (10)
Score: 19–0 (max 24)
Gary doesn't get near the numbers. Neither does Neil really, but 8 away is enough for 5 points. Rachel gets 788 spot on though.
Teatime teaser: MYAMIGOS -> MISOGAMY
Round 4: G S M K I E O P R
Neil: PROMISE (7)
Gary: PROMISE (7)
DC: PORKIES (7) SMOKIER (7)
OT: IRKSOME (7) PORGIES (7)
Score: 26–7 (max 31)
Both players on a PROMISE here, and Gary off the mark at last.
Round 5: C T Z S I E U F A
Neil: FUTZES (6)
Gary: FIESTA (6)
DC: FAUCETS (7)
Score: 32–13 (max 38)
Six points each here. FUTZES and FIESTA the words here.
Round 6: 8, 9, 10, 1, 6, 100. Target: 893.
Neil: 893. (100x9) - (6+1) (10)
Gary: 893. (100x9) -8 +1 (10)
Score: 42–23 (max 48)
Both players get 10 points with 893.
Tony Jacklin talks about when he was teaching someone to play golf in Brunei and was shown a massive expensive car collection.
Round 7: G T F N E I A R T
Neil: TREATING (8)
Gary: TANGIER (7)
DC: TEARING (7) GRANITE (7) FAINTER (7)
OT: FRETTING (8)
Score: 50–23 (max 56)
Gary gets the TANGIER word, but Neil is TREATING himself to 8 points.
Round 8: O E I N T P L S O
Neil: LOOPIEST (8)
Gary: linpets
DC: OILSTONE (8)
OT: LOONIEST (8) PELOTONS (8) POLONIES (8)
Score: 58–23 (max 64)
Gary is in bits over 'linpets' as his word is disallowed. Neil gets LOOPIEST for another 8.
Round 9: 1, 1, 9, 4, 4, 50. Target: 711.
Neil: 710. (9+1+4) x (50+1) -4 (7)
Gary: 705.
RR: 711. ((50+9) x 4 + 1) x (4-1) (10)
Score: 65–23 (max 74)
Neither player spot on but Neil gets 1 away. Rachel again gets it spot on.
Teatime teaser: GOFINDUS -> FUNGOIDS
Round 10: V N R E O I M T D
Neil: VOMITED (7)
Gary: REMIND (6)
DC: DRIVEN (6)
OT: MINORED (7) MORDENT (7) VOMITER (7)
Score: 72–23 (max 81)
No need to REMIND Gary of his situation here. Neil VOMITED in this round for another 7 points.
Round 11: S M S D A E O N I
Neil: DAMSONS (7)
Gary: MASSED (6)
DC: SESAMOID (8)
OT: ANODISES (8) DOMAINES (8) MADISONS (8) SIDESMAN (8)
Score: 79–23 (max 89)
Neil gets DAMSONS for another 7, as Neil MASSED only 6.
Susie talks about the origin of the word 'pull'.
Round 12: S P Q E O A T S P
Neil: APPOSES (7)
Gary: SPATES (6)
Score: 86–23 (max 96)
Neil APPOSES another 7, as Gary has SPATES of bad luck again.
Round 13: R H R L E O E H T
Neil: HOTEL (5)
Gary: OTHER (5)
DC: HETERO (6) HERETO (6)
OT: RHETOR (6)
Score: 91–28 (max 102)
Neil goes back to the HOTEL as Gary goes the OTHER way.
Round 14: 5, 2, 3, 2, 10, 100. Target: 513.
Neil: 513. (5x100) + 10 + 3 (10)
Gary: 513. (5x100) + 10 + 3 (10)
Score: 101–38 (max 112)
Both players get a rather easy 513 target for 10 points.
Round 15: M E E T C O R G I
Neil buzzes on 3 seconds to say GEOMETRIC which is correct.
Final Score: 111–38 (max 122)
Neil managed to meet the corgi of this round by finding GEOMETRIC in just 3 seconds. Neil has been superb at conundrums during his reign and they have played a big part in his run. Another century and now 5 wins. Is there any stopping him? Find out if he can make it 6 wins tomorrow as James Robinson steps in to my usual slot. I'll be back in a few weeks time, once the horseracing is over. I believe it will be approximately 30th May, though I may be wrong. In the meantime, enjoy the racing, and don't forget Countdown is on Monday and Tuesday, so Andy McGurn and Callum Todd will guide you through those days. Thank you very much for reading, and goodbye.
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