Monday 23rd February 2015 (series 72, prelim 36)

Andy McGurn · Post by **Andy McGurn** » Mon Feb 23, 2015 7:47 pm

Countdown recap for Monday 23 February 2015.

C1: Champion Andy Lambert (2 wins, 151 points) a student from Woking, studying at Exeter university. Now on two wins, the second of which came on a tie break conundrum last Friday.

C2: Challenger Ben Jenkins. a customer service advisor originally from Aberystwyth, now living in Cork where he plays American Football for the Cork Admirals, he is the tight end. He also loves skiing and has been on a 16 km “black run”.

DC: Susie Dent and Rufus Hound.
RR: Rachel Riley.
OT: Other words or solutions.

R01: O U B S A B R D E
R02: Z T L O E I S T E
R03: 3, 1, 4, 6, 2, 50. Target: 906.
TTT: INGOFILM - "theres no driving in this game, but you'll find two cars"
R04: N G M A E I H M S
R05: C E M P A E R W L
R06: 5, 3, 9, 3, 2, 75. Target: 347.
R07: X S D I O R D A E
R08: T Y N O I E C G U
R09: 4, 7, 7, 2, 50, 25. Target: 197.
TTT: COINSIDE - "Heads or tails lets have your call."
R10: R T G I A O V D L
R11: T I A W H N U S I
R12: R Q J U A E F R S
R13: A N S F O I C R E
R14: 8, 2, 4, 7, 9, 100. Target: 792.
R15: T H I S G R U N T (conundrum)

And now a brief interlude before our main feature:

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Enjoy the show.

Round 1: O U B S A B R D E

Andy: BEARDS (6)
Ben: DABBERS (7)
DC: DABBERS (7) DOBBERS (7)
OT: ABSORBED (8)
Score: 0–7 (max 8)

Ben starts with a risky word that pays off and he gets the first lead, always worth taking risks early in the game.

Round 2: Z T L O E I S T E

Andy: TOILETS (7)
Ben: SETTLE (6)
DC: ZLOTIES (7)
OT: ZEOLITES (8)
Score: 7–7 (max 16)

Nice bounce back immediately from Andy to level the score.
ZEOLITES are microporous, aluminosilicate minerals commonly used as commercial adsorbents and catalysts

Round 3: 3, 1, 4, 6, 2, 50. Target: 906.

Andy: 906. (6*3*50)+4+2 (10)
Ben: 906. ((((3+1)*4)+2)*50)+6 (10)
Score: 17–17 (max 26)

Simple numbers game sees both contestants reach double figures.

Teatime teaser: INGOFILM -> MINIGOLF

Round 4: N G M A E I H M S

Andy: MASHING (7)
Ben: SHAMING (7)
DC: SHAMMING (8)
Score: 24–24 (max 34)

By the looks on their faces I think both contestants considered trying SHAMMING, but neither did so they remain level.

Round 5: C E M P A E R W L

Andy: REPLACE (7)
Ben: REPLACE (7)
DC: CLAMPER (7)
OT: EMPLACE (7) PERCALE (7)
Score: 31–31 (max 41)

REPLACE gives both contestants their first max word of the game.

Round 6: 5, 3, 9, 3, 2, 75. Target: 347.

Andy: 347. (75*5)-(3*9)-(3-2) (10)
Ben: 347. (75*5)-(3*9)-(3-2) (10)
Score: 41–41 (max 51)

Another round that’s not too tricky and the scores are still level.

DC Guest: Rufus says his favourite DC Guests growing up were those that “did things” in dictionary corner, so he decides to “do a thing” by reciting his own poetry and he duly reads one (countdown themed).

Round 7: X S D I O R D A E

Andy: DREADS (6)
Ben: RAISED (6)
DC: RADIOED (7) ROADIES (7) EXORDIA (7) ROADSIDE (8)
Score: 47–47 (max 59)

ROADSIDE was famously disallowed back in a prelim game in series 42, causing contestant Helen Wrigglesworth to lose a game she should have won. This was due to a recently introduced dictionary that was then realised to be inadequate which was quickly replaced by it’s predecessor.

Round 8: T Y N O I E C G U

Andy: cignet
Ben: COUNTY (6)
DC: TOYING (6) NOTICE (6)
OT: YOUNGIE (7)
Score: 47–53 (max 66)

Bad spelling by the champion sees him fall behind for the first time since round on.
A YOUNGIE is a young person according to any regular dictionary but according to the online urban dictionary it has a lot of definitions related to inbreeding and incest.

Round 9: 4, 7, 7, 2, 50, 25. Target: 197.

Andy: 198.
Ben: 197. (4*50)-((7/7)+2) (10)
Score: 47–63 (max 76)

That’s a really bad miss by the champion and he falls sixteen points behind as a result.

Teatime teaser: COINSIDE -> DECISION

Round 10: R T G I A O V D L

Andy: TRIAL (5)
Ben: gaitor
OT: DILATOR (7)
Score: 52–63 (max 83)

Ben tries gaitor but has misspelt it, giving Andy the chance to make up some points.

Round 11: T I A W H N U S I

Andy: WAITS (5)
Ben: WAIST (5)
DC: HIATUS (6)
OT: UNTHAWS (7)
Score: 57–68 (max 90)

Not a great round by the contestants but from Ben’s point of view, it takes him one round closer to the win with his 11 point lead.

OoW – Susie talks about several words that originate from wind breaking.

Round 12: R Q J U A E F R S

Andy: FARES (5)
Ben: SURFER (6)
DC: FEARS (5) SQUARER (7)
Score: 57–74 (max 97)

That winning six puts Ben seventeen ahead with 3 rounds left, can he hold on for the win or will Andy pull off a similar comeback to what he did on Friday.

Round 13: A N S F O I C R E

Andy: COINERS (7)
Ben: FORCES (6)
DC: CARNIES (7) CONIFERS (8) FORENSIC (8) SCENARIO (8)
OT: FANCIERS (8) FORNICES (8) FRANCISE (8)
Score: 64–74 (max 105)

An excellent risk by Andy sees him back to within ten. There were a bunch of good eights here however and DC tell us about three of them.

Round 14: 8, 2, 4, 7, 9, 100. Target: 792.

Andy: 792. (8*100)-(4*2) (10)
Ben: 792. (8*100)-(4*2) (10)
Score: 74–84 (max 115)

The numbers games have been easy today and with both players spotting this one, Andy again goes into the conundrum with a ten point deficit and needing a double conundrum spot to retain the champions chair.

Round 15: T H I S G R U N T

Andy buzzes on 5 seconds to say THRUSTING which is correct.
Final Score: 84–84 (max 125)

…And like Friday he spots the first one to pull level. Its time for round 16 with the scores all square…

Tie Break: UNIQCIGAR

Andy Buzzes on 4 seconds to say ACQUIRING which is correct.

And would you believe it, Andy wins with a double conundrum spot for the second game in a row. That must be quite a rare feat so well done to him on that one.

He now has three wins and seems to be pretty decent player who seems to be Mr Tie-break conundrum. Can he keep going, join my fellow recappers this week to see if he can continue to progress…

Further summaries are at:
http://cdb.apterous.org/series.php?series=72