Belated happy Star Wars day folks and welcome to this Tuesday's recap. We had a lot of residents of the Champions Chair recently but Robert Baxter (no not Rhys Benjamin's former pseudonym) has been here for a few days now. Can he kick on and earn a place in the finals?
But first Nick talks about the Badminton Horse Trials...... as if Countdown isn't interrupted by horses enough at the moment.
C1: Champion Robert Baxter (2 wins, 170 points.) A sales assistant from West Yorkshire (Nick doesn't mention Robert's origins so I had to checked from the previous recap)
C2: Challenger David Pooley. A software project manager from Sheffield who is a keen badminton player. Has a fear of heights but has been on a hot air balloon ride. Also had some training on apterous, so can he use that to good effect today?
DC: Susie Dent and Chris Hollins.
RR: Rachel Riley.
OT: Other words or solutions.
R01: B M T N B I E I S
R02: R D Q E O A H S N
R03: 9, 8, 10, 1, 6, 75. Target: 707.
TTT: SHIRTTIE - "All the men wore a shirt and tie is these days"
R04: R P G I O E F V D
R05: M S G N T A O E U
R06: 1, 2, 75, 100, 50, 25. Target: 668.
R07: S D N D S A E U T
R08: M P L E O A D V T
R09: 5, 6, 5, 8, 10, 25. Target: 236.
TTT: KNOWREST - "He wants to get to know the rest of his colleagues so he does this a lot"
R10: R W R O E I L H C
R11: S N K L O T E O P
R12: N D R I A I S M E
R13: R F R T W I E O L
R14: 5, 7, 25, 50, 100, 75. Target: 270.
R15: K E N T O D O U R (conundrum)
And now a brief interlude before our main feature:
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Enjoy the show.
Round 1: B M T N B I E I S
Robert: BITES (5)
David: TIMES (5)
DC: IMBIBES (7)
Score: 5–5 (max 7)
Tough start to the show put DC impress with the first Darren of the day.
Round 2: R D Q E O A H S N
Robert: HARDENS (7)
David: hoardes
DC: HOARSEN (7)
OT: DEHORNS (7) HADRONS (7) SENHORA (7)
Score: 12–5 (max 14)
More 7s available this time but David's offerings isn't one of them and allows Robert to take the lead
Round 3: 9, 8, 10, 1, 6, 75. Target: 707.
Robert: 708.
David: 707. (75-6)*10+9+8 (10)
Score: 12–15 (max 24)
David spots the target and takes the lead for himself
Teatime teaser: SHIRTTIE -> THIRTIES
... No the teaser wasn't SHITTIER (you dirty minded people)
Round 4: R P G I O E F V D
Robert: provide NWD
David: PROVIDE (7)
DC: PODGIER (7)
OT: FIREDOG (7) FORGIVE (7)
Score: 12–22 (max 31)
Disaster for Robert as he forgets to say those three short words and loses the points.
Round 5: M S G N T A O E U
Robert: MONTAGES (8)
David: MONTAGES (8)
DC: MEGATONS (8) AUGMENTS (8)
OT: MAGNETOS (8) MUTAGENS (8) SEAMOUNT (8)
Score: 20–30 (max 39)
A flat round sees 8 points each. Good quality game so far.
Round 6: 1, 2, 75, 100, 50, 25. Target: 668.
Robert: 675.
David: 674. ((100-75)+2)*25-1 (5)
RR: 672. (7)
Score: 20–35 (max 46)
David tries a 4 large and gets 5 points thanks to being closer than Robert. Rachel informs us 4 away is the best possible.
Chris tells us about how he was the first mascot for Arsenal FC, and how then captain David O'Leary had set him up to sprint out of the Highbury tunnel alone.
Round 7: S D N D S A E U T
Robert: UNSEATS (7)
David: SADDENS (7)
DC: SUNDAES (7)
OT: DAUNTED (7) SADDEST (7) UNDATED (7)
Score: 27–42 (max 53)
More flatness here but it's 7 more points for both players.
Round 8: M P L E O A D V T
Robert: PLATED (6)
David: LAMPED (6)
DC: TADPOLE (7)
Score: 33–48 (max 60)
6s this time but DC go one better with a Darrenic 7
Round 9: 5, 6, 5, 8, 10, 25. Target: 236.
Robert: 236. 25*10-8-5-(6+5) (10)
David: 236. 25*10-8-6 (10)
Score: 43–58 (max 70)
Easy enough although Robert momentarily confuses Rachel with his elongated solution. Maybe he wanted an omelette?
Teatime teaser: KNOWREST -> NETWORKS
Round 10: R W R O E I L H C
Robert: LOWER (5)
David: HOLIER (6)
DC: COWRIE, (6) WHIRLER (7)
Score: 43–64 (max 77)
Robert's word is the LOWER scoring here and allows David to extend his lead, but DC get the Darren again
Round 11: S N K L O T E O P
Robert: STOOP (5)
David: POOTLES (7)
DC: PELOTONS (8)
Score: 43–71 (max 85)
Robert's game has STOOPed as David extends his lead further, while DC make it 3 Darren's in a row!
OoW: Susie talks about the origin of a "bakers dozen".
Round 12: N D R I A I S M E
Robert: MINDERS (7)
David: MAIDENS (7)
DC: drained DRAINS (6) MERIDIANS (18) MARINISED (18)
Score: 50–78 (max 103)
It's 7 more points each but Robert's missed a huge opportunity to close the gap as DC clear up with the nines!
Round 13: R F R T W I E O L
Robert: LOFTIER (7)
David: TREFOIL (7)
DC: TRIFLER (7)
OT: FELWORT (7) ROTIFER (7) TWIRLER (7)
Score: 57–85 (max 110)
And David wraps the game up as both players get a max in a flat round. DC offer another 7 to secure a MAX GAME from Susie and Chris!
Round 14: 5, 7, 25, 50, 100, 75. Target: 270.
Robert: -
David: 270. 7*25+100-5 (10)
Score: 57–95 (max 120)
David goes 4 large again and wraps the game up as Robert blanks.
Round 15: K E N T O D O U R
David buzzes on 22 seconds to say UNDERTOOK which is correct.
Final Score: 57–105 (max 130)
Robert departs the studio with a teapot and the goody bag but it's a debut century for David as he gets the conundrum. His apterous training has served him well but will he be able to continue in the champions chair...... Well you'll have to wait until Monday to find out as the horses are forcing us off again. Although if you are an early riser on Friday morning (or like me will still be up from the frivolities of the election) there is a special episode according to the Channel 4 website, even though I think it is a repeat. So for the next knew episode, join Andy on Monday, and please remember to vote on Thursday, be it for a major party or Gevin (if you live in Braintree).
Farewell, and May The Force Be With You.
Further summaries are at:
http://cdb.apterous.org/series.php?series=72