Spoilers For Monday May 18th 2015

[James Robinson]

WAHEY!! AT LAST!! A FULL WEEK OF COUNTDOWN

It seems like ages since we first set our eyes on the current champion, David Pooley......, and it was, 13 days ago to be exact......

Since then, we've had a general election, a secret special episode of Countdown, Huddersfield Town scandalously only given 1 point for the abandoned game at Blackpool, and most importantly, David Pooley becoming a member of c4c.

But since then, we've only seen him win 3 shows, which is probably quite a long stretch for the same series........... Either way, if he wins all 5 shows this week, he'll be in the finals, which start in just 16 days time. (Although, Apterite Steve Redfern is waiting in the wings tomorrow, so he'll have to be on good form..........)

Louise Minchin carries on in DC upto Thursday, before Steve Backshall takes over on Friday.

Join Andy for the recap later.

[Tony Atkins]

Obscure 8 available in the POLENTA+MT round.

[Tony Atkins]

"COMPERE with the double E" - surely that's COMPEER which is also valid!

[Mark Mills]

DANGEROUS this round

[Mark Mills]

wow I got one...

[Jennifer Steadman]

Obscure 8 available in the POLENTA+MT round.

Got this #boom

ISOMERIC in round 8(?)

[Mark Mills]

Obscure 8 available in the POLENTA+MT round.

Got this #boom

ISOMERIC in round 8(?)

Clever wife of mine got that too Jen...

[Mark Kudlowski]

Obscure 8 available in the POLENTA+MT round.

Got this #boom

ISOMERIC in round 8(?)

Beat me by seconds.
I somehow remembered my A-Level chemistry, despite my teaching maths !

[James Laverty]

TIEPINS round 11

[Mark Kudlowski]

Chemistry to the rescue again.
STIBINE Round 11.
It's antimony hydride apparently.

[Gavin Chipper]

Obscure 8 available in the POLENTA+MT round.

Got this #boom

You can tell us!

[Steven M. McCann]

Very unlucky David, both PINIEST & SHAPEN are allowed in SCRABBLE and before any one says it.....also Touchy Words!

[Jennifer Steadman]

Obscure 8 available in the POLENTA+MT round.

Got this #boom

You can tell us!

PALMETTO. Plural was one of Dylan's 9 misses in his octorun, in the classic MATE LOTS round.

[szodiac]

Very unlucky David, both PINIEST & SHAPEN are allowed in SCRABBLE and before any one says it.....also Touchy Words!

Also my attempted beater FORELAYS^, in the FLAYERS round, was also a Scrabble word.

Mauro

[David Pooley]

Yep. Folded like a cheap suit in the end. Of the myriad of mistakes I made today here are a few highlights:

MORCELS: Not sure why I thought this was a word. I had RECOILS written on my pad. Simply declaring the same word and showing it to Len would have maintained my 14 point lead. This was the beginning of the end I think.
PINIEST: OK, I was declaring first and I knew this was marginal. I did have "SPINET" written down as well which would have won the round with 6.
QUEST: I'm starting to panic and so I miss an simple 6.
SHAPEN: At this point I'm desperately trying to get myself back in front. I shouldn't have risked it.
255: Obviously I'm mentally shot to pieces at this point and panicking. A simple enough numbers which I gave to my 11 year old son to solve and it took him about 10 seconds with (3 + 2) x 50 + (4 x 10 / 8). Even without that, (4 + 2) x (50 - 8) + 3 would have been my normal approach.

As previously suggested, mental fragility was probably my downfall. If I'd won this game then at least I would have had lunchtime to recover before the next one. I was never going to be a match for the "apterati" though

[Gavin Chipper]

Unlucky David. You've certainly been a very good contestant these last few games. Unfortunately, you didn't take any of those who practise to a crucial conundrum today! Come on Corby - I'm ready for you!

[Tracey Anne Mills]

Yep. Folded like a cheap suit in the end. Of the myriad of mistakes I made today here are a few highlights:

MORCELS: Not sure why I thought this was a word. I had RECOILS written on my pad. Simply declaring the same word and showing it to Len would have maintained my 14 point lead. This was the beginning of the end I think.
PINIEST: OK, I was declaring first and I knew this was marginal. I did have "SPINET" written down as well which would have won the round with 6.
QUEST: I'm starting to panic and so I miss an simple 6.
SHAPEN: At this point I'm desperately trying to get myself back in front. I shouldn't have risked it.
255: Obviously I'm mentally shot to pieces at this point and panicking. A simple enough numbers which I gave to my 11 year old son to solve and it took him about 10 seconds with (3 + 2) x 50 + (4 x 10 / 8). Even without that, (4 + 2) x (50 - 8) + 3 would have been my normal approach.

As previously suggested, mental fragility was probably my downfall. If I'd won this game then at least I would have had lunchtime to recover before the next one. I was never going to be a match for the "apterati" though

You played very well you should be pleased with that

[David Pooley]

You played very well you should be pleased with that

Thanks Tracey. I was pleased overall and happy to win a teapot. It's now on display

[Tracey Anne Mills]

You played very well you should be pleased with that

Thanks Tracey. I was pleased overall and happy to win a teapot. It's now on display

Welcome to the teapot club David, mine sits proudly on my bookshelf along with my 6 mugs !

[Mark Mills]

You played very well you should be pleased with that

Thanks Tracey. I was pleased overall and happy to win a teapot. It's now on display

Welcome to the teapot club David, mine sits proudly on my bookshelf along with my 6 mugs !

Counting me as the 7th Mug missus..

[Mark Murray]

so unlucky there Dave, know the feeling well of trying to get back a game when it all seems to be going horribly wrong. really unlucky on last numbers game too. well done on your solid performances.