Wednesday 15th July 2009 (Series 61, Prelim 18)

[Chris Philpot]

Countdown Recap - Wednesday 15th July 2009 (Series 61, Prelim 18)

Champion (C1): Andrew Hulme (4 wins, 479 points), a member of this forum - like so many others, is he on his way to the prestigious 900 club?
Challenger (C2): Jonathan Good who hopes to see Wales win the Rugby World Cup and Everton the Premier League - he's obviously a dreamer, but can his dreams come true against Andrew?
DC: Susie Dent and TV critic Ian Hyland
RR: Rachel Riley, whose skirt looks like a lampshade according to Jeff
OT: Other words, solutions and stolen jokes

Test yourself with the mini-recap:

R01: B P T U E O A V O
R02: E I O N J N R I P
R03: L D T E O U N E G
R04: E U E S R D N I S
R05: 6, 7, 10, 4, 1, 5 --> Target: 925
TTT: HUMPSLIP - "The fruit isn't fat - just a bit cuddly."
R06: A E O G D H F T E
R07: P G T A E I L S A
R08: O E A R W T C R C
R09: B D R O I E T N A
R10: 100, 6, 2, 9, 3, 8 --> Target: 856
TTT: DEEPMAST - "A panicked rush of philatelists, perhaps?"
R11: M L N O I A Z N E
R12: I O A Q S N T E R
R13: C Y K I O I X D R
R14: 100, 25, 75, 9, 10, 3 --> Target: 210
R15: L E T S S M I L E (conundrum)

Scroll down to see how Andrew and Jonathan got on in the studio...

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Enjoy the show!

Round 1: B P T U E O A V O

C1: UPBEAT (6)
C2: UPBEAT (6)
DC: OBOVATE (7) which isn't anything musical: its simply the word to describe a leaf, for instance, that is egg-shaped and flat
Score: 6–6 (max 7)

Round 2: E I O N J N R I P

C1: PINION (6)
C2: pinnie
OT: RIPIENO (7), as seen by Chris Davies, which is the tutti in an orchestra performing music of the Baroque period - obvious, really!
Score: 12–6 (max 14)

Round 3: L D T E O U N E G

C1: LOUNGED (7)
C2: LOUNGED (7)
DC: TOLUENE and TONGUED (7)
OT: EUGENOL, GENTLED and TELOGEN (7) but seven is the max
Score: 19–13 (max 21)

Round 4: E U E S R D N I S

C1: SUNDRIES (8)
C2: SUNDRIES (8)
OT: Dictionary Corner aren't asked, but presumably the had some of the plethora of eights: DIRENESS, ENURESIS, REISSUED, RESIDUES and RUDENESS (8)
Score: 27–21 (max 29)

Round 5: 6, 7, 10, 4, 1, 5 --> Target: 925

C1: Nothing.
C2: Nothing.
RR: "No idea, just got some scribbles!"
OT: Major kudos to Malcolm James for spotting 925 = ((6 × 4 + 1) × 7 + 10) × 5 (10)
Score: 27–21 (max 39)

Teatime teaser: HUMPSLIP --> PLUMPISH

Round 6: A E O G D H F T E

C1: DOTAGE (6)
C2: DEFEAT (6)
DC: GOATEED (7)
Score: 33–27 (max 46)

Round 7: P G T A E I L S A

C1: LIGATES (7)
C2: TAILS (5)
DC: TALIPES (7), the medical term for the condition more commonly known as clubfoot
OT: STAPELIA (8) as seen by James Hurrell and Chris Davies on c4c, which are any of various plants of the genus Stapelia, including the beautifully named starfish flower
Score: 40–27 (max 54)

Round 8: O E A R W T C R C

C1: REACTOR (7)
C2: WATER (5)
DC: CREATOR (7)
Score: 47–27 (max 61)

Round 9: B D R O I E T N A

C1: BARITONE (8)
C2: RETINA (6)
DC: OBTAINED (8)
OT: Loads of equallers: DEBONAIR, DIBORANE, DERATION, OBTAINER, ORDINATE and RATIONED (8)
Score: 55–27 (max 69)

Round 10: 1006, 2, 9, 3, 8 --> Target: 856.

C1: 856. (100 + 9 - 2) × 8 (10)
C2: 856. 100 × 8 + 9 × 6 + 2 (10)
Score: 65–37 (max 79)

Teatime teaser: DEEPMAST --> STAMPEDE

Round 11: M L N O I A Z N E

C1: MINNEOLA (8)
C2: ZONAL (5)
DC: MINNEOLA (8) which are of course a deep-reddish variety of our old favourite the tangelo!
Score: 73–37 (max 87)

Round 12: I O A Q S N T E R

C1: SENORITA (8)
C2: TREASON (7)
DC: NOTARIES and NOTARISE (8) complete the set
Score: 81–37 (max 95)

Round 13: C Y K I O I X D R

C1: oxidic
C2: RID (3)
DC: IDIOCY (6)
Score: 81–40 (max 101)

Round 14: 100, 25, 75, 9, 10, 3 --> Target: 210

C1: 210. 100 + 75 + 25 + 10 (10)
C2: 210. 100 + 75 + 25 + 10 (10)
Score: 91–50 (max 111)

Round 15: L E T S S M I L E

C1 buzzes on 11 seconds to say SMELLIEST which is correct.
Score: 101–50 (max 121)

Philpot's final thought:

Andrew's win may have been commanding but he squeaked past the century line with the lowest scoring game of his run so far. However, he's now on 580 points and so is still on course to beat the Bevatron's 925 with a 928 of his own, but whether this interpolation becomes a reality remains to be seen. Meanwhile, well done to Jonathan who, whilst soundly beaten, at least got the chance to equal a Countdown record of his own by scoring with a three letter word in round 13.

This recap was written by lazy student-type Chris Philpot. Further summaries for Series 61 are available at:
http://www.apterous.org/cdb/series.php?series=61

[Marc Meakin]

Fastest recap ever?

Nice recap Chris

[Jon O'Neill]

I think Stuart Earl posted one about 3 minutes before the show ended once!

[Derek Hazell]

I think Stuart Earl posted one about 3 minutes before the show ended once!

But Chris did it without divine intervention. Much more impressive.

[David O'Donnell]

I think Stuart Earl posted one about 3 minutes before the show ended once!

But Chris did it without divine intervention. Much more impressive.

LOL!

He also injected a bit of personality into it whereas Stuart's were a combination of flat recap and what he claimed he spotted at home. Funnily enough, with the advent of Countmax Stuart got a lot better at home.

[Charlie Reams]

Funnily enough, with the advent of Countmax Stuart got a lot better at home.

Be fair David, it's not like Stuart had a history of passing off other people's work as his own.

[James Robinson]

Meanwhile, well done to Jonathan who, whilst soundly beaten, at least got the chance to equal a Countdown record of his own by scoring with a three letter word in round 13.

When was that episode when one of the contestants won with a 3 in round one and then the other won with a 4 in round 2?

And are there any other occasions when a three-letter word has won a round on the show