Spoilers For Monday November 9th 2009

[James Robinson]

Well, the weekend's out, Countdown's back on and I seem to be in a happy mood today.

Ryan returns as champ. He did seem to have a slightly stuttery second show, but he's got through it OK, so hopefully he'll make it 3 out of 3 today.

Back in DC and definitely back by popular demand is Tim Vine. Only 6 months since his 1st stint, and he's already on his 3rd stint. That must be one of the fastest ever. Probably isn't, but there you go. I should think we'll have laughs aplenty with Tim in the corner, so this should be a very good week.

Enjoy.

[Marc Meakin]

Hurrah, the prince of puns is back

[Kirk Bevins]

Hurrah, the prince of puns is back

I didn't know this was James' nickname?

[Ben Wilson]

Hurrah, the prince of puns is back

I didn't know this was James' nickname?

Can't be James, the 'is back' bit implies that he's been somewhere else other than this forum recently.

[Derek Hazell]

Maybe it's Marc himself. The Human Punkyoulater.

[Sue Sanders]

2 Qs AGAIN!!!!

[Phil Reynolds]

Anyone else notice that if Ryan had gone for a final consonant in round 3 instead of a vowel, it would have been an L - meaning QUISLING would have been there again.

[Marc Meakin]

Anyone else notice that if Ryan had gone for a final consonant in round 3 instead of a vowel, it would have been an L - meaning QUISLING would have been there again.

Yeah I thought that too.

[Marc Meakin]

PORKIES and what about SPACKIER?

[Sue Sanders]

Yeah, I've just made PORKIES followed by FATTIES.

The lack of SPACKY is clearly an omission in the dictionary ....Bloody hell I think I got the maths....

[Phil Reynolds]

((8x6)+1)x5x4+2

[Sue Sanders]

(8 x 6) + 1 x (4 x 5) = 2

Is that right? - cos it was in time!

[Craig Beevers]

Surprised Rachel didn't get it straight off, don't see what other way you'd go to solve that one. It's quite easy to get once you have the 8x6x5x4 factors with 1,2 left over.

[Sue Sanders]

Well, Rachel meant well, didn't she, Phil? But our way was more user friendly!

[Chris Philpot]

MANLIEST as an equaller in Round 12.

[Sue Sanders]

Goodness -I beat Ryan!

[Phil Reynolds]

(8 x 6) + 1 x (4 x 5) = 2

Is that right?

Not as written, but we know what you mean.

[Kirk Bevins]

Surprised Rachel didn't get it straight off, don't see what other way you'd go to solve that one. It's quite easy to get once you have the 8x6x5x4 factors with 1,2 left over.

I'm not surprised. I was in the studio and had 984 there and 984 again just now. (5x4x6+2+1)x8. I didn't think it was easy at all.

Interesting when Susie said "I'd probably allow LEAFAGES". I'd hope so as it clearly just says "noun" not "mass noun"! Also I think she said "If you put the U in QUINS you get QUOINS" which is certainly different!

Yes, Sue, two Qs again and two Ys which I think is odd - not sure if there are two in the pack or not.

Lastly, I don't think it will be too spoilerific to say that if you thought QUISLING nearly coming out two days in a row was odd just wait 'til tomorrow's show for more "near repeats".

[Derek Hazell]

Surprised Rachel didn't get it straight off, don't see what other way you'd go to solve that one. It's quite easy to get once you have the 8x6x5x4 factors with 1,2 left over.

I'm not surprised. I was in the studio and had 984 there and 984 again just now. (5x4x6+2+1)x8. I didn't think it was easy at all.

The other day Craig thought a conundrum was hard that you thought was easy, now he thinks a numbers game is easy that you think is hard. If the two of you ever played each other there would certainly be no chance of boredom or complacency!

[Sue Sanders]

(8 x 6) + 1 x (4 x 5) = 2

Is that right?

Not as written, but we know what you mean.

Ooops. Still, cocking up the use of the = sign is just an indication of my excitement.

[Kirk Bevins]

If the two of you ever played each other there would certainly be no chance of boredom or complacency!

He'd never play me as he doesn't like the ODE2r.

[Kirk Bevins]

Ooops. Still cocking up the use of the = sign is an indication of my excitement.

I think Phil was also picking up on the non-complete use of BIDMAS in your previous post.

[Sue Sanders]

Ooops. Still cocking up the use of the = sign is an indication of my excitement.

I think Phil was also picking up on the non-complete use of BIDMAS in your previous post.

Wha? Does that mean crap brackets? Grade C 'O'level taken in 1981. I don't think it's too bad!

[Howard Somerset]

2 Qs AGAIN!!!!

It was not intentional, and does get corrected very soon. Did it happen on Thursday or Friday? I haven't seen either of those two games yet.

[Ryan Taylor]

Yes the pack certainly wasnt shuffled for the game after as there are so many similar rounds without spoiling too much. I didnt actually realise this at the time but had it pointed out to me.

[Kirk Bevins]

Yes the pack certainly wasnt shuffled for the game after as there are so many similar rounds without spoiling too much. I didnt actually realise this at the time but had it pointed out to me.

Or indeed if you read my post a few posts up I hint at the same thing, Ryan

[Craig Beevers]

Surprised Rachel didn't get it straight off, don't see what other way you'd go to solve that one. It's quite easy to get once you have the 8x6x5x4 factors with 1,2 left over.

I'm not surprised. I was in the studio and had 984 there and 984 again just now. (5x4x6+2+1)x8. I didn't think it was easy at all.

Oh come off it.

There's only one plausible route 8x6x5x4. Using the 2 or the 1 before involving factors would be way less efficient and not get you as close.

So you've basically got 20-30 seconds to find 22 using those factors and a 2 & 1. There are two clear routes to do this. (6x4)x1 -2 or (5x4)x1 + 2. There's nothing complex here and the fact that the remaining numbers are small and there's only one route make the two 'difficult' solutions easy.

[Marc Meakin]

FWIW Rachels way did look more difficult maybe it looked better in the edit than the easy way.

[Derek Hazell]

Interesting TALISMAN(S) coming up right after this discussion. Another one for the coincidences list.

[D Eadie]

The two Q's situation was resolved. The chap in charge of the shuffling obviously forgot to shuffle the consonants on this particular show, and how on earth another Q got in there i have no idea, i think it crept into the pile from the conundrum letters, but it's gone now. Sometimes even the simplest of things can go wrong.

[Matt Bayfield]

Anyone else notice DC-beater SALONEEN* cropping up in one of the later rounds? RB would have been proud...

[Julie T]

Goodness -I beat Ryan!

Me, too! Well, provided I'd got to the buzzer first on CLENCHING anyway.

((8x6)+1)x5x4+2

Ditto, I admit to an 'arms in the air "Yeeessss!"' moment when Rachel didn't solve it within the time.

I'm not that great at 6 small. I looked for a calculation close to 98 to times by 10, thought, 8x6x2x(5+4+1) = 960, decided 8x6x4x5 would get me closer as I'd have some numbers left to use, and fiddled about with it till it fitted. Well pleased with myself.

Congratulations on another great win, Ryan!

[Kai Laddiman]

The chap in charge of the shuffling obviously forgot to shuffle the consonants on this particular show

RIP Demi.