Monday 29th March 2010 (Series 62, Prelim 51)

[Howard Somerset]

Countdown recap for Monday 29 March 2010.

Another week, and time for another mediocre Monday recap. However, this is one of the weeks when you should be getting as many as four top class recaps produced by the three best recappers, so once today is out of the way, you can all enjoy the quality in the rest of the week.

C1: Champion Dave Wilkinson (5 wins, 397 points.)
C2: Challenger Jamie Bradbury.
DC: Susie Dent and Kim Woodburn.
RR: Rachel Riley.
OT: Other words or solutions.

In Jeff's introduction, he got a little confused about the mechanics of adding an hour to our time for the start of British Summer Time, as he suggested that any viewer who'd forgotten to make the change and was now switching on for DOND would be getting Countdown instead. That's what would happen in October when we put the clocks back. But we'll gloss over that. Instead, I'll point out that Jeff made much of referring to Countdown programmes as Editions. Interesting, in view of the discussions on the forum last week. So interesting, that today's programme is the first (and probably only) in over 5000 to appear on the Coundown Wiki as an Edition, rather than an Episode.

Anyway, enough of that. On with the proper introductions.

Dave returns for a second week, having won all five games last week. So far this series, only two players have progressed past five; will Dave become the third?

Aiming to stop him is Jamie, a student of education, from Paignton in Devon. Magic is one of his hobbies, and his ambition is to be a successful manager of Nottingham Forest.

Returning for a second week in Dictionary Corner is Kim, of Keep Your House Clean, having recently returned from a spell in the Jungle.

R01: M D E A N R E T X
R02: D O L T U N W N E
R03: T R T A E S D I R
R04: G Q L E U E C T V
R05: 25, 5, 5, 9, 7, 1. Target: 827.
TTT: ELECTRIC - "Move the e to make a she."
R06: F J O N A E D H O
R07: R P A I S D R O E
R08: H S R I O A G S O
R09: S T E I D T P O T
R10: 25, 6, 7, 3, 3, 4. Target: 787.
TTT: ALARMING - "Several parties are interested in taking this seat."
R11: M F U O L T N I A
R12: R Y C E I A N S K
R13: Z S I E P M R A I
R14: 50, 5, 9, 10, 5, 7. Target: 277.
R15: R A M S F R O N T (conundrum)


And now a brief interlude before our main feature:

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Enjoy the show.

Round 1: M D E A N R E T X

C1: MEANDER (7)
C2: REMAND (6)
DC: DEMEAN (6)
OT: AMENDER (7) RENAMED (7) DEXTRAN (7) EXTREMA (7)
Score: 7–0 (max 7)

Early lead for Dave.

Round 2: D O L T U N W N E

C1: TOWEL (5)
C2: UNTOLD (6)
DC: TUNNEL (6)
OT: UNWONTED (8)
Score: 7–6 (max 15)

But Jamie comes back quickly, to cut the lead to only one point.

Round 3: T R T A E S D I R

C1: ASTRIDE (7)
C2: STARTED (7)
DC: TARDIEST (8)
OT: REDSTART (8) STRIATED (8) TARRIEST (8)
Score: 14–13 (max 23)

Jamie wisely decided not to risk DARTIEST.

Round 4: G Q L E U E C T V

C1: CLUE (4)
C2: ELECT (5)
DC: CUVEE (5)
OT: ELUTE (5) GLEET (5) GLUTE (5) GULET (5)
Score: 14–18 (max 28)

Jamie takes the lead now, getting a max with a difficult selection of letters.

Round 5: 25, 5, 5, 9, 7, 1. Target: 827.

C1: 825. (5 x 5 + 9 - 1) x 25 (7)
C2: 836
OT: 828. (9 x 5 + 1) x (25 - 7) (7)
Score: 21–18 (max 35)

Rachel was also two away, on either side. But even the best possible was one away.
Dave gets back into a narrow lead.

Kim talks about once returning to a hotel in her working uniform, a maid's outfit, and being mistaken for a maid by another hotel guest.

Teatime teaser: ELECTRIC -> LECTRICE

Round 6: F J O N A E D H O

C1: DONE (4)
C2: HOOFED (6)
DC: HONED (5) ANODE (5)
OT: HOONED (6)
Score: 21–24 (max 41)

This is rapidly becoming a game of chaning leads, this being the third time that the lead has changed hands.

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

C1: PRAISED (7)
C2: REPAIRS (7)
DC: AIRDROPS (8) PARODIES (8)
OT: DIASPORE (8)
Score: 28–31 (max 49)

Round 8: H S R I O A G S O

C1: GRASS (5)
C2: HAIRS (5)
DC: GARISH (6)
OT: ARIOSOS (7)
Score: 33–36 (max 56)

Everyone missed the 7 letter Darren.

Round 9: S T E I D T P O T

C1: SPOTTED (7)
C2: POTTIEST (8)
OT: DOTTIEST (8)
Score: 33–44 (max 64)

First time today that the person in the lead has won a round, which gives Jamie a more comfortable 11 point lead.


This week Susie's OoW theme is going to be regional nicknames, starting with Jeff the POONY, and Rachel the SAHFENDER.
I'm not quite sure how POONY should be spelt, but when I looked up one possibility, POONIE, I came across a definition here which certainly cannot be thought of as referring to Jeff.
SAHFENDER should really be spelt SOUTHENDER, but people from that part of the country probably wouldn't recognise the correct spelling.

Round 10: 25, 6, 7, 3, 3, 4. Target: 787.

C1: 784. (4 x 7 + 3) x 25 + 6 + 3 (7)
C2: 784. (4 x 7 + 3) x 25 + 6 + 3 (7)
RR: 787. (25 + 3) x 7 x 4 + 3 (10)
Score: 40–51 (max 74)

Once again a difficult numbers round. Rachel is two away within the 30 seconds, but comes back after the second interval with an exact solution.

Teatime teaser: ALARMING -> MARGINAL

Round 11: M F U O L T N I A

C1: FAINT (5)
C2: FAINT (5)
DC: MANITOU (7)
OT: TINAMOU (7) MOANFUL (7)
Score: 45–56 (max 81)

Round 12: R Y C E I A N S K

C1: CRANES (6)
C2: CRANES (6)
DC: CANKERS (7) CARNIES (7)
OT: SKINCARE (8)
Score: 51–62 (max 89)

Round 13: Z S I E P M R A I

C1: IMPAIRS (7)
C2: PRAISE (6)
OT: MISPRIZE (8)
Score: 58–62 (max 97)

Final letters round, and a very valuable seven points to Dave, putting him only four points adrift.

Round 14: 50, 5, 9, 10, 5, 7. Target: 277.

C1: 276. 5 x 50 + 5 x 7 - 9 (7)
C2: 276. 50 x 5 + 10 + 9 + 7 (7)
RR: 277. (50 - 10 - 5 - 5) x 9 + 7 (10)
Score: 65–69 (max 107)

A much easier numbers round here, but surprisingly, neither Dave nor Jamie manage to get it, so it's still Jamie with a four point lead as we go into a crucial conundrum.

Round 15: R A M S F R O N T

C1 buzzes on 8 seconds to say TRANSFORM which is correct.
Score: 75–69 (max 117)

With relief, Dave makes it, and lives to fight another day.

Next up for him is Apterous's Anna. Come back tomorrow to hear from Dinos (unless it's Oliver) to see if Dave can make it seven wins, of if Anna can start a run.

Statistics Corner

Dave:
Total score - 75
Raw score - 95
Total % of max - 64
Raw % of max - 81
Total average score per round - 5
Raw average score per round - 6
Number of maxes - 2

Jamie:
Total score - 69
Raw score - 86
Total % of max - 59
Raw % of max - 74
Total average score per round - 5
Raw average score per round - 6
Number of maxes - 3


Further summaries are at:
http://www.apterous.org/cdb/series.php?series=62

[James Robinson]

Oliver:
Total score - 69
Raw score - 86
Total % of max - 59
Raw % of max - 74
Total average score per round - 5
Raw average score per round - 6
Number of maxes - 3

Who's Oliver, Howard

[Howard Somerset]

Oliver:
Total score - 69
Raw score - 86
Total % of max - 59
Raw % of max - 74
Total average score per round - 5
Raw average score per round - 6
Number of maxes - 3

Who's Oliver, Howard

That's what makes these Monday recaps so mediocre, James. I like to leave something in so that the experts can find the errors.

So that's one found. Who's going to get the next one?

[James Robinson]

Round 9: S T E I D T P O T

C1: SPOTTED (7)
C2: POTTIEST (8)
OT: DOTTIEST (8)
Score: 33–44 (max 64)

First time today that the person in the lead has one a round, which gives Jamie a more comfortable 11 point lead.

Sorry to be picky, Howard, but shouldn't that one be won

[Howard Somerset]

Round 9: S T E I D T P O T

C1: SPOTTED (7)
C2: POTTIEST (8)
OT: DOTTIEST (8)
Score: 33–44 (max 64)

First time today that the person in the lead has one a round, which gives Jamie a more comfortable 11 point lead.

Sorry to be picky, Howard, but shouldn't that one be won

Doing well James. That's two. Keep looking!

[James Robinson]

I think we're all sorted now, Howard. Apart from those mistakes, nice recap.

[Howard Somerset]

I think we're all sorted now, Howard. Apart from those mistakes, nice recap.

Well that's a relief, James.

And now a challenge to the other star recappers. Can you find what James has missed?

[Jon Corby]

And now a challenge to the other star recappers. Can you find what James has missed?

Ooh ooh ooh, me, me!

Dave returns for a second week, having won all five games last week. So far this series, only two players have progressed past five; will Dave become the sixth?

[Marc Meakin]

Or this.

Howard wrote: Returning for a second week in Dictionary Corner is Kim, of Keep You House Clean, having recently returned from a spell in the Jungle.

[James Robinson]

Or this.

Howard wrote: Returning for a second week in Dictionary Corner is Kim, of Keep You House Clean, having recently returned from a spell in the Jungle.

I did spot that one, but thought that Howard was just mocking the title of the show.

Round 4: G Q L E U E C T V

C1: CLUE (4)
C2: ELECT (5)
DC: CUVEE (5)
OT: ELUTE (5) GLEET (5) GLUTE (5) GULET (5)
Score: 14–18 (max 28)

Jamie take the lead now, getting a max with a difficult selection of letters.

Or even this, but that's just getting desperate to find a mistake of any kind now.

[Howard Somerset]

This is great. Between you, you've even unearthed one of the non-delibertate ones now.

[James Robinson]

This is great. Between you, you've even unearthed one of the non-delibertate ones now.

Do we get a prize of some description for this, Howard

[Marc Meakin]

I think Phil Reynolds needs to proof read this.

[Howard Somerset]

This is great. Between you, you've even unearthed one of the non-delibertate ones now.

Do we get a prize of some description for this, Howard

Well you would have done, James. But when I put in all the corrections a few minutes ago, I also corrected a further thing that none of you managed to point out. I really expect better. Next time, maybe.

[Jason Larsen]

Monday, the very end of March. Can you believe it? Here we go

Introduction: You know, Howard, you are absolutely right. We spring ahead now, we don't fall back. And I thought British Summer Time started 2 weeks ago just like Daylight Savings Time in the US. I know most of you would have thought seeing Noel Edmonds in Manchester would have been scary, and I can say that again.

She's a funny lady, that Kim Woodburn

I wasn't sure how Jamie would do, mainly because he does magic tricks and studies education. I think the people who are destined for the game of Countdown tend to do the best.

Round 2: I was so glad when the contestants decided to be careful with the selection and declare at least a 5.
Woodburn's Witwork: Wait a minute! Kim, when did you go to Las Vegas? Did you really intend to work as a maid? It was nice of the general manager to give her a tip anyway! FYI, the last time I recall Kim Woodburn being anywhere near the US is when she did the American version of How Clean is Your House (Yes, she and Aggie did come over here.) But, the show bombed in the US and was quickly canceled. However, reruns of the American version are still airing on BBC America and have been for the last 2 years or so. They've really run it into the ground. Needless to say, they have the rights to more of the British version.
Round 6: I had Jamie's six too!
Round 9: Jamie! Did you mean for some double entendre or what?
Origins of Words: So, what would I be? A Cumbie? Or rather a Manc. Well, Seattle is the biggest city in the Northwestern US just like Manchester is the biggest city in Northwest England. Just so you know, our Coronation Street is downtown.
Teatime Teaser #2: I believe it!
Round 13: It's not how often you use the word, but the length of the word, unfortunately for Jamie
Conundrum: A come-from-behind victory for Dave! This was a much better game than I thought!

This was one of the hardest games of Countdown I have seen in a long time, mainly because nobody could manage to come up with anything longer than a seven-letter word. I'd like to affectionately call this the "Steal the Lead" episode of Countdown


Closing: I could have sworn I saw Dave on The Weakest Link just recently. Then again, I must have been thinking of somebody else. By the way, Brainteaser went off the air before I discovered UK Nova.

We'll see what happens tomorrow!

[Matt Morrison]

Great review Jason, look forward to more. I liked "Woodburn's Witwork".

[Dinos Sfyris]

...But when I put in all the corrections a few minutes ago...

No wait. There's more.

I came across a definitely here which certainly cannot be though of as referring to Jeff.

Should that be definition, Howard? I look forward to you tearing apart my recap of Anna's game btw

[Jason Larsen]

I misheard Susie! I thought for sure she said Jeff was a "Poolie" (as in from Hartlepool) which I would have understood

[Howard Somerset]

I came across a definitely here which certainly cannot be though of as referring to Jeff.

Should that be definition, Howard? I look forward to you tearing apart my recap of Anna's game btw

Fixed. (Also fixed the other error in the extract you quoted, Dinos.)

I'll have a look at your recap of Anna's game when I get back home next week.