Friday 22 October 2010 (Series 63, Prelim 75)

[Mike Brown]

Countdown recap for Friday 22 October 2010 (Series 63, Prelim 75).

C1: Champion Jack Hurst (7 wins, 836 points.)
C2: Challenger Jonathan Welti (from Leatherhead in Surrey).
DC: Susie Dent and Alistair McGowan.
RR: Rachel Riley.
OT: Other words or solutions.

What a week of Countdown it’s been, and as each game has gone by I’ve been calculating Jack’s potential score at the end of his eight-game run, assuming of course that he didn’t get knocked out beforehand or failed to keep up the relentless pace required if he was to beat Andrew Hulme’s mighty score of 930 points from two series ago. I don’t think I’ve been as nervous watching a game for some time (or been as excited). Going into this, Jack ‘only’ needs 95 points to beat Andrew’s record, but all being well, it seems that the Pembroke College undergraduate could beat it by quite some margin. As ever, we will see...

R01: T C F I E A R D G
R02: T S P T E O O J A
R03: Q L D I O E S I M
R04: T P M B E I A U N
R05: 25, 3, 10, 2, 9, 1. Target: 290.
TTT: GAVETINA - "Gave Tina the map, so she can keep us on course."
R06: C R S N O A E D L
R07: W B R A I A S I E
R08: H M L S A U A T O
R09: R S K E A U N A E
R10: 75, 6, 10, 5, 2, 10. Target: 798.
TTT: IDOEDITS - "Strange goings-on in space, according to David."
R11: G R T E O I P S V
R12: R L N L E O I N D
R13: V G T E I E C A S
R14: 25, 1, 2, 8, 9, 3. Target: 178.
R15: F R O N T R I B S (conundrum)

Countdown is now being sponsored by Immunace. Is there nothing the boys and girls from Vitabiotics don’t claim to help you with? Whatever next? Conundrumace?

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With Christmas fast approaching (what do you mean, we haven’t even had Halloween yet?), Jeff starts the show by talking about the dangers of overindulging and he eventually asks Rachel when she is going to bring out a fitness DVD, like everyone else seems to these days. She quips back that Jeff could do one that features a ‘ten step’ programme – “five steps to the fridge and then five steps back to the sofa”. Nice one.

Round 1: T C F I E A R D G

C1: FRIGATE (7)
C2: CRAFTED (7)
OT: GRAFTED (7) GRIFTED (7) TRIAGED (7)
Score: 7–7 (max 7)

I felt certain that Jack had missed a trick by not offering DRIFTAGE^, but I don’t think it’s been in since the days of the Concise! Ah, the perils of being a longtime viewer!

Round 2: T S P T E O O J A

C1: POTATOES (8)
C2: PASTE (5)
DC: POOJAS (6)
Score: 15–7 (max 15)

Jack looks worried and covers his face – perhaps he thought he was suffering from a bout of ‘Quayle-itis’ – but his spuds are fine and in fact they’re positively darrenic. Nice to see, as well, that you can make TEAPOTS out of your POTATOES. Useful household tip, there, for no extra charge!

Round 3: Q L D I O E S I M

C1: IDOLISE (7)
C2: SOILED (6)
DC: SELDOM (6) MISLED (6)
OT: DOILIES (7) MIDSOLE (7)
Score: 22–7 (max 22)

Jack is still on a max game. Looking good so far...

Round 4: T P M B E I A U N

C1: PETUNIA (7)
C2: TUMBlE
DC: AMBIENT (7) BITUMEN (7)
OT: PINETUM (7) PUTAMEN (7)
Score: 29–7 (max 29)

Susie says nothing when Jonathan offers a word containing an ‘L’, while Jack is positively blooming with PETUNIA. Things are looking rosy...

Round 5: 25, 3, 10, 2, 9, 1. Target: 290.

C1: 290. ((3x9)+2)x10 (10)
C2: 290. (25+3+1)x10 (10)
Score: 39–17 (max 39)

Alistair McGowan uses his final guest slot in DC to discuss the fact that old people collect sugar sachets from cafes (my personal theory is that it’s probably something to do with the war) and begin to mistrust the postal service (especially his mother, who is apparently a demon with a Jiffy bag, a roll of parcel tape and a stapler), before rounding off with a rant about those wonderful “While You Were Out” cards dispensed by your friendly neighbourhood postie. Actually – just in case they’re reading this - our local post office is pretty good!

Teatime teaser: GAVETINA -> NAVIGATE

Round 6: C R S N O A E D L

C1: COLANDERS (18)
C2: DANCERS (7)
DC: SCORNED (7)
Score: 57–17 (max 57)

A niner from Jack – surely only a natural disaster can stop him getting at least 95 points now! I’m still on the edge of my seat...

Round 7: W B R A I A S I E

C1: AIRBASE (7)
C2: awares
DC: WASABI (6)
Score: 64–17 (max 64)

Mmm, wasabi, sushi, sashimi, those little strips of ginger... sorry, getting hungry there... meanwhile, back on the programme, there’s a great seven from Jack (and another darren into the bargain). And it’s STILL a max game!

Round 8: H M L S A U A T O

C1: amatols
C2: HALTS (5)
DC: MAHOUTS (7)
OT: THALAMUS (8)
Score: 64–22 (max 72)

OMG! A rare blob from Jack as he gets caught out by the Mass Noun Bogeyman. No complaints about Susie’s decision making here, I’m afraid, although I’m sure one or two chemists might disagree. Even without his error, the max game would still have been off, as (wait for it) everyone misses the darren. Only 31 points short of that magic total, though...

Round 9: R S K E A U N A E

C1: ARENAS (6)
C2: ASKER (5)
DC: SNEAKER (7)
Score: 70–22 (max 79)

A poor round and Jack does well to get to six. DC get the only seven with half a pair of trainers.

OoW: Susie rounds off a week of ‘reader’s letters’ with the origins of both VANDALS and HOODLUMS. Neither of which describes our contestants, I’m sure.

Round 10: 75, 6, 10, 5, 2, 10. Target: 798.

C1: 798. (75x10)+((10-2)x6) (10)
C2: 798. ((75+5)x10)-2 (10)
Score: 80–32 (max 89)

Teatime teaser: IDOEDITS -> ODDITIES

Round 11: G R T E O I P S V

C1: ROPIEST (7)
C2: PIVOTS (6)
DC: OVERTIPS (8)
OT: SPORTIVE (8)
Score: 87–32 (max 97)

Jack fails to spot the max once more, but no matter, he’s still well on course for the record.

Round 12: R L N L E O I N D

C1: NEROLI (6)
C2: DRILL (5)
DC: ROLLED (6)
OT: DINERO (6) IRONED (6) DINNER (6) ENDRIN (6) DOLINE (6) INDOLE (6) LINDEN (6) NIELLO (6) OLLIED (6) ONLINE (6) ROILED (6) RONDEL (6)
Score: 93–32 (max 103)

A selection of letters that promised much, but in the end delivered little. Still, it was good enough to seal Jack’s final victory and put him within one point of equalling Mr Hulme’s tally.

Round 13: V G T E I E C A S

C1: CAGIEST (7)
C2: VESTIGE (7)
DC: VESICATE (8)
Score: 100–39 (max 111)

Jack hits the ton and with it gets the highest ever aggregate score in Countdown’s history – and there are still two rounds to go! I was a bit surprised that Susie didn’t ask Jonathan to spell VESTIGE, especially as he said he was unsure (no point in risking adding insult to injury, perhaps, as he had already lost). A great eight from ‘the Corner’, though.

Round 14: 25, 1, 2, 8, 9, 3. Target: 178.

C1: 178. ((9-2)x25)+3 (10)
C2: 178. ((8-1)x25)+3 (10)
Score: 110–49 (max 121)

A nice easy numbers game gives both Jack and Jonathan ten points and adds further to that amazing total.

Round 15: F R O N T R I B S

C1 buzzes on 1 second to say "I’ve not actually got it" which is incorrect.
C2 does not buzz.
The answer was FIRSTBORN.
Final Score: 110–49 (max 131)

What a shame – Jack presses after one second (somewhat slower than on several previous occasions) and then has to declare that he doesn’t know what the answer is. Still, it only takes the merest scintilla of the shine from Jack’s achievement, and Jeff is quick to point out that his accumulated score of 946 points is indeed the highest ever octo-total in the history of the (fifteen-round) game. The last eight games have been nothing short of a masterclass in how to play Countdown, and I’ve thoroughly enjoyed watching them, although I’m glad I wasn’t on the receiving end of one or two of his performances! It was also nice to see a bit of banter between him and Jeff, showing that there’s more to the man than just being a words and numbers whizzkid. I suppose, after that, the start of next week might be a bit of an anticlimax, but I’m sure Rory McGrath can cheer us up in DC with tales of driving a Mini to the south of France with Penny Smith, and – mark my words - it won’t be that long before the next exciting event in the world of Countdown!

Further summaries are at:
http://www.apterous.org/cdb/series.php?series=63

[David Smith]

Posted in wrong thread, apologies...

[Ryan Taylor]

I don't often read anyone's recaps (including my own) but I thought I would seen as this was an historic show and I've been missing out all this time. Excellent recap Mike, really enjoyed it.

[Mike Brown]

I don't often read anyone's recaps (including my own) but I thought I would seen as this was an historic show and I've been missing out all this time. Excellent recap Mike, really enjoyed it.

Coming from the star of the Monday recaps, I take this as a real compliment. My turn to blush.