Monday 10th March 2014 (series 70 prelim 46)

[Andy McGurn]

Countdown recap for Monday 10 March 2014.

C1: Champion Joe Hammill (2 wins, 174 points.) His band will soon be recording their (as yet unnamed) album. He promises to send Nick a copy of the CD when it is completed.

C2: Challenger Ruth Erwin. A student at the university of Dundee who is studying Law and French. She loves travelling around Europe to learn about 20th century history


DC: Susie Dent and Tim Vine.
RR: Rachel Riley.
OT: Other words or solutions.

R01: N G D U E Y A C I
R02: T M S O E I T R A
R03: 8, 1, 4, 8, 25, 75. Target: 732.
TTT: CARISHOT - "were these forms of transport made of fire"
R04: E O A L G P T O C
R05: R N S I E A P X N
R06: 9, 6, 10, 1, 2, 100. Target: 532.
R07: R K E U O P S D V
R08: L F O A I S R H E
R09: 3, 10, 1, 7, 2, 75. Target: 873.
TTT: MOODIMAN - "it sounds like im very cross about this fossilised mollusc"
R10: M G D S I O E A R
R11: G B T F O A I S E
R12: O I A S P W T O M
R13: L D D E A J N S I
R14: 8, 1, 5, 2, 3, 25. Target: 221.
R15: F I T K I S S E R (conundrum)


And now a brief interlude before our main feature:

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Enjoy the show.

Round 1: N G D U E Y A C I

Joe: DECAYING (8)
Ruth: DANCE (5)
DC: GUIDANCE (8)
Score: 8–0 (max 8)

Joe’s run on countdown shows no signs of DECAYING as he takes an instant lead with a max in round 1. DC spot the only other 8 in this round.


Round 2: T M S O E I T R A

Joe: MATTERS (7)
Ruth: MATTERS (7)
DC: TOASTIER (8)
OT: ESTIMATOR (18)
Score: 15–7 (max 26)

Seven for the contestants and 8 for DC but all miss the 9 in this round.


Round 3: 8, 1, 4, 8, 25, 75. Target: 732.

Joe: 732. ((75+25)-8)*8-4 (10)
Ruth: 732. (75+25)*(8-1)+(8*4) (10)
Score: 25–17 (max 36)

Similar but not identical methods enable both contestants to take maximum points in this straightforward numbers game.


Teatime teaser: CARISHOT -> CHARIOTS

Round 4: E O A L G P T O C

Joe: LEGATO (6)
Ruth: PLACE (5)
DC: colgate
OT: GELCOAT (7) POLECAT (7)
Score: 31–17 (max 43)

Joe takes a bigger lead with his word here, surprising that DC missed the oft-spotted GELCOAT which has come up on countdown on many previous occasions



Round 5: R N S I E A P X N

Joe: SPANNER (7)
Ruth: SPANNER (7)
DC: PANNIERS (8)
Score: 38–24 (max 51)

The darrenic max is missed by the contestants as the game remains at 14.



Round 6: 9, 6, 10, 1, 2, 100. Target: 532.

Joe: 531. (10/2)*(100+6)+1 (7)
Ruth: 529.
RR: 532. ((9*10)-1)*6-2 (10)
Score: 45–24 (max 61)

More disappointment for Ruth as Joe’s one away gives him a nice lead. Rachel (as is often the case these days) gives us a flashy method (not using the 100) when she could’ve given us a more straightforward solution.


DC Guest: Tim starts with an unfunny joke and then tells more jokes that are even less funny, though there is one about a dolphin that’s a bit funny.




Round 7: R K E U O P S D V

Joe: POKERS (6)
Ruth: DEVOURS (7)
DC: SPORK (5)
Score: 45–31 (max 68)

Ruth wins a round for the first time to make a bit of a dent in Joe’s lead.


Round 8: L F O A I S R H E

Joe: FLASHIER (8)
Ruth: FLASHIER (8)
DC: LOAFERS (7)
OT: FORESAIL (8)
Score: 53–39 (max 76)

Nick seems really unimpressed as both contestants spot FLASHIER. Seemed as if he knew both contestants would spot it before the time ran out.



Round 9: 3, 10, 1, 7, 2, 75. Target: 873.

Joe: 872. ((10+2)*75)-(4*7) (7)
Ruth: 872. ((10+2)*75)-(4*7) (7)
RR: 873. (75+2+3)*(10+1)-7 (10)
Score: 60–46 (max 86)


An easy one away for both contestants keeps the gap at 14. Rachel gets it spot on, this time with a more natural route than some of her more recent solves.


Teatime teaser: MOODIMAN -> AMMONOID


Round 10: M G D S I O E A R

Joe: gained
Ruth: IMAGES (6)
DC: IDEOGRAMS (18)
Score: 60–52 (max 104)


Bad error by Joe, as he uses a letter that isn’t there, enabling Ruth to get back to just 8 behind. DC don’t miss this nine as Susie impresses with IDEOGRAMS


Round 11: G B T F O A I S E

Joe: BOATS (5)
Ruth: BEAST (5)
DC: BOATIES (7)
OT: GABFEST (7)
Score: 65–57 (max 111).

I think GABFEST is a great word and will try and use it in conversation.



OoW- Susie talks about the origin of the word bimbo.


Round 12: O I A S P W T O M

Joe: STAMP (5)
Ruth: WIMPS (5)
DC: WAITS (5) IMPASTO (7)
Score: 70–62 (max 118)

Joe does not seem to be on great form now after impressing in his earlier games and starting strong here. Ruth can only equal him but with the gap still at 8, its clear she has a chance of winning this one.



Round 13: L D D E A J N S I

Joe: LANDED (6)
Ruth: LADDIES (7)
DC: LANDSIDE (8)
Score: 70–69 (max 126)


Nice risk by Ruth takes her to within one point of Joe. Should she take a risk on this final numbers game or play it safe and hope she can get the conundrum?


Round 14: 8, 1, 5, 2, 3, 25. Target: 221.

Joe: 221. ((8+1)*25)-((5-(3-2) (10)
Ruth: 221. ((5+3+1)*25)-(8/2) (10)
Score: 80–79 (max 136)

Ruth goes for the safe one large and an easy numbers game means she still trails by one point. So it’s a crucial…



Round 15: F I T K I S S E R

Ruth buzzes on 5 seconds to say FRISKIEST which is correct.
Final Score: 80–89 (max 146)


And with that Ruth is the new champion. You’d think this was disappointing for Joe who led by 21 points at one stage, but he seems happy enough and applauds Ruth before saying he’s happy to get a teapot. Ruth seems really pleased to get the win.

So we now go into the Cheltenham festival week which means no more countdown until next Monday. My own games on the show were punctuated by the Cheltenham festival, as now are my recaps as I will be doing the next one when countdown returns on Monday the 17th.

Have a great week countdowners, play loads of apterous, watch classic episodes on You Tube and it’ll get us all through to next Monday. Best wishes to all of the CD community.





Further summaries are at:
http://cdb.apterous.org/series.php?series=70

[Jon Corby]

Loved this show, two pleasant, smiley contestants, close game, Tim Vine jokes, brilliant. Very enjoyable, would watch again 10/10 A+++++