Monday 12th May 2014 (series 70, prelim 81)

Andy McGurn · Post by **Andy McGurn** » Mon May 12, 2014 10:16 pm

Countdown recap for Monday 12 May 2014.

C1: Challenger Sean Fletcher. (2 wins, 181 points) Now on two wins after beating Dave Freeman 91-69. Sean is a student from Bridge end

C2: Challenger Edward Kenny. a student of Maths and financial Maths at Manchester university

DC: Susie Dent and David Emanuel.
RR: Rachel Riley.
OT: Other words or solutions.

R01: P N R O I M R U E
R02: T A D G I R E A N
R03: 6, 5, 2, 4, 7, 100. Target: 389.
TTT: INEPTTOM - "Toms not necessarily inept he's just powerless"
R04: S Z O U G M A T E
R05: P N D O I E S L U
R06: 1, 10, 9, 8, 3, 100. Target: 663.
R07: S H C O I E J R C
R08: R S O I R G U S E
R09: 5, 2, 4, 10, 7, 75. Target: 286.
TTT: OLDTIMES - "in times of old this was the name of a singer"
R10: V T O I T S E Y A
R11: K T P E U H S O N
R12: L W A E B V O F A
R13: G R I N D O E N L
R14: 6, 10, 5, 1, 3, 100. Target: 339.
R15: V E X R O T T E R (conundrum)

And now a brief interlude before our main feature:

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Enjoy the show.

Round 1: P N R O I M R U E

Sean: UMPIRE (6)
Edward: IMPURE (6)
DC: MOURNER (7)
OT: PRIMEUR (7)
Score: 6–6 (max 7)

Very similar words from the contestants get both of them six points.
PRIMEUR refers to fruit or vegetables grown to be available very early in the season

Round 2: T A D G I R E A N

Sean: READING (7)
Edward: GRATED (6)
DC: TREADING (8) TRAGEDIAN (18)
Score: 13–6 (max 25)

Poor round from the challenger and given the letters it’s not a great round from Sean, but it gives him the lead and its down to Susie to take the glory with the nine.

Round 3: 6, 5, 2, 4, 7, 100. Target: 389.

Sean: 389. (100*4)-5-6 (10)
Edward: 389. (100*4)-5-6 (10)
Score: 23–16 (max 35)

A nice simple numbers game maintains the gap.

Teatime teaser: INEPTTOM -> IMPOTENT

Round 4: S Z O U G M A T E

Sean: STAGE (5)
Edward: MATES (5)
DC: OUTAGES (7)
OT: ZEUGMAS (7)
Score: 28–21 (max 42)

Just fives for the contestants but missing frequently spotted OUTAGES suggests that neither contestant is a die hard countdown fan.

Round 5: P N D O I E S L U

Sean: SLIDE (5)
Edward: UNSPOILED (18)
Score: 28–39 (max 60)

Sean looks totally bewildered as Edward pulls out the nine here. It’s a great spot from the challenger and he goes from 7 down to 11 ahead in one round.

Round 6: 1, 10, 9, 8, 3, 100. Target: 663.

Sean: 661. ((8-1)*100)-(10*3)-9 (7)
Edward: 670.
RR: 663. 100-((3*9)-10)*8-1 (10)
Score: 35–39 (max 70)

It will help Sean recover from the shock of the last round to immediately claw back seven points here.

DC GUEST- David talks about the process that led to him and his then-wife making princess Diana’s wedding dress. Riveting.

Round 7: S H C O I E J R C

Sean: CHOICES (7)
Edward: CHOICER (7)
DC: HEROICS (7)
Score: 42–46 (max 77)

When Sean declared seven it looked like he was considering trying CHOICERS. Good that he didn’t and the gap stays the same.

Round 8: R S O I R G U S E

Sean: SURGES (6)
Edward: ROGUES (6)
DC: RIGOURS (7) GROUSERS (8)
Score: 48–52 (max 85)

Just sixes here for the contestants as DC get another chance to shine.

Round 9: 5, 2, 4, 10, 7, 75. Target: 286.

Sean: 286. (4*75)-(2*7) (10)
Edward: 286. (4*75)-(2*7) (10)
Score: 58–62 (max 95)

For the second time today a simple numbers game ensures 10 more points for the contestants

Teatime teaser: OLDTIMES -> MELODIST

Round 10: V T O I T S E Y A

Sean: TOASTIE (7)
Edward: VOTES (5)
OT: OATIEST (7) SATIETY (7) STATIVE (7)
Score: 65–62 (max 102)

Sean’s back in the lead for the first time since Edward hit the nine in round five. Is Edward going to do a Jon Elmer?

Round 11: K T P E U H S O N

Sean: PHONES (6)
Edward: SHOUT (5)
DC: HONEST (6)
OT: KNOUTS (6) PONTES (6) SPOKEN (6) THUNKS (6) TOKENS (6) TOPHUS (6) UNKEPT (6) UNSTEP (6) UNSTOP (6) UPSHOT (6)
Score: 71–62 (max 108)

Flattest round of the game but Edward can’t spot even one of the 12 sixes on offer and Sean extends his lead to nine points.

Round 12: L W A E B V O F A

Sean: FABLE (5)
Edward: FABLE (5)
DC: VOWEL (5) AVOWAL (6)
OT: FAVELA (6) FOVEAL (6) LAVABO (6)
Score: 76–67 (max 114)

A FAVELA is an urban Brazilian slum. LAVABO is the ritual washing of the celebrant's hands at a Catholic Mass. FOVEAL pertains to the FOVEA area consisting of a small depression in the retina containing cones and where vision is most acute

Round 13: G R I N D O E N L

Sean: ERODING (7)
Edward: GRINNED (7)
DC: IGNORED (7) LORDING (7)
OT: DRONING (7) GLORIED (7) GODLIER (7) GROINED (7) LENDING (7) NEGRONI (7) REDOING (7) RENDING (7)
Score: 83–74 (max 121)

Another round with twelve max words. This time both contestants get one and with the gap still at nine, a crucial looks likely.

Round 14: 6, 10, 5, 1, 3, 100. Target: 339.

Sean: 340. (100*3)+(5-1)*10) (7)
Edward: 340. ((100+10)*3)+6+5-1 (7)
RR: 339. (10/5)*6)+1+100*3 (10)
Score: 90–81 (max 131)

One away for both contestants and Edward can still win by one point if he gets the conundrum

Round 15: V E X R O T T E R

Sean buzzes on 3 seconds to say EXTROVERT which is correct.
Final Score: 100–81 (max 141)

But it is Sean who spots the conundrum to seal his third win. Despite a great nine, Edward cannot knock Sean off his perch. Sean has displayed flashes of being a good player, but on today’s performance he would have lost against a lot of opponents. He is still going though and the fact that he beat Neil in his first game means he can’t be ruled out as a possible octochamp.

Just one more countdown again this week. Join Callum tomorrow to see it Sean can make it four…

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