Monday 17 November 2014 (series 71, prelim 87)

[Andy McGurn]

Countdown recap for Monday 17 November 2014.

C1: Champion Laurence Killen (6 wins, 583 points) Has scored six wins during his run on the show and is now with two of becoming the fifth octochamp of the series.


C2: Challenger Danny Davies. An asset manager from Manchester who loves star wars. He is wearing a t-shirt with the slogan “Good morning that’s a nice TNETENNBA”, a reference to the countdown themed episode of The IT crowd. He also swam with sharks in the Dominican republic.


DC: Susie Dent and Kate Garraway.
RR: Rachel Riley.
OT: Other words or solutions.

R01: M R G M U E A D E
R02: O L T L I E Q P O
R03: 5, 6, 100, 25, 50, 75. Target: 249.
TTT: THEIRSLY - "their sly behaviour matches their character"
R04: A S N O S C R A T
R05: F P R I O U N D E
R06: 3, 1, 6, 2, 7, 50. Target: 655.
R07: S A E V C T L O E
R08: A H D M I L R O T
R09: 8, 2, 9, 6, 7, 10. Target: 538.
TTT: ISACHARM - "he's a charmer and has plenty of this"
R10: A N R N Z I E W R
R11: W P B E I E T G A
R12: S O A V D R U E L
R13: Y P I U I G T E F
R14: 8, 2, 4, 9, 50, 75. Target: 314.
R15: Q U E E N R Y F C (conundrum)


And now a brief interlude before our main feature:

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Enjoy the show.

Round 1: M R G M U E A D E

Laurence: RUMMAGED (8)
Dany: GUMMED (6)
Score: 8–0 (max 8)

That’s an excellent start for Laurence as he RUMMAGED through the selection to find the one and only max word in the selection.


Round 2: O L T L I E Q P O

Laurence: POLITE (6)
Dany: POLITE (6)
DC: POOTLE (6) POLLIE (6)
OT: OOLITE (6) PIOLET (6)
Score: 14–6 (max 14)

That’s an apt spot for both contestants as they both seem genuinely POLITE people.


Round 3: 5, 6, 100, 25, 50, 75. Target: 249.

Laurence: 249. (5*50)- (((100+75)/25)-6) (10)
Dany: 249. 100+75+25-(6-5)+50 (10)
Score: 24–16 (max 24)

Round the houses for Laurence, but more straightforward for Danny, and it is ten points for both of them.



Teatime teaser: THEIRSLY -> SLITHERY

Round 4: A S N O S C R A T

Laurence: CARTONS (7)
Danny: CANTORS (7)
DC: SONATAS (7)
OT: CASTORS (7) CRATONS (7) OSTRACA (7)
Score: 31–23 (max 31)

Sevens aplenty and both contestants spot one


Round 5: F P R I O U N D E

Laurence: FOUNDER (7)
Danny: FOUNDER (7)
DC: POUNDER (7)
OT: POUFIER (7) REFOUND (7) UNFIRED (7) UNROPED (7)
Score: 38–30 (max 38)

…and again


Round 6: 3, 1, 6, 2, 7, 50. Target: 655.

Laurence: 655. ((7+6)*50)+3+2 (10)
Danny: 653.
Score: 48–30 (max 48)


Danny takes the advice of his boss and goes for an inverted t, it turns out his boss was way off with the tactics because he fails to spot it as Laurence is spot on, meaning Danny slips further behind.

After Laurence presents his solution Nick says “well done Danny”.



DC Guest – Kate talks about her husband and children and mentions a story where he daughter got a tattoo (not a real one though).

Round 7: S A E V C T L O E

Laurence: CLEAVES (7)
Danny: LOCATES (7)
DC: OCTAVES (7)
OT: VOCALESE (8)
Score: 55–37 (max 56)

For the third letters round in a row, both contestants spot a seven. DC do the same but all miss the eight here.
VOCALESE is a style or musical genre of jazz singing wherein words are sung to melodies that were originally part of an all-instrumental composition or improvisation.


Round 8: A H D M I L R O T

Laurence: MORTAL (6)
Danny: mithral
DC: DILATOR (7)
OT: THRALDOM (8)
Score: 61–37 (max 64)

Danny may have just made his word up or maybe he thought he had heard it at some point, either way its not in.
THRALDOM is the state of being held as a slave or in bondage.



Round 9: 8, 2, 9, 6, 7, 10. Target: 538.

Laurence: -538. ((9*6)*10)-2 (10)
Danny: -538. ((9*6)*10)-2 (10)
Score: 71–47 (max 74)

You have to admire how Laurence mixes it up on the numbers selections and again he gets it, fortunately for Danny he does too.


Teatime teaser: ISACHARM -> CHARISMA

Round 10: A N R N Z I E W R

Laurence: WARREN (6)
Danny: WINNER (6)
DC: ZANIER (6)
OT: WANNER (6) WARIER (6) WARNER (6)
Score: 77–53 (max 80)

Danny describes Laurence as a WINNER as he declares his word. I think ZANIER would have been a more appropriate word for the challenger.



Round 11: W P B E I E T G A

Laurence: BEGET (5)
Danny: BEIGE (5)
DC: PEEWIT (6)
Score: 82–58 (max 86)

Tough round this one and they both advance their score by 5.



OoW – Susie explains the origins of several expressions of surprise.



Round 12: S O A V D R U E L

Laurence: SAVOURED (8)
Danny: ROULADES (8)
DC: DEVOURS (7) AROUSED (7)
OT: SOURVELD (8)
Score: 90–66 (max 94)

Danny has displayed flashes of being a decent player throughout this game, he has just not been as consistent as Laurence. This is a good round for the challenger as he matches Laurence’s eight with one of his own.


Round 13: Y P I U I G T E F

Laurence: TYPE (4)
Danny: fuge
DC: PIETY (5)
Score: 94–66 (max 99)

Darrenic fives are a rarity, but here’s proof it does happen.


Round 14: 8, 2, 4, 9, 50, 75. Target: 314.

Laurence: 314. ((75+8)*4)-(9*2) (10)
Danny: 314. Mistake in working.
Score: 104–66 (max 109)

Danny thinks 9+4=14, he’s not right.



Round 15: Q U E E N R Y F C

Laurence buzzes on 1 second to say FREQUENCY which is correct.
Final Score: 114–66 (max 119)


Danny was quite a character and it’s a shame we won’t see more of him. At the end we discover that he had a star wars themed stag night and dressed as Princess Leia.

You can’t imagine Laurence dressing as Princess Leia, but he is clearly a quality countdown player, he could become an octochamp tomorrow and could also be a threat to some of the favourites in the upcoming finals…


Further summaries are at:
http://cdb.apterous.org/series.php?series=71

[James Robinson]

Round 15: Q U E E N R Y F C

Laurence buzzes on 1 second to say FREQUENCY which is correct.
Final Score: 114–66 (max 109)

Hmm, scoring higher than max......... I don't think that's right, Andy.......

Round 9: 8, 2, 9, 6, 7, 10. Target: 538.

Laurence: -((9*6)*10)-2 (10)
Danny: -((9*6)*10)-2 (10)
Score: 71–47 (max 74)

Not having the actual declarations might explain the little problem you got there, Andy........

[James Robinson]

Round 15: Q U E E N R Y F C

Laurence buzzes on 1 second to say FREQUENCY which is correct.
Final Score: 114–66 (max 109)

Hmm, scoring higher than max......... I don't think that's right, Andy.......

Round 9: 8, 2, 9, 6, 7, 10. Target: 538.

Laurence: -((9*6)*10)-2 (10)
Danny: -((9*6)*10)-2 (10)
Score: 71–47 (max 74)

Not having the actual declarations might explain the little problem you got there, Andy........

[Andy McGurn]

Round 15: Q U E E N R Y F C

Laurence buzzes on 1 second to say FREQUENCY which is correct.
Final Score: 114–66 (max 109)

Hmm, scoring higher than max......... I don't think that's right, Andy.......

Round 9: 8, 2, 9, 6, 7, 10. Target: 538.

Laurence: -((9*6)*10)-2 (10)
Danny: -((9*6)*10)-2 (10)
Score: 71–47 (max 74)

Not having the actual declarations might explain the little problem you got there, Andy........

You could be right James. It is now EDITED