Tuesday 2nd November 2021 (Series 84, Preliminary 91)

[Rhys Benjamin]

Annedown XC and Happy Birthday to Countdown! 39 years old today. They'll be positively middle-aged next year (Anne will like that I said "middle"-aged).

Countdown recap for Tuesday 2 November 2021.

C1: Champion Michael Purefoy (1 win, 76 points.) Once walked on top of the Great Wall of China.
C2: Challenger Jamie Brown. "A real baby" at, er, 26 (seriously!?) and works for a charity in Devon. Basically an NHS outreach program. "Paid to tell people who aren't paid what to do". Engaged, but not married. Back off, Anne.
DC: Susie Dent and Ben Macintyre.
RR: Rachel Riley.
OT: Other words or solutions.

R01: D A N E S R A I C
R02: L R U A F D I R O
R03: 25, 6, 8, 2, 1, 4. Target: 741.
TTT: COINROPE - "There are no Us in the word, but ewes are involved in the answer."
R04: C S D U E O P M E
R05: T O O S Y A N O T
R06: 50, 100, 10, 3, 6, 1. Target: 752.
R07: N A D O S F A E R
R08: I A P V G W I A S
R09: 25, 100, 10, 5, 2, 3. Target: 852.
TTT: THECLASS - "Back in the day, everyone in the class would carry these."
R10: P M I E I R S H N
R11: S A G O D N A R I
R12: P T E O U S L N D
R13: L E T I B S O Z E
R14: 100, 1, 10, 1, 3, 9. Target: 872.
R15: B Y I N I T I A L (conundrum)


And now a brief interlude before our main feature:

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Enjoy the show.

Round 1: D A N E S R A I C

Michael: DANCERS (7)
Jamie: SARDINE (7)
DC: RAISE (5) RADIANCE (8)
OT: ACARINES (8) ARANEIDS (8) CANARIES (8) CANDIERS (8)
Score: 7–7 (max 8, jos 8)
Darren-o-meter: 0/1 (0%)

Seven for both contestants get us underway, whilst one of the five eights is seen by Susie.

Round 2: L R U A F D I R O

Michael: FLAIR (5)
Jamie: FRAUD (5)
DC: FOULARD (7)
Score: 12–12 (max 15, jos 15)
Darren-o-meter: 1/2 (50%)

A darrenic seven is missed by both contestants.

Round 3: 25, 6, 8, 2, 1, 4. Target: 741.

Michael: 747.
Jamie: 743. (8 × 4 − 2) × 25 − (6 + 1​) (7)
RR: 741. 8 × 4 × (25 − 2) + 6 − 1 (10)
Score: 12–19 (max 25, jos 25)

Jamie takes seven points whilst Rachel shows us how it's done.

Teatime teaser: COINROPE -> PECORINO

Round 4: C S D U E O P M E

Michael: SCOPED (6)
Jamie: MOUSED (6)
DC: MOPEDS (6) DUMPEES (7)
OT: UPCODES (7)
Score: 18–25 (max 32, jos 32)
Darren-o-meter: 1/3 (33%)

A DUMPEE is someone who is dumped - i.e. the subject of an Adele song.

Round 5: T O O S Y A N O T

Michael: TOASTY (6)
Jamie: TOASTY (6)
DC: SNOTTY (6) SNOOTY (6)
OT: NATTOS (6) TANTOS (6) TOOTSY (6) TOYONS (6)
Score: 24–31 (max 38, jos 38)
Darren-o-meter: 1/4 (25%)

Flaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaat.

Round 6: 50, 100, 10, 3, 6, 1. Target: 752.

Michael: 753. (6 + 1) × 100 + 50 + 3​ (7)
Jamie: 753. (6 + 1) × 100 + 50 + 3​ (7)
RR: 752. ​(100 − 6) × (50 ÷ 10 + 3) (10)
Score: 31–38 (max 48, jos 48)

One away is easy, on the nose less so. The gap stays at seven.

Ben talks about what makes a spy a spy, and the answer is money, secrecy, adventure. They're also almost always single. And alcohol.

Round 7: N A D O S F A E R

Michael: REASON (6)
Jamie: SANDER (6)
DC: FADERS (6) FEDORAS (7)
OT: SNARFED (7)
Score: 37–44 (max 55, jos 55)
Darren-o-meter: 1/5 (20%)

A seven for Dictionary Corner eclipses our contestants' offerings.

Round 8: I A P V G W I A S

Michael: GASP (4)
Jamie: GASP (4)
DC: GAWPS (5)
OT: AGASP (5) AVGAS (5) PAISA (5) PASAG (5) PAVAS (5) PAVIS (5) PIAIS (5) PIVAS (5) SAIGA (5) VIGAS (5)
Score: 41–48 (max 60, jos 60)
Darren-o-meter: 1/6 (17%)

Oh dear. Next.

Round 9: 25, 100, 10, 5, 2, 3. Target: 852.

Michael: 850. (3 + 5) × 100 + 2 × 25 (7)
Jamie: 850. (3 + 5) × 100 + 2 × 25 (7)
RR: 852. (after ads) 10 × 3 × 25 + 100 + 2​ (10)
Score: 48–55 (max 70, jos 70)

Once more, Rachel has something to do, as the two contestants match each other once more.

Teatime teaser: THECLASS -> SATCHELS

Round 10: P M I E I R S H N

Michael: PERISH (6)
Jamie: INSPIRE (7) (not written down)
DC: SHRIMP (6) SHINIER (7)
OT: EMIRSHIP (8)
Score: 48–62 (max 78, jos 77)
Darren-o-meter: 2/7 (29%)

A crucial seven doubles Jamie's lead, whilst Dictionary Corner drop a point for the first time today.

Round 11: S A G O D N A R I

Michael: DRAGONS (7)
Jamie: SOARING (7)
DC: ADAGIOS (7) gordana
OT: ONAGRADS (8) ROADINGS (8)
Score: 55–69 (max 86, jos 84)
Darren-o-meter: 2/8 (25%)

Sevens all around here, but the computer takes the round with a pair of eights.

OOW Susie talks about the strange connections between foody terms.

Round 12: P T E O U S L N D

Michael: OUTSPEND (8) (try)
Jamie: OUTSPEND (8)
OT: PLEUSTON (8) PONDLETS (8) POSTLUDE (8) UNPOSTED (8)
Score: 63–77 (max 94, jos 92)
Darren-o-meter: 2/9 (22%)

Loads of eights here but Dictionary Corner aren't even asked.

Round 13: L E T I B S O Z E

Michael: TOILS (5)
Jamie: BITES (5)
DC: BOLTS (5) BLITZES (7)
OT: BIOSTEEL (8) OBELIZES (8) ZEOLITES (8)
Score: 68–82 (max 102, jos 99)
Darren-o-meter: 2/10 (20%)

And with just five for both contestants, the gap stays at 14 with two rounds to go.

Round 14: 100, 1, 10, 1, 3, 9. Target: 872.

Michael: 872. (100 − 3) × 9 − 1 (10)
Jamie: 872. (100 − 3) × 9 − 1 (10)
Score: 78–92 (max 112, jos 109)

Both contestants get this one on the nose, so Jamie gets himself over the line.

Round 15: B Y I N I T I A L

No one buzzes. Rachel gives the answer, which was INABILITY.
Final Score: 78–92 (max 122, jos 119)

Jokes about the contestants' inability to solve the conundrum from Rachel as well, ba-doom tish...

Anyway, Jamie will be back tomorrow. Join us for tomorrow's recap soon. Goodbye.


Further summaries are at:
http://cdb.apterous.org/series.php?series=84