C1: Champion Chas McLaughlin (2 wins, 174 points.)
C2: Challenger John Payne.
DC: Susie Dent and Owain Wyn Evans.
RR: Rachel Riley.
OT: Other words or solutions.
R01: S R P R I E I S M
R02: D W N L U A I V T
R03: 25, 50, 100, 9, 4, 1. Target: 641.
TTT: NOTACUTE - "It sounds like the little bird had some food."
R04: P H G U O U T D O
R05: R C N W A O A S O
R06: 100, 75, 25, 50, 8, 4. Target: 490.
R07: D R Z S T I O E B
R08: N R T O E I S L T
R09: 10, 5, 8, 2, 6, 1, . Target: 606.
TTT: THEPEARS - "Before she bakes the pears, she puts the oven on"
R10: M R L K E O I F T
R11: G N Y C S U E O F
R12: P H G E A E M G N
R13: T L N G D I E U N
R14: 50, 100, 25, 75, 7, 2. Target: 538.
R15: A S Y L L A B I C (conundrum)
And now a brief interlude before our main feature:
SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER
SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER
SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER
SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER
SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER
SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER
SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER
SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER
SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER
SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER
SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER
SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER
SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER
SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER
SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER
SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER
SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER
SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER
SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER
SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER
Enjoy the show.
Round 1: S R P R I E I S M
Chas: PRISMS (6)
John: PRISSIER (8)
DC: IMPRESS (7) SIMPERS (7)
OT: PISMIRES (8)
Score: 0–8 (max 8)
Round 2: D W N L U A I V T
Chas: UNLAID (6)
John: UNLAID (6)
DC: WALNUT (6)
OT: INDULT (6)
Score: 6–14 (max 14)
Round 3: 25, 50, 100, 9, 4, 1. Target: 641.
C1: -
C2: 638. (100 + 50 + 1) × 4 + 25 + 9 (7)
RR: 641. (50 − 1) × (9 + 4) + 100 ÷ 25 (10)
Score: 6–21 (max 24)
Teatime teaser: NOTACUTE -> TOUCANET
Round 4: P H G U O U T D O
Chas: HOTDOG (6)
John: DUGOUT (6)
OT: PHOTOG (6)
Score: 12–27 (max 30)
Sixes all round..........nothing worth arguing over..........let's play nicely now and jump ahead to the next round
Round 5: R C N W A O A S O
Chas: CORONAS (7)
John: CORONAS (7)
OT: RACOONS (7)
Score: 19–34 (max 37)
Round 6: 100, 75, 25, 50, 8, 4. Target: 490.
C1: 492. 8 × 75 − 100 − 50 ÷ 25 × 4 (7)
C2: 492. (100 + 25) × 4 − 8 (7)
RR: 490. (100 − 8 ÷ 4) × (75 + 50) ÷ 25 (10)
Score: 26–41 (max 47)
Round 7: D R Z S T I O E B
Chas: STROBED (7)
John: STEROID (7)
DC: STROBED (7) ORBITED (7) DEBTORS (7)
OT: BITZERS (7) BORIDES (7) DISROBE (7) DOZIEST (7) EDITORS (7) OBITERS (7) SORTIED (7) STORIED (7) TRIODES (7)
Score: 33–48 (max 54)
More of the same with lots of 7s.........no extra points for spotting most of those ......enough said
Round 8: N R T O E I S L T
Chas: NOSTRIL (7)
John: TRIOLETS (8)
DC: LITTER (6) TOILETS (7) TENORIST (8)
OT: SNOTTIER (8) TRITONES (8)
Score: 33–56 (max 62)
Another fantastic round from our challenger John who is racking up the points nicely........Triolets and Snottier were the eights I spotted
Round 9: 10, 5, 8, 2, 6, 1. Target: 606.
C1: 607.
C2: 606. (5 + 1) × (8 + 2) × 10 + 6 (10)
Score: 33–66 (max 72)
Teatime teaser: THEPEARS -> PREHEATS
Round 10: M R L K E O I F T
Chas: formite
John: MILKER (6)
DC: LOFTIER (7) TREFOIL (7)
OT: FOREMILK (8)
Score: 33–72 (max 80)
Round 11: G N Y C S U E O F
Chas: CONFUSE (7)
John: OUNCES (6)
DC: CONFUSE (7) CONEYS (6)
OT: FUNGOES (7)
Score: 40–72 (max 87)
Sevens all round..........nothing worth having a catfight over !
Round 12: P H G E A E M G N
Chas: PEAHEN (6)
John: MANGE (5)
DC: MENAGE (6)
OT: APEMEN (6) ENGAGE (6) GAGMEN (6) GAMGEE (6) HEMPEN (6) MANEGE (6)
Score: 46–72 (max 93)
Sixes all round..........let's move on.............with 26 points being the difference between champion and challenger........Is there enough gas in the tank for Chas to make a comeback............just ask the recap writer about comebacks.......I am sure that most of you know the answer !
Round 13: T L N G D I E U N
Chas: INDULGENT (18)
John: TINGLED (7)
DC: INDULGENT (18)
Score: 64–72 (max 111)
The comeback is on ! Is there one final push for our champion Chas to mount a comeback with his 9 Indulgent that reduces the arrears to 8 points.............he needs maximum points in the next two rounds if not he will departing the Countdown studios....... or will it be John in the champions chair tomorrow........... the question is can one of them do it........... You guessed it Indulgent was my spot and Susie's too
Round 14: 50, 100, 25, 75, 7, 2. Target: 538.
C1: 534.
C2: 539. (75 + 2) × 7 (7)
RR: 538 (75 − 2) × 7 + 25 + 100 ÷ 50
Score: 64–79 (max 121)
Sadly not Chas misses this numbers game by declaring 4 away........ his Countdown adventure is over ..............with a 1 away solve from our challenger John and 7 more points............ we have a new champion John Payne who is the newest member of the teapot club ............ and for Chas it is game over
Round 15: A S Y L L A B I C
C1 buzzes on 2 seconds to say SYLLABIC which is incorrect.
C2 buzzes on 2.5 seconds to say BASICALLY which is correct.
Final Score: 64–89 (max 131)
A great game all round.........firstly congratulations to John for holding his own and bagging the teapot and the conundrum, I have a funny feeling that we could see of more John over coming days......secondly take nothing away from Chas he gave as good as he got he will be happy with his 2 wins and the teapot, you can join me for the next recap.........in the meantime I bid you a fond farewell
