Monday 16th November 2009 (Series 61, Prelim 86)

[Howard Somerset]

Countdown recap for Monday 16 November 2009.

C1: Champion Ryan Taylor (7 wins, 689 points.)
C2: Challenger Ryan Vickers.
DC: Susie Dent and Amanda Lamb.
RR: Rachel Riley.
OT: Other words or solutions.

Confusion today, we have two Ryans. Jeff sorts it by calling challenger Ryan, Vic. And so I'll follow suit.

Ryan's here for the eighth time, just needing victory today to become the series' seventh octochamp, with a guaranteed place in the finals. Jeff causes confusion in announcing that Ryan's total after seven games is 624, while we all know it is 689. It must've been a serious offence to have resulted in a 65 point penalty. Let's hope that Ryan isn't put off in his quest for octochampdom.

Vic has crossed the Atlantic to join us. Well maybe not just to play Countdown. He's from Newmarket in Ontario, and on a one year world trip. Before the game starts he entertains us with an impression. I think my hearing is somewhat worse than I'd believed, because I thought Jeff had said he would be giving an impression of Mr Bean.

So which of the two Ryans will triumph today?

Another newcomer to dictionary corner this series is Amanda. According to her Wiki page, she's progressed from Estate Agent, through barmaid and model, to TV presenter, becoming the main presenter of A Place in the Sun.

R01: A N E B G O T R G
R02: N P E E O R L I N
R03: E R A S C K I L Y
R04: F X T E O W U T N
R05: 25, 1, 9, 3, 4, 9. Target: 522.
TTT: REALNICE - "You'll get real nice people on the other end of the phone."
R06: D L M A I S A A E
R07: E M A G S R A E B
R08: N D O E Z I D S E
R09: O T E N W R A E M
R10: 50, 2, 9, 1, 5, 4. Target: 988.
TTT: NICEGIRL - "A nice girl, but more emotionally dependent than the others."
R11: O S E P D T I J Q
R12: F L R E E A Y E S
R13: I P O M I E R L S
R14: 100, 9, 1, 2, 4, 5. Target: 637.
R15: D A I L Y B R E W (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: A N E B G O T R G

C1: NEGATOR (7)
C2: GRANGE (6)
DC: BANGER (6)
OT: BARONET (7) BOGGART (7) BORGATE (7)
Score: 7–0 (max 7)

Round 2: N P E E O R L I N

C1: LEONINE (7)
C2: pinner
DC: LEPORINE (8)
Score: 14–0 (max 15)

Round 3: E R A S C K I L Y

C1: SLACKER (7)
C2: SCARILY (7)
DC: SLICKER (7) LACKEYS (7) SCALIER (7)
OT: CREAKILY (8)
Score: 21–7 (max 23)

Round 4: F X T E O W U T N

C1: TENUTO (6)
C2: towne
DC: OUTWENT (7)
Score: 27–7 (max 30)

Vic hopes that the olde Englishe worde would still be valid, but alas. Townee is a valid word, DC tell us, but that would need an additional E.

Round 5: 25, 1, 9, 3, 4, 9. Target: 522.

C1: 525. (4 + 3) x 75 (7)
C2: 522. (75 + 1) x (4 + 3) - 9 - 1 - Oh dear! Vic suddenly realises that he's used the 1 twice.
RR: 522. (75 - (9 + 3 + 4 + 1)) x 9 (10)
Score: 34–7 (max 40)

A good lead for Ryan at the end of part one, with Vic having offered three invalid solutions.

Before the first break, Amanda tells us about a mistake she made when working in her first job for an estate agent. Let's hope she's going to move on to her barmaid and modelling careers later in the week.

Teatime teaser: REALNICE -> CARELINE

Round 6: D L M A I S A A E

C1: MALADIES (8)
C2: MALADIES (8)
DC: MALAISE (7)
OT: ALAMEDAS (8) SALAAMED (8)
Score: 42–15 (max 48)

Round 7: E M A G S R A E B

C1: MEAGRES (7)
C2: BEAMERS (7)
DC: BARGEES (7)
OT: BESMEAR (7)
Score: 49–22 (max 55)

Round 8: N D O E Z I D S E

C1: NODDIES (7)
C2: NOISED (6)
DC: DOZENS (6)
OT: NEDDIES (7)
Score: 56–22 (max 62)

Round 9: O T E N W R A E M

C1: TOWNEE (6)
C2: TOWNEE (6)
DC: WATERMEN (8)
Score: 62–28 (max 70)

Both remember DC's comment earlier in the progamme, but not to be outdone, DC go one better, or rather two better.

Susie's theme today was holidays, ranging from the ugly STAYCATION - a vacation at home - to RED LETTER DAYS.

Round 10: 50, 2, 9, 1, 5, 4. Target: 988.

C1: 988. 5 x 4 x 50 - 9 - 1 - 2 (10)
C2: 988. 5 x 4 x 50 - 9 - 1 - 2 (10)
Score: 72–38 (max 80)

Teatime teaser: NICEGIRL -> CLINGIER

Round 11: O S E P D T I J Q

C1: DEPOSIT (7)
C2: DEPOSIT (7)
DC: TOPSIDE (7) JOISTED (7)
OT: DOPIEST (7) POSITED (7) POTJIES (7)
Score: 79–45 (max 87)

Round 12: F L R E E A Y E S

C1: SAFELY (6)
C2: FLYERS (6)
DC: yearly RELEASE (7) FEELERS (7)
OT: FLAYERS (7)
Score: 85–51 (max 94)

DC don't realise that yearly requires an additional Y.

Round 13: I P O M I E R L S

C1: IMPLORES (8)
C2: PRIMES (6)
DC: PROMISE (7)
OT: IMPERILS (8)
Score: 93–51 (max 102)

Round 14: 100, 9, 1, 2, 4, 5. Target: 637.

C1: 637. (5 + 2) x (100 - 9) (10)
C2: 636.
Score: 103–51 (max 112)

Round 15: D A I L Y B R E W

No one buzzes. And nobody from the audience, not even Kirk, has the answer, which was BRIDLEWAY.
Score: 103–51 (max 122)

So Ryan becomes the seventh octochamp of the series, and is probably relieved to hear that he's currently at seed # 4 position; those 65 penalty points lost must've been reinstated. We look forward to seeing him return in a few weeks for the finals.

Statistics Corner (with an added bit today)

First of all, today's games

Ryan:
Total score - 103
Raw score - 103
Total % of max - 84.4
Raw % of max - 84.4
Total average score per round - 6.9
Raw average score per round - 6.9
Number of maxes - 8

Vic:
Total score - 51
Raw score - 76
Total % of max - 41.8
Raw % of max - 62.3
Total average score per round - 3.4
Raw average score per round - 5.1
Number of maxes - 4

And now Ryan's octochamp stats

Total score - 792
Raw score - 834
Max score - 1036
Total % of max - 76.4
Raw % of max - 80.5
Total average score per round - 6.6
Raw average score per round - 6.95
Number of maxes - 71
Maxes per game - 8.9

Letters rounds:
Total - 557
Raw - 599
Max - 766
Total % of max - 71.8%
Raw % of max - 78.3%

Numbers rounds:
Total - 225
Max - 240
Total % of max - 93.75%
(raw same as total)

Conundrums:
1 solved
% of max - 12.5%

Further summaries are at:
http://www.apterous.org/cdb/series.php?series=61

[Dinos Sfyris]

Thought I'd get in here before Larsen. Congrats to Ryan on attaining octochampdom Stirling recap (as always, Howard) of an enjoyable game. Vic brought some rare enthusiasm to the show, and it was hilarious watching him go "Oh gosh darn!" when he fluffed the numbers or got an unfriendly letter or 3 Es.

There. First post-recap comment entirely positive and pedant-free

















Oh wait... I think you might have inserted your OoW bit a line too early.

Susie's theme today was holidays, ranging from the ugly STAYCATION - a vacation at home - to RED LETTER DAYS.

Both remember DC's comment earlier in the progamme, but not to be outdone, DC go one better, or rather two better.

See you tomorrow in Manc

[Howard Somerset]

Oh wait... I think you might have inserted your OoW bit a line too early.

Not quite. I'd actually inserted the remark about round 9 a line too late.

[Phil Reynolds]

Excellent commentary as always, Howard. Just one factual slip: DC's offerings in round 3 included LACKEYS, not LACKIES (which would be invalid).

[Howard Somerset]

Excellent commentary as always, Howard. Just one factual slip: DC's offerings in round 3 included LACKEYS, not LACKIES (which would be invalid).

Thanks Phil. I would like to say that I'd put that in just to see if you'd notice, but alas, I cannot.

[David Williams]

Stirling recap . . . and pedant-free