But, I, the chief calmer-down person, will keep everyone in check with a nice Robinson Recap.
Countdown recap for Wednesday 28 April 2010.
C1: Champion Nicki Sellars (4 wins, 339 points.) From Swindon, Wiltshire, but originally from Manchester, although this is her time back in the city for nearly 30 years. She's a former teaching assistant, but is currently applying for teacher training. Her 2 daughters both learned their maths and letters skills by watching Countdown. Maybe they'll be contestants one day.
C2: Challenger David Tidd. From Shavington (cum Gresty), near Crewe, Cheshire. He's a retired sub-postmaster. His hobbies are badminton, table tennis and Scrabble, as well as singing at his local church choir. The most dangerous thing he's ever done is take a hot-air balloon flight for his 70th birthday.
DC: Susie Dent and John Parrott.
RR: Rachel Riley.
OT: Other words or solutions.
R01: K T W E A I D P Q
R02: B T T N A E I G H
R03: D L G U A E V Y M
R04: D C R L A E I T O
R05: 25, 7, 8, 2, 3, 3. Target: 542.
TTT: ELMGROWL - "Sounds like it could've been Oliver's favourite plant"
R06: R P S N I E A I X
R07: S D R S E E O O R
R08: A I U P M L S R O
R09: F H Z W E A I N B
R10: 100, 10, 7, 2, 4, 6. Target: 536.
TTT: WINDHOOK - "Trick someone with a head covering and an eye movement"
R11: V D R E E I U S S
R12: R M L T A E A R A
R13: T N F J I E E S A
R14: 25, 10, 7, 9, 5, 8. Target: 785.
R15: A N I C E D R U M (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: K T W E A I D P Q
C1: WIPED (5)
C2: WAITED (6)
Score: 0–6 (max 6)
Our challenger makes the perfect start to the game.
Round 2: B T T N A E I G H
C1: BEATING (7)
C2: TIGHTEN (7)
DC: BETTING (7) ABETTING (8)
Score: 7–13 (max 14)
Now, DC get their own darren.
Round 3: D L G U A E V Y M
C1: VALUED (6)
C2: VALUED (6)
DC: VAGUELY (7)
Score: 13–19 (max 21)
Followed by another one immediately after that.
Round 4: D C R L A E I T O
C1: CORTILE (7)
C2: TRAILED (7)
DC: ARTICLED (8) IDOLATER (8)
OT: LACERTID (8) TAILORED (8) LORICATE (8)
Score: 20–26 (max 29)
LACERTID means any of numerous Old World lizards of the family Lacertidae.
LORICATE means covered with a LORICA, which is a hard protective case or sheath, as the protective coverings secreted by certain protists.
Round 5: 25, 7, 8, 2, 3, 3. Target: 542.
C1: 542. (((7 x 3) - 2 + 3) x 25) - 8 (10)
C2: -
Score: 30–26 (max 39)
Nicki takes the lead for the first time, as David declares himself "out of time".
John tells of his fellow professional snooker players' exploits on reality TV shows and "clever slogans" used by companies to sell products.
Teatime teaser: ELMGROWL -> GROMWELL
Round 6: R P S N I E A I X
C1: SPRAIN (6)
C2: SPINIER (7)
DC: INSPIRE (7)
OT: ASPIRIN (7) SENARII (7)
Score: 30–33 (max 46)
But, David retakes the lead straight away.
SENARII is the plural of SENARIUS, which is a Latin verse of 6 feet.
Round 7: S D R S E E O O R
C1: DRESSER (7)
C2: orderers
DC: REDRESS (7)
OT: REREDOS (7)
Score: 37–33 (max 53)
But, loses it again within seconds, as his 8 uses 3 R's, and is incorrect anyway, although REORDERS would've been OK if all those letters were there.
Round 8: A I U P M L S R O
C1: ORALISM (7)
C2: LUMPS (5)
DC: SOLARIUM (8) PRIMULAS (8)
OT: PLIOSAUR (8)
Score: 44–33 (max 61)
Has that taken the puff out of David's sails
His awful 5 is easily trumped by Nicki's 7 there.Round 9: F H Z W E A I N B
C1: WAHINE (6)
C2: BAIZE (5)
Score: 50–33 (max 67)
A very nice darren beats David's snooker related word.
Susie's Origin Quiz and John's turn to guess the correct origin.
Which of these words derives from a Latin word meaning "vault" or "archway"?
a) STETSON
b) SARCOPHAGUS
c) FORNICATION
John, with no logic at all, correctly guessed at c). So, all 3 quizzes have been guessed correctly this week, so far. Makes a change, doesn't it
Round 10: 100, 10, 7, 2, 4, 6. Target: 536.
C1: 534. ((7 - 2) x 100) + (4 x 10) - 6 (7)
C2: 534. Mistake in working.
JS: 536. (100 x 6) - (10 x 7) + 4 + 2 (10)
Score: 57–33 (max 77)
Oh dear! That's 4 rounds in a row now that David hasn't scored, and with neither contestant getting the solution spot on, Jeff takes the glory.
Teatime teaser: WINDHOOK -> HOODWINK
Round 11: V D R E E I U S S
C1: DRIVES (6)
C2: DIVERSE (7)
DC: DERIVES (7) REISSUED (8)
OT: DEVISERS (8) DISSEVER (8) RESIDUES (8)
Score: 57–40 (max 85)
That's better! A nice 7 there, but the contestants miss more 8's here.
Round 12: R M L T A E A R A
C1: ARMLET (6)
C2: ARMLET (6)
DC: MALATE (6) ERRATA (6)
OT: TAMALE (6) TARAMA (6)
Score: 63–46 (max 91)
A TAMALE is a Mexican dish made of minced and seasoned meat packed in cornmeal dough, wrapped in corn husks, and steamed.
Round 13: T N F J I E E S A
C1: INFEST (6)
C2: FASTEN (6)
DC: SENATE (6) FAINTS (6)
OT: TAJINES (7)
Score: 69–52 (max 98)
Everyone misses the darren this time, but the outcome of this game is still undecided at this point.
A TAJINE (sometimes spelt TAGINE) is a slow-cooked Moroccan stew of meat and vegetables with spices.
Round 14: 25, 10, 7, 9, 5, 8. Target: 785.
C1: 783. (25 x 8 x (9 - 5)) - 10 - 7 (7)
C2: -
RR: 785. ((25 x 7) - 10 - 8) x 5 (10)
Score: 76–52 (max 108)
David declares himself "out of time" again, as Nicki gets 2 away, and Sor-Rachel gets it spot on.
Round 15: A N I C E D R U M
No one buzzes. The answer was MANICURED.
Score: 76–52 (max 118)
As Jeff himself said, only the audience managed to nail that conundrum. But, Nicki won't mind too much, as she has reached win #5. A win tomorrow will see her break into the top 8.
Will she do it
Find out with yours truly tomorrow.Till then, bye bye.
Statistics Corner
Nicki:
Total score - 76
Raw score - 93
Total % of max - 64
Raw % of max - 79
Total average score per round - 5.1
Raw average score per round - 6.2
Number of maxes - 4
David:
Total score - 52
Raw score - 62
Total % of max - 44
Raw % of max - 53
Total average score per round - 3.5
Raw average score per round - 4.1
Number of maxes - 3
Further summaries are at:
http://www.apterous.org/cdb/series.php?series=62