C1: Champion Danny Pledger (5 wins, 423 points.)
C2: Challenger Elaine Baig.
DC: Susie Dent and Colin Jackson.
RR: Rachel Riley.
OT: Other words or solutions.
It’s Friday once again and last week’s winner is still in the champion’s chair. Today, Danny takes on Elaine Baig, who is from Richmond in Surrey. What happened? Answers below!
R01: J E O I B R T R E
R02: D M N O A E H T O
R03: L S D E O E M S I
R04: T R D O A U R L E
R05: 50, 9, 3, 7, 2, 5. Target: 719.
TTT: BOYTIRES - "The boy tires of this; he needs a drink."
R06: P L P I A E Q T G
R07: T N S I O A E H C
R08: N G D A U A N F E
R09: C K O A D R P M O
R10: 50, 1, 9, 2, 3, 2. Target: 185.
TTT: HOTSUITS - "Quite fat; rather like a dark beer."
R11: P W S E A I T G L
R12: N F N A E U M S O
R13: C N T E O U N S E
R14: 25, 9, 7, 4, 7, 4. Target: 562.
R15: A D U L T R O C K (conundrum)
Vitabionics Wellwoman sponsors Countdown. Clever thinking.
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The show opens with some discussion of classic TV commercials, including the famous advertisement for Milk Tray and an attempt by Jeff to mimic the talking dog, Churchill. After a little chat with Rachel, he tells a joke about some people who called at his house and extolled the virtues of eating brown, rather than white, bread. Apparently, they were ‘your Hovis witnesses’. Groan.
Round 1: J E O I B R T R E
C1: RETIRE (6)
C2: RIOTER (6)
DC: ORBITER (7)
Score: 6–6 (max 7)
Sixes for our contestants, but Dictionary Corner are on another planet with ORBITER.
Round 2: D M N O A E H T O
C1: DAEMON (6)
C2: DAEMON (6)
DC: MANHOOD (7)
OT: THANEDOM (8)
Score: 12–12 (max 15)
A good spot from DC, but the darren is even better. ODONATE was another nice seven.
Round 3: L S D E O E M S I
C1: modeless
C2: missold
DC: MELODISES (18)
Score: 12–12 (max 33)
A double blob from our players (Susie points out that MIS-SOLD is hyphenated); Susie and Colin are on the money with a brilliant niner. MIDSOLES was a nice eight, fact fans.
Round 4: T R D O A U R L E
C1: LEOTARD (7)
C2: ROUTED (6)
DC: LEOTARD (7) ROULADE (7)
OT: DELATOR (7) REALTOR (7) RELATOR (7) RUDERAL (7) TORULAE (7)
Score: 19–12 (max 40)
Danny declares the best Countdown word in the world, while DC declare one of the tastiest.
Round 5: 50, 9, 3, 7, 2, 5. Target: 719.
C1: 719. ((9+5)x50)+(7x3)-2 (10)
C2: 715.
Score: 29–12 (max 50)
The young Mr Pledger extends his lead further with the full ten points on the numbers. Colin Jackson tells us that most of his sporting medals are in his parents’ loft, before telling us some tales from his time on ‘Strictly Come Dancing’.
Teatime teaser: BOYTIRES -> SOBRIETY
Round 6: P L P I A E Q T G
C1: LIGATE (6)
C2: TIPPLE (6)
DC: TIPPLE (6) APPLET (6)
OT: LAPPET (6) GELATI (6) PIGLET (6)
Score: 35–18 (max 56)
After that Teaser, Elaine declares a very appropriate six. Right now, I’d prefer a couple of GELATI.
Round 7: T N S I O A E H C
C1: CASINO (6)
C2: CHAINS (6)
DC: INCHOATE (8)
OT: ACHIOTES (8) ACONITES (8) CANOEIST (8) SONICATE (8) ASTHENIC (8) CHANTIES (8) ESCHATON (8)
Score: 41–24 (max 64)
An amazing number of eights (although most are fairly obscure), but those that matter most struggle to six. As Dictionary Corner explain, INCHOATE means not fully formed.
Round 8: N G D A U A N F E
C1: GUNNED (6)
C2: DUENNA (6)
DC: AGENDA (6) FANGED (6)
OT: DUNNAGE (7)
Score: 47–30 (max 71)
A good word from Elaine. The unspotted darren is all to do with stuff on ships.
Round 9: C K O A D R P M O
C1: DARK (4)
C2: CROOK (5)
DC: CRAMP (5)
JS: DROOP (5)
OT: MACROPOD (8)
Score: 47–35 (max 79)
Hard to get anything more than a five. The max is that rare beast, a triple darren. MACROPOD is a plant-eating marsupial: you know, kangaroos, wallabies, that sort of thing.
OoW: Susie explains the origins of the expression ‘for the high jump’.
Round 10: 50, 1, 9, 2, 3, 2. Target: 185.
C1: 188. Mistake in working.
C2: 187. Mistake in working.
JS: 185. (50x3)+(9x2x2)-1 (10)
Score: 47–35 (max 89)
Our contestants are seeing double, so it’s left to Jeff to tell us the way to do it.
Teatime teaser: HOTSUITS -> STOUTISH
Round 11: P W S E A I T G L
C1: LIGATES (7)
C2: PLEATS (6)
DC: PIGLETS (7)
OT: PLATIES (7) TALIPES (7)
Score: 54–35 (max 96)
Danny likes LIGATE so much he declares it again, only this time it’s pluralized. A PLATY is a freshwater fish popular in aquaria. Probably because it buys the drinks.
Round 12: N F N A E U M S O
C1: FUMES (5)
C2: MANSE (5)
DC: FAMOUS (6)
OT: MANNOSE (7) NOUMENA (7)
Score: 59–40 (max 103)
Susie’s about to define MANSE, but the conversation moves on. MANNOSE is a type of sugar, while NOUMENA (plural of NOUMENON) is a term from Kantian philosophy.
Round 13: C N T E O U N S E
C1: SONNET (6)
C2: COUNTS (6)
DC: CENOTES (7) CONTUSE (7)
OT: CONSENT (7) NEUSTON (7)
Score: 65–46 (max 110)
Colin says he’s heard of CENOTES, but can’t quite remember what they are. Susie helpfully tells us (and reminds Colin) that they’re underground reservoirs like those in the Yucatan region of Mexico. Countdown: it’s an education.
Round 14: 25, 9, 7, 4, 7, 4. Target: 562.
C1: -
C2: 567. ((9+7+7)x25)-(4+4) (7)
RR: 562. ((((7-4)X25)+4)x7)+9 (at end) (10)
Score: 65–53 (max 120)
A blank for our champ, but Elaine’s failure to get spot-on hands him the game. To be fair, it’s a tricky one, and it isn’t until the end of the programme that we see the (only possible) solution from Ms Riley.
Round 15: A D U L T R O C K
No one buzzes. The answer was TRUCKLOAD.
Score: 65–53 (max 130)
Nice scramble, but there are no takers on either contestants’ row or in the audience. Commiserations to Elaine, who put up a good fight. Danny will be back on Monday alongside everyone’s favourite GP (as long as he’s not yours), Dr Phil Hammond. See you next week!
Further summaries are at:
http://www.apterous.org/cdb/series.php?series=62
