C1: Champion Ryan Loughborough (2 wins, 161 points.)
C2: Challenger Ali Kelly.
DC: Susie Dent and Tim Vine.
RR: Rachel Riley.
OT: Other words or solutions.
Apologies that this recap is a week late, hopefully things will get back on track soon. Personally, I blame the weather
. Anyways, this game is between Ryan Loughborough, who is from various places in the UK, none of which is Loughborough (although presumably his ancestors must have come from that part of the country) and Ali Kelly from Brighton. Before the programme starts, the C4 announcer tells us: “See if you can spot the mistake in today’s Countdown”. Oooooh! What will it be???
R01: B N S I E T M I R
R02: V T S A E V A R E
R03: H R O I O L J L E
R04: R C R O A I Z M E
R05: 100, 75, 1, 3, 8, 5. Target: 277.
TTT: PORKSHOW - "It's the place to get things done."
R06: W Y D O U N S E D
R07: I O N S W A E N L
R08: P C S N A O A T O
R09: P L F A O D T I U
R10: 75, 25, 6, 4, 2, 5. Target: 874.
TTT: HADSIMON - "Had Simon misbehaved, you'd have to reprimand him."
R11: X D G R O I O M A
R12: R C U D L A I G T
R13: N T E A K R Q E O
R14: 50, 25, 9, 8, 5, 1. Target: 520.
R15: T I L E S H I F T (conundrum)
This week’s editions are sponsored by Vitabiotics Pregnacare. Obviously not aimed at the majority of Countdown’s regular audience, then...
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The show starts with Jeff mentioning that other long-running C4 show involving lots of people sitting around not saying much of any interest, “Big Brother”. He recommends the Parliament Channel as an alternative. End of anecdote!
Round 1: B N S I E T M I R
C1: MISTIER (7)
C2: MISTIER (7)
DC: BRINIEST (8)
OT: INTERIMS (8) MINISTER (8)
Score: 7–7 (max 8)
Round 2: V T S A E V A R E
C1: STARVE (6)
C2: RAVERS (6)
DC: AVERTS (6)
OT: AERATES (7) VERVETS (7)
Score: 13–13 (max 15)
Ah, it looks like this is the mistake the announcer mentioned. There’s only one ‘R’ in the selection, so Ali’s offering of RAVERS is invalid. Evidently no one noticed in time, so it was left in, but the bods at C4 headquarters were given the nod. Will it affect who wins the show and force a return for the unfortunate ‘loser’ at some point in the future? Let’s hope not... But you’ll have to wait to find out... And for those of an inquisitive nature, VERVETS are monkeys.
Round 3: H R O I O L J L E
C1: JOLLIER (7)
C2: JOLLIER (7)
DC: ORIOLE (6)
Score: 20–20 (max 22)
JOLLER was a nice alternative six. A JOLLER is someone who is having a good time.
Round 4: R C R O A I Z M E
C1: CRAZIER (7)
C2: amorize
OT: ARMOIRE (7) CROZIER (7)
Score: 27–20 (max 29)
A risk that doesn’t pay off for Ali puts her on the back foot. Of course, she’s really 13 points behind at this stage, not just 7. Oh, the suspense.
Round 5: 100, 75, 1, 3, 8, 5. Target: 277.
C1: 287.
C2: 278. ((3-1)x100)+75+8-5 (7)
RR: 277. ((100+1)x(5-3))+75 (10)
Score: 27–27 (max 39)
A tricky-to-get-spot-on numbers game sees Ali evening up the scores. Could the disallowed RAVERS rear its ugly head in the final proceedings??
Teatime teaser: PORKSHOW -> WORKSHOP
Round 6: W Y D O U N S E D
C1: SOUNDED (7)
C2: UNDOES (6)
DC: WOUNDED (7)
OT: DYNODES (7)
Score: 34–27 (max 46)
For those who are collecting –ODE words, a DYNODE is an electrode which emits additional electrons in a photomultiplier.
Round 7: I O N S W A E N L
C1: SLAIN (5)
C2: LIONS (5)
DC: SNOWLINE (8)
OT: SOLANINE (8)
Score: 39–32 (max 54)
Susie gives credit to the lovely (I think she said ‘lovely’, anyway) producer for coming up with SNOWLINE. SOLANINE is a poisonous compound present in green potatoes, so is best avoided except when playing word games. Well done to anyone who spotted INWALES too, a nice seven.
Round 8: P C S N A O A T O
C1: PANTOS (6)
C2: CAPONS (6)
DC: SONATA (6) CAPSTAN (7)
OT: CATNAPS (7)
Score: 45–38 (max 61)
Whenever I see the word CAPSTAN, it reminds me of those old tape recorders for compact cassettes. Ah, those were the days. Weren’t they?
Round 9: P L F A O D T I U
C1: UPLOAD (6)
C2: UPLOAD (6)
DC: UPLIFT (6)
OT: LUPOID (6) POTFUL (6) UPFOLD (6)
Score: 51–44 (max 67)
A bit flat, this one. Reminds me of pancakes. Which isn’t altogether a bad thing, really. The seven-point gap between our contestants remains.
OoW: Susie tells us the origins of the word ‘arsenic’, which isn’t found in green potatoes, unless you’re very unlucky.
Round 10: 75, 25, 6, 4, 2, 5. Target: 874.
C1: 874. (6x2x75)-25-(5-4) (10)
C2: 874. (6x2x75)-25-(5-4) (10)
Score: 61–54 (max 77)
A nicely constructed clue from Damian to end the second ‘half’.
Teatime teaser: HADSIMON -> ADMONISH
Round 11: X D G R O I O M A
C1: AXIOM (5)
C2: GROOM (5)
DC: AMIGO (5)
OT: DROMOI (6)
Score: 66–59 (max 83)
DROMOI (which came up just a few days ago) is the plural of DROMOS, which is an avenue or passage leading into a Greek temple.
Round 12: R C U D L A I G T
C1: TRAIL (5)
C2: CURD (4)
DC: CURTAIL (7)
OT: TRICLAD (7)
Score: 71–59 (max 90)
Ryan’s five gives him a slightly larger lead, but will it be enough to ensure the Round 2 error doesn’t come into play? A TRICLAD is a type of flatworm, which has a gut with three branches. Hence the name, apparently.
Round 13: N T E A K R Q E O
C1: ORNATE (6)
C2: TANKER (6)
DC: RETAKEN (7)
Score: 77–65 (max 97)
Round 14: 50, 25, 9, 8, 5, 1. Target: 520.
C1: 520. ((9+1)x50)+25-5 (10)
C2: 520. ((9+1)x50)+25-5 (10)
Score: 87–75 (max 107)
Ali’s inability to overtake Ryan on the last two rounds means he’s in an unassailable position, RAVERS or no RAVERS. Phew! But we’ve still got to have the conundrum anyway, to see whether the Des O Principle can apply today...
Round 15: T I L E S H I F T
C1 buzzes on 2 seconds to say FILTHIEST which is correct.
Score: 97–75 (max 117)
... on this occasion, it doesn’t, as a rather appropriate scramble (or maybe that should be ‘scrabble’) is unravelled in just over two seconds by our champ, giving him a third victory and the right to return on Monday, when celebrity chef Gino D’Acampo makes his debut in Dictionary Corner. Don’t miss it! (Actually, you might have, ‘cos it was on four days ago.)
Recap by a slightly heat-affected Mike Brown.
Further summaries are at:
http://www.apterous.org/cdb/series.php?series=63
