c4countdown

Group stage game played on the evening of Friday 19th September 2008.

C1: Challenger Julian Fell.
C2: Challenger Steven Briers.
DC: Kirk Bevins and Mr Solver.
CV: Carol Vorderman.
OT: Other words or solutions.

R01: L Y R A E I J X F
R02: M D D D U I A A O
R03: R O E G G S U E A
R04: P E E E S R N N T
R05: 25, 1, 7, 2, 6, 4, . Target: 413.
TTT: CAKTEETH - "Female journalist that enjoys the chop?"
R06: L O P A H A R R T
R07: E O A M N N G D W
R08: T E E R I S N L E
R09: O I A D S H B V T
R10: 100, 6, 7, 8, 4, 3. Target: 823.
TTT: RUEPRATE - "You have one cute opening"
R11: T I O L Q R U F A
R12: T L O A M E P S B
R13: N C P E O U N I S
R14: 50, 25, 100, 9, 10, 4, . Target: 929.
R15: B R E A T H R U N (conundrum)


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Round 1: L Y R A E I J X F

C1: FERIAL (6)
C2: FAIRLY (6)
OT: FLAYER (6) JAILER (6)
Score: 6–6 (max 6)

Round 2: M D D D U I A A O

C1: AUDIO (5)
C2: AUDIO (5)
OT: AMADOU (6) AOUDAD (6)
Score: 11–11 (max 12)

Round 3: R O E G G S U E A

C1: GOUGERS (7)
C2: GAUGERS (7)
Score: 18–18 (max 19)

Round 4: P E E E S R N N T

C1: enprints
C2: REPENTS (7)
OT: TERPENES (8)
Score: 18–25 (max 27)

Round 5: 25, 1, 7, 2, 6, 4. Target: 413.

C1: 409.
C2: 411. (25x4+1)x(6-2)+7 (7)
CV: 413. ((25+4)x2+1)x7 (10)
Score: 18–32 (max 37)

Teatime teaser: CAKTEETH -> HACKETTE

Round 6: L O P A H A R R T

C1: APOLAR (6)
C2: PORTAL (6)
OT: HARLOT (6) HARTAL (6) PARROT (6) RAPTOR (6) PATROL (6)
Score: 24–38 (max 43)

Round 7: E O A M N N G D W

C1: NONAGE (6)
C2: NONAGE (6)
OT: DAEMON (6) MOANED (6) DOGMAN (6) DOGMEN (6) GNAWED (6) GOWNED (6) MANNED (6) MEADOW (6)
Score: 30–44 (max 49)

Round 8: T E E R I S N L E

C1: LISTENER (8)
C2: LISTENER (8)
OT: TREELINES (18) (seen by C1 too late and not risked by C2)
Score: 38–52 (max 67)

Round 9: O I A D S H B V T

C1: TOADISH (7)
C2: TOADISH (7)
Score: 45–59 (max 74)

Round 10: 100, 6, 7, 8, 4, 3. Target: 823.

C1: 823. (100+3)x8-(7-6) (10)
C2: 823. (100+3)x8-(7-6) (10)
Score: 55–69 (max 84)

Teatime teaser: RUEPRATE -> APERTURE

Round 11: T I O L Q R U F A

C1: ALIQUOT (7)
C2: TAILOR (6)
OT: FLORUIT (7)
Score: 62–69 (max 91)

Round 12: T L O A M E P S B

C1: APOSTLE (7)
C2: OBLATE (6)
OT: AMPLEST (7) PELOTAS (7) BOATELS (7) OBLATES (7) MALTOSE (7) POTABLE (7)
Score: 69–69 (max 98)

Round 13: N C P E O U N I S

C1: POUNCES (7)
C2: PENSION (7)
OT: NUNCIOS (7)
Score: 76–76 (max 105)

Round 14: 50, 25, 100, 9, 10, 4. Target: 929.

C1: 929. 100x9+25+4 (10)
C2: 929. 100x9+25+4 (10)
Score: 86–86 (max 115)

Round 15: B R E A T H R U N

C1 buzzes on 2 seconds to say HEARTBURN which is correct.
Score: 96–86 (max 125)

So Julian sneaks from behind to win a close contest. Well played gents.

Wow, I thought we were looking at Julian's first online defeat for a while there! Well played to both, fun game to read through, and thanks Kirk for making that possible.

Charlie Reams wrote:Wow, I thought we were looking at Julian's first online defeat for a while there! Well played to both, fun game to read through, and thanks Kirk for making that possible.

First online defeat ever, wouldn't it be? At least since the aborted online Countdown league... of 2003.

Ben Wilson wrote:

Charlie Reams wrote:Wow, I thought we were looking at Julian's first online defeat for a while there! Well played to both, fun game to read through, and thanks Kirk for making that possible.

First online defeat ever, wouldn't it be? At least since the aborted online Countdown league... of 2003.

Yes, sorry, I meant I was thinking that for a while. Julian is undefeated online, according to the ratings database.

Charlie Reams wrote:and thanks Kirk for making that possible.

And thanks to you for your awesome recap writer - once you've done it a couple of times, it's so easy to use and you don't need to type all OT words out. It's awesome.

Aaargh avert your eyes all who enter this place

Before I say anything else, big thank you to Kirk for staying in especially to host the game (after I'd cocked up by arranging it at the same time as your game vs. Julie) and for writing this recap - I owe you one (no, not in that sense)

But this win for me was possibly the jammiest ever in the 26-year history of Countdown - Steven really should have beaten me, no offence Steve but you did throw that one away. He should've been out of sight by the conundrum; he saw both TREELINES and OBLATES within the time but didn't go for them... I was just saying to Charlie the other day how I don't feel I deserve to win rounds when that happens, and then it goes and happens twice in one game!

Safe to say that I've exhausted my supply of luck for the rest of the tournament I can play a lot better than this (I see a letter which isn't there in a round, maybe twice in a year usually??), but still... going to have to get some serious practice in between now and COLin otherwise I might as well not bother coming


Jerry's going to have an easy match on Sunday...

(PS Charlie I did lose to Gary Woodward online, in the pre-database era)

Julian Fell wrote:
(PS Charlie I did lose to Gary Woodward online, in the pre-database era)

I love it how Julian remembers who he loses to, it happens that rarely!