c4countdown

Already we begin our 4th week of this series, which is pretty exciting. Specifically, we're going to begin with a Ladies Day here on Countdown. One of these ladies is Christine Hunt, the runner up of Series 4 on Countdown, who has had the second earliest representation of series on Countdown, just behind Darryl Francis, who was on the very first series. The other lady is Sandi Simonis, who had two wins in Series 8 before losing to someone with a very long name. We'll see how this turns out.

In the corner this week is former Olympic swimmer, dude who danced on TV, and the Pointless partner of Rachel Riley, Mark Foster.

I believe we are back in order today, so join Graeme for the recap late.r

Jordan F wrote:and the Pointless partner of Rachel Riley, Mark Foster.

Actually, they were partners on The Million Pound Drop, she was with Mark Durden-Smith on Pointless Celerbities.

Here are the stats:

Firstly, Series 4 Runner-Up & CoC I Quarter-Finalist & Supreme Championship Group Quarter-Finalist Christine Hunt - 9 Games, 5 Wins, 396 Points (Average: 44 - Not Including Masters Game, But Includes 14 Rounder Grand Final)
Highest Score: 56 vs. Philip Barlow (2nd Game)
Lowest Score: 31 vs. Joyce Cansfield (CoC Quarter-Final)
9's Achieved: 0/1
Total Points/Max/%: 396/695 (57%)
Letters Points/Max/%: 241/395 (61%)
Numbers Points/Max/%: 125/200 (63%)
Conundrum Points/Max/%: 30/100 (30%)

Secondly, Series 8 Contestant Sandie Simonis - 3 Games, 1 Win, 1 Draw, 162 Points (Average: 54 - Not Including Masters Games)
Highest Score: 63 vs. Andy Keeble (2nd Game)
Lowest Score: 46 vs. Paul "YT" White (3rd Game)
9's Achieved: 0/1
Total Points/Max/%: 162/229 (71%)
Letters Points/Max/%: 98/139 (71%)
Numbers Points/Max/%: 54/60 (90%)
Conundrum Points/Max/%: 10/30 (33%)

I'm feeling quite sorry for whoever wins this match knowing that either Graeme or Jack awaits them.

Hmm after their disallowed nine in round one did they chicken out of the nine in the second round because of the -IZE ending?

<MP>

LEVATORS in the last letters round.

What a finish!

Cracking finish there, Christine doing a Rawlo! Unlucky Sandie, that was a very close game.

I'll echo what people have said above about the finish, and not necessarily the easiest conundrums either, so very well done to Christine for pulling that off.

A highly enjoyable game, in some ways I enjoyed that double conundrum comeback even moreso than Jonathan's against Ed. Mainly because I wasn't expecting it, whereas with Ed v Jonathan people had annoyingly dropped spoilers by saying "THIS GAME IS AWESOME", "UNMISSABLE", "BEST EVER" which you might think isn't much of a spoiler, but it bloody well was. So yeah, I really liked today's game. The letter selections had a lot of "apterous-friendly" selections today though and some really tricky maxes (LUCIFERS, SWANKPOT, CENTUPLE). I think if this happens in Christine's next game then it could be a no-contest, but here's hoping that it won't be.

Well done both Christine and Sandie, clearly both very appreciative of being invited back, nice touch with Christine's daughter in the audience who was but in the womb first time round, very polite contestants, great-spirited game. Today's episode summarised everything good about Countdown.

Somewhat felt they held back on some of their declarations for fear they were declaring CSW words against OED words. Very equally REMATCHED* (!) They were certainly tough letter selections after the first two rounds. I'm sorry but Graeme/Jack will be too strong for who ever won. Well done both Christine and Sandie for a spectacular finish.

<MP>

Equaller in R7 of SWAPTION (on the same page as SWANKPOT), and RADOMES and MADDERS in R9.
Alt on last numbers ((50+5)x10)-10-9+6

Really enjoyable game today, Apto-friendly with all sorts of peculiar words lurking to be spotted, Penelope-friendly with plenty of nice normal words getting points, and everyone-friendly with a superb twist in the tale to decide the winner. Countdown in a bottle, that one.

Nick Deller wrote:Really enjoyable game today, Apto-friendly with all sorts of peculiar words lurking to be spotted, Penelope-friendly with plenty of nice normal words getting points, and everyone-friendly with a superb twist in the tale to decide the winner. Countdown in a bottle, that one.

"Penelope-friendly" Have I invented new Countdown terminology

Mauro

Very close game and played in the right spirit. Well done to both of you, particularly to Christine for those two conundrum solves.

ABRASION in round 4.

szodiac wrote:

Nick Deller wrote:Really enjoyable game today, Apto-friendly with all sorts of peculiar words lurking to be spotted, Penelope-friendly with plenty of nice normal words getting points, and everyone-friendly with a superb twist in the tale to decide the winner. Countdown in a bottle, that one.

"Penelope-friendly" Have I invented new Countdown terminology

Mauro

Penelope-friendly and everything, but Chrstine Hunt has now got to play the winner of Cole/Worsley, and I wonder if one Penelope-friendly contestant in a game is the worst of all scenarios.

Graeme and Jack are everybody-friendly.

This was awesome, well done Christine. I was nowhere near the second conundrum.

Someone was going ape in the closing credits too which tickled me.

Nick Hewer: "She got the old speedy finger there!"

Yeah, great finish - even better as it took her over 20 seconds to solve each one so you hear the clock approaching a climax and you think you've won and then you haven't. Beautiful.

Kirk Bevins wrote:Yeah, great finish - even better as it took her over 20 seconds to solve each one so you hear the clock approaching a climax and you think you've won and then you haven't. Beautiful.

Absolutely it's impressive - after about 10 seconds I run out of things to try so to keep persisting and get both is awesome.

My mum (a nurse) is pretty happy about solving sinusitis in 3 seconds.

Kirk Bevins wrote:Yeah, great finish - even better as it took her over 20 seconds to solve each one so you hear the clock approaching a climax and you think you've won and then you haven't. Beautiful.

Yep, very different to Jonathan's double conundrum steal but no less exciting. Christine spent a while looking before writing the letters down on the first conundrum, whereas on the second she took her hand off the buzzer almost straight away! It sure helped.

Jon O'Neill wrote:

Kirk Bevins wrote:Yeah, great finish - even better as it took her over 20 seconds to solve each one so you hear the clock approaching a climax and you think you've won and then you haven't. Beautiful.

Absolutely it's impressive - after about 10 seconds I run out of things to try so to keep persisting and get both is awesome.

My mum (a nurse) is pretty happy about solving sinusitis in 3 seconds.

Why does it have to be that she got it because she was a nurse? Maybe she would have got it anyway and she's just better than you.

I never said it was. But repeated exposure to that word does make it dramatically more likely for her to get it.

I got SINUSITIS in about 10s. It must be very contagious!

Christine and Sandie missed RANDOMIZE and ROMANIZED. The same set of nine letters will be appearing again soon. Watch out for it!

Darryl Francis wrote:Christine and Sandie missed RANDOMIZE and ROMANIZED. The same set of nine letters will be appearing again soon. Watch out for it!

Er, massive spoiler?

Controversial

Yep. Even though it doesn't specify which future episode or what the outcome of the round is, it's still information we shouldn't know about an unbroadcast show. Don't hint, don't tease!

Just caught up with this. Does anyone know if Sandie got her teapot? They weren't being given out when I filmed, despite Nick repeatedly saying so. Hearing Sandie so pleased to be (wrongly) offered one was sad.

Martin Bishop wrote:Just caught up with this. Does anyone know if Sandie got her teapot? They weren't being given out when I filmed, despite Nick repeatedly saying so. Hearing Sandie so pleased to be (wrongly) offered one was sad.

I think those who didn't get a teapot previously (9-round era) were indeed given one.

They must have loads of teapots (especially during the infamous teapot glut of 2013) so if Nick promised someone a teapot (even if he did so wrongly), I'm sure they could somehow conjure one up.

Nick seems to be giving them away most days - how long had he been in the job when these were recorded?

You get a teapot! And you get a teapot! Everyone gets a teapot!!!

First Round Game 7 2020 Word Update

For only the third time so far in this series, the max would have remained as it was in 2013 at 134.

New Words Now Allowed:

R4: ABRASING
R8: ALPEENS, PANELES, UNPEELS
R9: RODDAMS
R11: REBRING, VERBING
R12: TRADIES
R13: OVERSALT