Wednesday 22nd May 2013 (Series 68, Prelim 45)
Posted: Wed May 22, 2013 4:24 pm
Countdown recap for Wednesday 22 May 2013.
C1: Champion Joe McGonigle (4 wins, 362 points), the returning champion after yesterday's defeat of Jonny Walker
C2: Challenger Mark Ivey, one of our own and a big fan of science fiction and fantasy conventions. He also has goth friends that have attended the Whitby goth convention that Nick talks about.
DC: Susie Dent and Janet Street-Porter.
RR: Rachel Riley.
OT: Other words or solutions.
R01: R E T A B I Z E C
R02: R G M O A G R I N
R03: 50, 25, 10, 4, 4, 5. Target: 920.
TTT: CROSSFEE - "These paintings sound like they belong to Al"
R04: L E U D F R I N T
R05: L E C O N I T E D
R06: 75, 4, 2, 10, 3, 5. Target: 943.
R07: H M N T A O E R I
R08: N K A U L T I N S
R09: 50, 100, 5, 8, 10, 8. Target: 636.
TTT: HARPNETS - "Forget snooker but think about the pink and the black"
R10: P A E J M O A T Y
R11: D S N E O E M S O
R12: R V G U E S D O R
R13: W A S I H E F R B
R14: 25, 1, 4, 2, 8, 7. Target: 825.
R15: C O S I M A T H S (conundrum)
And now a brief interlude before our main feature:
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Enjoy the show.
Nick starts us off today by telling us that it is World Goth Day. Can't say I've noticed the difference. I still feel just as suicidal as normal - in fact, if anything, slightly less so.
Round 1: R E T A B I Z E C
C1: CREATE (6)
C2: CREATE (6)
DC: BEATER (6) BERATE (6)
OT: BAITER (6) BARITE (6) BITZER (6) ECARTE (6) REBATE (6) RECITE (6) TIERCE (6)
Score: 6–6 (max 6)
Yep. Solid start for both contestants there in a round where 90% of us were surely thinking "there MUST be a 7 there". There was not.
Round 2: R G M O A G R I N
C1: ROAMING (7)
C2: ROAMING (7)
DC: ROARING (7)
OT: GROGRAM (7) MARRING (7)
Score: 13–13 (max 13)
A couple of sevens there but the contestants both take arguably the easiest of the bunch with ROAMING. One alternative 7 there, a GROGRAM, is a coarse silk fabric.
Both contestants are still on for A MAX GAME
Round 3: 50, 25, 10, 4, 4, 5. Target: 920.
C1: 925. Timed out by Nick.
C2: 920. Mistake in working.
RR: 920. (50 - 4) x 4 x 5 (10)
Score: 13–13 (max 23)
Unlucky there for mark who presumably was about to do (25 - 10/5) x 4 x 10 ... or indeed (25 - 10/5) x (50 - 10), but there is only one ten.
Joe had 5 away but was timed out by Nick - interested to hear your thoughts on this. Personally I think it's a good move if a contestant is taking too long. I wasn't in the studio so don't have the full picture but I think I'll say the team was right to chalk off his points here.
Teatime teaser: CROSSFEE -> FRESCOES
Round 4: L E U D F R I N T
C1: FLIRTED (7)
C2: intern
DC: TRIFLED (7) INTRUDE (7)
OT: UNDERLIT (8) URNFIELD (8)
Score: 20–13 (max 31)
Mark used the N twice unfortunately, as Joe FLIRTED his way to a 7-point lead. Dictionary Corner chip in with two more sevens of their own but there are a couple of eights hidden away there with UNDERLIT, which means exactly what it sounds like, and URNFIELD, which is kind of like a graveyard, but instead of burying the bodies in coffins, they are cremated and laid to rest in cinerary urns. Quite popular in Europe during the late Bronze Age and Iron Age apparently.
Round 5: L E C O N I T E D
C1: ELECTION (8)
C2: TOILED (6)
DC: DELETION (8)
OT: DENTICLE (8)
Score: 28–13 (max 39)
You'd be forgiven for thinking there might have been a 9 hidden away there, but there isn't, and Joe expertly unravels one of the eights available. Mark only managed to toil his way to a 6 in that round, perhaps looking too hard for the non-existent 9? A DENTICLE is not the offspring of Susie and her husband, it is (as you might have guessed from the Latin root, and root is not a deliberate subtle pun, but I'll take it if you think I'm being clever...) a small tooth or tooth-like projection.
Round 6: 75, 4, 2, 10, 3, 5. Target: 943.
C1: 944. (5 x 4 + 75) x 10 - 3 x 2 (7)
C2: -
RR: 943. (75 + 4) x (10 + 2) - 5 (10)
Score: 35–13 (max 49)
A tricky numbers game leaves Mark stumped, while Joe's one away is good enough to sweep up the round with another seven points. Rachel expertly demonstrates one of the correct solutions there.
Usually I talk about the guest section here, but as it is, today's guest is Janet Street-Porter, so, moving swiftly on ...
Round 7: H M N T A O E R I
C1: ANTHEM (6)
C2: ROMAINE (7)
DC: ANOTHER (7) HAIRNET (7)
OT: THERMION (8)
Score: 35–20 (max 57)
Joe goes blank in quite a favourable letters round, leaving Mark to clear up with one of the many sevens available. Perhaps surprisingly given how good the letters look at first, there's only one eight there, and it's THERMION, which is a subatomic particle that is emitted at a high temperature.
Round 8: N K A U L T I N S
C1: SULTAN (6)
C2: LINKS (5)
DC: INSULANT (8)
OT: UNINSTAL (8)
Score: 41–20 (max 65)
Joe takes 6 points to zero from a consonant-heavy round there as Mark is struggling - but Susie comes up with a great eight in the corner. UNINSTAL is there as well, which totally isn't a word, I mean, is listed as an alternative form of the verb UNINSTALL.
Round 9: 50, 100, 5, 8, 10, 8. Target: 636.
C1: 636. (100 + 50 - 10) x 5 - 8 x 8 (10)
C2: 638.
Score: 51–20 (max 75)
A very tricky numbers here, but Joe is absolutely all over it. Awesome solve by the casino worker, and one which leaves Mark with a lot of work to do in the final section of the game.
Teatime teaser: HARPNETS -> PANTHERS
Round 10: P A E J M O A T Y
C1: MEATY (5)
C2: POET (4)
DC: PYJAMA (6) TEAPOY (6)
Score: 56–20 (max 81)
PYJAMA doesn't look like it should be OK but it apparently is! TEAPOY is another good spot from the corner, bit of a Countdown/Apterous favourite, that one.
Round 11: D S N E O E M S O
C1: MOONED (6)
C2: DEMONS (6)
DC: MOONSEEDS (18)
Score: 62–26 (max 99)
Both the contestants come out with sixes there to tie the round, perhaps praying for an I at the end there for DEMONISES, a word that comes up a fair bit in its various forms. Janet first mentions SOMEONE as a good solid seven, but then Susie casually tosses out the awesome MOONSEEDS for 9. It's a climbing plant found in North America.
In Origins of Words, Susie talks about the origins of the word DIGS, relating to accommodation, which was adapted from the lodgings that miners were given when working out on excavations #. BOUDOIR is derived from the French to pout or to sulk, which is apparently appropriate because that is where some privileged women used to spend time while doing just that.
Round 12: R V G U E S D O R
C1: GROVES (6)
C2: SURGED (6)
OT: DEVOURS (7) DROGUES (7) DROVERS (7) GOURDES (7) GROUSED (7) GROUSER (7)
Score: 68–32 (max 106)
The contestants can only derive sixes from that round, and Dictionary Corner fare no better. Susie mentions GOURDS for six, but apparently the E can be squeezed in there too.
Round 13: W A S I H E F R B
C1: WASHER (6)
C2: WASHIER (7)
OT: WHARFIES (8)
Score: 68–39 (max 114)
Joe misses a trick and throws away seven points here as Mark goes one better than him by sandwiching the I into his risky 7. Nothing risky at all about it, a great spot. There is a DC beater apparently, with WHARFIES. It's the plural of a slang term used in Australia/New Zealand for a waterside labourer. Obviously.
Unfortunately though, it's game over for Mark, who needed a 9 in that round to stay in the game. If there isn't one available then there's not much you can do.
Round 14: 25, 1, 4, 2, 8, 7. Target: 825.
C1: 825. (8 x 4 + 1) x 25 (10)
C2: 825. ((4 + 1) x 7 - 2) x 25 (10)
Score: 78–49 (max 124)
Both contestants figure out what is needed to multiply by 25 to make 825, and that is 33. Joe's method is slightly more efficient than Mark's, but there's no points for style. It's not a gymnastics competition. That would be kind of fun though. Perhaps it can be implemented instead of a tiebreak conundrum situation? Hmm. Anyway. Conundrum time.
Round 15: C O S I M A T H S
No one buzzes. The answer was MASOCHIST.
Final Score: 78–49 (max 134)
It's a tough one, and neither contestant gets it, leaving a rather sheepish redhead girl in the audience to solve it. She seems a bit embarrassed about it though. Just pretending that she isn't into that sort of thing, though, I bet.
All in all another win for Joe, and commiserations to Mark, who probably would have taken Joe down if he was the relaxed one on 4 wins rather than the other way around. That puts Joe onto 5 wins and surely he is now safe for the QF stage? I'll leave that one to Graeme or James.
Join us tomorrow for Joe's next game, and I think it will be James Roper making his recapping debut so keep an eye out for that one.
# is this even close to correct? I couldn't hear it all.
Further summaries are at:
http://www.apterous.org/cdb/series.php?series=68
C1: Champion Joe McGonigle (4 wins, 362 points), the returning champion after yesterday's defeat of Jonny Walker
C2: Challenger Mark Ivey, one of our own and a big fan of science fiction and fantasy conventions. He also has goth friends that have attended the Whitby goth convention that Nick talks about.
DC: Susie Dent and Janet Street-Porter.
RR: Rachel Riley.
OT: Other words or solutions.
R01: R E T A B I Z E C
R02: R G M O A G R I N
R03: 50, 25, 10, 4, 4, 5. Target: 920.
TTT: CROSSFEE - "These paintings sound like they belong to Al"
R04: L E U D F R I N T
R05: L E C O N I T E D
R06: 75, 4, 2, 10, 3, 5. Target: 943.
R07: H M N T A O E R I
R08: N K A U L T I N S
R09: 50, 100, 5, 8, 10, 8. Target: 636.
TTT: HARPNETS - "Forget snooker but think about the pink and the black"
R10: P A E J M O A T Y
R11: D S N E O E M S O
R12: R V G U E S D O R
R13: W A S I H E F R B
R14: 25, 1, 4, 2, 8, 7. Target: 825.
R15: C O S I M A T H S (conundrum)
And now a brief interlude before our main feature:
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Enjoy the show.
Nick starts us off today by telling us that it is World Goth Day. Can't say I've noticed the difference. I still feel just as suicidal as normal - in fact, if anything, slightly less so.
Round 1: R E T A B I Z E C
C1: CREATE (6)
C2: CREATE (6)
DC: BEATER (6) BERATE (6)
OT: BAITER (6) BARITE (6) BITZER (6) ECARTE (6) REBATE (6) RECITE (6) TIERCE (6)
Score: 6–6 (max 6)
Yep. Solid start for both contestants there in a round where 90% of us were surely thinking "there MUST be a 7 there". There was not.
Round 2: R G M O A G R I N
C1: ROAMING (7)
C2: ROAMING (7)
DC: ROARING (7)
OT: GROGRAM (7) MARRING (7)
Score: 13–13 (max 13)
A couple of sevens there but the contestants both take arguably the easiest of the bunch with ROAMING. One alternative 7 there, a GROGRAM, is a coarse silk fabric.
Both contestants are still on for A MAX GAME
Round 3: 50, 25, 10, 4, 4, 5. Target: 920.
C1: 925. Timed out by Nick.
C2: 920. Mistake in working.
RR: 920. (50 - 4) x 4 x 5 (10)
Score: 13–13 (max 23)
Unlucky there for mark who presumably was about to do (25 - 10/5) x 4 x 10 ... or indeed (25 - 10/5) x (50 - 10), but there is only one ten.
Joe had 5 away but was timed out by Nick - interested to hear your thoughts on this. Personally I think it's a good move if a contestant is taking too long. I wasn't in the studio so don't have the full picture but I think I'll say the team was right to chalk off his points here.
Teatime teaser: CROSSFEE -> FRESCOES
Round 4: L E U D F R I N T
C1: FLIRTED (7)
C2: intern
DC: TRIFLED (7) INTRUDE (7)
OT: UNDERLIT (8) URNFIELD (8)
Score: 20–13 (max 31)
Mark used the N twice unfortunately, as Joe FLIRTED his way to a 7-point lead. Dictionary Corner chip in with two more sevens of their own but there are a couple of eights hidden away there with UNDERLIT, which means exactly what it sounds like, and URNFIELD, which is kind of like a graveyard, but instead of burying the bodies in coffins, they are cremated and laid to rest in cinerary urns. Quite popular in Europe during the late Bronze Age and Iron Age apparently.
Round 5: L E C O N I T E D
C1: ELECTION (8)
C2: TOILED (6)
DC: DELETION (8)
OT: DENTICLE (8)
Score: 28–13 (max 39)
You'd be forgiven for thinking there might have been a 9 hidden away there, but there isn't, and Joe expertly unravels one of the eights available. Mark only managed to toil his way to a 6 in that round, perhaps looking too hard for the non-existent 9? A DENTICLE is not the offspring of Susie and her husband, it is (as you might have guessed from the Latin root, and root is not a deliberate subtle pun, but I'll take it if you think I'm being clever...) a small tooth or tooth-like projection.
Round 6: 75, 4, 2, 10, 3, 5. Target: 943.
C1: 944. (5 x 4 + 75) x 10 - 3 x 2 (7)
C2: -
RR: 943. (75 + 4) x (10 + 2) - 5 (10)
Score: 35–13 (max 49)
A tricky numbers game leaves Mark stumped, while Joe's one away is good enough to sweep up the round with another seven points. Rachel expertly demonstrates one of the correct solutions there.
Usually I talk about the guest section here, but as it is, today's guest is Janet Street-Porter, so, moving swiftly on ...
Round 7: H M N T A O E R I
C1: ANTHEM (6)
C2: ROMAINE (7)
DC: ANOTHER (7) HAIRNET (7)
OT: THERMION (8)
Score: 35–20 (max 57)
Joe goes blank in quite a favourable letters round, leaving Mark to clear up with one of the many sevens available. Perhaps surprisingly given how good the letters look at first, there's only one eight there, and it's THERMION, which is a subatomic particle that is emitted at a high temperature.
Round 8: N K A U L T I N S
C1: SULTAN (6)
C2: LINKS (5)
DC: INSULANT (8)
OT: UNINSTAL (8)
Score: 41–20 (max 65)
Joe takes 6 points to zero from a consonant-heavy round there as Mark is struggling - but Susie comes up with a great eight in the corner. UNINSTAL is there as well, which totally isn't a word, I mean, is listed as an alternative form of the verb UNINSTALL.
Round 9: 50, 100, 5, 8, 10, 8. Target: 636.
C1: 636. (100 + 50 - 10) x 5 - 8 x 8 (10)
C2: 638.
Score: 51–20 (max 75)
A very tricky numbers here, but Joe is absolutely all over it. Awesome solve by the casino worker, and one which leaves Mark with a lot of work to do in the final section of the game.
Teatime teaser: HARPNETS -> PANTHERS
Round 10: P A E J M O A T Y
C1: MEATY (5)
C2: POET (4)
DC: PYJAMA (6) TEAPOY (6)
Score: 56–20 (max 81)
PYJAMA doesn't look like it should be OK but it apparently is! TEAPOY is another good spot from the corner, bit of a Countdown/Apterous favourite, that one.
Round 11: D S N E O E M S O
C1: MOONED (6)
C2: DEMONS (6)
DC: MOONSEEDS (18)
Score: 62–26 (max 99)
Both the contestants come out with sixes there to tie the round, perhaps praying for an I at the end there for DEMONISES, a word that comes up a fair bit in its various forms. Janet first mentions SOMEONE as a good solid seven, but then Susie casually tosses out the awesome MOONSEEDS for 9. It's a climbing plant found in North America.
In Origins of Words, Susie talks about the origins of the word DIGS, relating to accommodation, which was adapted from the lodgings that miners were given when working out on excavations #. BOUDOIR is derived from the French to pout or to sulk, which is apparently appropriate because that is where some privileged women used to spend time while doing just that.
Round 12: R V G U E S D O R
C1: GROVES (6)
C2: SURGED (6)
OT: DEVOURS (7) DROGUES (7) DROVERS (7) GOURDES (7) GROUSED (7) GROUSER (7)
Score: 68–32 (max 106)
The contestants can only derive sixes from that round, and Dictionary Corner fare no better. Susie mentions GOURDS for six, but apparently the E can be squeezed in there too.
Round 13: W A S I H E F R B
C1: WASHER (6)
C2: WASHIER (7)
OT: WHARFIES (8)
Score: 68–39 (max 114)
Joe misses a trick and throws away seven points here as Mark goes one better than him by sandwiching the I into his risky 7. Nothing risky at all about it, a great spot. There is a DC beater apparently, with WHARFIES. It's the plural of a slang term used in Australia/New Zealand for a waterside labourer. Obviously.
Unfortunately though, it's game over for Mark, who needed a 9 in that round to stay in the game. If there isn't one available then there's not much you can do.
Round 14: 25, 1, 4, 2, 8, 7. Target: 825.
C1: 825. (8 x 4 + 1) x 25 (10)
C2: 825. ((4 + 1) x 7 - 2) x 25 (10)
Score: 78–49 (max 124)
Both contestants figure out what is needed to multiply by 25 to make 825, and that is 33. Joe's method is slightly more efficient than Mark's, but there's no points for style. It's not a gymnastics competition. That would be kind of fun though. Perhaps it can be implemented instead of a tiebreak conundrum situation? Hmm. Anyway. Conundrum time.
Round 15: C O S I M A T H S
No one buzzes. The answer was MASOCHIST.
Final Score: 78–49 (max 134)
It's a tough one, and neither contestant gets it, leaving a rather sheepish redhead girl in the audience to solve it. She seems a bit embarrassed about it though. Just pretending that she isn't into that sort of thing, though, I bet.
All in all another win for Joe, and commiserations to Mark, who probably would have taken Joe down if he was the relaxed one on 4 wins rather than the other way around. That puts Joe onto 5 wins and surely he is now safe for the QF stage? I'll leave that one to Graeme or James.
Join us tomorrow for Joe's next game, and I think it will be James Roper making his recapping debut so keep an eye out for that one.
# is this even close to correct? I couldn't hear it all.
Further summaries are at:
http://www.apterous.org/cdb/series.php?series=68