But in the meantime, here's today recap. Enjoy.
Countdown recap for Thursday 13 October 2011.
C1: Champion Nikki Roberts (5 wins, 411 points.) An Apterite from Widford, Hertfordshire. She has sung at the Royal Albert Hall with her primary school and played the flute at Westminster Cathedral, while at her secondary school.
C2: Challenger Harry Santiuste. A retired head of modern languages at Thorne Grammar School from Doncaster, South Yorkshire. He is on the show to win the teapot, so his wife can use it to launch a new political party called The Tea Party UK.
DC: Susie Dent and Dr. Phil Hammond.
RR: Rachel Riley.
OT: Other words or solutions.
R01: W N S O I A E R T
R02: N S F O E A R D E
R03: M H L A E I L S O
R04: B N B E O A M R E
R05: 25, 2, 10, 1, 1, 7. Target: 605.
TTT: NEEDBALM - "It might be broken, but it's not beyond repair"
R06: C N U E A D T P E
R07: S D T A E I V S N
R08: G L P U I O D N A
R09: V M S E O I L F U
R10: 75, 3, 10, 2, 1, 7. Target: 416.
TTT: SLIMDUDE - "The earth moves while listening to a 70's band"
R11: G P C E A A D R E
R12: R W R U A I T T E
R13: K P J O E I R G T
R14: 50, 7, 8, 9, 7, 6. Target: 835.
R15: D A T M O V E I T (conundrum)
And now a brief interlude before our main feature:
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Enjoy the show.
Round 1: W N S O I A E R T
C1: SNOWIER (7)
C2: WAITERS (7)
DC: SENATOR (7) NOTARISE (8)
OT: NOTARIES (8) WAITRONS (8)
Score: 7–7 (max 8)
7's each to start with. In case you haven't been watching any Countdown episodes this year, don't forget SENORA and SENORITA aren't in now, because they're capitalised.
A WAITRON is another name for a waiter or waitress. (Slighty unfortunate for Harry there........
)Round 2: N S F O E A R D E
C1: FEARED (6)
C2: FONDER (6)
DC: DEAFENS (7) FEDORAS (7) REASONED (8)
Score: 13–13 (max 16)
A darrenic 8 for DC, but the contestants settle for 6 apiece.
Round 3: M H L A E I L S O
C1: SLALOM (6)
C2: SMALL (5)
DC: HOLLIES (7)
OT: HEMIOLAS (8)
Score: 19–13 (max 24)
Another darrenic 8, but it's missed this time, but Nikki won't mind as she zigzags her way into the lead.
A HEMIOLA is a rhythmic pattern of syncopated beats with two beats in the time of three or three beats in the time of two.
Round 4: B N B E O A M R E
C1: BOMBER (6)
C2: BOMBER (6)
DC: BEMOAN (6) bemoaner
OT: AEROBE (6) BARMEN (6) BEAMER (6) BEANER (6) BORANE (6) BOREEN (6) ENROBE (6) MEANER (6) MOANER (6) MOBBER (6) MOREEN (6) RENAME (6)
Score: 25–19 (max 30)
Flat, flat, FLATTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT.
An AEROBE is an organism, especially a bacterium, that requires air or free oxygen for life (opposed to anaerobe).
A BORANE is any of the compounds, both neutral and anionic, of boron and hydrogen with formulas ranging from B2H6 to B20H16.
A MOREEN is a heavy fabric of wool, or wool and cotton, with a ribbed face and a moiré finish, used for curtains, petticoats, etc.
Round 5: 25, 2, 10, 1, 1, 7. Target: 605.
C1: 607. ((10 + 2) x (1 + 1) x 25) + 7 (7)
C2: 607. ((10 + 2) x (1 + 1) x 25) + 7 (7)
RR: 605. (((25 - 1) x 2) + 7) x (10 + 1) (10)
Score: 32–26 (max 40)
A stinky numbers to start with today, with Rachel getting the only solution after this from Dr. Phil..........
Dr. Phil talks about his forthcoming appearance on BBC One's Question Time tonight, along with Health Secretary, Andrew Lansley.
And while the BBC is mentioned, you might like to know that I'll be on the Alexander Armstrong-fronted show, Pointless, tomorrow at 5:15pm. (But you already knew that, didn't you
)Teatime teaser: NEEDBALM -> MENDABLE
Round 6: C N U E A D T P E
C1: PANTED (6)
C2: PANTED (6)
DC: CUNEATE (7)
OT: EDUCATE (7) ENACTED (7) PANDECT (7) PUNCTAE (7)
Score: 38–32 (max 47)
Plenty of 7's available, but the contestants seem pooped out with their 6.
A PANDECT is a complete and comprehensive digest.
Round 7: S D T A E I V S N
C1: DEVIANTS (8)
C2: DATIVES (7)
DC: SANDIEST (8)
OT: DESTAINS (8) VANESSID (8)
Score: 46–32 (max 55)
Nikki gets further ahead with her 8 here.
A VANESSID is a butterfly belonging to any of several brightly coloured species, including admirals, tortoiseshells, and the Camberwell beauty, which with the fritillaries comprise the Nymphalidae.
Round 8: G L P U I O D N A
C1: UPLOADING (18)
C2: POUND (5)
Score: 64–32 (max 73)
I think the gasp from the audience when Nikki said 9 was lighter than when Harry said 5.
Round 9: V M S E O I L F U
C1: FULSOME (7)
C2: FULSOME (7)
OT: VOLUMISE (8)
Score: 71–39 (max 81)
Another missed darrenic 8 is missed, but that's a pretty FULSOME 7 by the contestants there.
Susie's Origins Of Words tells of the origins of "tawdry" and its connection with the Patron Saint of Ely.
Round 10: 75, 3, 10, 2, 1, 7. Target: 416.
C1: 415. ((7 - 2) x 75) + ((3 + 1) x 10) (7)
C2: 416. Mistake in working.
RR: 416. ((75 x 3) - (10 + 7)) x 2 (10)
Score: 78–39 (max 91)
The numbers aren't getting any easier, as Harry finds out the hard way. Again, Rachel needed extra time to solve it.
Teatime teaser: SLIMDUDE -> MUDSLIDE
Round 11: G P C E A A D R E
C1: GRACED (6)
C2: REDCAP (6)
DC: CAPERED (7)
OT: ACREAGE (7)
Score: 84–45 (max 98)
The tie is closing in now with those 6's, as DC dance the night away with their 7.
Round 12: R W R U A I T T E
C1: WARTIER (7)
C2: WAITER (6)
DC: RATTIER (7)
OT: TRAITEUR (8)
Score: 91–45 (max 106)
And that disgusting 7 gives Nikki win #6, leaving the darrenic 8 on its own again.
A TRAITEUR is the keeper of an eating house or restaurant; a restaurateur.
Round 13: K P J O E I R G T
C1: POKIER (6)
C2: JOKIER (6)
DC: POTJIE (6)
OT: GOITRE (6) PEROGI (6)
Score: 97–51 (max 112)
Just 6's here, but Nikki is in for a shout of another century here.
Round 14: 50, 7, 8, 9, 7, 6. Target: 835.
C1: 834. ((9 + 7) x 50) + (7 x 6) - 8 (7)
C2: 831.
RR: 836. (7)
OT: 835. ((50 + (7 x 6)) x 9) + 7 (10)
Score: 104–51 (max 122)
And that makes it a hat-trick of super-stinky numbers games today, but Nikki has now got a new PB, but the big question remains..........
Can she solve a conundrum
Round 15: D A T M O V E I T
C2 buzzes on 1.75 seconds to say MOTIVATED which is correct.
Final Score: 104–61 (max 132)
Unfortunately that answer is still a big, fat NO.
Could she possibly become the first octochamp to not get a single conundrum
Well, before she has the chance to record a possible unique record, she still has 2 more games to win. Can she do it
Find out with Mike tomorrow, and then possibly Rhys on Monday.
I'll see you next Wednesday, and hopefully you'll all see me on Pointless tomorrow.
Till then, bye bye.
Statistics Corner
Nikki:
Total score - 104
Raw score - 104
Total % of max - 79
Raw % of max - 79
Total average score per round - 6.9
Raw average score per round - 6.9
Number of maxes - 4
Harry:
Total score - 61
Raw score - 91
Total % of max - 46
Raw % of max - 69
Total average score per round - 4.1
Raw average score per round - 6.1
Number of maxes - 3
Further summaries are at:
http://www.apterous.org/cdb/series.php?series=65