Countdown recap for Thursday 29 July 2021.
It's National Lipstick Way, but also National Divorce Day. So if you get some on your collar, one may well lead to the other.
C1: Champion Andy McConnell (3 wins, 238 points.) Valver from Stockport.
C2: Challenger Jo Clark. A lettings agent. Also endulges in escape rooms.
DC: Rev. Richard Coles.
RR: Rachel Riley.
OT: Other words or solutions.
R01: D O Y S N O E R T
R02: D U P N C A P I E
R03: 100, 5, 2, 1, 10, 4. Target: 580.
TTT: EMBERMAN - "It's not a big movie, it's just a small film."
R04: C E I A G S T R F
R05: S R M T I U A H R
R06: 100, 75, 8, 9, 5, 9. Target: 291.
R07: C V O E S G N A I
R08: L E P N K E U T L
R09: 50, 4, 6, 2, 5, 5. Target: 277.
TTT: CAMPLEAF - "The two body parts combine to show their dismay."
R10: T N R E O O W S R
R11: M B L E E R P A L
R12: R M D B O A E N Z
R13: H D U A E L S G W
R14: 25, 3, 3, 6, 8, 2. Target: 151.
R15: D E C E N T M O M (conundrum)
And now a brief interlude before our main feature:
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Round 1: D O Y S N O E R T
Andy: STONED (6)
Jo: ROOSTED (7)
DC: DRYSTONE (8)
Score: 0–7 (max 8, jos 8)
Darren-o-meter: 1/1 (100%)
Jo starts us off with a seven and takes an early lead. No max game today, though.
Round 2: D U P N C A P I E
Andy: UNCAPPED (8) (try)
Jo: UNCAPPED (8)
Score: 8–15 (max 16, jos 16)
Darren-o-meter: 2/2 (100%)
A good darren from both contestants here.
Round 3: 100, 5, 2, 1, 10, 4. Target: 580.
Andy: 580. (100 + 4 + 10 + 2) × 5 (10)
Jo: 580. (5 + 1) × 100 − 10 × 2 (10)
Score: 18–25 (max 26, jos 26)
Not quite Ariana level, but an easy 10 points each.
Teatime teaser: EMBERMAN -> MEMBRANE
Round 4: C E I A G S T R F
Andy: FRIGATES (8)
Jo: FAIREST (7)
DC: AGRESTIC (8)
Score: 26–25 (max 34, jos 34)
Darren-o-meter: 2/3 (67%)
Eight for Andy, taking a one-point lead. Anne seems slightly disappointed he's back in front.
Round 5: S R M T I U A H R
Andy: TRUISM (6)
Jo: STRIM (5)
DC: MATURISH (8)
Score: 32–25 (max 42, jos 42)
Darren-o-meter: 3/4 (75%)
An excellent darren from Richard here as Andy extends his lead.
Round 6: 100, 75, 8, 9, 5, 9. Target: 291.
Andy: 291. Mistake in working.
Jo: -
RR: 291. (8 − 5) × 100 − 9 (10)
Score: 32–25 (max 52, jos 52)
Andy blunders by ending up on 341... that's a properly bad cock-up from both contestants.
Richard talks about working in a posh parish in Kensington, so much so that a baby who needed baptising had a stylist and make-up artist. He also once turned to jelly when Tony Adams was one of the godparents. He then gives a tribute to his mentor, who took everything in his stride, including 21-gun salutes and so on. He comments that there's very little difference in a rural parish by way of parishioners' concerns. He also talks about the time when a pet was eaten during a service.
Round 7: C V O E S G N A I
Andy: CEASING (7)
Jo: CEASING (7)
DC: COGNISE (7)
OT: COINAGES (8)
Score: 39–32 (max 60, jos 59)
Darren-o-meter: 4/5 (80%)
Sevens each; everyone misses the darrenic eight.
Round 8: L E P N K E U T L
Andy: PULLET (6) (risky)
Jo: unpleet (risky)
DC: UNKEPT (6) PELLET (6)
OT: ELUENT (6) PENULT (6) PETUNE (6) UNPEEL (6)
Score: 45–32 (max 66, jos 65)
Darren-o-meter: 4/6 (67%)
Jo is asked for her word first even though it's longer. Sack everyone.
Round 9: 50, 4, 6, 2, 5, 5. Target: 277.
Andy: 277. (50 + 5) × 5 + 2 (10)
Jo: 277. 50 × 6 − (5 × 4 + 5 − 2) (10)
Score: 55–42 (max 76, jos 75)
Jo deliberately omelettes it and the gap remains at 13 points. Harder game than the last one, making their round six blunders even worse.
Teatime teaser: CAMPLEAF -> FACEPALM
Round 10: T N R E O O W S R
Andy: STREWN (6)
Jo: swooner (rejected retoners which has a phantom E anyway)
DC: ROOSTER (7) TOWERS (6)
OT: NOWTERS (7) RESWORN (7) ROOTERS (7) ROWNERS (7) SNOOTER (7) SNORTER (7) TOREROS (7)
Score: 61–42 (max 83, jos 82)
Darren-o-meter: 4/7 (57%)
Once again Jo gets asked first. Sack everyone!
Round 11: M B L E E R P A L
Andy: PREAMBLE (8) (try)
Jo: blamer
OT: PERAMBLE (8)
Score: 69–42 (max 91, jos 90)
Darren-o-meter: 4/8 (50%)
Yet another invalid word for Jo, but Andy's eight makes it immaterial anyway. It means a nine in the next round would win Andy the game.
Round 12: R M D B O A E N Z
Andy: BROADEN (7) (stick with)
Jo: MOANER (6)
DC: ABDOMEN (7)
OT: BANDORE (7) BEARDOM (7) BRONZED (7) MADRONE (7) MANDORE (7) ROADMEN (7) ROMANZE (7) ZEBRANO (7)
Score: 76–42 (max 98, jos 97)
Darren-o-meter: 4/9 (44%)
Good move for Andy to stick with 7 as no eights available. More valving here, where Andy reveals he used to abseil for a living as a structural surveyor of high-rise buildings in London.
Round 13: H D U A E L S G W
Andy: LAUGHED (7)
Jo: WHALES (6)
OT: SHAWLED (7)
Score: 83–42 (max 105, jos 104)
Darren-o-meter: 4/10 (40%)
Andy LAUGHs his way into another day in the champion's chair.
Round 14: 25, 3, 3, 6, 8, 2. Target: 151.
Andy: 151. 25 × 6 + 3 ÷ 3 (10)
Jo: 151. 25 × 6 + 3 − 2 (10)
Score: 93–52 (max 115, jos 114)
thank u, next
Round 15: D E C E N T M O M
Jo buzzes on 5.5 seconds to say COMMENTED which is correct.
Final Score: 93–62 (max 125, jos 124)
Jo makes Nick Hewer proud by getting the conundrum in a losing cause. It's 93 more points for Andy and even Rachel seems to be getting annoyed with him now...!
Join us again for Countdown. Goodbye.
Further summaries are at:
http://cdb.apterous.org/series.php?series=84