Tuesday 10th August 2021 (Series 84, Preliminary 31)

[Rhys Benjamin]

Annedown XXXI and I was watching Tim David smash 140 off 70 balls when this was being broadcast.

Countdown recap for Tuesday 10 August 2021.

Today is the birthday of Sid Waddell, the darts commentator.

C1: Champion Matt Gould (2 wins, 167 points.)
C2: Challenger Catherine Williams. A solicitor from Kingston-upon-Thames. Probably not the same contestant as the Catherine Williams who appeared in 1995. Also married to a solicitor.
DC: Susie Dent and Nina Wadia.
RR: Rachel Riley.
OT: Other words or solutions.

R01: L M N T E I A H N
R02: B S I G E M F E T
R03: 75, 25, 6, 3, 2, 9. Target: 603.
TTT: LASTUNIT - "He's well known for his plucky performances in Bedfordshire."
R04: J P S A O B G O I
R05: D R C Y A E I R O
R06: 50, 10, 3, 5, 5, 6. Target: 916.
R07: N R L P E E A I S
R08: R L N E O E W U T
R09: 4, 1, 5, 2, 3, 5. Target: 845.
TTT: KIMCHOSE - "Kim chose to come back from America; she was missing the UK too much."
R10: R G R I U L T E E
R11: I E E U H D P S N
R12: T L K O N O S R I
R13: S V W T U A O E D
R14: 25, 5, 4, 2, 7, 8. Target: 716.
R15: R A C E E T R A K (conundrum)


And now a brief interlude before our main feature:

SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER
SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER
SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER
SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER
SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER
SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER
SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER
SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER
SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER
SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER
SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER
SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER
SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER
SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER
SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER
SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER
SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER
SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER
SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER
SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER

Enjoy the show.

Round 1: L M N T E I A H N

Matt: LAMENT (6)
Catherine: LAMENT (6)
DC: AILMENT (7) LINEMAN (7)
OT: ALIMENT (7) MANNITE (7) MELANIN (7)
Score: 6–6 (max 7, jos 7)
Darren-o-meter: 0/1 (0%)

Not the most auspicious start here. Sixes each but all the sevens missed.

Round 2: B S I G E M F E T

Matt: BEFITS (6)
Catherine: SIEGE (5)
DC: GITFS (5) GIFTEES (7) BETIMES (7)
OT: BESMITE (7) BIGFEET (7)
Score: 12–6 (max 14, jos 14)
Darren-o-meter: 0/2 (0%)

Matt doubles his lead, but again the sevens go begging.

Round 3: 75, 25, 6, 3, 2, 9. Target: 603.

Matt: 603. (75 + 25) × 6 + 3 (10)
Catherine: 603. (75 + 25) × 6 + 3 (10)
Score: 22–16 (max 24, jos 24)

Ariana.

Teatime teaser: LASTUNIT -> LUTANIST

Round 4: J P S A O B G O I

Matt: SOAP (4)
Catherine: BIAS (4)
DC: GAS (3) BIOGAS (6)
OT: JIGABOOS (8)
Score: 26–20 (max 32, jos 30)
Darren-o-meter: 1/3 (33%)

Fours for our contestants, but they ought to be disappointed not to see at least a five here.

Round 5: D R C Y A E I R O

Matt: CARRIED (7)
Catherine: cordier (risky)
DC: CORRIDA (7)
Score: 33–20 (max 39, jos 37)
Darren-o-meter: 1/4 (25%)

Anne asks Catherine about how two working parents have coped with children. Surprisingly, despite her learning the electric piano, her kids haven't run away yet.

Round 6: 50, 10, 3, 5, 5, 6. Target: 916.

Matt: 915. 6 × 3 × 50 + 10 + 5 (7)
Catherine: 915. 6 × 3 × 50 + 10 + 5 (7)
RR: 916. (3 × 50 + 5 ÷ 5) × 6 + 10 (10)
Score: 40–27 (max 49, jos 47)

Both contestants go down 50 x 18 and it's left up to Rachel to reveal the trick is split multiplications.

Multi-lingual Nina is asked by Anne about Goodness Gracious Me. She also talked about the time she (being of Indian descent) went to a curry house and was not given cutlery. She feels there has been a cultural change since GGM and more insight into Indian culture more than just curries. This, by the way, on the day that a report suggested "curry" ought to be cancelled. Nina talks about her characterisation of Zainab from EastEnders, and the way she constructed the very dislikeable character she was playing.

Round 7: N R L P E E A I S

Matt: SPRAIN (6)
Catherine: PLAINER (7)
DC: PENALISE (8) PEARLIES (8)
OT: PLENARIES (18)
Score: 40–34 (max 67, jos 55)
Darren-o-meter: 2/5 (40%)

Catherine wins the round and gets the lead within ten. Everyone misses the nine.

Round 8: R L N E O E W U T

Matt: outreel (try)
Catherine: TROWEL (6)
DC: TWEEN (5) TOLUENE (7)
OT: OUTENER (7)
Score: 40–40 (max 74, jos 62)
Darren-o-meter: 2/6 (33%)

Catherine levels the tie with Matt's OUTREEL^ (fishing term?) disallowed.

Round 9: 4, 1, 5, 2, 3, 5. Target: 845.

Matt: 600.
Catherine: -
RR: 800. (1 + 3) × 4 × 5 × 2 × 5 (0)
Score: 40–40 (max 74, jos 62)

Oh dear. Next.

Teatime teaser: KIMCHOSE -> HOMESICK

Round 10: R G R I U L T E E

Matt: GLUTE (5)
Catherine: GUILT (5)
DC: RETIRE (6)
OT: ELEGIT (6) ETRIER (6) GLUIER (6) GLUTEI (6) GURTER (6) REGLET (6) REGRET (6) REGULI (6) RELIER (6) RETILE (6) RIEGEL (6) RULIER (6) RUTILE (6) UGLIER (6) URETER (6)
Score: 45–45 (max 80, jos 68)
Darren-o-meter: 2/7 (29%)

FLAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAT.

Round 11: I E E U H D P S N

Matt: PUNISHED (8)
Catherine: SHINED (6)
DC: DUPES (5)
Score: 53–45 (max 88, jos 76)
Darren-o-meter: 3/8 (38%)

An excellent darren from Matt gives him the lead at a crucial point.

Susie talks about one word and one phrase which are surprisingly literal: deadline, which was originally a boundary zone (and crossing it would result in you being shot); and red letter day, which goes back to marking calendars with important events in red.

Round 12: T L K O N O S R I

Matt: LOTIONS (7)
Catherine: LOTIONS (7)
DC: KILOTONS (8)
Score: 60–52 (max 96, jos 84)
Darren-o-meter: 4/9 (44%)

KILOTONS is a brilliant spot from Dictionary Corner.

Round 13: S V W T U A O E D

Matt: STOWED (6)
Catherine: AVOWED (6)
DC: WASTED (6)
OT: AWETOS (6) DEVOUT (6) DOWSET (6) DUVETS (6) OUSTED (6) OUTSAW (6) OVATES (6) SAUTED (6) STAVED (6) STOVED (6) TODEAS (6) VADOSE (6)
Score: 66–58 (max 102, jos 90)
Darren-o-meter: 4/10 (40%)

Flaaaaaaaaaaaaaat.

Round 14: 25, 5, 4, 2, 7, 8. Target: 716.

Matt: 716. 7 × 4 × 25 + 8 × 2 (10)
Catherine: 716. 7 × 4 × 25 + 8 × 2 (10)
Score: 76–68 (max 112, jos 100)

thank u, next

It's a crucial conundrum, then.

Round 15: R A C E E T R A K

Matt buzzes on 4.25 seconds to say RACKETEER which is incorrect.
Catherine does not buzz.
Rachel gives the answer, which was CARETAKER.
Final Score: 76–68 (max 122, jos 110)

CARETAKER is the conundrum for the fourth time, and for 4/4 times RACKETEER is guesses incorrectly.

But anyway, Matt wins and moves on to another day.


Further summaries are at:
http://cdb.apterous.org/series.php?series=84