Spoilers for Thursday 8 December 2022 (Series 86, Heat 124)

[Johnny Canuck]

Actually just making this thread to cover up the Finals Predictions title on the front page. People may not want to be spoiled that Rick lost.

[Steve Hyde]

R8: biramous

[Gevin Chapwell]

I'm pretty sure that Susie has always just told us that a tangelo is a cross between a tangerine and a grapefruit, whereas Rufus Hound just toold us it was a cross between a tangerine and a pomelo. According to Wikipedia

The tangelo (/ˈtændʒəloʊ/ TAN-jə-loh, /tænˈdʒɛloʊ/ tan-JEL-oh; C. reticulata × C. maxima or × C. paradisi), Citrus × tangelo, is a citrus fruit hybrid of a Citrus reticulata variety, such as mandarin orange or tangerine, and a Citrus maxima variety, such as a pomelo or grapefruit. The name is a portmanteau of 'tangerine' and 'pomelo'.

So the name comes from pomelo at least. I think this counts as a point for Rufus over Susie.

[Gevin Chapwell]

And Rachel wore her crude jumper again.

[Steve Hyde]

And Rachel wore her crude jumper again.

Between the jumper and Rufus Hound's baffling jazz odyssey, the whole episode had a distinctly CatsDown vibe to it today

[Toby McDonald]

RENGUERA in R1
PETALINE in R11

R14 Alt.: (10*9+1)*4+8+7 = 379

[Gevin Chapwell]

So the make-it-up-as-you-go-along restsurant rule doesn't allow bacons.

[Johnny Canuck]

So the make-it-up-as-you-go-along restsurant rule doesn't allow bacons.

Because if you're having bacon, having plural strips is considered a given

[Philip A]

Meat such as bacon, venison and mutton is not countable, whereas a dish such as tiramisu, bhoona, pilau is countable and uncountable. The lexicographer and director are being consistent and applying the rule correctly every show in recent series. Nothing wrong with the restaurant rule – more specifically, a ‘portion of’ or ‘unit of’ rule – its application. In fact they have been applying mass noun rules more consistently and are remaining true to going for what is grammatically correct and in common usage, hence disallowals of sedations x and mileages x. If you up ‘bacon’ and ‘pilau’ on this https://www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries. ... on?q=bacon, it gives ‘bacon’ as uncountable and ‘pilau’ as both uncountable and countable.

[Fiona T]

Meat such as bacon, venison and mutton is not countable, whereas a dish such as tiramisu, bhoona, pilau is countable and uncountable. The lexicographer and director are being consistent and applying the rule correctly every show in recent series. Nothing wrong with the restaurant rule – more specifically, a ‘portion of’ or ‘unit of’ rule – its application. In fact they have been applying mass noun rules more consistently and are remaining true to going for what is grammatically correct and in common usage, hence disallowals of sedations x and mileages x. If you up ‘bacon’ and ‘pilau’ on this https://www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries. ... on?q=bacon, it gives ‘bacon’ as uncountable and ‘pilau’ as both uncountable and countable.

Well according to that source, salmon is countable

[Philip A]

True, but it does also state that the plural of salmon is the same, salmon, as does ODP. But at least history, including in this game, demonstrates consistent validity judgement. NACHOS was a nice get from Singh in that tricky round. I didn’t get BHOONAS.

[Gevin Chapwell]

So the make-it-up-as-you-go-along restsurant rule doesn't allow bacons.

Because if you're having bacon, having plural strips is considered a given

Yes, but it's about portions of (strips of) bacon!

Meat such as bacon, venison and mutton is not countable, whereas a dish such as tiramisu, bhoona, pilau is countable and uncountable. The lexicographer and director are being consistent and applying the rule correctly every show in recent series. Nothing wrong with the restaurant rule – more specifically, a ‘portion of’ or ‘unit of’ rule – its application. In fact they have been applying mass noun rules more consistently and are remaining true to going for what is grammatically correct and in common usage, hence disallowals of sedations x and mileages x. If you up ‘bacon’ and ‘pilau’ on this https://www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries. ... on?q=bacon, it gives ‘bacon’ as uncountable and ‘pilau’ as both uncountable and countable.

Yeah, I mean this did also get discussed on Apterous here for those that can read Apterous tickets (it's a special skill). They might be consistent, but it's still arbitrary, and unless it's specified in the contestant guidelines, it can lead to people having a seemingly reasonable word disallowed. Not everyone analyses every adjudication ever like we do on here. The point is that bacon is something that could be realistically listed on a menu and someone could ask for two bacons. Unless of course Countdown has decided that ordering meat is barbaric and outdated, and is just taking a stand against it.

[Gevin Chapwell]

The salmons thing.

[Howie Myers]

r13 alt: MONTAGE or MAGNETO