Monday 31st August 2026 ( Series 94 Preliminary 44)

[Tracey Anne Mills]

Hello and welcome to another recap after seeing Cameron Lovatt octo on Friday, this recap will be a little unusual after 44 years surnames will no longer be shown on contestants nameplates only forenames will be shown which is due to safeguarding issues. It will take a bit of time for me to adapt and adjust to this new change when I do my recaps..............this will be a first of it's kind as we will now welcome two brand new contestants to the Countdown studios......which one of them is going to walk away with the teapot ?

Countdown recap for Monday 31 Unknown month '08' 2026.

C1: Challenger Dave.
C2: Challenger Nimali.
DC: Susie Dent and Zoe Lyons .
RR: Rachel Riley.
OT: Other words or solutions.

R01: L M S R U I E C G
R02: R T N A U E D O E
R03: 75, 10, 7, 6, 1, 10. Target: 166.
TTT: TAMESCAT - "It's what I am to Rachel and Susie."
R04: R N G A E U O L A
R05: R S N G O E A T E
R06: 25, 10, 3, 2, 1, 4. Target: 912.
R07: R S H O A I S L E
R08: S N Q C O I O N E
R09: 100, 2, 3, 7, 8, 2, . Target: 474.
TTT: SIRVOGUE - "It's serious; there's only one "I" in the answer."
R10: F G T U O E I S M
R11: P D F N E U O M J
R12: L K R T E A E I W
R13: N S T D R U E A U
R14: 50, 9, 6, 3, 2, 4, . Target: 477.
R15: O L I V E S L E T (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 S R U I E C G

Dave: SMILER (6)
Nimali: MISRULE (7)
DC: CLUMSIER (8)
OT: MUSCLIER (8)
Score: 0–7 (max 8)

Round 2: R T N A U E D O E

Dave: UNRATED (7)
Nimali: NATURE (6)
DC: NATURED (7) DENATURE (8)
OT: DEUTERON (8)
Score: 7–7 (max 16)

Round 3: 75, 10, 7, 6, 1, 10. Target: 166.

Dave: 166. (10 − 1) × 10 + 75 + 7 − 6 (10)
Nimali: 166. (10 + 6) × 10 + 7 − 1 (10)
Score: 17–17 (max 26)

Teatime teaser: TAMESCAT -> CASTMATE

Round 4: R N G A E U O L A

Dave: LOUNGER (7)
Nimali: LOUNGER (7)
DC: LOUNGER (7) LANGOUR (7) ANGULAR (7)
OT: ANALOGUE (8)
Score: 24–24 (max 34)

Round 5: R S N G O E A T E

Dave: STRONG (6)
Nimali: ORANGES (7)
DC: RESONATE (8) ORANGES (7)
OT: ESTRANGE (8) GRANTEES (8) NEGATORS (8) RAGSTONE (8) REAGENTS (8) SERGEANT (8)
Score: 24–31 (max 42)

Round 6: 25, 10, 3, 2, 1, 4. Target: 912.

Dave: 912. Mistake in working.
Nimali: 906. 25 × 4 × (10 − 1) + 3 × 2 (5)
RR: 912. ((10 − 1) × 25 + 3) × 4 (10)
Score: 24–36 (max 52)

Round 7: R S H O A I S L E

Dave: HAIRLESS (8)
Nimali: HAIRLESS (8)
DC: HAIRLESS (8)
OT: SLOSHIER (8) SOLARISE (8)
Score: 32–44 (max 60)

Round 8: S N Q C O I O N E

Dave: incense
Nimali: ONIONS (6)
DC: CONNIES (7)
OT: NEOCONS (7) NEONICS (7)
Score: 32–50 (max 67)

Round 9: 100, 2, 3, 7, 8, 2. Target: 474.

Dave: 475. (100 − 3 − 2) × (7 − 2) (7)
Nimali: 472.
RR: 474. ((7 + 2) × 100) ÷ 2 + 3 × 8 (10)
Score: 39–50 (max 77)

Teatime teaser: SIRVOGUE -> GREVIOUS

Round 10: F G T U O E I S M

Dave: FOGIES (6)
Nimali: MOUSE (5)
DC: EGOTISM (7)
OT: FOMITES (7) FUMIEST (7) TIMEOUS (7)
Score: 45–50 (max 84)

Round 11: P D F N E U O M J

Dave: MOUND (5)
Nimali: JUMPED (6)
DC: FONDUE (6)
OT: MENUDO (6)
Score: 45–56 (max 90)

Round 12: L K R T E A E I W

Dave: RELATE (6)
Nimali: WALKER (6)
DC: TALKIER (7)
OT: WARTLIKE (8) WEAKLIER (8)
Score: 51–62 (max 98)

Round 13: N S T D R U E A U

Dave: STANDER (7)
Nimali: unrusted
DC: SUTURED (7) ASUNDER (7) SAUNTER (7) TRANSUDE (8)
Score: 58–62 (max 106)

Round 14: 50, 9, 6, 3, 2, 4. Target: 477.

Dave: 477 (50 + 3) × 9 (10)
Nimali 477((50 − 3) × (6 + 4) + 9 − 2 (10)
Score: 68–72 (max 116)

Round 15: O L I V E S L E T

C1 buzzes on 6 seconds to say LOVELIEST which is correct.
Final Score: 78–72 (max 126)