Thursday 5th November 2009 (Series 61, Prelim 79)

[Jon Corby]

Countdown recap for Thursday 5 November 2009.

C1: Champion Jeremy Baker (1 win, 85 points.)
C2: Challenger Ryan Taylor.
DC: Susie Dent and Dr Hilary Jones.
RR: Rachel Riley.
OT: Other words or solutions.

R01: T O E W A S G I N
R02: E D I N S E A M E
R03: T U A R L O I T A
R04: I P S E O A L T R
R05: 50, 7, 4, 1, 5, 6. Target: 463.
TTT: LEADPROP - "This reptile sounds like it's made of paper"
R06: I L A T E C T F I
R07: A D K O E N P O W
R08: A T I O N A D R E
R09: D S A O C D E A Q
R10: 25, 10, 1, 10, 5, 5. Target: 338.
TTT: FLATSUIT - "Could he get a tune out of a champagne glass?"
R11: N O I P S U L E C
R12: A N O E J M O S G
R13: E A N B E N Z I M
R14: 75, 5, 1, 4, 9, 10. Target: 441.
R15: B O N F I R E U P (conundrum)


And now a brief interlude before our main feature:

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Newly crowned champ Jeremy makes his first defence today. He's from Romsey in Hampshire and has a whole ream of impressive hobbies and academic achievements to his name which I can't quite remember at the moment. He's jovial, relaxed and modest, and seems like a top chap. His voice also reminds me of that of Michael Hordern (well known as the narrator for Paddington Bear), which is frankly ace.

Facing him is precocious young unemployed layabout (oh okay, he's a student) and apterite Ryan Taylor. Ryan likes his bedroom more than any other place in the world. I remember that period of my teens too.

Two very likeable and chatty contestants, who can also play the game very well, so should be a good show...

Round 1: T O E W A S G I N

C1: STOWING (7)
C2: SWEATING (8)
DC: TWINGES (7) WASTING (7)
Score: 0–8 (max 8)

Ryan is possibly helped by his nerves (which aren't evident) to find the darrenic 8 here. Good start for the challenger.

Round 2: E D I N S E A M E

C1: SEEMED (6)
C2: DEMINES (7)
DC: ENEMAS (6) ANISEED (7)
OT: DEMEANS (7) DEMESNE (7) SIDEMEN (7) ENEMIES (7) MAIDENS (7) MEDIANS (7) MEDINAS (7) SIDEMAN (7) MEANIES (7) NEMESIA (7)
Score: 0–15 (max 15)

Ryan's off to a flyer with a second winning max, though there were plenty to choose from this time.

Round 3: T U A R L O I T A

C1: TUTORIAL (8)
C2: RITUAL (6)
Score: 8–15 (max 23)

Jeremy hits back with an excellent spot.

Round 4: I P S E O A L T R

C1: POLARISE (8)
C2: PETIOLAR (8)
DC: EPILATORS (18)
Score: 16–23 (max 41)

Ryan considers adding the S to PETIOLAR, which wouldn't be good as it's just an adjective.

Round 5: 50, 7, 4, 1, 5, 6. Target: 463.

C1: 463. (4+5)*50+7+6 (10)
C2: 463. (4+5)*50+7+6 (10)
Score: 26–33 (max 51)

Close game as expected going into the first break.

Teatime teaser: LEADPROP -> PADLOPER

Round 6: I L A T E C T F I

C1: TACTILE (7)
C2: TACTILE (7) (also mentions LATTICE, the little show-off)
DC: FLATTIE (7)
OT: FICTILE (7) CILIATE (7)
Score: 33–40 (max 58)

Round 7: A D K O E N P O W

C1: PAWNED (6)
C2: PAWNED (6)
DC: POOKA (5) WOODEN (6)
OT: AWOKEN (6) PONDOK (6) POONED (6) WANKED (6) WEAPON (6)
Score: 39–46 (max 64)

Heh, Ryan gives a telling look to the camera which blatantly says "I had WANKED really but they've made me reshoot this bit", denying me the lols I craved. But wait! Susie comes to the rescue by saying to Dr Hilary "you got WOODEN didn't you?"

We're also denied a perfectly good nine - here starts my campaign to get the verb POOWANK into the dictionary, which is an efficient bit of multi-tasking that most men can manage.

Round 8: A T I O N A D R E

C1: RATIONED (8)
C2: RATIONED (8)
DC: ORDINATE (8)
OT: AERATION (8) DERATION (8)
Score: 47–54 (max 72)

Round 9: D S A O C D E A Q

C1: CASED (5)
C2: CODES (5)
DC: CODED (5) CODAS (5)
OT: ADDAS (5) DADAS (5) ECADS (5) COEDS (5) DECOS (5) DADOS (5) SADDO (5) DOSED (5)
Score: 52–59 (max 77)

Round 10: 25, 10, 1, 10, 5, 5. Target: 338.

C1: 340.
C2: 339. (25+10)*10-5-5-1 (7)
RR: 339. (7)
OT: 338. (25+1)*(10+5-(10/5)) (10)
Score: 52–66 (max 87)

Awkward numbers game eludes everybody, but Ryan manages to extends his lead back to the much more comfortable "over ten" position he held after the second round.

Teatime teaser: FLATSUIT -> FLAUTIST

Round 11: N O I P S U L E C

C1: LESION (6)
C2: COUPLES (7)
DC: SPICULE (7)
OT: COUNSEL (7) UNCLOSE (7) ELUSION (7) EPSILON (7) INCLOSE (7) LUCINES (7) LUPINES (7) PENCILS (7) SPLENIC (7) POLICES (7) POUNCES (7) SCULPIN (7) UNCLIPS (7) UNCOILS (7) UPSILON (7)
Score: 52–73 (max 94)

The game looks virtually over as a whole host of sevens (some obscure, some not so) pass Jeremy by.

Round 12: A N O E J M O S G

C1: MANGOES (7)
C2: MANGOES (7)
Score: 59–80 (max 101)

Good risk by both players to slip that E in there for the darren.

Round 13: E A N B E N Z I M

C1: BENZINE (7)
C2: BENZINE (7)
DC: MEANIE (6)
Score: 66–87 (max 108)

And again, an excellent risk by both guys as neither seems confident with their offering. Interestingly Ryan declared first, so it must have been a tough decision, but he makes the right call and seals the victory.

Round 14: 75, 5, 1, 4, 9, 10. Target: 441.

C1: 441. (75+4+9)*5+1 (10)
C2: 441. (5+1)*75-9 (10)
Score: 76–97 (max 118)

Round 15: B O N F I R E U P

No one buzzes. The answer was IBUPROFEN.
Score: 76–97 (max 128)

A topical but tricky conundrum eludes both players and the entire audience, and denies Ryan an opening century. Nonetheless a very impressive debut which promises great things (although I'd have said the same about Jeremy and Rob before him had I been recapping) and it had to be to get passed Jeremy who again played a solid game but was punished for the couple of tiny slips he did make. Indeed, Jeremy's darrenic offerings in the last two letters rounds would have been enough to pull off the comeback against most opposition, but he doesn't let his disappointment show and has clearly thoroughly enjoyed his short reign. Congrats to Ryan. Quality show.

Bloody hell, there's an organ donor appeal/advert straight after Countdown now which includes the line "nearly all of us would take an organ". Kyork kyork.

Further summaries are at:
http://www.apterous.org/cdb/series.php?series=61

[Matt Morrison]

Fanks Corbs. Missed today, so useful.

[Jason Larsen]

Without further ado, Bonfire Night 2009's Countdown.

Wow! These people are turning up like chameleons! Our challenger today talks to me quite a while ago on Apterous, all shy and admitting he needs to learn the ropes and then out of the blue he appears! Welcome to the show, Ryan!

Round 1: How ironic! Ryan, I bet you aren't sweating now, are you?
Round 2: Jeff will never need an enema in his life because he eats so much!
Hilary's Hijinks: Boo hiss!
Round 7: Did they edit that or not?
Round 8: I knew they would get that!
Origins of Words: Thank goodness the "animal bone tradition" is over!
Conundrum: Good joke there, Jeff!
Closing: It would have been funny if Jeff and Rachel were eating baked potatoes over the credits!

Good job, Ryan! I bet you'll show us you like to talk more tomorrow.

[Matt Morrison]

Round 2: Jeff will never need an enema in his life because he eats so much!

Jason - I'm pretty sure the more Jeff eats, the more he'd be a great candidate for an enema. It helps clear your bumpipes out, and the more you eat the more likely they are to be clogged.

[Phil Reynolds]

I'm pretty sure the more Jeff eats, the more he'd be a great candidate for an enema. It helps clear your bumpipes out, and the more you eat the more likely they are to be clogged.

Matt - with friends like you, who needs enemas?

[Jason Larsen]

Sorry, Matt

[Derek Hazell]

Round 15: B O N F I R E U P

No one buzzes. The answer was IBUPROFEN.
Score: 76–97 (max 128)

A topical but tricky conundrum eludes both players and the entire audience, and denies Ryan an opening century.

Possibly the cleverest conundrum yet, as there were THREE reasons for it to be topical.

• The Bonfire night scramble
  The medical answer while a doctor is in dictionary corner
  and The show's sponsor Ibuleve "contains ibuprofen"

[Kirk Bevins]

Round 15: B O N F I R E U P

No one buzzes. The answer was IBUPROFEN.
Score: 76–97 (max 128)

• The Bonfire night scramble
  The medical answer while a doctor is in dictionary corner
  and The show's sponsor Ibuleve "contains ibuprofen"

I loved it when I was watching this with my dad and his partner and she said during the conundrum (and my dad hadn't solved it but I had) "I need to get some paracetamol" ----so I decided to probe more by saying she nearly gave the answer out. My dad didn't get it. If only she'd said ibuprofen instead of paracetamol that would have been the weirdest coincidence.

[Dinos Sfyris]

If only she'd said ibuprofen instead of paracetamol that would have been the weirdest coincidence.

2nd weirdest

[D Eadie]

Possibly the cleverest conundrum yet, as there were THREE reasons for it to be topical.

• The Bonfire night scramble
  The medical answer while a doctor is in dictionary corner
  and The show's sponsor Ibuleve "contains ibuprofen"

A compliment, how nice.
Just finished working on the conundrums for the finals. Evil, pure evil.

[Derek Hazell]

Nice to see you smiling, Damian.

A compliment, how nice.

Yes, and I hope Jason complements it later.