Friday 23 July 2010 (Series 63, Prelim 25)

Mike Brown · Post by **Mike Brown** » Sun Jul 25, 2010 5:52 pm

Countdown recap for Friday 23 July 2010 (Series 63, Prelim 25).

C1: Champion Tom Rowell (1 win, 90 points.)
C2: Challenger Dave Gawthrope (born Cleethorpes; now lives in Sheffield).
DC: Susie Dent and Sharron Davies.
RR: Rachel Riley.
OT: Other words or solutions.

It’s double-recap day for me, so it’s time to see whether aptoforumite Tom Rowell can make it two wins out of two by taking on the challenge from Dave Gawthrope, whose claim to something other than fame is that he had to be rescued during his attempt to complete the mile-long Great North Swim just 100 metres from the start line. What are we waiting for?

R01: N Q M A O E T I L
R02: P J A P E N O T E
R03: D R C A U I X C A
R04: D G I E D O B C N
R05: 50, 5, 4, 2, 2, 3. Target: 788.
TTT: REALBABE - "Can put up with Yogi - just about."
R06: G H E A T N E S O
R07: R H S E I E F Z O
R08: S R E T A R O W T
R09: F T B T A E U W M
R10: 25, 7, 2, 1, 5, 4. Target: 598.
TTT: SWAYACAT - "Start fishing, while the actors are stuck on desert island."
R11: N K S O A I Y R O
R12: L R E G U S E D O
R13: N L N T I O E L R
R14: 100, 10, 2, 1, 8, 7. Target: 518.
R15: P L L U G I N T O (conundrum)

Yes, it’s been another week sponsored by Osteocare, brought to you by those lovely people from Vitabiotics.

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It’s the day the schools break up for most of the country, so Jeff works out (with a little assistance from Rachel) that children spend on average just two and a half hours per day at their desks in the course of a year, which according to Rachel is less than university students. And who am I to argue?

Round 1: N Q M A O E T I L

C1: ELATION (7)
C2: MANTLE (6)
DC: AILMENT (7) TOENAIL (7) OMENTAL (7)
OT: ALIMENT (7) AMNIOTE (7) TELAMON (7)
Score: 7–0 (max 7)

DC offer several of the many sevens available. For those that don’t already know, a TELAMON (plural TELAMONES) is a male figure in architecture.

Round 2: P J A P E N O T E

C1: PANTO (5)
C2: PENT (4)
DC: PANTO (5)
OT: PEPTONE (7)
Score: 12–0 (max 14)

Those who were paying attention the other day may well have spotted PEPTONE. NEPETA and POTEEN were nice sixes.

Round 3: D R C A U I X C A

C1: CARDIAC (7)
C2: CARDIAC (7)
DC: CARDIAC (7)
Score: 19–7 (max 21)

Our contestants show some heart by spotting CARDIAC.

Round 4: D G I E D O B C N

C1: DECODING (8)
C2: CODDING (7)
Score: 27–7 (max 29)

A good eight from Tom extends his lead to 20. Is this going to be a whitewash? Those who were watching the other day may well have spotted BOINGED for 7.

Round 5: 50, 5, 4, 2, 2, 3. Target: 788.

C1: 788. ((50+2)x3x5)+(2x4) (10)
C2: 788. ((2x2x50)-3)x4 (10)
Score: 37–17 (max 39)

I thought this was quite tricky, but it didn’t baffle either of our players, who bagged ten points apiece.

Sharron discusses some of her charity work and the upcoming Olympics with Jeff before the break.

Teatime teaser: REALBABE -> BEARABLE

Round 6: G H E A T N E S O

C1: HOSTAGE (7)
C2: hagstone
DC: HOSTAGE (7) NEGATES (7)
OT: GOATEES (7) ONSTAGE (7) TANGOES (7)
Score: 44–17 (max 46)

Unfortunately, Dave gets his hagstone muddled up with his RAGSTONE, which allows Tom to gain even more ground.

Round 7: R H S E I E F Z O

C1: FRESH (5)
C2: FISHER (6)
DC: HOSIER (6) HEIFERS (7) FRIEZES (7)
OT: HEROIZES (8)
Score: 44–23 (max 54)

Dave recovers a bit with what sounds like a dodgy six, but it’s fine. No one gets the darrenic HEROIZES, a word that is bound to upset anyone who doesn’t like the –IZE suffix.

Round 8: S R E T A R O W T

C1: TOASTER (7)
C2: TOASTER (7)
DC: ROTATES (7) ROASTER (7)
OT: ROSTRATE (8) STARWORT (8)
Score: 51–30 (max 62)

TOASTER pops up for the umpteenth time on Countdown. ROSTRATE is an adjective derived from ROSTRUM (in a zoological sense), while STARWORT is a star-shaped wort. No, really.

Round 9: F T B T A E U W M

C1: MUTATE (6)
C2: MUTATE (6)
DC: MUTATE (6) FETTA (5) BEAUT (5)
OT: BATTUE (6)
Score: 57–36 (max 68)

Both Tom and Dave go for the obvious six. BATTUE is a form of hunting.

Round 10: 25, 7, 2, 1, 5, 4. Target: 598.

C1: 598. ((7-1)x4x25)-2 (10)
C2: 598. ((7-1)x4x25)-2 (10)
Score: 67–46 (max 78)

OoW: On the last day of Susie’s latest weeklong (a word which, surprisingly, isn’t in the dictionary) tribute to ‘Call My Bluff’, she asks Rachel to spot the correct definition of the word ‘destrier’ (a word which is in the dictionary) – and she does, and - for once - outscores Jeff in the process. So, not just a numbers expert, after all!

Teatime teaser: SWAYACAT -> CASTAWAY

Round 11: N K S O A I Y R O

C1: ARIOSO (6)
C2: RISKY (5)
DC: KROONS (6) OKAYS (5)
OT: RYOKANS (7)
Score: 73–46 (max 85)

As pointed out by Susie, the KROON is the monetary unit of Estonia. Despite sounding like some kind of chemical, a RYOKAN is a traditional Japanese inn. And no, I’m not being sake.

Round 12: L R E G U S E D O

C1: DELOUSE (7)
C2: GROUSED (7)
DC: DELUGES (7) GROUSED (7)
OT: URODELES (8)
Score: 80–53 (max 93)

Tom plumps for the rather unappealing DELOUSE, while Dave gets the hump with GROUSED. URODELES might sound like the sort of thing dodgy politicians might get involved in making, but they’re actually amphibians that retain the tail as adults.

Round 13: N L N T I O E L R

C1: INTONER (7)
C2: LOITER (6)
DC: RETINOL (7) LORILET (7)
Score: 87–53 (max 100)

A great agent noun spot from Tom puts his second victory beyond doubt. DC come up with Countdown regular RETINOL, as well as the lovely-sounding LORILET, which is another name for the fig parrot.

Round 14: 100, 10, 2, 1, 8, 7. Target: 518.

C1: 518. ((7-2)x100)+10+8 (10)
C2: 517.
Score: 97–53 (max 110)

Round 15: P L L U G I N T O

C2 buzzes on 2 seconds to say POLLUTING which is correct.
Final Score: 97–63 (max 120)

It’s frustratingly close to a century for Tom, while Dave saves face by solving the conundrum in a shade over two seconds. To find out what happens to Tom next, you’ll now have to wait for over a fortnight, as the main series goes off on its summer holidays until August 9th. In the meantime, you can enjoy two Countdown Specials on the next two Monday afternoons at 3.25 featuring some forum faves and Gary Osborne in Dictionary Corner. Miss them and miss out!

Further summaries are at:
http://www.apterous.org/cdb/series.php?series=63