Monday 4th October 2010 (Series 63, Prelim 61)

[Ryan Taylor]

Countdown recap for Monday 4 October 2010.

C1: Champion Michael Chadwick (1 win, 89 points.)
C2: Challenger Phill Thorne.
DC: Susie Dent and Matt Le Tissier.
RR: Rachel Riley.
OT: Other words or solutions.

R01: D E T O A R K N E
R02: T I E H S B I T A
R03: D I F E U N I S E
R04: I E M D C U T N S
R05: 50, 8, 4, 10, 7, 5. Target: 539.
TTT: EATLOCAL - "Distribute a humble greeting perhaps"
R06: O P M S Y E U N R
R07: P A W X E S N A C
R08: N L V O A I B N U
R09: R I S A F N E H T
R10: 50, 5, 8, 10, 7, 9. Target: 599.
TTT: PLAYEXPO - "It's not lower it's definitely ire."
R11: Z A R C U E R J I
R12: L R G E I E P D I
R13: T O L R U E S W O
R14: 25, 10, 7, 9, 5, 7. Target: 379.
R15: B I G A L I E N S (conundrum)


And now a brief interlude before our main feature:

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Michael Chadwick saw off Heather Driver last Friday with remarkable ease. He is from Tooting, London where he lives with his wife and he is an advertising strategist (whatever one of those is). His favourite place to be is where he grew up - the Chilterns. He also enjoys cycling and cooking and reckons he is pretty shit hot in the kitchen. I have to say he seems exceptionally calm and relaxed in that seat so he could prove tough to move.

Phill Thorne is from Ashford, Kent and he is well into his puzzles and pub quizzes. I reckon I'd get on with him pretty well. His "ambition" in life is to read the football scores. This doesn't bode well if this is his ambition. He's probably going into Countdown just hoping not to score 0.

The legend they call Matt Le Tissier is in DC and is quite a rare breed of footballer as he spent his entire professional career at just the one club...Southampton. He's been on Countdown a few times now and I think most people enjoy him in DC (apart from those people who don't like football).

Enjoy the show.

Round 1: D E T O A R K N E

C1: RANTED (6)
C2: TANKER (6)
DC: TANKERED (8)
Score: 6–6 (max 8)

Weakish start today as there was an 8 (despite being darrenic) that kind of jumped out. Although I reckon they may have thought it was risky. Or am I just being too kind to them and they genuinely didn't see it? Probably the latter, 'cos I'm such a nice person.

Round 2: T I E H S B I T A

C1: BATHES (6)
C2: HABITS (6)
DC: ATHEIST (7) BATTIES (7)
OT: STAITHE (7) BATISTE (7)
Score: 12–12 (max 15)

6's again for the two gents as DC reel off the 7's. BATTIES in American slang are the buttocks which I think is just batshit insane.

Round 3: D I F E U N I S E

C1: DEFINES (7)
C2: UNIFIED (7)
DC: INFUSED (7)
OT: INFEEDS (7) DEIFIES (7) EDIFIES (7) FUNDIES (7) UNIFIES (7)
Score: 19–19 (max 22)

A 7 max from Michael and Phill keep the scores in balance still after the three rounds. Could be a close one today.

Round 4: I E M D C U T N S

C1: uncited
C2: MEDICS (6)
DC: MISCUED (7) SIDECUT (7) DUSTMEN (7)
OT: DICTUMS (7) INCUDES (7) INCUSED (7) INDUCES (7) INDUCTS (7) MINDSET (7) MINUETS (7) MINUTES (7) MINUTED (7)
Score: 19–25 (max 29)

Michael makes the first error of the day leaving Phill to carve a lead with a shabby 6 given the array of letters. Time to see how good Phill's numbers are.

Round 5: 50, 8, 4, 10, 7, 5. Target: 539.

C1: 539. (50+4)*10-(8-7) (10)
C2: 539. 50*10+8*4+7 (10)
Score: 29–35 (max 39)

Well, that didn't really test either of them as they gulp up 10 points and we head off to listen to "Le God"...

DC Guest Time: Le Tissier was known for his love of a pie and was never really one to watch what he ate. He tells of the time the dietician at the club asked the players to list everything they ate in a week. She wondered how the hell he was playing football!

Teatime teaser: EATLOCAL -> ALLOCATE

Round 6: O P M S Y E U N R

C1: PRUNES (6)
C2: PRUNES (6)
DC: SUPREMO (7)
OT: EPONYMS (7) SPUMONE (7) UNROPES (7)
Score: 35–41 (max 46)

A few lovely 7's present but PRUNES are fair to crap as Michael and Phill bring smiles to Apterites across the world as they fondly think just how shit Apterous Prune really is.

Round 7: P A W X E S N A C

C1: CANAPES (7)
C2: WAXES (5)
Score: 42–41 (max 53)

Excellent from Michael. This is what makes him champion so far as he picks out the darren from this tricky selection. That spot now puts him 1 point in front.

Round 8: N L V O A I B N U

C1: VIOLA (5)
C2: BLAIN (5)
DC: ALBINO (6)
OT: ANNULI (6) UNNAIL (6) BUNION (6) NOUNAL (6)
Score: 47–46 (max 59)

And Michael almost had ALBINO when he was thinking about ALBION^. As it is his 5 will do as he maintains his very slender lead. A BLAIN is like a sore patch on the skin unlike what Susie thought it was (something to do with a badger). She is one kinky bitch having badgers on the mind.

Round 9: R I S A F N E H T

C1: HAIRNETS (8)
C2: shafter
OT: THERIANS (8)
Score: 55–46 (max 67)

Another good spot of a Countdown classic means he forges possibly one of the worst leads in the game of Countdown - 9 points.

Susie's Origin of Words: It's back to Call My Bluff this week starting with the main man, Jeff.

Susie asks what is KAROSHI? Is it...

a) a sleeveless jacket made from animal skin and used by people native to South Africa
b) death caused by work or job related exhaustion
c) a Japanese dish of highly spiced sushi which is becoming popular in the UK

If you went for "b) death caused by work or job related exhaustion" then you win a gold star 'cos you are super awesome. It's no surprise really that it is of Japanese origin considering the amount they bloody work.

Anyway back to the game. Michael has a 9 point lead let's see what Phill can do about it.

Round 10: 50, 5, 8, 10, 7, 9. Target: 599.

C1: 598. (50+9)*10+8 (7)
C2: 598. (50+9)*10+8 (7)
RR: 599. (7+5)*50-(10-9) (10)
Score: 62–53 (max 77)

I'm sorry, I can't skate over the fact that both contestants missed a blindingly obvious numbers game here. I think this is probably second to the infamous Dale Levell 912 numbers game. That was a real chance for Phill to regain his lead. Nevermind.

Teatime teaser: PLAYEXPO -> APOPLEXY

Round 11: Z A R C U E R J I

C1: CRAZIER (7)
C2: CRAZIER (7)
Score: 69–60 (max 84)

At least their letters game is still up to scratch as they spot the only available 7.

Round 12: L R G E I E P D I

C1: GLIDER (6)
C2: REPLIED (7)
DC: PLEDGER (7)
Score: 69–67 (max 91)

A lapse from Michael means Phill is right up his arse now with just 2 points separating them. PLEDGER briefly sparks memories of baby-faced series 62 finalist and octochamp Danny Pledger. (You know, the rollercoaster loving one).

Round 13: T O L R U E S W O

C1: TROWELS (7)
C2: LOOTERS (7)
DC: OUTWORE (7)
OT: LOUSEWORT (18)
Score: 76–74 (max 109)

Good 7's and DC likewise have a 7. Phill was wondering about OUTSWORE^ as in:

Person 1: You're a wanker.
Person 2: Well you're a cuntbrick.
Person 1: Wow, you just outswore me.
Person 2: Because I'm the motherfucking dog's bollocks.
Person 1: Look, you just did it again.
Person 2: Shut it you cunt.

Round 14: 25, 10, 7, 9, 5, 7. Target: 379.

C1: 378. (7+9)*25-10-5-7 (7)
C2: 374.
MLT: 379. (25+7+5)*10+9 (10)
Score: 83–74 (max 119)

With Michael not getting this spot on it means even with those 7 points he doesn't have the game in the bag yet as Phill could snatch it cruelly. Best of luck to them as we reveal today's Countdown conundrum...

Round 15: B I G A L I E N S

C1 buzzes on 15 seconds to say ABSEILING which is correct.
Final Score: 93–74 (max 129)

15 seconds?!?!? They both deserve to lose. Only joking. Michael is champion again and a worthy one too. It would have been wrong if Phill won it on a crucial as I felt Michael just shaded the game. They were very evenly matched though and it was a decent contest.

Until next time...sionara!

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

[Jon Corby]

Round 14: 25, 10, 7, 9, 5, 7. Target: 379.

C1: 378. (7+9)*25-10-5-7 (7)
C2: 374.
RR: 379. (25+7+5)*10+9 (10)

MLT gave this solution, not RR.

[Ryan Taylor]

Round 14: 25, 10, 7, 9, 5, 7. Target: 379.

C1: 378. (7+9)*25-10-5-7 (7)
C2: 374.
RR: 379. (25+7+5)*10+9 (10)

MLT gave this solution, not RR.

Edited.