Monday 28th June 2021 (Series 84, Preliminary 1)
Posted: Mon Jun 28, 2021 2:25 pm
It's Day 1 of the Robinson era, also day 1 of Series 84. We begin with a clip from 1987, which blends in fairly seamlessly so that Richard Whiteley introduces Anne.
Countdown recap for Monday 28 June 2021.
No long Hewer-esque intro, but we do get a lot of "welcome to the show, Anne".
Not sure where else to put this, but Anne appropriated a lot of her Weakest Link catchphrases when starting the clock: "Let's play... Countdown!" // "Start the clock!"
C1: Champion Steve Francom (1 win, 76 points.)
C2: Challenger Shelley Barnes.
DC: Susie Dent and Rory Bremner.
RR: Rachel Riley.
OT: Other words or solutions.
R01: D T O U M B O P E
R02: N R T I A E V Y I
R03: 100, 50, 9, 6, 8, 4. Target: 303.
TTT: ONEBALSA - "Have the sea creatures borrowed your Swedish record collection?"
R04: S T B M E O A S N
R05: L G C E I U D S N
R06: 25, 7, 5, 5, 1, 4. Target: 297.
R07: A E A L C R K R L
R08: G T P I I A T D M
R09: 100, 50, 1, 2, 9, 9. Target: 874.
TTT: CENTCORE - "Deceive the Greek island with something very hard."
R10: D R W A E I J L V
R11: T E S A G W U N S
R12: F S H E A L R O O
R13: C G I T P E E T O
R14: 25, 7, 9, 10, 8, 6. Target: 654.
R15: S I N T H E S I C (conundrum)
And now a brief interlude before our main feature:
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Enjoy the show.
Round 1: D T O U M B O P E
Steve: POUTED (6)
Shelley: BOOMED (6)
DC: OUTMODE (7)
OT: POETDOM (7)
Score: 6–6 (max 7, jos 7)
Darren-o-meter: 0/1 (0%)
Not the most auspicious start to the new era, sixes each.
Round 2: N R T I A E V Y I
Steve: INVITER (7) (try)
Shelley: INVITE (6)
DC: VARIETY (7) NAIVETY (7) INERTIA (7)
OT: VITRINE (7)
Score: 13–6 (max 14, jos 14)
Darren-o-meter: 0/2 (0%)
Steve adds an R onto Shelley's word and it pays off to take an early lead. Lots of sevens here.
Round 3: 100, 50, 9, 6, 8, 4. Target: 303.
Steve: 303. 50 × 6 + 4 − (9 − 8) (10)
Shelley: 303. Mistake in working.
Score: 23–6 (max 24, jos 24)
Shelley used the 6 twice, doing 50 x 6 but then 9 - 6 at the end!
Teatime teaser: ONEBALSA -> ABALONES
Round 4: S T B M E O A S N
Steve: BEASTS (6)
Shelley: STAMENS (7)
DC: BOATMEN (7) BOATSMEN (8)
OT: MANBOTES (8)
Score: 23–13 (max 32, jos 32)
Darren-o-meter: 0/3 (0%)
Shelley hits back with a plural of STAMEN, which gets the gap back to 10 points. An eight for Susie.
Round 5: L G C E I U D S N
Steve: UNSLICED (8)
Shelley: SLICED (6)
DC: SECLUDING (18)
Score: 31–13 (max 50, jos 50)
Darren-o-meter: 1/4 (25%)
It's our first darren of the day and it's a nine, would you believe. It comes from Rory Bremner (sidenote: I initially wrote that as Rory Burns). Steve adds UN- onto Shelley's word - the second time today he's pulled that trick - and extends his lead.
Round 6: 25, 7, 5, 5, 1, 4. Target: 297.
Steve: -
Shelley: 294. Mistake in working.
RR: 297. (7 + 5) × 25 − (4 − 1) (10)
Score: 31–13 (max 60, jos 60)
Shelley seems to think 7 x 4 is 19 and is in fact 9 away from her declaration. Steve blanks and it's left to Rachel to show us how it's done.
Rory Bremner does some impressions of the cabinet, but (ironically given recent events) dodges Anne's suggestion of doing Matt Hancock.
Round 7: A E A L C R K R L
Steve: CALLER (6)
Shelley: CLEAR (5)
DC: CELLAR (6) CLERK (5)
OT: ARRACK (6) CARREL (6) KARELA (6) RACKER (6) RACKLE (6) RECALL (6)
Score: 37–13 (max 66, jos 66)
Darren-o-meter: 1/5 (20%)
Lots of sixes here, but Shelley doesn't see any of them.
Round 8: G T P I I A T D M
Steve: DIGIT (5)
Shelley: tait
DC: PITTA (5) ADMIT (5)
OT: AGIDI (5) MITTA (5) TIMID (5)
Score: 42–13 (max 71, jos 71)
Darren-o-meter: 1/6 (17%)
Not a great round here and Shelley makes a bad situation worse when TAIT^ is disallowed.
Round 9: 100, 50, 1, 2, 9, 9. Target: 874.
Steve: 873. (100 − 2 − 1) × 9 (7)
Shelley: 873. 9 × 100 − 9 × (2 + 1) (7)
RR: 874. 100 × 9 − 50 ÷ 2 − 1 (10)
Score: 49–20 (max 81, jos 81)
Both contestants are 1 away and Rachel shows us that the best option is not to overthink it.
Teatime teaser: CENTCORE -> CONCRETE
Round 10: D R W A E I J L V
Steve: WAIVER (6)
Shelley: DRIVE (5)
DC: DRIVEL (6) JAILER (6)
OT: DERAIL (6) EARLID (6) JAILED (6) LAIRED (6) LIVERD (6) RAILED (6) REDIAL (6) RELAID (6) REWILD (6) VAILED (6) VARIED (6) WAILED (6) WAILER (6) WAIVED (6) WAVIER (6) WILDER (6)
Score: 55–20 (max 87, jos 87)
Darren-o-meter: 1/7 (14%)
Oh, Shelley... what are you like? So many sixes here and she doesn't see any of them.
Round 11: T E S A G W U N S
Steve: UNSEATS (7)
Shelley: UNSEATS (7)
OT: SUNGAETS (8) SUNGATES (8)
Score: 62–27 (max 95, jos 94)
Darren-o-meter: 1/8 (13%)
UNSEATS is the only word offered by the studio and we move swiftly on.
For Anne's first show, Susie decides to repeat some of her greatest hits.
Round 12: F S H E A L R O O
Steve: FLASHER (7)
Shelley: fooler
DC: LOOFAHS (7) LOAFERS (7)
OT: ALEHOOFS (8)
Score: 69–27 (max 103, jos 101)
Darren-o-meter: 2/9 (22%)
Once again Shelley has a word disallowed, although Steve's agent noun is valid to get him across the line.
Round 13: C G I T P E E T O
Steve: PIECE (5)
Shelley: PETIT (5)
DC: POETIC (6) TIPTOE (6)
OT: PICOTEE (7) PIGCOTE (7)
Score: 74–32 (max 110, jos 107)
Darren-o-meter: 2/10 (20%)
Five more for our contestants, six for Dictionary Corner, seven for the computer.
Round 14: 25, 7, 9, 10, 8, 6. Target: 654.
Steve: 656. (10 + 9 + 7) × 25 + 6 (7)
Shelley: -
RR: 654. ((25 − 8 − 7) × 10 + 9) × 6 (10)
Score: 81–32 (max 120, jos 117)
Steve gets two away, and although it's not the only solution, Rachel struggles and says it was the only way she found.
Round 15: S I N T H E S I C
No one buzzes. Rachel gives the answer, which was ITCHINESS.
Final Score: 81–32 (max 130, jos 127)
A pretty tough conundrum for the first show of a series, but it's 81 points for Steve that makes him the first winner of the Robinson era.
Join us again for Countdown. Goodbye.
Further summaries are at:
http://cdb.apterous.org/series.php?series=84
Countdown recap for Monday 28 June 2021.
No long Hewer-esque intro, but we do get a lot of "welcome to the show, Anne".
Not sure where else to put this, but Anne appropriated a lot of her Weakest Link catchphrases when starting the clock: "Let's play... Countdown!" // "Start the clock!"
C1: Champion Steve Francom (1 win, 76 points.)
C2: Challenger Shelley Barnes.
DC: Susie Dent and Rory Bremner.
RR: Rachel Riley.
OT: Other words or solutions.
R01: D T O U M B O P E
R02: N R T I A E V Y I
R03: 100, 50, 9, 6, 8, 4. Target: 303.
TTT: ONEBALSA - "Have the sea creatures borrowed your Swedish record collection?"
R04: S T B M E O A S N
R05: L G C E I U D S N
R06: 25, 7, 5, 5, 1, 4. Target: 297.
R07: A E A L C R K R L
R08: G T P I I A T D M
R09: 100, 50, 1, 2, 9, 9. Target: 874.
TTT: CENTCORE - "Deceive the Greek island with something very hard."
R10: D R W A E I J L V
R11: T E S A G W U N S
R12: F S H E A L R O O
R13: C G I T P E E T O
R14: 25, 7, 9, 10, 8, 6. Target: 654.
R15: S I N T H E S I C (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
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SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER
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Enjoy the show.
Round 1: D T O U M B O P E
Steve: POUTED (6)
Shelley: BOOMED (6)
DC: OUTMODE (7)
OT: POETDOM (7)
Score: 6–6 (max 7, jos 7)
Darren-o-meter: 0/1 (0%)
Not the most auspicious start to the new era, sixes each.
Round 2: N R T I A E V Y I
Steve: INVITER (7) (try)
Shelley: INVITE (6)
DC: VARIETY (7) NAIVETY (7) INERTIA (7)
OT: VITRINE (7)
Score: 13–6 (max 14, jos 14)
Darren-o-meter: 0/2 (0%)
Steve adds an R onto Shelley's word and it pays off to take an early lead. Lots of sevens here.
Round 3: 100, 50, 9, 6, 8, 4. Target: 303.
Steve: 303. 50 × 6 + 4 − (9 − 8) (10)
Shelley: 303. Mistake in working.
Score: 23–6 (max 24, jos 24)
Shelley used the 6 twice, doing 50 x 6 but then 9 - 6 at the end!
Teatime teaser: ONEBALSA -> ABALONES
Round 4: S T B M E O A S N
Steve: BEASTS (6)
Shelley: STAMENS (7)
DC: BOATMEN (7) BOATSMEN (8)
OT: MANBOTES (8)
Score: 23–13 (max 32, jos 32)
Darren-o-meter: 0/3 (0%)
Shelley hits back with a plural of STAMEN, which gets the gap back to 10 points. An eight for Susie.
Round 5: L G C E I U D S N
Steve: UNSLICED (8)
Shelley: SLICED (6)
DC: SECLUDING (18)
Score: 31–13 (max 50, jos 50)
Darren-o-meter: 1/4 (25%)
It's our first darren of the day and it's a nine, would you believe. It comes from Rory Bremner (sidenote: I initially wrote that as Rory Burns). Steve adds UN- onto Shelley's word - the second time today he's pulled that trick - and extends his lead.
Round 6: 25, 7, 5, 5, 1, 4. Target: 297.
Steve: -
Shelley: 294. Mistake in working.
RR: 297. (7 + 5) × 25 − (4 − 1) (10)
Score: 31–13 (max 60, jos 60)
Shelley seems to think 7 x 4 is 19 and is in fact 9 away from her declaration. Steve blanks and it's left to Rachel to show us how it's done.
Rory Bremner does some impressions of the cabinet, but (ironically given recent events) dodges Anne's suggestion of doing Matt Hancock.
Round 7: A E A L C R K R L
Steve: CALLER (6)
Shelley: CLEAR (5)
DC: CELLAR (6) CLERK (5)
OT: ARRACK (6) CARREL (6) KARELA (6) RACKER (6) RACKLE (6) RECALL (6)
Score: 37–13 (max 66, jos 66)
Darren-o-meter: 1/5 (20%)
Lots of sixes here, but Shelley doesn't see any of them.
Round 8: G T P I I A T D M
Steve: DIGIT (5)
Shelley: tait
DC: PITTA (5) ADMIT (5)
OT: AGIDI (5) MITTA (5) TIMID (5)
Score: 42–13 (max 71, jos 71)
Darren-o-meter: 1/6 (17%)
Not a great round here and Shelley makes a bad situation worse when TAIT^ is disallowed.
Round 9: 100, 50, 1, 2, 9, 9. Target: 874.
Steve: 873. (100 − 2 − 1) × 9 (7)
Shelley: 873. 9 × 100 − 9 × (2 + 1) (7)
RR: 874. 100 × 9 − 50 ÷ 2 − 1 (10)
Score: 49–20 (max 81, jos 81)
Both contestants are 1 away and Rachel shows us that the best option is not to overthink it.
Teatime teaser: CENTCORE -> CONCRETE
Round 10: D R W A E I J L V
Steve: WAIVER (6)
Shelley: DRIVE (5)
DC: DRIVEL (6) JAILER (6)
OT: DERAIL (6) EARLID (6) JAILED (6) LAIRED (6) LIVERD (6) RAILED (6) REDIAL (6) RELAID (6) REWILD (6) VAILED (6) VARIED (6) WAILED (6) WAILER (6) WAIVED (6) WAVIER (6) WILDER (6)
Score: 55–20 (max 87, jos 87)
Darren-o-meter: 1/7 (14%)
Oh, Shelley... what are you like? So many sixes here and she doesn't see any of them.
Round 11: T E S A G W U N S
Steve: UNSEATS (7)
Shelley: UNSEATS (7)
OT: SUNGAETS (8) SUNGATES (8)
Score: 62–27 (max 95, jos 94)
Darren-o-meter: 1/8 (13%)
UNSEATS is the only word offered by the studio and we move swiftly on.
For Anne's first show, Susie decides to repeat some of her greatest hits.
Round 12: F S H E A L R O O
Steve: FLASHER (7)
Shelley: fooler
DC: LOOFAHS (7) LOAFERS (7)
OT: ALEHOOFS (8)
Score: 69–27 (max 103, jos 101)
Darren-o-meter: 2/9 (22%)
Once again Shelley has a word disallowed, although Steve's agent noun is valid to get him across the line.
Round 13: C G I T P E E T O
Steve: PIECE (5)
Shelley: PETIT (5)
DC: POETIC (6) TIPTOE (6)
OT: PICOTEE (7) PIGCOTE (7)
Score: 74–32 (max 110, jos 107)
Darren-o-meter: 2/10 (20%)
Five more for our contestants, six for Dictionary Corner, seven for the computer.
Round 14: 25, 7, 9, 10, 8, 6. Target: 654.
Steve: 656. (10 + 9 + 7) × 25 + 6 (7)
Shelley: -
RR: 654. ((25 − 8 − 7) × 10 + 9) × 6 (10)
Score: 81–32 (max 120, jos 117)
Steve gets two away, and although it's not the only solution, Rachel struggles and says it was the only way she found.
Round 15: S I N T H E S I C
No one buzzes. Rachel gives the answer, which was ITCHINESS.
Final Score: 81–32 (max 130, jos 127)
A pretty tough conundrum for the first show of a series, but it's 81 points for Steve that makes him the first winner of the Robinson era.
Join us again for Countdown. Goodbye.
Further summaries are at:
http://cdb.apterous.org/series.php?series=84