Monday 31st August 2026 ( Series 94 Preliminary 46)
Posted: Mon Aug 31, 2026 2:54 pm
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 ?

C1: Challenger Dave ( Debut Episode 8844)
C2: Challenger Nimali ( Debut Episode 8844 )
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:
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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)

C1: Challenger Dave ( Debut Episode 8844)
C2: Challenger Nimali ( Debut Episode 8844 )
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
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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)