Thursday 22nd October 2026 ( Series 94 Preliminary 84 )
Posted: Thu Oct 22, 2026 9:50 pm
Hello and welcome to another recap after seeing our newest champion Hazel wrap up her first win in style can she get her second win..........so let's get this show on the road
C1: Champion Hazel (1 win, 130 points.)
C2: Challenger Alan.
DC: Susie Dent and Mark Radcliffe .
RR: Rachel Riley.
OT: Other words or solutions.
R01: T P E U A S N I P
R02: U M I U G O I R L
R03: 25, 10, 3, 7, 6, 8. Target: 571.
TTT: BARLEASE - "You can take back your words with this sort of pen"
R04: U T N E U L E O D
R05: C D G U E A N E O
R06: 25, 9, 4, 9, 10, 3. Target: 584.
R07: T C R E A S E I R
R08: A E H I D S O A T
R09: 75, 7, 4, 7, 8, 2. Target: 750.
TTT: BEARVISA - "This sort of personality can rub you up the wrong way"
R10: E O S I P E D I Z
R11: T S W E O A R S I
R12: E U P T E A O N R
R13: E I O S R N L A O
R14: 50, 7, 2, 7, 3, 9. Target: 727.
R15: R E N T A L D I G (conundrum)
And now a brief interlude before our main feature:
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Enjoy the show.
Round 1: T P E U A S N I P
Hazel: PETUNIAS (8)
Alan: PANTIES (7)
DC: PETUNIAS (8)
OT: NAPPIEST (8) SUPINATE (8)
Score: 8–0 (max 8)
What a fantastic start and a blooming good 8 from Hazel with Petunias.........quite a few eighst to be had......no extra points for spotting most of those
Round 2: U M I U G O I R L
Hazel: MOGUL (5)
Alan: GIRL (4)
DC: MOGUL (5)
OT: GUIRO (5) ILIUM (5)
Score: 13–0 (max 13)
A rather nasty looking letter selection fives seem to be max in this round
Round 3: 25, 10, 3, 7, 6, 8. Target: 571.
C1: 571. (25 × 8 − 10) × 3 + 7 − 6 (10)
C2: 570.
Score: 23–0 (max 23)
Not too shabby with this rather difficult 1 large that bags our champion 10 more points...........but I found different way of getting there
25-6=19
19*10=190
190*3=570
570+9=579
579-8=571
Both of those use the omelette method that uses every number........but in most cases it isn't needed
Teatime teaser: BARLEASE -> ERASABLE
Round 4: U T N E U L E O D
Hazel: TOLUENE (7)
Alan: UNTOLD (6)
Score: 30–0 (max 30)
Another old favourite from our champion Hazel with Toluene
Round 5: C D G U E A N E O
Hazel: DECAGON (7)
Alan: DEACON (6)
DC: ENCAGED (7) DECAGON (7)
OT: CONGAED (7) GUANOED (7) UNCAGED (7)
Score: 37–0 (max 37)
Sevens all round sadly not for Alan who is stuck on 6.......not worth having a catfight over
Round 6: 25, 9, 4, 9, 10, 3. Target: 584.
C1: 584. (9 × 3 − 4) × 25 + 9
C2: -
Score: 47–0 (max 47)
Another straightforward from Ms Drury our challenger doesn't even get close
Round 7: T C R E A S E I R
Hazel: TRACERIES (18)
Alan: CREATES (7)
OT: CAREERIST (18)
Score: 65–0 (max 65)
What another fantastic spot from our champion Hazel with her 9 Traceries sadly Alan doesn't get to score in this round
Round 8: A E H I D S O A T
Hazel: TAIHOAED (8)
Alan: TOADIES (7)
Score: 73–0 (max 73)
This just gets better and better for our champion Hazel she is showcasing her word spotting prowess with this excellent spot Taihoaed.......but our champion Alan needs to score or have the unwanted record of scoring zero points
Round 9: 75, 7, 4, 7, 8, 2. Target: 750.
C1: 750. (8 + 2) × 75 (10)
C2: 750. (8 + 2) × 75 (10)
Score: 83–10 (max 83)
A piss easy number solve for our champion and challenger.........At long last Alan gets to score a much needed 10 points and avoid a whitewash
Teatime teaser: BEARVISA -> ABRASIVE
Round 10: E O S I P E D I Z
Hazel: EPISODE (7)
Alan: DEPOSE (6)
DC: IODIZES (7)
OT: SPIEDIE (7)
Score: 90–10 (max 90)
With five rounds remaining.......I don't want to jinx Hazel just yet.........can she achieve her max game ?
Round 11: T S W E O A R S I
Hazel: ROASTIES (8)
Alan: SORTIES (7)
DC: WAITRESS (8)
OT: OSTERIAS (8)
Score: 98–10 (max 98)
With four rounds left to go..........I like Hazel's eight Roasties they are a nice bit of scran especially on a Sunday roast.....it's making me hungry !
Round 12: E U P T E A O N R
Hazel: AUTOPEN (7)
Alan: NEATER (6)
DC: OPERANT (7) PRONATE (7)
OT: OPERATE (7) PROTEAN (7)
Score: 105–10 (max 105)
And with old Countdown favourite Autopen as Hazel's 7........quite a few of those again no extra points for spotting most of those..........there are now 3 rounds left to go
Round 13: E I O S R N L A O
Hazel: EROSIONAL (18)
Alan: LOANERS (7)
Score: 123–10 (max 123)
And with that fantastic 9 that I managed to spot.......there are two more rounds left to go.......all Hazel needs to is achieve perfection from them both......can she do it ?
Round 14: 50, 7, 2, 7, 3, 9. Target: 727.
C1: 727. 7 × 2 × 50 + 9 × 3 (10)
C2: 727. (7 + 7) × 50 + 3 × 9 (10)
Score: 133–20 (max 133)
With one more round left.....A piss easy number solve from Hazel and Alan bags them both 10 points..........all that is left for Hazel is the conundrum can she solve it and achieve her max game ?
Round 15: R E N T A L D I G
C1 buzzes on 16.5 seconds to say TREADLING which is correct.
Final Score: 143–20 (max 143)
OH MY GOD THIS IS AMAZING FROM HAZEL A MAX GAME !!!!!
This episode was notable for the following highlights:
Hazel's performance was a max game — the seventeenth in the history of Countdown, the fifth in a heat game in the new 15-round format, and the second one that had occurred within a year.
This was only the second time that a max game was achieved in any format by a female contestant; the first being Jenny Haldane's one back on 5 August 1988 virtually forty years prior.
Drury's winning margin of 123 points was one of the largest in the history of Countdown, ranking as the sixth highest at the time of broadcast.
Firstly Congratulations to Hazel on her amazing max game she becomes the second female to achieve this feat but the first in the 15 round era, secondly you have to feel sorry for Alan he couldn't get going who managed to score 20 points with two perfect number solves but couldn't match the brilliance of Hazel therefore making this game one sided. I reckon a few records will be broken if Hazel continues her superb form.........you can join me for the next recap it is bye for now
C1: Champion Hazel (1 win, 130 points.)
C2: Challenger Alan.
DC: Susie Dent and Mark Radcliffe .
RR: Rachel Riley.
OT: Other words or solutions.
R01: T P E U A S N I P
R02: U M I U G O I R L
R03: 25, 10, 3, 7, 6, 8. Target: 571.
TTT: BARLEASE - "You can take back your words with this sort of pen"
R04: U T N E U L E O D
R05: C D G U E A N E O
R06: 25, 9, 4, 9, 10, 3. Target: 584.
R07: T C R E A S E I R
R08: A E H I D S O A T
R09: 75, 7, 4, 7, 8, 2. Target: 750.
TTT: BEARVISA - "This sort of personality can rub you up the wrong way"
R10: E O S I P E D I Z
R11: T S W E O A R S I
R12: E U P T E A O N R
R13: E I O S R N L A O
R14: 50, 7, 2, 7, 3, 9. Target: 727.
R15: R E N T A L D I G (conundrum)
And now a brief interlude before our main feature:
SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER
SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER
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Enjoy the show.
Round 1: T P E U A S N I P
Hazel: PETUNIAS (8)
Alan: PANTIES (7)
DC: PETUNIAS (8)
OT: NAPPIEST (8) SUPINATE (8)
Score: 8–0 (max 8)
What a fantastic start and a blooming good 8 from Hazel with Petunias.........quite a few eighst to be had......no extra points for spotting most of those
Round 2: U M I U G O I R L
Hazel: MOGUL (5)
Alan: GIRL (4)
DC: MOGUL (5)
OT: GUIRO (5) ILIUM (5)
Score: 13–0 (max 13)
A rather nasty looking letter selection fives seem to be max in this round
Round 3: 25, 10, 3, 7, 6, 8. Target: 571.
C1: 571. (25 × 8 − 10) × 3 + 7 − 6 (10)
C2: 570.
Score: 23–0 (max 23)
Not too shabby with this rather difficult 1 large that bags our champion 10 more points...........but I found different way of getting there
25-6=19
19*10=190
190*3=570
570+9=579
579-8=571
Both of those use the omelette method that uses every number........but in most cases it isn't needed
Teatime teaser: BARLEASE -> ERASABLE
Round 4: U T N E U L E O D
Hazel: TOLUENE (7)
Alan: UNTOLD (6)
Score: 30–0 (max 30)
Another old favourite from our champion Hazel with Toluene
Round 5: C D G U E A N E O
Hazel: DECAGON (7)
Alan: DEACON (6)
DC: ENCAGED (7) DECAGON (7)
OT: CONGAED (7) GUANOED (7) UNCAGED (7)
Score: 37–0 (max 37)
Sevens all round sadly not for Alan who is stuck on 6.......not worth having a catfight over
Round 6: 25, 9, 4, 9, 10, 3. Target: 584.
C1: 584. (9 × 3 − 4) × 25 + 9
C2: -
Score: 47–0 (max 47)
Another straightforward from Ms Drury our challenger doesn't even get close
Round 7: T C R E A S E I R
Hazel: TRACERIES (18)
Alan: CREATES (7)
OT: CAREERIST (18)
Score: 65–0 (max 65)
What another fantastic spot from our champion Hazel with her 9 Traceries sadly Alan doesn't get to score in this round
Round 8: A E H I D S O A T
Hazel: TAIHOAED (8)
Alan: TOADIES (7)
Score: 73–0 (max 73)
This just gets better and better for our champion Hazel she is showcasing her word spotting prowess with this excellent spot Taihoaed.......but our champion Alan needs to score or have the unwanted record of scoring zero points
Round 9: 75, 7, 4, 7, 8, 2. Target: 750.
C1: 750. (8 + 2) × 75 (10)
C2: 750. (8 + 2) × 75 (10)
Score: 83–10 (max 83)
A piss easy number solve for our champion and challenger.........At long last Alan gets to score a much needed 10 points and avoid a whitewash
Teatime teaser: BEARVISA -> ABRASIVE
Round 10: E O S I P E D I Z
Hazel: EPISODE (7)
Alan: DEPOSE (6)
DC: IODIZES (7)
OT: SPIEDIE (7)
Score: 90–10 (max 90)
With five rounds remaining.......I don't want to jinx Hazel just yet.........can she achieve her max game ?
Round 11: T S W E O A R S I
Hazel: ROASTIES (8)
Alan: SORTIES (7)
DC: WAITRESS (8)
OT: OSTERIAS (8)
Score: 98–10 (max 98)
With four rounds left to go..........I like Hazel's eight Roasties they are a nice bit of scran especially on a Sunday roast.....it's making me hungry !
Round 12: E U P T E A O N R
Hazel: AUTOPEN (7)
Alan: NEATER (6)
DC: OPERANT (7) PRONATE (7)
OT: OPERATE (7) PROTEAN (7)
Score: 105–10 (max 105)
And with old Countdown favourite Autopen as Hazel's 7........quite a few of those again no extra points for spotting most of those..........there are now 3 rounds left to go
Round 13: E I O S R N L A O
Hazel: EROSIONAL (18)
Alan: LOANERS (7)
Score: 123–10 (max 123)
And with that fantastic 9 that I managed to spot.......there are two more rounds left to go.......all Hazel needs to is achieve perfection from them both......can she do it ?
Round 14: 50, 7, 2, 7, 3, 9. Target: 727.
C1: 727. 7 × 2 × 50 + 9 × 3 (10)
C2: 727. (7 + 7) × 50 + 3 × 9 (10)
Score: 133–20 (max 133)
With one more round left.....A piss easy number solve from Hazel and Alan bags them both 10 points..........all that is left for Hazel is the conundrum can she solve it and achieve her max game ?
Round 15: R E N T A L D I G
C1 buzzes on 16.5 seconds to say TREADLING which is correct.
Final Score: 143–20 (max 143)
OH MY GOD THIS IS AMAZING FROM HAZEL A MAX GAME !!!!!
This episode was notable for the following highlights:
Hazel's performance was a max game — the seventeenth in the history of Countdown, the fifth in a heat game in the new 15-round format, and the second one that had occurred within a year.
This was only the second time that a max game was achieved in any format by a female contestant; the first being Jenny Haldane's one back on 5 August 1988 virtually forty years prior.
Drury's winning margin of 123 points was one of the largest in the history of Countdown, ranking as the sixth highest at the time of broadcast.
Firstly Congratulations to Hazel on her amazing max game she becomes the second female to achieve this feat but the first in the 15 round era, secondly you have to feel sorry for Alan he couldn't get going who managed to score 20 points with two perfect number solves but couldn't match the brilliance of Hazel therefore making this game one sided. I reckon a few records will be broken if Hazel continues her superb form.........you can join me for the next recap it is bye for now