c4countdown

Countdown Recap - Wednesday 9th September 2009 (Series 61, Prelim 38)

As you may have seen yesterday, c4countdown's very own Chris Davies won his eighth heat game and became an octochamp. Chris will now be away from our screens for a little while as he readies himself for the semi-finals later in the year, clearing the way for two bright new challengers. Please welcome:

Challenger (C1): Ken Mackenzie, who celebrates his silver wedding anniversary next year. Ken enjoys Formula 1, but will he race into the lead today and be first past the chequered flag?
Challenger (C2): Bob de Caux, who like Chris Davies before him is an Apterite. He's also an unsuccessful SCUBA diver, having lost his mask underwater in the Great Barrier Reef after just 30 seconds. He never even saw a fish!
DC: Susie Dent and Springwatch's Kate Humble, who is apparently into public nudity. It brings a whole new meaning to birdwatching!
RR: Rachel Riley, who apparently shares her name with an American porn star.
OT: Other words, solutions and crap gags.

Test yourself with the mini-recap:

R01: D A R O S A R I U
R02: N L P Y O A A E N
R03: C O R I T U S A G
R04: D K T S E E O I H
R05: 50, 75, 25, 10, 2, 3 --> Target: 120
TTT: ENIDFISH - "This symphony is definitely over."
R06: Z D N W I E A E M
R07: H O R E T I S O N
R08: M S L T I E E I L
R09: O G E P A X E N S
R10: 9, 5, 8, 9, 10, 2 --> Target: 207
TTT: EGGYDART - "A collection of all the latest innovations."
R11: T O R U G C I U N
R12: F V J D E A E A M
R13: B O F E S I B A R
R14: 25, 10, 6, 2, 3, 8 --> Target: 943
R15: P A C I N G M E N (conundrum)

Scroll down to see how Ken and Bob fared under the studio lights...

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Enjoy today's game!

Round 1: D A R O S A R I U

C1: RADIUS (6)
C2: RADIUS (6)
DC: ROSARIA (7) is there, meaning rose gardens.
OT: AURORAS and SUDARIA (7)
Score: 6–6 (max 7)

Round 2: N L P Y O A A E N

C1: PYLON (5)
C2: anneal (misdeclared as 7)
OT: Phil Reynolds beat DC with the six letter word OPENLY, and there were also ANYONE, APNOEA, PAEONY and PAYOLA (6) at this length.
Score: 11–6 (max 13)

Round 3: C O R I T U S A G

C1: COUGARS (7)
C2: GRACIOUS (8)
OT: ORGASTIC (8) is there as an equaller, which is synonymous as ORGASMIC. I'm sure I don't need to define that for you.
Score: 11–14 (max 21)

Round 4: D K T S E E O I H

C1: HOISTED (7)
C2: HOISTED (7)
DC: HOISTED (7)
OT: A couple more sevens in HEISTED and HOKIEST (7).
Score: 18–21 (max 28)

Round 5: 50, 75, 25, 10, 2, 3 --> Target: 120

C1: 120 = (50 + 10) × 2 (10)
C2: 120 = 75 + 50 - 3 - 2 (10)
Score: 28–31 (max 38)

Teatime teaser: ENIDFISH --> FINISHED

Round 6: Z D N W I E A E M

C1: MAZED (5)
C2: WEANED (6)
DC: Kate spots WIZENED (7), from an old verb meaning shrivelled.
Score: 28–37 (max 45)

Round 7: H O R E T I S O N

C1: SHORTEN (7)
C2: SHORTEN (7)
OT: Rachel pits up HORNIEST (8) before DC even get a look in, much to everyone's amusement! Now that she's on TV, do you reckon Rachel goes for SNOOTIER (8) men?
Score: 35–44 (max 53)

Round 8: M S L T I E E I L

C1: LIMIEST (7)
C2: MILLETS (7)
OT: ELITISM, ITEMISE, MIELIES and TELLIES (7) but seven is the max.
Score: 42–51 (max 60)

Round 9: O G E P A X E N S

C1: EXPANSE (7)
C2: APOGEES (7)
DC: Susie spots PAEONS (6)...
OT: ...but misses the similar sounding PEONAGES (8) for eight. Well done to Innis Carson, who spotted this on c4c.
Score: 49–58 (max 68)

Round 10: 9, 5, 8, 9, 10, 2 --> Target: 207

C1: 207 = (10 + 8 + 5) × 9 (10)
C2: 209
Score: 59–58 (max 78)

Teatime teaser: EGGYDART --> GADGETRY

Round 11: T O R U G C I U N

C1: COURTING (8)
C2: COURTING (8)
DC: RUCTION (7)
Score: 67–66 (max 86)

Round 12: F V J D E A E A M

C1: EVADE (5)
C2: DEFAME (6)
DC: FAMED (5)
Score: 67–72 (max 92)

Round 13: B O F E S I B A R

C1: rabbies
C2: FIBBERS (7)
DC: Chuck a couple of prawns on the BARBIES (7), mate!
Score: 67–79 (max 99)

Round 14: 25, 10, 6, 2, 3, 8 --> Target: 943

C1: -
C2: 942 = (3 × 10 + 8) × 25 - 6 -2 (7)
RR: 943 = (8 ÷ 2 × 25 - 6) ×10 + 3 (10)
Score: 67–86 (max 109)

Round 15: P A C I N G M E N

C1 buzzes on 7 seconds to say ENCAMPING which is correct.
Score: 77–86 (max 119)

Philpot's final thought:

The lead changed hands several times in the course of this tight game, but missing DEFAME, BARBIES and the final numbers proved too costly for Ken in the end. He put up a strong performance but once again it's an Apterite who takes the teapot - deja vu, methinks? Time will tell how many games Bob can string together, but with great spots such as GRACIOUS and APOGEES he might just take some beating.

This recap was written by professional amateur Chris Philpot. Further summaries for Series 61 are online at:
http://www.apterous.org/cdb/series.php?series=61

Chris Philpot wrote:OT: ORGASTIC (8) is there as an equaller, which is synonymous as ORGASMIC. I'm sure I don't need to define that for you.

I don't know what it means Is it something you can demonstrate?

Seriously though, another great and humourous recap in super fast time.

Chris Philpot wrote:Countdown Recap - Wednesday 9th September 2009 (Series 61, Prelim 38)

As you may have seen yesterday, c4countdown's very own Chris Davies won his eighth heat game and became an octochamp. Chris will now be away from our screens for a little while as he readies himself for the semi-finals later in the year, clearing the way for two bright new challengers. Please welcome:

Again, you're ahead of yourself - it's the quarter finals.
Also, I think Ken is also an apterite!

Bugger - perhaps I should consider an approach of "more haste, less speed"?