c4countdown

Hello, and as we're in the middle of British Sausage Week, here's a nice banger of a recap for you all to enjoy, after we sample that lovely pork-rait of Rachel sent in by the British Sausage Appreciation Society. Having said that, Rachel always looks crackling, doesn't she? I think that's one for the chop. (Groans in the post, please.)

Countdown recap for Wednesday 4 November 2009.

C1: Champion Robert Brownlie (2 wins, 210 points.) Originally from Ayrshire, but currently lives in Central France with his wife. His ambition is to open a restaurant in France that makes Scottish delicacies.
C2: Challenger Jeremy Baker. From Romsey, Hampshire. He is a retired electronic systems consultant. Although, he does have an amazing resemblance to legendary weatherman (and ex-DC guest) Michael Fish. He is a Premier Grandmaster at bridge and also enjoys Shakespeare studies, tennis and opera. He would love to meet the outgoing Doctor Who, David Tennant.
DC: Susie Dent and Dr. Hilary Jones.
RR: Rachel Riley.
OT: Other words or solutions.

R01: A E T W O T S L M
R02: D A O N I G N A S
R03: U A E R R L F Y D
R04: O T N A S O T E G
R05: 75, 9, 3, 4, 1, 7. Target: 788.
TTT: EVILREEL - "Wake up to an early morning horn"
R06: Q O E R B S I A L
R07: W E P D R I E D A
R08: O M H A G M E A R
R09: I Y S A X R U E G
R10: 75, 3, 7, 2, 6, 10. Target: 938.
TTT: AGAYVIEW - "It could be dead, so have it for nothing"
R11: A S N I B M O G N
R12: L O I C S E I N J
R13: A C T E L D I T F
R14: 25, 3, 2, 6, 3, 9. Target: 345.
R15: H E Y E L L C A B (conundrum)


And now a brief interlude before our main feature:

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Enjoy the show.

Round 1: A E T W O T S L M

C1: MOTTLES (7)
C2: WATTLES (7)
DC: MATELOTS (8)
Score: 7–7 (max 8)

Round 2: D A O N I G N A S

C1: SANDING (7)
C2: SANDING (7)
DC: GOANNAS (7)
OT: ADAGIOS (7) AGNOSIA (7) GANOIDS (7) INANGAS (7)
Score: 14–14 (max 15)

AGNOSIA is the partial or total inability to recognise objects by use of the senses.

Round 3: U A E R R L F Y D

C1: FLURRY (6)
C2: FLARED (6)
DC: EARFUL (6)
OT: RUDERAL (7)
Score: 20–20 (max 22)

Round 4: O T N A S O T E G

C1: ATONES (6)
C2: TANGOES (7)
DC: GENTOOS (7)
OT: NOTATES (7) ONSTAGE (7) TOSTONE (7)
Score: 20–27 (max 29)

Round 5: 75, 9, 3, 4, 1, 7. Target: 788.

C1: 787. ((75 + 4) x (9 + 1)) - 3 (7)
C2: 787. ((75 + 4) x (9 + 1)) - 3 (7)
RR: 789. (7)
OT: 788. (((75 - 9) x 3) - 1) x 4 (10)
Score: 27–34 (max 39)

DC guest Dr. Hilary tells about his love of house calls, including the time that a stray dog made a mess on the carpet of one of his patients.

Teatime teaser: EVILREEL -> REVEILLE

Round 6: Q O E R B S I A L

C1: BOILERS (7)
C2: LIBEROS (7)
DC: BAILORS (7)
OT: BAILERS (7) OBELIAS (7) SOLEBAR (7)
Score: 34–41 (max 46)

Round 7: W E P D R I E D A

C1: PAIRED (6)
C2: DERIDE (6)
DC: DIAPERED (8)
Score: 40–47 (max 54)

Round 8: O M H A G M E A R

C1: GRAMME (6)
C2: HOMAGE (6)
DC: GRAMMA (6)
OT: AGORAE (6) GAMMER (6) GHERAO (6) GRAHAM (6) HAMMER (6) MEGOHM (6)
Score: 46–53 (max 60)

A GRAHAM is something made of graham flour, which is wholewheat flour.
A MEGOHM is a unit of resistance equal to 1,000,000 ohms.

Round 9: I Y S A X R U E G

C1: GEARS (5)
C2: GREASY (6)
DC: AGUES (5) SUGARY (6)
OT: ARGUES (6) AUGERS (6) SAUGER (6) GUISER (6)
Score: 46–59 (max 66)

Jeremy's lead goes into double figures.

A SAUGER is a North American freshwater pikeperch, otherwise known as a sand pike.

In Susie's Origin Of Words, the sausage theme continues as the origin of "baloney" is discussed, as well as idioms relating to "salt" and a reminder of the origin of "ketchup".

Round 10: 75, 3, 7, 2, 6, 10. Target: 938.

C1: 939. Mistake in working.
C2: 940. ((3 x 7) - 2 + 75) x 10 (7)
RR: 938. ((75 - 3) x (6 + 7)) + 2 (10)
Score: 46–66 (max 76)

Robert makes a complete cock-up of his numbers, as Jeremy's lead goes from a Baker's dozen (using the rubbish pun from his surname) to a score.

Teatime teaser: AGAYVIEW -> GIVEAWAY

Round 11: A S N I B M O G N

C1: BASING (6)
C2: MOANING (7)
DC: NAMING (6)
OT: MASONING (8)
Score: 46–73 (max 84)

Robert will probably be MOANING to himself, as his 3rd no score in a row puts Jeremy in pole position for today's match.

Round 12: L O I C S E I N J

C1: COILS (5)
C2: JOINS (5)
DC: SILICONE (8)
OT: ISOCLINE (8)
Score: 51–78 (max 92)

The contestants are obliterated by DC's nice 8.

The geological term, ISOCLINE is a fold of strata so tightly compressed that both limbs dip in the same direction.

Round 13: A C T E L D I T F

C1: FLITTED (7)
C2: DIALECT (7)
DC: LATTICED (8)
Score: 58–85 (max 100)

Robert's reign as champ ends.

Round 14: 25, 3, 2, 6, 3, 9. Target: 345.

C1: 344. ((9 + 3 + 2) x 25) - 6 (7)
C2: 351.
RR: 345. ((25 + 3) x 6 x 2) + 9 (10)
Score: 65–85 (max 110)

The first time today that Michael, sorry Jeremy, has failed to score, but luckily the game is already safe.

Round 15: H E Y E L L C A B

C1 buzzes on 1 second to say BELLYACHE which is correct.
Score: 75–85 (max 120)

Well, Robert's probably got bellyache, heartache and a headache at the same time after being beaten by Jeremy today. Will he carry on his run, or will someone from our neck of the woods be waiting in the wings

Statistics Corner

Robert:
Total score - 75
Raw score - 92
Total % of max - 63
Raw % of max - 77
Total average score per round - 5.0
Raw average score per round - 6.1
Number of maxes - 4

Jeremy:
Total score - 85
Raw score - 90
Total % of max - 71
Raw % of max - 75
Total average score per round - 5.7
Raw average score per round - 6.0
Number of maxes - 5

Further summaries are at:
http://www.apterous.org/cdb/series.php?series=61

Wednesday. The middle of the week. Here we go.

Introduction: Jeff, you're a punny guy!
Hilary's Hijinks: Was that dog a puppy, or did he know to come outside?
Teatime Teaser #1: I got this one, for once. Here's an interesting question. What if they changed Reveille to the Countdown commercial cue? I bet all the British people in the military would love that and beg for a satellite TV!
Round 8: We call her Grandma, but have the British always been this cutesy?
Origins of Words: If American sausages bang in American frying pans, why don't we call them bangers?
Conundrum: Robert, I bet James is right and you do have a bellyache! Way to go, Jeremy! You certainly showed us a better performance than "that guy from yesterday!"
Closing: How cute!