C1: Champion Graham Jones (2 wins, 175 points.)
C2: Challenger Tom Allerton.
DC: Susie Dent and one of the most talked about DC guests, Jon Gaunt.
RR: Rachel Riley.
OT: Other words or solutions.
R01: D T R E I E T W A
R02: C L N E A E N S O
R03: W S N A O E S D O
R04: P M U I T L G E S
R05: 50, 5, 2, 3, 10, 8. Target: 881.
TTT: NOREFUTE - "5 and 9, but not the Brighton line."
R06: F P T I E I B X F
R07: M N T A E I L N A
R08: T G N I O R K E R
R09: P Q L I E A D D U
R10: 75, 50, 6, 5, 4, 3. Target: 542.
TTT: GWENRICK - "Feeling destructive? Then have a ball!"
R11: Y R N O E E C D O
R12: Z M N U I O T L O
R13: T L R I E O P S S
R14: 25, 8, 5, 3, 9, 3. Target: 730.
R15: R I V E R C O O S (conundrum)
Today's recap marks a return to the Countdown TV scene for me after a short hiatus, but that doesn't mean that my recaps have improved in quality, oh crumbs no!
One broken Sky+ box later, let's get this party started...
And now a brief interlude before our main feature:
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Enjoy the show.
Round 1: D T R E I E T W A
C1: WATERED (7)
C2: WAITER (6)
DC: TIDEWATER (18)
Score: 7–0 (max 18)
A beautiful 9 from DC to get the game started.
Round 2: C L N E A E N S O
C1: CLEANSE (7)
C2: CLEANSE (7)
DC: ENCLOSE (7) SCALENE (7)
OT: ANCONES (7) ENLACES (7) LOANEES (7)
LT/RB: saloneen
Score: 14–7 (max 25)
Round 3: W S N A O E S D O
C1: SWOONED (7)
C2: SWOONED (7)
OT: NOSODES (7)
Score: 21–14 (max 32)
I love that word. Aw.
Round 4: P M U I T L G E S
C1: IMPUTES (7)
C2: GLIMPSE (7)
DC: LUMPIEST (8) (looks at Jon)
OT: PLUMIEST (8)
Score: 28–21 (max 40)
Round 5: 50, 5, 2, 3, 10, 8. Target: 881.
C1: 883.
C2: 882. (50 - (3 - 2)) x (10 + 8) (7)
OT: 881. ((50 - 5) x 10 - 8) x 2 - 3 (10)
Score: 28–28 (max 50)
Rachel said she had this but she slipped up upon presentation. If she did have it, it would be quite impressive for an 88% difficulty single solution game.
Jon talks (in vain?) about Great Britain. (Sorry DO'D) (and any other Irishmen)
Teatime teaser: NOREFUTE -> FOURTEEN
Only a year away
Round 6: F P T I E I B X F
C1: BEFIT (5)
C2: BEFIT (5)
DC: PIXIE (5)
OT: FIXIT (5)
Score: 33–33 (max 55)
What a rubbish round!
Round 7: M N T A E I L N A
C1: AILMENT (7) (OMG that was lik on the Ibuleve advert!)
C2: LAMINATE (8)
Score: 33–41 (max 63)
Tom pulls ahead by 8 to break the deadlock.
Round 8: T G N I O R K E R
C1: torring
C2: TOKING (6)
DC: IGNORER (7)
OT: GENITOR (7) TRIGONE (7) RORTING (7)
Score: 33–47 (max 70)
Haha to toke is to smoke cannabis. "Smokin' and tokin'."
Round 9: P Q L I E A D D U
C1: PUDDLE (6)
C2: plaqued
DC: QUAILED (7)
OT: PLAIDED (7)
Score: 39–47 (max 77)
Unlucky for Tom there, I would've gone for that too.
OoW: Susie gives the origins of many tea-related phrases.
Round 10: 75, 50, 6, 5, 4, 3. Target: 542.
C1: 547.
C2: 543. (6 + 5) x 50 - 4 - 3 (7)
RR: 542. 75 x 6 + (50 - 4) x (5 - 3) (10)
Score: 39–54 (max 87)
A good solve from our vital statistician there.
Teatime teaser: GWENRICK -> WRECKING
Round 11: Y R N O E E C D O
C1: CROONED (7)
C2: CROONED (7)
DC: ENCORED (7)
OT: ENCODER (7)
Score: 46–61 (max 94)
[NOTE: Did Jon say ENCODER?]
Round 12: Z M N U I O T L O
C1: LOTION (6)
C2: MOTION (6)
DC: MOONLIT (7)
Score: 52–67 (max 101)
Round 13: T L R I E O P S S
C1: POLITER (7)
C2: ROPIEST (7)
DC: [ZOMG] SPOILERS (8)
OT: PISTOLES (8) PROSIEST (8) RIPOSTES (8) TRIPOSES (8)
Score: 59–74 (max 109)
It's beginning to get tense, as Graham needs to beat Tom on both of these rounds to win...
Round 14: 25, 8, 5, 3, 9, 3. Target: 730.
C1: 733. (9 x 3 + 5 - 3) x 25 + 8 (7)
C2: 725.
RR: 730. 9 x 3 x 25 + (8 + 3) x 5 (10)
Score: 66–74 (max 119)
It's a crucial!
Round 15: R I V E R C O O S
C2 buzzes on 8 seconds to say CORROSIVE which is correct.
Score: 66–84 (max 129)
All in all it was a great game to watch; both contestants seemed to be nervous, and it was a close-run affair.
Statistics Corner
Graham:
Total score - 66
Raw score - 87
Total % of max - 51
Raw % of max - 67
Total average score per round - 4.4
Raw average score per round - 5.8
Number of maxes - 4
Tom:
Total score - 84
Raw score - 90
Total % of max - 65
Raw % of max - 70
Total average score per round - 5.6
Raw average score per round - 6.0
Number of maxes - 6
Further summaries are at:
http://www.apterous.org/cdb/series.php?series=61
