c4countdown

Countdown recap for Friday 23 April 2010.

C1: Champion Nicki Sellars (1 win, 81 points.)
C2: Challenger Phil Reynolds.
DC: Susie Dent and Ken Bruce.
RR: Rachel Riley.
OT: Other words or solutions.

It’s that time already and this week’s Friday recap pits one-time winner Nicki Sellars from Swindon against Phil Reynolds from Royal Leamington Spa, who, for some reason, looks vaguely familiar. Can Phil overturn Nicki or will the former teaching assistant reign supreme?

R01: G W P E O A S J O
R02: B P S A U O X N A
R03: L T C E O I R T B
R04: A O A D N R O S N
R05: 100, 9, 1, 8, 3, 10. Target: 336.
TTT: SORECALF - "Mr Ramsey likes to dine outdoors."
R06: T R P S E E A G D
R07: R V G E O A C T E
R08: I O I G F S V R E
R09: M H R U O E D L A
R10: 50, 1, 4, 10, 6, 4. Target: 342.
TTT: PICKFLAB - "Support the prince, perhaps, then somersault."
R11: D R C E I E S W R
R12: N D S F O U A N I
R13: H N Q E A E L Y E
R14: 25, 75, 3, 4, 10, 6. Target: 672.
R15: T O E S F I R S T (conundrum)

Ibuleve refreshes the parts other pain relief remedies cannot reach. (Hang on, that’s not right...)

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It’s St George’s Day and the show opens with some national day-related banter from Jeff and a not- quite-so-croaky-today Rachel.

Round 1: G W P E O A S J O

C1: WAGES (5)
C2: SWOOP (5)
DC: GOOSE (5) PAGES (5) JAPES (5)
OT: POGOES (6) POOJAS (6)
Score: 5–5 (max 6)

An evil selection yields only fives in the studio; a POOJA (also PUJA) is a Hindu ceremonial offering.

Round 2: B P S A U O X N A

C1: BONUS (5)
C2: SAUNA (5)
OT: OUBAAS (6)
Score: 10–10 (max 12)

An evil selection yields only fives in the studio; an OUBAAS is the head of a South African family.

Round 3: L T C E O I R T B

C1: BLOTTER (7)
C2: CORTILE (7)
DC: BOTTLER (7) BRITTLE (7)
OT: LIBRETTO (8)
Score: 17–17 (max 20)

That’s more like it... plenty of sevens available, but our contestants remain unseparated. Still no maxes spotted, mind.

Round 4: A O A D N R O S N

C1: RADON (5)
C2: RADON (5)
DC: RONDOS (6)
OT: NARDOOS (7) RANDANS (7)
Score: 22–22 (max 27)

Another nasty round with both our players going elemental. Dictionary Corner get musical, but they miss NARDOOS, which are Australian ferns and RANDANS, which is a slightly suspect plural noun from the phrase ‘on the randan’, a Scottish variant of ‘on the razzle’.

Round 5: 100, 9, 1, 8, 3, 10. Target: 336.

C1: 336. (10+1+9-8+100)x3 (10)
C2: -
Score: 32–22 (max 37)

Champ Nicki breaks the deadlock after Phil blobs on the numbers.

Before the adverts, Ken Bruce reminds us of some of the dangers lurking in the home, such as razor blades and loft ladders, before telling us a joke, ostensibly featuring his grandparents.

Teatime teaser: SORECALF -> ALFRESCO

Nice to see a mention of the legendary former Ipswich Town and England manager.

Round 6: T R P S E E A G D

C1: TREADS (6)
C2: PRESAGED (8)
DC: PREDATES (8)
OT: PARGETED (8) PEDERAST (8) TRAPESED (8) RESTAGED (8)
Score: 32–30 (max 45)

A great spot from Phil (and the first letters max of the day) means he’s now just two points adrift.

Round 7: R V G E O A C T E

C1: COVERAGE (8)
C2: CREATE (6)
DC: COVERAGE (8)
Score: 40–30 (max 53)

Nicki is on fire in this round with the only available eight. I was pleased with OVERAGE, but forgot to add the C. D’oh!

Round 8: I O I G F S V R E

C1: FORGIVES (8)
C2: FORGIVES (8)
Score: 48–38 (max 61)

Points all round; IVORIES was a nice seven.

Round 9: M H R U O E D L A

C1: HURDLE (6)
C2: HURDLE (6)
DC: MODULAR (7) ARMHOLE (7) ROULADE (7)
OT: EARLDOM (7) HUMERAL (7) HUMORAL (7) MORULAE (7) MOULDER (7) REMOULD (7)
Score: 54–44 (max 68)

“Chocolate roulade is the best,” says apparent dessert aficionado Susie, before Jeff praises Dictionary Corner for getting four sevens. Either his maths is awry, or there was some crafty editing going on.

OoW: Susie tells us all about words related to ‘mum’, which don’t include ‘mummy’, which is all to do with bitumen, it seems. Fascinating stuff.

Round 10: 50, 1, 4, 10, 6, 4. Target: 342.

C1: 342. ((6+1)x50)-4-4 (10)
C2: 342. ((6+1)x50)-4-4 (10)
Score: 64–54 (max 78)

Full marks for both Nicki and Phil, so the gap remains at ten.

Teatime teaser: PICKFLAB -> BACKFLIP

Round 11: D R C E I E S W R

C1: SCREWED (7)
C2: SCREWIER (8)
DC: DECRIERS (8)
Score: 64–62 (max 86)

A great spot from the amateur actor with the somewhat American SCREWIER; DC get the only other eight available.

Round 12: N D S F O U A N I

C1: FOUNDS (6)
C2: FOUNDS (6)
DC: FUSION (6)
OT: INDUNAS (7)
Score: 70–68 (max 93)

If this was French Countdown, you could have had the common word SOUDAIN. As it isn’t, you’ll have to settle for the rather less common INDUNAS, if you’re looking for the darren. An INDUNA is a South African tribal councillor, by the way.

Round 13: H N Q E A E L Y E

C1: halene
C2: halene
DC: HYENA (5)
OT: ANELE (5)
Score: 70–68 (max 98)

Both of our protagonists try HALENE: I must admit it seemed familiar to me too – a quick google indicates that it’s a proprietary name for a type of polythene. (Now where’s Kevin Thurlow when we need him??) Ah yes, and in case you were wondering, to ANELE is to anoint, especially when someone is dying.

Round 14: 25, 75, 3, 4, 10, 6. Target: 672.

C1: 672. (75+25+(3x4))x6 (10)
C2: 672. ((25-10-6)x75)-3 (10)
Score: 80–78 (max 108)

Phil must be rueing that early numbers error, as we approach yet another Friday crucial conundrum. Lights down, eyes in.

Round 15: T O E S F I R S T

C1 buzzes on 2 seconds to say FROSTIEST which is correct.
Score: 90–78 (max 118)

Sadly for Phil, we’ll be seeing no more of him on the show, but it’s great news for Nicki, who will return next week to be recapped by temporary Monday stand-in James Robinson. Why not join him?

Further summaries are at:
http://www.apterous.org/cdb/series.php?series=62

Cheers Mike; a thoroughly entertaining recap and a very enjoyable experience to relive!

Mike Brown wrote:Jeff praises Dictionary Corner for getting four sevens. Either his maths is awry, or there was some crafty editing going on.

As I mentioned over in the spoilers thread, it was the latter. After the three from DC that you heard, Susie added, "Oh, and EARLDOM was there for another 7," but it was cut.

Phil Reynolds wrote:Cheers Mike; a thoroughly entertaining recap and a very enjoyable experience to relive!

You're welcome.

As I mentioned over in the spoilers thread, it was the latter.

Yes, I read that afterwards. I must admit I make it a habit these days to write the recap before reading the spoilers thread, as I like to be unaffected by what I might see there. Not sure it's always the best idea, but it works for me.

I've only just caught up with this. I was genuinely gutted when I saw "C1 buzzed in ... correctly". Great performance Phil, very unlucky. Maybe you should ask to reapply? I'm sure they still let people do that.