Friday 1 October 2010 (Series 63, Prelim 60)

[Mike Brown]

Countdown recap for Friday 1 October 2010 (Series 63, Prelim 60)

C1: Champion Heather Driver (4 wins, 301 points.)
C2: Challenger Michael Chadwick.
DC: Susie Dent and Phil Hammond.
RR: Rachel Riley.
OT: Other words or solutions.

Yes, it’s that time of the week again, so without further ado, let’s get down to the Friday recap: Heather Driver has been on Countdown all week and has therefore amassed four wins, but can she make it five against Michael Chadwick from Tooting? Read on to find out more.

R01: L B G O A I S N O
R02: Z U R L E T A R E
R03: N T P I O I N S E
R04: Q O C I U R G T A
R05: 100, 10, 5, 2, 4, 7. Target: 327.
TTT: RUDEBOSS - "They might be delivered to you, but you can't open them yourself."
R06: M I L U A P G D E
R07: S X R I O A L D E
R08: N I P E O R W E J
R09: F N S U E A T D E
R10: 100, 25, 10, 6, 2, 7. Target: 860.
TTT: BOATUSER - "An eco-warrior might use a boat to become this."
R11: H V A U R N E A F
R12: N O M W I A P C N
R13: S E G R I E S D L
R14: 75, 10, 3, 4, 7, 5. Target: 761.
R15: M A R T I N O O F (conundrum)

Once again, your favourite programme is sponsored by Menopace. I wonder what it will be next week?

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Jeff opens the show by telling us that ‘heightist’ jokes are now banned, because he’s had enough of all the ribbing regarding his less than average stature. This naturally leads to more jokes than ever on the subject, including the letter selected for him to read out and a couple of jibes from Dr Phil.

Round 1: L B G O A I S N O

C1: LOOSING (7)
C2: BLAGS (5)
DC: BOLOGNAS (8)
Score: 7–0 (max 8)

A good risk from Heather opens her account, but Michael will have to wait a bit longer. A great start for DC as Dr Phil offers us some sausages.

Round 2: Z U R L E T A R E

C1: alterer
C2: RELATER (7)
DC: AZURE (5)
OT: URETERAL (8)
Score: 7–7 (max 16)

Michael chances his arm on RELATER and gets seven points; Heather seems more sure of herself this time around, but it’s her turn to come a cropper as Susie gives ALTERER^ the thumbs down. Surprisingly, Phil misses the eighter URETERAL.

Round 3: N T P I O I N S E

C1: PENSION (7)
C2: pintoes
DC: PINIONS (7)
OT: PENSIONI (8)
Score: 14–7 (max 24)

Another unfortunate offering from Michael – he’s thinking of pinto beans, but the plural of PINTO doesn’t take an ‘e’ (and the noun in the dictionary is referring to a piebald horse, FWIW). If Gino D’Acampo had been in Dictionary Corner he may have spotted PENSIONI for eight – they’re Italian guest houses.

Round 4: Q O C I U R G T A

C1: RAGOUT (6)
C2: COUGAR (6)
DC: QUARTIC (7)
Score: 20–13 (max 31)

It’s still very much anybody’s game as we approach the first numbers.

Round 5: 100, 10, 5, 2, 4, 7. Target: 327.

C1: 330.
C2: 327. ((100+7)x(5-2))+10-4 (10)
Score: 20–23 (max 41)

Heather misses the target by three, allowing her opponent to take the lead by the same number of points.

Dr Phil ends his week in Dictionary Corner by talking about depression and not taking life too seriously. His father committed suicide (a fact he only discovered some years after the event), whereas his Uncle Ron had a typically laid back Australian attitude of saying ‘stuff it’ (or, if you’ve been to one of his live shows, ‘feck it’) when the going got tough. His basic message to anyone suffering: talk to someone and get some help. An instructive little session from the doc there and part of what makes him such a good guest, in my opinion.

Teatime teaser: RUDEBOSS -> ROSEBUDS

Round 6: M I L U A P G D E

C1: PLAGUED (7)
C2: PLUMAGE (7)
DC: PLUMAGED (8)
Score: 27–30 (max 49)

A pity Michael didn’t stick the D on the end of his word, but he still leads by three. MIAULED was an interesting seven, derived from miauler, the French for miaow.

Round 7: S X R I O A L D E

C1: SOLDIER (7)
C2: EXORDIAL (8)
DC: EXORDIAL (8)
OT: DARIOLES (8)
Score: 27–38 (max 57)

A great spot from Michael with a Countdown favourite. Is Heather in trouble?

Round 8: N I P E O R W E J

C1: POWER (5)
C2: REPINE (6)
DC: OPENER (6)
OT: PIONEER (7)
Score: 27–44 (max 64)

It’s time to say it again... everyone misses the darren.

Round 9: F N S U E A T D E

C1: FASTENED (8)
C2: FASTENED (8)
DC: UNSEATED (8) FASTENED (8)
Score: 35–52 (max 72)

Cracking form from the contestants, as they both hit eight with FASTENED.

OoW: Susie tells us the fascinating history of the word HANDICAP.

Round 10: 100, 25, 10, 6, 2, 7. Target: 860.

C1: 860. (100-(2x7))x10 (10)
C2: 856.
Score: 45–52 (max 82)

This time it’s Heather’s turn to boss it on the numbers by being spot-on. As Jeff would say (and probably did), this could go either way. To the break!

Teatime teaser: BOATUSER -> SABOTEUR

Round 11: H V A U R N E A F

C1: faunae
C2: HAVEN (5)
OT: ANURA (5) ARENA (5) AURAE (5) FAUNA (5) FURAN (5) HAVAN (5) HAVER (5) RAVEN (5) VARNA (5)
Score: 45–57 (max 87)

Heather gambles on a reasonably plausible plural, and in fact it’s in a few other dictionaries, but sadly not the one that matters, leaving Michael to hoover up the points with HAVEN.

Round 12: N O M W I A P C N

C1: PIANO (5)
C2: WOMAN (5)
DC: CAMPION (7)
Score: 50–62 (max 94)

Hmm, Pianowoman – I wonder what her superhero powers would be? Being able to play the piano very fast, perhaps? Or maybe flying through the skies on a giant harpsichord? I think I’m losing the plot. And CAMPION reminds me of the Peter Davison detective series that was on about twenty years ago. Oh, just me, then...

Round 13: S E G R I E S D L

C1: ridgeless
C2: SLIDERS (7)
DC: GIRDLES (7) DESIRES (7) SLEDGERS (8)
Score: 50–69 (max 102)

With a twelve-point deficit to make up, Heather quite understandably takes yet another risk with the adjective RIDGELESS^. Sadly, 103,000 Google hits can be wrong. Apparently, it’s most common use is in describing a particular breed of dog. She now needs a bit of luck to go her way if she’s to retain her crown...

Round 14: 75, 10, 3, 4, 7, 5. Target: 761.

C1: 761. (75x10)+7+4 (10)
C2: 761. (75x10)+7+4 (10)
Score: 60–79 (max 112)

... Sadly, this isn’t it, as a straightforward numbers task means it’s all over for the affable lady from Elgin.

Round 15: M A R T I N O O F

C2 buzzes on 0 seconds to say FORMATION which is correct.
Final Score: 60–89 (max 122)

For a minute, I thought Eoin Monaghan was back in the studio, as Michael buzzes after just half-a-second with the right answer on the conundrum. Heather leaves with a teapot under her arm and eighth place on the leader board, a position that sadly is likely to be undermined pretty quickly. Let’s hope Michael provides us with more entertainment on Monday, when Matt Le Tissier returns to Dictionary Dell. Don’t miss it!

Further summaries are at:
http://www.apterous.org/cdb/series.php?series=63