Friday 5 November 2010 (Series 63, Prelim 85)

[Mike Brown]

Countdown recap for Friday 5 November 2010 (Series 63, Prelim 85).

C1: Champion Marcus Hares (4 wins, 403 points.)
C2: Challenger Oliver Moore.
DC: Susie Dent and John Parrott.
RR: Rachel Riley.
OT: Other words or solutions.

It’s Friday once more and this recap is certain to go with a bang, because it’s Bonfire Night. You know what, it only seems like a year since the last one... Anyway, that affable young record collector and tennis fan Marcus Hares is still the champion, while his challenge today comes from Oliver Moore, who’s made the arduous journey across the Pennines from Leeds to be in the studio. Let’s commence!

R01: T I O A L S F I U
R02: S N E A R T E I V
R03: C E O U M W R I T
R04: V R E I P K O E S
R05: 25, 6, 2, 10, 2, 7. Target: 145.
TTT: BENSTALL - "Ben's tall; he can sink these with ease."
R06: S T U A Y L E M T
R07: D U O O M R T E M
R08: L R A E P N O E S
R09: D I A O B R H E S
R10: 75, 100, 8, 1, 10, 6. Target: 357.
TTT: CREEKPOX - "This bird always gets free food and transport."
R11: T O I A D Q P E C
R12: R D A E S T I O R
R13: W I A E N D B O G
R14: 50, 100, 8, 3, 9, 2. Target: 517.
R15: A R V E R Y S A D (conundrum)

Today’s game is sponsored by the rather strangely-named supplement Neurozan, which is good for your brain, allegedly.

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As I’ve already mentioned, it’s Bonfire Night and Jeff is on the same subject as he opens the show. He warns us to keep our pets indoors tonight to stop them being frightened by all the fireworks and tells us that amongst the many pets in the Stelling household there are three and a half cats. I wonder whether one of them lives with them half the time and with their neighbours for the rest of the time? I think we should be told.

Round 1: T I O A L S F I U

C1: OUTSAIL (7)
C2: OUTSAIL (7)
OT: FISTULA (7) FOILIST (7)
Score: 7–7 (max 7)

A good start for Marcus and Oliver. FISTULA always sounds rude to me, but it’s just a name for a tube between parts of the body (so stick that up your fistula and smoke it), while FOILIST is yet another fencing term lurking in the dictionary. En garde!

Round 2: S N E A R T E I V

C1: RESINATE (8)
C2: NERVIEST (8)
DC: TRAINEES (8) VETERANS (8)
OT: INVERTASE (18)
Score: 15–15 (max 25)

A great spot from Marcus, although Oliver’s offering is worth just as many points. No one spots the niner and that’s possibly not much of a surprise.

Round 3: C E O U M W R I T

C1: tumeric
C2: COWRIE (6)
DC: METRIC (6)
OT: CUTWORM (7) MORTICE (7)
Score: 15–21 (max 32)

Marcus commits the common crime of misspelling turmeric. I was a little surprised that DC didn’t spot MORTICE. A CUTWORM is a type of moth caterpillar.

Round 4: V R E I P K O E S

C1: PORKIES (7)
C2: PORKIES (7)
DC: REVOKES (7)
OT: EROSIVE (7) EVOKERS (7) PESKIER (7) PREVISE (7)
Score: 22–28 (max 39)

Both our contestants are telling PORKIES, which in this round is perfectly legitimate. EROSIVE is the adjective derived from EROSION, while to PREVISE is to foresee an event.

Round 5: 25, 6, 2, 10, 2, 7. Target: 145.

C1: 145. (25x6)-(10/2) (10)
C2: 145. (25x6)-(7-2) (10)
Score: 32–38 (max 49)

Before the break, John discusses words and concludes his slot by asking why we bother to abbreviate July to ‘Jul’. I could explain, but it would be boring...

Teatime teaser: BENSTALL -> NETBALLS

Ben might be tall, but if he’s playing netball, doesn’t that make him a bit of a wuss?

Round 6: S T U A Y L E M T

C1: AMULETS (7)
C2: MUTATES (7)
DC: ASTUTELY (8)
Score: 39–45 (max 57)

Marcus goes for a Countdown favourite, while DC go for an excellent eight. MULETAS (another seven available) are red cloths used by matadors during a bullfight.

Round 7: D U O O M R T E M

C1: MOTORED (7)
C2: MOOTED (6)
DC: MOTORED (7)
OT: OUTRODE (7)
Score: 46–45 (max 64)

Oliver has MOOTED a six, while Marcus has MOTORED back into the lead with a seven...

Round 8: L R A E P N O E S

C1: PERSONAL (8)
C2: ELOPERS (7)
DC: PERSONAL (8) PAROLEES (8)
OT: PERONEAL (8) PERSONAE (8) PSORALEN (8)
Score: 54–45 (max 72)

... and he immediately extends his lead still further with an eight. PERONEAL means related to the outer side of the calf of the leg, while PSORALEN is a chemical used both in perfumery and to treat psoriasis.

Round 9: D I A O B R H E S

C1: SEABIRD (7)
C2: HAIRDOS (7)
OT: BARDIES (7) BRAISED (7) DARBIES (7) SIDEBAR (7) BEARISH (7) BORIDES (7) DISROBE (7) RADIOES (7) ROADIES (7) SHADIER (7)
Score: 61–52 (max 79)

A nice-looking combo of letters, but it yields only sevens (Oliver thinks about adding an E to HAIRDOS, but he wisely resists). BARDIES are the edible larvae of certain insects; DARBIES is slang for handcuffs.

Round 10: 75, 100, 8, 1, 10, 6. Target: 357.

C1: 357. (6x75)-100+(8-1) (10)
C2: 357. (75x(6-1))-(10+8) (10)
Score: 71–62 (max 89)

OoW: Susie discusses the origins of some firework names.

Teatime teaser: CREEKPOX -> OXPECKER

Round 11: T O I A D Q P E C

C1: OPIATED (7)
C2: DACOIT (6)
DC: OPIATED (7) COPITA (6)
Score: 78–62 (max 96)

Marcus is intoxicated by OPIATED, while Oliver has obviously been reading the Big Book of Countdown Words and offers up a band of Indian and Burmese robbers.

Round 12: R D A E S T I O R

C1: ASTEROID (8)
C2: ROADSTER (8)
DC: ROADSTER (8) ASTEROID (8)
OT: ROTARIES (8)
Score: 86–70 (max 104)

Oliver was considering ‘storiater’, but sensibly sticks with his eight.

Round 13: W I A E N D B O G

C1: WENDIGO (7)
C2: aboding
DC: BEADING (7) BONDAGE (7) WINDBAG (7)
OT: BEGONIA (7) BOINGED (7) DOGBANE (7) WIDGEON (7) WINDAGE (7)
Score: 93–70 (max 111)

A good word from the champ, while Oliver comes unstuck by offering ‘aboding’. A good adjudication from Susie, as ABODE is only listed as the archaic past of the verb ABIDE: future contestants watch out!

Round 14: 50, 100, 8, 3, 9, 2. Target: 517.

C1: 517. ((3+2)x100)+8+9 (10)
C2: 517. ((3+2)x100)+8+9 (10)
Score: 103–80 (max 121)

A perfect thirty points on the numbers for both our players today. Well done!

Round 15: A R V E R Y S A D

C1 buzzes on 0 seconds to say ADVERSARY which is correct.
Final Score: 113–80 (max 131)

A lightning-fast reaction from Marcus (probably not even a quarter-of-a-second) makes that five conundrums out of five. Can anyone stop him? Tune in to Monday’s recap to find out!

This recap was brought to you by Oxpecker Cider, the new sponsors of Marcus Hares’ skittles team.

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