Friday 26 November 2010 (Series 63, Prelim 100)
Posted: Sat Nov 27, 2010 9:27 pm
Countdown recap for Friday 26 November 2010 (Series 63, Prelim 100).
C1: Champion Greg Hayhurst (1 win, 92 points.)
C2: Challenger Kate Spencer.
DC: Susie Dent and Gino D'Acampo.
RR: Rachel Riley.
OT: Other words or solutions.
Following his defeat of almost-octochamp Niall Young on Thursday’s programme, Greg Hayhurst returns to take on today’s challenge from self-confessed mentalist Kate Spencer, who’s known to her friends as ‘Crazy Kate’, and I think we can see why! Kate’s from North Petherton in Somerset, which used to claim to be the largest village in England, until it became a town in the late 20th Century, and is just off the M5 south of Bridgwater. Are you sitting comfortably? Then let us begin.
R01: V L S A I O T S A
R02: I E R Y P O D R T
R03: B M D O E N A R G
R04: P C T I E I L G U
R05: 100, 8, 9, 7, 4, 6. Target: 414.
TTT: CORNDUKE - "The waiter performed an opening ceremony."
R06: M T R E E O T N O
R07: S B Z E A E D L I
R08: A I O S Q H S U O
R09: N I D M C E A N O
R10: 75, 2, 10, 4, 9, 9. Target: 134.
TTT: SUITCASE - "The cheekiest of all the ketchups, perhaps."
R11: G R E F S U E O W
R12: P R U E K R I A J
R13: T N D E U G X O S
R14: 75, 8, 3, 7, 1, 2. Target: 317.
R15: M A G I C R I N G (conundrum)
Countdown is sponsored by Vitabiotics Wellman. Well ‘ard.
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Today’s show opens with Jeff reading a joke sent in by a viewer, a nice change to being informed that it’s World Banana Day, or something equally esoteric. Not that I mind being told that sort of thing, as I quite like bananas.
Round 1: V L S A I O T S A
C1: VITALS (6)
C2: AVAILS (6)
DC: SALIVA (6)
OT: SALVIAS (7) SOLATIA (7)
Score: 6–6 (max 7)
Gino helpfully tells us that SALIVA is spelt the same way in Italian, but pronounced differently. SALVIAS are plants, which include the sage family.
Round 2: I E R Y P O D R T
C1: PERIOD (6)
C2: DOPIER (6)
DC: REPORT (6) PERIDOT (7)
OT: DIOPTRE (7)
Score: 12–12 (max 14)
Two classic Countdown sevens there.
Round 3: B M D O E N A R G
C1: ABDOMEN (7)
C2: MANGER (6)
DC: BONDAGE (7) BONDAGER (8)
OT: DRAGOMEN (8)
Score: 19–12 (max 22)
I don’t recall BONDAGER being mentioned on the show before; Susie points out it’s “not what you might think”.
Round 4: P C T I E I L G U
C1: GLUTE (5)
C2: pictile
DC: TULIP (5)
OT: PICULET (7)
Score: 24–12 (max 29)
It’s somewhat shorter than BONDAGER, but I don’t think GLUTE has ever had a mention before either. Maybe it’s National Pioneer Day... As Susie points out, it seems likely that Kate was thinking about FICTILE, PICRITE, or maybe a combination of the two. A PICULET is a tiny tropical woodpecker from Central or South America. Bit surprising that DC got stuck on five too, as there were quite a few sixes available.
Round 5: 100, 8, 9, 7, 4, 6. Target: 414.
C1: 414. (4x100)+8+6 (10)
C2: 414. (4x100)+6+7+9-8 (10)
Score: 34–22 (max 39)
A nice numbers game to settle everyone in.
Before Jeff does the Teaser clue, he asks Gino about some of the TV shows he’s appeared on, including I’m A Celebrity, Get Me Out Of Here and one which involved him hiding in people’s bedrooms. See 4OD for more details.
Teatime teaser: CORNDUKE -> UNCORKED
Round 6: M T R E E O T N O
C1: TORMENT (7)
C2: METEOR (6)
DC: TONOMETER (18)
Score: 41–22 (max 57)
A great spot from Dictionary Corner; Susie gets out the ‘pen-cam’ to celebrate. In case you didn’t see the programme, a TONOMETER is a device used to measure musical pitch or pressure on a part of the body (such as the eyeball, when checking for glaucoma). A nice eight there was ROOMETTE, which is a private single compartment in a railway sleeping car, or a small room for letting.
Round 7: S B Z E A E D L I
C1: DISABLE (7)
C2: EDIBLES (7)
DC: SIZEABLE (8)
OT: ABSEILED (8) SEIZABLE (8)
Score: 48–29 (max 65)
Kate thinks about risking DEBLAZES^, but wisely sticks with her seven. Presumably it’s what the fire brigade does.
Round 8: A I O S Q H S U O
C1: SQUASH (6)
C2: SQUASH (6)
DC: SQUASH (6)
OT: SQUISH (6)
Score: 54–35 (max 71)
Round 9: N I D M C E A N O
C1: COMEDIAN (8)
C2: COMEDIAN (8)
DC: MINCED (6) DOMINANCE (18)
Score: 62–43 (max 89)
Given that almost the same letters came up on Wednesday, it’s not surprising that everyone spots COMEDIAN, but DC go one better with their second niner of the day. Kudos to them.
OoW: Susie discusses the origins of the expression “Hobson’s choice”, for which we have a very accurate and reliable etymology.
Round 10: 75, 2, 10, 4, 9, 9. Target: 134.
C1: -
C2: -
RR: 134. (75-(9+9-10))x2 (10)
Score: 62–43 (max 99)
A somewhat harder numbers game this time round and it foxes both our players, but not Rach (or quite a few viewers, I suspect).
Teatime teaser: SUITCASE -> SAUCIEST
Round 11: G R E F S U E O W
C1: ROGUES (6)
C2: URGES (5)
DC: GROUSE (6) REFUSE (6) FORGES (6)
OT: EGOSURF (7) REFUGES (7)
Score: 68–43 (max 106)
EGOSURF (vb.): What Damian likes to do on C4C.
Round 12: P R U E K R I A J
C1: PURER (5)
C2: PARKIER (7)
DC: PARKIER (7)
Score: 68–50 (max 113)
PARKIER (comp. adj.): what it is in the UK at the moment!
Round 13: T N D E U G X O S
C1: TONGUES (7)
C2: TONGUED (7)
DC: TONGUES (7) TONGUED (7)
OT: SNOUTED (7) TUXEDOS (7)
Score: 75–57 (max 120)
Our contestants are speaking in tongues in this round, and with two rounds remaining, it’s still game on...
Round 14: 75, 8, 3, 7, 1, 2. Target: 317.
C1: 317. ((3+1)x75)+8+7+2 (10)
C2: 317. ((3+1)x75)+8+7+2 (10)
Score: 85–67 (max 130)
... but a rather straightforward target from CECIL means it’s all over for ‘Crazy’ Kate Spencer as Greg ‘Glutes’ Hayhurst is now 18 points in front.
Round 15: M A G I C R I N G
C2 buzzes on 26 seconds to say GRIMACING which is correct.
Final Score: 85–77 (max 140)
A bit surprisingly, the –ING ending doesn’t equal a fast conundrum solve today, but Kate does unravel the ‘magic ring’ in time to add ten points to her tally and finish a respectable eight behind the champ. Tune in on Monday to see whether Greg can make it three as John Suchet returns to Dictionary Corner. Stay warm and I’ll see you next week for another Friday Recap!
Further summaries are at:
http://www.apterous.org/cdb/series.php?series=63
C1: Champion Greg Hayhurst (1 win, 92 points.)
C2: Challenger Kate Spencer.
DC: Susie Dent and Gino D'Acampo.
RR: Rachel Riley.
OT: Other words or solutions.
Following his defeat of almost-octochamp Niall Young on Thursday’s programme, Greg Hayhurst returns to take on today’s challenge from self-confessed mentalist Kate Spencer, who’s known to her friends as ‘Crazy Kate’, and I think we can see why! Kate’s from North Petherton in Somerset, which used to claim to be the largest village in England, until it became a town in the late 20th Century, and is just off the M5 south of Bridgwater. Are you sitting comfortably? Then let us begin.
R01: V L S A I O T S A
R02: I E R Y P O D R T
R03: B M D O E N A R G
R04: P C T I E I L G U
R05: 100, 8, 9, 7, 4, 6. Target: 414.
TTT: CORNDUKE - "The waiter performed an opening ceremony."
R06: M T R E E O T N O
R07: S B Z E A E D L I
R08: A I O S Q H S U O
R09: N I D M C E A N O
R10: 75, 2, 10, 4, 9, 9. Target: 134.
TTT: SUITCASE - "The cheekiest of all the ketchups, perhaps."
R11: G R E F S U E O W
R12: P R U E K R I A J
R13: T N D E U G X O S
R14: 75, 8, 3, 7, 1, 2. Target: 317.
R15: M A G I C R I N G (conundrum)
Countdown is sponsored by Vitabiotics Wellman. Well ‘ard.
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Today’s show opens with Jeff reading a joke sent in by a viewer, a nice change to being informed that it’s World Banana Day, or something equally esoteric. Not that I mind being told that sort of thing, as I quite like bananas.
Round 1: V L S A I O T S A
C1: VITALS (6)
C2: AVAILS (6)
DC: SALIVA (6)
OT: SALVIAS (7) SOLATIA (7)
Score: 6–6 (max 7)
Gino helpfully tells us that SALIVA is spelt the same way in Italian, but pronounced differently. SALVIAS are plants, which include the sage family.
Round 2: I E R Y P O D R T
C1: PERIOD (6)
C2: DOPIER (6)
DC: REPORT (6) PERIDOT (7)
OT: DIOPTRE (7)
Score: 12–12 (max 14)
Two classic Countdown sevens there.
Round 3: B M D O E N A R G
C1: ABDOMEN (7)
C2: MANGER (6)
DC: BONDAGE (7) BONDAGER (8)
OT: DRAGOMEN (8)
Score: 19–12 (max 22)
I don’t recall BONDAGER being mentioned on the show before; Susie points out it’s “not what you might think”.
Round 4: P C T I E I L G U
C1: GLUTE (5)
C2: pictile
DC: TULIP (5)
OT: PICULET (7)
Score: 24–12 (max 29)
It’s somewhat shorter than BONDAGER, but I don’t think GLUTE has ever had a mention before either. Maybe it’s National Pioneer Day... As Susie points out, it seems likely that Kate was thinking about FICTILE, PICRITE, or maybe a combination of the two. A PICULET is a tiny tropical woodpecker from Central or South America. Bit surprising that DC got stuck on five too, as there were quite a few sixes available.
Round 5: 100, 8, 9, 7, 4, 6. Target: 414.
C1: 414. (4x100)+8+6 (10)
C2: 414. (4x100)+6+7+9-8 (10)
Score: 34–22 (max 39)
A nice numbers game to settle everyone in.
Before Jeff does the Teaser clue, he asks Gino about some of the TV shows he’s appeared on, including I’m A Celebrity, Get Me Out Of Here and one which involved him hiding in people’s bedrooms. See 4OD for more details.
Teatime teaser: CORNDUKE -> UNCORKED
Round 6: M T R E E O T N O
C1: TORMENT (7)
C2: METEOR (6)
DC: TONOMETER (18)
Score: 41–22 (max 57)
A great spot from Dictionary Corner; Susie gets out the ‘pen-cam’ to celebrate. In case you didn’t see the programme, a TONOMETER is a device used to measure musical pitch or pressure on a part of the body (such as the eyeball, when checking for glaucoma). A nice eight there was ROOMETTE, which is a private single compartment in a railway sleeping car, or a small room for letting.
Round 7: S B Z E A E D L I
C1: DISABLE (7)
C2: EDIBLES (7)
DC: SIZEABLE (8)
OT: ABSEILED (8) SEIZABLE (8)
Score: 48–29 (max 65)
Kate thinks about risking DEBLAZES^, but wisely sticks with her seven. Presumably it’s what the fire brigade does.
Round 8: A I O S Q H S U O
C1: SQUASH (6)
C2: SQUASH (6)
DC: SQUASH (6)
OT: SQUISH (6)
Score: 54–35 (max 71)
Round 9: N I D M C E A N O
C1: COMEDIAN (8)
C2: COMEDIAN (8)
DC: MINCED (6) DOMINANCE (18)
Score: 62–43 (max 89)
Given that almost the same letters came up on Wednesday, it’s not surprising that everyone spots COMEDIAN, but DC go one better with their second niner of the day. Kudos to them.
OoW: Susie discusses the origins of the expression “Hobson’s choice”, for which we have a very accurate and reliable etymology.
Round 10: 75, 2, 10, 4, 9, 9. Target: 134.
C1: -
C2: -
RR: 134. (75-(9+9-10))x2 (10)
Score: 62–43 (max 99)
A somewhat harder numbers game this time round and it foxes both our players, but not Rach (or quite a few viewers, I suspect).
Teatime teaser: SUITCASE -> SAUCIEST
Round 11: G R E F S U E O W
C1: ROGUES (6)
C2: URGES (5)
DC: GROUSE (6) REFUSE (6) FORGES (6)
OT: EGOSURF (7) REFUGES (7)
Score: 68–43 (max 106)
EGOSURF (vb.): What Damian likes to do on C4C.
Round 12: P R U E K R I A J
C1: PURER (5)
C2: PARKIER (7)
DC: PARKIER (7)
Score: 68–50 (max 113)
PARKIER (comp. adj.): what it is in the UK at the moment!
Round 13: T N D E U G X O S
C1: TONGUES (7)
C2: TONGUED (7)
DC: TONGUES (7) TONGUED (7)
OT: SNOUTED (7) TUXEDOS (7)
Score: 75–57 (max 120)
Our contestants are speaking in tongues in this round, and with two rounds remaining, it’s still game on...
Round 14: 75, 8, 3, 7, 1, 2. Target: 317.
C1: 317. ((3+1)x75)+8+7+2 (10)
C2: 317. ((3+1)x75)+8+7+2 (10)
Score: 85–67 (max 130)
... but a rather straightforward target from CECIL means it’s all over for ‘Crazy’ Kate Spencer as Greg ‘Glutes’ Hayhurst is now 18 points in front.
Round 15: M A G I C R I N G
C2 buzzes on 26 seconds to say GRIMACING which is correct.
Final Score: 85–77 (max 140)
A bit surprisingly, the –ING ending doesn’t equal a fast conundrum solve today, but Kate does unravel the ‘magic ring’ in time to add ten points to her tally and finish a respectable eight behind the champ. Tune in on Monday to see whether Greg can make it three as John Suchet returns to Dictionary Corner. Stay warm and I’ll see you next week for another Friday Recap!
Further summaries are at:
http://www.apterous.org/cdb/series.php?series=63