c4countdown

Countdown recap for Thursday 3 May 1984 (Series 4, Prelim 20).

C1: Challenger Stuart Schofield (1 draw, 51 points.)
C2: Champion Robert Richland (2 wins, 1 draw, 144 points.)
DC: Julia Swannell and Gyles Brandreth.
CV: Carol Vorderman.
OT: Other words or solutions.

A classic edition of Countdown, in which Mark Nyman’s record high score at the time of 79 points was almost broken. As things turned out, we would have to wait for Series 10 for Harvey Freeman to get into the eighties.

R01: S T A L D I L E N
R02: H I N T E R O E Y
R03: S I T I B S R A T
R04: 75, 1, 3, 10, 6, 3. Target: 151.
R05: R U V E S D B I O
R06: C B L A I F U L J
R07: T N O N E G I C E
R08: 75, 1, 1, 2, 5, 10. Target: 735.
R09: N I G I M S O R P (conundrum)


And now a brief interlude before our main feature:

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Enjoy the show.

Round 1: S T A L D I L E N

C1: INSTALLED (18)
C2: INSTALLED (18)
DC: DILATES (7)
Score: 18–18 (max 18)

Richard thought this was the first occasion on which both contestants had declared a nine, albeit the same one.

Round 2: H I N T E R O E Y

C1: NEITHER (7)
C2: NEITHER (7)
DC: EITHER (6) THEREIN (7)
OT: HEROINE (7) THEREON (7)
Score: 25–25 (max 25)

Round 3: S I T I B S R A T

C1: STRAITS (7)
C2: STRAITS (7)
OT: SATIRIST (8)
Score: 32–32 (max 33)

Round 4: 75, 1, 3, 10, 6, 3. Target: 151.

C1: 151. ((3-1)x75)+10-6-3 (10)
C2: 151. ((3-1)x75)+10-6-3 (10)
Score: 42–42 (max 43)

Round 5: R U V E S D B I O

C1: BRUISED (7)
C2: DEVOURS (7)
DC: OVERBIDS (8) DEVIOUS (7)
Score: 49–49 (max 51)

Round 6: C B L A I F U L J

C1: LILAC (5)
C2: CALL (4)
DC: JAB CLUB FLAIL (5)
OT: ABULIC (6) FIBULA (6)
Score: 54–49 (max 57)

Round 7: T N O N E G I C E

C1: NOTICE (6)
C2: NOTICE (6) (also ENGINE)
OT: GENETIC (7)
Score: 60–55 (max 64)

Round 8: 75, 1, 1, 2, 5, 10. Target: 735.

C1: 735. (75x10)-((2+1)x5) (10)
C2: 735. ((75-2)x10)+5 (10)
Score: 70–65 (max 74)

Round 9: N I G I M S O R P

C2 buzzes on 4 seconds to say PROMISING which is correct.
Score: 70–75 (max 84)

Stuart buzzed just a fraction of a second after Robert in one of those moments that could have changed Countdown history.

All words not in the COD7 have been excluded from this recap.

Further summaries are at:
http://www.apterous.org/cdb/series.php?series=4