Monday 5th September 2011 (Series 65, Prelim 46)
Posted: Mon Sep 05, 2011 4:53 pm
Countdown recap for Monday 5 September 2011.
C1: Champion Russell Tompkins (1 win, 90 points.)
C2: Challenger Jaya Bhamidipati.
DC: Susie Dent and Gloria Hunniford.
RR: Rachel Riley.
OT: Other words or solutions.
R01: L J E A R T I B V
R02: S R L A E I D S N
R03: L P S A U I B T E
R04: A O D R P I E W H
R05: 50, 75, 6, 2, 1, 4. Target: 299.
TTT: STIRPEST - "Their opinion can literally be worthless"
R06: S M S I A E T G O
R07: N C T A I N E S T
R08: W A I L D R E V U
R09: K N T O U E S M R
R10: 25, 100, 4, 8, 6, 2. Target: 233.
TTT: NUNOCEAN - "Tell everyone about 28 grams"
R11: S Z Y A O R N E T
R12: R F T A O E N Q O
R13: H G M A U G C E T
R14: 100, 75, 5, 6, 10, 2. Target: 380.
R15: R O S Y F L I R T (conundrum)
And now a brief interlude before our main feature:
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Russell Tompkins lives a charmed life having won his first game of Countdown by the smallest possible margin, coming from behind on the conundrum. He is characterised by his overly waxed mohican and very smiley face. He plays football at left back (left back in the changing rooms har-de-har) and admires Stuart Pearce despite being a Manchester United supporter (Pearce managed Man City at one point).
Badminton and food lover Jaya Bhamidipati is the challenger today. She likes badminton so much that in her younger days she was a national champion in her country. Other loves of hers include George Clooney and her husband. How sweet. Rather cringily Jeff (on introducing her) asks if he got her surname right. And he has done this before with other contestants too in the past I seem to recall. One thing to note about her name though is that she shares a little bit of it with series 63 semi-finalist and octochamp Daniel Pati. Will she do as well? Probably not but let's see...
Enjoy the show.
Round 1: L J E A R T I B V
C1: JAILER (6)
C2: VERBAL (6)
DC: VIBRATE (7) LIBRATE (7)
OT: TABLIER (7) TRIABLE (7)
Score: 6–6 (max 7)
Gloria Hunniford butts straight in with "her" 7. God this is going to be one fucking long week with her in the corner.
Round 2: S R L A E I D S N
C1: ISLANDERS (18)
C2: SERIALS (7)
DC: SARDINES (8)
Score: 24–6 (max 25)
Magic! After just the second round this game is sparked into life with a great niner from the champ and that may just crush Jaya's hopes at this early stage.
Round 3: L P S A U I B T E
C1: PLAITS (6)
C2: PULSATE (7)
DC: SUITABLE (8)
OT: EPIBLAST (8)
Score: 24–13 (max 33)
But no. It's Russell who has eased off and can only find a 6 amongst this fairly fruity selection. Jaya snaps right back.
Round 4: A O D R P I E W H
C1: DRAPE (5)
C2: PAIRED (6)
DC: RAWHIDE (7)
OT: RAPHIDE (7)
Score: 24–19 (max 40)
And again! That 9 hasn't done much good for Russell because in just 2 rounds he has lost that big lead that he had and let Jaya straight back in. Lots of sixes to go at in this one. My favourite perhaps being WHORED.
RAPHIDEs are needle-shaped crystals of calcium oxalate apparently, whilst RAWHIDE was an American Western TV series that had a freaking awesome theme tune to it. I also can't help but think there's a good crossword clue for RAPHIDE revolving around HID and RAPE. Or maybe not.
Round 5: 50, 75, 6, 2, 1, 4. Target: 299.
C1: 299. 50*6-1 (10)
C2: 299. 75*4-1 (10)
Score: 34–29 (max 50)
Just about the easiest numbers game we will see all week. Over to Bore-ia Hunniford.
DC Guest Time: Gloria Hunniford recites some jokes about old age that are even older than Jeff's jokes.
Teatime teaser: STIRPEST -> TIPSTERS
Round 6: S M S I A E T G O
C1: GAMIEST (7)
C2: goaties
DC: ATOMISES (8)
Score: 41–29 (max 58)
Hard luck here for Jaya as she spells GOATEES wrongly and Russell's seven that he thought might be risky is of course fine. They will probably be disappointed to miss an ATOMISE word since it's one of those words that most Countdown viewers seem to be familiar with after a few months watching.
Round 7: N C T A I N E S T
C1: CANNIEST (8)
C2: STANCE (6)
DC: INSTANCE (8) ANCIENTS (8)
OT: INSECTAN (8)
Score: 49–29 (max 66)
Russell sure is good at picking out the -IEST and I thought Jaya would have learnt her lesson from the last round but no. She fails to spot CANNIEST and any other of the 3 anagrams of it.
Round 8: W A I L D R E V U
C1: WAILED (6)
C2: WAILED (6)
DC: WAIVER (6)
JS: DRIVEL (6)
OT: AUDILE (6) DERAIL (6) LAIRED (6) LURVED (6) RAILED (6) REDIAL (6) RELAID (6) VAILED (6) VALUED (6) VALUER (6) VARIED (6) WAILER (6) WAIVED (6) WAULED (6) WAVIER (6) WILDER (6)
Score: 55–35 (max 72)
Ridiculous amount of sixes. Even Jeff got one of them. Although Jeff is fairly decent at the game actually so that was harsh.
Round 9: K N T O U E S M R
C1: MOUNTERS (8)
C2: MOUNTERS (8)
DC: REMOUNTS (8)
Score: 63–43 (max 80)
Risks left right and centre here but like previous risks they have paid off in this game. Gloria Hunniford makes the rather unusual comment saying that they were strange mix of letters or something. I think this comes close to the sort of expression I pulled at my TV:
Susie: She talks about phantonyms such as DISINTERESTED, FORTUITOUS, PRESENTLY and NOISOME. Although I was expecting her to talk about Icy Lemon, Fruit Twist and Orange flavours.
Round 10: 25, 100, 4, 8, 6, 2. Target: 233.
C1: 232.
C2: 233. 2*100+25+8 (10)
Score: 63–53 (max 90)
Oooo this just got interesting as Russell misses a pretty straightforward numbers game. Jaya makes no mistake and seizes the opportunity to get back into this game. Things nicely set up for the final third.
Teatime teaser: NUNOCEAN -> ANNOUNCE
Round 11: S Z Y A O R N E T
C1: atoners
C2: ornates
DC: TREASON (7) SENATOR (7)
OT: SANTERO (7)
Score: 63–53 (max 97)
Well Russell and Jaya were almost right. They had the right 7 letters from which any of the 3 maxes could have been achieved but they put them in the wrong order! They'll know for next time.
Round 12: R F T A O E N Q O
C1: ORNATE (6)
C2: ORNATE (6)
OT: FOOTER (6) RATOON (6)
Score: 69–59 (max 103)
And ORNATE makes a swift reappearance whilst Gloria has a crack at some humour.
Round 13: H G M A U G C E T
C1: GAUGE (5)
C2: MATCH (5)
DC: GAUCHE (6) CAUGHT (6)
Score: 74–64 (max 109)
Now this would be a bad mix of letters. Only two sixes out of this bunch none of which Russell or Jaya managed. That's good though because the gap is still 10 points and I'm looking forward to a crucial conundrum with a bit of luck.
Round 14: 100, 75, 5, 6, 10, 2. Target: 380.
C1: 380. 75*5+10/2 (10)
C2: -
Score: 84–64 (max 119)
Oh bugger. Jaya has blown it. I can only think she was trying to use the 100 a bit too much because Russell shows her the simple way to crack this one and as such he wins the game without having to face a crucial for the second time.
Round 15: R O S Y F L I R T
C1 buzzes on 12 seconds to say FLORISTRY which is correct.
Final Score: 94–64 (max 129)
Yet he got it anyway which means the final scoreline is a rather flattering 94-64. Decent performance by Russell who just pulled away in the last 2 rounds leaving Jaya rueing a few chance opportunities that she missed out on in the game. Another score in the 90's is encouraging stuff though so find out tomorrow with whoever if Russell completes a hat-trick.
Thank you and goodnight.
Further summaries are at:
http://www.apterous.org/cdb/series.php?series=65
C1: Champion Russell Tompkins (1 win, 90 points.)
C2: Challenger Jaya Bhamidipati.
DC: Susie Dent and Gloria Hunniford.
RR: Rachel Riley.
OT: Other words or solutions.
R01: L J E A R T I B V
R02: S R L A E I D S N
R03: L P S A U I B T E
R04: A O D R P I E W H
R05: 50, 75, 6, 2, 1, 4. Target: 299.
TTT: STIRPEST - "Their opinion can literally be worthless"
R06: S M S I A E T G O
R07: N C T A I N E S T
R08: W A I L D R E V U
R09: K N T O U E S M R
R10: 25, 100, 4, 8, 6, 2. Target: 233.
TTT: NUNOCEAN - "Tell everyone about 28 grams"
R11: S Z Y A O R N E T
R12: R F T A O E N Q O
R13: H G M A U G C E T
R14: 100, 75, 5, 6, 10, 2. Target: 380.
R15: R O S Y F L I R T (conundrum)
And now a brief interlude before our main feature:
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Russell Tompkins lives a charmed life having won his first game of Countdown by the smallest possible margin, coming from behind on the conundrum. He is characterised by his overly waxed mohican and very smiley face. He plays football at left back (left back in the changing rooms har-de-har) and admires Stuart Pearce despite being a Manchester United supporter (Pearce managed Man City at one point).
Badminton and food lover Jaya Bhamidipati is the challenger today. She likes badminton so much that in her younger days she was a national champion in her country. Other loves of hers include George Clooney and her husband. How sweet. Rather cringily Jeff (on introducing her) asks if he got her surname right. And he has done this before with other contestants too in the past I seem to recall. One thing to note about her name though is that she shares a little bit of it with series 63 semi-finalist and octochamp Daniel Pati. Will she do as well? Probably not but let's see...
Enjoy the show.
Round 1: L J E A R T I B V
C1: JAILER (6)
C2: VERBAL (6)
DC: VIBRATE (7) LIBRATE (7)
OT: TABLIER (7) TRIABLE (7)
Score: 6–6 (max 7)
Gloria Hunniford butts straight in with "her" 7. God this is going to be one fucking long week with her in the corner.
Round 2: S R L A E I D S N
C1: ISLANDERS (18)
C2: SERIALS (7)
DC: SARDINES (8)
Score: 24–6 (max 25)
Magic! After just the second round this game is sparked into life with a great niner from the champ and that may just crush Jaya's hopes at this early stage.
Round 3: L P S A U I B T E
C1: PLAITS (6)
C2: PULSATE (7)
DC: SUITABLE (8)
OT: EPIBLAST (8)
Score: 24–13 (max 33)
But no. It's Russell who has eased off and can only find a 6 amongst this fairly fruity selection. Jaya snaps right back.
Round 4: A O D R P I E W H
C1: DRAPE (5)
C2: PAIRED (6)
DC: RAWHIDE (7)
OT: RAPHIDE (7)
Score: 24–19 (max 40)
And again! That 9 hasn't done much good for Russell because in just 2 rounds he has lost that big lead that he had and let Jaya straight back in. Lots of sixes to go at in this one. My favourite perhaps being WHORED.
RAPHIDEs are needle-shaped crystals of calcium oxalate apparently, whilst RAWHIDE was an American Western TV series that had a freaking awesome theme tune to it. I also can't help but think there's a good crossword clue for RAPHIDE revolving around HID and RAPE. Or maybe not.
Round 5: 50, 75, 6, 2, 1, 4. Target: 299.
C1: 299. 50*6-1 (10)
C2: 299. 75*4-1 (10)
Score: 34–29 (max 50)
Just about the easiest numbers game we will see all week. Over to Bore-ia Hunniford.
DC Guest Time: Gloria Hunniford recites some jokes about old age that are even older than Jeff's jokes.
Teatime teaser: STIRPEST -> TIPSTERS
Round 6: S M S I A E T G O
C1: GAMIEST (7)
C2: goaties
DC: ATOMISES (8)
Score: 41–29 (max 58)
Hard luck here for Jaya as she spells GOATEES wrongly and Russell's seven that he thought might be risky is of course fine. They will probably be disappointed to miss an ATOMISE word since it's one of those words that most Countdown viewers seem to be familiar with after a few months watching.
Round 7: N C T A I N E S T
C1: CANNIEST (8)
C2: STANCE (6)
DC: INSTANCE (8) ANCIENTS (8)
OT: INSECTAN (8)
Score: 49–29 (max 66)
Russell sure is good at picking out the -IEST and I thought Jaya would have learnt her lesson from the last round but no. She fails to spot CANNIEST and any other of the 3 anagrams of it.
Round 8: W A I L D R E V U
C1: WAILED (6)
C2: WAILED (6)
DC: WAIVER (6)
JS: DRIVEL (6)
OT: AUDILE (6) DERAIL (6) LAIRED (6) LURVED (6) RAILED (6) REDIAL (6) RELAID (6) VAILED (6) VALUED (6) VALUER (6) VARIED (6) WAILER (6) WAIVED (6) WAULED (6) WAVIER (6) WILDER (6)
Score: 55–35 (max 72)
Ridiculous amount of sixes. Even Jeff got one of them. Although Jeff is fairly decent at the game actually so that was harsh.
Round 9: K N T O U E S M R
C1: MOUNTERS (8)
C2: MOUNTERS (8)
DC: REMOUNTS (8)
Score: 63–43 (max 80)
Risks left right and centre here but like previous risks they have paid off in this game. Gloria Hunniford makes the rather unusual comment saying that they were strange mix of letters or something. I think this comes close to the sort of expression I pulled at my TV:
Susie: She talks about phantonyms such as DISINTERESTED, FORTUITOUS, PRESENTLY and NOISOME. Although I was expecting her to talk about Icy Lemon, Fruit Twist and Orange flavours.
Round 10: 25, 100, 4, 8, 6, 2. Target: 233.
C1: 232.
C2: 233. 2*100+25+8 (10)
Score: 63–53 (max 90)
Oooo this just got interesting as Russell misses a pretty straightforward numbers game. Jaya makes no mistake and seizes the opportunity to get back into this game. Things nicely set up for the final third.
Teatime teaser: NUNOCEAN -> ANNOUNCE
Round 11: S Z Y A O R N E T
C1: atoners
C2: ornates
DC: TREASON (7) SENATOR (7)
OT: SANTERO (7)
Score: 63–53 (max 97)
Well Russell and Jaya were almost right. They had the right 7 letters from which any of the 3 maxes could have been achieved but they put them in the wrong order! They'll know for next time.
Round 12: R F T A O E N Q O
C1: ORNATE (6)
C2: ORNATE (6)
OT: FOOTER (6) RATOON (6)
Score: 69–59 (max 103)
And ORNATE makes a swift reappearance whilst Gloria has a crack at some humour.
Round 13: H G M A U G C E T
C1: GAUGE (5)
C2: MATCH (5)
DC: GAUCHE (6) CAUGHT (6)
Score: 74–64 (max 109)
Now this would be a bad mix of letters. Only two sixes out of this bunch none of which Russell or Jaya managed. That's good though because the gap is still 10 points and I'm looking forward to a crucial conundrum with a bit of luck.
Round 14: 100, 75, 5, 6, 10, 2. Target: 380.
C1: 380. 75*5+10/2 (10)
C2: -
Score: 84–64 (max 119)
Oh bugger. Jaya has blown it. I can only think she was trying to use the 100 a bit too much because Russell shows her the simple way to crack this one and as such he wins the game without having to face a crucial for the second time.
Round 15: R O S Y F L I R T
C1 buzzes on 12 seconds to say FLORISTRY which is correct.
Final Score: 94–64 (max 129)
Yet he got it anyway which means the final scoreline is a rather flattering 94-64. Decent performance by Russell who just pulled away in the last 2 rounds leaving Jaya rueing a few chance opportunities that she missed out on in the game. Another score in the 90's is encouraging stuff though so find out tomorrow with whoever if Russell completes a hat-trick.
Thank you and goodnight.
Further summaries are at:
http://www.apterous.org/cdb/series.php?series=65