Hello once again and welcome to today's recap.Today sees Bradley Cates looking for his 6th win.
With only 2 months to go before Christmas, Nick gets us all in the festive mood with his introduction.
C1: Champion Bradley Cates (5 wins, 561 points.)
C2: Challenger Margaret Thompson. A retired District Nursing Sister from Kibworth Beauchamp in Leicestershire.
DC: Susie Dent and Dr Phillip Hammond.
RR: Rachel Riley.
OT: Other words or solutions.
R01: N I S E L O H G J
R02: N L M D N A E O M
R03: 10, 8, 3, 3, 4, 100, . Target: 948.
TTT: AMENTION - "To do this you'll have to give someone's name a mention."
R04: C D P I U I L T E
R05: M A H I Q A R P E
R06: 10, 8, 3, 2, 6, 25. Target: 645.
R07: S A G O S I T L E
R08: D C A P O E B Z N
R09: 4, 4, 3, 6, 8, 100, . Target: 758.
TTT: INPOISON - "If you're in a poisonous mood, you'd better keep these to yourself."
R10: T S N A O U R T A
R11: S E D I R O T S E
R12: A O E D K S R N A
R13: S E H U R O T R Y
R14: 3, 3, 6, 5, 2, 75. Target: 364.
R15: E D I T S N E W S (conundrum)
And now a brief interlude before our main feature:
SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER
SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER
SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER
SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER
SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER
SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER
SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER
SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER
SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER
SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER
SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER
SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER
SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER
SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER
SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER
SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER
SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER
SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER
SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER
SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER
Enjoy the show.
Round 1: N I S E L O H G J
C1: JINGLES (7)
C2: SHINGLE (7)
DC: LONGISH (7)
OT: JINGOES (7) JOSHING (7) LEGIONS (7) LINGOES (7) SHOEING (7)
Score: 7–7 (max 7)
It's not quite Jingle bells, but JINGLES gets Bradley 7 points, while Margaret replies with SHINGLE to draw the first round.
Round 2: N L M D N A E O M
C1: LOANED (6)
C2: MANNED (6)
DC: MAMELON (7)
Score: 13–13 (max 14)
Still level after Round 2, as both players get 6 points.
Round 3: 10, 8, 3, 3, 4, 100. Target: 948.
C1: 948. (100-3-3) x 10 +8 (10)
C2: 946.
Score: 23–13 (max 24)
Bradley takes the lead as Margaret can only manage 946.
Teatime teaser: AMENTION -> NOMINATE
Round 4: C D P I U I L T E
C1: DUCTILE (7)
C2: cuplet
DC: DILUTE (6)
OT: PICULET (7)
Score: 30–13 (max 31)
Bradley extends his lead with DUCTILE for 7, while Margaret has 'cuplet' disallowed. The word is spelt COUPLET, which without the O would not have been possible in this selection.
Round 5: M A H I Q A R P E
C1: HAMPER (6)
C2: HAMPER (6)
OT: PARIAH (6) PHARMA (6) RAPHAE (6)
Score: 36–19 (max 37)
The Christmas theme returns as both players get HAMPER for 6.
Round 6: 10, 8, 3, 2, 6, 25. Target: 645.
C1: 644. (8x3) x (25+2) - (10-6) (7)
C2: 645. Mistake in working.
RR: 645. (6+2) x 8+3x10-25 (10)
Score: 43–19 (max 47)
Margaret makes a mistake after declaring 645. I was surprised Bradley missed this, but 644 got him 7 points anyway.
Dr Phil talks about a boy who gave him Chocolate Peanuts, and how obesity is sinking the NHS.
Round 7: S A G O S I T L E
C1: LIGATES (7)
C2: goaties
DC: SILAGES (7) ISOLATES (8)
Score: 50–19 (max 55)
Margaret has 'goaties' disallowed. It's a double E for the correct spelling. This allows Bradley to go a further 7 ahead.
Round 8: D C A P O E B Z N
C1: DEACON (6)
C2: PONCED (6)
DC: BEDPAN (6)
OT: CABEZON (7)
Score: 56–25 (max 62)
6 points each in this round.
Round 9: 4, 4, 3, 6, 8, 100. Target: 758.
C1: 758. (100-4) x8 -6-4 (10)
C2: 758. (8x100) - (4+3)x6 (10)
Score: 66–35 (max 72)
Both players get 758 for 10 points each.
Teatime teaser: INPOISON -> OPINIONS
Round 10: T S N A O U R T A
C1: TRUANTS (7)
C2: OUTRAN (6)
DC: TARTANS (7) ASTRONAUT (18)
Score: 73–35 (max 90)
Bradley goes a further 7 ahead with TRUANTS as Margaret can only manage a 6. Not perfect though. He could have had a 9 in ASTRONAUT. I guess he must have been on another planet at that time.
Round 11: S E D I R O T S E
C1: STEROIDS (8)
C2: STEROIDS (8)
DC: DESSERT (7)
OT: DOSSERET (8) EDITRESS (8) OERSTEDS (8) RESISTED (8)
Score: 81–43 (max 98)
Countdown is one of the very few programmes left that allow STEROIDS. Just as well really as it got both players 8 points.
Susie talks about names of Countdown crew.
Round 12: A O E D K S R N A
C1: deranks
C2: SOAKED (6)
DC: DARKENS (7)
OT: ANORAKS (7)
Score: 81–49 (max 105)
Oh!
A mistake by Bradley as 'deranks' is disallowed. Margarets closes the gap by getting SOAKED.Round 13: S E H U R O T R Y
C1: HERSTORY (8)
C2: OTHERS (6)
Score: 89–49 (max 113)
Brilliant redemption by Bradley as he spots HERSTORY for 8. Margaret could only manage OTHERS for 6.
Round 14: 3, 3, 6, 5, 2, 75. Target: 364.
C1: 364. (5x75) -6-3-2 (10)
C2: 364. (5x75) -6-3-2 (10)
Score: 99–59 (max 123)
It's 10 points each, but the game was over long ago I'm afraid for Margaret.
Round 15: E D I T S N E W S
No one buzzes. The answer was WITNESSED.
Final Score: 99–59 (max 133)
So Bradley fails to get the conundrum, and in so doing has also failed to hit a century by a mere point. Margaret couldn't get the conundrum either so it was down to an audience member to say WITNESSED.
Well we have just WITNESSED Bradley winning for the 6th time. Only 2 more games and he will be an octochamp. Will he make it? Join Graeme Cole on Monday for Bradley's 7th game to see if he can go another step further. Thank you very much for reading today's recap, and goodbye.
Further summaries are at:
http://cdb.apterous.org/series.php?series=69
This website is not endorsed by or affiliated with Channel 4, the makers of Countdown, or any person associated with the aforementioned in any way whatsoever at all, never has been, never will be, and moreover is proud not to be. Yep.
Page design and all good stuff copyright © Charles Reams 2008. Thanks for Mike Brown for collecting the data for so many years.