Countdown recap for Thursday 21 November 2013.
C1: Champion June Madell (1 win, 63 points.) A Series 5 semi-finalist from Sittingbourne, Kent.
C2: Challenger Jonathan Liew. A general sports journalist from London. He has written from the Grand National, the Ryder Cup, Wimbledon and had a front row seat in the Olympic Stadium on Super Saturday at the Olympics last year.
DC: Susie Dent and Selina Scott.
RR: Rachel Riley.
OT: Other words or solutions.
R01: S T I U I X R E D
R02: O A E T F L W H D
R03: 50, 2, 4, 9, 4, 3. Target: 790.
TTT: DIVADIET - "The diva won't eat any food with this in"
R04: O I A S N H T S P
R05: L S N E I R E C A
R06: 4, 3, 1, 6, 7, 4. Target: 647.
R07: T R P O A E N G U
R08: O I D M G R T E U
R09: 25, 9, 8, 7, 1, 7. Target: 745.
TTT: BONOLOUD - "This gold coin sounds like its got a twin"
R10: A I U K H Z R T G
R11: F N J E O E N A B
R12: I O E Q R S M D N
R13: R V I O S D A O B
R14: 5, 3, 7, 10, 9, 2. Target: 947.
R15: V I L L A T A N G (conundrum)
And now a brief interlude before our main feature:
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Enjoy the show.
Round 1: S T I U I X R E D
C1: STRIDE (6)
C2: RUDEST (6)
DC: EDITRIX (7)
OT: DIRTIES (7) DITSIER (7) DUSTIER (7)
Score: 6–6 (max 7)
An impressive 7 from DC I must say, whereas our contestants start with a half dozen apiece.
Round 2: O A E T F L W H D
C1: FLOATED (7)
C2: FLOATED (7)
DC: LOATHED (7)
Score: 13–13 (max 14)
But, they've FLOATED to 7 now, while DC just LOATHED about it.
Round 3: 50, 2, 4, 9, 4, 3. Target: 790.
C1: 790. (4 x 4 x 50) - 9 - (3 - 2) (10)
C2: 790. (4 x 4 x 50) - 9 - (3 - 2) (10)
Score: 23–23 (max 24)
So, it's 10 points apiece for the contestants, meaning that June has already more maxes today than in the whole game yesterday
Teatime teaser: DIVADIET -> ADDITIVE
Round 4: O I A S N H T S P
C1: PASSION (7)
C2: PASSION (7)
DC: hotpants PANTOS (6)
OT: ASTONISH (8) SNAPSHOT (8)
Score: 30–30 (max 32)
Lots of PASSION in the studio, and there was even the suggestion of some hotpants too.
(Unfortunately, there was only 1 T in the selection, and hotpants is still 2 words anyway.) Quite ASTONISHed that ASTONISH was missed too............ 
Round 5: L S N E I R E C A
C1: SINCERE (7)
C2: RELIANCE (8)
DC: CARELINES (18)
OT: LARCENIES (18) RELIANCES (18)
Score: 30–38 (max 50)
Jonathan gets the first breakthrough with RELIANCE, but he could've pluralised it for a 9
Round 6: 4, 3, 1, 6, 7, 4. Target: 647.
C1: -
C2: 647. (((6 x 4) - 1) x 4 x 7) + 3 (10)
Score: 30–48 (max 60)
A man who claims not to like numbers picks 6 small, and comes out with an amazing solution, which deserves this.
Round 7: T R P O A E N G U
C1: GROPE (5)
C2: ORANGE (6)
DC: PORTAGE (7) TREPANG (7) OUTRANGE (8)
Score: 30–54 (max 68)
An ORANGE a day keeps the doctor away (or something like that.
), but in Jonathan's case, and ORANGE a round keeps June away. Round 8: O I D M G R T E U
C1: GOURMET (7)
C2: DIRGE (5)
DC: GROUTED (7) MOIRE (5)
OT: GOITRED (7) GOUTIER (7) OUTRIDE (7)
Score: 37–54 (max 75)
But, June makes a nice comeback with her GOURMET offering. Is this a recipe for success in the making perhaps
Round 9: 25, 9, 8, 7, 1, 7. Target: 745.
C1: 750. Mistake in working.
C2: -
RR: 742/748. (7)
OT: 745. (((8 x 7) + 25 + 1) x 9) + 7 (10)
Score: 37–54 (max 85)
Hmmm, a very nasty numbers here with June forgetting her method and Jonathan forgetting everything.
Even our Rach can only manage 3 away. Teatime teaser: BONOLOUD -> DOUBLOON
Round 10: A I U K H Z R T G
C1: GIRTH (5)
C2: KHAZI (5)
DC: GUITAR (6)
OT: ARIGHT (6) GUTKHA (6) KURTHA (6) THAKUR (6) TUGRIK (6)
Score: 42–59 (max 91)
A GIRTH and a KHAZI............................ Moving on
A THAKUR is a chief or master (used as a term of respectful address among the Kshatriya caste in India).
A TUGRIK is an aluminium-bronze or cupronickel coin and monetary unit of the Mongolian People's Republic, equal to 100 mongo.
Round 11: F N J E O E N A B
C1: BANJO (5)
C2: BANJO (5)
DC: BEANO (5)
OT: NANOBE (6)
Score: 47–64 (max 97)
Following on from the GUITAR in the last round, our contestants get out their BANJOs this time round, but their is a darrenic 6 lurking below.
Susie's Origins Of Words talks about the origins of "unfriend", "fanboy/girl" and "hip-hop".
Round 12: I O E Q R S M D N
C1: DRONES (6)
C2: MINDERS (7)
DC: indorse REMINDS (7)
OT: INDORSE (7) MERINOS (7) MINORED (7) MODERNS (7) NIMRODS (7) ROSINED (7)
Score: 47–71 (max 104)
Jonathan closes in on victory now thanks to his MINDERS, but the bigger controversy is Susie saying INDORSE is American, so shouldn't be allowed, yet she's allowed it plenty of times before............
(Luckily, no-one declared it )A NIMROD is a person expert in or devoted to hunting.
Round 13: R V I O S D A O B
C1: BROADS (6)
C2: RADIOS (6)
DC: ADSORB (6) BRAVOS (6)
OT: ADVISOR (7)
Score: 53–77 (max 111)
Jonathan wraps up the victory on his RADIOS, whereas the ADVISOR is left on the sidelines.
Round 14: 5, 3, 7, 10, 9, 2. Target: 947.
C1: 940.
C2: 948. (((10 x 9) + 5) x (7 + 3)) - 2 (7)
RR: 947. ((10 + 5) x 7 x 9) + 2 (10)
Score: 53–84 (max 121)
Another 6 small attempt by Jonathan, of which he can only get to 1 away this time, so Rachel does have a job to do at least.
Round 15: V I L L A T A N G
No one buzzes. The answer was GALLIVANT.
Final Score: 53–84 (max 131)
Another conundrum goes unsolved in the front of house, but we do have a willing participant in the audience who can give the answer.
So, Jonathan becomes the champion, and tomorrow, he'll hope that he can last slightly longer than his 2 predecessors in the chair. Join Anthony to see if he can do that.
There are only 14 prelims left before the series ends, and only 2 spots (currently occupied by Gemma & Zarte) left to fill. Will there be any changes to that line-up before December 12th
I'll be back next week to see where we are from there.
And this weekend, I'll be welcoming you lucky people who will be attending the Countdown Aces Trophy in Huddersfield on Saturday. Me, Jeff and Anna look forward to seeing you there.
So, till next week, have a great weekend and bye bye.
Statistics Corner
June:
Total score - 53
Raw score - 76
Total % of max - 40
Raw % of max - 58
Total average score per round - 3.5
Raw average score per round - 5.1
Number of maxes - 3
Jonathan:
Total score - 84
Raw score - 89
Total % of max - 64
Raw % of max - 68
Total average score per round - 5.6
Raw average score per round - 5.9
Number of maxes - 4
Further summaries are at:
http://cdb.apterous.org/series.php?series=69