Monday February 10th 2014 (series 70 prelim 26)

[Andy McGurn]

Countdown recap for Monday 10 February 2014.

C1: Champion Graeme Cheek (1 win, 80 points.) Graeme is from Newcastle where he runs a post office with his dad. He is a huge quiz fan
C2: Challenger Eoin Keegan. Originally from Cork Eoin now lives in London where he works as a project manager. He recounts having got back from Las Vegas where he was “hypnotised and humiliated”
DC: Susie Dent and Richard Arnold.
RR: Rachel Riley.
OT: Other words or solutions.

R01: D O E U S L S T M
R02: J N R P V E O A R
R03: 4, 7, 4, 9, 7, 50. Target: 121.
TTT: BEANKNOT - "unlike a coin it has two heads and no tails"
R04: C S Z N R E I A B
R05: M O E I R T W N D
R06: 8, 5, 2, 2, 7, 75. Target: 203.
R07: G U O E R D F B T
R08: P S T N D A I U O
R09: 2, 8, 2, 1, 50, 100. Target: 591.
TTT: IRONHEMP - "does this plasteceine character need some pain relief"
R10: S N X R D A I E S
R11: H O A E G L P H N
R12: S L S T R I A O A
R13: S E I O D P N T G
R14: 6, 2, 2, 8, 1, 25. Target: 301.
R15: H Y P E R R I P E (conundrum)


And now a brief interlude before our main feature:

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Enjoy the show.

Round 1: D O E U S L S T M

C1: MUSSEL (6)
C2: MOUSSE (6)
DC: MOUSSED (7) TOUSLED (7)
OT: DOLMUSES (8)
Score: 6–6 (max 8)

Graeme picks his letters by starting with a consonant and then three vowels. This was how Marcus Hares always started interestingly enough. Six points for both but Eoin could have won the round outright had he added the D to MOUSSE. DOLMUSES are taxis in Turkey that go only on set routes.

Round 2: J N R P V E O A R

C1: OVERRAN (7)
C2: PROVEN (6)
DC: OVERRAN (7)
Score: 13–6 (max 15)
Darrenic max for Graeme gives him the lead.

Round 3: 4, 7, 4, 9, 7, 50. Target: 121.

C1: 122. (7-4)*50-(7*4) (7)
C2: 122. (7-4)*50-(7*4) (7)
RR: 121. (10)
Score: 20–13 (max 25)
Both contestants score one away here to take seven points

Teatime teaser: BEANKNOT -> BANKNOTE

Round 4: C S Z N R E I A B

C1: CARBINES (8)
C2: BRAINS (6)
Score: 28–13 (max 33)
Excellent spot by Graeme, CARBINES is usually the type of word only offered by apterites, this great spot gives him a fifteen point lead

Round 5: M O E I R T W N D

C1: DOWNTIME (8)
C2: TOWNIE (6)
DC: REWIND (6) WEIRDO (6)
Score: 36–13 (max 41)
For the second round in a row Graeme demonstrates he is quite a wordsmith by spotting the darrenic DOWNTIME to increase his lead further.

Round 6: 8, 5, 2, 2, 7, 75. Target: 203.

C1: 210.
C2: 203. (75-7)*(8-5)-(/2) (10)
Score: 36–23 (max 51)
After two great letters rounds the numbers proves tough for Graeme. Eoin takes his chance to make up some ground with a spot-on solve.

Round 7: G U O E R D F B T

C1: DOUBTER (7)
C2: brogued
DC: FOREGUT (7)
OT: GROUTED (7) OBTRUDE (7) OUTBRED (7) REDOUBT (7)
Score: 43–23 (max 58)
Graeme maxes a letters round again but Eoin’s risk isn’t in and it gives Graeme the chance to take a 20 point lead.

Round 8: P S T N D A I U O

C1: DUSTPAN (7)
C2: AUDITS (6)
DC: ASTOUND (7) PUNDITS (7)
OT: OPUNTIAS (8) UTOPIANS (8)
Score: 50–23 (max 66)
Another winning round puts Graeme 27 points ahead. Surprisingly DC miss the two 8’s year which would be bread and butter for the apterous elite.

Round 9: 2, 8, 2, 1, 50, 100. Target: 591.

C1: -
C2: 589. (8-2)*(100-2)+1 (7)
RR: 591. (100+50-2)*(8/2)-1 (10)
Score: 50–30 (max 76)
It’s the numbers keeping Eoin in it as he takes the gap back to 20 with his 2 away here.
Teatime teaser: IRONHEMP -> MORPHINE

Round 10: S N X R D A I E S

C1: SANDERS (7)
C2: SANDIER (7)
DC: SARDINES (8) ARIDNESS (8)
Score: 57–37 (max 84)
Fairly straightforward sevens for both contestants maintain the status quo. DC get a chance to shone by spotting the two maxes here.
Round 11: H O A E G L P H N

C1: phlange
C2: PLANE (5)
DC: HALOGEN (7)
Score: 57–42 (max 91)
Graeme takes a risk but it doesn’t come off. Are there any words in the English language that can start with either an F or a PH? I can’t think of any so this may have been a low percentage risk for Graeme. Will this cost him as we approach the final round.

Round 12: S L S T R I A O A

C1: TRAIL (5)
C2: ORALIST (7)
DC: ORALISTS (8) ASTRAL (6)
Score: 57–49 (max 99)
Finally Eoin wins a letters round as Graeme seems to feel the pressure. It seems unlikely that Eoin failing to add the S to ORALIST will affect the outcome of the game, he’s now within 10 and still in with a chance of taking the win.

Round 13: S E I O D P N T G

C1: deposting
C2: despoting
DC: PONGIEST (8) DEPOSING (8)
OT: PODGIEST (8)
Score: 57–49 (max 107)
Give credit to both contestants for taking the risk but neither risk is allowed and the gap remains at 8.
Round 14: 6, 2, 2, 8, 1, 25. Target: 301.

C1: 301. (6*2*25)+1 (10)
C2: 301. (6*25*2)+1 (10)
Score: 67–59 (max 117)
A simple numbers game sets up a crucial.

Round 15: H Y P E R R I P E

C1 buzzes on 14 seconds to say PERIPHERY which is correct.
Final Score: 77–59 (max 127)
Two out of two on conundrums for Graeme and they have not been the easiest conundrums either so well done to him on this. Despite his weakness on the numbers he is clearly a strong wordsmith and he may have chances to win a few more if he can improve a bit on the numbers.

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Round 11: H O A E G L P H N

C1: phlange
C2: PLANE (5)
DC: HALOGEN (7)
Score: 57–42 (max 91)
Graeme takes a risk but it doesn’t come off. Are there any words in the English language that can start with either an F or a PH? I can’t think of any so this may have been a low percentage risk for Graeme. Will this cost him as we approach the final round.

FREAK and PHREAK (although I think they have different meanings)

[Peter Mabey]

Round 11: H O A E G L P H N

C1: phlange
C2: PLANE (5)
DC: HALOGEN (7)
Score: 57–42 (max 91)
Graeme takes a risk but it doesn’t come off. Are there any words in the English language that can start with either an F or a PH? I can’t think of any so this may have been a low percentage risk for Graeme. Will this cost him as we approach the final round.

FREAK and PHREAK (although I think they have different meanings)

FANTASY and PHANTASY are similar, but used in different contexts.
I wonder whether Graeme was thinking of the Phalange, an alternative spelling of the Spanish Falange?

[Gavin Chipper]

There's also PHALANX.