Monday October 5th 2015 (series 73, prelim 65)

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Andy McGurn
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Monday October 5th 2015 (series 73, prelim 65)

Post by Andy McGurn »

Countdown recap for Monday 5 October 2015.

C1: Champion Matt Le Tissier (3 wins, 293 points.) Former England and Southampton Footballer, if he wins today he will be the first footballer to win four televised games of countdown

C2: Challenger John Hardie. – A scrabble enthusiast from Willoughby, Yorkshire. Once got stopped by the police who thought he was a wrong ‘un as he was found to be wearing shorts and t-shirt in October.

DC: Susie Dent and Graeme Le Saux.
RR: Rachel Riley.
OT: Other words or solutions.

R01: T S R I S E T A N
R02: T G D I O E G I N
R03: 10, 3, 6, 2, 7, 50. Target: 264.
TTT: HADBEGAN - "he had a liking for loud rock music and began to do this"
R04: S Y M Z O I A N R
R05: H R O E F R O N W
R06: 6, 8, 25, 50, 100, 75. Target: 499.
R07: G P M A I R S E P
R08: L Q H O E A T B T
R09: 9, 3, 7, 4, 3, 75. Target: 223.
TTT: KIDDYSAT - "do these insects know what is wrong when it comes to children's books"
R10: G N W S U E O A P
R11: T R V I U S A M E
R12: S F L X A U E O T
R13: K M T E A N B I C
R14: 1, 10, 6, 8, 9, 100. Target: 278.
R15: D I D T H E L E G (conundrum)


And now a brief interlude before our main feature:

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Enjoy the show.

Round 1: T S R I S E T A N

Matt: NATTERS (7)
John: trainers
DC: TARTINESS (18) RESISTANT (18)
OT: RATTINESS (18) STRAITENS (18)
Score: 7–0 (max 18)

Matt gets off to a lead as John sees a letter that isn’t there. Four nines in this round which is very rare.

Round 2: T G D I O E G I N

Matt: DIETING (7)
John: EDITING (7)
DC: EDITION (7) IGNITED (7)
Score: 14–7 (max 25)

The contestants spot the –ING maxes while DC show us that one can get sevens without –INGing.

Round 3: 10, 3, 6, 2, 7, 50. Target: 264.

Matt: 263.
John: 264. (50-6)*2*3 (10)
Score: 14–17 (max 35)

Matt falls behind for the first time in his run as John solves it to take a three point lead. We may have a player here.

Teatime teaser: HADBEGAN -> HEADBANG

Round 4: S Y M Z O I A N R

Matt: MOANS (5)
John: MANOIRS (7)
OT: MASONRY (7)
Score: 14–24 (max 42)

Is John an apterite? MANOIRS is an impressive spot if he isn’t.

Round 5: H R O E F R O N W

Matt: frowner
John: frowner
DC: ROOFER (6) HOOFER (6)
OT: HORNERO (7) WOONERF (7)
Score: 14–24 (max 49)

No frowner in the ODO. Two very obscure sevens were available though
A HORNERO is a bird native to South Africa.
A WOONERF is a road in which devices for reducing or slowing the flow of traffic have been installed


Round 6: 6, 8, 25, 50, 100, 75. Target: 499.

Matt: 500. (6*100)-75-25 (7)
John: 500. (100+75+25+50)*(8-6) (7)
RR: 499. (((8/(100/50))+75)*6)+25 (10)
Score: 21–31 (max 59)

John picks four large but both are one off the target. Its tough to get it spot on but Rachael does so, impressing everyone there.


Round 7: G P M A I R S E P

Matt: MAPPERS (7)
John: MAGPIES (7)
DC: GRAMPIES (8)
OT: EPIGRAMS (8)
Score: 28–38 (max 67)

GRAMPIES was one that both may have spotted and may have risked, but neither do so and its just sevens for the contestants

Round 8: L Q H O E A T B T

Matt: BATTLE (6)
John: BOTTLE (6)
DC: OATHLET (7)
Score: 34–44 (max 74)

The gap has been ten points for the last four rounds and neither seem like they’re gonna BOTTLE this one.

Round 9: 9, 3, 7, 4, 3, 75. Target: 223.

Matt: 223. (3*75)-(9-7) (10)
John: 223. (3*75)-(9-7) (10)
Score: 44–54 (max 84)

Easiest round so far means its now fine rounds where the gaps been at ten.

Teatime teaser: KIDDYSAT -> KATYDIDS

Round 10: G N W S U E O A P

Matt: WAGONS (6)
John: WEAPONS (7)
Score: 44–61 (max 91)

Matt’s grip on the champions chair looks to be fading as he misses the max. It seems evident that the challenger has the WEAPONS to beat him

Round 11: T R V I U S A M E

Matt: VIRTUES (7)
John: MURIATE (7)
DC: MURIATES (8)
Score: 51–68 (max 99)

More evidence that John may be an apterite as he spots MURIATES but doesn’t chance the S. It means Matt is still within twenty but this might not last much longer.

Round 12: S F L X A U E O T

Matt: FAULTS (6)
John: SULFATE (7)
OT: FAUXEST (7) FOLATES (7) FOULEST (7) LUXATES (7)
Score: 51–75 (max 106)

I would say John’s apterous rating is 1497 (give or take).

Round 13: K M T E A N B I C

Matt: MEANT (5)
John: AMBIENT (7)
DC: BEATNIK (7) CABINET (7)
OT: NEMATIC (7)
Score: 51–82 (max 113)

And with that the footballer has lost and won’t become the first footballer to reach half-octochampdom.

Round 14: 1, 10, 6, 8, 9, 100. Target: 278.

Matt: 276.
John: 278. ((100-10)*(9-6))+8 (10)
Score: 51–92 (max 123)

Another fine solve from John means he could be up for a century here.

Round 15: D I D T H E L E G

John buzzes on 3 seconds to say DELIGHTED which is correct.
Final Score: 51–102 (max 133)


And John clearly is DELIGHTED as he spots the conundrum in three seconds. He ends the game with exactly double Matt’s score, which seems a bit unfair on Matt who was within ten until round 10. Still, he has clearly enjoyed his run and has his teapot.

John seems like a good player, but with James Ro debuting imminently he’ll have a tough job becoming an octochamp.

Its game number two for him tomorrow, Jennifer will be here to take you through it.


Further summaries are at:
http://cdb.apterous.org/series.php?series=73
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