Enjoy.
Countdown recap for Thursday 25 August 2016.
C1: Champion Natalie Matale (2 wins, 149 points.) An advice centre volunteer from London.
C2: Challenger Martin Hurst. An Apteforumite and insurance document writer from Ash Vale, Surrey. He previously appeared on the show in Series 35, losing 57-46 to Robert Jones.
DC: Susie Dent and Baroness Tanni Grey-Thompson.
RR: Rachel Riley.
OT: Other words or solutions.
R01: R D T I U A S F B
R02: O E A M K S T C T
R03: 10, 8, 9, 2, 2, 10. Target: 185.
TTT: MRSCHEAP - "His Mrs. never buys cheap bubbly; she gets the best."
R04: U E I S M N L V O
R05: E A O U S R T P W
R06: 4, 10, 3, 3, 5, 8. Target: 589.
R07: N G L I E A N D I
R08: E O A X R T S P D
R09: 75, 7, 2, 8, 3, 1. Target: 616.
TTT: CHAINBEG - "It sounds like the famous doctor is washed up on the shore."
R10: I E A R H T M D S
R11: R L T I E G R O G
R12: E A E O N R S D L
R13: I O U J S T N A P
R14: 50, 7, 4, 7, 1, 1. Target: 883.
R15: R O U G H D O N G (conundrum)
And now a brief interlude before our main feature:
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Enjoy the show.
Round 1: R D T I U A S F B
Natalie: DISTURB (7)
Martin: FRUITS (6)
DC: BUSTARD (7)
OT: SUBARID (7)
Score: 7–0 (max 7)
Do not DISTURB the FRUITS!! Well, Natalie has done, and she takes the lead from the off.
SUBARID is an adjective meaning somewhat arid, moderately dry; having some features of an arid climate.
Round 2: O E A M K S T C T
Natalie: SOCKET (6)
Martin: caskets
DC: MATTOCKS (8)
Score: 13–0 (max 15)
Ouchy, Martin sees a phantom 2nd S, letting Natalie "SOCKET" to him....
Round 3: 10, 8, 9, 2, 2, 10. Target: 185.
Natalie: 185. (10 x 9 x 2) + (10 / 2) (10)
Martin: 185. (10 x 9 x 2) + (10 / 2) (10)
Score: 23–10 (max 25)
A simple 6 small for both players here.
Teatime teaser: MRSCHEAP -> CHAMPERS
Round 4: U E I S M N L V O
Natalie: VOLUMISE (8)
Martin: VENOMS (6)
DC: EMULSION (8)
OT: EVULSION (8) MUISVOEL (8) NOVELISM (8)
Score: 31–10 (max 33)
Natalie seems happy with her safe 8, compared to Martin's risky 6, and she's proven right again....
EVULSION is the action of plucking something out by force; violent or forcible extraction.
MUISVOËL is another name for the MOUSEBIRD, small gregarious African bird with mainly drab plumage, a crest, and a long tail. (Genera Colius and Urocolius, family Coliidae)
Round 5: E A O U S R T P W
Natalie: UPRATES (7)
Martin: OUTWEARS (8)
DC: APTEROUS (8)
OT: OUTSWEAR (8) PARTOUSE (8)
Score: 31–18 (max 41)
Martin negates Natalie's 8 from the previous round, and APTEROUS makes a welcome return too.
Round 6: 4, 10, 3, 3, 5, 8. Target: 589.
Natalie: 594.
Martin: 590. (((8 + 4) x 5) - (3 / 3)) x 10 (7)
RR: 589. (((4 + 3) x 10) + 3) x 8) + 5 (10)
Score: 31–25 (max 51)
Martin goes 6 small as well, and he cuts Natalie's lead down to 6 points....
Tanni talks about getting recognised in public, with varying results.
Round 7: N G L I E A N D I
Natalie: LEADING (7)
Martin: inleading
DC: LEANING (7) DEALING (7) ALIGNED (7)
OT: ANELING (7) ANILINE (7) ANNELID (7) DEALIGN (7) ELIDING (7) LANDING (7) LENDING (7) LINDANE (7) NAILING (7)
Score: 38–25 (max 58)
Oooooh, Martin's 9 isn't in, and Natalie pulls further away again......
To ANELE is to anoint someone, especially as part of the Christian rite of giving extreme unction to the dying.
TO ELIDE is to omit (a sound or syllable) when speaking.
Round 8: E O A X R T S P D
Natalie: ROASTED (7)
Martin: PASTORED (8)
DC: ADOPT (5) ADOPTS (6) ADOPTERS (8) READOPTS (8)
OT: EXTRADOS (8) PROTAXES (8) PROTEADS (8)
Score: 38–33 (max 66)
Well, Martin is very stubborn, and gets another 8 to keep up the pace.
A PROTEAD is a plant of the family Proteaceae; a proteaceous plant.
Round 9: 75, 7, 2, 8, 3, 1. Target: 616.
Natalie: 616. (75 x 8) + (7 x 2) + 3 - 1 (10)
Martin: 616. (75 + 2) x 8 (10)
Score: 48–43 (max 76)
A very long-winded method by Natalie, and a much more straightforward one by Martin, but it's 10 points for both players.
Teatime teaser: CHAINBEG -> BEACHING
Round 10: I E A R H T M D S
Natalie: DEARTHS (7)
Martin: MARDIEST (8)
DC: MISHEARD (8) HARDIEST (8)
OT: DREAMISH (8) MARTHIES (8) MISRATED (8) READMITS (8)
Score: 48–51 (max 84)
Martin takes the lead for the first time, with the MARDIEST offering he's ever come up with....
DREAMISH is an adjective meaning having the qualities of a dream or a dreamer.
A MARTHY (or METHY) is a burbot, Lota lota.
Round 11: R L T I E G R O G
Natalie: LOGGER (6)
Martin: GOITRE (6)
DC: LIGGER (6) TOGGLE (6) TRIGGER (7)
OT: RIGOLET (7)
Score: 54–57 (max 91)
Neither player has pulled the TRIGGER, but Susie has a for a good 7.
A RIGOLET is a North American term for a stream or rivulet.
Susie's Origins of Words talks about "text" and "textile".
Round 12: E A E O N R S D L
Natalie: REASONED (8)
Martin: OLEANDERS (18)
Score: 54–75 (max 109)
WOAH! WOAH!! WOAH!!! A BRILLIANT NINE FROM MARTIN
Just 3 rounds ago, he like in every other round before that, he was behind, but he's now 21 points AHEAD 
Round 13: I O U J S T N A P
Natalie: -
Martin: UTOPIAN (7)
DC: UTOPIANS (8) OPUNTIAS (8)
OT: PATINOUS (8)
Score: 54–82 (max 117)
For the 3rd game in a row, Natalie blanks a round, and it proves fatal, as Martin has won the match from absolute nowhere
(I think we'll forgive the missing plural this time.... 
)Round 14: 50, 7, 4, 7, 1, 1. Target: 883.
Natalie: 900.
Martin: 883. ((50 - 1) x (7 + 7 + 4)) + 1 (10)
Score: 54–92 (max 127)
The game has been a complete turnaround in Part 3. Natalie is too far away with the numbers, and Martin gets perfection, giving him the chance to now go for a century, which certainly seemed very unlikely when he was on just 10 points after round 4
Round 15: R O U G H D O N G
Martin buzzes on 6.5 seconds to say GROUNDHOG which is correct.
Final Score: 54–102 (max 137)
And it is a century from Martin
Well, that must be one of the most amazing comebacks in the history of Countdown Even though Martin was still within touching distance for most of the match, after messing up with inleading, you thought it might not have been his day, but he was having none of it, and in the end, he won by FORTY-EIGHT POINTS
I look forward to seeing him in his next match. Who knows what could happen
Join Anthony for that.I'll be back for the end of the month/start of next month games next week. Till then, bye for now.
Statistics Corner
Natalie:
Total score - 54
Raw score -
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Number of maxes -
Martin:
Total score - 102
Raw score -
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Raw % of max -
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Number of maxes -
Further summaries are at:
http://cdb.apterous.org/series.php?series=75