Countdown recap for Wednesday 11 August 2021.
It's the anniversary of Enid Blyton, and Anne laments her cancellation.
C1: Champion Matt Gould (3 wins, 243 points.)
C2: Challenger Rik Bradley. Can't remember how long he's been married. Yikes.
DC: Susie Dent and Nina Wadia.
RR: Rachel Riley. Is there a bottom half to that dress?
OT: Other words or solutions.
R01: L S T P A E I G E
R02: N S G A E M H A O
R03: 75, 4, 2, 1, 5, 7. Target: 818.
TTT: PINCHTOY - "It's not a sound made in Bangkok, it's a type of storm."
R04: T N R I E C S U O
R05: D R R L U E I B N
R06: 50, 8, 5, 7, 7, 6. Target: 367.
R07: S N P S A E O C I
R08: M B N O A F R U D
R09: 100, 75, 1, 5, 1, 7. Target: 911.
TTT: USAMOTEL - "Form a special bond with your friend in South Korea."
R10: L M V O E N D E I
R11: R X T P A U A O H
R12: W R S O E F P I E
R13: V S T G A A E I R
R14: 9, 6, 3, 5, 2, 8. Target: 582.
R15: V E R Y D I T S I (conundrum)
And now a brief interlude before our main feature:
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Enjoy the show.
Round 1: L S T P A E I G E
Matt: EPITSLE (7)
Rik: PASTEL (6)
DC: EPILATES (8)
OT: PELAGITES (18)
Score: 7–0 (max 18, jos 8)
Darren-o-meter: 1/1 (100%)
No max or jos today then, EPISTLE giving Matt an early lead, but beaten by EPILATES and beaten further still by PELAGITES.
Round 2: N S G A E M H A O
Matt: MANAGES (7)
Rik: SHONE (5)
DC: SHAME (5) MANGOES (7) MANGEAOS (8)
Score: 14–0 (max 26, jos 16)
Darren-o-meter: 2/2 (100%)
Two rounds, two darrens, and two round wins for Matt.
Round 3: 75, 4, 2, 1, 5, 7. Target: 818.
Matt: 818. (7 + 4) × 75 − 5 − 2 (10)
Rik: 818. (7 + 4) × 75 − 5 − 2 (10)
Score: 24–10 (max 36, jos 26)
Ariana.
Teatime teaser: PINCHTOY -> TYPHONIC
Round 4: T N R I E C S U O
Matt: CRETINS (7)
Rik: COUNTERS (8)
DC: NEUROTICS (18) COUNTRIES (18) CRETINOUS (18)
Score: 24–18 (max 54, jos 44)
Darren-o-meter: 2/3 (67%)
Another niner!? THREE of them!? Both contestants will be kicking themselves somewhat here.
Round 5: D R R L U E I B N
Matt: BLUNDER (7)
Rik: BLURRED (7)
DC: BUNDLER (7) UNBRIDLE (8) unbridler
Score: 31–25 (max 62, jos 52)
Darren-o-meter: 3/4 (75%)
Both contestants get themselves a seven, with Dictionary Corner seeing the darren, but it cannot be an agent noun sadly.
Round 6: 50, 8, 5, 7, 7, 6. Target: 367.
Matt: 368 (not written down). Mistake in working.
Rik: 369 (not written down). 50 × 7 + 8 + 5 + 6 (7)
RR: 367. (7 + 8 − 5 + 50) × 6 + 7 (10)
Score: 31–32 (max 72, jos 62)
Somehow, Matt is 300 out. That leaves Rik to take the lead and Rachel to show us how it's done.
Nina talks about her appearances on Death In Paradise, and almost suggests there's no acting necessary, as the "paradise" in the title is accurate. Anne then asks about Goodness Gracious Me, and their overseas filming in India. Nina said she almost died, as she had to film a scene in snow gear in Chennai.
Round 7: S N P S A E O C I
Matt: paciness (try)
Rik: COPSES (6)
DC: CANOPIES (8) CAPONISES (18)
Score: 31–38 (max 90, jos 80)
Darren-o-meter: 4/5 (80%)
Another niner again today, although Matt gets paciness (pacyness? paceyness?) and it's not valid, meaning Rik extends his lead.
Round 8: M B N O A F R U D
Matt: ABOUND (6) (not written down)
Rik: BOUND (5)
DC: FRAUD (5) FUNBOARD (8)
Score: 37–38 (max 98, jos 88)
Darren-o-meter: 5/6 (83%)
A good stem here from Matt and another darren today.
Round 9: 100, 75, 1, 5, 1, 7. Target: 911.
Matt: 911. (75 + 1) × (7 + 5) − 1 (10)
Rik: -
Score: 47–38 (max 108, jos 98)
This isn't a massively difficult numbers round but I presume the 2 large threw Rik here.
Teatime teaser: USAMOTEL -> SOULMATE
Groan-inducing clue.
Round 10: L M V O E N D E I
Matt: LIVENED (7)
Rik: MOVED (5)
DC: LOVE (4)
OT: DOMINEE (7) VENOMED (7)
Score: 54–38 (max 115, jos 105)
Darren-o-meter: 5/7 (71%)
LIVENED for 7 allows Matt to extend his lead, and it's the only seven seen in the studio.
Round 11: R X T P A U A O H
Matt: PORT (4)
Rik: AURA (4)
DC: PHAT (4) AUTOHARP (8)
Score: 58–42 (max 123, jos 113)
Darren-o-meter: 6/8 (75%)
"Good luck with this", says Rachel. Your options appear to be either 4 or 8!
Susie talks about spuddling. Involves headless chicken-ing. 17th century term.
Round 12: W R S O E F P I E
Matt: POWERS (6)
Rik: REPOSE (6)
DC: WIPERS (6) SWIPER (6)
OT: OPERIES (7)
Score: 64–48 (max 130, jos 119)
Darren-o-meter: 7/9 (78%)
Sixes all round here, but the computer gets 7. It means that Matt has an 18-point lead with three rounds to go.
Round 13: V S T G A A E I R
Matt: GREATS (6)
Rik: girates
DC: GRAVES (6) GRAVEST (7) VIRGATES (8) VARIATES (8)
OT: GRAVITAS (8) STRAVAGE (8) STRAVAIG (8) VAGARIES (8)
Score: 70–48 (max 138, jos 127)
Darren-o-meter: 7/10 (70%)
GIRATES^ is spelt GYRATES, which puts Matt over the line. Lots of eights available here.
Round 14: 9, 6, 3, 5, 2, 8. Target: 582.
Matt: -
Rik: 578. (9 × 6 + 3) × 5 × 2 + 8 (7)
RR: 582. ((2 + 8) × 6 + 5) × 9 − 3 (10)
Score: 70–55 (max 148, jos 137)
A good 4-away spot from Rik here, the 6 small fun paying off, but not perfect. I did 9 x 8 x (5 + 3) + 6.
Round 15: V E R Y D I T S I
Rik buzzes on 3.5 seconds to say DIVERSITY which is correct.
Final Score: 70–65 (max 158, jos 147)
Rik gets the conundrum to finish just five behind, so GIRATES^ really did cost him. It means Matt takes his fourth win, and he'll be back tomorrow.
Join us again for Countdown. Goodbye.
Further summaries are at:
http://cdb.apterous.org/series.php?series=84