Tuesday, 8th April (Series 58, Game 66)

[David O'Donnell]

Countdown recap for Tuesday 8th April 2008.

C1: Champion Matthew Coates (2 wins, 196 points.)
C2: Challenger Richard James.
DC: Susie Dent and Dr. Phil Hammond.
CV: Carol Vorderman.
OT: Other words or solutions.

R01: T A F N D O A Y E
R02: L N J I E A R P E
R03: N R I O Z T I E R
R04: X S P I O E R T A
R05: 75, 4, 4, 7, 6, 9. Target: 203.
TTT: NOONPIGS - "The dish ran away, perhaps in this position"
R06: B S L E A I S T O
R07: P R U E G M C I S
R08: R Q M O E A G D I
R09: G T E E S T D A L
R10: 25, 2, 7, 3, 5, 1. Target: 849.
TTT: LIFERAGE - "Does Dr. Hammond concur it's twisted?"
R11: H T E A N S I S N
R12: W L T E A O M F E
R13: T R A O C P E R O
R14: 50, 1, 9, 5, 6, 4. Target: 686.
R15: K I S S F E R I T (conundrum)


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So far it's been two wins and two good scores for young Matt, erstwhile member of this parish. He looks a solid bet for a good string of victories and definitely has a shot at being an octochamp. A few weeks ago I would have said that Matt would be an octochamp but after my rather dreadful predictions recently (Joe Deniss, Andrew Swale, Richard Priest) I think I will stay with "Matt has a good chance." Of course Richard James might have something to say about Matt's prospects. As a bald old coot who enjoys wanging his welly (don't we all?) he's not a man to be trifled with.



Round 1: T A F N D O A Y E
C1: DONATE (6)
C2: DONATE (6)
DC: FANTOD (6)
OT: ADNATE (6) NOYADE (6) ATONED (6)
Score: 6–6 (max 6)

Round 2: L N J I E A R P E
C1: PLAINER (7)
C2: JAILER (6)
DC: PERINEAL (8)
Score: 13–6 (max 14)

Round 3: N R I O Z T I E R
C1: TINIER (6)
C2: IRONER (6)
DC: RITZIER (7) IONIZER (7)
OT: INTERIOR (8) (Joseph Bolas and Matthew Green)
Score: 19–12 (max 22)

Round 4: X S P I O E R T A
C1: EXPORTS (7)
C2: EXPORTS (7)
DC: EXPIATORS (18)
Score: 26–19 (max 40)

Round 5: 75, 4, 4, 7, 6, 9. Target: 203.
C1: 202.9-6*75-4*4-7 (7)
C2: 209.
CV: 203. (75-7)*(9-6)-4/4 (10)
Score: 33–19 (max 50)

Teatime teaser: NOONPIGS -> SPOONING

Round 6: B S L E A I S T O
C1: STABLES (7)
C2: STABLES (7)
DC: ABSEILS (7)
OT: ASTILBES (8) STABILES (8) ISOLATES (8) (Paul Howe got the three and quite a few got ISOLATES) (8)
Score: 40–26 (max 58)

Round 7: P R U E G M C I S
C1: grumpies
C2: GERMS (5)
DC: GRIPES (6) UMPIRES (7)
OT: GUIMPES (7) MURICES (7) PUMICES (7)
Score: 40–31 (max 65)

A GUIMPE is a blouse worn under a jumper or the white part of a nun's traditional habit; MURICES is the plural or murex which are predatory snails (wtf? do they stalk wildeebeest in the Serengeti?)

Round 8: R Q M O E A G D I
C1: miraged
C2: miraged
OT: IDEOGRAM (8) (Paul Howe)
Score: 40–31 (max 73)

An IDEOGRAM is a graphic symbol that is used to represent an idea and earned me an accusation of cheating in an online Scrabble match when I played the word as a bingo (I was cheating but they couldn't possibly have known).

Round 9: G T E E S T D A L
C1: TASTED (6)
C2: gelates
DC: GESTATED (8) GESTALT (7)
OT: GALETTES (8) LADETTES (8) (Michael Wallace)
Score: 46–31 (max 81)

GALETTES are thin, round, crusty cakes.

Round 10: 25, 2, 7, 3, 5, 1. Target: 849.
C1: 849.(7*5-3+2)*25-1 (10)
C2: -
Score: 56–31 (max 91)

Teatime teaser: LIFERAGE -> FILAGREE

Round 11: H T E A N S I S N
C1: STAINS (6)
C2: STAINS (6)
DC: ANTHESIS (8)
OT: SHANNIES (8) SHANTIES (8) THINNESS (8)
Score: 62–37 (max 99)

Round 12: W L T E A O M F E
C1: FEMALE (6)
C2: METAL (5)
DC: FEMALE (6) MOTEL (5)
OT: FOLATE (6) OLEATE (6)
Score: 68–37 (max 105)

Round 13: T R A O C P E R O
C1: CORPORATE (18)
C2: OPERATOR (8)
Score: 86–37 (max 123)

Round 14: 50, 1, 9, 5, 6, 4. Target: 686.
C1: 686.(50-1)*(9+5) (10)
C2: 689.
Score: 96–37 (max 133)

Round 15: K I S S F E R I T
C1 buzzes on 5 seconds to say FRISKIEST which is correct.
Score: 106–37 (max 143)


This encounter began as a somewhat subdued affair with the contestants and DC missing a few more words than one would normally expect but Matt's spot of CORPORATE was quality and gave him that boost to once again make a century. I thought Matt looked a little tired which is a very real problem when you are playing 4/5 games a day. Richard was fairly good at the letters but a complete washout on the numbers was going to ensure that he was not in contention.
Well done, Matt, it's starting to look like we might be meeting at the end of May.


Further summaries are at:
http://www.thecountdowncorral.com/cd/se ... ?series=58

[Jon Corby]

As a bald old coot who enjoys wanging his welly (don't we all?)

Surprised you didn't also mention that his ambition is to take his wife up the Grand Canyon

[Charlie Reams]

As a bald old coot who enjoys wanging his welly (don't we all?)

Surprised you didn't also mention that his ambition is to take his wife up the Grand Canyon

Definitely one of the funniest introductions ever. That plus Phil Hammond: comedy gold.

[David O'Donnell]

As a bald old coot who enjoys wanging his welly (don't we all?)

Surprised you didn't also mention that his ambition is to take his wife up the Grand Canyon

Aw crap! I must have missed that one.