C1: Champion Allannah Steadman (1 win, 90 points.)
C2: Challenger Peter Davies.
DC: Susie Dent and Keith Barron.
CV: Carol Vorderman.
OT: Other words or solutions.
R01: L R C E A T R E A
R02: N V S I O I T L E
R03: X P G O E D R I A
R04: I E A P F R W G O
R05: 100, 8, 1, 1, 4, 9, . Target: 359.
TTT: BOSSSEAT - "It's a killer in the material world."
R06: T D N E A U N T K
R07: G M F E A B S U I
R08: R S O E I C H R N
R09: T Z L E I Q O L A
R10: 75, 7, 4, 9, 5, 5. Target: 113.
TTT: TUBALOCK - "It's not watts on, it's watts off."
R11: S T Y E A I T N A
R12: D C S E E A M S P
R13: R D I E N T U E S
R14: 75, 5, 6, 2, 2, 1. Target: 186.
R15: T I P T U R N E R (conundrum)
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Des started today's show with possibly the weakest "opening gag" ever which was something to do with a teacher taking pity on a child standing alone while everyone else played football, but it turned out they were the goalkeeper. Peculiar.
Anyway, we quickly forget about that as we're introduced to the lovely Allannah again, who made an impressive debut yesterday with some very good words. Des reiterates that she made her way from the challenger's chair to the champion's chair "in the one go", which certainly is no mean feat in the world of Countdown. Her ambition is to turn her diary (which she has been writing since she was 11) into a blockbuster movie. XXX-rated, let's hope
Today she faces Peter Davies, an investment consultant from London. He's married to Annette (who's quite a catch I understand), has two children (Jeremy and Nicola), and supports Chelsea FC. He's also a keen golfer and his ambition is to make a hole-in-one... will he drive our birdie from the champion's chair?Round 1: L R C E A T R E A
C1: TREACLE (7)
C2: TREACLE (7)
DC: LACERATE (8)
Score: 7–7 (max 8)
DC get the only eight, with both contestants stuck on treacle. Chortle.
Round 2: N V S I O I T L E
C1: INVITES (7)
C2: VIOLINS (7)
DC: SOLVENT (7) VIOLETS (7) NOVELIST (8)
Score: 14–14 (max 16)
Again, DC find the only eight.
Round 3: X P G O E D R I A
C1: GROPED (6)
C2: GROPED (6)
DC: PODGIER (7) EXORDIA (7)
Score: 20–20 (max 23)
DC find the only two sevens.
Round 4: I E A P F R W G O
C1: POWER (5)
C2: FOREPAW (7)
DC: EARWIG (6) FORAGE (6)
Score: 20–27 (max 30)
Forepaw (an animal's front paw) is the only seven and a terrific spot from Peter.
Round 5: 100, 8, 1, 1, 4, 9. Target: 359.
C1: 354.
C2: 359.(100-9-1)*4-1 (10)
Score: 20–37 (max 40)
Teatime teaser: BOSSSEAT -> ASBESTOS
Round 6: T D N E A U N T K
C1: TANKED (6)
C2: TAUNTED (7)
DC: ATTUNED (7) UNTAKEN (7)
Score: 20–44 (max 47)
Again, that's all the maxes taken care of.
Round 7: G M F E A B S U I
C1: IMAGES (6)
C2: AGEISM (6)
DC: IAMBUS (6)
OT: BEGUMS (6) SAMFIE (6) IMBUES (6)
Score: 26–50 (max 53)
A begum is a Muslim woman of high rank, and a samfie (also samfi) is a West Indian word for a conman.
Round 8: R S O E I C H R N
C1: INSHORE (7)
C2: RICHES (6)
DC: CHORINES (8)
Score: 33–50 (max 61)
DC again with the only max... Peter could have incidentally slotted the 'n' into riches for richens, which I suppose means the same as enriches. There's certainly no such word as enrichens though, despite it being used by an ex-CEO of mine. What a nob. Thankfully he has left now, and his replacement is a top, top bloke. (He even gave me paid leave to film my Countdown heats
)Round 9: T Z L E I Q O L A
C1: ZEALOT (6)
C2: ZEALOT (6)
OT: TAILLE (6)
Score: 39–56 (max 67)
Taille is a curious word with several meanings: it's an ancient french tax, the register of a tenor, the juice produced by the second pressing of grapes during winemaking, or a low-quality wine made from such pressings.
Round 10: 75, 7, 4, 9, 5, 5. Target: 113.
C1: 113.9*4+7-5+75 (10)
C2: 113.75+9*5-7 (10)
Score: 49–66 (max 77)
Teatime teaser: TUBALOCK -> BLACKOUT
Round 11: S T Y E A I T N A
C1: ATTAINS (7)
C2: ATTAINS (7)
OT: ASTATINE (8)
Score: 56–73 (max 85)
Ha! In your face DC, the first beater of the day and it's a chemical element (atomic number 85 for fans of the Periodic Table)
Round 12: D C S E E A M S P
C1: SCAMPED (7)
C2: ESCAPED (7)
DC: DECAMPS (7)
OT: ESCAPES (7)
Score: 63–80 (max 92)
Round 13: R D I E N T U E S
C1: REUNITED (8)
C2: DENTURES (8)
DC: RESIDENT (8)
Score: 71–88 (max 100)
Stacks of eights here, and I can't be bothered to list them all. Change the opening 'r' in the selection to an 's' though, and all the letters are there for Susie Dent
Round 14: 75, 5, 6, 2, 2, 1. Target: 186.
C1: -
C2: 186.75*2+(5+1)*6 (10)
Score: 71–98 (max 110)
Round 15: T I P T U R N E R
No one buzzes. The answer was INTERRUPT.
Score: 71–98 (max 120)
High quality game today with some great letters spots by both contestants, but it was Peter's superiority on the numbers which really saw him home quite comfortably in the end - Allannah blipped on two easy-ish numbers games which would have at least forced a crucial conundrum. Oh well... sad to see her go so soon, but also quite excited at seeing Peter in action again as it was a very solid debut - could he be the first octochamp since Tim all the way back in February? Can't wait for tomorrow's game, roll on Friday!
(It's actually Friday evening now while I'm writing this, but you fools will never know that
)Further summaries are at:
http://www.thecountdowncorral.com/cd/se ... ?series=58
