Friday 28 October 2011 (Series 65, Prelim 85)

[Mike Brown]

Countdown recap for Friday 28 October 2011 (Series 65, Prelim 85).

C1: Champion David Butcher (3 wins, 244 points.)
C2: Challenger Kyle McGrory.
DC: Susie Dent and Cheryl Baker.
RR: Rachel Riley.
OT: Other words or solutions.

Delayed a little bit (but not too much to be fair) by the mega-event yesterday that was CO:LON 2011 - probably the best reason to buy a Super Off-Peak Return rail ticket on the last weekend in October (it says here) – it’s time once more for me to get down to the business of recapping the most recent edition of Countdown. Champion David Butcher has the opportunity of becoming a semi-octochamp; trying to stop him is Luton’s Kyle McGrory, who once appeared in a Bollywood video, possibly his biggest claim to fame – until today, perhaps? Shall we proceed?

R01: R N S I A O R P I
R02: C M E A T O H L I
R03: T P S P E A U J R
R04: Z N S A U R E R Q
R05: 50, 9, 6, 7, 5, 5. Target: 949.
TTT: TRIEDHER - "She tried to make her mind up, but just couldn't."
R06: S T D O A I M G E
R07: D S V S I E U N O
R08: S N E A P C E V R
R09: K L W B O E U O L
R10: 100, 8, 2, 9, 2, 10. Target: 400.
TTT: PALEGOLD - "Ran away with the horse, according to the polls."
R11: T F B T I E A L O
R12: R G A I D W E T G
R13: D N M A I A I R E
R14: 7, 7, 5, 5, 3, 1. Target: 376.
R15: K E L P R I N D S (conundrum)

Countdown is sponsored by Vitabiotics Jointace.

SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER
SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER
SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER
SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER
SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER
SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER
SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER
SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER
SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER
SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER
SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER
SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER
SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER
SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER
SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER
SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER
SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER
SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER
SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER
SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER

It’s guitar legend Hank Marvin’s 70th birthday today and naturally Rachel hasn’t heard of him – unless you count his name being used in ‘Mockney’ rhyming slang for (ahem) ‘starvin’’. Jeff then tests her on some other modern rhyming slang terms and she amusingly thinks ‘Jeremy Kyles’ might be slang for ‘viles’, before being corrected by a supposedly shocked Jeff (it means the similarly unpleasant ‘piles’). As Rachel points out, is that better?

Round 1: R N S I A O R P I

C1: APRONS (6)
C2: PRISON (6)
DC: SPRAIN (6) PARISON (7) ASPIRIN (7)
OT: SPORRAN (7)
Score: 6–6 (max 7)

Nice to see the glassblowing term PARISON coming up, while Scottish viewers will have been disappointed not to see SPORRAN mentioned.

Round 2: C M E A T O H L I

C1: CAMEL (5)
C2: LOCATE (6)
DC: HEMIOLA (7)
OT: ACHIOTE (7) ALETHIC (7) CHAMELI (7) CLIMATE (7) COMITAL (7) ETHICAL (7) METICAL (7)
Score: 6–12 (max 14)

Susie uses the pen-cam to show us her HEMIOLA (it’s not rude, honest – it’s a term from music). ACHIOTE is a North American term for ANNATTO (itself a red dye or a tree); ALETHIC is a term from philosophy; and CHAMELI is an Indian term for JASMINE.

Round 3: T P S P E A U J R

C1: PASTURE (7)
C2: paster
OT: PAUPERS (7) PUPATES (7) TAPPERS (7) UPRATES (7)
Score: 13–12 (max 21)

Kyle takes a risk on a dodgy agent noun in this ding-dong contest.

Round 4: Z N S A U R E R Q

C1: SQUARE (6)
C2: SNARE (5)
DC: SQUARER (7)
Score: 19–12 (max 28)

A pity that neither contestant tried adding an ‘R’ to the end of their word. C’est la vie.

Round 5: 50, 9, 6, 7, 5, 5. Target: 949.

C1: 949. ((5+5+9)x50)-7+6 (10)
C2: 949. ((5+5+9)x50)-7+6 (10)
Score: 29–22 (max 38)

A nice easy first numbers game, I think it’s safe to say – especially as both players got ten points.

Cheryl Baker regales us with another anecdote about her being late. This time, she’s gone to the loo and ends up arriving halfway through the first song. Another guest who came across well – methinks we may well see her again, assuming she gets on with Jeff’s replacement.

Teatime teaser: TRIEDHER -> DITHERER

Round 6: S T D O A I M G E

C1: GAMIEST (7)
C2: MOATED (6)
DC: DOGMATISE (18)
Score: 36–22 (max 56)

A great DC spot, while the champ finally starts to pull out a bit of a lead.

Round 7: D S V S I E U N O

C1: DEVIOUS (7)
C2: VIDEOS (6)
OT: VOIDNESS (8)
Score: 43–22 (max 64)

No one spots the darren. Or if they did, they’re not telling.

Round 8: S N E A P C E V R

C1: PRANCES (7)
C2: PRANCES (7)
OT: CAREENS (7) CAVERNS (7) CRAVENS (7) ESCAPER (7) SPENCER (7)
Score: 50–29 (max 71)

CRAVENS are cowardly people, except John Craven of course, who I’m sure is very brave. A SPENCER is a type of jacket or vest or a type of sail.

Round 9: K L W B O E U O L

C1: BOWEL (5)
C2: BLOKE (5)
DC: BELLOW (6) LOBULE (6)
OT: BOULLE (6)
Score: 55–34 (max 77)

Despite sounding like the French game, BOULLE (also BUHL) is material (typically brass or tortoiseshell) used for inlaying furniture.

OoW: Susie discusses the origins of the pub name “The Swan with Two Necks”.

Round 10: 100, 8, 2, 9, 2, 10. Target: 400.

C1: 400. (8/2)x100 (10)
C2: 400. (2+2)x100 (10)
Score: 65–44 (max 87)

And you thought the last numbers game was easy - this time Rachel doesn’t even get up from her seat to go through the solutions!

Teatime teaser: PALEGOLD -> GALLOPED

Round 11: T F B T I E A L O

C1: fittable
C2: BATTLE (6)
DC: LIFEBOAT (8)
Score: 65–50 (max 95)

David takes a chance on a plausible adjective, but it’s Kyle’s BATTLE that takes the points. Still, Mr Butcher is still fifteen in front.

Round 12: R G A I D W E T G

C1: GRATED (6)
C2: GRATED (6)
DC: TWIGGED (7)
OT: DAGGIER (7) TRIAGED (7) TRIGGED (7)
Score: 71–56 (max 102)

David and Kyle may be a bit cheesed off with their six, but Cheryl and Susie have TWIGGED that a longer word was available. Sorry, obligatory punning.

Round 13: D N M A I A I R E

C1: REMAIN (6)
C2: ramadan
DC: MARINE (6) MERIDIAN (8)
OT: MARINADE (8)
Score: 77–56 (max 110)

A bit of a faux pas from Kyle, as he offers the three-A’d (and for that matter, capitalized) Ramadan. I’m afraid it’s game over for the Lutonian and another win for the chap from Epsom. With the clocks changing this weekend, it seems appropriate for DC to come up with MERIDIAN for eight.

Round 14: 7, 7, 5, 5, 3, 1. Target: 376.

C1: -
C2: -
RR: 376. ((((7+3)x7)+5)x5)+1 (10)
Score: 77–56 (max 120)

Well, I suppose it had to happen, after two straightforward offerings from CECIL (RIP). Still, Rachel doesn’t let us down and makes us realise it’s not as bad as it looks, if you manage to spot how to make the 75.

Round 15: K E L P R I N D S

C1 buzzes on 2 seconds to say SPRINKLED which is correct.
Final Score: 87–56 (max 130)

A nice –ED conundrum solution to end the week and David soon unravels the scramble. On Monday, Mark Durden-Smith returns to Dictionary Corner for his second stint this series and we’ll discover whether David can make it five wins out of five. Join Rhys for that and I’ll see you next week!

Jeff episodes remaining: 35.

Further summaries are at:
http://www.apterous.org/cdb/series.php?series=65