Friday 2 December 2011 (Series 65, Prelim 110)

[Mike Brown]

Countdown recap for Friday 2 December 2011 (Series 65, Prelim 110).

C1: Champion Phyllis Styles (3 wins, 232 points.)
C2: Challenger Rachel Shirley.
DC: Susie Dent and Robin Cousins.
RR: Rachel Riley.
OT: Other words or solutions.

So, 110 prelims down and 3 to go in Series 65 and it’s too late for Phyllis Styles to make the quarter-finals this time around, irrespective of whether she beats the incoming Rachel Shirley on today’s programme. Rachel is from the village of Stalham in Norfolk and she supports some team called Norwich City (that’s as much as you’ll get from an Ipswich supporter). The first record she ever bought was “Ernie (The Fastest Milkman In The West)” by Benny Hill – I used to love that song as a child. “Musical gold” was Jeff’s description and I’m not going to disagree, even if it was a novelty hit. Apparently, the first album Susie bought was “Flesh & Blood” by Roxy Music and the first single Rachel R bought was “Power Of A Woman” by Eternal. Let us commence.

R01: N L E A G D I A H
R02: S G R I O I B Y U
R03: D M O E S V A E T
R04: G N M L U O E D W
R05: 100, 6, 9, 10, 8, 3. Target: 525.
TTT: HEBEDEAD - "He definitely be dead, thanks to the guillotine."
R06: N S T P U O A R E
R07: Q D I A T L E I R
R08: S T N T S A I O S
R09: P R E I F R A O S
R10: 100, 7, 5, 8, 2, 10. Target: 441.
TTT: ISITREAL - "Food poisoning, or a frenzy about Franz."
R11: H T E O F D E I R
R12: J C M A O E W D M
R13: G K I O P X E E N
R14: 50, 9, 10, 2, 7, 2. Target: 310.
R15: D I M F E L I N E (conundrum)

Countdown is sponsored by Vitabiotics Immunace.

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Today’s opening banter revolves around balls, as Jeff states that “the higher you go, the smaller your balls get”. Something to do with atmospheric pressure, I expect.

Round 1: N L E A G D I A H

C1: HEALING (7)
C2: DEALING (7)
DC: HEADING (7) GELADA (6)
OT: ALIGNED (7) DEALIGN (7) INHALED (7) LEADING (7)
Score: 7–7 (max 7)

A gentle start for the contestants with several –ING words available, while Susie defines the rather nice six GELADA, which is a brownish baboon from Ethiopia.

Round 2: S G R I O I B Y U

C1: GRUBS (5)
C2: BUOYS (5)
DC: ORIBIS (6)
OT: GUIROS (6)
Score: 12–12 (max 13)

DC spot a word beloved of apterites and there’s also GUIROS as an alternative six. A GUIRO is a musical instrument originally made from a gourd (hence its name).

Round 3: D M O E S V A E T

C1: STEAMED (7)
C2: DEVOTES (7)
DC: STEAMED (7) DEVOTES (7) DEMOTES (7)
Score: 19–19 (max 20)

Round 4: G N M L U O E D W

C1: LOUNGED (7)
C2: LOUNGED (7)
Score: 26–26 (max 27)

Round 5: 100, 6, 9, 10, 8, 3. Target: 525.

C1: 525. ((8-3)x100)+10+9+6 (10)
C2: 525. ((8-3)x100)+10+9+6 (10)
Score: 36–36 (max 37)

A cracking first part to the game. Before the break, Robin Cousins talks about his transfer to performance and production. Another very affable guest; I wonder how the invitees will change when Nick Hewer takes to the chair? Will we get less sportspeople?

Teatime teaser: HEBEDEAD -> BEHEADED

Round 6: N S T P U O A R E

C1: PASTURE (7)
C2: PASTURE (7)
DC: OPERANTS (8) PRONATES (8)
OT: APTEROUS (8)
Score: 43–43 (max 45)

DC spot two of the eights in the selection. A pity they don’t mention the third; apparently it means ‘having no wings’ and has absolutely no connection to the Channel 4 programme Countdown.

Round 7: Q D I A T L E I R

C1: TRAILED (7)
C2: DILATE (6)
Score: 50–43 (max 52)

At last there is daylight between the contestants’ scores – is this the beginning of Phyllis pulling away towards a fourth victory?

Round 8: S T N T S A I O S

C1: STATIONS (8)
C2: STATIONS (8)
DC: STATIONS (8)
Score: 58–51 (max 60)

Full steam ahead as everyone gets the darren.

Round 9: P R E I F R A O S

C1: REPAIRS (7)
C2: REPAIRS (7)
DC: PARRIES (7) SOAPIER (7) RAPIERS (7)
OT: PRAISER (7) PROSIER (7) RASPIER (7)
Score: 65–58 (max 67)

A nice selection and oh-so-close to yielding PINAFORES for nine. As it is, everyone has to settle for seven, which isn’t so bad.

OoW: Susie discusses the origins of lots of ‘angel’ words, such as ANGELICA and ANGEL’S HAIR PASTA, but sadly not ANGEL CAKE. Perhaps she’s not a fan.

Round 10: 100, 7, 5, 8, 2, 10. Target: 441.

C1: 445. ((8/2)x100)+(7x5)+10 (7)
C2: -
RR: 441. ((100-10)x5)-7-2 (10)
Score: 72–58 (max 77)

Perhaps surprisingly, Rachel S declares nothing and the champ is four away, although to be fair it wasn’t super-straightforward to get it spot-on. 14 points in it, but it could easily still go either way. Stay tuned!

Teatime teaser: ISITREAL -> LISTERIA

Round 11: H T E O F D E I R

C1: FROTHED (7)
C2: theoried
DC: HEFTIER (7) FROTHED (7)
OT: THEREOF (7)
Score: 79–58 (max 84)

Maybe Rachel thinks it’s time for a gamble, but her plausible-sounding offering is wide of the mark and the gap widens further.

Round 12: J C M A O E W D M

C1: MEADOW (6)
C2: JAMMED (6)
DC: JAMMED (6) MEADOW (6)
Score: 85–64 (max 90)

Round 13: G K I O P X E E N

C1: PEEKING (7)
C2: KEEPING (7)
DC: PEEKING (7) KEEPING (7)
OT: EPIGONE (7)
Score: 92–71 (max 97)

Game over for the East Anglian, although she could still lose by just one point, which might be fitting after such a close game...

Round 14: 50, 9, 10, 2, 7, 2. Target: 310.

C1: 309. ((10-2-2)x50)+9 (7)
C2: -
RR: 310. (50x7)-(2x2x10) (JS) (10)
Score: 99–71 (max 107)

... But sadly that isn’t going to be case, as she declares nowt again while Phyllis bags some more points. Jeff shows us how it could be done, although apparently Rachel did it a different way.

Round 15: D I M F E L I N E

C1 buzzes on 6.75 seconds to say MINEFIELD which is correct.
Final Score: 109–71 (max 117)

A great unscrambling by Phyllis of a compound word means she is now halfway to being an octochamp and she’ll be back on Monday when David ‘Bumble’ Lloyd returns to DC. Join me next weekend for the second quarter-final between Graeme Cole and Nikki Roberts – should be good!

Jeff Stelling Countdowns remaining: 10. Unbelievable.

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