Monday 1st July 2013 (Series 69, Prelim 1)

[Graeme Cole]

Countdown recap for Monday 1 July 2013.

C1: Champion Glen Webb (7 wins, 830 points) is the carry-over champion from series 68. He's looking for his eighth win today, and a score of 136 or more will see him beat the record octotal of 965 set by series 68 champion Giles Huc-things.
C2: Challenger Kevin Safford is an Information Developer from Farnborough. In 2000, after a hot-air balloon trip over Egypt's Valley of the Kings, his balloon landed in less-than-textbook fashion - horizontally.
DC: Susie Dent and Penny Smith.
RR: Rachel Riley.
OT: Other words or solutions.

R01: P M N T E A O I V
R02: C T G O E S R A H
R03: 50, 8, 2, 8, 5, 4. Target: 419.
TTT: VACATEIT - "It sounds like the busy octet make things happen."
R04: R X M E A I N G S
R05: N L D T U E A H O
R06: 50, 10, 10, 7, 1, 3. Target: 207.
R07: S Y N S I E I R P
R08: F N D O E B A M G
R09: 50, 4, 2, 8, 5, 1. Target: 832.
TTT: SIDRAVES - "Sid raves about the people who give him guidance."
R10: J D R U E S T A O
R11: Q S L H I O E R D
R12: T S M I A E T C R
R13: K T R V O E U D B
R14: 50, 7, 8, 6, 4, 5. Target: 674.
R15: H E R A L D I C C (conundrum)


And now a brief interlude before our main feature:

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Enjoy the show.


Round 1: P M N T E A O I V

C1: PTOMAINE (8)
C2: MOTIVE (6)
DC: PIVOTMAN (8)
OT: PIVOTMEN (8)
Score: 8–0 (max 8)

PTOMAINE came up just recently, and here it is again. It's any of a group of amine compounds formed in rotten food.


Round 2: C T G O E S R A H

C1: COASTER (7)
C2: CHARGES (7)
DC: SHORTAGE (8) ESCARGOT (8)
OT: GOTCHERS (8) THORACES (8)
Score: 15–7 (max 16)

Kevin's off the mark now, but there were a few eights available.


Round 3: 50, 8, 2, 8, 5, 4. Target: 419.

C1: 419. (50+2)*8+8-5 (10)
C2: 419. (50+2)*8+8-5 (10)
Score: 25–17 (max 26)

Today in Origins of Numbers, we look at the number 419. The 419 scam is called that because 419 is the section of the Nigerian Criminal Code that deals with Advance Fee Fraud. Some people make a hobby out of baiting the scammers, which sounds like fun.


Teatime teaser: VACATEIT -> ACTIVATE


Round 4: R X M E A I N G S

C1: SMEARING (8)
C2: SMEARING (8)
DC: ENIGMAS (7) MARINES (7)
Score: 33–25 (max 34)

SMEARING, and not much else. Glen still not too far in front.


Round 5: N L D T U E A H O

C1: LOATHED (7)
C2: HAUNTED (7)
DC: HANDOUT (7)
OT: ETHANOL (7) TALONED (7)
Score: 40–32 (max 41)

No, you can't have UNLOATHED^.


Round 6: 50, 10, 10, 7, 1, 3. Target: 207.

C1: 207. (1+3)*50+7 (10)
C2: 207. (1+3)*50+7 (10)
Score: 50–42 (max 51)

Simple numbers game means Glen is still only eight points ahead at the anecdote. Could challenger Kevin deny Glen his eighth win?


Round 7: S Y N S I E I R P

C1: INSPIRES (8)
C2: SNIPERS (7)
DC: snipery
Score: 58–42 (max 59)

A lot of words can unexpectedly take a Y on the end, like SALMONY and DACOITY. Penny's offering of SNIPERY isn't one of them, though. Glen does, however, open up his lead.


Round 8: F N D O E B A M G

C1: BONDAGE (7)
C2: BONDAGE (7)
DC: mangoed ABDOMEN (7)
OT: DOGBANE (7)
Score: 65–49 (max 66)

Glen and Kevin are bonded together in this round, as Nick notes.


Round 9: 50, 4, 2, 8, 5, 1. Target: 832.

C1: 832. ((5-4)+1+50)*8*2 (10)
C2: 832. (50*2+4)*8 (10)
Score: 75–59 (max 76)

And going into part three, Glen has still only dropped a single point.


Teatime teaser: SIDRAVES -> ADVISERS


Round 10: J D R U E S T A O

C1: ADJUSTER (8)
C2: JOUSTER (7)
DC: TREADS (6) READJUST (8)
Score: 83–59 (max 84)

JOUSTER is pretty good, but Glen has it beaten with ADJUSTER. This puts him even further in front, with an outside chance of getting the 136 that would break the octotal record.


Round 11: Q S L H I O E R D

C1: SOLDIER (7)
C2: HOLDERS (7)
DC: HOSIER (6)
OT: SOLIDER (7)
Score: 90–66 (max 91)

A Q with no U isn't going to help, though. Still, maxes all round.


Round 12: T S M I A E T C R

C1: MATRICES (8)
C2: CATTIER (7)
DC: ARTISTE (7) MISTREAT (8)
OT: CITRATES (8) CRISTATE (8) SCATTIER (8)
Score: 98–66 (max 99)

Occasionally contestants don't put the S on the end of a word, either through inattention or chickenness. What Kevin's done here happens less often - omitting to put the S on the beginning.


Round 13: K T R V O E U D B

C1: DOUBTER (7)
C2: OVERDUB (7)
DC: OBTRUDE (7)
OT: OUTBRED (7) REDOUBT (7)
Score: 105–73 (max 106)

Maxes again for everyone, and Glen seals his eighth win.


Round 14: 50, 7, 8, 6, 4, 5. Target: 674.

C1: 674. (8+5)*50+6*4 (10)
C2: -
Score: 115–73 (max 116)

This perfect numbers solve means Glen is still only one off the max, with only the conundrum to go.


Round 15: H E R A L D I C C

No one buzzes. The answer was CHILDCARE.
Final Score: 115–73 (max 126)

It's close, but no empty humidor. Not that it matters, of course - Glen has ended up with 8 wins and 945 points, the third highest total ever, and has set a good benchmark for the further bucketloads of talent we're expecting in series 69 - Zarte Siempre, Dylan Taylor, Jen Steadman, and more - rumour has it that even Matt "I'm not going on Countdown" Bayfield has applied too, but I'm only going to believe that when I see him in the chair.

Let's not forget the performance of today's challenger, too. Glen got 13 maxes today and Kevin still got 73 points, with the kind of play I'd expect to win most shows.

Further summaries are at:
http://www.apterous.org/cdb/series.php?series=69

[Mike Brown]

No, you can't have UNLOATHED^.

Surely this was what Glen was toying with, rather than HANDOUT. Why would he be, when he had LOATHED for seven already? Was there some dodgy editing or did the conversation of Susie saying: "HANDOUT: is that the one you were thinking about?" and Glen replying "yes" really take place??

[Graeme Cole]

No, you can't have UNLOATHED^.

Surely this was what Glen was toying with, rather than HANDOUT. Why would he be, when he had LOATHED for seven already? Was there some dodgy editing or did the conversation of Susie saying: "HANDOUT: is that the one you were thinking about?" and Glen replying "yes" really take place??

Yes, I thought it was odd that Glen seemed to say his unrisked word was HANDOUT when he'd already offered a seven. Maybe Glen had that written down as well, so when Susie asked him if he was thinking of that he said yes?