Countdown recap for Tuesday 27 July 2021.
Anne's pastel pink outfit is back. And today it's the day of the patron saint of, er, Lottery Winners. Rachel talks about "St Damian", the patron saint of Countdown. Since I wouldn't say no to a job, I am making no comment.
C1: Champion Andy McConnell (1 win, 77 points.) A valver (valvist?) from Stockport.
C2: Challenger Tom Roebuck. Anne goes full Clarkson and talks about tractoring with him.
DC: Rev. Richard Coles.
RR: Rachel Riley.
OT: Other words or solutions.
R01: G D L U E M E O R
R02: G N P E O I R F U
R03: 75, 7, 7, 1, 4, 10. Target: 556.
TTT: TINASJOB - "Tina's job is being a musical entertainer."
R04: S T M E A E C R O
R05: S C O I B N E S D
R06: 75, 10, 7, 3, 5, 3. Target: 778.
R07: V P A O S E W T N
R08: H S L O I U X T I
R09: 75, 6, 2, 4, 3, 9. Target: 348.
TTT: CHAPSENT - "The chap sent all his stock for delivery in these."
R10: S G S E E O W L S
R11: R D A I K E N T D
R12: H R C E I O T R A
R13: F E U D G E N S A
R14: 100, 10, 9, 8, 1, 5. Target: 380.
R15: D E V I L D A T A (conundrum)
And now a brief interlude before our main feature:
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Enjoy the show.
Round 1: G D L U E M E O R
Andy: DELUGE (6)
Tom: MERGED (6)
DC: REMOULD (7) MOGULED (7)
OT: MOULDER (7) RELODGE (7) RELUMED (7) REMODEL (7) RULEDOM (7) URODELE (7)
Score: 6–6 (max 7, jos 7)
Darren-o-meter: 0/1 (0%)
Both contestants don't get off to the greatest start, missing a load of 7s.
Round 2: G N P E O I R F U
Andy: FOREIGN (7)
Tom: POURING (7)
DC: GUNFIRE (7)
OT: GROUPIE (7) PERIGON (7) PIROGEN (7) PIROGUE (7) PONGIER (7) POUFIER (7) ROUGINE (7) ROUPING (7)
Score: 13–13 (max 14, jos 14)
Darren-o-meter: 0/2 (0%)
Another flat round of sevens but this time the two contestants don't miss out.
Anne and Andy do more chatting about valves. Andy says he lost part of a finger in a valve but it grew back, although Anne spots the difference immediately.
Round 3: 75, 7, 7, 1, 4, 10. Target: 556.
Andy: -
Tom: -
RR: 556. (75 + 4) × 7 + 10 − 7 (10)
Score: 13–13 (max 24, jos 24)
Oh dear.
Teatime teaser: TINASJOB -> BANJOIST
Anne comments Andy isn't doing too well today. "Thanks for bringing it up" is his retort. I half-expect Andy to launch across the desk at her in a minute.
Round 4: S T M E A E C R O
Andy: CREMATES (8)
Tom: CREMATES (8)
OT: OCTAMERS (8) RACEMOSE (8)
Score: 21–21 (max 32, jos 32)
Darren-o-meter: 0/3 (0%)
You would be correct in assuming Richard Coles knows all about CREMATES. But he doesn't know the other two.
Round 5: S C O I B N E S D
Andy: SCONES (6)
Tom: SCONES (6)
DC: SECONDS (7) BODICES (7)
OT: CESSION (7) COSINES (7) DISCOES (7) OSCINES (7) SECONDI (7)
Score: 27–27 (max 39, jos 39)
Darren-o-meter: 0/4 (0%)
Another tied round here. More questions from Anne of Tom about tractoring.
Round 6: 75, 10, 7, 3, 5, 3. Target: 778.
Andy: 778. (75 + 3) × 10 − (5 − 3) (10)
Tom: 778. (75 + 3) × 10 − (5 − 3) (10)
DC: 768.
Score: 37–37 (max 49, jos 49)
A good spot from both contestants, making their non-solves in round three look even odder.
Richard discusses the continuing discussion between the church and gays, and the dichotomy in the church about gay clergymen, such as Richard himself. Indeed, a same-sex marriage would revoke the bishop's license. Since CofE same-sex marriages are still disallowed, this means that Richard cannot oversee a same-sex marriage.
I know I take a cynical tone in these recaps, but I have really enjoyed Richard, and unlike the last couple of newbies, I would like to see him again. Even if he is one of few DC guests who can claim to have done worse on Strictly than Rachel.
Round 7: V P A O S E W T N
Andy: STONE (5)
Tom: OVATES (6)
DC: WEAPONS (7)
OT: NOVATES (7)
Score: 37–43 (max 56, jos 56)
Darren-o-meter: 0/5 (0%)
V, "and a better consonant". Rachel points out that a valve man should actually like the letter V, and Andy deadpans "I do the comedy." Finally, someone wins a round, and it's Tom.
Round 8: H S L O I U X T I
Andy: LOUTISH (7) (not written down)
Tom: HOIST (5)
Score: 44–43 (max 63, jos 63)
Darren-o-meter: 1/6 (17%)
It's the first darren of the day and it's also Andy's first round win of the day too. He takes the lead with one point.
Round 9: 75, 6, 2, 4, 3, 9. Target: 348.
Andy: 348. (6 × 2 + 75) × 4 (10)
Tom: 348. (not written down) 75 × 4 + 9 × 6 − 3 × 2 (10)
Score: 54–53 (max 73, jos 73)
Straightforwardnesses.
Teatime teaser: CHAPSENT -> PANTECHS
Round 10: S G S E E O W L S
Andy: GLOWS (5)
Tom: GLOWS (5)
DC: GLOSSES (7)
OT: EGOLESS (7) GESSOES (7) WOELESS (7)
Score: 59–58 (max 80, jos 80)
Darren-o-meter: 1/7 (14%)
With three Ss, there's lots of -SS words available here and both contestants miss them.
Round 11: R D A I K E N T D
Andy: TRAINED (7)
Tom: TRAINED (7)
DC: DARKNET (7) DARKEN (6) (from AR)
OT: DANDIER (7) DETRAIN (7) DRAINED (7) KERATIN (7) KINDRED (7) TRAIKED (7) TRANKED (7)
Score: 66–65 (max 87, jos 87)
Darren-o-meter: 1/8 (13%)
Another flat round.
Round 12: H R C E I O T R A
Andy: RHETORIC (8) (possibly)
Tom: REACTOR (7)
DC: EROTICA (7)
OT: ACHROITE (8)
Score: 74–65 (max 95, jos 95)
Darren-o-meter: 1/9 (11%)
Excellent from Andy as he takes the lead out to nine points, and now has three chances to win the game.
Round 13: F E U D G E N S A
Andy: FUDGES (6)
Tom: FUDGES (6)
DC: SUNDAE (6) DEAFENS (7) DEFANGS (7)
OT: AUGENDS (7) FUNGEES (7) SNAFUED (7)
Score: 80–71 (max 102, jos 102)
Darren-o-meter: 1/10 (10%)
After FEUD - "that'll do", says Andy. Rachel comments he needs a few more letters. But with sixes apiece, it's down to the final two rounds.
Round 14: 100, 10, 9, 8, 1, 5. Target: 380.
Andy: 381. (9 − 5) × 100 − 10 − 8 − 1 (7)
Tom: -
RR: 380. ((8 − 5) × 9 + 1) × 10 + 100 (10)
Score: 87–71 (max 112, jos 112)
Tom blunders, which gives Andy the win. Not a massively difficult game here, Rachel making it look harder than it was.
Andy says he buzzes with his middle finger given that industrial accent in round two.
Round 15: D E V I L D A T A
Tom buzzes on 3.25 seconds to say VALIDATED which is correct.
Final Score: 87–81 (max 122, jos 122)
Andy keeps the same score as yesterday, although this time he doesn't need a TB to achieve it. Tom's challenge faded at the end but he should be proud of his performance, as should Richard Coles who didn't drop a single point today.
So... how many episodes will Andy stay in the chair before he runs out of facts about valves?
Join us again for Countdown. Goodbye.
I've just noticed Susie is still in the credits despite her non-appearance... oversight? Contractual issues? *panics in wiki appearances counter*
Further summaries are at:
http://cdb.apterous.org/series.php?series=84