C1: Champion Brett Davids (2 wins, 242 points.)
C2: Challenger Paul Hegarty.
DC: Susie Dent and Jon Culshaw.
RR: Rachel Riley.
OT: Other words or solutions.
R01: F R N C E I A O M
R02: T J S E I A P T M
R03: 75, 25, 100, 50, 5, 4, . Target: 932.
TTT: SOURDOWN - " When it comes to music, this describes Stevie to a T"
R04: G V L O U I N S P
R05: R T K L A E A S E
R06: 3, 3, 10, 2, 8, 9. Target: 723.
R07: N W G T O I A N R
R08: H N S U E A Q D M
R09: 50, 5, 7, 1, 2, 5. Target: 689.
TTT: TEMPURAS - "To get this, you have to go against the flow."
R10: R P T O I E N B S
R11: L R W R O U A D E
R12: L P H U E I N G B
R13: S F T D O A E I E
R14: 25, 5, 3, 8, 4, 1. Target: 147.
R15: T U P E L O K F C (conundrum)
And now a brief interlude before our main feature:
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Enjoy the show.
Round 1: F R N C E I A O M
Brett: ROMANCE (7)
Paul: FANCIER (7)
DC: MORAINE (7) ROMAINE (7)
OT: CARMINE (7) CERIMAN (7) COMFIER (7) CONFIRM (7) CONIFER (7) ENCOMIA (7) FERMION (7) FIREMAN (7) FOAMIER (7) FORAMEN (7) FOREMAN (7) INCOMER (7) MOANIER (7)
Score: 7–7 (max 7)
Round 2: T J S E I A P T M
Brett: PASTIME (7)
Paul: PATTIES (7)
DC: MATIEST (7)
Score: 14–14 (max 14)
Round 3: 75, 25, 100, 50, 5, 4. Target: 932.
C1: 931. ((((75 × 25) − 5) × 50) ÷ 100) − 4 (7)
C2: 925.
RR: 931/933 (7)
Score: 21–14 (max 21)
Teatime teaser: SOURDOWN -> WONDROUS
Round 4: G V L O U I N S P
Brett: SOLVING (7)
Paul: SOLVING (7)
DC: UPSILON (7)
OT: GULPINS (7) LOUPING (7) LOUSING (7) PULSING (7) SLOPING (7) SOUPING (7)
Score: 28–21 (max 28)
Round 5: R T K L A E A S E
Brett: STALKER (7)
Paul: STREAK (6)
DC: RELATES (7) RETAKES (7) TALKERS (7)
OT: AERATES (7) KARELAS (7) KESTREL (7) LEAKERS (7) REALEST (7) SEAKALE (7) STEALER (7)
Score: 35–21 (max 35)
Sevens all round nothing worth having a catfight over...........now play nicely children !
Round 6: 3, 3, 10, 2, 8, 9. Target: 723.
C1: 723. (9 × 8 × 10) + 3 (10)
C2: 723. (9 × 8 × 10) + 3 (10)
Score: 45–31 (max 45)
Round 7: N W G T O I A N R
Brett: IGNORANT (8)
Paul: RANTING (7)
DC: ORATING (7)
Score: 53–31 (max 53)
Round 8: H N S U E A Q D M
Brett: QUASHED (7)
Paul: MASHED (6)
DC: QUASHED (7) MASQUE (6)
OT: NUMDAHS (7)
Score: 60–31 (max 60)
Round 9: 50, 5, 7, 1, 2, 5. Target: 689.
C1: 689. (7 × 2 × 50) − 5 − 5 − 1 (10)
C2: 689. (7 × 2 × 50) − 5 − 5 − 1 (10)
Score: 70–41 (max 70)
Teatime teaser: TEMPURAS -> UPSTREAM
Round 10: R P T O I E N B S
Brett: POINTERS (8)
Paul: PROTEINS (8)
DC: REPOINTS (8)
OT: PORNIEST (8)
Score: 78–49 (max 78)
I don't want to jinx this game just yet.................Brett is 5 rounds away from a max game..............now the question is can he do it ?
Round 11: L R W R O U A D E
Brett: ROULADE (7)
Paul: ROULADE (7)
DC: ARROWED (7)
OT: DRAWLER (7) RUDERAL (7) WARLORD (7)
Score: 85–56 (max 85)
Four rounds to go
Round 12: L P H U E I N G B
Brett: HELPING (7)
Paul: HELPING (7)
DC: BLUEING (7)
Score: 92–63 (max 92)
Three rounds to go
Round 13: S F T D O A E I E
Brett: STIFADO (7)
Paul: DEFEATS (7)
DC: FOISTED (7)
OT: DEAFEST (7) FEASTED (7)
Score: 99–70 (max 99)
Two rounds to go
Round 14: 25, 5, 3, 8, 4, 1. Target: 147.
C1: 147. 25 × (5 + 1)) × 6) − 3 (10)
C2: 147. 25 × (5 + 1)) × 6) − 3 (10)
Score: 109–80 (max 109)
A fairly easy numbers game that hasn't snookered our opponents as they score maximum points in this round.... One more round left..................can Brett do it ? All that is left is the conundrum..........can he crack it ?
On the subject of 147s let's have a small selection of snooker players who achieved this feat
Former Canadian snooker player Kirk Stevens achieved a 147 against Jimmy White in his semi-final at The Benson and Hedges now known as the masters, Jimmy White got to the final and won the tournament
Arguably one of the best players from the 1970s and a former world champion the late John Spencer recorded the first ever 147 in 1979, the historic moment wasn't televised the camera crews were taking a break at the time. Even it is documented as the first max break it remains unofficial and it could not be verified. Three years later in 1982 The Lada Classic snooker tournament it Steve Davis who made the first televised 147 in his quarter final match against John Spencer.
Arguably one of the greatest players of all time 7 time world champion Ronnie O'Sullivan. During the 1997 World Championships Ronnie O'Sullivan set the record for the fastest 147 lasting 5 minutes and 20 seconds. Ronnie is still active in snooker with immediate plans to retire as of yet.
Round 15: T U P E L O K F C
C1 buzzes on 7.75 seconds to say POCKETFUL which is correct.
Final Score: 119–80 (max 119)
OH MY GOD BRETT HAS DONE IT !!!!! A televised a max game !
This game had two notable highlights:
Brett's performance was a max game — the fifteenth in the history of Countdown, and only the third in a heat game in the new 15-round format.
This was the fourth time a max has ever been achieved in a preliminary game in the 15-round format; the first being Kirk Bevins' one back on 4 March 2009, the second being Tom Stevenson's on 29 September 2022, and the third being Ronan Higginson's on 23 May 2023.
Rounds
Firstly congratulations to Brett on his amazing achievement, secondly take nothing away from Paul he played really well and by no means 80 points is a respectable score worthy of a teapot if he came on a different day he could of been in contention for a teapot but sadly that is luck of the draw, you can join me again for the next installment of Brett in the meantime it is bye for now
