Monday 26th January 2009 (COC XIII QF3)

[Howard Somerset]

Countdown recap for Monday 26 January 2009.

C1: Champion Jon Corby (11 wins, 1103 points.)
C2: Champion Jonathan Coles (11 wins, 1024 points.)
DC: Susie Dent and Paul Zenon.
RR: Rachel Riley.
OT: Other words or solutions.

Today we have two contestants with very similar histories. Jonathan, the final octochamp of series 58, whose run just squeezed Jason Cullen out of the finals, and Jon, the final octochamp of series 54, whose run was too late for him to be included in COC12, which means we have the pleasure of watching him in this series. In their series finals, Jonathan went out to a crucial conundrum to David O'Donnell in the semi-final, and Jon also lost to a crucial conundrum in his semi-final. Jonathan's highest score is 124, scored in his opening game; Jon's highest in 128.

So who's going to progress to the semi-finals of this COC competition? Will it be the forum's pre-tournament favourite, Jon? Or will Jonathan become only the second player in the competition to win from the C2 seat?

R01: S D K I O I N U O
R02: R N S A E T P A A
R03: R M L I O E T I T
R04: J T G I E W P A M
R05: 25, 75, 100, 4, 10, 9. Target: 449.
TTT: RAISEHUT - "A damaged pupil, jam-packed with words."
R06: S S R O E T M E A
R07: R S E H O O X N R
R08: Q Y S E O E Z M G
R09: L F S I U E T P O
R10: 100, 6, 7, 10, 7, 5. Target: 492.
TTT: READNEWS - "Replied to the question "Who's at the door?""
R11: S D S E O U N I N
R12: F N R C E I H T E
R13: B L N A O A O R R
R14: 100, 1, 9, 7, 5, 5. Target: 235.
R15: G E T H E R S I S (conundrum)


And now a brief interlude before our main feature:

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Enjoy the show.

Round 1: S D K I O I N U O

C1: ODIOUS (6)
C2: SOUND (5)
DC: SKIDOO (6)
Score: 6–0 (max 6)

Skidoo: to leave somewhere quickly. Clearly neither contestant wanted to tempt fate by offering this word.

Round 2: R N S A E T P A A

C1: PARENTS (7)
C2: TREPANS (7)
DC: PASTERN (7)
OT: ANAPAEST (8) (Paul)
Score: 13–7 (max 14)

Nice that Chris got included in the game.
Trepan: a saw used by surgeons for perforating the skull.
Pastern: the sloping part of a horse's foot.
Anapaest: two short syllables followed by one long.

Round 3: R M L I O E T I T

C1: MOTLIER (7)
C2: mottlier
DC: LIMITER (7) TRIOLET (7)
Score: 20–7 (max 21)

Unlucky for Jonathan here. He wasn't the only one who thought the word had two Ts.

Round 4: J T G I E W P A M

C1: MAGPIE (6)
C2: MAGPIE (6)
Score: 26–13 (max 27)

Round 5: 25, 75, 100, 4, 10, 9. Target: 449.

C1: 449. (100 + 10) x 4 + 9 (10)
C2: 449. (100 + 10) x 4 + 9 (10)
Score: 36–23 (max 37)



Pail Zenon grabbed the interest of most of the males watching the show when he got out a rope, started using it as a whip, and said he was going to do something with Rachel. Even Rachel looked keen. But it was only a card trick that he was about to perform.

Teatime teaser: RAISEHUT -> THESAURI

Round 6: S S R O E T M E A

C1: STEAMERS (8)
C2: STEAMERS (8)
DC: MAESTROS (8)
OT: MASSETER (8) somerset (8) (Dinos)
Score: 44–31 (max 45)

Masseter: a muscle which closes the jaw when chewing.

Round 7: R S E H O O X N R

C1: HERONS (6)
C2: HERONS (6)
DC: ONSHORE (7)
OT: HORNEROS (8) (Kai, or was it Paul?)
Score: 50–37 (max 53)

Hornero: a tropical bird.

Round 8: Q Y S E O E Z M G

C1: EYES (4)
C2: MOSEY (5)
OT: MEZES (5) OGEES (5)
Score: 50–42 (max 58)

Meze: a selection of dishes in Middle Eastern cookery.
Ogee: an S-shaped line or moulding.

Round 9: L F S I U E T P O

C1: SPITEFUL (8)
C2: UPLIFTS (7)
OT: OUTFLIES (8)
Score: 58–42 (max 66)

In Susie's spot, she was talking about some French expressions which so far have no equivalent use in English, and then went on to talk about an acronym, SWMBO (she who must be obeyed), which she thinks may be coming into use. I much prefer an extended version, SWMTSIBO (she who must think she is being obeyed).

Round 10: 100, 6, 7, 10, 7, 5. Target: 492.

C1: 492. 100 x 5 - (7 - 6 + 7) (10)
C2: 492. 100 x 5 - (7 - 6 + 7) (10)
Score: 68–52 (max 76)

Teatime teaser: READNEWS -> ANSWERED

Round 11: S D S E O U N I N

C1: DUNNIES (7)
C2: SOUNDS (6)
OT: UNDINES (7) NIDUSES (7) SONNIES (7) SUNNIES (7) UNISONS (7)
Score: 75–52 (max 83)

Undine: a nymph.
Nidus: a place where something is formed or deposited, typically where bacteria multiply (or maybe where I should now be saying, where bacteria times).
Sonny: a familiar form of address used by an older person to younger males. So it's really how I should be addressing most of the people reading this recap.
Sunnies: ozzie sunglasses.

Round 12: F N R C E I H T E

C1: HERETIC (7)
C2: feinter
DC: FRENETIC (8) REINFECT (8)
Score: 82–52 (max 91)

Round 13: B L N A O A O R R

C1: LOAN (4)
C2: baronal
DC: ARBOR (5) BARON (5)
OT: ABORAL (6) (Kai)
Score: 86–52 (max 97)

Round 14: 100, 1, 9, 7, 5, 5. Target: 235.

C1: 235. (9 + 1) / 5 x 100 + 7 x 5 (10)
C2: -
Score: 96–52 (max 107)

Round 15: G E T H E R S I S

C2 buzzes on 3 seconds to say SIGHTSEER which is correct.
Score: 96–62 (max 117)

Isn't it amazing just how often the loser gets the conundrum! I'm sure I've heard that said somewhere before. Well done, Jonathan for that quick spot. But of the two JCs it's Jon Corby who deservedly goes on to meet Charlie in the semi-final on Thursday.


Further summaries are at:
http://www.apterous.org/cdb/series.php?series=-15

[Kai Laddiman]

Just a little note: on Rd10 (I think) the contestants' solutions add up to 508.

[Phil Reynolds]

Skidoo: to leave somewhere quickly.

No - a skidoo is a snowmobile. Susie made a rather dubious claim about it being related to skedaddle, which does mean to leave hurriedly.

[Chris Corby]

Good recap Howard, and so quick too!

Surprised that Susie diudn't credit SWMBO ("She Who Must Be Obeyed") to the originator John Mortimer because this is the term that Rumpole of the Bailey used to describe his wife.

[Phil Reynolds]

Surprised that Susie diudn't credit SWMBO ("She Who Must Be Obeyed") to the originator John Mortimer because this is the term that Rumpole of the Bailey used to describe his wife.

Mortimer didn't originate it - Rumpole was quoting H. Rider Haggard.

[Howard Somerset]

Just a little note: on Rd10 (I think) the contestants' solutions add up to 508.

Of course you're right. 8 should've been subtracted, and not added. Thanks.

Reacp to be corrected without delay.

Skidoo: to leave somewhere quickly.

No - a skidoo is a snowmobile. Susie made a rather dubious claim about it being related to skedaddle, which does mean to leave hurriedly.

According to the OED2r, as used by Countdown, it's as Susie reported.

[Phil Reynolds]

a skidoo is a snowmobile

According to the OED2r, as used by Countdown, it's as Susie reported.

Oh, sorry. I did check with the online OED before posting and that just gives the snowmobile definition.

[Howard Somerset]

... and so quick too!

That's because I was following the SWMTSIBO, rather than the SWMBO, principle, Chris.

[Steven Tew]

Good recap Howard, and so quick too!

Surprised that Susie diudn't credit SWMBO ("She Who Must Be Obeyed") to the originator John Mortimer because this is the term that Rumpole of the Bailey used to describe his wife.

Yes, that struck me too - it's almost as if she had never heard of him. Surely that can't be.

H Rider Haggard? He didn't write Rumpole, did he?

[Ian Volante]

Just a little note: on Rd10 (I think) the contestants' solutions add up to 508.

Of course you're right. 8 should've been subtracted, and not added. Thanks.

Reacp to be corrected without delay.

Trouble is, it now comes to 499! I'll leave it for the readers to see what needs done.

[Howard Somerset]

Trouble is, it now comes to 499! I'll leave it for the readers to see what needs done.

You were beginning to worry me. But I make it 492. And because I was starting to lose confidence, I let my calculator have a go. That got 492 too.

[Chris Corby]

Surprised that Susie diudn't credit SWMBO ("She Who Must Be Obeyed") to the originator John Mortimer because this is the term that Rumpole of the Bailey used to describe his wife.

Mortimer didn't originate it - Rumpole was quoting H. Rider Haggard.

You may be right there Phil - now I am thinking of Ursula Andress in the film version

.... but it was Mortimer who popularised it, which of course is what I meant

[Ian Volante]

Trouble is, it now comes to 499! I'll leave it for the readers to see what needs done.

You were beginning to worry me. But I make it 492. And because I was starting to lose confidence, I let my calculator have a go. That got 492 too.

(7 - 6 + 7) = 8.

Yes, ignore me.

[Peter Mabey]

a skidoo is a snowmobile

According to the OED2r, as used by Countdown, it's as Susie reported.

Oh, sorry. I did check with the online OED before posting and that just gives the snowmobile definition.

Chambers gives Ski-doo as the registered name for the snowmobile, with skidoo as an alternative, though their slang dictionary gives the 'skedaddle' sense as dating back to c,1900, so was the origin of the former.

[Mike Brown]

Round 12: F N R C E I H T E

C1: HERETIC (7)
C2: feinter
DC: FRENETIC (8) REINFECT (8)
Score: 82–52 (max 91)

I'm not sure if it's allowed by CountMax/Apterous, but surely FEINTER is acceptable under the "comparative of monosyllabic adjective" rule, even if it does sound a bit dodgy?

[Michael Wallace]

Round 12: F N R C E I H T E

C1: HERETIC (7)
C2: feinter
DC: FRENETIC (8) REINFECT (8)
Score: 82–52 (max 91)

I'm not sure if it's allowed by CountMax/Apterous, but surely FEINTER is acceptable under the "comparative of monosyllabic adjective" rule, even if it does sound a bit dodgy?

What does 'more FEINT' mean?

edit: never mind, I just looked it up

[Phil Reynolds]

surely FEINTER is acceptable under the "comparative of monosyllabic adjective" rule, even if it does sound a bit dodgy?

According to my dictionary, FEINT is only a noun or a verb, not an adjective. Dunno what ODE2 says.

[Mike Brown]

According to my dictionary, FEINT is only a noun or a verb, not an adjective. Dunno what ODE2 says.

ODE2r states it is (also) an adjective referring to the type of writing paper containing faint lines. Although I personally think the comparative and superlative are pretty iffy ("this paper is feinter than the stuff I bought last week"), it's probably no worse than some others that have been considered acceptable in the past, such as RIGHTER/RIGHTEST (as in politics), but the unpredicatability of what is considered acceptable is all part of the joy of Countdown!

[Ian Volante]

According to my dictionary, FEINT is only a noun or a verb, not an adjective. Dunno what ODE2 says.

ODE2r states it is (also) an adjective referring to the type of writing paper containing faint lines. Although I personally think the comparative and superlative are pretty iffy ("this paper is feinter than the stuff I bought last week"), it's probably no worse than some others that have been considered acceptable in the past, such as RIGHTER/RIGHTEST (as in politics), but the unpredicatability of what is considered acceptable is all part of the joy of Countdown!

As an agent noun it could be plausible surely. Then again, probably not.

[Howard Somerset]

Round 12: F N R C E I H T E

C1: HERETIC (7)
C2: feinter
DC: FRENETIC (8) REINFECT (8)
Score: 82–52 (max 91)

I'm not sure if it's allowed by CountMax/Apterous, but surely FEINTER is acceptable under the "comparative of monosyllabic adjective" rule, even if it does sound a bit dodgy?

Certainly it should've been allowed under the rule you quote. It's sounds much better than some of the others which get through. Good thing that it didn't prove to be crucial. Looks as if this is another for JIMDIC.

[JasonCullen]

Today we have two contestants with very similar histories. Jonathan, the final octochamp of series 58, whose run just squeezed Jason Cullen out of the finals,

Cheers for reminding me Howard!