Monday 23rd March 2009 (Series 60, Prelim 32)

[Howard Somerset]

Countdown recap for Monday 23 March 2009.

C1: Champion Stephen Porritt (3 wins, 239 points.)
C2: Challenger Cate Henderson, a probation officer from Portland, and originally from Essex. She likes aqua aerobics, going to the cinema, and helping children learn to read. Her ambitions are to see Mount Everest, and to drive across USA. She was once snubbed by George Harrison in a nightclub when asking for his autograph back in the 1960s.
DC: Susie Dent and Brian Capron.
RR: Rachel Riley.
OT: Other words or solutions.

Having just made it on Friday following a tie-break conundrum, will Stephen now go on to become only the third player this series to break the three wins mark? Or will Cate manage come up with some more conventional spellings then she does with her name?

R01: N J P R E A E P I
R02: A A E B N M Q O T
R03: C Z C L E A E S F
R04: I U I O S P S H A
R05: 50, 5, 1, 4, 2, 5. Target: 348.
TTT: SLOGFINS - "Adopting dental hygene with candy."
R06: I E A N T T D M E
R07: K S R T O E I G A
R08: E I E W S D S R O
R09: T R N F U E I D E
R10: 75, 2, 4, 5, 1, 9. Target: 383.
TTT: ITSANGRY - "If it's angry, you'd better keep away from it."
R11: G D L G U O E O A
R12: E A I N Y B S L H
R13: V D R N U O E O R
R14: 25, 9, 5, 2, 6, 5. Target: 654.
R15: N E R D G L O O P (conundrum)


And now a brief interlude before our main feature:

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Enjoy the show.

Round 1: N J P R E A E P I

C1: nappie
C2: NIPPER (6)
DC: NAPPIER (7)
OT: PERINEA (7)
Score: 0–6 (max 7)

Cate takes an immediate lead, when Stephen's hopes of an alternative spelling for NAPPY are dashed.

A perineum (pl perinea) is the area between the anus and either the scrotum or the vulva, depending upon which type of person is being considered. It would've been interesting to hear Susie having to describe this one.
Although it might sound as if it's connected with a young person's garment associated with the same part of the body, nappier is the comparative form of nappy, meaning frizzy when talking about hair. Come to think of it, maybe it is associated with the same part of the body.

Round 2: A A E B N M Q O T

C1: BOATMAN (7)
C2: BEMOAN (6)
DC: BOATMEN (7)
Score: 7–6 (max 14)

Cate's lead is only short lived, as Stephen pulls back, and takes a marginal lead.

Round 3: C Z C L E A E S F

C1: FALSE (5)
C2: LACES (5)
DC: SLEAZE (6) FAECES (6)
OT: CALCES (6)
Score: 12–11 (max 20)

A calx (pl calces) is a powdery metallic oxide formed when a mineral is heated.

Round 4: I U I O S P S H A

C1: SHOPS (5)
C2: SHIPS (5)
DC: PIOUS (5) APHIS (5)
OT: POISHA (6) SPAHIS (6)
Score: 17–16 (max 26)

Nobody in the studio spots either of the two sixes, and I can't really say I'm surprised.

The poisha is a monetary unit of Bangladesh.
A spahi is a Turkish cavalryman.

Round 5: 50, 5, 1, 4, 2, 5. Target: 348.

C1: 348. (5 + 2) x 50 - (5 - 4 + 1) (10)
C2: 348. (5 + 2) x 50 - (5 - 4 + 1) (10)
Score: 27–26 (max 36)

So we reach the first break with Stephen hanging onto his one-point lead.

Brian Capron tells us about a few friends called Bob, in particular about how Bob Hoskins made a lot of money by not appearing in a film.

Teatime teaser: SLOGFINS -> FLOSSING

Round 6: I E A N T T D M E

C1: MEDITATE (8)
C2: MEDITATE (8)
DC: MATINEE (7)
OT: DEMENTIA (8) MITTENED (8)
Score: 35–34 (max 44)

Round 7: K S R T O E I G A

C1: GORIEST (7)
C2: GOITRES (7)
DC: TROIKAS (7) STORAGE (7)
OT: AGISTER (7) GAITERS (7) STAGIER (7) TRIAGES (7) GOATIER (7) OAKIEST (7) TOERAGS (7)
Score: 42–41 (max 51)

An agister is someone who takes in and feed livestock.

Round 8: E I E W S D S R O

C1: wordier
C2: DOSSIER (7)
DC: WEIRDOS (7)
OT: DESIRES (7) RESIDES (7) DOWRIES (7) ROWDIES (7) DOWSERS (7) DROWSES (7) SOIREES (7)
Score: 42–48 (max 58)

Stephen mistakenly thinks there are two Rs, and so Cate regains the lead.

Round 9: T R N F U E I D E

C1: REFINED (7)
C2: UNTRIED (7)
DC: INTRUDE (7) ERUDITE (7)
OT: REUNITED (8)
Score: 49–55 (max 66)

Susie tells us a bit about words and phrases associated with winking, in particular, hoodwink and tipping the wink.

Round 10: 75, 2, 4, 5, 1, 9. Target: 383.

C1: 383. 5 x 75 + 4 x 2 (10)
C2: 383. 5 x 75 + 4 x 2 (10)
Score: 59–65 (max 76)

After a second easy numbers game, Cate stays in the lead, going into the break with a small lead of six points. But it's still anybody's game.

Teatime teaser: ITSANGRY -> STINGRAY

Round 11: G D L G U O E O A

C1: LOGGED (6)
C2: LAGGED (6)
DC: GOOGLED (7)
Score: 65–71 (max 83)

Round 12: E A I N Y B S L H

C1: LESBIAN (7)
C2: SHINE (5)
DC: INHALES (7)
OT: HYALINES (8)
Score: 72–71 (max 91)

Once again it's Steven taking the lead, and again by only one point, with three rounds to go.

A hyaline is a smooth sea or a clear sky.

Round 13: V D R N U O E O R

C1: ROUNDER (7)
C2: ROUNDER (7)
DC: OVERRUN (7)
Score: 79–78 (max 98)

Round 14: 25, 9, 5, 2, 6, 5. Target: 654.

C1: 655. (25 x 5 + 6) x 5 (7)
C2: 652.
OT: 654. ((25 - 5) x 5 + 9) x 6 (7)
Score: 86–78 (max 108)

Getting one closer to the target than Cate, means that Stephen has opened up his biggest lead of the game, but it's only an eight point lead with just the conundrum to come.

Round 15: N E R D G L O O P

C2 buzzes on 17 seconds to say PROLONGED which is correct.
Score: 86–88 (max 118)

So Stephen finally succumbs, and joins two others in finishing his run with three wins. At number three on the leader board, will it be enough to make the finals? Cate now moves over to the other chair for tomorrow's game, probably quite unaware that her victory today finally guaranteed Kirk's place in the finals.

Further summaries are at:
http://www.apterous.org/cdb/series.php?series=60

[Kirk Bevins]

Cate now moves over to the other chair for tomorrow's game, probably quite unaware that her victory today finally guaranteed Kirk's place in the finals.

Phew. I was also unaware but I feel much happier with that guarantee.

[Howard Somerset]

Cate now moves over to the other chair for tomorrow's game, probably quite unaware that her victory today finally guaranteed Kirk's place in the finals.

Phew. I was also unaware but I feel much happier with that guarantee.

Yes, I'm quite sure you were nervous about the prospect of eight back-to-back octochamps, all scoring more than 925. Now that Steven's out, there's only time for seven.

[Dinos Sfyris]

A perineum (pl perinea) is the area between the anus and either the scrotum or the vulva, depending upon which type of person is being considered. It would've been interesting to hear Susie having to describe this one.
Although it might sound as if it's connected with a young person's garment associated with the same part of the body, nappier is the comparative form of nappy, meaning frizzy when talking about hair. Come to think of it, maybe it is associated with the same part of the body.

Lol Nice recap Howard. Just remembered its my turn tomorrow!

[Allan Harmer]

Very good recap Howard - Thanks!