Friday 15 May 2009 (Series 60, Prelim 71)

[Mike Brown]

Countdown recap for Friday 15 May 2009 (Series 60, Prelim 71).

It’s an unexpected pleasure for me to be doing another of Jimmy’s recaps, so without further ado, let’s crack on...

C1: Champion Jimmy Gough (4 wins, 430 points.)
C2: Challenger Peter Tarrant (from Dublin’s Fair City.)
DC: Susie Dent and Steve Davis.
RR: Rachel Riley.
OT: Other words or solutions.

R01: L I N O B I N O X
R02: M I H A G E D O S
R03: N E R A C E F I R
R04: B E M A S I L A P
R05: 75, 3, 9, 1, 6, 10. Target: 420.
TTT: WOKGRASS - "The electricity is broken, but this isn't."
R06: T O C E M U L E P
R07: T A T E R A E N L
R08: G U N A T O N I T
R09: S E Q E N O Z A K
R10: 25, 75, 1, 9, 2, 10. Target: 929.
TTT: ROYSHELF - "The insect that doesn't have a voice."
R11: D E R O S I M E P
R12: D U H E D I R O T
R13: V A S E R O S A C
R14: 25, 50, 8, 9, 5, 2. Target: 464.
R15: B A U L K L I N E (conundrum)

This recap is sponsored by Ibuleve Gel.

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Wisdom from Jimmy in the opening minutes, where we are advised that it’s not a good idea to juggle with darts. And great Eurovision banter from Jeff, who launches into Brotherhood of Man’s “Save Your Kisses For Me”, only for Rachel to award him ‘nul points’ for his efforts by holding up the ‘O’ from the letters board (she wisely didn’t remove the one between the ‘C’ and the ‘U’). And having introduced Susie with a bit of Gina G, he then discusses with Steve how snooker was crap in the eighties – and still is today. I have to say that I think these little exchanges are up there with some of the Whiteley classics of the past. It can only get better (and you can take that how you like). Oh yeah, the game...

Round 1: L I N O B I N O X

C1: LION (4)
C2: LION (4)
DC: BLINI (5) ONION (5)
OT: INION (5)
Score: 4–4 (max 5)

A poor selection to start and DC are obviously feeling hungry. An INION is part of a bone at the base of the skull.

Round 2: M I H A G E D O S

C1: HOMAGES (7)
C2: SHAMED (6)
DC: HOMAGES (7) MIDGES (6)
OT: HOAGIES (7)
Score: 11–4 (max 12)

Having successfully risked HOMAGES the other day, Jimmy correctly tells us he has a ‘safe seven’. HOAGIES... yum.

Round 3: N E R A C E F I R

C1: FANCIER (7)
C2: FIERCER (7)
DC: REFRAIN (7) FIANCEE (7)
OT: FAIENCE (7) REFINER (7)
Score: 18–11 (max 19)

Round 4: B E M A S I L A P

C1: IMPALES (7)
C2: SAMPLE (6)
DC: AMIABLE (7) MALAISE (7)
OT: ABELIAS (7) ABLEISM (7)
Score: 25–11 (max 26)

The ABELIA is a member of the honeysuckle family.

Round 5: 75, 3, 9, 1, 6, 10. Target: 420.

C1: 420. (9-3+1)x6x10 (10)
C2: 420. (75x6)-(3x10) (10)
Score: 35–21 (max 36)

As Aleksandr the meerkat might say: Simples!

Steve reminds us of the time Alex Higgins relieved himself in a flowerpot during a snooker tournament. I’m not making this up.

Teatime teaser: WOKGRASS -> GASWORKS

Round 6: T O C E M U L E P

C1: COMPLETE (8)
C2: CLOUT (5)
DC: COUPLET (7) COMPUTE (7) TELECOM (7) OCTUPLE (7)
Score: 43–21 (max 44)

Jimmy spots the first darren of the day, while DC go ‘seven-mad’. I think Susie said OCTUPLE, but having listened to it about four times, I’m still not sure.

Round 7: T A T E R A E N L

C1: ALTERNATE (18)
C2: AERATE (6)
DC: ETERNAL (7) ENTREAT (7)
Score: 61–21 (max 62)

A great nine from the Goughster and another to add to his collection. And he’s still just one under the max. A nice eight was ANTEATER.

Round 8: G U N A T O N I T

C1: ATTUNING (8)
C2: untaint
DC: NOUGAT (6)
OT: TAUNTING (8) NOTATING (8) NUTATION (8)
Score: 69–21 (max 70)

Steve Davis waffles about NOUGAT. NUTATION is a posh word for nodding. Oh yes it is.

Round 9: S E Q E N O Z A K

C1: SNEAK (5)
C2: SNAKE (5)
DC: KEENS (5)
OT: AEONS (5) AKEES (5) KAONS (5) KOANS (5) KNEES (5) SKENE (5) OAKEN (5) SKEAN (5) SNOEK (5) ZONES (5) ZONKS (5)
Score: 74–26 (max 75)

Steve pretends that OAKENS is a valid verb, but he’s having us on! The tyke! Actually, I’ve quite enjoyed his stint in DC; hope he comes back some time. Sadly, no sixes available.

OoW: Susie discusses the origins of the snooker terms “cocked hat”, ‘baize’ and ‘baulk line’ (see conundrum).

Round 10: 25, 75, 1, 9, 2, 10. Target: 929.

C1: 929. ((25+75+2)x9)+10+1 (10)
C2: 929. ((25+75+2)x9)+10+1 (10)
Score: 84–36 (max 85)

A more challenging numbers game than Round 5, with three relative ‘biggies’, but the contestants are both spot-on. Sadly, it looks like ‘game over’ soon for Peter.

Teatime teaser: ROYSHELF -> HORSEFLY

Round 11: D E R O S I M E P

C1: REIMPOSED (18)
C2: PROMISED (8)
DC: DEMIREPS (8)
Score: 102–36 (max 103)

A brilliant nine for Jimmy and not a bad showing for the Irishman, but the result is now beyond doubt. Several other eights were available, including PROMISEE, PREMISED and SIMPERED.

Round 12: D U H E D I R O T

C1: OUTRIDE (7)
C2: DETOUR (6)
OT: HIDEOUT (7)
Score: 109–36 (max 110)

Round 13: V A S E R O S A C

C1: ROSACEA (7)
C2: SCARES (6)
OT: ROSACES (7) SCARVES (7)
Score: 116–36 (max 117)

Another good word from JG and a good job he knows better than to pluralise it.

Round 14: 25, 50, 8, 9, 5, 2. Target: 464.

C1: -
C2: 463. ((50+2)x9)-5 (7)
RR: 464. ((25x5)-9)x(8/2) (10)
Score: 116–43 (max 127)

An unexpected slip-up from Jimmy extinguishes the hope of a mammoth 136 final score, but at least it gives Rachel a chance to show us one way of doing it.

Round 15: B A U L K L I N E (see “Origins of Words”)

C1 buzzes on 1 second to say BAULKLINE which is incorrect.
C2 buzzes on 6 seconds to say UNLIKABLE which is correct.
Score: 116–53 (max 137)

Jimmy: “I thought it was baulkline, but obviously not.” And when Peter’s turn comes, he is, perhaps unsurprisingly, not too certain about unlikable, but he’s right!!

When asked by Jeff after the game, Jimmy says he has been doing a lot of “online practice”. I wonder where that was???

Recap brought to you by Lino Bino the Tenth. (notice I used all the right letters this time, Dinos!)

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

[Jimmy Gough]

Haha, great recap thanks

[Dinos Sfyris]

I never saw this one. Relentless stuff fromm Jimmy!