Monday 22nd June 2009 (Series 61, Prelim 1)

[Howard Somerset]

Countdown recap for Monday 22 June 2009.

C1: Champion Jacqueline Baker (4 wins, 331 points.)
C2: Challenger Kate Black.
DC: Susie Dent and Tim Vine.
RR: Rachel Riley.
OT: Other words or solutions.

After all the excitement of the recent finals of series 60, we get back to carry on where we left off. Well, not exactly where, as since the last game the Coundown production team have moved some 40 miles across the Pennines to Manchester. This was the first programme to come from the Granada Studios, home of Coronation Street. Retuning to continue her run is Jackie (or Jacqueline as her name plate calls her). Jackie is from Mansfield, and likes men with curly hair. She works for the charity Buddies, whose aim is to improve the lives of people in the community. Before her run was interrupted by the finals, she had amassed four wins, which would have been enough to see her into the finals of that series, had the rules still permitted it. But will it be enough to get into the finals in this new series? Trying to restrict Jackie to just four wins is Kate, a Jewellery Maker and Designer, from Greencastle in County Donegal. Kate likes travelling and cycling, and wants some day to own a smallholding.

R01: D R C M O E E Q I
R02: Y E I G P N E T I
R03: C S L B A O E T E
R04: N R I A Z G O S E
R05: 25, 2, 5, 10, 6, 4. Target: 615.
TTT: STARPIES - "Star pies fall into this category."
R06: W M A A N V O E C
R07: T R P S I I O H U
R08: N T I U M K O E T
R09: D S F L I E E R A
R10: 50, 5, 7, 4, 6, 2. Target: 259.
TTT: BUNNYHOE - "A nice cake for a very sweet lady."
R11: R T S N I E A D E
R12: R B O A S L E N O
R13: T J D X U E A P F
R14: 100, 7, 5, 10, 2, 4. Target: 371.
R15: V I C E R I N G S (conundrum)


And now a brief interlude before our main feature:

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Enjoy the show.

Round 1: D R C M O E E Q I

C1: CREED (5)
C2: COMER (5)
DC: MEDIOCRE (8) DORMICE (7)
Score: 5–5 (max 8)

Round 2: Y E I G P N E T I

C1: IGNITE (6)
C2: TYPING (6)
DC: PITYING (7)
Score: 11–11 (max 15)

Round 3: C S L B A O E T E

C1: TABLES (6)
C2: CABLES (6)
DC: OBSTACLE (8)
Score: 17–17 (max 23)

Round 4: N R I A Z G O S E

C1: ORGANIZES (18)
C2: RASING (6)
Score: 35–17 (max 41)

The first gap opens up between the contestants, as Jackie spots the niner.

Round 5: 25, 2, 5, 10, 6, 4. Target: 615.

C1: 615. 4 x 6 x 25 + 10 + 5 (10)
C2: 615. 25 x 4 x 6 + 10 + 5 (10)
Score: 45–27 (max 51)

Tim tells a few anecdotes about a recent visit to the Melbourne Comedy Festival.

Teatime teaser: STARPIES -> PASTRIES

Round 6: W M A A N V O E C

C1: CAVEMAN (7)
C2: CAVEMAN (7)
DC: CAVEWOMAN (18)
Score: 52–34 (max 69)

Frustration all around as the two female contestants both miss the female equivalent of their offering.

Round 7: T R P S I I O H U

C1: SPIRIT (6)
C2: SPOUT (5)
DC: HOTSPUR (7)
Score: 58–34 (max 76)

Jackie increases her lead slightly; now over 20 ahead.

Round 8: N T I U M K O E T

C1: MUTTON (6)
C2: KITTEN (6)
DC: MINUET (6) MINUTE (6)
OT: TIMEOUT (7)
Score: 64–40 (max 83)

Impressively, we have to wait until round 8 before finding a word which didn't get mentioned on the programme.

Round 9: D S F L I E E R A

C1: FIELDERS (8)
C2: failers
DC: REALISED (8) SIDEREAL (8)
OT: DEFILERS (8)
Score: 72–40 (max 91)

It could be difficult for Kate to get back now.

Susie gives us the first of possibly a number of words or phrases which have come about as a result of Chinese Whispers. Today's was "forlorn hope" which evolved from the Dutch "feloran hoop".

Round 10: 50, 5, 7, 4, 6, 2. Target: 259.

C1: 259. Mistake in working.
C2: 259. 5 x 50 + 7 + 2 (10)
Score: 72–50 (max 101)

An inexplicable error by Jackie gives Kate a slight chance, but there's still a long way go to. Surprisingly Jackie gave up after starting 50+2, as it's still easy to get to the target given that start.

Teatime teaser: BUNNYHOE -> HONEYBUN

Round 11: R T S N I E A D E

C1: STRAINED (8)
C2: restained
DC: RESINATED (18)
OT: DENTARIES (18) DETAINERS (18)
Score: 80–50 (max 119)

We all thought Kate was right back in it here, but instead of one of the three possible niners, she went for her own invention. Bad luck!

Round 12: R B O A S L E N O

C1: REASON (6)
C2: sobers
DC: LOANERS (7)
OT: AEROSOL (7) ROSEOLA (7) BOLEROS (7) BONSELA (7) BORANES (7) BRANLES (7) SOLEBAR (7)
Score: 86–50 (max 126)

Roseola is a syphilis rash, amongst other things.
A bonsela is a South Africa tip or bonus
A solebar is part of the underframe of a railway vehicle.

Round 13: T J D X U E A P F

C1: UPDATE (6)
C2: FAXED (5)
Score: 92–50 (max 132)

And that settles the game for Jackie.

Round 14: 100, 7, 5, 10, 2, 4. Target: 371.

C1: 371. (100 - 5) x 4 - 7 - 2 (10)
C2: 373.
Score: 102–50 (max 142)

Round 15: V I C E R I N G S

C1 buzzes on 2 seconds to say SERVICING which is correct.
Score: 112–50 (max 152)

A good win for Jackie, by far her biggest score. Maybe it's the rest that has done her good, or maybe the Manchester air suits her. Can she progress any further? We'll all find out tomorrow.

Today's recap comes to you from an old folks' home in Cheshire.

Further summaries are at:
http://www.apterous.org/cdb/series.php?series=61

[Dinos Sfyris]

Great recap as always Howard to kick off the new series