Wednesday 8th July 2009 (Series 61, Prelim 13)

[Chris Philpot]

Countdown Recap - Wednesday 8th July 2009 (Series 61, Prelim 13)

Champion (C1): Anne Hughes (1 win, 88 points), who dreams of taking her family to live in Sydney, Australia.
Challenger (C2): Challenger Micheal (sic) Harris, a chef from Cardiff who loves Stonehenge.
DC: Susie Dent and Donal 'Dancing on Ice' MacIntyre
RR: Rachel Riley, replete with curly hair and a yummy summer dress.
OT: Other words, solutions, prattle and sloblock

Test yourself with the mini-recap:

R01: D R S E A E H R I
R02: Z D A A O T S U R
R03: T P J E I O Q G E
R04: M N L A E A U C Y
R05: 50, 1, 7, 5, 9, 9. Target: 399.
TTT: SLOBSPIE - "This mission can be achieved."

R06: T R M O E O A W D
R07: S N T E I O E C N
R08: F A B F R E I D X
R09: D S T A E O V T H
R10: 100, 25, 6, 7, 9, 4. Target: 491.
TTT: DEEPTEAR - "Ran the show again - I said again."

R11: L N T E A I S N E
R12: S N G A I L S A E
R13: N K R O I U B M I
R14: 75, 5, 5, 6, 8, 7. Target: 766.
R15: R U F F A L L E Y (conundrum)

Scroll down to see how Anne and Mich(ea/ae)l fared in the studio...

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Enjoy today's (well by the time I post this, yesterday's) game!

Round 1: D R S E A E H R I

C1: SHEARED (7)
C2: ADHERES (7)
DC: HARRIED and SHADIER (7)
OT: SHEARER and RAIDERS are amongst the twenty-four sevens on offer. (7)
Score: 7–7 (max 7)

Round 2: Z D A A O T S U R

C1: DARTS (5)
C2: ROTAS (5)
DC: Give a toot to DC who spooted DATURAS (7) which are plants with trumpet shaped flowers.
Score: 12–12 (max 14)

Round 3: T P J E I O Q G E

C1: POET (4)
C2: POET (4)
DC: EEJIT (5)
OT: DC are made to look like eejits as they miss the Dutch oven POTJIE (6)
Score: 16–16 (max 20)

Round 4: M N L A E A U C Y

C1: MEANLY (6)
C2: MANACLE (7)
OT: ALUMNAE, CALUMNY, LACUNAE and MACULAE (7) were also on offer.
Score: 16–23 (max 27)

Round 5: 50, 1, 7, 5, 9, 9. Target: 399.

C1: 398
C2: 399 = (7+1) × 50 - 9 ÷ 9 (10)
Score: 16–33 (max 37)

Teatime teaser: SLOBSPIE --> POSSIBLE

Round 6: T R M O E O A W D

C1: MOTORED (7)
C2: MOTORED (7)
DC: MODERATO (8)
Score: 23–40 (max 45)

Round 7: S N T E I O E C N

C1: CONSENT (7)
C2: INTONES (7)
DC: NEOTENIC (8)
OT: NESCIENT and SEICENTO (8)
Score: 30–47 (max 53)

Round 8: F A B F R E I D X

C1: DAFFIER (7)
C2: DIFFER (6)
DC: AFFIXED (7)
Score: 37–47 (max 60)

Round 9: D S T A E O V T H

C1: TOASTED (7)
C2: HOSTED (6)
DC: TOASTED (7)
OT: SHOTTED (7)
Score: 44–47 (max 67)

Round 10: 100, 25, 6, 7, 9, 4. Target: 491.

C1: -
C2: 491 = (100 + 25) × 4 - 9 (10)
Score: 44–57 (max 77)

Teatime teaser: DEEPTEAR --> REPEATED

Round 11: L N T E A I S N E

C1: ENTAILS (7)
C2: SALIENT (7)
DC: SENTINEL (8)
Score: 51–64 (max 85)

Round 12: S N G A I L S A E

C1: gainless
C2: leasings
DC: GLASSINE and LASAGNES (8) - cue Jeff: "How did you miss LASAGNES when you're a chef, Micheal?!"
OT: NASALISE (8)
Score: 51–64 (max 93)

Round 13: N K R O I U B M I

C1: BRINK (5)
C2: BRINK (5)
DC: MINOR (5)
OT: DC can be knocked for six with NIOBIUM (7)
Score: 56–69 (max 100)

Round 14: 75, 5, 5, 6, 8, 7. Target: 766.

C1: 765
C2: 766 = (75 + 8 - 7) × (5 + 5) + 6 (10)
Score: 56–79 (max 110)

Round 15: R U F F A L L E Y

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C2 buzzes on 5 seconds to say FEARFULLY which is correct.
Score: 56–89 (max 120)

Philpot's final thought:

A fairly convincing first win for Mich(ea/ae)l, who fulfilled a ten year ambition by earning a Countdown teapot. MANACLE was a fantastic spot and he seems to have a particular talent for the numbers, so only time will tell whether he can achieve even greater things with his Countdown career.

This recap was written by Kai Laddiman lookalike Chris Philpot. Additional summaries for Series 61 are available at:
http://www.apterous.org/cdb/series.php?series=61

[Dinos Sfyris]

Great recap Chris. Missed this one so played along with the mini-recap. Saw the -IUM in round 13 and immediately searched for an element, and found it! NIOBIUM never disappoints

[Howard Somerset]

How about SEALINGS in round 12?

Certainly CountMax doesn't allow it. However, in the dictionary, under SEAL definition 2, it gives "verb, [usu as noun sealing]". On this basis, shouldn't it be allowed to be pluralised?

[Derek Hazell]

How about SEALINGS in round 12?

Certainly CountMax doesn't allow it. However, in the dictionary, under SEAL definition 2, it gives "verb, [usu as noun sealing]". On this basis, shouldn't it be allowed to be pluralised?

Yes. I'm sure I'm not the only one who's got more than one sealing in their house . . .

[Charlie Reams]

How about SEALINGS in round 12?

Certainly CountMax doesn't allow it. However, in the dictionary, under SEAL definition 2, it gives "verb, [usu as noun sealing]". On this basis, shouldn't it be allowed to be pluralised?

Yep.

[Mike Brown]

How about SEALINGS in round 12?

Certainly CountMax doesn't allow it. However, in the dictionary, under SEAL definition 2, it gives "verb, [usu as noun sealing]". On this basis, shouldn't it be allowed to be pluralised?

Yep.

Oh dear, we'd better allow GOLFINGS as well, then, and there are probably others lurking somewhere. Blatant rubbish, of course, but I suppose they have to be allowed because Oxford aren't consistent with their specification of mass nouns, especially when it comes to sub-entries. Sigh.