Friday 12 February 2010 (Series 62, Prelim 25)

Mike Brown · Post by **Mike Brown** » Tue Mar 09, 2010 9:55 pm

Countdown recap for Friday 12 February 2010.

C1: Champion Craig Chittenden (4 wins, 381 points.)
C2: Challenger Mark Gascoigne (from Culworth, Northants.)
DC: Susie Dent and Mark Foster.
RR: Rachel Riley.
OT: Other words or solutions.

It’s time to recap the game between Thom Yorke lookalike (and apterite) Craig Chittenden and self-confessed Austin Powers lookalike (so his wife says) Mark Gascoigne, as we roll back the calendar to the dim dark days of early February. Let’s go!

R01: K S D A E G Y O A
R02: L E G N T I R S E
R03: T D R U I H E A S
R04: V E O R S V A O B
R05: 100, 7, 6, 7, 5, 5. Target: 895.
TTT: HERGRACE - "Put a bit more life in your batteries, perhaps."
R06: R M N E A O T R N
R07: N C L F E A E L I
R08: W A P T B O E A T
R09: Q J T L E I E D A
R10: 75, 6, 3, 8, 9, 4. Target: 735.
TTT: GLANCEIN - "Getting rid of the dirt - how dry."
R11: P M S T U I P O E
R12: T N N O U E O F S
R13: D M U O E N S L I
R14: 100, 2, 1, 8, 2, 4. Target: 390.
R15: W I N E G I R T H (conundrum)

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After some exchanges relating to the upcoming event that is Valentine’s Day, it’s time to get on with the game, before Jeff “gets into trouble” (again).

Round 1: K S D A E G Y O A

C1: SOAKED (6)
C2: GOADS (5)
DC: DOSAGE (6) ADAGES (6) SOAKED (6) SOAKAGE (7)
Score: 6–0 (max 7)

Susie remarks about the unusualness of SOAKAGE. I didn’t think it was that strange; at least not half as strange as the equally valid plural SOAKAGES!

Round 2: L E G N T I R S E

C1: INTEGERS (8)
C2: gentiles (decl. 7)
DC: STREELING (18)
Score: 14–0 (max 25)

GENTILES is great for eight, but sadly Mark declares it as a seven, so it’s no dice for him (and, sadly, no points yet, either). A fantastic niner from Dictionary Corner, though. Never even heard of it...

Round 3: T D R U I H E A S

C1: HARDIEST (8)
C2: SHARED (6)
OT: THESAURI (8)
Score: 22–0 (max 33)

I love the word THESAURI, but I can’t imagine ever using it. Having said that, when would I use the word THESAURUSES, either? (please note: this is a rhetorical question.)

Round 4: V E O R S V A O B

C1: BRAVES (6)
C2: BRAVES (6)
DC: BRAVOES (7)
Score: 28–6 (max 40)

BRAVOES are hired assassins; the plural of the cry of approval (bravo!) is BRAVOS. As others have noted elsewhere, BOVVER is O.K., but not its plural. I suspect BOVVERED might make it into a future edition, though, thanks to a certain Ms Tate.

Round 5: 100, 7, 6, 7, 5, 5. Target: 895.

C1: 895. ((7x7)+(6x5)+100)x5 (10)
C2: -
Score: 38–6 (max 50)
A disappointing first part for Mark; let’s hope he picks up the pace in Part Two.

Before the break, (t’other) Mark (Foster) discusses his modelling career, now that his competitive swimming days are over. I think he’s been a good guest (and honest about his lack of skill at the letters game, which I always like) and hope he returns in the future (why do we say that, by the way? It would be hard to return in the past).

Teatime teaser: HERGRACE -> RECHARGE

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

C1: MOANER (6)
C2: -
DC: REMNANT (7) ORNAMENT (8)
Score: 44–6 (max 58)

Mark initially declares six, but then realises he’s made a mistake, leaving Craig to pick up the points again with his MOANER.

Round 7: N C L F E A E L I

C1: FALLEN (6)
C2: FELINE (6)
DC: FELINE (6) FIANCEE (7)
OT: FAIENCE (7) ICEFALL (7) NACELLE (7)
Score: 50–12 (max 65)

Hurrah! Mark gets into double figures in a round rather reminiscent of one in Jay Lopian’s first game, where both players declared FIANCE, but failed to spot they could add an extra E.

Round 8: W A P T B O E A T

C1: TEAPOT (6)
C2: TEAPOT (6)
DC: TEAPOT (6)
Score: 56–18 (max 71)

What better darren than TEAPOT could we ask for?

Round 9: Q J T L E I E D A

C1: ELATED (6)
C2: JILTED (6)
DC: EEJIT (5)
OT: JADEITE (7)
Score: 62–24 (max 78)

OoW: Susie discusses the origin of the phrase ‘at sixes and sevens’ and also briefly touches on the derivation of the word ‘hazard’, which is also connected to dice.

Mark has now scored in three successive letters rounds; can he carry on his newly found form in the second numbers game?

Round 10: 75, 6, 3, 8, 9, 4. Target: 735.

C1: 735. ((6+4)x75)-((3x8)-9) (10)
C2: 738.
Score: 72–24 (max 88)

Teatime teaser: GLANCEIN -> CLEANING

Round 11: P M S T U I P O E

C1: moppiest
C2: POSTIE (6)
OT: IMPETUS (7) IMPUTES (7) MOPIEST (7) STOMPIE (7) MOPPETS (7) MUPPETS (7) PITEOUS (7) TIMEOUS (7) TOPPIES (7) UPTEMPO (7)
Score: 72–30 (max 95)

Craig is now far enough ahead to take a gamble on a ‘made-up’ eight. He’s right inasmuch as it’s not in the dictionary, although MOPPY is. Mark is delivered another six points by his POSTIE.

Round 12: T N N O U E O F S

C1: FUNNEST (7)
C2: TONNES (6)
DC: FESTOON (7)
OT: NEUSTON (7)
Score: 79–30 (max 102)

The last time FUNNEST was discussed on the programme (10th September 2008 to be precise), it was considered verboten, but this time around, Susie declares it to be O.K. The right call, IMHO. NEUSTON may sound like a subatomic particle, but it’s actually a bit like PLANKTON and (rather appropriately considering our guest in DC) derives from the Greek word for swimming.

Round 13: D M U O E N S L I

C1: UNSOILED (8)
C2: DEMONS (6)
DC: MUSLINED (8)
OT: DELUSION (8) EMULSION (8)
Score: 87–30 (max 110)

A great UN-word risk from our champ, while Mark offers the A-less version of DEMONS, which is pretty unusual in the world of Countdown.

Round 14: 100, 2, 1, 8, 2, 4. Target: 390.

C1: 390. (4x100)-(8+2) (10)
C2: 390. (4x100)-(8+2) (10)
Score: 97–40 (max 120)

Mark gets his last points of the game, but sadly for him, it’s been over since Round 12. As it turns out, his wife was poorly during the recording of the show, which may well have affected his performance to some degree.

Round 15: W I N E G I R T H

C1 buzzes on 0.5 seconds to say WITHERING which is correct.
Score: 107–40 (max 130)

A rapid conundrum spot gives Craig a well-deserved first century and means he can go into the weekend in a great mood; apparently he’s going to spend most of it sleeping!

Recap by Kid Mole. Accept no substitute.

Further summaries are at:
http://www.apterous.org/cdb/series.php?series=62