Monday 17th May 2010 (Series 62, Prelim 86)

[Howard Somerset]

Countdown recap for Monday 17 May 2010.

C1: Champion Danny Pledger (1 win, 92 points)
C2: Challenger Steven King.
DC: Susie Dent and Colin Jackson.
RR: Rachel Riley.
OT: Other words or solutions.

Danny won a close game last Friday to move into the champion's chair. Will he make it a second win, or is he just keeping it warm for Steven, a supermarket general assistant from Reading? Steven enjoys playing and watching sport, and demonstrated his knowledge of snooker while chatting with Jeff during the introduction.

Another new face in Dictionary Corner this week is Colin Jackson, a British Olympic hurdler.

R01: G N H O A M V I C
R02: A O I W M R T O G
R03: T D E O I S M L E
R04: S Y A E U R S X N
R05: 50, 9, 8, 4, 5, 3. Target: 828.
TTT: MANYACAD - "Refusal to change mind about 80s pop star."
R06: A E A T T L R I R
R07: C H E A E D K F A
R08: D N L U I A F P E
R09: N T S U E I C Q E
R10: 4, 2, 9, 3, 4, 6. Target: 540.
TTT: TRIANGLE - "Letter for letter, changing the triangle for this."
R11: G O V R N E O J U
R12: E I T N S B E A T
R13: Z W O A E S R S U
R14: 3, 5, 1, 8, 5, 6. Target: 269.
R15: D A T E S A V E T (conundrum)


And now a brief interlude before our main feature:

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Enjoy the show.

Round 1: G N H O A M V I C

C1: MOVING (6)
C2: COMING (6)
DC: HOMING (6)
OT: COAMING (7)
Score: 6–6 (max 7)

Plenty of ING words here, but the one seven letter variety evades everyone in the studio, a COAMING being a raised boarder around a hatch in a boat, designed to keep out water.

Round 2: A O I W M R T O G

C1: RATIO (5)
C2: WAIT (4)
DC: MOTOR (5)
OT: AGOROT (6)
Score: 11–6 (max 13)

Once again, the illusive Darren beats everyone in the studio, an AGORA (pl AGORAT) being an Israeli monetary unit.
Danny however takes the first lead in the game.

Round 3: T D E O I S M L E

C1: DEMOTES (7)
C2: moisted
DC: MELODIES (8)
OT: MELODISE (8) MELODIST (8) MOLESTED (8)
Score: 18–6 (max 21)

... which he extends, when Steven folornly attempts an unlikely seven.

Round 4: S Y A E U R S X N

C1: SURE (4)
C2: YEARS (5)
DC: YEARNS (6)
OT: NURSEYS (7) SUNRAYS (7)
Score: 18–11 (max 28)

For the third time in the opening four rounds, the maximum has not been spotted in the studio. But Steven closes the gap a little.

Round 5: 50, 9, 8, 4, 5, 3. Target: 828.

C1: 820.
C2: 827. (9 + 8) x 50 - 5 x 4 - 3 (7)
RR: 828. (50 - 4) x (5 - 3) x 9 (10)
Score: 18–18 (max 38)

... and now pulls level as we reach the end of part one.

But before that we hear from Colin Jackson, not about any sporting prowess, but about his experiences on the programme Who Do You Think You Are in which he visited Jamaica, only to learn that he originates from Scotland.

Teatime teaser: MANYACAD -> ADAMANCY

Round 6: A E A T T L R I R

C1: TRAILER (7)
C2: LATTER (6)
DC: RATTLIER (8)
OT: ARTERIAL (8)
Score: 25–18 (max 46)

Round 7: C H E A E D K F A

C1: DEFACE (6)
C2: FACED (5)
DC: HACKED (6)
OT: CHAFED (6) FACADE (6) FECKED (6)
Score: 31–18 (max 52)

Round 8: D N L U I A F P E

C1: PLAINED (7)
C2: FAILED (6)
DC: UPFIELD (7)
OT: INFULAE (7) PAINFUL (7) UNIDEAL (7)
Score: 38–18 (max 59)

Three consecutive winning rounds for Danny puts him into a relatively comfortable position.

Round 9: N T S U E I C Q E

C1: ENTICES (7)
C2: INQUEST (7)
DC: QUIETENS (8)
OT: QUIESCENT (18)
Score: 45–25 (max 77)

This is only the second round today in which both contestants have scored. But even Susie misses the niner.

In Susie's Origin of Words spot, we hear about various meanings of BIRD and its derivatives. I can now with confidence go into a church and remark upon that bird over there, when looking at a statue of the virgin Mary.

Round 10: 4, 2, 9, 3, 4, 6. Target: 540.

C1: 540. 9 x 6 x (3 x 2 + 4) (10)
C2: 540. 9 x 6 x (3 x 2 + 4) (10)
Score: 55–35 (max 87)

Danny maintains his 20 point advantage as we go into the second break.

Teatime teaser: TRIANGLE -> ALTERING

Round 11: G O V R N E O J U

C1: GOVERN (6)
C2: GOVERN (6)
OT: GROOVE (6) JOURNO (6) ORGONE (6) OROGEN (6) UNROVE (6)
Score: 61–41 (max 93)

Plenty of sixes available here, but everyone sticks with the one which is almost spelt out.


Round 12: E I T N S B E A T

C1: BEATEN (6)
C2: BEASTIE (7)
DC: NEATEST (7) BEANIES (7)
OT: ANISETTE (8) TETANISE (8) BETAINES (8)
Score: 61–48 (max 101)

He's leaving it late, but Steven starts a fight back with a nice seven. Though once again, everyone misses the maxes.
This is the second very appropriate losing word in this game. Steven having already failed with FAILED, Danny is now beaten with BEATEN.

Round 13: Z W O A E S R S U

C1: AROUSES (7)
C2: SWEARS (6)
DC: ASSURE (6)
Score: 68–48 (max 108)

Danny quickly recovers his useful 20 point advantage as we go into the final two rounds.

Round 14: 3, 5, 1, 8, 5, 6. Target: 269.

C1: 270. (8 + 1) x 3 x (5 + 5) (7)
C2: 270. (8 + 1) x 3 x (5 + 5) (7)
RR: 269. (8 x 5 + 5) x 6 - 1 (10)
Score: 75–55 (max 118)

And that's it. A second win for Danny, even before we take the conundrum.

Round 15: D A T E S A V E T

C2 buzzes on 13 seconds to say ADVENTURES which is incorrect.
C1 buzzes on 14 seconds to say DEVASTATE which is correct.
Score: 85–55 (max 128)

An unlikely offering from Steven, with ten letters, three of which don't appear in the selection. Danny, however, uses the time when Steven is making his attempt to come up with the correct solution, and thus go on to his third game tomorrow, having won with a comfortable margin of thirty points.

Statistics Corner

Danny:
Total score - 85
Raw score - 100
Total % of max - 66
Raw % of max - 78
Total average score per round - 6
Raw average score per round - 7
Number of maxes - 6

Steven:
Total score - 55
Raw score - 82
Total % of max - 43
Raw % of max - 64
Total average score per round - 4
Raw average score per round - 5
Number of maxes - 2

Errors pointed out by James, and possibly by others, will be corrected after having been given full consideration.

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

[Ryan Taylor]

An unlikely offering from Steven, with ten letters, three of which don't appear in the selection.

Much more well put than I would have!

[James Robinson]

Round 13: Z W O A E S R S U

C1: AROUSES (7)
C2: SWEARS (6)
DC: ASURES (6)
Score: 68–48 (max 108)

Are you sure it wasn't AZURES, Howard As in that shade of blue. I must admit I can't remember which it was. It might even have been ASSURE.

I even looked up ASURE and only found it in relation to some sort of Turkish festival.

[Howard Somerset]

Round 13: Z W O A E S R S U

C1: AROUSES (7)
C2: SWEARS (6)
DC: ASURES (6)
Score: 68–48 (max 108)

Are you sure it wasn't AZURES, Howard As in that shade of blue. I must admit I can't remember which it was. It might even have been ASSURE.

I even looked up ASURE and only found it in relation to some sort of Turkish festival.

There are many possibilities, and I had to run this section three times before I could make out any word. However, AZURE as in shade of blue is a mass noun, but AZURE as a small butterfly is a count noun. So AZURES would be allowed but not for the reason you suggest, unless it's one of Susie's exceptions. ASURES isn't allowed, as ASURE isn't listed in the OED2r. As to which to replace it with, I think I'll be guided by the subtitler, so I'll watch that bit again sometime.

[James Robinson]

As to which to replace it with, I think I'll be guided by the subtitler, so I'll watch that bit again sometime.

If it's there, I've been on 4OD recently, and recent editions of the show have been subtitle-less.

[Ian Volante]

"Once again, the illusive Darren..."

Not related to Derren Brown is he?

[Liam Tiernan]

Round 13: Z W O A E S R S U

C1: AROUSES (7)
C2: SWEARS (6)
DC: ASURES (6)
Score: 68–48 (max 108)

Are you sure it wasn't AZURES, Howard As in that shade of blue. I must admit I can't remember which it was. It might even have been ASSURE.

I even looked up ASURE and only found it in relation to some sort of Turkish festival.

There are many possibilities, and I had to run this section three times before I could make out any word. However, AZURE as in shade of blue is a mass noun, but AZURE as a small butterfly is a count noun. So AZURES would be allowed but not for the reason you suggest, unless it's one of Susie's exceptions. ASURES isn't allowed, as ASURE isn't listed in the OED2r. As to which to replace it with, I think I'll be guided by the subtitler, so I'll watch that bit again sometime.

The subtitler missed it altogether, but it looks to me like he said ASSURE.

[Howard Somerset]

The subtitler missed it altogether, but it looks to me like he said ASSURE.

Then that's what I will go with.