Enjoy.
Countdown recap for Thursday 20 February 2014.
C1: Champion Andy Naylor (1 win, 76 points.) An account manager from Hendon. He did some white water rafting down the Zambezi too.
He previously appeared on the show in Series 49, losing 98-95 to Jan Rolnis. C2: Challenger Douglas Horne. A customer assistant from Currie, Edinburgh. Amazingly, the first ever show he watched was Countdown
(I don't know what mine was, I must admit, although I do remember seeing an episode of CD at 3 years old. 
)DC: Susie Dent and Jonathan Edwards.
RR: Rachel Riley.
OT: Other words or solutions.
R01: E O U D M C H Y A
R02: N T R N E I O T S
R03: 25, 1, 1, 7, 4, 3. Target: 616.
TTT: SIDEFILM - "This eight should've been just one, but it ended up being four"
R04: F S T E U E I R N
R05: O A I D Z N M R O
R06: 50, 100, 8, 7, 6, 7. Target: 785.
R07: G S L E U O D B E
R08: S N I E P G O N T
R09: 100, 6, 9, 10, 2, 3. Target: 420.
TTT: CORNTUNE - "Chopin earned his corn writing this sort of tune"
R10: L N P A O A Q R I
R11: E O I N R G L R E
R12: S K A O A T M E D
R13: H I D A W E P O V
R14: 75, 25, 50, 100, 10, 8. Target: 401.
R15: D O F I T W O R D (conundrum)
And now a brief interlude before our main feature:
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Enjoy the show.
Round 1: E O U D M C H Y A
C1: COMEDY (6)
C2: DOUCHE (6)
DC: MACHO (5)
Score: 6–6 (max 6)
Amazingly, COMEDY and DOUCHE are the only available 6's here.
Round 2: N T R N E I O T S
C1: rennets
C2: nosiest
DC: INTERN (6) INTERNS (7) TRITONES (8)
OT: SNOTTIER (8) TENORIST (8) TINSTONE (8) TONTINES (8)
Score: 6–6 (max 14)
Double oh dear here. Both contestant see phantom 2nd letters, meaning it's a double 0 here..................
TINSTONE (or CASSITERITE) is a brown or black mineral, tin dioxide, SnO2, that crystallizes in the tetragonal system.
A TONTINE is an annuity scheme in which subscribers share a common fund with the benefit of survivorship, the survivors' shares being increased as the subscribers die, until the whole goes to the last survivor.
Round 3: 25, 1, 1, 7, 4, 3. Target: 616.
C1: 616. (((7 - 1) x 25) + 4) x (3 + 1) (10)
C2: -
Score: 16–6 (max 24)
Despite a lot of stuttering with his delivery of his method, Andy just manages to get home safely and takes the lead.
Teatime teaser: SIDEFILM -> MISFIELD
Round 4: F S T E U E I R N
C1: REUNITES (8)
C2: REFUTES (7)
DC: FUSTIER (7) RETINUES (8) INTERFUSE (18)
Score: 24–6 (max 42)
Andy now takes control as his 8 takes him further into the lead, while DC go to the max with a NINE
Round 5: O A I D Z N M R O
C1: INROAD (6)
C2: MAIN (4)
DC: RANDOM (6) ORDAIN (6) NIMROD (6) DOORMAN (7)
OT: MADRONO (7) MAZDOOR (7)
Score: 30–6 (max 49)
Douglas seems to be losing it with a 4 here, letting Andy make more INROADs in this one..............
A MADRONO is any of several evergreen trees belonging to the genus Arbutus, of the heath family, especially Arbutus menziesii (Pacific madrone) of western North America, having red, flaky bark and bearing edible reddish berries.
Round 6: 50, 100, 8, 7, 6, 7. Target: 785.
C1: 786. (8 x 100) - 7 - 7 (7)
C2: 750.
RR: 785. ((100 - (7 - 6)) x 8) - 7 (10)
Score: 37–6 (max 59)
Oh dear, Douglas can only see 750, while Andy gets to the simple 1 away, meaning that Rachel comes into play at this junction.
Jonathan talks about him moving up to Newcastle upon Tyne to further his athletics career.
Round 7: G S L E U O D B E
C1: DOUBLES (7)
C2: DOUBLES (7)
DC: DELOUSE (7)
OT: BLOUSED (7) BLUDGES (7) DELUGES (7)
Score: 44–13 (max 66)
DOUBLE DOUBLE DOUBLES DOUBLES. (Try saying that 20 times in a row
)Round 8: S N I E P G O N T
C1: PONGIEST (8)
C2: penting
DC: PIGEONS (7)
OT: OPENINGS (8)
Score: 52–13 (max 74)
A different smell comes from Andy's area, but it's the smell of success, as Douglas is all at sea with his illegal 7, and it's all going Andy's way today.
Round 9: 100, 6, 9, 10, 2, 3. Target: 420.
C1: 420. (100 - 10 - 6) x (3 + 2) (10)
C2: 430.
Score: 62–13 (max 84)
Quite a lot of ways to get this method, but Douglas can only get 10 away
Only a miracle of miracles will give Douglas the win now............. Teatime teaser: CORNTUNE -> NOCTURNE
Round 10: L N P A O A Q R I
C1: POLAR (5)
C2: PAIL (4)
DC: PIANOLA (7)
Score: 67–13 (max 91)
After a talk about NOCTURNE, quite appropriate that PIANOLA should appear thanks to DC, but Douglas' woes continue, and this game is surely just moments from finishing.
Round 11: E O I N R G L R E
C1: LINGERER (8)
C2: REELING (7)
DC: LEERING (7)
OT: ERIGERON (8)
Score: 75–13 (max 99)
And indeed, a super 8 letter word from Andy means that the result is confirmed with 4 rounds to go.
An ERIGERON is any composite plant of the genus Erigeron, having flower heads resembling those of the asters but with narrower and usually more numerous white or purple rays.
Susie's Origins Of Words talks about the origins of "bro" words, such as "bro-hug" and "bromance".
Round 12: S K A O A T M E D
C1: DAMASK (6)
C2: SKATED (6)
DC: MOATED (6)
OT: MEDAKAS (7)
Score: 81–19 (max 106)
DAMASK is an exceptional spot from Andy, and no-one in the studio can top it, but there is an interesting 7 missing here..............
A MEDAKA is a small Japanese fish, Oryzias latipes, common in rice fields, often kept in aquariums.
Round 13: H I D A W E P O V
C1: WAIVED (6)
C2: VIDEO (5)
DC: APHID (5)
OT: AVOWED (6)
Score: 87–19 (max 112)
Andy goes further ahead, just to give Douglas even more woes, which also puts him in pole position to break Bobby Banerjee's top score of 104 this series...............
Round 14: 75, 25, 50, 100, 10, 8. Target: 401.
C1: 400. 50 x 8 (7)
C2: -
RR: 401. (50 x 8) + ((75 + 25) / 100) (10)
Score: 94–19 (max 122)
Well, Douglas decides to go out with a bang on a 4 large, but it's clear his mind has gone, as he can't even get the super-obvious 1 away, which Andy does to get his 7 points, while Rachel adds on to it for the maximum................
So, getting the top score on his own is now out of Andy's reach, but a conundrum solve will equal it at least.
Round 15: D O F I T W O R D
C1 buzzes on 9.75 seconds to say DRIFTWOOD which is correct.
Final Score: 104–19 (max 132)
And there you go, a top conundrum solve and it gives Andy not only a century, but equals the highest score of the series to date
Admittedly, today's result was more processional, as opposed to anything else, with Douglas putting up no fight whatsoever, so I think we'll all be hoping that there's a much more even contest tomorrow, and Anthony Endsor will go through that with you all.
I'll be back tomorrow as well for the next Catsdown game when the 3 J's make their débuts. That's James Corden and Jack Dee, with Joe Lycett in DC. So, join me for that tomorrow.
If you prefer normal Countdown recaps, I'll be back next Wednesday for a single recap, while Jack Worsley will deputise for me next Thursday.
So, have a good weekend everybody, and see you soon. Bye bye for now.
Statistics Corner
Andy:
Total score - 104
Raw score - 104
Total % of max - 79
Raw % of max - 79
Total average score per round - 6.9
Raw average score per round - 6.9
Number of maxes - 8
Douglas:
Total score - 19
Raw score - 51
Total % of max - 14
Raw % of max - 39
Total average score per round - 1.3
Raw average score per round - 3.4
Number of maxes - 2
Further summaries are at:
http://cdb.apterous.org/series.php?series=70