c4countdown

So, we have reached Monday, after what was hopefully a lovely weekend for you all.

But, unfortunately, the Channel 4 scheduling gods have decided that showing Glorious Goodwood during the week is a good idea to kick Countdown out of its slot, so this will be the only Countdown of the week.

After "Numbergate" (as it seems to have been described), current champion Tricia Pay seems to be under the microscope today, but will she match up under extreme analysis for her halfway win??

BBC Breakfast's Bill Turnbull is back in DC, and Andy will be around with the recap later.

And don't forget it starts at 15:10 today...

RIBULOSE r2.

ADENINE round 1, BRUNOISE round 2

Alt 1st numbers 2x8x10-1.

AUTOPEN ODO word in round 4. Might be a darren.

Alt 2nd numbers 8x8x100/50 +6+3

STOTINKA in round 8.

CECIL looked a bit laggy as it generated a target for the third numbers round. Perhaps it's on its way out

I think I would have selected the C that Rachel showed not the last vowel, but the max of stotinka would be the same.

We've had a lot of easy numbers recently. CECIL needs to step up!

Also has anyone else noticed that Rachel pronounces G "chee"?

Alt last numbers (7+1)x9+1+50+100.

So close!

Great game today, I thought the CSW curse was about to catch up to Tricia but she held on very well. Duncan was very strong too.

This is the first full episode I've seen with Tricia - if she's rude and/or a cheat she's hiding it rather well.

Great game, unlucky for Duncan as he led for virtually the entire game. Not Tricia's best performance though, I think I know what Tony will put that down to.

Tricia certainly dodged a bullet today!,I'm guessing, if she had been comfortably in front, she would have risked GRIMACERS.

She looked very affronted to have that word disallowed (Aptathlon or something).

Gavin Chipper wrote:She looked very affronted to have that word disallowed (Aptathlon or something).

Aptogen.

Am I right in thinking that Nick broke with his normal routine in one of the early numbers rounds in making Tricia go first when her declaration matched her opponent's?

APTOGENx isn't good in Scrabble either - i'd thought of PONTAGE but that's Scrabble only

Jon Corby wrote: Am I right in thinking that Nick broke with his normal routine in one of the early numbers rounds in making Tricia go first when her declaration matched her opponent's?

I noticed that as well, which I'm assuming proves that Friday's shenanigans were discussed to some degree before this edition was recorded.
Looking back at Friday's programme, when Tricia declares the 9/9 instead of the 1, Tom looks at Nick with his bottom lip turned down - as if to ask if that's ok.

I wondered if Duncan had watched that programme being recorded, would he have gone for 6 small maybe, sensing a possible weakness? But then, being a new week am I right in thinking he wouldn't have been there?

I think Tricia had GRIMACERS written down, but when Duncan already declared 8 she didn't risk it. That would account for why she said 'not written down.'

Philip Wilson wrote:

Jon Corby wrote: Am I right in thinking that Nick broke with his normal routine in one of the early numbers rounds in making Tricia go first when her declaration matched her opponent's?

I noticed that as well, which I'm assuming proves that Friday's shenanigans were discussed to some degree before this edition was recorded.

Proves??! Hardly. Shenanigans? What shenanigans were these?

I assume we're talking here about

Andy McGurn wrote:Round 3: 2, 8, 1, 10, 5, 50. Target: 159.

Tricia: 159. ((5-2*50)+8+1 (10)
Duncan: 159. ((8-5)*50)+(10-1) (10)
Score: 16–23 (max 25)

A nice and easy numbers game sees the contestants scores increase by ten.

Two similar but slightly different solutions. Suspicious, don't you think?

Gavin Chipper wrote:She looked very affronted to have that word disallowed.

Don't you start! Affronted? Hardly. Surprised, maybe. However she reacted it wasn't going to get her any points.

Move along, folks. Nothing to see here.

David Williams wrote:

Philip Wilson wrote:

Jon Corby wrote: Am I right in thinking that Nick broke with his normal routine in one of the early numbers rounds in making Tricia go first when her declaration matched her opponent's?

I noticed that as well, which I'm assuming proves that Friday's shenanigans were discussed to some degree before this edition was recorded.

Proves??! Hardly. Shenanigans? What shenanigans were these?

Just to come back on my bit - I don't recall Nick ever asking the contestant who declares second to answer first, so why do it on this occasion? I don't think proves something was discussed is that wrong a word to use. Shenanigans, ok, maybe wrong word, but what happened has been adequately described here already. Call it what you will

To be honest I've never noticed, but it would surely be a better approach always to ask the one who declares second to go first.

Philip Wilson wrote:Just to come back on my bit - I don't recall Nick ever asking the contestant who declares second to answer first, so why do it on this occasion? I don't think proves something was discussed is that wrong a word to use. Shenanigans, ok, maybe wrong word, but what happened has been adequately described here already. Call it what you will

Is it something you would notice normally or were you just watching out for it?

I would notice it, because it makes me seethe every single time.

Jon Corby wrote:I would notice it, because it makes me seethe every single time.

Logically you would ask the person who declares second to give their solution first - just like you do with letters. As David Williams says.

Gavin Chipper wrote:

Philip Wilson wrote:Just to come back on my bit - I don't recall Nick ever asking the contestant who declares second to answer first, so why do it on this occasion? I don't think proves something was discussed is that wrong a word to use. Shenanigans, ok, maybe wrong word, but what happened has been adequately described here already. Call it what you will

Is it something you would notice normally or were you just watching out for it?

Jeff always asked the person declaring second to give their answer first, so when Nick asked the first contestant to declare to answer first on his first day, I noticed it. So then when Nick did it Jeff's way for that numbers round on Monday it was really noticeable as well. I wasn't looking out for it. He does it the same for letters rounds as well if both contestants declare the same number of letters in their word.

Jack Worsley wrote:STOTINKA in round 8.

A Bulgarian cent ?

Mark Kudlowski wrote:

Jack Worsley wrote:STOTINKA in round 8.

A Bulgarian cent?

Indeedy do, Mark.