Wednesday 24th September 2014 (series 71, prelim 52)

[James Laverty]

Hi everyone and welcome to Wednesday's recap for this week. I'm covering for James Robinson today, so here goes.

Countdown recap for Wednesday 24 September 2014.

C1: Champion Paul Worsley (6 wins, 577 points.) A fan of gangster movies, particularly the first two Godfather's, but not so keen on the Godfather III
C2: Challenger Michael McDowell. Originally from County Down in Northern Ireland, a three time winner of the British chess solving championships.
DC: Susie Dent and Deborah Meaden.
RR: Rachel Riley.
OT: Other words or solutions.

R01: S Q S I O I D R O
R02: H N E O T D E F N
R03: 5, 4, 4, 1, 9, 75. Target: 162.
TTT: SOHONICK - "You may be forgiven for thinking these are flying fish"
R04: A E R N T S I N D
R05: P V N H E A O G I
R06: 3, 9, 7, 8, 4, 75. Target: 844.
R07: M C T E I E N S I
R08: L G J O A E L R U
R09: 7, 10, 3, 6, 1, 50. Target: 204.
TTT: LADYPREP - "He was preparing to meet the lady for the first time, so dressed this way"
R10: T Y A W B R I A L
R11: X R D E O A Z R E
R12: T L S E U R F E S
R13: C R C A I E T G A
R14: 4, 6, 6, 10, 5, 100. Target: 262.
R15: L O C A L D A T E (conundrum)


And now a brief interlude before our main feature:

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Enjoy the show.

Round 1: S Q S I O I D R O

Paul: DOORS (5)
Michael: DROSS (5)
OT: ROODS (5)
Score: 5–5 (max 5)

Not the best easiest selection to start the day, which Michael describes as DROSS

Round 2: H N E O T D E F N

Paul: fonted x
Michael: fonted x
DC: DENOTE (6)
OT: ENDNOTE (7) TENONED (7)
Score: 5–5 (max 12)

No score for either contestant as they risk the same disallowed word. The two seven's go unnoticed

Round 3: 5, 4, 4, 1, 9, 75. Target: 162.

Paul: -
Michael: 158. (9+1)/2*75+4+4 (7)
RR: 162. ((75/5)+4-1)*9 (10)
Score: 5–12 (max 22)

Paul blanks on the numbers as Michael takes a 7 point lead, Rachel showes us how it's done

Teatime teaser: SOHONICK -> CHINOOKS

Round 4: A E R N T S I N D

Paul: STRAINED (8)
Michael: STRAINED (8)
DC: DETRAINS (8) TRANNIES (8)
OT: ENTRAINS (8) RANDIEST (8)
Score: 13–20 (max 30)

Neither contestant is STRAINED to find one of the many eights available here

Round 5: P V N H E A O G I

Paul: HEAPING (7)
Michael: OPINE (5)
DC: HEAVING (7)
Score: 20–20 (max 37)

Paul pulls level with one of the two 7's available, with DC providing the other

Round 6: 3, 9, 7, 8, 4, 75. Target: 844.

Paul: 845.
Michael: 844. (9+3)*75-(7*8) (10)
Score: 20–30 (max 47)

But Michael regains the lead straight away as Paul fails to hit the target again.

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

Paul: EMETICS (7)
Michael: minciest x
DC: CENTIMES (8)
OT: ENMITIES (8) NICETIES (8)
Score: 27–30 (max 55)

Paul reduces the deficit to three points as Michael has minciest disallowed. DC find one of the three 8's available.

A CENTIME is a monetary unit of various nations and territories such as Lichtenstein, Switzerland, and Tahiti, the 100th part of a franc.

Round 8: L G J O A E L R U

Paul: GAOLER (6)
Michael: GAOLER (6)
DC: ALLEGRO (7)
Score: 33–36 (max 62)

Michael remains three ahead as DC spot the musical darrenic 7.

Round 9: 7, 10, 3, 6, 1, 50. Target: 204.

Paul: 204. (50+1)*(10-6) (10)
Michael: 204. (50+1)*(7-3) (10)
Score: 43–46 (max 72)

Similar methods from both contestants in a simple numbers game.

Teatime teaser: LADYPREP -> DAPPERLY

Round 10: T Y A W B R I A L

Paul: WARTY (5)
Michael: LARIAT (6)
DC: TRIBAL (6) AIRWAY (6) BALTI (5)
OT: RAILWAY (7) RATABLY (7)
Score: 43–52 (max 79)

Michael stretches his lead with LARIAT, while the two sevens go unnoticed.

A LARIAT is a long, noosed rope used to catch livestock

Round 11: X R D E O A Z R E

Paul: READER (6)
Michael: ROARED (6)
DC: DEARER (6) DOZER (5)
OT: RAZORED (7)
Score: 49–58 (max 86)

A tricky selection sees the darrenic 7 goes unnoticed as the contests stick on 6.

OOW: Susie talks about the process of words being included into the dictionary, and the peoples confusion of the term "next weekend", As well as explaining that there as been a campaign to include the term "oxt" weekend to making it easier for people to understand.

Round 12: T L S E U R F E S

Paul: FRETLESS (8)
Michael: FLUSTERS (8)
OT: STREUSEL (8)
Score: 57–66 (max 94)

I was hoping for a D with the final letter, but out comes S and our contestants get two of the three 8's on show.

STREUSEL is a topping for coffeecake, consisting of crumbs of blended sugar, cinnamon, flour, butter, and chopped nutmeats

Round 13: C R C A I E T G A

Paul: TRIAGE (6)
Michael: CIGAR (5)
DC: CARTAGE (7)
OT: ACRATIC (7)
Score: 63–66 (max 101)

The final letters game of the day and Paul cuts the gap down to three points with TRIAGE.

ACRATIC means lacking self control.

Round 14: 4, 6, 6, 10, 5, 100. Target: 262.

Paul: 261. ((5*100)+10)/(6-4)+6 (7)
Michael: 260.
RR: 262. (100/4*10)+6+6 (10)
Score: 70–66 (max 111)

Paul takes the lead for the first time today as he gets 1 closer to the target than Michael. Rachel has it spot on.

So it's crucial conundrum time........

Round 15: L O C A L D A T E

Michael buzzes on 7 seconds to say ALLOCATED which is correct.
Final Score: 70–76 (max 121)


Michael takes the conundrum as Paul's run come to an end after 6 wins and 647 points. He's had some tough opponents during his time and as current no. 4 seed he has a good chance of returning for the finals. Nick's closing remarks to Paul include a brief on-screen cameo from his son Jack, who is apparently quite good at Countdown.

Due to the horses interfering on Friday, tomorrow is our last Countdown of the week. Anthony will be moving across from his usual Friday slot to cover for Robbo, who will be making his return to the recapping next Wednesday.

Bye for now.

Further summaries are at:
http://cdb.apterous.org/series.php?series=71