Monday 6th January 2025 ( Series 91 Preliminary 1 )
Posted: Tue Jan 07, 2025 7:44 pm
Hello and welcome to the first recap of 2025..............I would like to wish my fellow Countdowners a happy new year............after seeing Fiona Wood becoming the champion of series 90.............the search is on for the champion of series 91..........so let's find out in six months time who will walk away with Richard Whiteley memorial trophy and bragging rights of Series 91
C1: Champion Michael Kane (3 wins, 269 points.)
C2: Challenger Duncan Shaw.
DC: Susie Dent and Sarah Jane Crawford .
RR: Rachel Riley.
OT: Other words or solutions.
R01: G C S E I Q L O P
R02: R S E I T N E S O
R03: 25, 6, 5, 8, 9, 1. Target: 498.
TTT: SEANTIME - "Sean had time to visit the cinema in the afternoon"
R04: N W A O G U T G X
R05: C D G E U R H A L
R06: 25, 8, 6, 9, 1, 5. Target: 291.
R07: S M V A O D O M I
R08: B S P E A T R I C
R09: 100, 4, 3, 5, 9, 2. Target: 186.
TTT: RUNSEAST - " He never runs anywhere - he's too laid back for that"
R10: R N R E U O P V N
R11: G T N A I Y R E S
R12: N L D I O U S R O
R13: T M T E I N T A L
R14: 3, 6, 8, 7, 4, 3, . Target: 984.
R15: B A D S U M M O N (conundrum)
And now a brief interlude before our main feature:
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Round 1: G C S E I Q L O P
Michael: POLICE (6)
Duncan: SPLICE (6)
DC: POLICES (7) COPIES (6)
Score: 6–6 (max 7)
Sixes all round from our champion and challenger.............our champion Michael is kicking himself as he realises his error as you can put an S on the end of Police that would get you to a 7 which was the spot from DC and our recap writer
Round 2: R S E I T N E S O
Michael: STONIER (7)
Duncan: INSERTS (7)
DC: SENTRIES (8)
OT: SEROTINES (18)
Score: 13–13 (max 25)
Sevens all round from our champion and challenger ...................over in DC they have an 8 with Sentries
Our recap writer gets to shine and show off with her 9 Serotines
Round 3: 25, 6, 5, 8, 9, 1. Target: 498.
C1: 499. (9 + 6 + 5) × 20 − 1 (7)
C2: -
RR: 498. (9 − 5 − 1) × 25 + 8 × 6 (10)
Score: 20–13 (max 35)
A good one away solve from our champion our challenger Duncan doesn't even get close.............but Ms Riley gets to showcase her numbers skills and produces a perfect 10..............but our recap writer found a different way of getting there involving the 6 times table
9+1=10
10*5=50
50+8=58
25+58=83
83*6=498
Otherwise known as the Omelette method...........you have to use all of the numbers
Teatime teaser: SEANTIME -> MATINEES
Round 4: N W A O G U T G X
Michael: WAGON (5)
Duncan: outwag
DC: WAGGON (6)
OT: NOUGAT (6)
Score: 25–13 (max 41)
A rather unfortunate round for Duncan as picks the wrong six that was perfectly valid..............but to rub salt into the wound........Waggon was the offering from DC that our challenger chickened
*NB: In R4, Shaw revealed he had considered choosing (the valid) WAGGON with two Gs as his word, but instead opted for the invalid outwag☓.
Round 5: C D G E U R H A L
Michael: LURCHED (7)
Duncan: LURCHED (7)
DC: LAUGHED (7) CHARGED (7)
OT: RUGELACH (8)
Score: 32–20 (max 49)
Sevens all round from our champion and challenger.............but one rather interesting 8 ignored by all with Rugelach
Round 6: 25, 8, 6, 9, 1, 5. Target: 291.
C1: 291. (6 + 5 + 1) × 25 − 9 (10)
C2: 291. (6 + 5 + 1) × 25 − 9 (10)
Score: 42–30 (max 59)
Piece of piss this.........can we move on or count some sheep
Round 7: S M V A O D O M I
Michael: AVOIDS (6)
Duncan: MOODS (5)
DC: MOODS (5) AVOIDS (6)
OT: MIMOSA (6) OVOIDS (6) SIMOOM (6)
Score: 48–30 (max 65)
Sixes all round.........LET IT GOOOOOOOOOOOOO !!!
Round 8: B S P E A T R I C
Michael: CARPETS (7)
Duncan: BAITERS (7)
DC: CRISPATE (8) PRACTISE (8)
OT: PICRATES (8)
Score: 55–37 (max 73)
Sevens all round..............but there were quite a few eights............nothing worth arguing over............play nice now............one of those 8s was spotted by DC and our recap writer was Practise...................you will need plenty of that if you want to be a countdown contestant
Round 9: 100, 4, 3, 5, 9, 2. Target: 186.
C1: 186. 100 − (4 + 3) × 2 (10)
C2: 186. 100 × 2 − (9 + 5) (10)
Score: 65–47 (max 83)
Another piss easy one...........enough said
Teatime teaser: RUNSEAST -> SAUNTERS
Round 10: R N R E U O P V N
Michael: OVERRUN (7)
Duncan: UNPROVEN (8)
DC: UNPROVEN (8) RUNNER (6)
Score: 65–55 (max 91)
What a badass 8 from our challenger..............is this enough to keep Duncan in the contest ?
Round 11: G T N A I Y R E S
Michael: STRAYING (8)
Duncan: STRAYING (8)
DC: ANGRIEST (8)
OT: GANISTER (8) GANTRIES (8) INGRATES (8) RANGIEST (8) STINGRAY (8) TASERING (8)
Score: 73–63 (max 99)
Eights all round.................nothing worth complaining over
Round 12: N L D I O U S R O
Michael: INDOORS (7)
Duncan: unsolid
DC: INDOORS (7)
OT: SINDOOR (7) SORDINO (7)
Score: 80–63 (max 106)
Sevens all round...............but not for Duncan as Susie disallows his word UNSOLID...........nothing worth squabbling over
Round 13: T M T E I N T A L
Michael: ENTAIL (6)
Duncan: MITTEN (6)
DC: ALIMENT (7) AILMENT (7)
OT: MANTLET (7)
Score: 86–69 (max 113)
Still everything left to play for with 17 points in it......................you will need mittens and a hat particularly with this cold snap we are experiencing..............
DC get to shine with their sevens
Round 14: 3, 6, 8, 7, 4, 3. Target: 984.
C1: -
C2: -
RR: 984. ((6 × 7) − (4 − 3)) × 3 × 8 (10)
Score: 86–69 (max 123)
Neither contestant solves this rather difficult 6 small number puzzle................Rachel uses the divisible by 8 method to produce a perfect 10 and uses the omelette method too.............but our recap writer uses a divisible by 4 method to solve this bad boy..........like so.........sadly for Duncan it is game over
8*6=48
48-7=41
3+3=6
41*6=246
246*4=984
Round 15: B A D S U M M O N
No one buzzes. The answer was OMBUDSMAN.
Final Score: 86–69 (max 133)
Neither contestant solves the conundrum but it is left a certain Colin Murray and our recap writer by the name of Tracey Mills to solve it............our champion Michael is going really well if he wins all his games he could potientally be the first octochamp of series 91...........join me for the next recap..........in the meantime it is bye for now !
C1: Champion Michael Kane (3 wins, 269 points.)
C2: Challenger Duncan Shaw.
DC: Susie Dent and Sarah Jane Crawford .
RR: Rachel Riley.
OT: Other words or solutions.
R01: G C S E I Q L O P
R02: R S E I T N E S O
R03: 25, 6, 5, 8, 9, 1. Target: 498.
TTT: SEANTIME - "Sean had time to visit the cinema in the afternoon"
R04: N W A O G U T G X
R05: C D G E U R H A L
R06: 25, 8, 6, 9, 1, 5. Target: 291.
R07: S M V A O D O M I
R08: B S P E A T R I C
R09: 100, 4, 3, 5, 9, 2. Target: 186.
TTT: RUNSEAST - " He never runs anywhere - he's too laid back for that"
R10: R N R E U O P V N
R11: G T N A I Y R E S
R12: N L D I O U S R O
R13: T M T E I N T A L
R14: 3, 6, 8, 7, 4, 3, . Target: 984.
R15: B A D S U M M O N (conundrum)
And now a brief interlude before our main feature:
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Enjoy the show.
Round 1: G C S E I Q L O P
Michael: POLICE (6)
Duncan: SPLICE (6)
DC: POLICES (7) COPIES (6)
Score: 6–6 (max 7)
Sixes all round from our champion and challenger.............our champion Michael is kicking himself as he realises his error as you can put an S on the end of Police that would get you to a 7 which was the spot from DC and our recap writer
Round 2: R S E I T N E S O
Michael: STONIER (7)
Duncan: INSERTS (7)
DC: SENTRIES (8)
OT: SEROTINES (18)
Score: 13–13 (max 25)
Sevens all round from our champion and challenger ...................over in DC they have an 8 with Sentries
Our recap writer gets to shine and show off with her 9 Serotines
Round 3: 25, 6, 5, 8, 9, 1. Target: 498.
C1: 499. (9 + 6 + 5) × 20 − 1 (7)
C2: -
RR: 498. (9 − 5 − 1) × 25 + 8 × 6 (10)
Score: 20–13 (max 35)
A good one away solve from our champion our challenger Duncan doesn't even get close.............but Ms Riley gets to showcase her numbers skills and produces a perfect 10..............but our recap writer found a different way of getting there involving the 6 times table
9+1=10
10*5=50
50+8=58
25+58=83
83*6=498
Otherwise known as the Omelette method...........you have to use all of the numbers
Teatime teaser: SEANTIME -> MATINEES
Round 4: N W A O G U T G X
Michael: WAGON (5)
Duncan: outwag
DC: WAGGON (6)
OT: NOUGAT (6)
Score: 25–13 (max 41)
A rather unfortunate round for Duncan as picks the wrong six that was perfectly valid..............but to rub salt into the wound........Waggon was the offering from DC that our challenger chickened
*NB: In R4, Shaw revealed he had considered choosing (the valid) WAGGON with two Gs as his word, but instead opted for the invalid outwag☓.
Round 5: C D G E U R H A L
Michael: LURCHED (7)
Duncan: LURCHED (7)
DC: LAUGHED (7) CHARGED (7)
OT: RUGELACH (8)
Score: 32–20 (max 49)
Sevens all round from our champion and challenger.............but one rather interesting 8 ignored by all with Rugelach
Round 6: 25, 8, 6, 9, 1, 5. Target: 291.
C1: 291. (6 + 5 + 1) × 25 − 9 (10)
C2: 291. (6 + 5 + 1) × 25 − 9 (10)
Score: 42–30 (max 59)
Piece of piss this.........can we move on or count some sheep
Round 7: S M V A O D O M I
Michael: AVOIDS (6)
Duncan: MOODS (5)
DC: MOODS (5) AVOIDS (6)
OT: MIMOSA (6) OVOIDS (6) SIMOOM (6)
Score: 48–30 (max 65)
Sixes all round.........LET IT GOOOOOOOOOOOOO !!!
Round 8: B S P E A T R I C
Michael: CARPETS (7)
Duncan: BAITERS (7)
DC: CRISPATE (8) PRACTISE (8)
OT: PICRATES (8)
Score: 55–37 (max 73)
Sevens all round..............but there were quite a few eights............nothing worth arguing over............play nice now............one of those 8s was spotted by DC and our recap writer was Practise...................you will need plenty of that if you want to be a countdown contestant
Round 9: 100, 4, 3, 5, 9, 2. Target: 186.
C1: 186. 100 − (4 + 3) × 2 (10)
C2: 186. 100 × 2 − (9 + 5) (10)
Score: 65–47 (max 83)
Another piss easy one...........enough said
Teatime teaser: RUNSEAST -> SAUNTERS
Round 10: R N R E U O P V N
Michael: OVERRUN (7)
Duncan: UNPROVEN (8)
DC: UNPROVEN (8) RUNNER (6)
Score: 65–55 (max 91)
What a badass 8 from our challenger..............is this enough to keep Duncan in the contest ?
Round 11: G T N A I Y R E S
Michael: STRAYING (8)
Duncan: STRAYING (8)
DC: ANGRIEST (8)
OT: GANISTER (8) GANTRIES (8) INGRATES (8) RANGIEST (8) STINGRAY (8) TASERING (8)
Score: 73–63 (max 99)
Eights all round.................nothing worth complaining over
Round 12: N L D I O U S R O
Michael: INDOORS (7)
Duncan: unsolid
DC: INDOORS (7)
OT: SINDOOR (7) SORDINO (7)
Score: 80–63 (max 106)
Sevens all round...............but not for Duncan as Susie disallows his word UNSOLID...........nothing worth squabbling over
Round 13: T M T E I N T A L
Michael: ENTAIL (6)
Duncan: MITTEN (6)
DC: ALIMENT (7) AILMENT (7)
OT: MANTLET (7)
Score: 86–69 (max 113)
Still everything left to play for with 17 points in it......................you will need mittens and a hat particularly with this cold snap we are experiencing..............
DC get to shine with their sevens
Round 14: 3, 6, 8, 7, 4, 3. Target: 984.
C1: -
C2: -
RR: 984. ((6 × 7) − (4 − 3)) × 3 × 8 (10)
Score: 86–69 (max 123)
Neither contestant solves this rather difficult 6 small number puzzle................Rachel uses the divisible by 8 method to produce a perfect 10 and uses the omelette method too.............but our recap writer uses a divisible by 4 method to solve this bad boy..........like so.........sadly for Duncan it is game over
8*6=48
48-7=41
3+3=6
41*6=246
246*4=984
Round 15: B A D S U M M O N
No one buzzes. The answer was OMBUDSMAN.
Final Score: 86–69 (max 133)
Neither contestant solves the conundrum but it is left a certain Colin Murray and our recap writer by the name of Tracey Mills to solve it............our champion Michael is going really well if he wins all his games he could potientally be the first octochamp of series 91...........join me for the next recap..........in the meantime it is bye for now !