Wednesday 1st July 2009 (Series 61, Prelim 8)

[Chris Philpot]

Countdown Recap - Wednesday 1st July 2009 (Series 61, Prelim 8)

Champion (C1): Innis Carson (4 wins, 440 points), who practices playing Countdown online. God knows where!
Challenger (C2): Allan Barnes, a keen gardener and Hartlepool United season ticket holder - cue much man love from our Jeff.
DC: Susie Dent and Matt Le Tissier (443 appearances, 162 goals*)
RR: Rachel Riley, in a rather fetching blue number
OT: Other words, solutions, piffle and nonsense
* During his 16 year career at Southampton

Test yourself with the mini-recap:

R01: B G L A E A L S N
R02: O E A T D R T I S
R03: P S A I F M A Y M
R04: S M N V O E A R G
R05: 75, 25, 7, 1, 9, 10. Target: 411.
TTT: WINSBOAR - "Up above the streets and houses, they fly high"
R06: T H N T I E O O W
R07: X L G A E R T A N
R08: C R B H O I E S P
R09: O T M I A R C U D
R10: 9, 6, 3, 3, 5, 2. Target: 658.
TTT: REDMARES - "Do they lie in bed thinking of Freddie?"
R11: T D I T E R U D I
R12: S T Q P E A O S F
R13: P S Z A E N A D O
R14: 5, 4, 2, 10, 2, 1. Target: 472.
R15: C L E F T D E E D (conundrum)

Scroll down to see how Innis and Allan fared in the studio...

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Enjoy the game!

Round 1: B G L A E A L S N

C1: LASAGNE (7)
C2: GABLES (6)
DC: BANGLES (7), which was the only other seven in this likeable looking selection.
Score: 7–0 (max 7)

Round 2: O E A T D R T I S

C1: STORIATED (18)
C2: STORED (6)
DC: ASTEROID (8) and TOASTIER (8), but they were nowhere near that amazing nine.
Other: STORIATED means to have dressed with scenes telling a story, usually from history or mythology. "Astonishing", says Jeff, and I'm inclined to agree.
Score: 25–0 (max 25)

Round 3: P S A I F M A Y M

C1: MAFIAS (6)
C2: YAMS (4)
DC: MAIMS (5)
OT: MIASMA (6) is also there for six - MAFIAS is valid as a plural of the noun for any organised crime gang resembling the mafia.
Score: 31–0 (max 31)

Round 4: S M N V O E A R G

C1: ORANGES (7)
C2: OVERMANS (8) - kudos to Allan for an excellent spot after Innis kept him out in the cold for the first three rounds.
DC: Matt happily mentions ORGASM (6) and its MOANERS (7), but tops everything with another niner: MANGROVES (18), which are tropical evergreen trees or shrubs of the genus Rhizophora. Perhaps it's easier to remember as an anagram of the second niner on offer...
OT: VENOGRAMS (18)
Score: 31–8 (max 49)

Round 5: 75, 25, 7, 1, 9, 10. Target: 411.

C1: 411 = (75 - 25 - 9) × 10 + 1 (10)
C2: 411 = (25 + 9 + 7) × 10 + 1 (10)
Score: 41–18 (max 59)

Teatime teaser: WINSBOAR --> RAINBOWS

Round 6: T H N T I E O O W

C1: TOWNIE (6)
C2: TWINE (5)
DC: HOTTIE (6) WHITEN (6)
OT: TIENTO (6)
Score: 47–18 (max 65)

Round 7: X L G A E R T A N

C1: TANGLE (6)
C2: tangler
DC: LAAGER (6)
OT: You could muscle in with RELAXANT (8), which beats Dictionary Corner.
Score: 53–18 (max 73)

Round 8: C R B H O I E S P

C1: PORCHES (7)
C2: COPIERS (7)
DC: BIRCHES and HOSPICE (7) are there for seven, but DC beat the contestants with BRIOCHES (8)
OT: PIBROCHS (8), which are a series of variations on a martial theme for the highland bagpipes. Aye!
Score: 60–25 (max 81)

Round 9: O T M I A R C U D

C1: AUDITOR (7)
C2: TRIAD (5)
DC: CAROTID (7)
Score: 67–25 (max 88)

Round 10: 9, 6, 3, 3, 5, 2. Target: 658.

C1: -
C2: -
RR: "Within ten."
OT: 658 = (9 × 6 × (3 + 3) + 5) × 2 (10)
Score: 67–25 (max 98)

Teatime teaser: REDMARES --> DREAMERS

Round 11: T D I T E R U D I

C1: TIDIER (6)
C2: RUTTED (6)
DC: DIRTIED (7)
Score: 73–31 (max 105)

Round 12: S T Q P E A O S F

C1: SPATES (6)
C2: PASTES (6)
DC: To quote Matt, "We've had a couple of hotties, so now here are a couple of FATSOES (7)!"
Score: 79–37 (max 112)

Round 13: P S Z A E N A D O

C1: PANDAS (6)
C2: ANODES (6)
OT: DC can be beaten once more with DAPSONE (7)
Score: 85–43 (max 119)

Round 14: 5, 4, 2, 10, 2, 1. Target: 472.

C1: 470 = ((5 × 2 + 2) × 4 - 1) × 10 (7)
C2: -
RR: 472 = ((10 + 2) × 5 - 1) × 2 × 4 (10)
Score: 92–43 (max 129)

Round 15: C L E F T D E E D

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C1 buzzes on about 0.2 seconds (probably less!) to say DEFLECTED, which is spot on. As Jeff exclaimed, "I hadn't even taken my finger off the button that starts the clock!" Phenomenal speed.
Score: 102–43 (max 139)

Philpot's final thought:

Notably, this actually marks Innis' lowest score of his run so far. I think that says it all for the talent of the lad, though well done to Allan for playing with good spirit and racking up a very respectable score. Had he not bumped into Innis, Allan could easily have strung together a few wins of his own. However, congratulations must again go out to Innis, particularly with STORIATED and that lightning-speed conundrum.

This recap was written by on-and-off miser Chris Philpot. Further summaries for Series 61 are online at:
http://www.apterous.org/cdb/series.php?series=61

[Derek Hazell]

Well done Chris - up in record time. But then I suppose with triad and mafias on your tail, you had to if you wanted to wake up with your amazing range of facial expressions still intact tomorrow!

[Chris Philpot]

*chortle* - I was actually quoting Chris Wills' old website on the facial expressions thing, and if anyone is the expert on looking excitable on screen then it is he!

[Tom]

Great to see Matt Le Tissier as a guest, a legendary footballer. In case any of those are interested I've added a link here of some of his goals and I think the goal around the minute mark won "goal of the season" one year. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FSsdfe4Z69g

Nice to see the word DAPSONE again, I remember it coming up in my series final - from memory its something to do with leprosy.