c4countdown

Countdown recap for Tuesday 8 September 2009.

C1: Challenger Chris Davies (7 wins, 787 points) I think he visits this site or something.
C2: Challenger John Smoker from Brigstock in Northants. Now retired, and used to make such things as paint for use in renovating historic buildings. Is now his local village cricket umpire, hence his success with yesterday's conundrum. His most memorable experience was in 1944 when he was within 100 yards of an exploding V2 rocket, but managed to come away unscathed.
DC: Susie Dent and Kate Humble. In her introduction Kate told us that once when she was appearing on TV and was in the green room prior to the show, she needed a pee. She was not allowed out of the green room as there would be nobody outside to authorise her return; all people who could authorise her re-entry were already in the green room. When she said that her only alternative would be to pee in the pot-plant, they finally relented.
RR: Rachel Riley.
OT: Other words or solutions.

R01: S T F A I T E N L
R02: M D H U O U R C I
R03: L N Q E A W E I S
R04: R D J O E N D U B
R05: 75, 3, 2, 1, 9, 3. Target: 483.
TTT: CODTREES - "Accompanied someone else to see the old car"
R06: S R H E I N S U R
R07: N V B E A D E P G
R08: P X M A K E Z M I
R09: S Y A F R E O T G
R10: 25, 9, 4, 4, 5, 5. Target: 608.
TTT: FUELGRIP - "Sack, promote and connect the hose here"
R11: N R S I E L O D A
R12: P S T E E P I T L
R13: R T A S O A N L I
R14: 50, 2, 7, 6, 3, 10. Target: 314.
R15: S H A R K C A V E (conundrum)

So here we are at the final hurdle end of Chris’ Daviestating (TM Raccoon Boy) run and attempt for Octochampdom. So far Chris has impressed us all with mad Rubik skillz, awesome words and his mysterious resemblance to fellow Liverpudlian Paul O’Grady. His average score is just over 112 and if he attains 113 or more today he’ll join the exclusive 900 club alongside such luminaries as Julian Fell and Craig Beevers (but not Kirk or Andrew. Everyone knows it’s their first appearance that counts) Today’s challenger is John Smoker, who despite being the Underdog, has a 100% record against our champion on conundrums, so this could be a close one…NOT!

And now a brief interlude before our main feature:

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Enjoy the show.

Round 1: S T F A I T E N L

C1: INFLATES (8)
C2: FLATTIES (8)
DC: FAINTEST (8) FLATTENS (8)
Score: 8–8 (max 8)

4 lovely 8s to kick-start the show

Round 2: M D H U O U R C I

C1: RHODIUM (7)
C2: mooch
OT: HUMIDOR (7)
Score: 15–8 (max 15)

While DC fail to pick up on John’s phantom letter, Chris scores a chemistry win

Round 3: L N Q E A W E I S

C1: WEASEL (6)
C2: swanee
DC: NEWIES (6)
OT: INWALES (7)
Score: 21–8 (max 22)

An INWALE is the inside of a gunnel, and I reckon INWALES would lend itself nicely to a cryptic clue

Round 4: R D J O E N D U B

C1: REBOUND (7)
C2: BOUNDER (7)
OT: BOUNDED (7) UNROBED (7) REDOUND (7) ROUNDED (7)
Score: 28–15 (max 29)

Round 5: 75, 3, 2, 1, 9, 3. Target: 483.

C1: 485. (9-3+75)x3x2-1 (7)
C2: 483. 3x2x75 then… oh bugger
RR: 483. (75x2+9+3-1)x3 (10)
Score: 35–15 (max 39)

Teatime teaser: CODTREES -> ESCORTED

Round 6: S R H E I N S U R

C1: INSURERS (8)
C2: INSURERS (8)
OT: INRUSHES (8)
Score: 43–23 (max 47)

Round 7: N V B E A D E P G

C1: BANGED (6)
C2: banger
DC: AVENGED (7)
Score: 49–23 (max 54)

Round 8: P X M A K E Z M I

C1: MAIZE (5)
C2: MAP (3)
OT: MAXIM (5)
Score: 54–23 (max 59)

Round 9: S Y A F R E O T G

C1: FORESTAY (8)
C2: FORAYS (6)
Score: 62–23 (max 67)

When I’m on a boat the forestay holds the mast vertically and prevents it from moving backwards

Round 10: 25, 9, 4, 4, 5, 5. Target: 608.

C1: 609. 25x5x5-4x4 (7)
C2: 609. (5x4+4)x25+9 (7)
RR: 608. 5x5x25-9-4-4 (10)
Score: 69–30 (max 77)

Teatime teaser: FUELGRIP -> FIREPLUG

Round 11: N R S I E L O D A

C1: DARIOLES (8)
C2: ISLANDER (8)
DC: ORDINALS (8) ANEROIDS (8)
OT: AILERONS (8) ALIENORS (8) ROSALINE (8) ANODISER (8) SOLANDER (8)
Score: 77–38 (max 85)

Round 12: P S T E E P I T L

C1: PIPETTES (8)
C2: pistel
Score: 85–38 (max 93)

Chris effectively puts the game out of reach while this time Susie picks up on poor John’s spellinz.

Round 13: R T A S O A N L I

C1: rationals
C2: LOANS (5)
DC: RATIONAL (8)
OT: NOTARIAL (8)
Score: 85–43 (max 101)

Unlucky, Chris. I’dve gone for it too. Rationals seems plausible as in rational numbers.

Round 14: 50, 2, 7, 6, 3, 10. Target: 314.

C1: 314. (50x3+7)x2 (10)
C2: 314. 6x50+2x7 (10)
Score: 95–53 (max 111)

Round 15: S H A R K C A V E

C1 buzzes on 1 second to say HAVERSACK which is correct.
Score: 105–53 (max 121)

Yay! Chris is an octochamp with 892 points making him the number 2 seed between Andrew and Innis. However if he’d stuck with the singular RATIONAL he’dve just notched up 900! Tomorrow you get to watch 2 “normal” people play Countdown. Well relatively normal. They’re still both Apterites.

Recap written by Dinos Sfyris and Howard Somerset

Further summaries are at:
http://www.apterous.org/cdb/series.php?series=61

I knew that RATIONALS was invalid on apterous, but I seemed to remember a comment from Bevans alluding to its existence. I went for it.

Meh.

Dinos Sfyris wrote:Round 2: M D H U O U R C I

C1: RHODIUM (7)
C2: mooch
OT: HUMIDOR (7)
Score: 15–8 (max 15)

While DC fail to pick up on John’s phantom letter, Chris scores a chemistry win

Dinos, maybe John thought that MOOCH was spelt MOUCH? Maybe still wrong, but plausible.

Kai Laddiman wrote:I knew that RATIONALS was invalid on apterous, but I seemed to remember a comment from Bevans alluding to its existence. I went for it.

Meh.

No - I knew it was invalid as far as the dictionary was concerned. The argument was we say "rationals" as in rational numbers all the time in maths.

Kirk Bevins wrote:The argument was we say "rationals" as in rational numbers all the time in maths.

Maybe that's why you got sacked.

Charlie Reams wrote: Maybe that's why you got sacked.

Haha. I didn't get sacked you insensitive bastard.

Did Chris record before this post by Charlie? If not, he has some explaining to do. >_>

Either way, congratulations, Chris, on a great run and bad luck on not making 900 due to a bloody shameful omission by the mathematical innumerates at OED.