Tuesday 20 October 2009 (Series 61, Prelim 67)

[Mike Brown]

Countdown recap for Tuesday 20 October 2009 (Series 61, Prelim 67).

C1: Champion Brian Selway (1 win, 109 points.)
C2: Challenger Jack Knowles (from Wigan, Lancs.)
DC: Susie Dent and Lesley Garrett.
RR: Rachel Riley.
OT: Other words or solutions.

Courtesy of Dinos the Ex-Chemist, Kid Mole makes a guest appearance at Recap HQ – it’s nice to be back in the saddle! Can Brian Selway make it two in a row, or will Jack send him packing back to Devon? As always, let’s see...

R01: T D O I P L E S O
R02: F E T O C A B E F
R03: R I L O J B E T P
R04: D E N I T A L O R
R05: 75, 1, 3, 7, 8, 9. Target: 431.
TTT: ISPYPALS - "Give money to the fielders for wages information."
R06: N I Q U C A Y A G
R07: L S C E I E M M A
R08: V E T O H E T A R
R09: L D D O U O S T A
R10: 100, 25, 1, 10, 3, 6. Target: 892.
TTT: SKIPTREE - "The liveliest of all the little pigs."
R11: N I P A E R K R P
R12: S I R E X O W U G
R13: N N D I A M A D I
R14: 25, 75, 50, 100, 4, 2. Target: 920.
R15: I D I G L O I N S (conundrum)

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The programme begins with Jeff discussing favourite television shows. Apparently, Rachel loves Postman Pat, while the Jeffster is a big fan of Thomas the Tank Engine. Right on.

Round 1: T D O I P L E S O

C1: LOOPIEST (8)
C2: STOOPED (7)
DC: POOLSIDE (8)
Score: 8–0 (max 8)

A great start for Brian, as he spots one of the two eights available.

Round 2: F E T O C A B E F

C1: AFFECT (6)
C2: BEEF (4)
DC: AFFECT (6)
JS: COFFEE (6)
OT: OFFBEAT (7)
Score: 14–0 (max 15)

More points for Brian, but no one spots the darren. And Jeff is cooking on gas.

Round 3: R I L O J B E T P

C1: POLITER (7)
C2: PETROL (6)
DC: JOLTIER (7)
Score: 21–0 (max 22)

Jack must be feeling a little disheartened as Brian pulls out a 21-point advantage having spotted one of the two sevens; DC gets the other one.

Round 4: D E N I T A L O R

C1: RELATION (8)
C2: RATIONED (8)
DC: ORDINATE (8)
JS: TAILORED (8)
OT: DELATION (8) DERATION (8) IDOLATER (8) ORIENTAL (8)
Score: 29–8 (max 30)

Eights galore (including another good spot from Jeff), but sadly there’s no nine. But at least Jack is off the starting blocks. And so to the numbers...

Round 5: 75, 1, 3, 7, 8, 9. Target: 431.

C1: 433. ((7-1)x75)-9-8 (7)
C2: 433. ((7-1)x75)-9-8 (7)
RR: 431. ((7-1)x(75-3))-(9-8) (10)
Score: 36–15 (max 40)

A toughie, but Rachel does the business.

Lesley Garrett entertains (some of) us with a short rendition of “Climb Ev’ry Mountain”. Apparently, the sound man’s knobs are severely affected...

Teatime teaser: ISPYPALS -> PAYSLIPS

Round 6: N I Q U C A Y A G

C1: ACING (5)
C2: QUAY (4)
DC: IGUANA (6)
OT: GUAIAC (6)
Score: 41–15 (max 46)

Unfortunately QUAYING isn’t allowed (even if you use Chambers). The hard-to-spell GUAIAC is a type of varnish.

Round 7: L S C E I E M M A

C1: CLAIMS (6)
C2: MALICE (6)
DC: LEMMAS (6) EMAILS (6) CLIMES (6)
OT: MEALIES (7) MELISMA (7)
Score: 47–21 (max 53)

MEALIES are South African maize plants; MELISMA is a musical term; MALICES is an illegal mass noun plural.

Round 8: V E T O H E T A R

C1: OVERHEAT (8)
C2: HEATER (6)
Score: 55–21 (max 61)

Brian threatens to OVERHEAT the scoreboard and now leads by over 30 points. Some nice sevens are also there, including OVEREAT and THEATRE.

Round 9: L D D O U O S T A

C1: SADDO (5)
C2: DOLTS (5)
DC: OUTSOLD (7)
OT: LADDOOS (7)
Score: 60–26 (max 68)

The C4C favourite LADDOOS rears its head again, while the contestants are seemingly happy to trade insults.

OoW: Susie discusses words relating to nonsense, such as ‘poppycock’ (which is all to do with soft dung, apparently).

Round 10: 100, 25, 1, 10, 3, 6. Target: 892.

C1: 891. (100x(10-1))-6-3 (7)
C2: 891. ((3+6)x100)-(10-1) (7)
RR: 892. ((10-1)x(100-3))-6+25 (after break) (10)
Score: 67–33 (max 78)

Teatime teaser: SKIPTREE -> PERKIEST

Round 11: N I P A E R K R P

C1: NAPPIER (7)
C2: PINKER (6)
DC: PARKIER (7)
OT: KNAPPER (7) NARKIER (7) PARKIER (7)
Score: 74–33 (max 85)

A good risk from Brian (in fact, this game will prove to have no disallowed words at all). Susie remarks that PARKY is a good word, but doesn’t know its derivation (a quick google seems to indicate it might have something to do with putting parkas on when it gets cold outside, but no one seems to know for sure).

Round 12: S I R E X O W U G

C1: GROUSE (6)
C2: GROWS (5)
DC: ROUGES (6) ORGIES (6)
OT: ROGUES (6) RUGOSE (6) GUIROS (6) GUISER (6)
Score: 80–33 (max 91)

A dull selection and it’s all over for Jack. But we can still wonder whether Brian will make it two centuries on the bounce.

Round 13: N N D I A M A D I

C1: MANNA (5)
C2: MAID (4)
DC: MAIDAN (6)
OT: DANAID (6)
Score: 85–33 (max 97)

Susie shows us, using the magic of the pen-cam, the definition of MAIDAN (an open space in India used for parades and public meetings). Kid Mole shows you, using the magic of the recap, the definition of DANAID: a type of butterfly (including the monarch and plain tiger).

Round 14: 25, 75, 50, 100, 4, 2. Target: 920.

C1: 925. (2x4x100)+75+50 (7)
C2: 925. Mistake in working.
RR: 924. (7)
OT: 920. (100x(50-4))/((75/25)+2) (10)
Score: 92–33 (max 107)

Given the chance by Jack, Rachel picks four from the top (to break the curse of difficult numbers games, apparently). Sadly, it proves difficult (to us mere mortals, anyway).

Round 15: I D I G L O I N S

C1 buzzes on 12 seconds to say IDOLISING which is correct.
Score: 102–33 (max 117)

A textbook –ING conundrum gives Mr Abba Fan his second ton and a place in tomorrow’s show, Jack returns to Wigan and Kid Mole gets back into his box until called upon again. It’s been fun, hope you’ve enjoyed it too. See you soon.

Recap by Kid Mole, with assistance from Sir Exo Wug.

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