Friday 11 February 2011 (Series 64, Prelim 25)

[Mike Brown]

Countdown recap for Friday 11 February 2011 (Series 64, Prelim 25).

C1: Champion Edward McCullagh (7 wins, 785 points.)
C2: Challenger Terry O'Hanlon.
DC: Susie Dent and Martin Lewis.
RR: Rachel Riley.
OT: Other words or solutions.

Once again, we come to the end of the Countdown week (and for many of us, the end of the working week), so it’s time to see whether Edward McCullagh can become the latest to join the ranks of the octochamps and also whether he can become a member of the ‘900 club’ into the bargain. It’s time to find out as he takes on Merseysider (and lifelong Everton fan) Terry O’Hanlon...

R01: G T A E S N G O S
R02: N J E O M S I B E
R03: I A V S C E V R A
R04: L M X E I I E L S
R05: 50, 25, 75, 100, 5, 9. Target: 314.
TTT: PRESSDON - "Press Don for an answer until he finally gives it."
R06: G O C Y T I O R N
R07: E W D U A S R S H
R08: R O E D P M A E T
R09: O D L S E I Z R U
R10: 75, 100, 9, 7, 8, 6. Target: 591.
TTT: TRUSTELF - "Has a few small bets while moving eyelashes."
R11: A T R A E S C A P
R12: F D O A I N N E R
R13: D L R E U M T E O
R14: 50, 5, 7, 5, 6, 4. Target: 215.
R15: R U N T H E B A R (conundrum)

This week’s Countdown was sponsored by Visionace, with a little assistance from Cardioace. Eyes down for a full house...

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Jeff and Rachel open the show with a little discussion about Valentine’s Day, which of course is upon us on Monday. Rachel is expecting her man Jamie to come up with some nice gifts. As we all know, they are now engaged, but at the time of recording, her finger was still ringless. Susie asks to point out (after Jeff introduces her as a woman who “at one time in the past was often strapped for cash – but enough of her private life”) that it’s also her daughter Lucy’s birthday on Monday. Here we go with Round 1...

Round 1: G T A E S N G O S

C1: TANGOES (7)
C2: STAGES (6)
DC: TANGOES (7)
OT: ONSTAGE (7)
Score: 7–0 (max 7)

Round 2: N J E O M S I B E

C1: EBONISE (7)
C2: BISON (5)
DC: EBONISE (7)
OT: EBONIES (7)
Score: 14–0 (max 14)

Round 3: I A V S C E V R A

C1: AVARICE (7)
C2: VICARS (6)
DC: AVARICE (7) SAVER (5) VISCERA (7)
OT: CAVIARES (8)
Score: 21–0 (max 22)

A slightly dodgy darren in CAVIARES, but presumably Susie would have allowed it under the ‘restaurant portions’ rule.

Round 4: L M X E I I E L S

C1: MIELIES (7)
C2: EXILES (6)
Score: 28–0 (max 29)

After four letters games, Edward is on a roll and looks on target for that 900 total.

Round 5: 50, 25, 75, 100, 5, 9. Target: 314.

C1: 314. (75x100/25)+5+9 (10)
C2: -
Score: 38–0 (max 39)

Is Edward showing off slightly by multiplying the 75 by the 100 before dividing by 3, or just having a bit of fun? Either way, he gets another ten points and is still only one off the max so far.

Before the first Teaser, Martin Lewis gives us his final financial quiz question of the week, this time involving your rights when making a purchase by credit card. Apparently, you only have to make part of the purchase on the card for the value of the whole thing to be covered – worth knowing!

Teatime teaser: PRESSDON -> RESPONDS

Round 6: G O C Y T I O R N

C1: ROOTING (7)
C2: TRYING (6)
DC: ROOTING (7)
Score: 45–0 (max 46)

Round 7: E W D U A S R S H

C1: WASHERS (7)
C2: WASHERS (7)
DC: ASSURED (7) SHADERS (7)
OT: DASHERS (7) HAWSERS (7) SWASHED (7)
Score: 52–7 (max 53)

Round 8: R O E D P M A E T

C1: MODERATE (8)
C2: TEAMED (6)
DC: OPERATED (8)
OT: TAMPERED (8)
Score: 60–7 (max 61)

Round 9: O D L S E I Z R U

C1: SOLDIER (7)
C2: SOLDIER (7)
DC: LOUSIER (7)
OT: LOURIES (7) SOLIDER (7)
Score: 67–14 (max 68)

A LOURIE (also LOERIE) is another name for a TURACO (TOURACO) or go-away bird, which is a fruit-eating bird from Africa.

OoW: Susie discusses the meanings behind some dinosaur names.

Round 10: 75, 100, 9, 7, 8, 6. Target: 591.

C1: 591. (6x100)-9 (10)
C2: 591. (6x100)-9 (10)
Score: 77–24 (max 78)

Teatime teaser: TRUSTELF -> FLUTTERS

Round 11: A T R A E S C A P

C1: artscape
C2: TRACES (6)
DC: CARPETS (7)
OT: PRECAST (7) SPECTRA (7) PATACAS (7)
Score: 77–30 (max 85)

Edward takes a gamble on ‘artscape’ and with it, he probably scotches his chances of hitting the 115 he needs to hit 900 points - unless he can pull a niner out of the bag by the end of the show, that is...

Round 12: F D O A I N N E R

C1: ANEROID (7)
C2: DINNER (6)
DC: FANNIED (7)
OT: ANDIRON (7) INFERNO (7)
Score: 84–30 (max 92)

Edward goes for an old Countdown favourite, which gives him an unassailable lead. Terry is obviously thinking about what he’s going to have for his tea.

Round 13: D L R E U M T E O

C1: REMOULD (7)
C2: MODULE (6)
DC: MOULTED (7)
OT: MOULDER (7) REMODEL (7) URODELE (7)
Score: 91–30 (max 99)

Edward may be tired after a ‘week’ of Countdown, but he still spots REMOULD (geddit?). A URODELE, as I think I’ve noted before, is a kind of newt or salamander.

Round 14: 50, 5, 7, 5, 6, 4. Target: 215.

Terry leaves the choice up to Rachel and she gives him the options of an ‘easy’ one or a ‘hard’ one. Because he ‘needs the points’, he picks the former and our Rach, well-brought up girl that she is, obliges.

C1: 215. (50-7)x5 (10)
C2: 215. ((50+5)x4)-5 (10)
Score: 101–40 (max 109)

Round 15: R U N T H E B A R

C1 buzzes on 7.5 seconds to say HEARTBURN which is correct.
Final Score: 111–40 (max 119)

After seven and a half seconds, Edward quips, “I’ve got HEARTBURN”. He’s also got 896 points and second place on the series leader board behind Adam Gillard. I must say I’ve enjoyed his stint in the champion’s chair; his expression often doesn’t give much away, but he’s come up with some good little comments and often seems to have a wry grin on his face. Bad luck to Terry, who obviously came up against good opposition, but like the rest of Edward’s challengers, he didn’t disgrace himself and still managed to get some points on the board.

On Monday, we will have two brand new challengers on set (unless Damian has plucked some more former contestants from the history books) and impressionist Debra Stephenson will be making her bow in Dictionary Corner alongside the woman who was once ‘strapped for cash’. See you next week for more recap tomfoolery!

Further summaries are at:
http://www.apterous.org/cdb/series.php?series=64

[Adam Gillard]

Well done Edward! As Eoin said, that's a commendable total, especially considering how few 9s were available in your octorun. I'm looking forward very much to meeting you at the finals

What is it about EMs from NI and scoring just under 900 points?