c4countdown

So, it's Tuesday, and it's time to go back in time to March 1991, and the final between the No.8 Seed, Jackie McLeod and the No.3 Seed, Barry Grossman.

Barry managed to pull off one of the biggest ever scores seen on Countdown at the time with a 99 in the final against Jackie's 67, making the 21st series winner of Countdown.

And now, nearly 22 years on, they're back for the rematch which will decide who will face Darryl Francis in the 1st round proper in 3 weeks time.

Here are the stats:

Firstly, Series 21 Runner-Up, CoC VI Quarter-Finalist & Supreme Championship Group Finalist Jackie McLeod - 11 Games, 7 Wins, 546 Points. (Average: 49.64) (All 9 Rounders, Bar One 14 Rounder)
Highest Score: 67 vs. Barry Grossman (Grand Final, 14 Rounder) & 58 vs. Susan Gould (3rd Prelim, 9 Rounder)
Lowest Score: 31 vs. Malcolm Mackinnon (4th Prelim)
9's Achieved: 0/2
Total Points/Max/%: 546/845 (65%)
Letters Points/Max/%: 364/488 (75%)
Numbers Points/Max/%: 112/237 (47%)
Conundrum Points/Max/%: 70/120 (58%)

Secondly, Series 21 Champion, CoC VI Quarter-Finalist & Supreme Championship Group Finalist Barry Grossman - 13 Games, 10 Wins, 731 Points. (Average: 56.23) (All 9 Rounders, Bar One 14 Rounder)
Highest Score: 99 vs. Jackie McLeod (Grand Final, 14 Rounder) & 69 vs. Val Carter (4th Prelim, 9 Rounder)
Lowest Score: 37 vs. Harvey Freeman (Supreme Championship Group Final)
9's Achieved: 0/1
Total Points/Max/%: 731/993 (74%)
Letters Points/Max/%: 425/573 (74%)
Numbers Points/Max/%: 226/280 (81%)
Conundrum Points/Max/%: 80/140 (57%)

Jack will be along with your recap later.

It's somewhat eerie how similar these two were in their Countdown careers. They faced each other in the series 21 finals, both lost their first game in the Champion of Champions, and both were runners up in their group at the Supreme Championship, I suppose it's just destiny.

Jordan F wrote:It's somewhat eerie how similar these two were in their Countdown careers. They faced each other in the series 21 finals, both lost their first game in the Champion of Champions, and both were runners up in their group at the Supreme Championship, I suppose it's just destiny.

Well both are not going to lose their first game of *this* Champion of Champions, that's for sure!

Kirk Bevins wrote:

Jordan F wrote:It's somewhat eerie how similar these two were in their Countdown careers. They faced each other in the series 21 finals, both lost their first game in the Champion of Champions, and both were runners up in their group at the Supreme Championship, I suppose it's just destiny.

Well both are not going to lose their first game of *this* Champion of Champions, that's for sure!

SPOILERZ!

A kind of weird second numbers game alternate which was the only way I got it: (100-4) x 9 + ((10/5)/2)

3rd numbers alt - (50 - (3-2)) x (9 + 5)

Jackie would have won with the extra 30 points from the numbers. That was her downfall today.

Gavin Chipper wrote:Jackie would have won with the extra 30 points from the numbers. That was her downfall today.

Jackie would admit herself - she was never very good at numbers. Moreover she could have done with more OED study. Too many CSW words crept into her play.

Mauro

So, Barry versus me. Already recorded. Will be broadcast Thursday 7th February.

Darryl Francis wrote:So, Barry versus me. Already recorded. Will be broadcast Thursday 7th February.

Already looking forward to it Darryl

Mauro

Good contest between two memorable characters of the game.

Gavin Chipper wrote:Jackie would have won with the extra 30 points from the numbers. That was her downfall today.

Indeed, and even just the 20 from the first two games which were, in my opinion, more routine. DIALYSE was there in the ladyfies round, a very unlucky try which until recently was allowable (it dropped out of the ODE3).

1st numbers alt: 25 x 8 + (3 x (5 + 2))

Jackie was also unlucky in R2, she had both words written down but opted to declare the alternative one to add colour and interest to the show. I think it left her slightly off-balance for the rest of the game, but she did some really excellent letters work all the same. Good performance by Barry, and I'll be interested to see how he and Darryl develop with another seven weeks of prep under their belts.

Nick Deller wrote:Jackie was also unlucky in R2, she had both words written down but opted to declare the alternative one to add colour and interest to the show. I think it left her slightly off-balance for the rest of the game, but she did some really excellent letters work all the same. Good performance by Barry, and I'll be interested to see how he and Darryl develop with another seven weeks of prep under their belts.

Yeah, that's maybe not such a good tactic if you're not familiar with the dictionary. If you think both OUTSPEND and UNPOSTED are equally as dodgy, perhaps copy your opponent's word?

Having an UNPOSTED letter on my table waiting for me to go to the post office, the word was obviously valid

1st numbers alt: (25 - 8)x(3 + (5 x 2))

It sounded to me like Susie said "UNPOST but not UNPOSTED" - can that be right?

Gavin Chipper wrote:It sounded to me like Susie said "UNPOST but not UNPOSTED" - can that be right?

No, I think she said "UNPOSED but not UNPOSTED".

This game was played to a very high standard that wasn't reflected in the final score. You were both unlucky there with some of the disallowed declarations, especially ladyfies* Jackie, which was a very good spot and as Conor mentioned, was one of the ODE3 omissions. Barry just edged it on the numbers rounds really.

"Not written down because my pen ran out." Was Jackie having a dig about the substandard equipment?

Just read this again. Yes, Jackie was unlucky with the letters but the game was still easily winnable with those numbers regardless!

Preliminary 7 2020 Word Update

The max would have increased by two points (from 119 to 121) if played today thanks to a 7 available in R3 and an 8 available in R12, that weren't around in 2013.

Barry would've had another 7 points for MISDIET, and Jackie would've also had another 16 points, as both OUTSPEND and LADYFIES would've been allowed now (which also meant that Barry's FLAYED would've been beaten), meaning that the score would've been 81-80 to Jackie, changing the result entirely

New Words Now Allowed:

R1: MELOIDS
R2: UNPOSTED (which would've given Jackie an extra 8 points)
R3: MAROTTE (increases the MAX from 6 to 7)
R6: IRONFACE
R7: PARENGO, PERAEON
R8: DIVIEST, MISDIET (which would've given Barry an extra 7 points)
R12: LADYFIES (which would've given Jackie an extra 8 points, and increases the MAX from 7 to 8)
R13: MISERING

James Robinson wrote: ↑Wed May 13, 2020 4:17 pm Preliminary 7 2020 Word Update
Jackie would've also had another 16 points, as both OUTSPEND and LADYFIES would've been allowed now, and Barry would've had another 7 points for MISDIET, meaning that the score would've been 86-81 to Barry.

Actually, Barry would have lost six points from the LADYFIES round, making the final score 81-80 to Jackie. It would have made for a thrilling contest too, with her coming from 20 points behind at the end of part 2.

Jack Worsley wrote: ↑Wed May 13, 2020 5:06 pm

James Robinson wrote: ↑Wed May 13, 2020 4:17 pm Preliminary 7 2020 Word Update
Jackie would've also had another 16 points, as both OUTSPEND and LADYFIES would've been allowed now, and Barry would've had another 7 points for MISDIET, meaning that the score would've been 86-81 to Barry.

Actually, Barry would have lost six points from the LADYFIES round, making the final score 81-80 to Jackie. It would have made for a thrilling contest too, with her coming from 20 points behind at the end of part 2.

Nice to have someone making sure the old timers have everything double checked....