c4countdown

So, we've reached the end of the preliminaries, or we will do after today's game. It's amazing to think that we've only had 8 shows in this "mini"-series so far, and already there have been so many phenomenal games, combined with exceptional wordplay, superb numbers spots and quickfire conundrum spots.

Any more excitement and I might need to have a pacemaker inserted

And everyone is saying that this game is a classic in the making.............. Well, I'll be the judge of that

Well, time to get into the groove and enjoy.

Countdown recap for Thursday 17 January 2013.

C1: Series 64 Champion Ed McCullagh (12 games, 12 wins, 1,337 points.) An Apteforumite and software tester originally from Newry, but now living in Belfast.
C2: Series 66 Runner-Up Jonathan Rawlinson (11 games, 10 wins, 1,129 points.) An Apteforumite and maths student at Cambridge University, but is from Sheffield.
DC: Susie Dent and Martin Lewis.
RR: Rachel Riley, with a slightly less croaky voice.
OT: Other words or solutions.

R01: E I A N L R U H S
R02: E V A R E M I H L
R03: W N R O E O V S R
R04: A P I G E D U S P
R05: 9, 7, 7, 2, 4, 3. Target: 793.
TTT: EMUSLIPS - "Overwhelming urges to eat lentils and chickpeas, perhaps?"
R06: A S O G A N I R U
R07: O E I M C T S E A
R08: O N E T O B E N Y
R09: A M D O E P D M N
R10: 100, 50, 75, 25, 9, 2. Target: 770.
TTT: ABLESOIL - "The soil makes it possible for these plants to grow"
R11: R T L U O E W T I
R12: A P I R E T O G S
R13: A I E Z S T L D O
R14: 25, 100, 75, 50, 6, 5. Target: 588.
R15: H A T E S S N O W (conundrum)


And now a brief interlude before our main feature:

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Enjoy the show.

Round 1: E I A N L R U H S

C1: HAULIERS (8)
C2: HAULIERS (8)
Me: INHALERS (8)
Score: 8–8 (max 8)

A nice perfect start to the game. Interestingly, Martin makes a bet that DC will only beat the players ONCE in the whole game today. Let's see if that rings true............

I might need those INHALERS for later on.

Round 2: E V A R E M I H L

C1: HEAVIER (7)
C2: MEALIER (7)
OT: EMAILER (7) VERMEIL (7)
Score: 15–15 (max 15)

7's all round. Where's that inhaler gone..........

Round 3: W N R O E O V S R

C1: overworn
C2: oversow
DC: ROVERS (6)
OT: OWNERS (6) ROOVES (6) ROWENS (6) ROWERS (6) SNORER (6) SOONER (6) SORROW (6) WOOERS (6) WORSEN (6)
Score: 15–15 (max 21)

WOAH! WOAH!!WOAH!!! Well, it seems that both players were trying to force the other into a mistake, and in fairness, they both succeeded, leaving Martin Lewis as the sole victor in this round. (I must admit I had overworn as a back-up to what I thought was the safe (but clearly isn't) swooner. )

Round 4: A P I G E D U S P

C1: GUPPIES (7)
C2: GAUDIES (7)
OT: DUPPIES (7)
Score: 22–22 (max 28)

Well, normality is resumed for now with a 7 apiece. Wonder what the numbers are going to bring..................

Round 5: 9, 7, 7, 2, 4, 3. Target: 793.

C1: 792. (7 + 7 - 3) x 9 x 4 x 2 (7)
C2: -
RR: 792. "A different way." (7)
Score: 29–22 (max 35)

Well, the 6 small is sent out by Edward, and it works "perfectly" for him, as Jonathan is completely flummoxed, and his 1 away is as good as it gets.

Martin talks about the scandal of misselling PPI.

Teatime teaser: EMUSLIPS -> IMPULSES

Round 6: A S O G A N I R U

C1: AROUSING (8)
C2: AROUSING (8)
DC: ROUSING (7) SOURING (7) IGUANAS (7)
OT: GUARANIS (8)
Score: 37–30 (max 43)

There's definitely plenty of AROUSING today. I wonder if that'll be distracting for our competitors.

A GUARANI is a paper money and monetary unit of Paraguay, equal to 100 centimos.

Round 7: O E I M C T S E A

C1: EMOTES (6)
C2: AMOSITE (7)
DC: ATOMISE (7) SOMATIC (7)
OT: ATOMIES (7) COATEES (7) EMETICS (7) STEAMIE (7)
Score: 37–37 (max 50)

Well, well, well, I wonder what Ed was thinking here, or what wasn't he thinking more to the point There was me thinking, here comes a try for an N for CENTESIMO, but no, and it seems that all his thoughts left him, as he can only manage a not written down 6, letting Jonathan take full advantage to level the game.

A COATEE is a close-fitting short coat, especially one with tails or skirts.
In Scotland, a STEAMIE is a public wash house.

Round 8: O N E T O B E N Y

C1: NEOTENY (7)
C2: NEOTENY (7)
Score: 44–44 (max 57)

Mind games still at the forefront, but both show superb class yet again with a quite magnificent 7.

Round 9: A M D O E P D M N

C1: POMADED (7)
C2: POMADED (7)
Score: 51–51 (max 64)

Double double darren time now. This inhaler will be going into overdrive soon, I'm sure.

Susie's Origins Of Words talks about the origins of "lynching" and "Sweet Fanny Adams".

Round 10: 100, 50, 75, 25, 9, 2. Target: 770.

C1: 770. (50 / (9 - (100 / 25))) x (75 + 2) (10)
C2: 770. Mistake in working.
Score: 61–51 (max 74)

So, we had Ed's speciality in the 1st numbers, now it's Jonathan's turn for his speciality, but unfortunately, he messes up and Ed takes full advantage and have that oh-so precarious lead of 10 points...............

Teatime teaser: ABLESOIL -> LOBELIAS

Round 11: R T L U O E W T I

C1: OUTLIER (7)
C2: TRIOLET (7)
Score: 68–58 (max 81)

No stopping them on the letters games. Bar the riskiness of round 3, they've both been pretty much perfect in the letters games today.

Round 12: A P I R E T O G S

C1: PASTORIE (8)
C2: SEPTORIA (8)
DC: GRAPIEST (8)
OT: PORTAGES (8) POTAGERS (8)
Score: 76–66 (max 89)

And yet again, you can just tell how confident they are, with Jonathan's "just an 8" declaration.

Round 13: A I E Z S T L D O

C1: ISOLATED (8)
C2: DIASTOLE (8)
DC: SLEAZOID (8)
OT: SODALITE (8)
Score: 84–74 (max 97)

Honestly, did anyone they get 8's in this round That inhaler has given me some good desperate bursts, and as we head to the final stages, I think I'll need another big burst or two to make sure I don't collapse

Round 14: 25, 100, 75, 50, 6, 5. Target: 588.

C1: 588. (100 - (50 / 25)) x 6 (10)
C2: 588. (100 - (50 / 25)) x 6 (10)
Score: 94–84 (max 107)

Well, after those nasty 2 numbers games, nice to have a simple one to finish off.

So, the gap of 10 points has stuck in these 4 rounds since the break. Is it within possibility that we could have a 2nd conundrum game It's been nearly a year since it last happened. You would say the pressure is on Jonathan, as he needs to get this conundrum, or he's done for, but I'm sure both will be feeling an insurmountable amount of pressure, especially as there are some many legends in the audience watching it too. (I certainly wouldn't want to be in either of their shoes (mainly cos they're too small for my size 12 feet. ))

Well, here we go.......................

Round 15: H A T E S S N O W

C2 buzzes on 1 second to say STONEWASH which is correct.
Score: 94–94 (max 117)

OH MY WORD!! Well, what do you know, the inevitable has happened. A super lightning fast solve by Jonathan has arrived, leaving the scores at 94 all.

Pffft, I think I'll need another mighty burst. This game has already exceeded my expectations, and we have a second conundrum to sort it makes it even more incredible

So, it really is DO OR DIE TIME!!!!









Tie-break conundrum: S C A N T F A R M


Here goes the clock.............:

0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0.25
0
0
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0
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0.5
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0.75 BELLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL

C2 buzzes on 0.75 seconds to say CRAFTSMAN which is correct.
Final Score: 94–104 (max 117)

OH MY GOOD LORD!!!! If that first conundrum was the appetiser, then this was the main course What a way to finish the preliminaries

GOING INTO OVERLOAD GOING INTO OVERLOAD GOING INTO OVERLOAD GOING INTO OVERLOAD GOING INTO OVERLOAD GOING INTO OVERLOAD GOING INTO OVERLOAD

Crikey blimey!!! That was one of, if not THE BEST episodes of Countdown ever

Jonathan and Ed, you are a credit to the game. The atmosphere was tense, but friendly and made it an enjoyable spectacle, and neither of you buckled when under extreme pressure. And to finish the way it did is just testament to how brilliant this match was.

And like, Mark, Ben and Nick last week, it is a unjust shame that one of you had to be knocked out so early, but rules are rules, but I'm sure Ed won't mind, as he has the Series 64 title back home to look on.

And Jonathan's reward, if you can call it a reward, is a match with yesterday's victor, Andrew Hulme, in 3 weeks time.

So, because of scheduling conflicts, I'll be switching recaps next week with Graeme and Jack, so I'll be here on Monday and Tuesday with the first round matches between Kai Laddiman v Jon O'Neill and Chris Hawkins v Jill Bright.

Right, I think I need a lie down now. This is just so unbelievable that ALL this happened in one single game

That's the magic of Countdown for you. It's been doing it proudly for 30 years. Let's hope for another 30 based on this match alone.

So, till Monday, if you've not been frozen over the weekend, bye bye, and take care of yourselves.

Statistics Corner

Ed:
Total score - 94 (94)
Raw score - 100 (100)
Total % of max - 80 (80)
Raw % of max - 85 (85)
Total average score per round - 6.3 (5.9)
Raw average score per round - 6.7 (6.3)
Number of maxes - 12 (12)

Jonathan:
Total score - 94 (104)
Raw score - 94 (104)
Total % of max - 80 (89)
Raw % of max - 80 (89)
Total average score per round - 6.3 (6.5)
Raw average score per round - 6.3 (6.5)
Number of maxes - 12 (13)

Further summaries are at:
http://www.apterous.org/cdb/series.php?series=-16

Can you put some spoiler space between the 2nd conundrum and the answer please? It's too late for me, but someone else might benefit...

James Robinson wrote:Round 9: A M D O E P D M N

C1: POMADED (7)
C2: POMADED (7)
Score: 51–51 (max 64)

Double double darren time now. This inhaler will be going into overdrive soon, I'm sure.

Why is this a double double darren? It's a darren, sure, but it's not a double darren as there are 6s.

Kirk Bevins wrote:

James Robinson wrote:Round 9: A M D O E P D M N

C1: POMADED (7)
C2: POMADED (7)
Score: 51–51 (max 64)

Double double darren time now. This inhaler will be going into overdrive soon, I'm sure.

Why is this a double double darren? It's a darren, sure, but it's not a double darren as there are 6s.

I think he means it's a double in that both players got it, and also a double in the sense that they've done that two rounds running now. (But you're right that double-darren means a darrenic n with no n-1 available.)

So what's it called if both players get two consecutive darrenic n's, neither of which has any n-1s? A double double double darren, or a triple double darren?

Jon Corby wrote:Can you put some spoiler space between the 2nd conundrum and the answer please? It's too late for me, but someone else might benefit...

Request granted.

Jon Corby wrote:

Kirk Bevins wrote:

James Robinson wrote:Round 9: A M D O E P D M N

C1: POMADED (7)
C2: POMADED (7)
Score: 51–51 (max 64)

Double double darren time now. This inhaler will be going into overdrive soon, I'm sure.

Why is this a double double darren? It's a darren, sure, but it's not a double darren as there are 6s.

I think he means it's a double in that both players got it, and also a double in the sense that they've done that two rounds running now. (But you're right that double-darren means a darrenic n with no n-1 available.)

Oh, my apologies, I didn't realise that what you say is the true meaning of a double darren. So, as Johnny says, what is the official term for that

James Robinson wrote:

Jon Corby wrote:Can you put some spoiler space between the 2nd conundrum and the answer please? It's too late for me, but someone else might benefit...

Request granted.

I don't mean to sound ungrateful, but it really hasn't been. You've just put space before the 2nd conundrum is revealed, the answer is still right below it.

Jon Corby wrote:

James Robinson wrote:

Jon Corby wrote:Can you put some spoiler space between the 2nd conundrum and the answer please? It's too late for me, but someone else might benefit...

Request granted.

I don't mean to sound ungrateful, but it really hasn't been. You've just put space before the 2nd conundrum is revealed, the answer is still right below it.

Better now

James Robinson wrote:Better now

I think it is, especially the subliminal message to Corby.

Jon Corby wrote:I don't mean to sound ungrateful, but it really hasn't been. You've just put space before the 2nd conundrum is revealed, the answer is still right below it.

James Robinson wrote:BELLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL

Jon O'Neill wrote:

James Robinson wrote:Better now

I think it is, especially the subliminal message to Corby.

James Robinson wrote:BELLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL

Hey!

James is awesome.

Eoin Monaghan wrote:James is awesome.

Me "like" this comment.