c4countdown

Countdown recap for Friday 10th October 2008.

C1: CHAMPION: KAI LADDIMAN ...( 6 wins, 560 points, lowest score 89, highest score 97, 6/6 conundrums )
C2: CHALLENGER: HARDEV RAIKMO

DC: Susie Dent and Nicholas Owen.
CV: Carol Vorderman.
OT: Other words or solutions.
DC: Appearing in numbers rounds is my solution.
GS: Generated solution (numbers round)

R01: H R S A O A C F N
R02: S E L D I U T N Q
R03: C A I R G B E R S
R04: Z S O E G L I P Y
R05: 50, 25, 10, 9, 9, 8. Target: 625.
TTT: GRILLBUN - "A place to be charged in Birmingham or Seville"
R06: K R U A S B E O P
R07: R S E O P N D I N
R08: T H E N P O O F R
R09: L E S I D C E T M
R10: 100, 8, 8, 4, 3, 10. Target: 636.
TTT: MARSDUST - "Hot stuff to the English and French"
R11: D T N A E R M I M
R12: W S L O A V U E T
R13: D O E T N X A M S
R14: 75, 5, 1, 3, 2, 8. Target: 643.
R15: R E D F I N G E R (conundrum)


SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER
SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER
SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER
SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER
SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER


Round 1: H R S A O A C F N

C1: CRASH (5)
C2: RANCH (5)
DC: ANCHORS (7)
OT: ANARCHS (7), ARCHONS (PM, 7), ACORNS (6), ANARCH (6), ANCHOS (6), ARCHON (6), ASHCAN (6), CHARAS (6), FRACAS (6), NACHAS (6), NACHOS (6), NARCOS (6), ORACHS (6), RACONS (6), SHOFAR (6)*
Score: 5–5 (max 7)

*I'm aware some people don't like to see long lists of sub-optimal words, but there were so many interesting 6's that contain no "E" I figured they were all worthy of inclusion.


Round 2: S E L D I U T N Q

C1: SQUINTED (8)
C2: QUILTS (6)
DC: INSULTED (8), UNLISTED (8)
OT: DILUENTS (8), DENTILS (7), INDULTS (7), INQUEST (7), QUINTES (7), UTENSIL (7)
Score: 13–5 (max 15)


Round 3: C A I R G B E R S

C1: CARRIES (7)
C2: SCARIER (7)
DC: ASCRIBE (7)
OT: RIBCAGES (JF+DoD, 8), BRACERS (7), GRICERS (7), SCRIBER (7)
Score: 20–12 (max 23)


Round 4: Z S O E G L I P Y

C1: POLES (5)
C2: SPOIL (5)
DC: GOSPEL (6)
OT: GLOZES (PM, 6), PILOSE (DoD, 6), POLEIS (6)
Score: 25–17 (max 29)


Round 5: 50, 25, 10, 9, 9, 8. Target: 625.

C1: 625. 50 / ( 10 - 8 ) * 25 =(10)
C2: 624. not explained. =(7)
Score: 35–17 (max 39)


Teatime teaser: GRILLBUN -> BULLRING


Round 6: K R U A S B E O P

C1: BAKERS (6)
C2: POKERS (6)
DC: PRESOAK (7)
OT: ARKOSE (6), BOURSE (6), BURKAS (6), KAPURS (6), PEROBA (6), SUPERB (6), UPROSE (6), many more less interesting 6's.
NOT: break-ups (x) - it's hyphenated.
Score: 41–23 (max 46)


Round 7: R S E O P N D I N

C1: PONDERS (7)
C2: RESPOND (7)
DC: PRISONED (8)
OT: INDORSE (7), ROSINED (7), ORPINES (7)
Score: 48–30 (max 54)


Round 8: T H E N P O O F R - generated much humour, can't imagine why haha?

C1: HOOTER (6)
C2: POOFTER (7)
OT: FORETOP (7), PRONTO (7), PROTON (7), POTHER (7), PRONTO (7), THORPE (7)
Score: 48–37 (max 61)


Round 9: L E S I D C E T M - generated more humour, first few letters in particular.

C1: SLICED (6)
C2: MEDICS (6)
DC: EMETICS (7)
OT: DECILES (7), DELICTS (7), MILDEST (7), SMELTED (7), TIMESED (7)
Score: 54–43 (max 68)


Round 10: 100, 8, 8, 4, 3, 10. Target: 636.

C1: 636x. ( 8 + 1 ) * 75 - ( 5 * 3 * 2 ) =(X)
C2: 636. ( 10 - 3 ) * 100 - ( 8 * 8 ) =(10)
MK: 636. 8 * 8 * 10 - 4 =(10) *
Score: 54–53 (max 78)


Mark's solution shows the reason why working on 6 small sometimes has the added benefit of reaching targets in 1 large rounds by looking at it as you would a 6 small game. This is how I did it too in the last few seconds. I didn't see C2's method which is rather clever I think we agree.


Teatime teaser: MARSDUST -> MUSTARDS


Round 11: D T N A E R M I M

C1: TRAINED (7)
C2: marined (X)
DC: MERMAID (7), MINARET (7)
OT: DETRAIN (7), MARMITE (7), MEDIANT (7), MERANTI (7), RAIMENT (7), MIDTERM (7), TRIMMED (7), READMIT (7)
Score: 61–53 (max 85)


Round 12: W S L O A V U E T

C1: VOWELS (6) - There's four of them up there, he says.
C2: VALUES (6)
DC: OVULATES (8)
OT: OUTLAWS (Dod, 7), OVULATE (7), SOLVATE (7), VOLUTES (7)
Score: 67–59 (max 93)


Round 13: D O E T N X A M S

C1: TANDEMS (7)
C2: STONED (6)
DC: DONATES (7)
OT: DAEMONS (7), MASONED (7), ENDMOST (7)
Score: 74–59 (max 100)


Round 14: 75, 5, 1, 3, 2, 8. Target: 643.

C1: 645. ( 8 + 1 ) * 75 - ( 5 * 3 * 2 ) (7)
C2: -X- . Nothing declared.
CV: 643. ( 75 + 5 ) * 8 + 3 = (10)
Score: 81–59 (max 110)


Round 15: R E D F I N G E R

C1 : does not postpone, put off or suspend offering a solution any longer than about 3 seconds.

.............
.............

C1 : DEFERRING is the correct answer

Score: 91–59 (max 120)

Further summaries are at:
http://www.apterous.org/cdb/series.php?series=59

Current Series Seeds can be seen here..
http://www.countdownwiki.com/Series_59

Following Kai's first seven games I'm thinking several statonerdy-type things such as:

Has there ever been an octochamp whose opponents were all male?
Can Kai beat the Tom Hargreaves record (?) for consistency in octochamp-run scores? (Tom: high of 111, low of 98; Kai so far: high of 97, low of 89...)
Can Kai join the select band of octochamps who got all 8 conundrums?

But I doubt any of this will matter in the slightest to Kai or his family, and nor should it; come what may on Monday, he's done himself and them proud

Also when was the last time there were 2 octochamps back to back?

Also there are a very small number of octochamps who didn't get a century; I believe Joe Zubaidi and someone more recent, but I can't think who. Obviously Kai has a few more bites at the cherry but it would be something interesting for the statonerds.

Dinos Sfyris wrote:Also when was the last time there were 2 octochamps back to back?

Me and John Davies in Series 49 is one possibility....

I cannot believe how many errors were in that recap, I am appalled and dismayed.

Charlie Reams wrote:Also there are a very small number of octochamps who didn't get a century; I believe Joe Zubaidi and someone more recent, but I can't think who. Obviously Kai has a few more bites at the cherry but it would be something interesting for the statonerds.

Chris McHenry ?

David O'Donnell wrote:I cannot believe how many errors were in that recap, I am appalled and dismayed.

Now that's a piss take, haha. Funny stuff. DC

Martin Gardner wrote:

Dinos Sfyris wrote:Also when was the last time there were 2 octochamps back to back?

Me and John Davies in Series 49 is one possibility....

Me & Tony Warren in Serieseseses 54 & 55...?

There were almost four back-to-back octochamps in Series 47-48 - Julia Wilkinson won 8, then Grace Page won 8, then David Nickeas won 7 but lost his eighth game to Danny Hamilton, who in turn won 8. Jon is correct, though, the last two were him followed by Tony Warren.

DaveC wrote: Round 10: 100, 8, 8, 4, 3, 10. Target: 636.

C1: 636x. ( 8 + 1 ) * 75 - ( 5 * 3 * 2 ) =(X)
C2: 636. ( 10 - 3 ) * 100 - ( 8 * 8 ) =(10)
MK: 636. 8 * 8 * 10 - 4 =(10) *
Score: 54–53 (max 78)
I didn't see C2's method which is rather clever I think we agree.

I did it this sexy way as well. There's something very fulfilling about adding or subtracting a large product at the end!

Another great game!

Now, since Kai had come up with such words as BOUNCER, ERECTION, GRAPHIC and HOOTER during his reign, I would like to write a little song for him. This song is a parody of the signature song of our dearly-departed friend Isaac Hayes, but written more positively. With the exception of Kai, it will take all the rest of you back to the '70s. I'm sure Anne Robinson would love this song.

Ready? Here we go.

(In a deep voice,) What is the word we don't want to hear?
Then it sounds like we're giving you a jeer
(Boot!)
You're darn right

What's the word to avoid if you play it cool?
Because remember, he's still in school
(Boot!)
Can ya dig it?

What word could you not say?
If you really wanted him to stay
(Boot!)
Right on

You see this kid Kai is a goo-ood Countdown
(We really want to hear it)
But I'm talking about Kai Laddiman
(Then we can dig it)

It's a very simple word
But I'm sure we all just give bean curd
(Boot!)

This song was written in the hope that Kai at least makes it to the semi-finals in series 59. Kai, I'll just put this in terms that you can understand, but I bet you'll hit puberty faster than we all can say Countdown. To the rest of you, I think he'll sound like Isaac Hayes in no time. That's where my "grown man's body" joke came from!

Kai, good luck in the series and again, I hope you at least make it to the semi-finals!

Jason Larsen wrote: Kai, I'll just put this in terms that you can understand, but I bet you'll hit puberty faster than we all can say Countdown.

This disturbs me.

Kirk, I was implying that he'll show his maturity very soon. No offense at all.

Jason Larsen wrote:Now, since Kai had come up with such words as BOUNCER, ERECTION, GRAPHIC and HOOTER during his reign, I would like to write a little song for him.

I think you will find that Kai actually came up with the word ERECTING and not ERECTION, but hey maybe I am wrong.

Joseph Bolas wrote:

Jason Larsen wrote:Now, since Kai had come up with such words as BOUNCER, ERECTION, GRAPHIC and HOOTER during his reign, I would like to write a little song for him.

I think you will find that Kai actually came up with the word ERECTING and not ERECTION, but hey maybe I am wrong.

Congrats, Joe, you were right.

Kai Laddiman wrote:Congrats, Joe, you were right.

I thought so . So Jason (and anyone else who may be curious) knows, these are all the words Kai came out with:

CROP, TOOT, VANE, DAZED, DRAIN, FLOUR, HOTEL, MERRY, OASIS, PANSY, PATIO, PHONE, PLONK, POLES, RANCH, STEAM, WAILS, WHEAT, ASSENT, BAKERS, CIRCLE, DEPORT, GANNET, HOOTER, MERITS, MOPEDS, ORDEAL, PLATES, PONDER, QUIETS, SINNER, SLICED, SPINES, TOLLED, TONGUE, TURNIP, UNBOLT, UTMOST, VOWELS, WAGONS, WAVIER, BELONGS, BERRIES, BOUNCER, CAJOLES, CALLERS, CAPTION, CARRIES, CERATES, DANGERS, FIXATES, GRAPHIC, HARVEST, LOUNGER, MANGOES, MATCHES, METEORS, MINGLED, OMENTAL, PELTING, PENALTY, PONDERS, PRICERS, SCARRED, SHORTEN, SHORTER, SOUNDLY, SPARING, STAINED, STOPPER, TANDEMS, TANGLES, TRAINED, TRAINED, TRAINED, UNTAMED, CURTSIED, ERECTING, FEASTERS, LOITERED, MINISTER, RETAILED, SQUNITED, TREATING, INCAPABLE, THIRTEENS.

CLAYED and CUDDLER were diasallowed.