Tuesday 25th June (Series 68, QF 4)

[Andy Platt]

Countdown recap for Tuesday 25 June 2013.

C1: Champion Joe McGonigle (8 wins, 716 points) - the final octochamp from earlier in the series returns for the final QF. He's a croupier in a casino in Stockport.
C2: Champion Sam McElhinney (4 wins, 393 points) - comprising the other half of today's clan war is Sam McElhinney who would have almost certainly won 8 games himself had he not been beaten by some cocky prick in his fifth game.
DC: Susie Dent and Myleene Klass.
RR: Rachel Riley.
OT: Other words or solutions.

R01: R O T A M E V I T
R02: O N L A E F T P I
R03: 75, 6, 7, 10, 5, 7. Target: 484.
TTT: THEIRACT - "Their act could easily be described as this."
R04: C S E O R T I C X
R05: G T R A E N D I J
R06: 50, 75, 25, 2, 9, 8. Target: 501.
R07: N E T A R O B G I
R08: U I T H S L O W N
R09: 25, 5, 7, 1, 4, 10. Target: 397.
TTT: NICKREST - "Nick takes a rest to prevent him from becoming this."
R10: E E L S V N Q P A
R11: L O U D E S D T O
R12: E R N A I Z S A B
R13: R E S M A O E H O
R14: 100, 75, 50, 4, 2, 6. Target: 840.
R15: H Y P O D O R I C (conundrum)


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Enjoy the show.

Round 1: R O T A M E V I T

C1: MOTIVATE (8)
C2: motivater
DC: AMORETTI (8)
OT: ROTATIVE (8)
Score: 8–0 (max 8)

It's an unlucky start for Sam. Most of us online nerds might know that this sort of construction (see round 9) stopped being valid a while ago. It's also a good example of how Countdown letters rounds aren't just a test of spotting words. Just as important is having the word knowledge to know what is valid and what is not.

Round 2: O N L A E F T P I

C1: FINALE (6)
C2: topline
DC: TOENAIL (7)
OT: ELATION (7) FLEAPIT (7) FOLIATE (7) INFLATE (7) OPALINE (7) PANTILE (7) POLENTA (7)
Score: 14–0 (max 15)

Sam risks a dodgy word that, as he soon finds out from Joe only declaring a six, was actually an unnecessary risk. Had the order of declaration been the reverse, I reckon we might have been seeing Sam playing a valid six instead of a dodgy seven there. That is simply sometimes how it works out in this game, unfortunately.

Round 3: 75, 6, 7, 10, 5, 7. Target: 484.

C1: 484. (75 − 5) × 7 − 6 (10)
C2: 484. 6 × 75 + 7 × 7 − 10 − 5 (10)
Score: 24–10 (max 25)

Yep, could have been an easier numbers solve I guess, but both contestants do a good job. Sam's method is a little inefficient but any valid method is the right one.


Teatime teaser: THEIRACT -> THEATRIC


Round 4: C S E O R T I C X

C1: EXORCIST (8)
C2: ESCORT (6)
DC: CORTICES (8)
Score: 32–10 (max 33)

Boom. Really good spot by Joe and it opens up a lead that is wider than a hippo's yawn. Going to be really hard for Sam to come back from this many points down with Joe in this sort of form.

Round 5: G T R A E N D I J

C1: TREADING (8)
C2: TREADING (8)
DC: GRADIENT (8)
OT: DERATING (8)
Score: 40–18 (max 41)

Solid stuff from both contestants. Sam nearly doubles his score in the process. Joe one point off the max. DERATING looks awkward but is apparently valid.

Round 6: 50, 75, 25, 2, 9, 8. Target: 501.

C1: 500. 50 × 9 + 75 − 25 (7)
C2: 500. (8 + 2) × 50 (7)
RR: 501. (75 − 9) × 8 − 2 − 25 (10)
Score: 47–25 (max 51)

It's not a straightforward numbers round again - this one is just out of range for our contestants today. Rachel cleans it up like a Henry Hoover on acid.


Normally I mention what the guest talks about here, but I don't have time and can't remember. Soz like. Was it interesting? Tell us about it in a letter.


Round 7: N E T A R O B G I

C1: BERATING (8)
C2: REBATING (8)
DC: BARITONE (8)
OT: ABORTING (8) OBTAINER (8)
Score: 55–33 (max 59)

Yeah, never gonna be a 9 from that. So both contestants clear up the round with solid eights - DC mention the more musical and poetic BARITONE which is another one of the five eights available.

Round 8: U I T H S L O W N

C1: SHOWN (5)
C2: LOUTISH (7)
OT: LUTINOS (7) TOWNISH (7) WHOLIST (7)
Score: 55–40 (max 66)

Hello there! Sam risks a seven and it's totally fine. He's quietly put in a really good few rounds in a row and has crept back up to 15 points behind. If he can win one net round over the rest of the game (barring some weird situation where it's like 4 points to zero) then he can force a crucial. But it's only round 8 and there's still a lot of Counting Down to be done between now and then.

Round 9: 25, 5, 7, 1, 4, 10. Target: 397.

C1: 397. 25 × 4 × (5 − 1) − (10 − 7) (10)
C2: 397. (10 + 5 + 1) × 25 − (7 − 4) (10)
Score: 65–50 (max 76)

The score keeps ticking over for both contestants with more good solid numbers play.


Teatime teaser: NICKREST -> STRICKEN


Round 10: E E L S V N Q P A

C1: PLANES (6)
C2: PANELS (6)
DC: LEAVENS (7)
OT: ENSLAVE (7)
Score: 71–56 (max 83)

Gettable but difficult sevens escape both contestants as they share the round again. Joe still maintains his lead, but somehow it doesn't look all that secure that he can keep his nose above the metaphorical water that is the 10 point lead.

Round 11: L O U D E S D T O

C1: LOUDEST (7)
C2: LOUDEST (7)
DC: DOODLES (7) TODDLES (7)
OT: OUTDOES (7) OUTSOLD (7) OUTSOLE (7) STOOLED (7) TOUSLED (7)
Score: 78–63 (max 90)

LOUDEST nearly gets spelt out at the start of this round, making this round one of the easiest rounds to max in Countdown history.


Again, normally there would be some stuff here about certain origins of certain words, but I can't remember and can't be bothered loading up 4oD on my painfully slow internet to tell you.


Round 12: E R N A I Z S A B

C1: BRAINS (6)
C2: BAIZES (6)
DC: AIRBASE (7)
OT: BRAZENS (7) ZAREBAS (7) ZARIBAS (7)
Score: 84–69 (max 97)

A few difficult sevens are hidden away here, as both contestants get sixes. Sam's is massively controversial as a lot of us held the opinion on the day that BAIZES ought to have been disallowed, but as Gevin has just pointed out in the other thread, then it was allowed in 2011 (ie, the same edition of the ODE3), and as such I am actually very happy to see them accept it again. More important than the decision to allow or disallow it is to just be consistent with their decision-making. Good call Damian/Susie in my book.

Round 13: R E S M A O E H O

C1: REHOMES (7)
C2: REHOMES (7)
OT: MAHSEER (7)
Score: 91–76 (max 104)

Awesome seven from both contestants - Sam might have been hoping he had Joe here, but Joe staves off his comeback with a max. That's as good as he can do. Good play under pressure and that semi-final berth against young Giles Hutchings is just one step away.

Round 14: 100, 75, 50, 4, 2, 6. Target: 840.

C1: 844. 4 × 2 × 100 + 50 − 6 (7)
C2: 844. 4 × 2 × 100 + 50 − 6 (7)
RR: 841.
OT: 840. ((75 − 4) × 2 − 100 ÷ 50) × 6 (10)
Score: 98–83 (max 114)

That was Sam's chance. It's a tough numbers, and he couldn't come up with it under pressure. You'd have to think though, hopefully without being too harsh, that someone who is quite used to the studio pressure, and comfortable enough with 3 large to consistently choose it throughout their run, should arguably do better than 4 away here. Either way, decent job from Joe to hang on to the 11+ point lead and secure the unenviable task of playing The Typhoon.

Round 15: H Y P O D O R I C

C1 buzzes on 1.5 seconds to say CHIROPODY which is correct.
Final Score: 108–83 (max 124)

Pretty quick solve to cap a pretty good performance by young Joe there. So, Sam goes back to his new finance job and Joe goes on to bigger and better opponents. I think, with all due respect, that he might have to step up a gear to give Giles a good game, if we are being truthful, as he lacks a little consistency with his letters. But we'll see!

Join, um, Some Guy for the recap of the first Semi-Final tomorrow. I think it's James, but you never know with the crazy shenanigans over at the c4c forum.


Further summaries are at:
http://www.apterous.org/cdb/series.php?series=68

[Tony Atkins]

For the record:

Buying a piano anonymously for a friend and being told she plays like a man.

Origin of camouflage.

Also no mention of Ryan Giggs turning up at the end to surprise Rachel on her 1000th show.

[Peter Mabey]

TTT: THEIRACT - "Their act could easily be described as this."

I made this CHATTIER, which seems to fit the clue. too

[Andy Platt]

That's actually the one I got from the audience too - didn't hear the clue but I can see where you're coming from for sure