Sorry that your usual poster Andy Platt can't make it today, I instead will stand in and upload my second recap.Countdown recap for Friday 27 September 2013.
C1: Champion Ritch Greenwood (2 wins, 150 points.) From Blackpool, in the Manchester Fire Service.
C2: Challenger Callum Todd. A sixth form student from Leeds, whom whilst is an apterite, was not at the time of this recording.
DC: Susie Dent and Katherine Grainger.
RR: Rachel Riley.
OT: Other words or solutions.
R01: D H R K U E I F P
R02: C S D A E A G E L
R03: 75, 25, 8, 4, 6, 2. Target: 483.
TTT: SWORDFAR - "Passes the email onto the strikers, perhaps"
R04: R V L N U I E D R
R05: S B T Y A E O B H
R06: 1, 9, 10, 3, 6, 3. Target: 707.
R07: R M F Z I O A T E
R08: S N P N O E O T G
R09: 4, 10, 5, 2, 7, 10. Target: 889.
TTT: OFTENRUE - "Parents often rue the behaviour of someone this young"
R10: W S N S A I E V N
R11: T C P N O I A G I
R12: M S N J E I O E N
R13: R T Q S G O A E L
R14: 1, 9, 2, 9, 10, 6. Target: 638.
R15: W I N E L O V E R (conundrum)
And now a brief interlude before our main feature:
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Enjoy the show.
Nick opens the show by explaining to us that in this day in history, many, many years ago, the 27th September marks the birth in rail travel, and George Stephenson's trian 'active'. He then recalls his most memorable train ride, dangling his feet out the carriage and watching the Indian countryside go past. He subsequently asks Rachel who recalls her trip in France as an exchange student, and getting her leg caught in the train doors.
Round 1: D H R K U E I F P
C1: PUKIER (6)
C2: HIKER (5)
DC: FRIED, (5) FIRED (5)
OT: DUIKER (6)
Score: 6–0 (max 6)
NOT the nicest way to open the show, with only 5's meeting the eye, however there are 2 obscure 6's. DUIKER's are small African antelopes found in the forest, typically known for the tuft of hair between their horns. Ritch steals an early lead.
Round 2: C S D A E A G E L
C1: CEASED (6)
C2: EAGLES (6)
DC: ESCALADE (8)
Score: 12–6 (max 14)
It seems like there should be words of longer length but our two contenders can only see 6's. Susie on the other hand looks like she could be on good form today with ESCALADE, which is a happening where 4-5 storeys are scaled using ladders in a military attack.
Round 3: 75, 25, 8, 4, 6, 2. Target: 483.
C1: 482.
C2: 483. (75x6)+25+8 (10)
Score: 12–16 (max 24)
Callum pulls off a nice 1 large solve to go back into the lead, just as we go into a teatime teaser.
Teatime teaser: SWORDFAR -> FORWARDS
Round 4: R V L N U I E D R
C1: LIVER (5)
C2: RUINED (6)
DC: UNLIVED (7)
OT: NURDIER (7)
Score: 12–22 (max 31)
Slim pickings once again, but Callum increases his lead with RUINED. DC do come up with one 7 however, UNLIVED is perfectly fine, though it may throw a few people off guard as they might perceive it's meaning incorrectly - like my friend the other day who took the phrase 'His invalid son.' incorrectly.
Round 5: S B T Y A E O B H
C1: SHABBY (6)
C2: ABBOTS (6)
DC: BOBSTAY (7)
Score: 18–28 (max 38)
These certainly aren't favourable selections today! 6's once again maintain the gap at 10. A darrenic 7 is spotted by Susie on fine form, BOBSTAY. Ms. Grainger hangs her head in shame as she failed to spot the boat-themed word.
Round 6: 1, 9, 10, 3, 6, 3. Target: 707.
C1: 720.
C2: -
RR: 708. (7)
OT: 707. ((((9+3)x6)-1)x10)-3 (10)
Score: 18–28 (max 48)
A rather fiendish 6-small chosen by Callum yields no points from our players, but our good recapping friend crosswordtools tells us it is doable, albeit with a difficulty rating of 88%.
Guest Section Time now, and Katherine talks about her training regime, and having the complete her training in all weathers.
Round 7: R M F Z I O A T E
C1: FORMATE (7)
C2: formatize
DC: ATOMIZER (8)
OT: AMORTIZE (8)
Score: 25–28 (max 56)
Only 6's and 5's, but suddenly Callum tries a 9!
sadly it's invalid but plausible-sounding guess. Ritch takes points with his first 7 also.Round 8: S N P N O E O T G
C1: SPOON (5)
C2: TONNES (6)
DC: GENTOOS (7)
Score: 25–34 (max 63)
The ground Ritch gained from Callum's misfortune has been nearly lost again, as he misses TONNES. GENTOOS however, somewhat a Countdown favourite, is there. They're penguins from some of the most southerly points in the Antarctic.
Round 9: 4, 10, 5, 2, 7, 10. Target: 889.
C1: 891. ((7+2)x10x10)-5-4 (7)
C2: 891. ((5+4)x10x10)-7-2 (7)
RR: 889. ((10x10)-2)x(5+4)+7 (10)
Score: 32–41 (max 73)
Both contestants are 2 away in the 2nd six small of the game. Rachel is at hand this time to solve it directly, though.
Teatime teaser: OFTENRUE -> FOURTEEN
Round 10: W S N S A I E V N
C1: SWAINS (6)
C2: INSANE (6)
DC: WAVINESS (8)
Score: 38–47 (max 81)
The gap remains close as they miss another 8, on another relatively boaty theme.
Round 11: T C P N O I A G I
C1: CAPTION (7)
C2: PACING (6)
DC: OPTICIAN (8)
OT: OPIATING (8)
Score: 45–47 (max 89)
Is this a late surge by Ritch? CAPTION for 7 steals it. But maybe at 1 max each they both need to go see an OPTICIAN *ba-dm-tsh*
Nah, I'm just messing, this is good and exciting play.
Susie's origins of words now, and she's continuing to research the origins of London Underground tube station names. Today she talks about Marylbone, associated with the area of Tyburn, where public hangings used to take place.
Round 12: M S N J E I O E N
C1: MONIES (6)
C2: MONIES (6)
DC: NOMINEES (8)
Score: 51–53 (max 97)
Katherine's humble in saying that Susie found the longest word, and not claiming it as a team effort as they spot NOMINEES as the game goes into it's final stages. Close run contest this!
Round 13: R T Q S G O A E L
C1: GAOLERS (7)
C2: STORAGE (7)
DC: LEGATORS (8)
OT: GLOATERS (8)
Score: 58–60 (max 105)
7's from both. 2 more rounds! Who will take it?
Round 14: 1, 9, 2, 9, 10, 6. Target: 638.
C1: 639.
C2: 638. (((10+2)x9)x6)-9-1 (10)
Score: 58–70 (max 115)
Not a crucial as some may have hoped, but a very nice solve from Callum assures he's back tomorrow.
Round 15: W I N E L O V E R
No one buzzes. The answer was WOLVERINE.
Final Score: 58–70 (max 125)
And so there we have it! A very enjoyable show between two likable contestants. Good to see Callum doing before after his regestration to apterous, hopefully we'll see him back in the finals! But who may lie ahead? Well, we'll find out how he does against Adam Dexter on Monday.
Have a nice weekend!
Further summaries are at:
http://cdb.apterous.org/series.php?series=69