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This episode's repeat was broadcast on Monday 25th May 2020.
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00:20Good afternoon and welcome to the Countdown Studio, Monday the 28th of January, and what
00:24I'm about to tell you I have not made up.
00:27It's been called the oldest art form in the world, it's storytelling, and I'm delighted
00:32to tell you that this week is National Storytelling Week, a very worthwhile sort of week.
00:37We have some crazy weeks, but this is a good one, and I think that in the Jewish community,
00:41certainly in mainland Europe, there was a great tradition of the Jewish storyteller,
00:48mainly religious storytellers, and I had our research department dig up something for me,
00:52they were called indeed Magids. What memories have you got about storytelling?
00:56Were you sat at your mother's knee? Not from memory. My granddad, my Zadie,
01:02always used to tell little poems that you'd reel off over and over, but we're all A.A. Milne
01:06fans in my family. All right. A lot of that, but yeah, Zadie used to like little silly rhymes,
01:11which we still get now. Lovely. Who have we got with us today? We've got Christine Hunt,
01:15a finalist from 1984. Welcome back, Christine. You live in Bugbrook, I think in Northamptonshire,
01:21near where I live actually, and the last time you were on, you were expecting a child. Yeah. A little
01:28girl. Yeah. You called her Charlotte. Yes. And she's here today. She is. Where is she? Let's have a look
01:33at this Charlotte. A little wave. There she is. Is she promising as a countdown sort of contestant,
01:40a follower of the game? She enjoys watching. She's not keen on taking part yet, but hopefully
01:45after today, she will. Exactly. I'll have a word with her later on. What's this about zip lining?
01:50A few years ago, we went on holiday to Costa Rica. Yes. And we had the opportunity to zip line,
01:56which is going on some wires right on the top of the rainforest. Amazing. So you're really high.
02:01How interesting, because Margaret, who was on here last week, is off to Costa Rica. I shall
02:06immediately send her a note saying, would she kind of come back with that tales of her zip lining?
02:12You do that. And I wonder what sort of response I'll get. And you're joined by Sandy Simonis,
02:17who won twice back in 86. And you're secretary, I think, Sandy, of the London Scrabble League
02:24from Pinner. That's right. You're from Pinner. Pinner, yeah. Brilliant. And now you're ranked as an
02:28expert at Scrabble. And you're not the only one in your family to have appeared on countdown. Your
02:33son, I think, was a semi-finalist. Yes, Daniel was. When was that? Oh, about six years later,
02:38I think. All right. And who's the better player? Um, certainly him then. And?
02:45Probably him now as well. Let's see. You put him to shame now. I'll try. Let's have a big round
02:50of applause for Christine and Sandy. As ever, Susie Dent. And joined, of course, by the great Mark
03:01Foster, who's had an Olympics, a great Olympics. You didn't actually perform. Well, you did,
03:05great, but not in your favourite sport. You had a... No, I stayed dry this time. You did,
03:09but you were on the screen all the time. Yes, yeah. Brilliant. Well, I was, I was
03:13Clare Boarding's sidekick with a new Anton deck. Well, you were very, very good. Well, listen,
03:18we're going to talk a lot about the Olympics a little bit later on, but right now we're going
03:21to kick things off. And Christine, take us away. Consonant, please, Rachel. Thank you,
03:28Christine. Start the week with M. And another one, please. C. Underville.
03:36E. And a consonant. H. And another consonant. D. And a vowel. A. Another consonant. T. And another
03:54consonant. R. And a vowel, please. And the last one. E. And here's the countdown clock.
04:03.
04:33now then Christine I'll try nine very good sandy also nine brilliant stuff now
04:41then Christine rematched rematched you both rematched rematched both match
04:46rematched pretty good stuff well it would be I'm going to be very very
04:50unpopular right from the start rematches there is a noun not as a verb oh no oh
04:56no yes it's nothing I'm very sorry oh dear so that's a zero two big two big zeros what have
05:03you got for us mark anything I was really impressed by the nine rematch yes just a
05:08rub salt in the wind that was very cool that was for seven yes charmed for seven
05:13yeah and Susie found an eight cremated cremated very good now then hard luck
05:23ladies but sandy you'll go right consonant please thank you sandy and another
05:31consonant D another consonant are a vowel please a consonant zed her vowel please
05:47vowel E vowel I consonant and the last one M and here's the clog
06:08so
06:17so
06:19so
06:19so
06:35Now, Sandy.
06:37A seven.
06:39A seven.
06:40Christine.
06:41I'll try a seven, too.
06:42OK, Sandy.
06:44Um, Moraine.
06:46Yes.
06:47And Christine.
06:49Romaine.
06:50All right.
06:51Any arguments there?
06:53No, absolutely not.
06:55Romaine lettuce.
06:56And Moraine is a geological term for massive rocks and sediment carried down by a glacier.
07:00They're very good.
07:01Very good indeed.
07:02Now, what has the corner got to offer?
07:05Mark.
07:06She's found the big nine.
07:07I kind of feel guilty about this one, but it's randomised.
07:10So an experiment can be randomised.
07:13With our old friend, Zette.
07:16Yeah.
07:17Very good.
07:18Well done.
07:18Seven all here as we turn to Christine.
07:22Consonant, please, Rachel.
07:23Thank you, Christine.
07:25P.
07:25And another one.
07:28L.
07:29And a vowel.
07:31U.
07:33And another consonant.
07:35T.
07:36And another one.
07:46C.
07:52And a vowel, please.
07:53And the last one.
07:55E.
07:56Clock time.
07:57O.
07:58C.
07:59C.
08:22I.
08:27Christine?
08:28Seven.
08:29And Sandy?
08:30Only a six, I'm afraid.
08:32All right, Sandy.
08:33And your six?
08:34Cutlet.
08:35Cutlet, thank you.
08:37Christine?
08:37Lettuce.
08:39Lettuce.
08:41You're still on the lettuce theme.
08:42Very good, both.
08:44All right, well done.
08:45Fourteen to seven, and in the corner?
08:47There is an eight there.
08:49And if you multiply something by a hundred or by a very large amount,
08:53you centuple it.
08:55So, C-E-N-T-U-P-L-E.
08:57I'll just wait for a nod from Rachel.
09:02Did I see a nod there?
09:04I did, yes, well done.
09:06Fourteen to seven.
09:07I didn't, actually.
09:09Now then, Sandy, off you go.
09:11A consonant, please.
09:12Thank you, Sandy.
09:13R.
09:14And another.
09:17S.
09:17And another.
09:20N.
09:21And another.
09:23A.
09:25A vowel, please.
09:28I.
09:29Another.
09:31A.
09:32Another.
09:35O.
09:36A consonant, please.
09:39B.
09:41And another vowel, please.
09:44And the last one.
09:46A.
09:47Stand by.
09:48A Joanna.
09:49A consonant.
10:03And another gel, please.
10:04Thanks, I.
10:04Let's get to do this one more time.
10:04Thanks,会ver.
10:04Do it today.
10:05Let's cut it toda toda.
10:16Let's do it together.
10:16Great, thank you.
10:17Bye-bye.
10:17A quella line.
10:17And a teammate.
10:19Sandy, I'll try an eight.
10:21Thank you, Christine.
10:22Seven.
10:23And your seven?
10:24Soaring.
10:25Soaring.
10:26Sandy.
10:26I think it's probably not.
10:29Azorbing.
10:30Azorbing.
10:31Okay.
10:32Can you help us there?
10:33Well, we can have absorbing and absorbing.
10:36I'm not sure if we can have Azorbing.
10:37We can't, unfortunately.
10:39Bad luck, Sandy.
10:40That's bad luck, Sandy.
10:41Sorry.
10:41And in the corner, what have we got over there?
10:44After all the Christmas festivities and the sales, we've got bargains for eight.
10:47Well done.
10:48A lot of bargains these days.
10:49Right, Christine, 21 to Sandy, seven.
10:52And, Christine, numbers game.
10:53So, Rachel, awaits your instructions.
10:56Two from the top and any of the four, please.
10:59Thank you, Christine.
11:00Two large and four little ones for the first numbers game this week.
11:04And this time, the little ones are two, seven, six and nine.
11:11And the large two, 25 and 100.
11:13And the target, 474.
11:16Four, four, seven, four.
11:45Four, seven, four.
11:48Christine 475 475 one away Sandy also 475 all right Christine 7 minus 2 is 5 7 minus 2 is
12:005
12:00times 100 centuple the 5 for 500 take away the 25 and minus the 25 yeah for one away
12:08thank you Sandy the same way same way Christine
12:15well done 28 to 14 now Sandy's on 14 Rachel one away possible yes not the most obvious one
12:24if you say 100 minus 25 is 75 and then 9 minus 7 is 2 add the other 2 is
12:344 add that on for 79
12:36and multiply that by 6 yeah very sweet thank you well done well done
12:46never foxed never foxed now then it's time to talk to Mark Mark what an Olympics you had
12:53amazing never off screen so tell us what happened um it was it was literally down to the fact that
12:58I was I was poolside with Claire Balding being a commentator for the BBC um and I was sat there
13:04every evening watching the the live swimming if you like and basically talking about I wasn't a
13:09commentator I was more the pundit yeah so and I think the beauty of it was I had someone sat
13:13next
13:14to me and I think Claire is the and I think that she's become the nation's sweetheart this year but
13:19she's the best in my mind the best sports uh commentator pundit that there is and I think
13:25what she brings is she brings a a passion a knowledge she does a huge amount amount of
13:29research and more than anything she's interested in what's going on and you can't you know she's
13:33she's just so passionate about it whatever sport you put her on this passion comes across and you
13:37can't help but get sucked into it so sat there every evening with her she was if you like the
13:43brains I
13:43had the the knowledge about the swimming and what was going on and we just sort of painted a picture
13:47and I think what really worked was and what Claire's very good at doing is she gives you what's going
13:52on behind the scenes so she she asked the questions what the public want to hear so they said you
13:58know
13:58what's going on before you come onto poolside because you don't see anything you just suddenly
14:02see someone appear on pool these eight people appear behind the blocks and they go ahead and
14:05they swim and it's like well you know before they come out in the call room we all go to
14:08a call room
14:0915 minutes before we actually go for the race so what goes on in there you've got eight different
14:13characters speaking different languages training different parts of the world what are they thinking and
14:17what are they doing before they come onto poolside so we painted the pictures and I think we painted them
14:21quite well you did it perfectly yeah very good indeed very good thank you now then time for two
14:29time teaser which is thou read and the clue hast thou read all the books I've written hast thou read
14:35all the
15:04books I've written
15:06and a consonant please thank you sandy L and another F and another C and a vowel please I and
15:20another U and another O
15:26consonant S vowel E consonant please and the last one R and here's the clock
15:51so
15:59so
16:06so
16:07so
16:09so
16:09so
16:09so
16:09so
16:09so
16:10so
16:10so
16:10so
16:21so
16:24so
16:25so
16:25so
16:27so
16:37so
16:39so
16:39so
16:42so
16:53so
16:55so
16:57so
16:57so
16:57so
17:08so
17:09so
17:10so
17:18so
17:20so
17:23so
17:36so
17:37so
17:38so
17:38so
17:38so
17:52so
17:53so
17:53so
17:54so
17:55so
17:55so
17:56so
17:58so
18:00so
18:07so
18:09so
18:09Suzy
18:10Suzy found swank pot
18:11what's that
18:12a swank pot is a slightly old-fashioned term for a person attempting to impress others
18:17isn't that wonderful
18:17with words like lucifers
18:19well with words like lucifers don't it work
18:20we were impressed
18:22anything else
18:23yes
18:23stop being a swank pot
18:24all right
18:25I'll never do it again
18:2641 to 27
18:28well done
18:28Sandy
18:29take it away
18:29a consonant please
18:31thank you sandy
18:32L
18:33and another
18:35S
18:37and another
18:39H
18:40and another
18:41N
18:44a vowel
18:45please
18:46E
18:47another vowel
18:49U
18:51and another vowel
18:52A
18:54a consonant
18:57P
18:59and
19:01another vowel please
19:02and the last one
19:03E
19:05and they're off
19:37Sandy?
19:38Um, seven.
19:40Christine?
19:41I'll try a seven.
19:42All right.
19:44Sandy?
19:44Unleash.
19:45Unleash.
19:46Yeah, Christine?
19:47I'll try Unheals, but I don't think it will work.
19:50Unheals.
19:51Um, how are you spelling it?
19:53U-N-H-E-L-A-L-S.
19:56Uh, oh, OK.
19:57Um, not sure that actually either are going to be in.
20:00Unhealed is in, but not Unheals.
20:02I'm afraid bad luck.
20:04Very good.
20:05All right.
20:0541 to 34.
20:07Now then, in the corner, can you clear anything up for us?
20:10Well, we just found another seven.
20:12Yes.
20:13Which is peahens.
20:14Yes.
20:14They're female peahowls.
20:17Peahens.
20:17Yes.
20:17Yeah, they make a funny noise, I think.
20:19A bit drabber than the peacock, aren't they, I think.
20:21Yeah, yeah.
20:22Yeah.
20:2241 to 34.
20:23Very good.
20:24Christine?
20:24Letters go.
20:25Continent, please, Rachel.
20:26Thank you, Christine.
20:27X.
20:29And another one.
20:31R.
20:33And another one.
20:35S.
20:36And a vowel.
20:38O.
20:40And another consonant.
20:42D.
20:44And another one.
20:46M.
20:48And another one.
20:50D.
20:52And a vowel.
20:54A.
20:55And another one.
20:56And the last one.
20:58E.
20:59Countdown.
21:00And another one.
21:02And another one.
21:30And another one.
21:30And a vowel.
21:32Christine safe six safe six Sandy I'll go for safe six then as well
21:39Christine adored you're both adored and in the corner what have we got mark Susie
21:47also for seven we've got modders yes nothing to do with mods this is to do with modifications
21:54made in multiplayer games I think they are modders really gaming term yep and also another seven
22:01deodars yes deodars they're tall cedar trees which are native to the Himalayas deodars very good so
22:10Christine 47 to 70s 40 only seven behind but now it is time to look to you Susie Susie's origins
22:16of
22:16words take it away well I've been asked about the origin of a phrase on the face of it seems
22:22to make
22:22sense which is to grasp the nettle to tackle a problem head-on but when you think about it
22:27actually nettle sting and you're not really supposed to get a stung when you tackle a problem so it's got
22:31an interesting story to it apparently the Roman poet Petronius had a slave regularly beat him with
22:38a bunch of nettles in the belief that it would improve his virility and the ancients also held
22:44that the plant was effective against typhoid rheumatism and all sorts of fits and when cooked
22:49of course nettles lose their sting and Samuel Pepys wrote in his diary about enjoying a bowl
22:53of nettle porridge which sounds quite interesting but there is a way of collecting this stinging
23:00plant and that's where this proverb comes from a poem of 1743 tells you the secret and it goes
23:05tender-handed stroke a nettle and it stings you for your pains grasp it like a man of metal and
23:11it's
23:11soft as silk remains apparently if you grasp the nettle you won't get stung really let's all go out and
23:17try
23:18out shall we maybe not very good susie well done sounds like a challenge to me 47 to 40 says
23:26christine's in the lead and sandy now it's a numbers game there's uh rachel waiting for you i have one
23:31from the top and five from anywhere you want thank you sandy one large one and five little ones and
23:36hopefully keeping it fairly straightforward we shall see the numbers are four nine eight another nine
23:44six and the large one 25 and the target 307 307
23:56so
24:23sandy 307 well done christine no i've got it wrong
24:27bad luck bad luck bad luck now then sandy i hope this is right um four plus eight is yes
24:3412
24:35four plus eight 12 times 25 300 um nine divided by nine is one yep plus six seven and added
24:44on to
24:45the well done you're there 307 very good well done well done
24:50that springs you into a three-point lead 52 christine's 47 but now it's time for a tea time
24:57teaser which is lace band and the clue the right kind of diet for a tightrope walker perhaps
25:04the right kind of diet for a tightrope walker perhaps
25:21welcome back i left you with the clue the right kind of diet for a tightrope walker perhaps and of
25:27course the answer is a balanced diet balanced diet and things are fairly well balanced here as well
25:34well sounding on 50 christine on 47 christine do you want to regain the lead off you go
25:39i'll try
25:41a consonant please thank you christine
25:43v
25:44and another one
25:47b
25:48and a vowel please
25:50u
25:51and another consonant
25:54r
25:55and another one
25:57n
25:58and a vowel please
26:01e
26:01and a consonant
26:04G
26:06And another one
26:09R
26:09And a vowel
26:10And the last one
26:12I
26:14And here's the countdown clock
26:46Christine
26:46A six
26:47A six, Sandy
26:48I hope a seven
26:50Right, so Christine
26:52Erring
26:53Erring, and Sandy
26:55Bringer
26:57Happy?
26:58Very happy, you can be a bringer of good news
27:00Yes indeed, a harbinger
27:01Absolutely, yep, they're both fine
27:03Very good, and what else have you got to offer?
27:06Mark, anything interesting?
27:07Yes
27:07Burring
27:08Burring
27:08That is to speak with a regional accent
27:11Especially one in which the letter R is prominent
27:13A bit West Country
27:14West Country, Burr, yeah, absolutely
27:16Brizzle and all that sort of stuff
27:18Very good, 47 to Sandy's 57
27:21And now Sandy, it's your letters again
27:24I have a consonant please, Rachel
27:26Thank you, Sandy
27:27W
27:28And another
27:30T
27:31And another
27:32J
27:34Vowel please
27:37A
27:39Another vowel
27:41I
27:42Another vowel
27:44E
27:46A consonant please
27:49R
27:53Another consonant
27:56S
27:57S
27:58Sorry, what's that?
27:59And another
28:01Consonant please
28:02And the last one
28:03D
28:04And off
28:05R
28:07And a vowel
28:36Sandy?
28:38Seven.
28:39Christine?
28:40Seven as well.
28:41Okay, Sandy, seven?
28:42Waiters.
28:43Waiters, thank you.
28:45Two waiters?
28:45Waiters.
28:46Two waitresses.
28:47In the corner.
28:48Can't wait any more.
28:49What have you got?
28:50Similar theme, really.
28:51Sevens.
28:52We had wariest.
28:53And tirades.
28:55Tirades.
28:55Yeah, but no further than that.
28:57All right.
28:5764 plays.
28:5854.
28:59Still in touch there, Christine.
29:01And it's your letters game.
29:03Consonant, please, Rachel.
29:04Thank you, Christine.
29:05T.
29:06And another one.
29:09R.
29:10And a vowel.
29:11O.
29:12And another consonant.
29:15T.
29:16And a consonant.
29:19S.
29:24And another one.
29:28Let's move along away from that.
29:31V.
29:32Oh, I spoke to you.
29:34And a vowel, please.
29:37E.
29:39And a consonant.
29:42L.
29:46And a vowel, please.
29:46And the last one.
29:49A.
29:50And here's the clock.
30:07And a vowel, please.
30:08And a vowel, please.
30:08And a vowel, please.
30:08And a vowel, please.
30:09And a vowel, please.
30:09And a vowel, please.
30:09And a vowel, please.
30:09And a vowel, please.
30:11And a vowel, please.
30:11And a vowel, please.
30:16And a vowel, please.
30:21Yes, Christine?
30:23Seven.
30:24Sandy?
30:25Yes, also seven.
30:26Christine?
30:27Troubles.
30:29Sandy?
30:30Rattles.
30:31Rattles.
30:32Happy enough?
30:33Yes.
30:34Anything else?
30:34Couldn't get me on seven again, in this one, I'm afraid.
30:38Nothing exciting?
30:39Very similar, nothing exciting at all.
30:4171 to 61.
30:43Now then, Sandy, it's a numbers game, and it's down to you.
30:46I have one large and five small, please.
30:50Thank you, Sandy.
30:50Worked well for you last time.
30:52One from the top, and five little ones for today's last numbers game.
30:56And for this round, they are nine, six, ten, five, another ten, and 50.
31:04And the last target, 537.
31:06537.
31:39And the last target, they are nine, six, ten, five, three, nine, five, three, nine, two away.
31:46Now, what have you got, Christine?
31:48Five, three, five.
31:49Five, three, five, two away.
31:50All right, this is getting interesting.
31:53Moving towards a different climax.
31:54Sandy?
31:55Oh, 50 times 10 is 500.
31:5950 times 10, 500.
32:01Six times 5 is 30.
32:03Yep.
32:03And add the nine.
32:05And, yep, two above, 539.
32:07Very good.
32:08Now then, Christine?
32:0950 times 10 is 500.
32:11Yep.
32:1210 times 5 is 50.
32:1410, the other 10 times 5, 50.
32:16Add the time to make 550.
32:18550.
32:209 plus 6 is 15.
32:21Take it away.
32:23Yep.
32:23And you haven't used any of those?
32:25Well done.
32:26Very good.
32:26So, now, come on, Rachel.
32:27Is it possible?
32:28Five, three, seven, please.
32:29It is.
32:31If you say 50 plus 10 is 60.
32:35Times by 9 is 540.
32:38And then 6 times 5 is 30.
32:4130 over 10 is 3.
32:43And take it away for 5, 3, 7.
32:44Excellent.
32:45Excellent.
32:46She never lets us down.
32:48She never lets us down.
32:49But now, we've come to the final round.
32:52Conundrum time.
32:53A crucial conundrum time, ladies.
32:55So, fingers on buzzers, please.
32:58It's the big one.
32:59Let's reveal today's countdown conundrum.
33:24Christine?
33:26Unshugged?
33:27Let's see whether you're right.
33:30Oh, well done.
33:33Excellent.
33:35Well done.
33:36Christine, that draws you level.
33:3878, 78.
33:39And you know what that means?
33:41We're going to go again.
33:42Right.
33:42Fingers on buzzers, please.
33:44Our second conundrum of the day.
33:56Fingers on buzzers, please.
34:12Christine?
34:13Is it sinusitis?
34:15Oh, brilliant.
34:15My word.
34:16Let's have a look.
34:19Oh, well done.
34:20Well done.
34:25Did you see?
34:26Terrific stuff.
34:27Terrific.
34:2788 to 78.
34:28That means you're propelled into the final 16 in the search for the champion of champions over 30 years.
34:35So, well done.
34:36Bad luck, Sandy.
34:37She got the old speedy finger there, that's for sure.
34:40So, we're sending you home with a lump of invaluable kryptonite and a teapot.
34:46That is...
34:47Back to Pinner.
34:49You've got teapots already.
34:50I've not got teapot.
34:51We didn't have them in those days.
34:52Well, now you've got one.
34:53That is absolutely wonderful.
34:54Brilliant.
34:54Can I just say, it's been wonderful to come back.
34:56Well, it's been great to see you.
34:56Even though I lost, but it's been absolutely lovely and wonderful.
34:59Wonderful.
34:59Well done.
35:00Good to see you.
35:00Travel safely.
35:02And we shall see you, young lady, in a few weeks' time.
35:05We'll see you tomorrow.
35:06Mark, back tomorrow.
35:08More Olympics.
35:08Great stuff, Rachel.
35:09More brilliance from you, as ever.
35:11And there'll be more brilliance here tomorrow.
35:13These are the cream from 30 years.
35:15There'll be more of it tomorrow.
35:16So, same time, same place.
35:18You be sure of it.
35:19Good afternoon.
35:31Three critically endangered African penguins are being prepped to be released back into
35:35the ocean and work on the wild side today at four.
35:39The Place in the Sun is here next as we trek up the Sierra Nevada mountain range.
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