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00:30Hello, everybody. Thursday afternoon, another countdown on whether our champion comes crashing down to Earth or is out of this world yet again.
00:39We shall see through 15 rounds of letters and numbers. You were in red today. How are you doing, Rachel?
00:46I'm good. National Space Morning, Afternoon, Week.
00:51Red Planet Day.
00:53Red Planet Day, of course.
00:54Which is Mars, which is named, of course, after the Roman god of war. But lesser known are the two moons, are called Deimos and Phobos, which is actually after the two horses that pulled Mars' chariot, which I love, which all connects.
01:12We're fascinated by Mars, aren't we? It's constant conversation about landing on Mars, missions to Mars, aliens, everything.
01:21Do you have that fascination? Do you have a telescope at the top of your eyes?
01:24I don't think I do.
01:26Well, listen, there's one reason you might want to go, because you would break all sorts of records. And I really like this one. It has such a weak gravity that on Mars, it means that you can jump three times higher or further.
01:40So that might be quite fun, you know what I mean? If the dust clouds and this sereney cold temperature.
01:46I'll tell you what, you go first, you let me know how it is, and then I'll decide if I want to join you.
01:50I'll send you a postcard, I really will. Well, listen, forget about life on Mars, let's just worry about Dictionary Corner.
01:56Look what we have. Everything gravitates around our Susie Dent on Countdown, our Guardian of the Dictionary, and alongside her, that very much looks like the surface of Mars, that topic.
02:10Well, I heard you were talking about Mars, and I thought I'd coordinate. Yes, don't believe a word of that. Don't believe a word of that. Sarah Davies.
02:19Can we talk a bit of crafts today? Oh, yes. We haven't done that yet. Queen of Craft, Queen of Craft, we'll talk about that.
02:25Well, listen, we only have a handful of episodes left, of course, because next Thursday, Thursday next week's our first quarterfinal of Series 90.
02:33Chris Kirby just won when any, broke a century, and you never know, we could have another octal champ to add. Unbelievable. How are you feeling, Chris?
02:43Yeah, I feel pretty good.
02:44Big expectation today, but not the highlight of your life. That involves one Freddie Flintoff. Tell me about that.
02:50Yeah, so played a T20 game against Andrew Flintoff, so I played cricket about eight years ago.
02:56Managed to stand my weekkeeper as well, so I actually managed to stump him out, but I think he gave it to me, to be fair.
03:01Right, right. Really nice guy, lovely guy, sort of stuck around afterwards, had a chat with everyone.
03:06Yeah. Yeah, very nice man.
03:07Well, Smriti Jane is hoping that today will be the day to write home about Smriti. How are you?
03:13I'm good, a bit nervous. Yeah, good. But very excited to be here.
03:17Now, listen, we get people to join us from all over the nation, but rarely central London, which I think gets a bad rap.
03:25I've lived in central London for a while. I'm a country boy now, but you're St John's Wood.
03:30Yes.
03:30Tell me a little bit, because I know it about that love of London.
03:34I love the diversity of London. It's very cosmopolitan.
03:38I love the fact that I've got the park next to me and theatre, and yet it's far away from the hustle bustle of city life.
03:48Really nice to have you. Best of luck to you.
03:52Will she be taking a teapot back to St John's Wood?
03:55You've got your work cut out with Chris. Let's find out. Good luck.
03:57And Chris, you're first up.
04:01Good afternoon, Rachel.
04:02Afternoon, Chris.
04:03Can I start with a consonant, please?
04:04You can indeed. Start today with S.
04:07And a vowel.
04:09A.
04:10A consonant.
04:12W.
04:13A vowel.
04:13E.
04:15Consonant.
04:17T.
04:19A vowel.
04:20I.
04:23A consonant.
04:25G.
04:27Another consonant.
04:30R.
04:31And a final vowel, please.
04:38Final E.
04:39At home and in the studio, let's play Countdown.
04:42WHIPS
04:43F.
04:43A consonant.
04:43And a vowel вдруг.
04:45Aüssel.
04:51And a vowel.
04:54Jan.
04:55The EAND.
04:56Two o'clock.
04:57Every time.
04:57A ì œí’ˆ soon.
04:57The END.
04:59A defender.
04:59AhornLife.
04:59A者.
05:00AONAVIR.
05:00magnets.
05:00Aeter permite.
05:01A
05:05yol.
05:06A
05:07A
05:08A
05:08A
05:08A
05:10ör.
05:10A
05:11lut.
05:11And that's time. Chris? Eight. Smriti? Seven.
05:15What a start, though. What's the seven? Waiters.
05:18What eight have you spotted? Weariest. Weariest. Very good.
05:21There you go. APPLAUSE
05:24What have you got over there? We had weariest, but we also had sweatier.
05:28Well spotted. Well spotted. No need to sweat yet, Smriti. Off you go.
05:32Can I please have a vowel? You can indeed. Thank you, Smriti.
05:35U. Another vowel, please.
05:38E. A consonant, please.
05:40D. Another consonant, please.
05:44T. A vowel, please.
05:47O. A consonant, please.
05:52P. Another consonant, please.
05:55S. Another consonant, please.
05:59N. And a vowel, please.
06:04Promising one. A final E.
06:0730 seconds.
06:08It's a portal.
06:11What are you talking to?
06:13What type of pronounce123 is?
06:15Thisnamie.
06:18Of course.
06:20The seguir.
06:22The� An полезheiten.
06:23Normally, you'd be .
06:24It looks.
06:25It looks.
06:26It looks.
06:27It looks.
06:28Plus doesn't.
06:28The New隊.
06:29Of course.
06:30And the refrigerator.
06:31These on the end.
06:31It feels beautiful.
06:31It looks.
06:32It is.
06:33But.
06:34Smeddy.
06:39Got a seven.
06:40And Chris?
06:41I think an eight.
06:42He's done at eight.
06:43Ian, you can't believe that.
06:45What's the seven?
06:46Spouted.
06:47Chris?
06:47Pentodes.
06:48Pentodes, yeah, I'm looking at them right now in the dictionary.
06:51Thermionic valves with five electrodes.
06:53Sarah, as you were, yeah?
06:54You could have had outspend as well.
06:57Yeah.
06:58Got eight.
06:58And that's it, but no nines, so two rounds in a row, the best you can get.
07:02And Chris has managed that without any help.
07:05So let's move on to the numbers in your picking, Mr Kirby.
07:08Can I have one large and five small, please?
07:10Thank you, Chris.
07:10One from the top.
07:12Five not.
07:14First numbers of the day.
07:15Nine, six, four, two, one.
07:20And the large one, 25.
07:22And the target, 669.
07:25669.
07:25Numbers up.
07:566-6-9. I tell you, none of the two of you got it quicker than Rachel.
08:01Chris? Yeah, 6-6-9. And Smriti?
08:04I didn't get it. No, OK, Chris, off you go.
08:06So, 25 times 9.
08:0825 times 9, 2, 2, 5.
08:11Minus 2. Minus 2, 2, 2, 3.
08:15Sorry, and then 4 minus 1 is 3.
08:17Yeah. Perfect.
08:19APPLAUSE
08:21Right, send eels. Send eels is the tea-time teaser.
08:26She didn't have to work the dough with her hands.
08:28There was no point.
08:29She didn't have to work the dough with her hands.
08:31There was no point.
08:33MUSIC
08:34Welcome back.
08:49She didn't have to work the dough with her hands.
08:51There was no point. It's kneading, isn't it?
08:53So, needless. Needless.
08:56Right, Smriti. Look, when you're up against a great champion,
08:59that often happens in the first part where you get the duck egg.
09:01That will change. Let's get more letters.
09:03Can I please have a vowel?
09:05Thank you, Smriti.
09:07A.
09:08Another vowel, please.
09:09O.
09:10Another vowel, please.
09:12A.
09:13E.
09:14A consonant, please.
09:15T.
09:16Another consonant, please.
09:18C.
09:19Another consonant, please.
09:24S.
09:25Another consonant, please.
09:27T.
09:28Another consonant, please.
09:29L.
09:31And...
09:33..a vowel, please.
09:35And the last one.
09:36A.
09:37Let's play.
09:59A.
10:09Smriti.
10:11A seven.
10:12Yes, Chris.
10:13Seven.
10:14Ah, yes, here we go.
10:15Told you, off you go.
10:16Coastal.
10:17And for you, Chris?
10:18Lactose.
10:19Lactose.
10:20Very good indeed.
10:21Yes, both of them.
10:22We can go postal over coastal.
10:23So, points on the board.
10:24Love it.
10:25Excellent.
10:26Can we beat it?
10:27Not lactose, what about lactates?
10:29For an eight.
10:30Fantastic.
10:31Well spotted.
10:33Chris, let's go again.
10:34A consonant, please, Rachel.
10:36Thank you, Chris.
10:37C.
10:38And a vowel.
10:39E.
10:40A consonant.
10:42V.
10:43A vowel.
10:44A.
10:45Consonant.
10:47G.
10:49A vowel.
10:51E.
10:53A consonant.
10:55T.
10:56Another vowel.
11:00I.
11:02And a final consonant, please.
11:07Final R.
11:08Start the clock.
11:10Start the clock.
11:11A vowel.
11:12D locked.
11:13You.
11:14B
11:20A syllable.
11:30Ok.
11:32N.
11:35H.
11:36THEY CONFER
11:41Chris? Eight.
11:43Smredi? Only a six. What's the six?
11:45KG. What have you got? Creative.
11:47Creative. Excellent.
11:49APPLAUSE
11:51Right, how are you getting on over there?
11:53We also had reactive.
11:55That's it, that's a rate. That's it.
11:57So let's get back to the numbers.
11:59Smredi, you're in control this time. What are you going to do?
12:02I'm going to pick one from the top and five small ones, please.
12:05Thank you, Smredi. One large five knot coming up for you.
12:09And this time, your selection is ten, two, six, one, two,
12:16and one hundred.
12:18And you need to reach 889.
12:20Eight, eight, nine. Numbers up.
12:35MUSIC PLAYS
12:538-8-9. Smurdy?
12:558-8-8.
12:57One away. Chris?
12:59Yeah, I've just got 8-8-8 as well.
13:01Off you go, then. Smurdy, this will get you seven points.
13:046 plus 2 plus 1 equals 9.
13:07Yep. 9 times 100 is 900.
13:10900. And subtract the 10 and the other two.
13:13And that gets you to 1 above and that gets you to 1 below.
13:16Chris? 100 plus 10 plus 1.
13:19100 and 10 and 1, 111.
13:22And 6 plus 2 is 8. Yep. And then multiply them.
13:258-8-8. More 8s.
13:28Only 8s, but we need one of those to turn into a 9, Rachel.
13:31Well, this is a lesser-spotted impossible one large selection.
13:34So, there you go. You couldn't have got more than seven points.
13:36Well done to both of you as we head over to Dictionary Corner.
13:40Sarah, we're talking about crafting today.
13:42So, this, people always ask me, how did you make your millions?
13:46I made my millions in crafting.
13:49What qualifies as crafting? What goes under the crafting umbrella?
13:52I mean, anything that you are making with your hands.
13:55So, there are many different categories of crafts.
13:57There are about 20 main ones.
13:59So, people always know about, you know, knitting and sewing.
14:02My big thing was card-making. I did a lot of card-making.
14:06That would be a craft.
14:07Yeah, yeah, that's a craft.
14:08OK, OK.
14:09I tell you what I'm loving at the moment.
14:11I'm doing a lot of.
14:12Now, it's not technically recognised as a whole category on its own,
14:16but I'm doing a ton of toilet roll crafting on my social media.
14:20My fans love a toilet roll craft.
14:22We've made all sorts with toilet rolls.
14:24We've made toilet roll ghosts for Halloween.
14:26I've done toilet roll flowers.
14:28There is not much you can't make with some loo roll.
14:31And then you've also got the middle bit,
14:33which you can use as all sorts. Telescope.
14:36Hey, look, budding crafting in the making.
14:38All by this side of the studio. We could do some lessons.
14:41I get you, and it all sounds easy in theory,
14:43but I can't draw curtains.
14:45No, me neither.
14:46I can't draw for toffee.
14:48I was terrible at art at school.
14:50People think crafting and art are one and the same thing.
14:53I'm a really creative person.
14:55I love to do lots of crafty bits,
14:57but I can't draw anything.
14:58Right.
14:59Trust me, let me get you with a few bits of toilet roll
15:01and I'll get some crafting.
15:02And I'll show you that you don't have to be a budding artist
15:05to be a fantastic crafter.
15:06Well, I fear it a bit less now, which is good.
15:08It's half the battle, isn't it?
15:09Brilliant.
15:10Right, Queen of Crafts.
15:15Well, Smriti will have to craft quite a comeback here,
15:18but you've certainly dug in a bit,
15:19getting some points on the board.
15:21Chris, you're 48, 14 up, and it's your letters.
15:23Let's start with a consonant, please.
15:25Thank you, Chris.
15:26P.
15:27And a vowel.
15:29E.
15:30A consonant.
15:32C.
15:33A vowel.
15:34A.
15:35A consonant.
15:37P.
15:38A vowel.
15:40T.
15:41Another consonant.
15:42H.
15:43And a...
15:44Final vowel.
15:45A final E.
15:46And here we go again.
15:47And here we go again.
15:59To have a good memory,
16:00to have to get ready more.
16:01You give me more dive.
16:02A vowel, which is high asะ,
16:05to have the words.
16:06And here we go again.
16:07The word is shot easily.
16:08I am curios%.
16:09It depends on the word.
16:10Your lip feels good.
16:11It depends on the word is not a word.
16:12sẽ któph
16:12that we can hear.
16:13A vowel, which is broken.
16:14It depends on the word,
16:15sp hctor in לס�ela.
16:17Is this noise.
16:18It's açŸ¥è˜ means just this is what?
16:20So, all we've got time for, Chris?
16:32Try a seven.
16:33Yes, Smreddy?
16:34A risky seven.
16:35Chris, what have you got?
16:36Hepatic.
16:37And for you, Smreddy?
16:38Got chappy.
16:39I think they will both be OK.
16:41Chappy is in there with the I-E spelling, a man or boy,
16:44and hepatic is definitely in, and it means relating to the liver.
16:47What else have you got?
16:48Well, we didn't have chappy, but we did have hepatic.
16:51Nothing else.
16:52Nobody else had chappy.
16:53Brilliant work, Smreddy.
16:55Well done.
16:55And let's get more letters from you.
16:57Please, can I start with a consonant?
16:59Thank you, Smreddy.
17:00R.
17:01Another consonant, please.
17:03L.
17:05A vowel, please.
17:06A.
17:07Another vowel, please.
17:08U.
17:09Another vowel, please.
17:10A.
17:11Oh, wow.
17:13Consonant, please.
17:14G.
17:16Another consonant, please.
17:17T.
17:18Can I have a vowel, please?
17:24O.
17:24Gosh.
17:26A consonant, please.
17:28Lastly, L.
17:30And half a minute.
17:31Oh, well, I think I did.
17:33Oh, well, I think everyone let me know it.
17:33Oh, well, I think I got it.
17:34Okay, let me know it.
17:35And so, already.
17:36Bye.
17:37Bye.
17:38Bye.
17:39Bye.
17:39Bye.
17:39Bye.
17:40Bye.
17:40Bye.
17:40Bye.
17:42Bye.
17:43Bye.
17:43Bye.
17:45Bye.
17:57Bye.
18:00Bye.
18:00Smriti?
18:03Five.
18:04Chris?
18:04Six.
18:05OK.
18:06What's the five?
18:07Rahout.
18:08What's the six?
18:09Raghu.
18:10Yeah.
18:10Well spotted.
18:11Brilliant.
18:12Really, really well spotted.
18:14It is.
18:14Every time you think you might better him,
18:17he spots that one word you think he might not have seen.
18:20But maybe you can be on the six.
18:22We can't.
18:23Are you sure you aren't looking over on our sheet?
18:25Because we seem to be getting what you've got every time.
18:27We never check him for bionic vision, you know.
18:30Maybe we need to.
18:31Maybe we need to.
18:33Well done.
18:34Well done.
18:34The get-ra-goo is fantastic.
18:3761-21.
18:39As we go back to the numbers, Chris.
18:42Can I get an inverted T, please?
18:43You can indeed.
18:44An inverted T.
18:45One from the top and five not.
18:48Five smalls this time.
18:49Six.
18:50Four.
18:51Two.
18:52Eight.
18:53Ten.
18:53All the evens.
18:54And 75.
18:56And the target.
18:57757.
18:59757.
18:59Numbers up.
19:00.
19:27757.
19:33Chris.
19:33Yeah, 757.
19:35Smreddy.
19:35757.
19:36It's happening.
19:37Come on, Chris.
19:3875 times 10.
19:40750.
19:41Plus four.
19:42754.
19:43And then plus six over two.
19:45Six over two for the extra three.
19:46Lovely.
19:47Smreddy.
19:47I did it slightly differently, but 75 times 10.
19:50Shoot 750 again.
19:52Eight divided by four is two.
19:55Yeah.
19:55Two divided by two is one.
19:57Yes.
19:58And six plus one plus 750.
20:00All done.
20:02Same result.
20:02Yeah.
20:02Yeah.
20:04Very good.
20:0571.31.
20:07Second tea time teaser of this Thursday afternoon.
20:09I file this clue under.
20:11It's a groaner.
20:12It's a proper groaner, this one.
20:14Right.
20:15He deadly.
20:16He deadly.
20:17It's not a supermarket near Stockport.
20:19It's a chemical.
20:21It's not a supermarket near Stockport.
20:23It's a chemical.
20:24I told you it was a groaner.
20:42Welcome back.
20:43It's not a supermarket near Stockport.
20:45It's a chemical.
20:47I mean, very clever indeed, this, Susie.
20:49Now, we've all heard of formaldehyde, but the answer is aldehyde.
20:53Aldehyde, yeah.
20:54It's an organic compound formed by the oxidation of alcohols.
20:57There you go.
20:57Back to the game.
20:58Really enjoying this afternoon.
21:00Smelly, here we go.
21:01Let's keep it up after a shaky start.
21:03It's your letters.
21:04Can I please have a vowel?
21:05You can indeed.
21:07E.
21:08Another vowel, please.
21:09O.
21:10Another vowel, please.
21:12I.
21:13Consonant, please.
21:14N.
21:15Another consonant, please.
21:17S.
21:18Another consonant, please.
21:20Z.
21:21Another consonant, please.
21:23N.
21:24N.
21:26Erm...
21:27Another consonant, please.
21:30W.
21:31And a vowel, please.
21:32Lastly, O.
21:35All right.
21:35Thanks, Rich.
21:36We'll see you next time.
21:51Bye-bye.
21:52Time's up. Smreddy?
22:08Seven. Chris? I'll try a seven. Smreddy, what have you got?
22:12Snoozers. Snoozers. And for you, Chris?
22:16I'm trying Noonies. Noonies? OK, so, Snoozers, you'd need two S's.
22:21Oh, my gosh. I know Nooners are in the dictionary,
22:24but not Noonies. It's actually just like both, I'm afraid.
22:28Goodness me. So, you snoozers, you losers,
22:30but snooze would have been in there.
22:32All right, Sarah, difficult round.
22:35It was a difficult round. I think, just putting that in the middle,
22:38so we got ozonise. What?
22:41Yes. So, ozone itself is a mass noun, so you can't have ozones,
22:46but you can have ozonise, which means to convert oxygen into ozone.
22:50Very good. Swooning at that. Swooning at that.
22:52The scores stay the same. Chris, you're choosing these letters.
22:55A consonant, please. Thank you, Chris.
22:57T. And a vowel.
23:00E. A consonant.
23:03R. A vowel.
23:05I. Consonant.
23:08L. Vowel.
23:10E. A consonant.
23:13M.
23:15A vowel.
23:18O.
23:20And a final consonant, please.
23:22Final N.
23:23And good luck.
23:24Good luck.
23:26SipO.
23:27That
23:48Time's up, Chris.
23:57I'll try an eight.
23:58Smriti?
23:59A risky six.
24:00Yeah, but eight might count.
24:01What's the six?
24:03Melter.
24:04Let's hear it.
24:05Motelier.
24:06You have a hotelier, but is there a motelier?
24:09Especially if you're living in New Zealand, you can be a motelier.
24:12Was that a big risk, Chris?
24:14Somewhere in the back of your head?
24:15In the middle.
24:16Yeah.
24:16I knew hotelier, but I wasn't sure about motelier.
24:19Very good indeed.
24:20Sarah, I'm assuming they will not be able to beat that.
24:23No, I wrote down motelier, used all the letters, but it's not a word.
24:28Wishful thinking is what it is, Colin's wishful thinking.
24:31Goodness me.
24:31Well, motelier seemed like wishful thinking as well, but it wasn't.
24:35Right, four rounds still to play.
24:38As Chris Hertel's Towards the Century, what have we got for Origins of Words today?
24:43We are going to a wonderful email from one of our lovely viewers.
24:46It's Liz Nassim, who wrote that we were talking today and wondered where the expression the worm has turned comes from.
24:52Is there any connection to the possibility that snakes used to be called worms?
24:57And Liz has got it absolutely spot on.
25:01But just to explain the idea if people don't know it, so the worm has turned means that somebody who's been really downtrodden up until now has suddenly found their courage, they've triumphed.
25:12Or somebody that has been really unlucky has suddenly, you know, found fortune and so on.
25:18And also somebody who's very submissive has finally spoken up.
25:22So it's used in all those different contexts.
25:24And it's derived from a much older saying that you will find in a proverb collection from the 16th century.
25:29So it's been around for a while.
25:31Tread a worm on the tail and it must turn again.
25:34But as always, with so many of these things, it was popularised by William Shakespeare, who, if he wasn't the great neologiser making up all sorts of words, he was just soaking up like a sponge all the wonderful expressions and colour that was around him at the time.
25:48And in his play, Henry VI, part three, you hear the smallest worm will turn, being trodden on.
25:55And then the worm has turned itself just in that fixed form, started to appear in the mid 19th century.
26:02But Liz is absolutely right, because the earliest meaning of worm was slightly different to the one that we know today.
26:06In fact, very different, because it could mean a serpent or a dragon.
26:10And you'll still find that preserved in some folk tales.
26:13So there's one called the lantern worm that was made into a folk ballad.
26:16And it involves the heir of the Lambton estate, essentially taking on a giant dragon that was terrorising the local villages.
26:25So the Lambton worm was definitely much, much bigger and more terrifying than the earthworms that we know today.
26:30And in fact, for a long time, it meant any kind of animal, reptile or insect.
26:35It was a bit of a multipurpose word until it settled on the meaning that we know it has today.
26:40And you can find sort of interchangeable animal meanings throughout this period,
26:45because one of the first senses of dragon in medieval times was a serpent.
26:49In fact, a python.
26:51And even a fire-eating python, because these weren't really known very widely at the time.
26:56So you can find us chopping and changing and really finding our feet when it comes to animals and their names
27:01and what their characteristics are.
27:03But the worm has turned.
27:05It's a lovely idea that something so tiny and so innocent can suddenly triumph.
27:09Great. All from that email.
27:10Wonderful. Thank you.
27:13All right.
27:14Smriti, not much chance of coming back here.
27:16I don't think any worms are turning.
27:18We've got four rounds left and you're picking these letters.
27:21Can I have a consonant, please?
27:23Thank you, Smriti.
27:24D.
27:26Another consonant, please.
27:27B.
27:29A vowel, please.
27:31E.
27:32Another vowel, please.
27:33O.
27:34Another vowel, please.
27:36A.
27:37A consonant, please.
27:38N.
27:39Another consonant, please.
27:41G.
27:42Another consonant, please.
27:44T.
27:45And a final consonant.
27:47A final M.
27:49Good luck, everybody.
27:50This wi-e- pollution titit looks free!
28:04The 356-486-962-553-7134-283-5205-283-5165-019-5183-8music6.
28:07More than a5646-iv going door access to hm ACLU policy.
28:09The 366-5179- Clearlight Processive蛇.
28:10A lanicibi, continue to kill slow fires and or non-racFireürd sycezons offering.
28:12Earl Entert Pad, pot, pre-wain or call 6-517-6 star-3175-4175-5603-622-2255 plan.
28:14Water imports down and vibe.
28:15Sugar remains successful with 768-8231-611-6667.
28:17Their task is one of those past smallması-8174-612222-35333-7inho dat Aikat,
28:18Rightio, Smriti?
28:22Seven. Chris? Seven.
28:24Yes, well done. Smriti?
28:26Bondage. And for you, Chris?
28:28Yeah, the same. Pass it on over there.
28:31I can't believe you.
28:32Yes. Can we beat that at all, Sara?
28:35We didn't manage to beat it, but we had another couple of sevens.
28:39So we had abdomen.
28:40Yeah. We had megaton.
28:43Yes. And montage.
28:46Can I add boatmen in there?
28:48Yes, very good indeed.
28:49A boatload of sevens.
28:51All right. One more letters round to go today, Chris.
28:57I'm expecting by your high standards to beat the century,
28:59so a bit of pressure on you. Come on.
29:02Can I have a consonant, please?
29:03Thank you, Chris.
29:04F.
29:05And a vowel.
29:07O.
29:08And a consonant.
29:09F.
29:10A vowel.
29:11A.
29:13Consonant.
29:14R.
29:15R.
29:16A vowel.
29:17E.
29:18A consonant.
29:19P.
29:20Another consonant.
29:21R.
29:22And a final consonant, please.
29:24Final D.
29:25And last letters.
29:26R.
29:27R.
29:28And a final consonant, please.
29:29Final D.
29:30And last letters.
29:31R.
29:33And a final consonant, please.
29:34Final D.
29:35And last letters.
29:36R.
29:39And a final consonant, please.
29:40R.
29:41And a final consonant.
29:42R.
29:43And a final consonant.
29:44R.
29:46I'm sorry.
29:48Eity.
29:50And the other consonant, please.
29:51R.
29:52I can only.
29:54I can only.
29:55MUSIC PLAYS
30:06Chris, eight, I think.
30:08Spread eight.
30:09Just a six.
30:10Listen, it's all good, though.
30:12In reality, it's very good, a six. What have you got?
30:14Spread.
30:15What are you thinking?
30:16Eardrops?
30:17Erm, we were hoping for pear drops.
30:20Obviously, you didn't have the two P.
30:22Oh, it's in, but it's two words, unfortunately.
30:25No airdrops, then.
30:27So, I'm all ears.
30:28What can we have?
30:29So, we got fedoras for a seven,
30:34and also drossera.
30:36Both just sevens, though.
30:38I can tip my hat at fedoras, but what?
30:40Drossera?
30:41Drossera, yes.
30:42An insect-eating plant, then, just a sundew.
30:44Nice.
30:4586-44, two rounds to go.
30:47Smriti, you're choosing the last numbers.
30:49Can I have one from the top again,
30:51and five small, please?
30:52And you can, indeed.
30:53One large, Colin Taffey,
30:54five little final numbers of the day.
30:56This selection is one.
30:58Five.
30:59Eight.
31:00Six.
31:01Ten.
31:02And a large one, 100.
31:04And the target to reach...
31:06153?
31:07153.
31:08Numbers up.
31:09deductible.
31:10Two more.
31:11Crispy08.
31:12Six.
31:13Six.
31:14Six.
31:15Six.
31:16I can play crazy.
31:17If I McDonald, any one amo up,
31:18you can have them bed,
31:21we have trouble andмин,
31:26Do not sell them a bomb.
31:27Even if you want,
31:28I can tell these anyways.
31:29There haven't been to the Climate
31:36The inaction tells us everything. You've both got this. Just confirm, Smriti.
31:44153. Yeah. And Chris? Yeah, 153. Off you go, Smriti.
31:4710 times 5 is 50. Yep. 8 minus 6 is 2.
31:5350 plus 2 plus 1 plus 100. Lovely. 153, 10 points.
31:57And Chris? 8 times 6. 8 times 6, 48.
32:01Plus 5, plus 100. 53. Yep. Lovely. Same result.
32:05Look at that.
32:06Wow. Yesterday, Chris Kirby became our new champion with 121 points.
32:14Going into today's Countdown Conundrum, he's only got 96.
32:17So if he doesn't get this right, I'd use the phrase abject failure.
32:20I really wouldn't. A lot of pressure on Kirby.
32:23Come on, Smriti. Look at that. Up to 54. Could be 64 if you can get this.
32:28Let's reveal our Thursday afternoon Countdown Conundrum.
33:01Wow. It has stumped, Chris. It stumps Smriti as we head over to Rachel Riley to confirm it is.
33:07I think once Santa falls off the roof, you tag team in the subclause.
33:11No. Let's have a look.
33:13Brilliant. Brilliant. I mean, if I was Kirby, I wouldn't show my face here tomorrow.
33:21Goodness me. You're only averaging 108.5 now. Disgraceful, sir.
33:26Go and lick your wounds. We'll see you back here tomorrow.
33:28Yep. See you tomorrow.
33:29Smriti, do you remember going into the first commercial break, you were on zero,
33:32and that feeling of, I'm on national TV and I've scored a point?
33:35Yes.
33:36Finished with 54. You must be well pleased with that.
33:38I am. Thank you.
33:40Did really, really well. So nice to have you.
33:43And safe home, through St John's Wood.
33:45Thank you very much.
33:46Brilliant.
33:47Last day for you tomorrow, Sarah?
33:49Yeah, big day last day, you know. Feeling the pressure.
33:51Yeah, absolutely. Well, keeping up is all we're really doing now. And Susie, same for you. We'll see you tomorrow.
33:57Yeah, look forward to it.
33:58And Rachel, at this time, in two weeks from now, we'll know our first semi-finalist. That's how close we are. But we've got a lot of shows with Chris first.
34:07Not many more sleeps, Colin.
34:08Yes, absolutely. Countdown Christmas is very, very close. One short of time. We'll see you tomorrow. You can count on us.
34:14You can contact the programme by email at countdown at channel4.com. You can also find our webpage at channel4.com forward slash countdown.