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00:31Hello, everybody. It's Wednesday, January the 10th, all day.
00:35It's the midweek funk and maybe a good time to turn off from whatever stresses you might be facing this week
00:41and enjoy a little bit of countdown with myself and with Rachel Riley.
00:44Hi, Rach.
00:44Hi, Cole.
00:45It's a weird one to say. It's Peculiar People Day, right?
00:49It's maybe an American thing.
00:51I was a bit sceptical about it.
00:53I had a little look.
00:53And the idea is we shouldn't be ashamed of our peculiarities, as long as they're not causing any harm.
01:00And they're good-hearted. We have this kind of normal way to be.
01:03So that tickled me a lot.
01:05So a weird question to ask you. What makes you peculiar? What are those little things?
01:08I think of my Zayda, my granddad, who's sadly no longer with us, but he was the most peculiar person I knew.
01:15I think once he... Well, he bought a house without ever having looked at it.
01:19Didn't know how much it was.
01:20He just put a note through someone's door and offered way more than they actually wanted for it, without telling my bubba, his wife.
01:25And once he decided it was a great idea to saw the family bathroom door in half to make swing doors, again, without consulting anybody.
01:33And apparently, this is before my time, it was at the top of the stairs, there was the door.
01:38And the toilet was directly behind the door.
01:40And he wasn't skilled in carpentry, so he just made this door with a big, long crack down the middle so you could see anybody on the toilet.
01:47Oh, no.
01:47He was a very strange man, but brilliantly eccentric.
01:51That's what I mean, right?
01:52And you think of the great...
01:53So, okay, saloon doors in a bathroom are not a great invention.
01:57But, like, you think about how some of the greatest discoveries in the world have been made, or even the most everyday discoveries.
02:03The first person that walked out with an umbrella was branded insane, you know, and you wouldn't imagine that happening.
02:10So that type of thinking is really, really important, the peculiarities.
02:13And I just can't wait for your segue from Peculiar People Day to Susie Dent in Dictionary Corner.
02:20Just give it to me.
02:21What have you got?
02:21Well, listen, it speaks for itself, doesn't it?
02:23On Peculiar People Day, we've got Exhibit A and Exhibit B, our Susie Dent and the comedian and actor, John Thompson.
02:33Do you have a peculiarities, John?
02:36I can do this.
02:36I'm not sure it counts, but I love saying it.
02:45Right.
02:45Well, as our champion to introduce first, two wins for our junior doctor, Nathan Mulligan.
02:52Nice to have you back, mate.
02:53Nice to be back.
02:53Now, you've just finished writing a book, which is called Everybody's Got to Learn.
02:58But I love what each chapter is.
03:01It's a really novel idea.
03:02Pardon the pun.
03:03Tell us about it.
03:03Yeah, so I wrote it during my time in medical school as I was learning about the body.
03:10And it takes different organs from the body and tries to use them as a way to teach us how to be a better person, to improve ourselves.
03:18And so I tried to include lots of stories from medical school and then my own efforts to learn about the body and to become a better person as well.
03:27Brilliant.
03:27Well, listen, you're up against Matt Heal, originally from Somerset, lives in Bristol.
03:31How are you?
03:31Yeah, good.
03:32There's only one way I can say this.
03:35Big Countdown fan.
03:37Dressed as Rachel Riley on a stag do.
03:40Yeah.
03:41What else do we need?
03:42Talk me through the outfit, Matt.
03:44It's fairly apt that it's Peculiar People Day because that's quite a niche fancy dress.
03:50But my stag do in Barcelona.
03:53The guys knew I was a Countdown fan and so decided to dress me up as Rachel.
03:58Well, listen, the nice story about that is the love story with your wife.
04:02You were proposed at Glastonbury, didn't you?
04:03Yes.
04:04Yeah.
04:04What a lovely thing.
04:05Who was playing on the stage when you did it?
04:06Nobody was playing on the stage.
04:08I did it very early on the Wednesday on top of the hill, as everybody does.
04:12But it had to be done.
04:13That's a lovely way to do it.
04:14Brilliant.
04:14Well, listen, good luck to Matt.
04:16Good luck to Nathan.
04:16All right, Swiftly, get us on the way.
04:21All right, afternoon, Rachel.
04:22Afternoon, Nathan.
04:23Start with a consonant, please.
04:24Start today with D.
04:27And another.
04:29F.
04:30And the third consonant.
04:32T.
04:34A vowel, please.
04:36E.
04:37And another.
04:39O.
04:40A third vowel.
04:41U.
04:42And a consonant.
04:44M.
04:45Another consonant.
04:48N.
04:49And a vowel, please.
04:51And lastly, I.
04:53At home and in the studio, let's play Countdown.
05:03MUSIC PLAYS
05:26Time's up, Nathan.
05:28Seven.
05:29Yeah. Matt.
05:30Yes, seven.
05:30Well done. Nathan.
05:32Mounted.
05:33Same word or different?
05:34Same word.
05:35Thought it would be. Let's have a look.
05:37Seven points each.
05:39What about dictionary corner?
05:41I had mounted two.
05:43I was quite thrilled with minted at six,
05:44but then went, no, there's a seven.
05:46There you go.
05:47Any eights?
05:48No eights.
05:49A couple more sevens to deem out,
05:50if you dismantle something, and untimed.
05:53All right.
05:54Nice, straightforward round.
05:56We will time the next one, though.
05:57It'll be the usual 30 seconds,
05:59and Matt, you're picking the letters.
06:01Afternoon, Rachel.
06:02Afternoon, Matt.
06:03Could I have a consonant, please?
06:04You can, indeed.
06:05L.
06:06And another.
06:09J.
06:10And another.
06:12P.
06:13And a vowel, please.
06:15E.
06:16And another.
06:16A.
06:17And a consonant.
06:20S.
06:22And another.
06:23R.
06:25And another consonant, please.
06:27B.
06:29And a final consonant.
06:30She would need three vowels.
06:31I'm going to overrule with a final O.
06:34Good spot.
06:3530 seconds.
06:36And a AF10.
06:49And a gay Clover.
06:50I'm gonna go.
06:51I'm going.
06:52Bye bye.
06:55Bye bye bye.
06:56Bye bye bye.
06:57Bye bye bye.
06:58Bye bye bye.
07:00Bye bye bye.
07:01Bye bye bye.
07:03Bye bye bye bye.
07:04Bye bye Well there you're planning.
07:05THEY CONFER
07:07Matt.
07:08A six.
07:09Six from you and Nathan.
07:10Six as well.
07:11Six as well.
07:12Even Stephens, what have you got?
07:13Pearls.
07:14Pearls.
07:15And probes.
07:16Probes and pearls.
07:17We've probed for a pearl and in dictionary corner, can we go above a six?
07:21We've got paroles.
07:22A seven.
07:23Seven for paroles.
07:24Yep.
07:25And one more seven, a bit more unusual.
07:27A sol bar, S-O-L-E-B-A-R.
07:29A structural piece forming part of the underframe of a railway vehicle.
07:33OK, nice.
07:3413 points each.
07:35First numbers round.
07:36Nathan, would you do the honours, please?
07:38I'll start with six more, please, Rachel.
07:40Thank you, Nathan.
07:41Your favourite, probably my favourite.
07:43Six little ones coming up.
07:45First numbers today.
07:47Ten.
07:48Eight.
07:49Three.
07:50One.
07:51Three.
07:52And another one.
07:53Oh, dear.
07:54And the target, 378.
07:57Three, seven, eight.
07:59Numbers up.
08:00Sweet.
08:01And the target more THONE.
08:02One or two.
08:03One up.
08:04Two campo, absolutely.
08:05Every quarter.
08:06Two.
08:07Three.
08:08And that one.
08:09Two.
08:10Oh what?
08:11One way.
08:12Two, the other.
08:13One way.
08:14You met a ladder.
08:15Goodon.
08:17Two.
08:18Thanks.
08:19One way.
08:20Two.
08:21Two.
08:22We're Tan.
08:23Two.
08:24Two.
08:25Two.
08:26Two.
08:273-7-8, the target, Nathan?
08:32No, I wasn't close enough. Not close, my chance.
08:34Nowhere near. Nowhere near.
08:36Well, the Rileys got it, cos they got the wink after about 20 seconds.
08:39I'm just wondering how your seven times table's going with the New Year's resolutions.
08:42Oh, no! Don't tell... Wait, I've got it here. One second.
08:45Shall I get a wriggle on while you work it out?
08:48What is it? 3-7-8? 3-7-8.
08:50So you're going to get, like, 54... 54 sevens?
08:543 plus 3 is 6.
08:5710 minus 1 is 9.
08:59Times them together for 54. Yes!
09:02And then 8 minus 1 is 7. Woo-hoo!
09:05APPLAUSE
09:07The problem is I didn't identify it as a multiple of seven to start.
09:10I told you this paper's not going to help. It's not helping!
09:13Right, let's get our first Tea Time teaser of the day.
09:15This is a ghastly one.
09:17Broil her, broil her.
09:19Our histories have sometimes been unpleasant.
09:21Our histories have sometimes been unpleasant.
09:23APPLAUSE
09:26Welcome back, everybody. Our histories have sometimes been unpleasant.
09:29Horrible, horrible histories. Our Tea Time teaser.
09:32Well, it's all to play for. 13 points each.
09:36And Matt, making a good fist of it so far, mate.
09:38And you're picking the letters.
09:40Could I have a consonant, please?
09:41Thank you, Matt.
09:42M.
09:43And another.
09:44T.
09:45And a vowel.
09:46T.
09:47And a vowel.
09:48A.
09:49And another.
09:50E.
09:51And a consonant.
09:52D.
09:53And a final vowel, please.
09:54And a final vowel, please.
09:55Thanks, Rich.
09:56Thanks, Rich.
09:57T.
09:58T.
09:59T.
10:00T.
10:01T.
10:02T.
10:03T.
10:04T.
10:05T.
10:06T.
10:07T.
10:08T.
10:09T.
10:10T.
10:11T.
10:12T.
10:13And a foul, please.
10:14T.
10:15T.
10:16T.
10:17T.
10:18T.
10:19And a final vowel, please.
10:20T.
10:21T.
10:22T.
10:23T.
10:54That'll do. Time is up, Matt.
10:56A six.
10:57And Nathan?
10:58A six.
10:59Look at this. Can't split you, Matt.
11:01Defeat.
11:02And Nathan?
11:02Teamed.
11:03Teamed, defeat, two sixes.
11:05It's those type of rounds.
11:07Fairly straightforward.
11:08Anything above a six?
11:09Same. Demean.
11:11Yeah. Loads of those.
11:13There is an eight. Bit of a countdown word, this one.
11:15To foment is to stir up unrest.
11:19And fomented will get you to an eight.
11:21Fomented for eight.
11:22All right. More letters, please.
11:23Nathan Mulligan.
11:24Other consonant, please.
11:25Thank you, Nathan.
11:27T.
11:28And another.
11:30W.
11:31And a third.
11:34R.
11:35And a vowel.
11:37I.
11:38Another vowel.
11:40U.
11:41And a consonant.
11:43S.
11:44A consonant.
11:46N.
11:47And a vowel.
11:50O.
11:52And another vowel, please.
11:54And lastly, I.
11:57And half a minute.
11:57And a vowel.
11:58And a vowel.
12:14I.
12:14And a vowel.
12:20And a vowel.
12:22And a vowel.
12:23What do you make out of that, Nathan?
12:30Just a five.
12:30A five for you? A mat?
12:32Yeah, just a five.
12:33What do you got?
12:33A wrist.
12:34Yeah, a mat.
12:36Units.
12:36Units.
12:37Wrist.
12:37Yes.
12:38This isn't going in the end of season highlights reel, is it?
12:40No, five riots.
12:42Yeah.
12:43There is a seven.
12:44No out words that I could find, but there is an ironist.
12:49An ironist, someone who is ironic.
12:51Uses irony, yeah.
12:52Yeah, there you go.
12:5224 points apiece.
12:54Second numbers round, our champion went for six small.
12:57What are you going to do, Matt?
12:58Could I have two big and four small, please?
13:01You can indeed.
13:02Two large ones and four not.
13:04And the four nots are eight, seven, three and three.
13:11And the big one, 75 and 50.
13:14And your target, 106.
13:17106.
13:18Numbers up.
13:22106.
13:40107.
13:41Not written down.
13:42106.
13:49107, not written down.
13:52One away.
13:53Nathan.
13:53106.
13:54106.
13:55Off you go.
13:55Three times eight.
13:58Three times eight, 24.
14:00Plus seven.
14:01Plus seven, 31.
14:02Add to the 75.
14:03And added to the 75.
14:05One way to get there.
14:05Well done.
14:06APPLAUSE
14:07Well done to Nathan as we break for the first time today to have a chat with John Thompson,
14:13who this week is indulging us.
14:15So Monday, the late, great Carolina Hearn.
14:17Yes.
14:18Yesterday, Jimmy Nesbitt.
14:19Yes.
14:20So I'm going to give you the obvious one today because this takes you back to your university
14:24days.
14:25Steve Coogan.
14:26So we met, he was a third year at drama school and I was a first year and we got around
14:33to a third year that was somewhere in the first year, did impressions.
14:37And he went, oh, right, I see.
14:39I see.
14:41So he basically at a party challenged me, said, who do you do?
14:45But he was amazing because he could do Sean Connery, kind of, my name is Bond, James Bond
14:49and Sean Connery old.
14:50So he could kind of do, and I went, wow, that's clever.
14:53We both loved Bond, we both loved The Persuaders with Roger Moore and Tony Curtis.
14:59So we had a lot of common ground and we just started to write.
15:02And we took this show on the road in character.
15:04We drove the length and breadth of the country trying out a show for Edinburgh in a little
15:08golf.
15:09It had to be a hatchback so we could get the lectern in for the health and safety officer,
15:13Ernest.
15:15And Ernest was loosely based on Steve's dad, bless his heart, who's no longer with us.
15:21And Steve's dad was an amazing electronic engineer.
15:25Steve went, Dad, can we just take some, can we go to the basement of the house, his family
15:30home?
15:31Can we just take a few snaps for the slide show, for the Edinburgh show?
15:35He went, no, Stephen, absolutely not.
15:38And I've never seen Tony get so angry in my life.
15:41And Steve was like, oh, all right, all right, I'm sorry.
15:43And he said, Dad, why are you so cross?
15:46He went, some of that wiring's not council approved.
15:50And we never did.
15:51We never took the photos in the end.
15:52I love that.
15:53I think he's done exceptionally well.
15:56And it took a while.
15:57But the move beyond Alan Partridge.
15:59I think he broke the mould as an actor in Philomena.
16:01He was superb in that.
16:02Absolutely brilliant.
16:03He's absolutely brilliant in that film.
16:04Yeah.
16:04Really.
16:04Really, it's best worth that.
16:05Right.
16:06Two more to go this week.
16:07Are you all right with it?
16:07Yeah, I'm all right with it.
16:09I'm excited to see who you come up with.
16:12John Thompson, thank you.
16:17Excellent.
16:17Right, we have a bit of daylight for the first time for a champion.
16:2034-24.
16:21As we get back to the letters, Nathan.
16:23I'll start with a consonant, please.
16:24Thank you, Nathan.
16:25P.
16:26And another.
16:28L.
16:29And another.
16:31R.
16:32And a vowel, please.
16:34O.
16:35And another.
16:37E.
16:38And a third.
16:39A.
16:40And a consonant.
16:42T.
16:44And a consonant.
16:46G.
16:48And another consonant.
16:49And lastly, S.
16:51And here we go again.
16:52T.
17:02And a consonant.
17:04And a consonant.
17:06Time's up, Nathan.
17:25I'll try and eat.
17:25And Matt.
17:26Yeah, I'll try and eat.
17:27Eat as well.
17:27Maybe the same word.
17:29Gloters.
17:29Yeah.
17:30Yeah.
17:30Gloters.
17:31Two gloters.
17:32Yeah, very good indeed.
17:33Yeah.
17:34Any other eats?
17:35Legators.
17:36Yes.
17:36That's one.
17:37Yeah, people who leave a legacy, legators.
17:39And pergolas.
17:40And pergolas.
17:41Right, a few eats in there.
17:43No, no, no, as we get back to it.
17:45Matt, choose nine good ones.
17:47Could I have a consonant, please?
17:48Thank you, Matt.
17:49Y.
17:51And another.
17:53N.
17:54And another.
17:56W.
17:57And a vowel, please.
17:59U.
18:00And another.
18:03E.
18:04And a consonant, please.
18:06P.
18:07And another.
18:09T.
18:11And a vowel.
18:13O.
18:15And a consonant, please.
18:17And a final L.
18:20Start the clock.
18:21Have a wonderful week.
18:22Do you like it?
18:24I'll see ya.
18:24wolf was a motherfucker.
18:24It's good on vide help.
18:25I'll see ya.
18:25I'll see ya.
18:30Bye.
18:33Bye.
18:33Bye.
18:34Bye.
18:36Bye.
18:38Bye.
18:39Bye.
18:40Bye.
18:41Bye.
18:49Bye.
18:50Bye.
18:51Time's up, Matt.
18:53I'll try a risky seven. A risky seven. And Nathan?
18:56Oh, mine's a risky six.
18:58Oh, both risky. Let's find out. The six?
19:00Unplot.
19:02To un-plot, Susie. And the risky seven?
19:05To un-towel?
19:07Er, no. You can't un-towel or un-plot, as it happens.
19:11Unplotted is in, but not un-plot on its own. Sorry.
19:14John and Susie, what was valid?
19:17A couple of sixes. Plenty.
19:19Oh, yeah. And Billy Joel, Uptown.
19:22Uptown, yes, like the Uptown girl.
19:25Right, Uptown. And plenty was in there.
19:28But not un-plot and definitely not un-towel.
19:31Matt, let's get back to the numbers. Nathan?
19:34Er, let's try one more time and go for six more.
19:36Yeah, six little ones coming up for a little bit of fun.
19:40On a Wednesday afternoon.
19:42And we have ten, eight, five, eight, nine,
19:47and another five.
19:49And the target, 480.
19:51Yeah, 480.
19:52Numbers up.
19:53Yep.
19:54.
19:58You're both looking fairly confident, Nathan.
20:01Er, 480.
20:02Yes, and Matt.
20:03Yes, 480.
20:04Excellent.
20:05Off we go, Nathan.
20:06Er, so nine minus eight is one.
20:07Yep.
20:08Add that to the six.
20:09Say that again.
20:10Oh, sorry, add that to the five to make six.
20:11Add that to the five.
20:12I know what you meant.
20:13Times about eight.
20:14And times about ten.
20:1548, 480.
20:16Lovely.
20:17Yeah.
20:18Matt, how did you get there?
20:19Er, I know what you meant.
20:20I know what you meant.
20:21I know what you meant.
20:22Times about eight.
20:23And times about ten.
20:2448, 480.
20:25Lovely.
20:26Yeah.
20:27Matt, how did you get there?
20:28Yeah.
20:29Matt, how did you get there?
20:30Yeah.
20:31I know what you meant.
20:32You're both looking fairly confident, Nathan.
20:33480.
20:34Yes, 480.
20:35Excellent.
20:36Excellent.
20:37Off we go, Nathan.
20:38So nine minus eight is one.
20:39Yep.
20:40Add that to the six.
20:41Say that again.
20:42Yeah.
20:43Matt, how did you get there?
20:44Um, nine times five is 45.
20:46Yep.
20:47Eight minus five is three.
20:49Add them together.
20:51And then times by ten.
20:52Another ten points.
20:53Nice.
20:54Well done.
20:55APPLAUSE
20:5652, 42.
20:58As we get our second Tea Town teaser of this Wednesday afternoon.
21:01Cars moan.
21:03Cars moan.
21:04Possibly the French leader's biscuit of choice.
21:07Possibly the French leader's biscuit of choice.
21:10Hello again.
21:11Possibly the French leader's biscuit of choice.
21:12A reference to Emmanuel Macron.
21:13And the answer, macarons, macarons, macaroons.
21:17I don't know.
21:18What one to say here, Suze?
21:19Yeah, well they are both in the same family as you would expect.
21:20Both ultimately from Italian and linked to macaroni.
21:21But John has given me a brilliant distinction between the two.
21:22The macaron is the singular of the French leader's biscuit of choice.
21:23And the answer, macarons, macarons, macaroons.
21:24I don't know.
21:25What one to say here, Suze?
21:26Yeah, well they are both in the same family as you would expect.
21:27Both ultimately from Italian and linked to macaroni.
21:28But John has given me a brilliant distinction between the two.
21:29The macaron is the singular half...
21:30..like a meringue sandwich that looks like a UFO.
21:31Yeah.
21:32Varying flavours.
21:33Personal favourite, the pistachio.
21:34Pistachio.
21:35Pistachio.
21:36And of the macaroon is a coconut-based delight.
21:37Yeah.
21:38Made heavily with sugar.
21:39And of the macarons.
21:40I don't know.
21:41What one to say here, Suze?
21:42Yeah, well they are both in the same family as you would expect.
21:43Both ultimately from Italian and linked to macaroni.
21:44But John has given me a brilliant distinction between the two.
21:47The macaron is the singular half...
21:50..like a meringue sandwich.
21:52Yeah.
21:53That looks like a UFO.
21:54Yeah.
21:55Of varying flavours.
21:56Personal favourite, the pistachio.
21:57Pistachio.
21:58And of the macaroon is a coconut-based delight.
22:02Yeah.
22:03Heavily with sugar.
22:04And baked.
22:05Right.
22:06It's simmering nicely here, isn't it?
22:07We've got six rounds left.
22:08Just ten points in it.
22:10Nathan going for his third win.
22:12Matt looking to stop him.
22:13And it's your letters.
22:14Can I have a consonant, please?
22:16Thank you, Matt.
22:17H.
22:18And a vowel.
22:20I.
22:21And a consonant.
22:23M.
22:24And another.
22:26D.
22:27And another.
22:29T.
22:30And a vowel, please.
22:31U.
22:32And another.
22:33E.
22:34Another vowel, please.
22:35O.
22:36And a consonant.
22:37And a final R.
22:38Let's play.
22:39O.
22:40O.
22:41O.
22:42And a consonant.
22:43And a final R.
22:45Let's play.
22:46O.
22:47O.
22:48Oh.
22:49My God.
22:50And a consonant.
22:51Juneту.
22:53Matt.
23:19A seven.
23:19A seven from you. Nathan.
23:22I'll whisk an eight.
23:23You're going to risk the eight.
23:25Be a big moment in the programme either way.
23:27Matt.
23:27Mother.
23:28Oh, Matt, that's a six. You've had a miscount there.
23:31It takes the pressure off you a bit,
23:33because if this is not in, you're still ten points ahead.
23:35What's the eight?
23:36Mouthier.
23:37Mouthier.
23:38Mouthier.
23:39If you're mouthier, you're inclined to talk a lot.
23:41Mouthier and mouthiest are in the dictionary.
23:42Mother.
23:43Nice. Just like your jumper.
23:44Yes.
23:45Yes.
23:46Anything else?
23:47I've got a nice seven.
23:48Yeah.
23:49Humidor.
23:49You keep the old stogies.
23:51For the cigars?
23:52Yeah, humidor.
23:52Nice.
23:5460, 42.
23:5518 points.
23:56The difference.
23:57Nathan, you're choosing these letters.
23:59I'll start with the consonant, please.
24:00Thank you, Nathan.
24:01C.
24:03And a vowel.
24:03And a final consonant, please.
24:29And a final T.
24:30Kind aid.
24:31Kind aid.
24:31Kind aid.
24:31Kind aid.
24:35MUSIC CONTINUES
25:05Matt? I'll risk an eight.
25:07Yes. The seven.
25:09Decants.
25:10It's never over because he's about to hit you with this.
25:13Uncasted.
25:15Uncasted.
25:15Not in I am afraid.
25:18We might talk about an actor being uncast,
25:20but it's not there in any of its forms, I'm afraid.
25:23Sorry, Matt.
25:24Have you ever used that word, I was uncasted?
25:26Er, regularly.
25:29With my record of self-taped currently, all the time coming.
25:32Right, what did we have in there?
25:36Got a nice eight.
25:36Yes.
25:37Yes.
25:38Distance.
25:39Distance it is.
25:40Quite a distance to make up now, Matt, but it's been done before.
25:4367.42.
25:44Four rounds left.
25:46And dictionary corner, Susie Dent, Origins of Words.
25:49Won't be danciest.
25:50What is it?
25:51It won't be.
25:52It's a question from Janet Norris.
25:54If, Janet says, I complimented you and the show with the intention of getting my letter read out,
25:59I suppose you would think I was currying favour, which would be good,
26:03because that's the phrase I'd like your opinion on.
26:05What is the origin of the phrase to curry favour?
26:09And it's possibly one of the most famous examples of what we call egg corns,
26:13which I talk about regularly on the show.
26:15Egg corns, slips of the ear, things that we are convinced are right
26:19and always have been, even though they are ever so slightly wrong.
26:23And when one person gets it wrong, it tends to be infectious.
26:25And that's how language often moves on.
26:28And to curry favour was originally to curry favel,
26:32in which favel was a chestnut horse, beautiful stallion in a 14th century French poem.
26:39Various different readings of this poem.
26:40One is, it was always a satire on corruption, public corruption.
26:45In one version, the horse is a conniving stallion
26:49and becomes a symbol for cunning, for deceit, for daylight robbery,
26:54but also highly amenable to being flattered.
26:56So the curry bit involves a curry brush or a curry comb
26:59that horse riders will know about,
27:02and you use them to brush a horse's coat until it positively gleams.
27:06So that's one version.
27:07In another version, the horse favel belongs to the king,
27:10and in order to get into the good books of the king,
27:12courtiers would come from far and wide and, again,
27:14pick up this curry comb and curry favel to get into the good books of the king.
27:18But favel, of course, the name became lost over time,
27:22and favour made absolute sense.
27:23So people started to say to curry favour,
27:26and that was eventually what became stuck.
27:29And then very many examples, actually,
27:32of proper names being lost in time
27:34because their reference is no longer with us, really.
27:37So my absolute favourite probably is the parting shot,
27:40which is one we all would like to make if it's a witty remark said upon leaving.
27:44It actually began as a Parthian shot because the Parthians were warriors,
27:49and now in present-day Iran, actually,
27:50but in ancient times,
27:52who had the tactic of turning round in their saddles.
27:55It looked as if they were riding away in surrender,
27:57but actually they would turn around and fire their arrows backwards,
28:00and they were often lethal.
28:01Lovely. Thank you.
28:02And all that from one email.
28:06Thank you very much, Janet, for that.
28:08Back to the game then.
28:09Matt Heal.
28:10Not quite on the heels of our champion, Nathan Mulligan,
28:13but it's not a lost cause, Matt.
28:14Keep your faith.
28:15Let's go.
28:16Can I have a consonant, please?
28:18Thank you, Matt.
28:19C.
28:20And a vowel.
28:20O.
28:23And a consonant.
28:25K.
28:26And another.
28:28D.
28:30And a vowel, please.
28:32A.
28:33And another.
28:35E.
28:36And a consonant.
28:38G.
28:39And another.
28:41R.
28:42And a final consonant, please.
28:46Lastly, L.
28:47Good luck, everybody.
28:50Good luck, everybody.
29:20Six for you.
29:21And Nathan?
29:22Six.
29:22There you go.
29:23It's all you need.
29:23Steady as you go.
29:25Matt?
29:25Graced.
29:26Graced.
29:26Rocked.
29:27Rocked and graced as we add the dictionary quarter
29:30or anything above a six.
29:31I'd rocked too, but Susie has.
29:34Oh, one of my favourite words.
29:37In Devon and Cornwall, if you want to talk disparagingly
29:39about holidaymakers, you call them grockles.
29:41Grockles.
29:41So grockle is there for seven.
29:43Very good.
29:44Grockle for seven.
29:45At 73, at 48.
29:47Nathan, one more letters round, you're choosing.
29:51I'll start with the vowel, please.
29:52Thank you, Nathan.
29:53I.
29:54And another.
29:56O.
29:57And a consonant.
29:59H.
30:00Another consonant.
30:02T.
30:03And a third.
30:04Last letters.
30:23T.
30:25T.
30:26T.
30:27T.
30:27T.
30:27T.
30:27T.
30:28T.
30:29T.
30:29T.
30:29MUSIC PLAYS
30:53Nathan.
30:55A risky seven.
30:57I've got a risky seven, a mutt.
30:59Six.
31:00My count, what's the six?
31:01Eight.
31:02And what about you, Nathan?
31:03A ghosty.
31:04Ghosty?
31:05A ghosty, yeah.
31:06It's like a Scottish ghost, though, isn't it?
31:08A ghosty.
31:09A ghosty.
31:10Ah, wee ghosty.
31:11Well done, Nathan.
31:12You pulled away when it mattered.
31:13Two rounds still to negotiate, though.
31:15And, Matt, you're choosing these last numbers.
31:17Could I have one big, please?
31:19You can indeed.
31:20One at the top.
31:21And five from my LL and Rose.
31:23Five little ones, which are...
31:25Eight.
31:26Ten.
31:27One.
31:28Two.
31:29Six.
31:30And one hundred, the big one.
31:32The target, 776.
31:34Seven, seven, six.
31:35Numbers up.
31:36.
31:55.
31:57.
31:59MUSIC PLAYS
32:06776, Mathilde?
32:09No.
32:10Missed it. OK. Nathan Mulligan?
32:14778.
32:15Two away. Off you go.
32:17100 minus 2 times 8.
32:2198 times 8 is 784.
32:26Minus 6.
32:27Minus the 6 is two away.
32:29That was a 1 there, too.
32:30Do you have your feet ready to kick yourselves?
32:32Oh, my goodness, Nathan.
32:34100 minus 2 minus 1 is 97.
32:38Oh, there you go.
32:39776.
32:41Well done.
32:42APPLAUSE
32:44All right, lucky you could afford that, by the way,
32:47cos Matt had one heck of a programme.
32:49Imagine if that had cost you the champions' chair.
32:52It won't, but you could get the 97, which is a great score.
32:56And, Matt, let's see if we can get you over half a century.
32:58Fingers on the buzzers as we reveal today's Countdown Conundrum.
33:03BUZZER
33:15Come on, Matt.
33:16I'll gamble on ruddiness.
33:18Is it ruddiness?
33:19It ruddy is!
33:21APPLAUSE
33:22Yes.
33:23That's not a bad way to go, is it?
33:26Not too bad.
33:27Over 50.
33:28It's good, but we will never get to see you dressed as Rachel.
33:31And that will be a lifelong regret of mine, son.
33:33It really will.
33:34Thank you for being here.
33:36Well done to you.
33:37Nathan, he'll give you a bit of a battle for the first half of the show,
33:39at least.
33:40Yeah, absolutely.
33:41We'll see you tomorrow.
33:42Sounds great.
33:45I, for one, I'm a bit relieved, really.
33:46I mean, I've got plenty of stretchy dresses, but it's the shoes.
33:49The shoes would have suffered.
33:51Right, we will be back tomorrow on Countdown.
33:53Rachel, Susie and I, you can count on us.
33:56You can contact the programme by email at countdown at channel4.com.
34:02You can also find our webpage at channel4.com forward slash countdown.
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