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00:30Hello, everybody. Welcome to Countdown this Monday afternoon.
00:33Hope you had a good weekend, whatever it brought for you.
00:36I'm so glad you can join us back and we can keep each other company every afternoon this week.
00:41There's no mystery about that. How are you doing, Rich O'Reilly?
00:44I'm wondering what the mystery you're referencing is.
00:47Well, the mystery is something that you might think, oh, well, we've talked about that before, which is Sherlock Holmes.
00:53So on this day, back in 1892, the Strand magazine started to publish 12 short stories that would become the
01:02adventures of Sherlock Holmes and the rest is history.
01:05And I thought, well, I went down a bit of a rabbit hole in this.
01:09Shortly before that, the second installment, there was a dinner party and Arthur Conan Doyle was at it.
01:14The first installment of Sherlock Holmes didn't do that well.
01:17He never loved Sherlock Holmes. He never loved Sherlock Holmes. Weird that.
01:22Anyway, the editor of this magazine, Lippincott's Monthly Magazine, at this dinner party persuaded Arthur Conan Doyle to write a
01:30serialisation for his magazine.
01:31But at that dinner party that night in the 1800s, a certain Oscar Wilde was there as well.
01:37And on the very same night, he persuaded him to write a novel that he would serialise in the same
01:44magazine that was The Picture of Dorian Gray.
01:47Now, imagine being that editor, leaving that dinner party, maybe half a bottle of wine left, maybe took a little
01:53slice of cake with him.
01:54And he thought, wonder will anything come of that?
01:57Two of like the most famous books of all time in one night.
01:59It's a bit like you having food with Susie and telling her to write a novel.
02:02She'll be off soon. She'll be leaving us.
02:05I'm taking all credit for Susie's novel, although I don't want to bring it up.
02:09No food at the launch party. No food.
02:11I don't want to bring it up again.
02:13It still stings to this day.
02:15But we have to get over to Dixonry Corner.
02:17Our very own word detective, of course, Susie Dent.
02:20No food. No food at the launch party.
02:23Beside her this week, we absolutely adore her.
02:25And every time she appears on Countdown, there's always something seismic to talk about.
02:30Do you remember her own Barbie doll?
02:32That was sensational when you brought that in.
02:34But the space scientist and the science educator is now a dame.
02:39So please welcome dame, Maggie Adder and Bocock.
02:45Has it changed you?
02:46Oh, totally. No.
02:49But it's really weird you're talking about Arthur Conan Don and Sherlock Holmes.
02:53Because that's my daughter's current hyperfixation.
02:55And so I am surrounded by podcasts, television series.
02:59We're just in the home's realm at the moment.
03:01And you brought her with you today.
03:02I did.
03:03Which means you are going to be bored, Steph, after this show.
03:06Because I have a lot of rabbit hole to take you down.
03:08That's perfect.
03:09Well, listen, Elaine Sharp has been here before.
03:11A one-time champion, still basking in the glory.
03:14Had the whole weekend from Epsom in Surrey.
03:17We know your mum and dad are huge fans.
03:19And they'll be so proud to tune in again.
03:21But you're up against Laura Groves today.
03:22Laura's from, well, let's find out.
03:25You love to travel.
03:27You love to live all over the world.
03:28So let's start with where you were born.
03:30I was born in California.
03:32Okay.
03:33Yeah.
03:34Military brat.
03:35So we moved around a lot.
03:36Florida and Texas, Virginia.
03:40So no countdown in your childhood?
03:43None.
03:44No, none.
03:45So that would have been then when you moved to the UK.
03:47Okay.
03:47So we go from California, eventually, to Clandon, no, which is where you live now.
03:53So when did countdown come across your radar?
03:56Actually, I was in the US.
03:58We watched it on YouTube, especially the Cats version of Cat and No.
04:03Well, I love that.
04:04I love the Cats brought you on to this show.
04:06And we, you know, it's fantastic, I think.
04:09It's wonderful.
04:10So Laura and Elaine, best of luck.
04:11Let's have a great game today.
04:15Nine letters, I presume, Elaine.
04:17Good afternoon, Rachel.
04:18Good afternoon, Elaine.
04:18Please, may I have a consonant?
04:20You may indeed start the week with L.
04:23And another.
04:25T.
04:26One more.
04:28M.
04:30A vowel.
04:32E.
04:35Another.
04:36O.
04:38One more, please.
04:40E.
04:42A consonant.
04:44D.
04:46Another.
04:48C.
04:51And a final consonant, please.
04:53A final N.
04:55Atom and in the studio, let's play Countdown.
05:04I.
05:08Bye.
05:14Bye.
05:22Bye.
05:22Bye.
05:23Bye.
05:25Bye.
05:25Bye.
05:28And that is time, Elaine.
05:30Six, please. Not written down.
05:32No worries. And Laura?
05:33I also just have six.
05:35Elaine?
05:35Moulton.
05:36And for you, Laura?
05:38Cloned.
05:38And cloned.
05:40Yes. Yes.
05:41A couple of nice sixes to kick off with.
05:43Yeah.
05:43We couldn't beat that, actually.
05:45Good to have a comment appear, though, with you in Dixon.
05:48Very first round.
05:50Won't get us any points, but it's fitting.
05:52Laura, nine more letters.
05:54Hi, Rachel.
05:55Hi, Laura.
05:55May I have a consonant, please?
05:57You may, indeed.
05:58M.
05:59And another?
06:01R.
06:02May I have a vowel?
06:03I.
06:04And a consonant?
06:06N.
06:07May I have a vowel?
06:08U.
06:10May I have another vowel?
06:12I.
06:14May I have a consonant?
06:16T.
06:17And another vowel?
06:19E.
06:21And a final consonant, please.
06:23A final G.
06:24Start the clock.
06:26Start the clock.
06:56Laura, how many?
06:57I just have six.
06:59A six, that's good enough.
07:00And Elaine?
07:00Six as well.
07:01I have a risky eight, but I'll stick with the six, please.
07:04I'm going to stick with that.
07:05Laura?
07:05Timing.
07:06Timing.
07:07And Elaine?
07:08Nutmeg.
07:09Nutmeg.
07:09Now, would it have been good timing for a risky eight?
07:12What was it, Elaine?
07:13Meriting.
07:14Meriting.
07:15That would have been absolutely fine.
07:18What have we got in the dexterity corner?
07:20We've got an eight.
07:21Yes.
07:21Three timing.
07:23Yes.
07:23You could put the RE in front of it.
07:25And also, totally appropriate to Arthur Conan Doyle.
07:28Intrigue.
07:29Well spotted.
07:31Leaving the M out.
07:32Right, let's get our first numbers of the day.
07:35You're up, Elaine.
07:35One large and five small, please.
07:38One big five, little.
07:40No sudden moves.
07:41Let's see how regular this one is.
07:43So numbers, five, two, seven, nine, seven, and 75.
07:50And your target, 269.
07:53269 numbers up.
07:54That's all.
08:24MUSIC
08:252, 6, 9. Elaine?
08:272, 6, 2.
08:28OK, that's 7 away. Little chance, Laura.
08:31No, I blanked out.
08:33OK, so, Elaine?
08:359 minus 5 is 4.
08:37Yep.
08:38Times by 75 is 300.
08:40300.
08:417 plus 7 is 14.
08:44Times by 2 is 28.
08:47Take them away for 2, 6, 2.
08:502, 7, 2.
08:52You were closer than you thought you were.
08:54Oh, that's very bad luck.
08:57Yep.
08:58It's the nil poise for both of you.
09:01So, Rachel, take us to 2, 6, 9.
09:02Well, it was tricky, I thought.
09:04But 7 times 7 is 49.
09:0875 minus 49 is 26.
09:112 times 5 is 10.
09:14Times them together for 260 and add on the 9, 2, 6, 9.
09:18Well done.
09:20So, it's tricky enough for sure.
09:22This Tea Time teaser is lovely.
09:24The clue is brilliant.
09:25Right, it's I see later.
09:27I see later.
09:28It helped Peter Reid and Ian Wright,
09:31but it's not football related.
09:33It helped Peter Reid and Ian Wright,
09:35but it's not football related.
09:53Welcome back.
09:54What a brilliant Tea Time teaser, Clue.
09:55It helped Peter Reid and Ian Wright,
09:58but it's not football related.
09:59Literacy.
10:00Literacy.
10:01Right, a dozen points each.
10:03Back to the game, Laura.
10:04May I please have a consonant, Rachel?
10:06Thank you, Laura.
10:07P.
10:07And another.
10:09N.
10:10And one more.
10:12S.
10:13May I have a vowel?
10:15O.
10:16And another.
10:17A.
10:19May I have another vowel?
10:22U.
10:23And a consonant.
10:24N.
10:25And another vowel.
10:28A.
10:29And a final consonant.
10:31A final R.
10:32Don't sweat it.
10:33Here we go.
10:36A number.
10:36Let's go.
10:36Let's go.
10:42Let's go.
10:45Let's go.
10:45Let's go.
10:47Let's go.
10:47Let's go.
10:48Let's go.
10:49Let's go.
10:50Let's go.
10:51Let's go.
10:51Let's go.
10:52Let's go.
10:52Let's go.
10:52Let's go.
10:53Let's go.
10:53Let's go.
10:53Let's go.
10:54Let's go.
10:54Let's go.
10:55Let's go.
10:55Let's go.
10:56Let's go.
10:57Let's go.
10:58Let's go.
10:59Let's go.
11:00Let's go.
11:05A number, Laura.
11:06I just had five.
11:08And for you, Elaine?
11:09Six.
11:10Laura, what's the five?
11:11Sana.
11:12Yeah, and for you, Elaine?
11:14Aprons.
11:15Aprons.
11:15Very good indeed.
11:16Nice.
11:17Lovely.
11:17Maggie, what have you got?
11:18A six.
11:19A parson.
11:20A parson.
11:21Yeah.
11:21I say we just move on then and get more letters from Elaine.
11:24Consonant, please, Rachel.
11:26Thank you, Elaine.
11:27Y.
11:28And another?
11:30W.
11:31One more?
11:33F.
11:35Vowel?
11:37I.
11:39Another?
11:40E.
11:42One more?
11:44I.
11:46Consonant?
11:48S.
11:49Another?
11:51G.
11:53And a final consonant, please.
11:57A final N.
11:59Let's do it.
12:30OK, Elaine.
12:32Just a five.
12:33Laura.
12:34Six.
12:35Chance to draw a level of five, Elaine.
12:37Swing.
12:38We might swing back.
12:40Laura.
12:40Sewing.
12:41Yes, well spotted.
12:43Yeah, very good.
12:44Maggie, yet again, hard to get above six.
12:46Did you manage it?
12:47Yeah, I've got a seven.
12:48Yes.
12:49Signify.
12:50To signify.
12:51Yeah.
12:52Excellent, well done.
12:5318 points each.
12:54Second numbers round of the day.
12:56Laura's first time choosing.
12:58OK, Rachel, may I please have four large?
13:01You can.
13:02We're made business now.
13:03Trying to make the break early.
13:04Four large, two little.
13:06Put you under pressure.
13:07Little one's seven and eight.
13:09And we know.
13:1025, 75, 50 and 100.
13:14And the target to reach 898.
13:18898.
13:18Numbers up.
13:352,000, secondly.
13:35We're going to talk to her.
13:36We're going to talk to you next time.
13:36Have a great side.
13:36Bye.
13:36Bye.
13:37Bye.
13:40Bye.
13:47Bye.
13:498-9-8, Laura.
13:52I just have 900.
13:54Yeah, and Elaine?
13:558-9-3.
13:568-9-3, so the 900 will get you seven points
13:59and the lead, Laura, grows.
14:01All right, 100 times eight.
14:04800.
14:05Add the 75 and the 25.
14:08900.
14:09That was a rare occasion where I thought,
14:12surely it just cannot be done before I even hit that button.
14:15It can be done, but you're going to have to leave it with me.
14:17Listen, if you manage to do that at home,
14:19we need you to apply to be in Countdown.
14:21Countdown at channel4.com using the number four.
14:24That's the email address,
14:25and that's the catch-all for everything Origins of Words with Susie
14:28and applying to be on the show.
14:30Countdown at channel4.com.
14:32Wow, I can't believe there's a way to get that done.
14:34Let's break, as always, because at this time,
14:37every day we chat to our Dictionary Corner guest.
14:39Now, I'm not sure what's happening at the book launch for this.
14:42I'm assuming there'll be food.
14:43But Web's Universe, the new book by Dr. Dame...
14:48I don't know how to say your name anymore.
14:49Maggie, Maggie.
14:50Web's Universe, and it's the space telescope images
14:53that reveal our cosmic history.
14:55Now, I'm no scientist, but in doing radio for so long,
14:58every time there is a new telescope launched,
15:01the excitement within the space science community is palpable
15:04because it really is like when you improve a telescope in space,
15:09you're opening the window further to the soul of civilisation, really.
15:16Yeah, very much so.
15:17And the thing is, one of the things being a space scientist
15:20or an astronomer is you always want a bigger telescope.
15:23It's just one of those sort of...
15:24We can always go bigger.
15:26And James Webb is the biggest space telescope ever built.
15:29Yeah.
15:29And unfortunately, it was a bit embarrassing
15:31because it was running horribly late
15:32and it was really over budget.
15:34But it's really pushing the frontiers of what we know.
15:38And it's sort of...
15:39We had the Hubble Space Telescope,
15:41and that taught us so much about the universe.
15:43It gave us an understanding of sort of how many galaxies
15:47are in the universe and things like that.
15:49So it gave us so much information.
15:50But now we wanted to sort of see the universe
15:52in a different light, literally.
15:54And the James Webb Space Telescope is an infrared telescope.
15:58So it's picking up heat energy from the universe.
16:00And there's some places in the universe
16:02where visible light can't penetrate.
16:04Yeah.
16:04And so we can't see those things
16:05with things like the Hubble Space Telescope.
16:07But when you go to the James Webb,
16:09because the infrared light can pass through these clouds
16:11and dusts and things like that,
16:13we're getting new insight into what's out there.
16:15And it's incredibly exciting.
16:17Thank you, Maggie, as always.
16:21I wonder how far in the space Rachel has to go
16:24to get this 898, but you've got it.
16:27Well, not at all.
16:28So trying the hard ones actually sends you
16:30in the wrong direction,
16:31because if you say 50 over 25 is 2,
16:34add that to the 100 for 102,
16:37times it by 8 for 816,
16:39and then you can just add the 7 and 75.
16:41I know, I know.
16:43We missed a straightforward one.
16:44Oh, no.
16:48So many people at home would have been going,
16:49what are they talking about?
16:51That's brilliant.
16:52We don't cut any of that out.
16:53That's what countdown is.
16:54We just play along with you as well.
16:56Brilliant.
16:56Let's get back to the game.
16:57Elaine.
16:58A consonant, please, Rachel.
16:59Thank you, Elaine.
17:00B.
17:02And another.
17:03N.
17:05One more.
17:07S.
17:08A vowel.
17:10A.
17:12Another.
17:13E.
17:14A further one.
17:17O.
17:18Consonant, please.
17:20D.
17:22One more.
17:24M.
17:26And a further consonant.
17:29A final S.
17:30And here we go again.
17:38MUSIC PLAYS
18:02Elaine. My mind has gone a five.
18:05It's not gone at all. Five is fine.
18:07Laura. I think I have a seven.
18:10Excellent. Yes, capitalise before her mind clicks back in again.
18:13Elaine wants a five.
18:14Sands. Yes. And the seven?
18:17Bemoans. Lovely.
18:18Nice. Well spotted. Seven points.
18:20What can we add to the list? I think we have an eight.
18:23Yes. And abdomens.
18:25Oh, abdomens. Not just one abdomen, but more than one.
18:29Yes. Several abdomens.
18:32Well, look at that. You extend your lead as a challenger today, Laura,
18:35and it's your letters. May I have a vowel?
18:36Thank you, Laura.
18:38I. And a consonant?
18:40G. And another, please?
18:44M. And another, please?
18:47D. And another vowel?
18:50A. Another vowel, please?
18:55U. May I have another vowel?
18:58L. A.
19:01And a consonant?
19:03C.
19:08And a final consonant, please?
19:14You came here for a challenge. A final R.
19:16All right. Half a minute.
19:18Sands.
19:28I does not know where you are.
19:30All right.
19:44I am going consciously.
19:45Wow.
19:47Now you are, especially for a trooper.
19:48Time's up. Laura? Five. Five for you. And Elaine? Five. And five as well. What have you got, Laura? Magic.
19:56And for you, Elaine? God. Garden magic. Very good.
20:00OK, the dictionary corner then. Maggie? Six, which is scientific. Radium. Radium, yeah. So I quite like that. Yes, that's
20:07a really good one. And diagram is there for seven.
20:10Diagram for seven. Did Garda make the dictionary, the Irish place? Yes. And how are we spelling that? I don't
20:16know if it's capital G, so we can't have that one. Capital G, can't have it, all right.
20:19Bang the rights on that one as we get our third numbers round of the day. And it's you, Elaine.
20:24One large, please, Rachel, and five small.
20:27One large, five small. Back to the more regular choice. And the five little ones this time. One, two, six,
20:35ten, and seven. And the large one's 75.
20:38Five. And the target, 105. 105. Numbers up.
20:43Thanks for listening.
20:46Five.
20:50Five.
20:57Five.
21:08Four.
21:09Four.
21:09Four.
21:11Four.
21:12Four.
21:13OK, low target, 1.05, Elaine.
21:171.05. And for Laura?
21:19No, I just had 1.04.
21:21You see, you just never know when the game's going to turn.
21:23Elaine, off you go.
21:256 minus 1 equals 5. Yep.
21:28Plus 10. 15.
21:31Times by 2 is 30.
21:33Plus 75. And you've picked up 10 points.
21:36Well done.
21:39APPLAUSE
21:39Had to find that 30 and the rest was downhill from there.
21:43So 37-33, our challenger, Laura, still with a lead of four
21:49as we go into our second break today with Grim Area
21:52as our Tea Time teaser, Grim Area.
21:55It started by 2 but usually ended by 1.
21:58It started by 2 but usually ended by 1.
22:20That is marriage, that is marriage.
22:25Right, Laura, nine more letters.
22:26OK, Rachel, may I have a consonant, please?
22:29Thank you, Laura. T.
22:30And another.
22:32S.
22:33May I have another, please?
22:35V.
22:36May I have a vowel?
22:38E.
22:39T.
22:39And another.
22:40A.
22:41And a consonant?
22:43T.
22:45And another consonant?
22:47P.
22:48And a vowel?
22:49I.
22:52And a final consonant, please.
22:57A final N.
22:58Good luck.
23:13Good luck.
23:15Good luck.
23:30Laura?
23:31I'm seven.
23:32And for you, Elaine?
23:33Just a six.
23:34And a six.
23:34The six is?
23:35Pasty.
23:36Laura?
23:37Actually, I realised I don't actually have it.
23:39OK, no worries.
23:41What do we have in dextrinary cornea?
23:42I think we've got an eight.
23:45Patience.
23:45Oh, just tell me.
23:47Oh, patience.
23:49As in hospital.
23:50Get you now, right.
23:52Let's get back to it.
23:53More letters now.
23:54And Elaine, back in the lead.
23:56May I have a consonant, please, Rachel?
23:58Thank you, Elaine.
23:58K.
23:59And another.
24:01L.
24:03One more.
24:04R.
24:06One more, please.
24:08D.
24:10A vowel.
24:12E.
24:13Another.
24:15One more.
24:17One more.
24:19E.
24:21Consonant.
24:23B.
24:26And a final consonant.
24:28A final R.
24:29Let's play.
24:31One more.
24:33One more.
24:44One more.
24:48One more.
24:50One more.
24:50One more.
24:50One more.
24:50One more.
24:50One more.
25:04I'm going to try a seven.
25:05To take the lead again, the six, Elaine.
25:08Rebuke.
25:09Will it count? What are we trying, Laura?
25:11Rebuker.
25:12A rebuker.
25:13I'm glad you didn't go for blurter,
25:15because I thought you might go for that one, which isn't him,
25:17but rebuker is. Well done.
25:18Yay, well done.
25:21Good time to gamble.
25:22Five-point lead.
25:24Now, it's just going to keep switching, isn't it?
25:25We're surely getting to that place.
25:27Anything else, Maggie?
25:29No, Rebuke.
25:30That's it. That's as good as it gets.
25:32Excellent. Four rounds to go.
25:33Really intriguing.
25:34First countdown of the week.
25:36And our first Origins Awards, Susie.
25:38Yeah, well, I've been mulling over Sherlock Holmes
25:41and what he added to the dictionary.
25:44And one interesting fact about Sherlock Holmes stories
25:47is he never mentions a deerstalker,
25:49so he doesn't give Sherlock Holmes the deerstalker.
25:51It was the illustrator of, probably when it was serialised, actually,
25:57of the first stories that gave Sherlock Holmes.
25:59I think he does mention an ear-flapped travelling cap,
26:02and that's what he portrays.
26:04But he gave us a quite ungainly word, ratiocinate,
26:10which he applied to Sherlock Holmes particularly,
26:12and it means to make judgements by the process of logic,
26:16which is what Sherlock Holmes is all about, obviously.
26:18But I thought I would follow on from there
26:20and talk about being bamboozled,
26:22which he rarely is Sherlock Holmes,
26:25but there are so many words in the dictionary for it.
26:28Bamboozle, sadly, we don't know where that one comes from,
26:30but there are lots of other brilliant words,
26:32like hornswoggle.
26:33If you were hornswoggled,
26:35you have been completely hoodwinked.
26:38And hoodwink is another quite interesting one,
26:42because the wink here is not what we think of
26:44when we close one eye,
26:46you know, to imply a joke or something suggestive, etc.
26:49To wink originally meant to close your eyes completely,
26:53which is why when we take 40 winks,
26:54we are actually having a nap.
26:57So it goes back to an old English verb,
26:58meaning to close the eyes,
27:00both eyes at the same time,
27:02for a particular reason.
27:03So, of course, when somebody hoodwinked you,
27:05it was the same metaphorically,
27:06they were putting a hood over your head
27:08and forcing your eyes to close
27:10so that you had no idea what was going on.
27:12So when we hoodwinked someone,
27:14we are bamboozling them.
27:15But anyway, that was just inspired
27:16by the brilliant Sherlock Holmes.
27:21All right, four rounds to go.
27:23Just five points in it.
27:24Laura, here we go.
27:26More letters.
27:26May I have a consonant, please?
27:28Thank you, Laura.
27:29L.
27:30And a vowel.
27:33O.
27:34And another consonant.
27:36H.
27:37And another vowel.
27:40E.
27:41And a consonant.
27:43F.
27:44Another consonant, please.
27:46H.
27:47Another consonant, please.
27:50P.
27:51A vowel.
27:54O.
27:55And a final consonant, please.
27:58A final G.
28:00And a consonant.
28:01Nie.
28:11The çıkar.
28:28Le".
28:31How many, Laura?
28:33Six, I think.
28:35And for Elaine?
28:37I'm afraid I'm losing it.
28:38Only a four.
28:39A four that is?
28:41Loop.
28:42And you think a six?
28:43Hoople.
28:44Hoople.
28:45Well, I mean, there'll be a hoopla over hoopla, I think.
28:47Yes, hoopla is in the dictionary, but not hoopla, I'm afraid.
28:50I'm sorry, Laura.
28:51So the rare occasion of a four-point counting.
28:54And we're back there within one point.
28:56What a bizarre great programme today.
28:59Right, what have you got, Maggie?
29:00So I take your loop and give you gloop.
29:04Oh, yes.
29:05Yeah, I always associate that with the I.
29:08Gloop in the I.
29:09It's not a nice word, is it, Claire?
29:10Gloop.
29:11Natural, isn't it?
29:12Natural gloop.
29:13OK.
29:14Here we go.
29:15Deep breath, everyone.
29:16Three rounds to go.
29:18Elaine, you're picking these letters.
29:20Consolant, please, Rachel.
29:21Thank you, Elaine.
29:22S.
29:23And another.
29:25C.
29:26One more.
29:28X.
29:29Vowel.
29:31A.
29:32Another.
29:34E.
29:35One more.
29:37U.
29:39Consonant.
29:41S.
29:43One more.
29:44R.
29:47And a final consonant.
29:48A final T.
29:50Last letters.
29:51One more.
29:53One more.
30:03One more.
30:06One more.
30:22Time's up, Elaine.
30:23Just a five.
30:24And for you, Laura?
30:25Six.
30:26And a six.
30:27The five?
30:28Stars.
30:28And the six?
30:30Crusts.
30:32Crusts, as in on the old bread?
30:34Yes.
30:34So the points go to Laura.
30:36That gap increases a bit, but not enough to keep us away from a crucial countdown conundrum yet.
30:41And you loved this round, Maggie.
30:43I know you did.
30:43Off you go.
30:45So we have saucers, but a fur tax is an eight.
30:50As in more tax?
30:52More tax, exactly.
30:53It's an additional tax on top of one you already expected.
30:55But it was all about the flying saucers for me.
30:58That's where I had it, Maggie.
30:59Right, here we go then.
31:01Last numbers round.
31:02Laura, tactics play a huge part here with a seven-point lead.
31:05What are you going to do?
31:06May I try a four large again, please?
31:08Another four large.
31:09That's a very crucial time in this show.
31:12Last numbers, very important ones.
31:14The little ones, two and four.
31:17And the big four, 50, 100, 25 and 75.
31:22And the target, 544.
31:25Five, four, four.
31:26Last numbers.
31:27Two, three, two, three.
31:29Two, three.
31:32Two, three.
31:49The whole.
31:50Two, three.
31:52Two, three.
31:585, 4, 4. Laura?
32:01I have 5, 4, 8.
32:03Four away, a lane.
32:055, 4, 7.
32:06So, a lane. Three away. Let's hear it.
32:102 plus 4 is 6.
32:122 plus 4 is 6.
32:14Times by 100 is 600.
32:16Yes.
32:17Minus 50 is 550.
32:2175 divided by 25 is the 3, and take that away.
32:25And you've earned yourself a crucial conundrum. Well done.
32:28At least one. We are 50 points apiece.
32:32But 5, 4, 4, Rachel.
32:34Yeah, I mean, loads of dead ends, but...
32:37100 times 4 is 400.
32:4175 divided by 25 is 3.
32:4550 minus 2 is 48.
32:47Times by the 3 is 144.
32:50And add it on 5, 4, 4.
32:52APPLAUSE
32:55Well, everybody, let's not pussyfoot around.
32:59Both Elaine and Laura just a whisker away from glory.
33:03But who will end up like the cat that got the cream?
33:07Elaine, Laura, fingers on the buzzers
33:10as we reveal this crucial countdown conundrum.
33:26Laura.
33:28Crucially?
33:29Is the crucial countdown conundrum crucially?
33:31It is!
33:33APPLAUSE
33:35Goodness me.
33:37I have no favourites, but I'm really intrigued to see
33:39what the second outfit is like for Laura tomorrow after today.
33:44Laura, that was an epic game of countdown.
33:46It's not all about everyone getting over 100 and all that.
33:48That was nip and tuck.
33:49How did you find that?
33:51Nerve-wracking.
33:52I mean, it was nerve-wracking for us.
33:54We do this every day.
33:56That was great.
33:56And I think, Elaine, that was fair enough, I think, today.
33:59I think that was fair enough.
34:01I was really nervous today.
34:02More nervous than Friday.
34:03Yeah, funny that, I could tell.
34:05But you know what the good news is?
34:06Whether you win one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight,
34:09I'm our same teapot.
34:10Thank you, Colin.
34:11Brilliant.
34:12We'll see Laura tomorrow, as we will Maggie,
34:14Adam, Pocock and Susie Dent.
34:16Thank you, Paul.
34:17And you, Rich, have a good Monday night.
34:18I want Elaine to go home and tell her parents to come on next.
34:21Yes.
34:22Valu and Alex, get your acting gear.
34:24Come and see us.
34:24Right, that's all done.
34:25Another case closed, we'll open another one tomorrow.
34:28Same time, same place, you can count on us.
34:31You can contact the programme by email at countdown at channel4.com.
34:35You can also find our webpage at channel4.com forward slash countdown.
34:45Dispatches exposes the reality for workers making the iconic dolls Barbie's Dirty Secrets ready to screen.
34:52And is the buying and selling app too good to be true?
34:54Vintage Dirty Laundry is Friday at 7.30.
34:58A place in the sun.
34:59What happened next is next.