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00:31Hello, everybody. It's the day before the big one. Champions of Champions Countdown. We started with 16, just three left.
00:39Our second semi-final. If I could sum it up in two words, I'd say friendly rivalry. Great camaraderie, but
00:46also that edge of really wanting to win as well, Rich.
00:49They're all good mates, though, aren't they? They play a lot online against each other, and I think there's some
00:54scores to settle today.
00:55Yes, absolutely. Listen, when I think of rivalries, I would go sort of sporting rivalries in my world, even music
01:01rivalries, because I'm of that age, used to be in gangs with the music you like.
01:05But talk to me about one that's alien to me. I don't really get it, but there's a few people
01:10in the studio who do. As a proud son of the YTP scheme, and not being university educated, Oxford-Cambridge,
01:18right? You're an Oxford girl.
01:19The varsity rivalry. Right. So Susie and I are dark blues, and we've got a tab in the studio. A
01:25tab. A tab. She's the tabs. Oxford and Cambridge. I think Oxford was obviously the best university, and Cambridge then
01:33came along afterwards and tried to compete, but they never quite do it.
01:36So I think that's pretty much, that just sums it all up. Well, it's two against one, then. Oxford outnumbering
01:41Cambridge, because in dictionary corners, sticking their oar in every single letters round. The dark blue of Susie Dent, the
01:47light blue of Rick Edwards.
01:52We're talking of friendly rivalries, apart from, of course, a married couple, which we had in the quarterfinal. This is
01:58maybe my favourite. So we'll introduce Dan and Ahmed together, because you're allowed to bring one person to studio with
02:06you.
02:06And you two are fast friends, Dan. Tell me the story. Yeah, well, we've basically just, each game that each
02:12other has played, the other ones come along to be the extra guest. Just to have the chance to watch
02:18the other games, it's been really good to join in, watch along.
02:21And you only met, like, a year ago or something. Yeah, well, there was a countdown event in London, a
02:25local kind of community-run thing. Met up, chatted, had some drinks after, stayed in touch, played a bunch online.
02:35And this is just the second time, actually, in person, but it feels like we've known each other for longer.
02:39I love that. It's really, really nice indeed. And whereas Dan, of course, was pushed all the way in his
02:45quarterfinal, Ahmed, 45 points the difference in your round of 16, 32 points the difference in your quarterfinal.
02:52Do you think you'll get pushed a little bit harder today?
02:55I don't know how to call it, honestly.
02:57I've never beaten him. Ever.
02:59What?
02:59I mean, I don't think that's true. I don't think that's true.
03:03I've beaten him in some numbers, some numbers matches for that.
03:06Yeah, there's no trophy for that. But over 15 rounds, you know, playing unofficially, playing online, zero wins.
03:12Zero.
03:13Yeah, and do you know the only win anybody is going to remember, Dan?
03:15This one.
03:16Today. This is all that matters. Today is the day. Carpe diem. Dan and Ahmed.
03:26Let's put the friendship on hold, shall we? Dan, let's get some letters.
03:30Good afternoon, Rachel. Please can I start with a consonant?
03:33Start today's semi-final with T.
03:37And another one?
03:39S.
03:41And another one?
03:42M.
03:44And another?
03:46R.
03:47And a vowel?
03:49I.
03:51And another?
03:52E.
03:54And another?
03:56O.
03:57And another vowel?
04:00U.
04:03And a consonant, please.
04:05Lastly, T.
04:07At the home, I'm in the studio. Let's play kind time.
04:38I'm in the studio.
04:39Time's up. Dan?
04:40Eight.
04:41Ahmed?
04:42Eight.
04:42What's the word, Dan?
04:43Misroot.
04:44Yes, and Ahmed?
04:45Titmouse.
04:46Misroot and titmouse.
04:47I was with a titmouse as well. Yes, very nice indeed.
04:50Excellent.
04:50Moisture.
04:51Yes, moisture's there for eight.
04:53Nice word.
04:54It's come out of nowhere there.
04:55Moisture.
04:56Yeah.
04:56Moisture.
04:57Can I have moisture?
04:58And loads of sevens in there.
04:59Nice, nice, very easy round to get us started.
05:01It was a nice one to start with.
05:02That's what we like.
05:03Nice, easy start.
05:04Ahmed, your first time picking the letters in the semi-final.
05:08Good afternoon, Rachel.
05:10Afternoon again, Ahmed.
05:11Could I start with a consonant, please?
05:13Start with D.
05:15And another.
05:16L.
05:18Vowel.
05:19A.
05:21Another vowel.
05:22O.
05:23Consonant.
05:24N.
05:26Vowel.
05:27I.
05:28Consonant.
05:30M.
05:31Consonant.
05:33L.
05:34And a final vowel, please.
05:36And a final A.
05:3830 seconds.
05:39driving off.
05:49Thank you so much for watching.
05:52Bye, Scott.
05:53Bye.
05:55Bye.
05:55Bye.
06:05Bye.
06:07Bye.
06:10How many, Ahmed? Eight. And Dan? Eight as well. OK, let's have the words.
06:16Domenial. Domenial. Same word. The same word. Two domains. Domenial.
06:21Happy enough, Susie? The dictionary is happy. Yeah, excellent.
06:24It means relating to the control of an area of territory. OK.
06:28So, has Rick Edwards' amazing start continued? No.
06:32Move on. We did have a nice seven, if you'd like one, a mandala,
06:36which is a musical instrument, a large bass mandolin.
06:40Beautiful. Lovely word. Right, let's get our first numbers round of the day.
06:44Dan? It's got to be four large, please.
06:46It's four large. Could the numbers be Ahmed's Achilles' heel?
06:50We'll see. Four big ones. Two little, which are four and three.
06:55Large ones. 50, 75, 100, 25.
06:59And the target, 519. 519, numbers up.
07:03Two big ones.
07:06Three cannons.
07:23Two bands.
07:23Threeagh ones.
07:23Two, two, three cannons,top파, o'clock, papa.
07:26Three, nine, nine.
07:26Five, five, six, eight, nine.
07:34519. Dan?
07:36Yeah, 519.
07:37And Ahmed?
07:38519.
07:38Very good. Dan, off you go.
07:4075 plus 50 plus 4 is 129.
07:46100 divided by 25 is 4.
07:48Yeah.
07:48Times those together.
07:50516.
07:51Add 3.
07:52Well done, 519.
07:54Fantastic. And Ahmed?
07:55Pretty much the same method.
07:58Yeah, yeah.
07:59Brilliant. 10 points each.
08:04Another epic start.
08:06We've been really spoiled these weeks.
08:0826 points each as we head into our first Tea Time teaser.
08:11Empty Sid.
08:13Empty Sid.
08:14Did this and was locked out by the wrong key.
08:16Did this and was locked out by the wrong key.
08:20MUSIC
08:34Welcome back.
08:36First Tea Time teaser.
08:37Empty Sid becomes mistyped.
08:39Another misstep yet from Dan or Ahmed in this Champion of Champions semifinal.
08:44So let's take another step towards that final tomorrow.
08:48Ahmed, your letters.
08:49Cheers, Colin.
08:50Could I start with a consonant, please?
08:53N.
08:54And another.
08:55T.
08:57Vowel.
08:58E.
08:59Another vowel.
09:01O.
09:02Consonant.
09:03C.
09:04Vowel.
09:05I.
09:08Consonant.
09:09W.
09:10Consonant.
09:12T.
09:14And final consonant, please.
09:18Final R.
09:19Thank you, Rachel.
09:21MUSIC
09:48And final consonant, please.
09:51And Ahmed?
09:52Eight.
09:53Dan?
09:53Eight as well.
09:54There you go, Ahmed.
09:55Cornetti.
09:57Cornetti and Dan?
09:59Contrite.
10:00Contrite we're OK with.
10:01Cornetti, damaged ice cream.
10:04Yes, the plural of your ice cream or of the woodwind instrument.
10:08Yeah, it's one or the other.
10:09Anything else?
10:10No, contrite and written, but nothing better than eight.
10:13Yeah, nothing better than eight, no.
10:13Loads of good words on a normal day.
10:16Dan, let's get nine more letters.
10:17Could I start with a consonant, please?
10:19Thank you, Dan.
10:20P.
10:21And another?
10:23Z.
10:24And another?
10:26R.
10:28And another?
10:30M.
10:32And a vowel?
10:34E.
10:35And another?
10:36O.
10:38And another?
10:40I.
10:41And another vowel?
10:44E.
10:46And another?
10:48O.
10:48And another vowel, please.
10:50Lastly, O.
10:51Half a minute.
11:23And that's it, Dan.
11:25I'll stick on a six.
11:26Ahmed.
11:26Six as well.
11:27OK, there you go, it's a bit tense, Dan.
11:29Empire.
11:30Yes.
11:31Yeah, I'll go over the same.
11:32There you go.
11:34He strikes back with Empire, six points each to Dictionary Corner, to Susie and Rick.
11:39Just sixes, Mo Peer is in there.
11:43Couldn't beat six though.
11:44OK, very good, 40 points each.
11:46I think Ahmed's always happy to be in control of the numbers.
11:48Definitely.
11:50Same as usual, one large.
11:53Not deviating just yet.
11:54It's strange to have you in that chair though.
11:56Let's see if you need to pick something else at the end of this show.
11:59But not for now.
12:00One large, five little.
12:01Two, two, one, seven, eight and 75.
12:07And the target?
12:09566.
12:10566, numbers up.
12:41That's time.
12:42566, Ahmed.
12:44566.
12:44And Dan?
12:45566.
12:46Off you go, Ahmed.
12:4875, add eight.
12:5183.
12:52Take two.
12:53Take two, 81.
12:55Times seven.
12:56Times seven is 567.
12:58And take a one.
12:59And you've got a one.
13:01566.
13:02Dan, same or different?
13:03I did differently.
13:04Seven plus one is eight.
13:06Yep.
13:07Divide by the two for four.
13:09Take that from the 75 for 71.
13:1175 minus four, 71.
13:13Times by the eight.
13:14Times by the eight here.
13:15566, eight.
13:16And then take the two.
13:17Well done.
13:17That's it.
13:21Both players was half a century before I even had my sabbatical with Rick Edwards,
13:26who yesterday was talking about backgammon and selling it to the nation.
13:30So I rushed straight home and watched Netflix.
13:34Yeah.
13:35You're missing out, Colin.
13:36You're missing out.
13:37What are we talking about today?
13:38I want to talk about the soul-nourishing virtue of having a partner who is better than you at almost
13:49everything.
13:50And more talented and more successful and more lauded.
13:54My wife is very, very talented, does lots of great stuff.
13:58And I absolutely love it.
14:00And I think it's a really underrated thing to just accept your place in a partnership and say,
14:05I'm definitely the less good person here, and that's absolutely fine with me.
14:10We should say you're married to a successful actress.
14:13Yes.
14:14Yeah, yeah, yeah.
14:15Yeah.
14:15Oh, OK.
14:16Which is strange, because the age difference between you and Helen Mirren.
14:21But, what, you're telling me, you don't fancy Helen Mirren?
14:24Behave.
14:26So, yes, punching above your weight, batting above your average, all of those different phrases.
14:31But I hope then you put in more effort to the relationship.
14:34Yeah, of course, you have to.
14:34I feel like, as an inferior human being, you should.
14:37Yeah.
14:37Yeah, absolutely, of course.
14:38There's no way around that.
14:40You've got to try and persuade the person that you're worth sticking with.
14:45I don't think it's as good the other way around.
14:47But if you could be the junior partner, fantastic.
14:50So, really, if we did a list, so if we did, sort of, you know, as you do sometimes, to
14:55make a decision,
14:56if she's doing a list, she had to stay with them.
14:58So, she writes...
14:59Let's not do that.
15:00Let's definitely not do that.
15:01I've got it here.
15:01I've got the Rick and Emer list here.
15:03Um, I've only got long balls and backgammon in your section.
15:07Which is not bad.
15:08Not bad.
15:09It's OK.
15:11Well, I want to complete the hat-trick here.
15:13So, surely, and we were talking about this the other day, I mean, Rachel would take passion of the cleaners
15:18on countdown.
15:20Surely, countdown.
15:21If we were to have a couple's countdown, what would this, just give me an estimate of this, what would
15:26be the XG on an Emer-Rick battle?
15:30So, I, I, I would, I'd hammer her.
15:33No, I would.
15:35And she's good with words, but she's not, she's not competitive.
15:39Yeah.
15:40Whereas I really am.
15:41Yeah.
15:41So, I think, uh, and, yeah, not, not, she's not so good on the numbers.
15:45Or, again, she probably could be, but she's not really interested.
15:47So, yeah, I'd definitely beat her on countdown.
15:49I'm just going to stop you here, because you're talking yourself out of this beautiful relationship.
15:53I'm just going to, you just stop it now.
15:57The good news is that she's not watching.
16:00What do you mean, of course she's watching?
16:02Loves it.
16:03She messages me every, forget it.
16:04Excuse me.
16:05Dan against David, then, 50 points each.
16:08Let's get back to this semi-final of our champion of champions, and I make it, Dan is picking the
16:14letters.
16:14Can I start with a consonant, please?
16:16Thank you, Dan.
16:17S.
16:17And another one.
16:20G.
16:21And another.
16:22S.
16:24And another.
16:26T.
16:28And a vowel.
16:29U.
16:30And another.
16:32E.
16:33And another.
16:35O.
16:37And another vowel.
16:40E.
16:42And a final consonant, please.
16:46A final S.
16:47Good luck.
16:49Good luck.
16:57Good luck.
16:59Good luck.
16:59Good luck.
17:00Good luck.
17:00Good luck.
17:01Good luck.
17:01Good luck.
17:01Good luck.
17:01Good luck.
17:02Good luck.
17:03Good luck.
17:04Good luck.
17:04Good luck.
17:05Good luck.
17:05Good luck.
17:05Good luck.
17:06Good luck.
17:06Good luck.
17:06Good luck.
17:06Good luck.
17:07Good luck.
17:08Good luck.
17:10Good luck.
17:14Good luck.
17:18Talk to me, Dan.
17:20Seven.
17:21Ahmed?
17:21Seven.
17:22OK, no surprise that you're matching each other again.
17:25What have you got?
17:26Outseas.
17:27Yes, then, Ahmed?
17:28Gessos.
17:29I'll refer to Susie Dent.
17:32Yep, absolutely fine.
17:34They're for seven.
17:35They're hard compounds of plaster of Paris used in sculpture.
17:39There you go.
17:40Seven points each.
17:41You cannot separate them at this stage of semi-final countdown.
17:44Rick?
17:45Gussets?
17:46Yes, yes.
17:47Do you know what?
17:48It probably doesn't come up that often, but Susie and I notice it a lot.
17:52It feels like it comes up every other day.
17:54It does.
17:55Way too much.
17:55We hate this word.
17:56Yes.
17:57Well, I apologise.
17:58Forget I said it.
17:59We would take it out of the dictionary.
18:0157 points each.
18:03Ahmed, you're up.
18:05Can I start with a consonant, please?
18:06Thank you, Ahmed.
18:07J.
18:08And another.
18:10N.
18:12Vowel.
18:13A.
18:14Another vowel.
18:16E.
18:17Consonant.
18:19R.
18:20Vowel.
18:21A.
18:23Consonant.
18:24L.
18:26Another consonant.
18:28M.
18:31And...
18:32I'll go for another consonant.
18:35Lastly, Y.
18:37Here we go.
18:45I'll be right back.
18:48I'll be right back.
19:08To North London first.
19:10Chester, six.
19:12And to Sheffield.
19:13Six as well.
19:14Ahmed.
19:15Anna Lee.
19:16Anna Lai.
19:17Anna Lee, Anna Lai, and Dan.
19:20I'll go for the same word.
19:21OK, there you go.
19:22So it's Anna Lee or Anna Lai.
19:24They're both in the same boat.
19:25How are you spelling this?
19:26A-N-E-R-L-Y.
19:28Anna Lee, yes.
19:30It's Scottish and Northern English as well, meaning only or solely.
19:35So it's got the one behind it.
19:37There you go.
19:38Very good indeed.
19:38Any other sixes or dare I say it even better?
19:42Certainly not better.
19:44Layman.
19:44This is what we are.
19:45That's what we all feel like, yeah.
19:47Fantastic.
19:4863 points each.
19:50Cannot separate them, but I think Ahmed feels his heart beats slightly faster when Dan's in control of the numbers.
19:56Good news is this is the last time he will be.
19:59It's got to be four large again.
20:01It's got to be four large.
20:02You're hoping for something trickier, aren't you, Dan?
20:04Two little.
20:05Will this be the breakaway?
20:07Two little ones this time.
20:08Two and one, and we know 75, 50, 25, 100, whatever order you like.
20:16The target, 499.
20:19499, numbers up.
20:47MUSIC PLAYS
20:51Ahmed counting his lucky stars.
20:54Dan?
20:55499.
20:55Yes, Ahmed.
20:56Yeah, I liked that one.
20:57He loved that.
20:59For a four big, it doesn't get easier, really.
21:01Dan, off you go.
21:0275 plus 50, all divided by 25.
21:054, you're 5.
21:07Times by the 100 and subtract 1.
21:08Never going to trouble you two.
21:10No.
21:11Ahmed?
21:1275 over 25.
21:1375 over 25, 3.
21:15Add 2.
21:164, you're 5.
21:18Times 100, take 1.
21:2010 points apiece.
21:21Yeah, well done.
21:2473.8 second, T time teaser.
21:27Six rounds of this semi-final of our champion of champions to come.
21:31Turn the phone off.
21:33Close the curtains and stay with us.
21:35Main gist.
21:36Main gist.
21:37The main gist of this is sheer size.
21:40The main gist of this is sheer size.
21:59Welcome back to Countdown.
22:01Main gist becomes giantism.
22:03Giantism.
22:04Two giants of Countdown cannot be separated, but we do not do draws,
22:08especially not in semi-finals of champion of champions.
22:12So let's enjoy every round.
22:13Ahmed, letters from you.
22:14Can I get a consonant, please?
22:17N.
22:18And another.
22:20R.
22:21A vowel.
22:22E.
22:23Another vowel.
22:24A consonant.
22:27N.
22:28Vowel.
22:30E.
22:31Consonant.
22:32S.
22:34Consonant.
22:35K.
22:37And another consonant.
22:39A final T.
22:41Start the clock.
22:42TITULATE Survival.
22:42The following talk isakanjan.
22:43The following talk is
22:43for biết... ... ... ... ...
22:57...
22:58...
22:58...
22:58...
22:59...
22:59...
23:05...수
23:06...
23:07THEY CONFER
23:13Strict 30 seconds. Ahmed? Seven.
23:15And Dan? Seven.
23:17Right, OK. Ahmed? Ensnare.
23:19Dan? Retakes.
23:21OK, no problems with those. Anything else?
23:24Yeah, nothing more from us, I don't think. Retaken.
23:28Earnest.
23:29Earnest, rankist, tankers, yes, lots of sevens.
23:32Right, let's get back to it. Dan, more letters.
23:35Please, can I start with a consonant?
23:37Thank you, Dan. S.
23:39And another one. R.
23:42And another one. S.
23:45And another. G.
23:49And a vowel. O.
23:52And another. E.
23:55And another. O.
23:59And a fourth vowel. U.
24:05And a final vowel, please.
24:07A final, a third O.
24:09Let's play kindtone.
24:10I will tell you, let's talk about that.
24:40And that's time, Dan. Seven. Ahmed. Seven. Right. Dan. Grouses. Yes. Ahmed. Same word.
24:49Grouses. Two rounds in a row where the sevens jumped out fairly obviously.
24:53What else do we have, Susie and Rick? Grouses as well. Didn't there any others?
24:58Yes. Erm, no. Rogues and Rouges for six. I've just seen on your pad. Gooses, Rick, but nothing.
25:04Really? Cos we had gooses the other day.
25:07I was thinking about someone goosing someone else. Yeah. The pinch in the bottom.
25:10Yes. So if you do it, you're not a goose, sir. You are not.
25:13But you're a very bad person. 87 points each. Four rounds left to play.
25:19Two letters, a number, and what's looking odds on a crucial countdown conundrum.
25:23So let's pause, as always, at this time for Origins of Words with Susie.
25:27Where are you taking us today? I'm taking you back to ancient Athens
25:33because I had not heard of this person before who lived in the 5th century BCE.
25:38And this was an Athenian politician called Hyperbolus.
25:42Mm-hm. Now he was a demagogue.
25:44And if you look at demagogue, the etymology is quite neutral, really.
25:47It just means leading the people.
25:48But if you read modern descriptions of them, you'll get the gist.
25:53A politician, for example, this is from a historian, Reinhard Luthen,
25:57skilled in oratory, flattery, and invective, promising everything to everybody,
26:03appealing to the passions rather than the reason of the public,
26:06and arousing racial, religious, and class prejudices.
26:09So I think we've probably all encountered or witnessed demagogues in our lifetimes.
26:16Anyway, Hyperbolus was a sort of long-involved story.
26:20He wanted to establish an ostracism,
26:23which is what happened when somebody who was unwanted in society
26:26would be exiled and permanently sent away.
26:29Only it kind of backfired because he was the one who was ostracised.
26:32Anyway, you might think that hyperbole goes back to hyperbolus,
26:36but actually not linked at all, even though he might like to claim credit for it.
26:41Hyperbole goes back to the Greek hyperbalion, which was to throw over.
26:46In other words, to exceed, to inflate, to kind of go over the top.
26:50And the bit of hyperbole that I wanted to talk about today is overwhelmed,
26:56because, you know, we talk about being overwhelmed and underwhelmed quite frequently.
27:00But actually, in the olden days, you could just be whelmed.
27:03You didn't need the over, because to be whelmed was to be capsized or submerged in water.
27:09But we obviously didn't decide that that was powerful enough,
27:12so we put over in front of it.
27:14But it's a bit of tautology, because if you are whelmed,
27:17you are already under water and struggling a little bit.
27:21So there you go. I discovered the identity of hyperbolus,
27:25but we cannot give him credit for hyperbole.
27:28APPLAUSE
27:31And we don't need to indulge in it, do we?
27:33Because it just sells itself, Dan and Ahmed.
27:3687 points each, four rounds left.
27:39Ahmed, it is your letters.
27:41Could I get a consonant, please?
27:43Thank you, Ahmed. W.
27:44And another?
27:47P.
27:48Vowel.
27:50U.
27:52Vowel.
27:53E.
27:54Consonant.
27:56T.
27:57Vowel.
27:59I.
28:01Consonant.
28:02F.
28:04N.
28:10Uh...
28:11Final vowel, please.
28:13A final E.
28:15Is this the round?
28:42Let's see a few of the weeks.
28:45THEY CONFER
28:48Ahmed.
28:49Six.
28:50Dan.
28:50Six.
28:51Ahmed.
28:52A petun.
28:53And Dan.
28:54Same word.
28:56Susie.
28:57Yes, a petun is to add flavour or aroma to tobacco by spraying it with a specially prepared liquid.
29:03There you go.
29:04Rick, six is...
29:06Pewit? I think it's a bird.
29:07Yeah, it's a lovely bird, yes.
29:09And that Pewit's supposed to be imitative of its call, though.
29:12I don't know if I've ever heard a Pewit go...
29:14Pewit.
29:15Anyway.
29:16Right, fun word, Pewit.
29:17Ninety-three points each.
29:19One more letters round.
29:21Dan, you're going to choose the nine.
29:22Could I start with a consonant, please?
29:24Thank you, Dan.
29:25G.
29:27And another.
29:28D.
29:30And another.
29:32B.
29:34And another consonant.
29:36R.
29:38And a vowel.
29:39I.
29:41And another.
29:42A.
29:45E.
29:47And another vowel.
29:50U.
29:52And another vowel, please.
29:54Lastly, A.
29:56Last letters.
29:58A.
29:59A.
30:23A.
30:24A.
30:27A.
30:29Declaration time, Dan.
30:30I'm going to go for an eight.
30:32Ahmed.
30:33Eight.
30:34Dan.
30:35Bigger raid.
30:36Bigger raid, and Ahmed's about to show me.
30:38Surprisingly the same words.
30:40Oh, we're so cross, because we have brigade.
30:43I didn't think about putting in the extra A.
30:44But bigger raid, yes, it says Seville orange.
30:47Yeah.
30:47Yeah, fantastic.
30:49101 points each.
30:51Is it going to be 111 points each going into a crucial countdown conundrum?
30:55Ahmed, your numbers.
30:57I'm actually getting bored of saying it now.
30:59Yeah, one large.
31:00One large.
31:01Five little.
31:02And if you're both in room 101, I guess this continues the torture for you two.
31:06Right, final numbers of the day.
31:08Two, six, one, eight, six, and the large one, 25.
31:14Could be an interesting one.
31:17975.
31:18975.
31:20Numbers up.
31:51Ahmed, nine, seven, five.
31:53975.
31:53And Dan?
31:54975.
31:55Ahmed, off you go.
31:57Six times six.
31:5836.
31:59Add two, add one.
32:0039.
32:01Times 25.
32:02And never in a month of Sundays would that trouble you two.
32:05975.
32:06And Dan?
32:06I over complicated it a tiny bit.
32:08Instead of two plus one, I did eight divided by two is four and subtract one for the three.
32:14That's not too complicated.
32:16We can handle that.
32:17APPLAUSE
32:2014 rounds down.
32:22Dan has never been behind or in the lead.
32:25Ahmed has never been behind or in the lead.
32:28Both our semi-finalists have never lost in this studio.
32:34Something has to give right now.
32:37Let's reveal today's crucial countdown conundrum.
32:47Let's see if you're right.
32:49Sensational.
32:51APPLAUSE
32:58After nearly 45 minutes of hardly being able to breathe, it was all over in just a couple of seconds.
33:05First words to Ahmed, how do you feel?
33:07I was looking forward to this game a lot because obviously Dan's a great mate and it was as tight
33:13as you can get.
33:15Same score the whole way.
33:16And yeah, it was amazing playing him and congrats on your run, mate.
33:20It was amazing, yeah.
33:22Sensational game that was, Dan.
33:23And I think for pleasure, your standard, you either see it straight away or you don't at one of those
33:29occasions.
33:29I've never heard of that word.
33:31It was spotted so fast.
33:32Even if I had heard of it, I wasn't going to get it.
33:35I played as well as I could have ever hoped to play and Ahmed was still outclassing me.
33:40So, yeah, great game.
33:42Thank you for it.
33:43And can't wait to watch the final.
33:45Both of you have been sensational.
33:47Ahmed goes through to the final.
33:48Dan has been absolutely wonderful.
33:51APPLAUSE
33:55Well, Susie, Rick, just one more to go.
33:58You want to make a bet?
33:59Oh, definitely not making a bet.
34:00Poplar Teal, by the way, is that little hollow behind your knee.
34:03Yes.
34:03Well, their knees will be knocking together tomorrow for the final.
34:07Rachel, there you go.
34:08Your man is still in.
34:10Look at that.
34:11I'm always in the final.
34:12And I'm making another prediction.
34:14I think it will come down to the numbers tomorrow.
34:15Yeah.
34:16See how they fall.
34:17Yes, indeed.
34:17James Houghton against Ahmed Mohamed in the Champion of Champions countdown final.
34:24We will see you here tomorrow.
34:26Same time, same place.
34:28Rachel, Susie and I will be here.
34:29You can count on us.
34:31You can contact the programme by email at countdown at channel4.com
34:36or write to us at countdown leads LS3 1JS.
34:40You can also find our webpage at channel4.com forward slash countdown.