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00:30Good afternoon and welcome to the Countdown Studio.
00:33Now, our redoubable research team, hundreds of researchers led by the wonderful Carolyn Nicholl,
00:39occasionally comes up with something really rather left field.
00:43And they've asked me to talk to you today about what happened on this very day, way back in 1977.
00:49Something that happened in Felixstowe. You know Felixstowe.
00:52What happened? Well, apparently 90 sets of identical Swedish twins.
00:58Can you imagine, Rachel? Landed in Felixstowe. Why?
01:02Well, apparently they ranged from the age of 11 to 80 and they were part of a social study carried
01:07out by a university in Stockholm.
01:09The whole idea was cooked up by a Swedish ship captain and he thought it would be rather good to
01:14come up with this idea,
01:17which was prompted by the fact that he met two identical twin sisters who, wait for it, were riding identical
01:24ponies.
01:25I mean, they must have been taking some sort of hallucinogenic drug, this captain. It was extraordinary.
01:29Anyway, he thought the whole thing out and off they came into Felixstowe all wearing identical clothes.
01:35Each twin wore the same as the other twin. It goes on and on and on. Absolutely extraordinary.
01:39Yeah, I've got some. My granddad was a twin, not identical. And my cousin's got little twins, again, not identical.
01:44But I think that's the version that might be hereditary.
01:48No, it'll be in the family, won't it?
01:49Identical ones, I don't think. I don't think that's genetic. It's just...
01:52When I grew up, one of my mum's great pals was called Muriel Fitzgerald and she married a chap called
01:59Pierce Fitzgerald.
02:00That was their married name. And they had three sets of twins. But there we are.
02:04So, who have we got with us? We have got Matt Letizier's conqueror, none other than John Hardy, who comes
02:11back.
02:12Welcome back. A maths tutor from Willoughby in Yorkshire.
02:14Two impressive wins, certainly. 102 points and 109 points.
02:19Will Chris Jack unseat you?
02:21And newspapers have editor and sports writer from Larn in Northern Ireland, former guitarist in an indie pop band called
02:28Acute Riot,
02:29who played in front of a packed O2 Academy in Glasgow. Good man.
02:32And I was intrigued here to read a note that you were once dropped 300 feet in an adapted sleeping
02:40bag which swung over a lake in Florida.
02:43What were you on?
02:44Yeah, so it was just, they hoisted us up 300 feet and then just dropped us over this lake.
02:50We actually, the week after, we went back up to the same place and that's where I proposed to my
02:54wife.
02:55Because I thought if she can drop herself 300 feet...
02:57Is she accepted?
02:57Yeah, she did.
02:58She's either brave or crazy.
03:00Anyway, let's have a big round of applause for John Hardy and Chris Jacks.
03:08And over in the corner.
03:09Susie, welcome back Susie.
03:11As ever, joined for the first time in our Countdown team over in Dictionary Corner by Charlie Stade, BBC Breakfast
03:17presenter and journalist.
03:19Welcome Charlie.
03:19You're very welcome.
03:21Thank you very much.
03:21All right, now then, let's get down to business.
03:24John Hardy.
03:25Hello Rachel.
03:27Hi John.
03:27Could I have a consonant please?
03:29You can, thank you.
03:29Start today with S.
03:31And another.
03:33T.
03:34And another.
03:37G.
03:38And a fourth.
03:40S.
03:41And a vowel please.
03:43U.
03:44And another.
03:46O.
03:47And a third.
03:49U.
03:51And a fourth please.
03:54A.
03:55And a consonant please.
03:57And lastly, W.
03:59And here's the Countdown Clock.
04:25The Countdown Clock.
04:31well John I'll try a sex a six how about Chris I just a five and that five I had
04:37five gusts John out gas out gas sounds very unlikely and we were having a giggle
04:46over here about it but it is in it's to release or give off a substance as a gas
04:49or vapor so the out is not in terms of exceeding somebody else what else have
04:54we got Charlie I had the word saw but you know what's that word you can put an S
04:58on it for sores okay Nick I had the word sores very good all right so six to
05:04John Chris you have to score plenty of time Chris it's your letters game now hi
05:08Rachel I have a constant please you can thank you start with M and another T and
05:16one more please P and the vowel this thing E and another vowel please I and another
05:27E and I'll go for a consonant W another consonant S and the final vowel please and
05:36and lastly O stand by
05:40or
05:41I love you.
05:53I love you.
06:23To me, epitomies, yes, the plural is absolutely brilliant to get that for an eight.
06:27And what have we got in the corner there, Charlie?
06:29Pies, I like pies.
06:31I like pies too.
06:32We're all interested in pies, aren't we?
06:33Of course we are.
06:35Fourteen points to John.
06:36Plenty of time, Chris.
06:38And now, John, it's your chance with the numbers.
06:41There's Rachel.
06:42Could I have four from the top, please?
06:43You can indeed.
06:44Thank you, John.
06:45Four large ones and two little ones.
06:47And for the first time today, the little two are ten and seven.
06:51And the big ones, 50, 75, 25 and 100.
06:56And the target to reach, 512.
06:59Five, one, two.
07:00Five, one, two.
07:31Yes, John?
07:325, 13.
07:345, 13, one away.
07:36Chris?
07:365, one, two.
07:385, one, two.
07:39Good man.
07:39Let's hear from you.
07:40I saw 50 multiplied by 10.
07:4350 by 10, 500.
07:45500.
07:45And then 75 over 25.
07:50Oh, no, I've done it wrong.
07:5175 over 25 is 3.
07:53Yep, I've done it wrong.
07:54Sorry.
07:55Sorry.
07:55All right.
07:56So, John Hardy.
07:5875 times 7.
07:5975 times 7, 525.
08:02Take away 10.
08:035, one, five.
08:04And 50 divided by 25 is 2.
08:07Is 2, yes.
08:07And take it away.
08:08And it gets you to one away.
08:09Well done.
08:10Five, one, three.
08:10One away.
08:11Can you do better?
08:12I can get you to bang on.
08:13If you say 75 plus 50 is 1, 2, 5.
08:19And then 10 minus 7 is 3.
08:22Add that all for 128.
08:23And then 100 divided by 25 is 4.
08:27And times the 2 together for 500.
08:29Good.
08:29Rachel.
08:31Perfect.
08:34Perfect indeed.
08:35Well done.
08:36So, it's time for a Tea Time Teaser.
08:38First of the day, which is Armour Units.
08:40And the clue, I'm enthusiastic about this hobby, said the buff.
08:45I'm enthusiastic about this hobby, said the buff.
09:04Welcome back.
09:05I left you with the clue, I'm enthusiastic about this hobby, said the buff.
09:08And the answer is naturism.
09:11Naturism.
09:1221 points to John.
09:14Chris, you had to score.
09:15Chris, it's your letters game now.
09:17Thanks, Nick.
09:18Can I start with a consonant, please, Rachel?
09:20Thank you, Chris.
09:21F.
09:22And another, please.
09:24N.
09:25And another.
09:28R.
09:29And a vowel.
09:30E.
09:32And another vowel, please.
09:34U.
09:35And one more, please.
09:37E.
09:39And a consonant.
09:41X.
09:43And another consonant.
09:45R.
09:46And a vowel, please.
09:48And the last one.
09:49A.
09:51Stand by.
10:02And a vowel, please.
10:04That's all.
10:04And a vowel.
10:21And a tablespoon.
10:21yes Chris I just the five five and John six so Chris facts up thank you and
10:30nera nera yes all right very good can we beat it and we can't actually and we
10:38were beaten by six as we only had five and we just say and facts are it
10:43wouldn't have been in what's not in all right let's turn to John could I have a
10:47consonant please thank you John H and another team and another ah and a fourth
10:58place M and about a and another a and the third I and the fourth e and a
11:15consonant place and the last one T just a countdown clock
11:21so
11:52a seven Chris under seven as well mm-hmm John meteor meteor Chris theater
12:00meteor theater now what have you got Charlie yeah I also had meteor I'm
12:06noticing that all my guesses so far are based around food they're a theme
12:11developing possibly possibly Susie there is an eight then Nick it is a slightly
12:18rare term it's a mixture of finely powdered aluminium and iron oxide used in welding
12:23and for bomb making and it's thermite th e r m i t e thermite very good
12:34interesting all right so Chris is off the blocks now seven points to John's 34
12:40Chris numbers two large and four small please thank you Chris two from the top
12:45this time and four little ones and for this round your numbers are seven nine five
12:52two and the big ones 50 and 25 and the target 452 452
13:03so
13:15so
13:16so
13:16so
13:31Yes, Chris?
13:32I have four, five, two.
13:33Four, five, two, John?
13:35Four, five, two.
13:36So, Chris?
13:37Nine times 50.
13:39450.
13:39Plus the two.
13:40Plus two, very simple.
13:41There we go, John.
13:42Exactly the same way.
13:43There we go.
13:44Let's waste too much time on that.
13:4544, please.
13:4717.
13:47And now we turn to Charlie.
13:49Charlie, as we know, one of the best-known faces on television there every morning.
13:54Live news.
13:56Tricky.
13:57Does it always go to plan?
13:58It doesn't always go to plan.
14:00And, in theory, always on time.
14:03And the confession, from my point of view, is that I have, a couple of times, been late.
14:10And in my line of work, when you're late, it's pretty obvious.
14:12So, here we go.
14:13So, when I worked at Channel 5, we used to do bulletins quite late into the evening.
14:18So, we'd do hourly bulletins.
14:20And the truth is that sometimes, in between the bulletins, we would nip across the road and go to the
14:27pub.
14:27But I remember one occasion when I had gone to the pub.
14:30I'd completely forgotten the time.
14:32And my mobile rang from my editor, saying, you're on in two minutes.
14:38And I'm some distance, 100 yards away.
14:42So, then I had the agonising decision as to whether to run or try and measure my steps.
14:48So, that when I get there, I have some breath left, but taking the risk of being late.
14:51And, as it was, I ran in the studio, opened the door, sat down, and we got away with it.
14:57Which I'm not proud of, to be honest with you.
14:59But, there you go.
15:00It happened.
15:00Doesn't happen anymore.
15:02And it happened one other occasion when I missed breakfast entirely, which is really bad.
15:08I was sitting at home, woke up in the morning, thinking I just had an off day.
15:12I wasn't working.
15:13I came down, turned the television on.
15:15And, to my surprise, I saw someone, a male presenter, doing the programme, who doesn't normally do it.
15:21And I'm sitting there, thinking, my nose is a bit out of joint, because they didn't call me.
15:26How come they didn't?
15:26I never got the call to come in if someone's ill, if Bill's off, whatever.
15:29Normally, you should call me.
15:30The previous night, by some horrible coincidence, I'd lost my mobile phone.
15:35So, I hadn't had it with me.
15:36And I saw it, sitting in my living room.
15:39And I picked it up, and I looked to my horror.
15:41There's dozens and dozens of messages, which starts along the lines of, Charlie, where are you?
15:48And then they go, Charlie, where the hell are you?
15:52Charlie, are you coming in?
15:54Is there a problem?
15:55And they just go on and on, getting increasingly aggravated.
15:58And I'm looking at thinking, I'm supposed to be there.
16:01And very sheepishly, I check my rotors to see when I'm supposed to be in.
16:06And sure enough, I was supposed to be there.
16:08And I phoned up the desk after the programme.
16:12I said, it's Charlie here.
16:13I'm so sorry.
16:14And they said the taxi was out the front.
16:17They were hammering on the door.
16:19They were calling the phone.
16:21And I just missed the whole thing.
16:23Wow.
16:24So, I slept, effectively, I slept through, basically, the entire programme.
16:27What time do you normally get in?
16:29Usually between half four and quarter to five.
16:31So, they would have been banging on your door at what time?
16:34Yes.
16:34Oh, before that, you know, 20 past four.
16:38But it's funny, sitting here and the clock going.
16:40Yeah.
16:41I'm in the moment.
16:42I'm in the moment.
16:43Oh, brilliant story.
16:44Well done.
16:45Lovely round.
16:45Lovely story.
16:47Terrifying story.
16:50So, John on 44, Chris 17.
16:53Well done, Chris.
16:54And it's John's letters game now.
16:57So, could I have a consonant, please?
16:59Thank you, John.
17:00N.
17:01And another.
17:03R.
17:04And a third.
17:06P.
17:07And a fourth.
17:09G.
17:10And could I have a vowel, please?
17:13A.
17:14And a second.
17:16E.
17:17And a third.
17:19A.
17:20And a fourth.
17:23E.
17:25And a final consonant, please?
17:27And a final Y.
17:29Stand by.
17:30And a final
17:31And a third.
17:32And a third.
18:00well John six a six and Chris I just the five and that five Chris clean well John and rage
18:07and rage
18:09and rage would you better well I put down neep and WP it's not better I know but is that
18:17is that a
18:17real word yeah it is just got his job isn't it it is that news um well so it's not
18:23bad to get a
18:24floor out of this unusually hard today I have to say the lettuce sections a grapey is another one
18:28if you're describing a wine all right that's six well done so it's it's well done John Hardy then
18:33yeah all right so 50 plays 17 Chris your letters game I'll start with the continent please Rachel
18:41thank you Chris T and another please see and the vowel oh and another vowel please e and a
18:54consonant ah and another please see and another v and uh actually two vowels and finish with a
19:09and the last one you stand by
19:17so
19:44Chris
19:45uh rescue seven and John eight and and Chris uh carotid carotid and John cavorted and cavorted
19:57cavorted great words um carotid is with an eye not an e um unfortunately so can't allow that one but
20:04cavorted what a good word it's a very good word anything else in the corner uh well there were a
20:09couple of eights uh there out raced was there and also educator educator very good indeed all right
20:1658 plays 17 and now John it's your numbers game could I have one from the top play you can
20:21indeed thank
20:22you John one large five little this time around and this selection is one five four nine one and the
20:32large one seventy five and the target five hundred and thirty five five three five
20:41so
20:53so
20:54so
20:54so
20:56so
21:09John?
21:11One away, one above.
21:12So five, three, six.
21:14Five, three, six.
21:15And Chris Jack?
21:16I think I've got 55.
21:20Let's see whether you have.
21:22So nine times 75.
21:24Nine 75s are 675.
21:28No, I'm lost again.
21:29Sorry.
21:29Sorry, Chris.
21:31Let's go to the maths teacher.
21:32Maths tutor even.
21:33John?
21:3575 take away five, take away four.
21:3966.
21:40And add one.
21:41Add one, 67.
21:43Nine take away one is eight.
21:46Yep.
21:47And multiply the two together.
21:48Yep, five, three, six, one away.
21:50But five, three, five is what we were chasing, Rachel.
21:53Got it.
21:54If you say nine minus one is eight, times four is 32.
21:59Add to 75 for 107 and times it by five.
22:04Five, three, five.
22:05Terrific.
22:05Well done.
22:08Wonderful.
22:09All right.
22:10Let's have a tea time teaser.
22:11It's spit and nut.
22:14And the clue.
22:15It sounds like this clothing could leave you breathless.
22:18It sounds like this clothing could leave you breathless.
22:37Welcome back.
22:38I left you with a clue.
22:39It sounds like this clothing could leave you breathless.
22:43And what clothing would that be?
22:44It would be pantsuit.
22:47A pantsuit.
22:49So, John is 65, Chris 17, and Chris, you're back.
22:52It's a letters game.
22:54Can I start with a consonant, please, Rachel?
22:55Thank you, Chris.
22:57B.
22:58And another.
23:01S.
23:02And one more.
23:04G.
23:06And the vowel, please.
23:08O.
23:10And another.
23:11I.
23:13And one more.
23:14O.
23:17And a consonant, please.
23:20N.
23:21And another consonant.
23:25F.
23:25And a vowel.
23:27And the last one.
23:28E.
23:29Kæ³¥ktang.
23:31Kæ³¥ktang.
23:34Kæ³¥ktang.
24:01Yes, Chris?
24:05I'll try a seven.
24:07John?
24:07Seven.
24:08Two sevens.
24:09Chris?
24:10Boogies.
24:11And John?
24:12Boogies.
24:14Boogies.
24:16I did actually check to see whether booing was there as a noun that you could pluralise,
24:22and it's not.
24:24And boogies is absolutely fine.
24:26We don't really talk about boogieing nowadays, do we?
24:28But it's in the dictionary.
24:30Boogie nights, yeah.
24:31Yeah.
24:31What else have we got?
24:33Charlie?
24:34A rather sad looking bone.
24:36Bone, yes.
24:38Again, a food, another food item.
24:40Yep.
24:41Finished food.
24:42Finished eating, rather.
24:44And, Susie?
24:45Well, apart from boogies, that was the only seven that we could find, but there's bongos,
24:49the six is in the drums, or booing another six.
24:52Yes.
24:53So well done, John.
24:55Boogies.
24:56What shall we do?
24:57John, back with you.
24:59Letters game.
25:00Could I have a consonant, please?
25:02Thank you, John.
25:03H.
25:03H.
25:04And another.
25:05T.
25:07And a third.
25:09L.
25:10And a fourth.
25:12S.
25:14And a vowel, please.
25:15A.
25:16And a second.
25:18U.
25:19And a third.
25:22A.
25:22A.
25:23And a fourth.
25:26Another U.
25:27And a consonant, please.
25:29And a last one.
25:30T.
25:32Countdown.
25:32Thus belong.
26:02I'll call You.
26:02Good heavens.
26:04hmm John I'll try sex yes Chris our five and that five usual and a two asks
26:14well t-u-a-t-h-s t-u-a-t-h-s not in the dictionary John I'm afraid
26:22yeah
26:23apologies over in the corner Charlie and Susie Atlas was a word down here pretty
26:31good and there is a six to stretch it to a six with state all s-t-a-t-a
26:36-l which is
26:37an adjective meaning relating to a political state all right 72 plays 22 and we're back with you Susie
26:43and your wonderful origins of words and today how will you enthrall us well as you know Nick I quite
26:52like a bit of Greek myth not least because so many of our words in English come from Greek and
26:57Roman
26:58mythology and stentorian is a great word if you have a stentorian voice it's loud and very powerful
27:05and it's obviously a great gift and particularly if you're a states men states woman or politician
27:11but that is derived from the noun stentor a person having a loud voice and it goes back to Greek
27:18myth
27:18and to home is Iliad and when Juno incites the Greeks to battle he is compared to a hero named
27:26stentor
27:27whose voice was uncommonly loud and there's a great translation of the Iliad by Alexander Pope and
27:33this wonderful line to give you the idea of just how loud his voice was he says stentor the strong
27:39endued with brazen lungs whose throat surpassed the force of 50 tongues and these great lines and
27:47the Odyssey has given us lots and lots of different words in English Odyssey itself of course tells the
27:52adventures of the wandering Odysseus on his way home from the siege of Troy and so modern English
27:58and Odyssey is a long wandering or voyage normally with lots of episodes and adventures along the way
28:05and one more character from the Odyssey is also given us a name we use it very very often and
28:11it was a
28:11friend of Odysseus called mentor and he was entrusted with the education of Odysseus' son and of course
28:17today a mentor is a counsellor a tutor or a coach but it goes back all that way to Greek
28:22mythology
28:23fantastic thank you
28:28centaurian voice indeed well done 72 to 22 John in the lead and it's Chris's letters game Chris
28:35can I start with a consonant please thank you Chris N and another T and another L and a vowel
28:47I
28:49another vowel O and one more E a consonant please D another consonant N and a vowel and the last
29:05last one O and the clock starts now
29:08go
29:09go
29:09go
29:10go
29:11go
29:11go
29:24go
29:39Chris?
29:40Six.
29:41John?
29:42Seven.
29:43And your six?
29:44Denote.
29:45Denote and?
29:46Lentoid.
29:49How does Susie?
29:50I have to disallow denotes because there's only one E.
29:53And John's word?
29:55Sorry, John.
29:56Lentoid.
29:57Lentoid, yes.
29:58I was just looking at that actually myself.
29:59It's shaped like a lentil, but lentil in the sense of the lens of an eye,
30:04which itself is named after the lentil, the pulse, because of its shape.
30:07I see.
30:09Now then, Charlie, anything interesting?
30:11Susie?
30:12Yeah, there is an eight there, Nick.
30:14Indolent.
30:15Indolent.
30:15If you're feeling nicely indolent, you're a little bit lazy.
30:17All right.
30:21And it's John's final letters game now.
30:24Now, John.
30:25Could I have a consonant, please?
30:26Thank you, John.
30:28C.
30:29And another?
30:31N.
30:32And another?
30:34B.
30:35And a fourth?
30:38M.
30:39And a vowel?
30:41E.
30:41And another?
30:43I.
30:45And a third?
30:47E.
30:48And a fourth?
30:50I.
30:51And a final consonant?
30:54And a final K.
30:56Stand by.
30:58And a half?
31:28Yes, John?
31:29Five.
31:30A five, Chris?
31:31Just a fourth.
31:32And that four?
31:33Bake.
31:35Thank you, John.
31:36Mince.
31:37Mince.
31:38Yes, don't mince your words.
31:40Or to walk in a mincing fashion.
31:42Or to walk in an unfortunately mincing fashion, yes.
31:45Charlie?
31:46I had meek.
31:47Yep.
31:48Yep.
31:49There is a six there.
31:51Not sure you'll like this because it did start in the US,
31:53but it's Binky, B-I-N-K-I-E, which is a baby's dummy.
31:58Binky.
31:5984 plays, 22.
32:00Final numbers game.
32:02Chris?
32:03Just two louds and four small, please.
32:06Thank you, Chris.
32:06Two from the top and four little ones for the final numbers game of the day.
32:10And these little ones are five, six, seven and nine.
32:14And the big ones, 75 and 100.
32:18And the target, 825.
32:20825.
32:21And the big ones, 75 and 100.
32:37And the big ones, 75 and 100.
32:38And the big ones, 75 and 100.
32:38And the big ones, 75 and 100.
32:38And the big ones, 75 and 100.
32:41And the big ones, 75 and 100.
32:41And the big ones, 75 and 100.
32:41And the big ones, 75 and 100.
32:41And the big ones, 75 and 100.
32:42And the big ones, 75 and 100.
32:42And the big ones, 75 and 100.
32:42And the big ones, 75 and 100.
32:43And the big ones, 75 and 100.
32:43And the big ones, 75 and 100.
32:43And the big ones, 75 and 100.
32:44And the big ones, 75 and 100.
32:44And the big ones, 75 and 100.
32:46And the big ones, 75 and 100.
32:53Chris 825 and John 85 all right let's go through the motions I saw name times 100
33:01900 minus 75 85 simple and John all right 94 to Chris's 32 as we go into the final
33:11round conundrum time John Chris fingers on buzzers let's reveal today's countdown conundrum
33:25yes John ear wigger ear wigger let's see whether you're right you are
33:38well done all right well done another over 100 too so 102 109 and now 104 well done I hope
33:46you're
33:46not on the slide there John anyway we shall see tomorrow well done well done and Chris back to um
33:52Larn in Northern Ireland with you with a goodie back and thanks for coming you're up against a
33:57very considerable player and good luck with the sports writing and the sub-editing thank you
34:02very much and you're writing quite a lot for on sports and for the Belfast Telegraph right yep
34:06doing their football and ice hockey at the moment big paper big paper all right thank you very much
34:12and in the corner see you tomorrow Charlie yes indeed all right and Susie too well done Rachel also see
34:19you tomorrow see you tomorrow same time same place you'll be sure of it a very good afternoon
34:25you can contact the program by email at countdown at channel 4.com by twitter at c4 countdown or write
34:32to us at countdown leaves ls3 1js you can also find our webpage at channel 4.com forward slash countdown
34:45grand designs tonight on channel 4 and ancient blacksmiths it's whipped by winds and raging fire
34:51that's at nine o'clock next this afternoon 15 to 1