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00:31Good afternoon and welcome to the Countdown studio.
00:33Now, I read an article recently, very odd business, about a man who collects hair.
00:39Hair.
00:40Human hair.
00:41Apparently it's a big business nowadays.
00:42He claims to have locks.
00:44Locks of hair from people such as deceased people such as Napoleon Bonaparte, Marilyn Manson, Justin Bieber.
00:50And apparently he sells them online for £399.
00:55Have you just killed Justin Bieber off?
00:56Per strand.
00:58Apparently, Justin Bieber.
01:00But that small fry compared to the highest price ever paid for a lock of hair, which is way back
01:05in 2002, and it was a lock of Elvis Presley's hair.
01:09And some lunatic paid $115,000 for it.
01:14Amazing sort of price.
01:16Who's to say it really belonged?
01:17I suppose it came with provenance.
01:19Now, what do you make of all this, Rachel?
01:22I think it's gross.
01:23It's spooky.
01:23It is spooky.
01:24Why would you buy it?
01:25What's wrong with you?
01:26Be careful what you, when you go to the hairdresser, then you sweep it all up, put it in a
01:31bag, take it home with you.
01:32That's the best thing to do.
01:33Now, who have we got?
01:34Well, Tom Cowardsback, well, two-time winner from Finchley.
01:38He's done well on the maths.
01:40I mean, not brilliantly, but you've done very well.
01:44I'll do better, Nick.
01:45And this is the fitting of a financial controller, I should add.
01:49There we go.
01:49Plays hockey, and he's a painter, too.
01:51And you're joined today by Anne Dibbon, company secretary from Hazel Amir in Surrey.
01:56Spent 15 years studying and working in Russia.
01:59How interesting.
02:00You love languages.
02:01Fluent in Russian and French.
02:03Speaks a little German.
02:05And currently learning Latin.
02:07I'm trying to learn Latin.
02:09It's not that difficult.
02:10Yeah, my husband speaks it very well, and he corrects my pronunciation all the time.
02:14How interesting.
02:15And he speaks, he can actually converse in Latin.
02:18But who else does he talk to in?
02:20I mean, does he have a group of friends?
02:22No, no.
02:25Who will speak Latin?
02:29Brilliant stuff.
02:30Let's have a big round of applause for Tom and Anne Dibbon.
02:33Some fun.
02:35Brilliant stuff.
02:37Well done.
02:38And over there in the corner, Susie, of course, once again, of course, Alice Dermot-Gowan,
02:43are one of our great favourites.
02:45All right, let's get down to business here.
02:46Tom Coward, take it away.
02:48Hi again, Rachel.
02:49Hi, Tom.
02:50Could I have a consonant, please?
02:52Start today with S.
02:54And another consonant.
02:56W.
02:57A vowel.
02:59A.
03:00And a consonant.
03:02R.
03:03And a vowel.
03:05E.
03:06And a consonant, please.
03:15And the last one, R.
03:20And here comes the countdown clock.
03:22A vowel.
03:53Yes, Tom.
03:55A seven.
03:56A seven.
03:57Another nine.
03:57Just seven, two.
03:58Thank you, Tom.
04:00Readies.
04:02Readies.
04:02And Anne.
04:03Readers.
04:06Happy?
04:07Yes, happy.
04:09Yep, we had sevens, didn't we?
04:11Yeah.
04:12Draws, Rewired was in there, and we've got Rearise.
04:16Rearise.
04:17Rearise.
04:17Yes, to Arise again.
04:19Indeed.
04:19Thank you very much.
04:20The seven points apiece, Anne Dibbon.
04:23Letters again.
04:24Priviato, Rachel.
04:27Priviato.
04:28Priviato.
04:28Can I start with a consonant, please?
04:31You can indeed.
04:31Spasiva.
04:32Si.
04:34And another consonant.
04:36M.
04:37And a vowel.
04:39O.
04:41And a consonant.
04:43B.
04:45A vowel.
04:47I.
04:48Another vowel.
04:50E.
04:51A consonant.
04:53T.
04:55A vowel.
04:58U.
05:00And a final consonant, please.
05:02And a final P.
05:05Countdown.
05:06A vowel.
05:07A phonka.
05:19A vowel.
05:21E.
05:22A vowel.
05:22Jones.
05:24I.
05:24Pretty.iances.
05:30B. A
05:31vowel.
05:32AÙˆ.
05:35A vowel.
05:36Well, Anne.
05:38A seven.
05:38A seven, Tom.
05:40Six.
05:41So, you're six.
05:42Uh, uptime.
05:45Anne.
05:45Compute.
05:47And compute.
05:48Compute, compute, absolutely excellent.
05:51Um, uptime is also fine, time during which a machine is in use in operation.
05:56Okay.
05:57Now, Alan Stone-McGowan.
05:58Uh, nothing to match that at all, no.
06:00It was really tough, though, so I thought it was this.
06:02Yeah.
06:02Susie?
06:03Uh, no, compute here as well.
06:05That's it?
06:05Yeah.
06:06All right.
06:07Fourteen plays, uh, Tom's seven, and it's Tom's numbers game.
06:11Tom?
06:12Yeah, you guessed it.
06:13Four big ones.
06:14Your usual.
06:15Thank you, Tom.
06:15Four large ones and two little ones.
06:17And the first numbers game today is three, one.
06:21And the big ones, 25, 100, 50, 75.
06:26And the target, 907.
06:28Nine, oh, seven.
07:00Tom, no, nothing.
07:04Two farm and even?
07:06909.
07:07Two away.
07:08Let's hear.
07:09Let's hear Anne.
07:11So 100 plus 1 is 101.
07:14101.
07:1675 divided by 25 is 3.
07:19Yep.
07:20And then 101 times 3 times the other 3.
07:25303 times the actual 3, 909.
07:29There we go, two away.
07:31Pretty good shot there.
07:34But 907, Rachel.
07:36Possible?
07:38Yes, I believe so.
07:41If you bear with me, I could go wrong.
07:43If we say 75 times by 100 is 7,500.
07:52Add the 50 for 7,550.
07:59And then times it by 3, divide it by 25.
08:05Skip out the middle, but you should get 906.
08:08And then add the 1.
08:093.
08:11Well done, Rachel.
08:15Well done.
08:17Well done.
08:17My word.
08:18Ah, 21 plays Tom's 7 as we turn to our first Tea Time teaser, which is Pear Lady.
08:24And the clue, he cuts the lady the stones for a pair of diamond earrings.
08:30He cuts the lady the stones for a pair of diamond earrings.
08:50And the answer is lapidary.
09:00Lapidary.
09:00I guess from that of stone.
09:02Lapis?
09:03Yes, absolutely.
09:04From the Latin lapidarius, which meant a stonecutter in late Latin.
09:09Well done.
09:09I think you pronounced that incorrectly.
09:10Did I?
09:10Oh yes, I probably did.
09:12Do you know the correct question?
09:13Lapidarius?
09:14Lapis.
09:15Yes, yes.
09:16Lapis.
09:16You just don't want your husband writing in completely.
09:19Use his pronunciation.
09:20Just checking.
09:21Quite right, I understand.
09:22Now, 21 plays 7 and it's Anne's letters game now.
09:26Anne.
09:27Consonant please, Rachel.
09:28Thank you, Anne.
09:30Why?
09:30And another consonant.
09:32G.
09:34A vowel.
09:35O.
09:37Consonant.
09:39L.
09:41Another vowel.
09:43A.
09:45A vowel.
09:46I.
09:47A consonant.
09:49S.
09:51A vowel.
09:54E.
09:55And a final consonant, please.
09:57And a final G.
09:59Countdown.
10:00A vowel.
10:01Another vowel.
10:04An sovereign.
10:10Anne.
10:28A vowel.
10:30And a vowel.
10:32yes seven seven seven two sevens and goalies yeah and the girls there's one
10:46more and a nice adverb for once soggy Lee soggy Lee soggy Lee it's a great word
10:52soggy Lee yeah 28 plays 14 and it's Tom's letters game Tom can I have a
10:58consonant please thank you Tom oh and the vowel oh consonant P consonant L vowel a
11:12vowel I vowel oh consonant Q and the consonant and the last one s standby
11:56yes Tom
11:58say five five and six and a six slim pickings here Tom pools now and are you so
12:12how are you spelling that for me and a r-i-o-s-o yep absolutely brilliant in
12:18opera and oratorio it's vocal music that's more melodic and but less formal than an
12:23aria very very good I know so very good and Susie there's also parolee for six
12:30Nick p-a-r-o-l-i which is a bet in gambling quite complicated definition but that's
12:37there for six thank you very much well done 34 plays 14 and it's a numbers game
12:42now let's see how and is on numbers and they'll have two large and four small
12:48please Rachel you may indeed thank you and two big ones four little ones this
12:52time and these small ones are five three eight and ten and the big two fifty and
13:00one hundred and the target eight hundred and twenty nine eight to nine
13:07so
13:09MUSIC PLAYS
13:36Anne?
13:38829.
13:39829.
13:40And Tom?
13:40829.
13:41Thank you, Anne.
13:43100 plus 3.
13:45103.
13:46Times 8 is?
13:47824.
13:49And plus the 5.
13:50Yeah, nice and straightforward this time, 829.
13:53Well done.
13:53And Tom?
13:54Yeah, in the same way.
13:55There we go.
13:57Well done.
13:59So 44 plays 24,
14:02and we turn to Alistair.
14:04And Alistair,
14:05I believe that some modern phrases
14:08wind you up.
14:09They do.
14:11I was talking yesterday,
14:12people were watching about things I'd like to put in
14:14Room 101.
14:15And there are some linguistic habits I'd also like to put in.
14:17A special linguistic edition of Room 101.
14:20A phrase that winds me up is,
14:21do you know what?
14:22Or tell you what?
14:23At the start of sentences.
14:24People who said,
14:24do you know what?
14:25Tell you what?
14:25Do you know what?
14:26Gary Barlow.
14:26Do you know what?
14:27Tell you what?
14:28He's one of the worst at it.
14:29Do you know what?
14:29I'll tell you what?
14:30Of course,
14:30you've got to be careful doing your Gary Barlow impressions
14:32because,
14:32do you know what?
14:33I'll tell you what?
14:34If you start speaking like Gary
14:35and you get any slower than he does,
14:37you just heard him today.
14:38You're from the Royal Family,
14:39don't you, Barbara?
14:40But he loves it.
14:41Do you know what?
14:41Or I'll tell you what.
14:42Another one that bugs me at the moment
14:43is when people are unable to just say yes
14:46in response to something you're saying.
14:47They can't just say yes.
14:48They have to go,
14:48yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.
14:49Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.
14:51It's spreading.
14:52Everyone's like,
14:52yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.
14:53Just one enthusiastic yes would be fine.
14:56So, at the start of a sentence,
14:57do you hear this repeatedly now?
14:59And it's coming in about the last six months.
15:00People will be asked a question on the news
15:02or in life and they'll go,
15:03so,
15:03and then they'll tell you
15:04what they do for a living
15:05or what they think about something.
15:06First time this happened to me,
15:07I was astonished.
15:08A friend of mine,
15:09he said,
15:09well, how are you?
15:10What are you doing?
15:11I was telling him,
15:12good couple of minutes.
15:12And I said,
15:13what about you?
15:13How are you?
15:14So,
15:15and it was like he'd seized the conversation.
15:17It was like everything up to that point
15:18had been utterly pointless.
15:20I'd been talking dribble.
15:21So,
15:21now we can go on with the real issue here.
15:25And then we come to the issue
15:26of how people say goodbye nowadays
15:27and people just are unable to say goodbye.
15:29They come out with all these phrases,
15:31see you later,
15:32you hear,
15:32from somebody who you'll probably
15:33never see again in your life.
15:34You have no plans to see this person.
15:36I say,
15:36see you later.
15:36You think,
15:37I don't even know who you are.
15:38Why would I see you later?
15:39And it happens a lot in offices,
15:41receptionists.
15:42I'm sure the same thing happens to you.
15:4317-year-old receptionist,
15:44female receptionist behind the desk sometimes
15:45will say to me,
15:46see you later,
15:47quite loud enough,
15:48I think,
15:48I'm a 51-year-old man
15:49involved in the entertainment industry.
15:51If people hear you saying that,
15:52I may get arrested.
15:57The other goodbye
15:58that people say all the time now,
15:59it's been in the lexicon for some time,
16:01take care.
16:03Take care.
16:03They say take care.
16:04Now,
16:04I'm quite a paranoid person,
16:06you know,
16:07and I can be easily paranoid,
16:08but I'm very paranoid
16:08when people say take care
16:10because I always think,
16:11what do these people know
16:12that I don't know?
16:13What do they think
16:14is going to happen to me?
16:15There we are.
16:16A list of linguistic things
16:17to go in
16:18the Linguistic Room 101,
16:19a programme I'm about to start
16:20petitioning for to be on TV.
16:22Quite right.
16:23Well done.
16:29Thanks, Elstair.
16:30Now,
16:3044 plays 24,
16:31and it's Tom's
16:33letters again.
16:34Tom.
16:34Can I have a consonant, please?
16:36Thank you, Tom.
16:38T.
16:38Consonant.
16:40J.
16:41Vowel.
16:42A.
16:44Vowel.
16:45E.
16:46Consonant.
16:47N.
16:48Consonant.
16:50K.
16:51Vowel.
16:53U.
16:54Vowel.
16:55I.
16:56And a final consonant, please.
16:58And a final T.
17:00Standby.
17:01Vowel.
17:35A six.
17:37Tom?
17:37Junkie.
17:39Junkie and Anne.
17:41Auntie.
17:42And auntie.
17:43That's very nice.
17:46Junkie and auntie.
17:47Auntie, junkie.
17:48Now, Alistair.
17:49Possibly the best word in the world.
17:51Kitten.
17:53But nothing bigger this side.
17:55No.
17:56Fixes.
17:56That's it?
17:57Yes.
17:57All right.
17:58So, 50 to 30, and it's Anne's letters game.
18:03Anne.
18:04Consonant, please, Rachel.
18:06Thank you, Anne.
18:06D.
18:07And another consonant.
18:10S.
18:11And a consonant, please.
18:13T.
18:14And a vowel.
18:17I.
18:18And another vowel.
18:20O.
18:21And a vowel.
18:23A.
18:24And a consonant.
18:26R.
18:28A vowel.
18:30E.
18:31And a final consonant, please.
18:33And the last one.
18:34N.
18:36Countdown.
18:36I.
18:37I.
18:51I.
18:54I.
18:59I.
19:00I.
19:01I.
19:08Anne?
19:09A nine.
19:10A nine.
19:11Tom?
19:12Eight.
19:13Eight, okay.
19:14And your eight?
19:15Rationed.
19:16Rationed.
19:17And...
19:18Anne?
19:19Notarised.
19:20Notarised.
19:21Absolutely brilliant.
19:22Yes.
19:23Very good.
19:25Well done.
19:29Well, I was patting myself on the back for rationed at eight.
19:31But Susie had two other nines as well.
19:33No!
19:34Er, derations is there.
19:37F and I's like twist on, rationed.
19:38And also ordinate.
19:40Thank you very much indeed.
19:42Sixty-eight to thirty.
19:43Well done, Anne.
19:44And now we turn to Tom.
19:46Tom.
19:48Numbers.
19:50Er, two large.
19:52Just two large this time.
19:53Moving away from the four large.
19:54Just the two.
19:56And four little ones coming up for you.
19:58And for this round, the little ones are ten, four.
20:01Six and two.
20:04And the big one's twenty-five and seventy-five.
20:07And the target, three hundred and eleven.
20:10Three, one, one.
20:11Two.
20:12Two.
20:19Four.
20:26Three...
20:27Two.
20:34Four.
20:35Three.
20:36Four.
20:36One.
20:36Two.
20:36Five.
20:37chin-chin.
20:37Three.
20:40well Tom 310 310 and 311 311 now then Ann 475 is a 300 yep of the 25 325 and
20:58then 10 plus 6
20:59minus 2 is 14 and take it away perfect 311 well done well done well done well done well done
21:08so 78 to Tom's 30 as we turn to our second tea time teaser of the day which is hippo
21:15mad and the
21:15clue the hippos will go mad for grass but you won't find them eating this the hippos will go
21:21mad for grass but you won't find them eating this
21:45eating what eating amphipod Susie why not it's a crustacean yeah from the marine order amphipoda
21:59which includes such things as a fresh water shrimp really 78 place 30 and and it's your letters
22:08game a consonant please Rachel thank you and L and another consonant and and a vowel you and a consonant
22:20G and a vowel I and another vowel please E and a consonant S a vowel O and a final
22:38consonant please
22:39and a final N standby
22:41second roll in the middle N standby
22:41Yeah
22:43yeah
22:56yeah
22:57yeah
22:57yeah
23:00yeah
23:03yeah
23:05Yeah
23:09yeah
23:13yes a sudden a seven and Tom a six that's six losing losing Tom and a
23:27legions legions very nice the Roman legions mmm and Alistair that lounges
23:37another seven but nothing larger oh hang on there is Susie there is yes there is a
23:44nine in there ensouling it's slightly unusual word
23:48en s o u l i n g and to ensoul somebody is to endow them with a soul so
23:56we are in
23:56deck we are ensouled as human beings
24:02of course the big sort of philosophical is at what age are you ensouled yes is it
24:08conception or baptism or what exactly there's a bit there's a big debate about
24:12whether a fetus is ensouled or not yeah yeah all right thank you 85 plays 30 and
24:18Tom Tom coward letters games can have a consonant please thank you Tom G and a
24:24consonant T a vowel a vowel a consonant Zed consonant R consonant H vowel a and
24:44vowel and lastly you don't don't
25:19yes Tom
25:20five five a five from Tom and six and a six Tom great and ribbon ghetto ghetto a
25:33nice size of gato mmm and in the corner in order to have your slice of gato the
25:40only other six was gather that's it well done all right so Susie to continue our
25:47education what do you got for us today in your wonderful origins of words well
25:53I'm going to be talking about an abbreviation today it's almost become a
25:57bit of an acronym and it's all to do with the United States I thought it was
26:01fitting in this year of the American presidential elections of which we've
26:06obviously been hearing a lot and potus something to talk about today potus being
26:11the abbreviation for president of the United States actually began as an
26:15abbreviation used by telegraphic code operators back in the 1880s and 1890s the
26:23earliest recorded use of any Otis there wasn't potus it was actually scotus or
26:28scotus c s-c-o-t-u-s the Supreme Court of the United States and that appeared in a
26:35book
26:35with the philips telegraphic code for the rapid transmission by telegraph and this
26:40was one of a large number of code books that allowed people to send inexpensive
26:44or secret messages by telegraph and called telegraphs like telegrams were
26:49priced on length so you can imagine these abbreviations were incredibly
26:53popular and scotus appeared between the abbreviations for scoundrel which was s-c-n-d-r-l
26:58and scribble which was s-c-r-i-b-l so a lot of simplified spelling going on then potus
27:05came
27:05along about the 1890s as I say but it wasn't the first shortening for the
27:10president of the United States because there was a rather strange suggestion in
27:14another telegraph code book which was mortmain m-o-r-t-m-a-i-n and a mortmain
27:21actually means dead hand literally and the idea is that whoever's in this office has
27:27absolute ownership of that position in other words you can't transfer it on to
27:31somebody else but scotus and potus embedded themselves in our language then
27:35of course we had floaters for the first lady of the United States but whether
27:40or not more otis words will come along who knows but it's actually a very very
27:43old abbreviation I think if Donald Trump ever gets the knowledge there will be
27:46one and be god help us well done thank you 91 plays 30 excellent stuff there and and it's
27:56your letters game penultimate letters game a consonant please Rachel thank you
28:02and T and consonant C and another consonant please are a vowel oh another vowel a and
28:18another vowel please E a consonant B a vowel I and a consonant and lastly P and here's the countdown
28:33clock
28:33so
28:48so
28:50so
28:50so
29:04Anne?
29:05Eight.
29:06An eight for Anne Tomf?
29:08Six.
29:09And your six?
29:10Boater.
29:11Boater and Dimmun?
29:13Operatic.
29:15Operatic.
29:15Well done.
29:16Very good.
29:19Well done.
29:21Ninety-nine plays 30 and it's Tom's last letters game.
29:25Tom.
29:26Could I have a vowel, please?
29:28Thank you, Tom.
29:29A.
29:30And a consonant.
29:31D.
29:33Consonant.
29:34R.
29:35Vowel.
29:37E.
29:38Vowel.
29:40I.
29:40Consonant.
29:42T.
29:43Consonant.
29:44P.
29:48And a vowel, please.
29:50And the last one.
29:52U.
29:53Countdown.
29:54E.
29:56T.
29:57T.
29:57T.
29:58T.
29:58T.
29:59T.
30:01T.
30:09T.
30:24Well, Tom, a risky nine.
30:28Good man. How about Anne?
30:30I'll try nine, too.
30:31She's trying more confident now.
30:33Now then, Tom.
30:34Uh, un-pirated.
30:36Yes, there we go.
30:37Yes.
30:40I'm really pleased to say it's Ian's from the early 19th century.
30:44Well done, guys.
30:45Very good indeed.
30:47Un-pirated.
30:49Very good.
30:51Good stuff.
30:53117 to Anne Debbin.
30:54A terrific score.
30:56Tom on 48.
30:57Not bad at all as we turn to the final numbers game.
31:00Anne.
31:01Uh, two large, please, Rachel.
31:03And four small.
31:04And two large, four small.
31:05And you're on your way to a very high score, especially for an opener.
31:08Right.
31:09The final numbers of the day are four, seven, eight, one.
31:14And the big two, 25 and 50.
31:16And the target, 736.
31:19736.
31:21The final numbers of the day are four, seven, eight, nine, nine, nine, nine, nine, nine, nine, nine, nine, nine,
31:33nine, nine, nine, nine, nine, nine, nine, nine, nine, nine, nine, nine, nine, nine, nine, nine, nine, nine, nine, nine,
31:37nine, nine, nine, nine, nine, nine, nine, nine, nine, nine, nine, nine, nine, nine, nine, nine, nine, nine, nine, nine,
31:37nine, nine, nine, nine, nine, nine, nine, nine, nine, nine, nine, nine, nine, nine, nine, nine, nine, nine, nine, nine,
31:37nine, nine, nine, nine, nine, nine, nine, nine, nine, nine, nine, nine, nine, nine, nine, nine, nine, nine, nine, nine,
31:37nine, nine, nine, nine, nine, nine, nine, nine, nine, nine, nine, nine, nine, nine,
31:52Just seven four two seven four two Tom seven three five
31:58Let's hear it Tom
32:00Fifty minus one fifty minus one forty nine times eight plus seven eight plus seven fifteen and seven three five
32:08one away
32:08Well done Tom well done indeed, but not absolutely on the button on the money seven three six Rachel
32:16Can you do it? Yes, it was there if you say fifty minus four is
32:2146 and then eight plus seven plus one is sixteen and times them together seven three six. Oh well done
32:28Well done Rachel
32:30So here we are
32:32Final round 117 plays 55 fingers on buzzers Tom and and let's reveal today's countdown conundrum
33:11And even I don't think it is that combinary let's see whether you're right
33:17Nope rest of time down to you Tom
33:22Foxed up here
33:23Completely foxed who in the audience will offer a brave hand. Yes, sir
33:30Embryonic
33:31Embryonic
33:32Let's see whether you're right
33:36Embryonic well done
33:37Very good
33:40Embryonic
33:41Fantastic
33:42So there you go Tom
33:44We must say farewell to you
33:4755 but listen
33:49You got a teapot
33:51Finchley has got one more teapot and it's yours. Well done indeed. Thank you very much indeed for coming
33:56Thanks very much good luck with your company your startup company
33:59Very good fortune with that and even 117 first time out
34:04Fantastic well done. We shall see you tomorrow. Well done indeed
34:09Very good opening score 117
34:12Brilliant stuff our stay will you join us tomorrow?
34:15Yeah, I think I can manage that. Thank you very much
34:18And Susie too of course Susie see you tonight
34:21And Rachel as ever we see you tomorrow
34:23On the numbers there same time same place you'll be sure of it a very warm good afternoon to you
34:31Contact us by email at countdown at channel 4.com by Twitter at C4 countdown
34:38Or write to us at countdown leads LS3 1JS
34:41You can also find our web page at channel 4.com forward slash countdown
34:46We'll see you tomorrow