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00:00This programme contains strong language and adult humour.
00:20APPLAUSE
00:31Hello, everybody. It's Friday, December the 15th.
00:34It's the last day of the working week.
00:36It's the second quarterfinal of Series 88
00:39and it is guaranteed to spice up your life.
00:41So you'll want to be staying right there
00:43because after 15 rounds of letters and numbers,
00:46two become one.
00:48And today, Rachel Riley...
00:50I might have got this wrong, right?
00:52But 1997 was the release of Spice World, the movie,
00:56and I'm guessing a young Rachel Riley might have been dressed as...
01:01Let me think.
01:03You could be Sporty Spice, you could be Posh Spice.
01:06No, you're not really Posh Spice. I'll go Sporty Spice.
01:09You think I would emulate a Liverpool fan?
01:11That's true. No, scrap that.
01:13You don't know me at all, Colin.
01:15You're definitely scary.
01:17I don't know. Which Spice Girl were you?
01:19I was just... None of them particularly.
01:21I think I went to that movie as, like, a birthday party.
01:25So if it was released today in 97,
01:28I think I would have gone for my 12th birthday.
01:30I think it's brilliant, you know.
01:32It was a really sort of ridiculed movie by older people
01:37but actually quite funny and, you know,
01:40really good-hearted and full of farce and caper.
01:44And you did very well.
01:46There's rumours, there's always rumours of a remake, like a reboot,
01:49like an animated sequel,
01:51and there's always one of the Spice Girls saying yes
01:54and one of them saying no at any given time.
01:56Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah. It's like the Sexton City ones.
01:58I'm sure there's a rift there that we don't know about
02:00or we do know about or can't keep up with, what the latest one is.
02:03OK, let's head over to Dictionary Corner.
02:05Susie Dent ready to rock and roll again.
02:07And what a delight it has been this week
02:09to have Marcus Brinkstock with us.
02:11Lovely to be here. Nice to meet you too.
02:13This is exciting. Good luck.
02:15It really is indeed because we go into every series final
02:18usually with a real standout number one seed.
02:21I don't think so this time around.
02:23OK, our number one seed, Harry Savage,
02:25who won through to the semi-final yesterday,
02:27and our number two seed, sitting right there,
02:29Vera Zeland.
02:31There is a cigarette paper between the two of them.
02:34How are you, young man?
02:36Pretty nervous, having seen Harry's performance, so...
02:41I told you, don't watch any episode of one of the ones that you're in.
02:45You're up against... I don't have any favourites,
02:47but I do have an apple of my eye.
02:49Rachel Copley is back.
02:52712 points. We've got a scam going,
02:54cos we're saying you missed out in Octo Champ
02:56by just a point, like it was dramatic.
02:58But actually, you got the conundrum.
03:00It wasn't even a crucial. You were 11 points behind.
03:03I was very pleased to get conundrum.
03:05How are you feeling? What's it been like?
03:07What have you been up to? What's cooking?
03:09I've been playing Scrabble quite a lot
03:11and watching every episode of Countdown
03:13and still doing Word Games, Wordle, things like that.
03:15But I'm a bit nervous now, what you said about Viraj.
03:17Nervous how good he sounds like.
03:19You're fearless. You always were in every performance.
03:22I think, you know, he comes in with the higher score.
03:25I think you come in with maybe the slightly more calm nerves.
03:28My heart is pounding.
03:30Rachel and Viraj, best of luck.
03:32APPLAUSE
03:35OK, number 2C, first letters round.
03:37Hi, Rachel. Hi, Viraj.
03:39I'll start with a consonant, please.
03:41Start this quarterfinal with J.
03:44Another one.
03:46P.
03:47A vowel.
03:49I.
03:50A consonant.
03:52Y.
03:54A vowel.
03:56O.
03:57Another one.
03:59E.
04:01A consonant.
04:03D.
04:05A vowel.
04:07I.
04:08And a consonant, please.
04:10And a final L.
04:11At home and in the studio, let's play Countdown.
04:17ELECTRONIC MUSIC PLAYS
04:20ELECTRONIC MUSIC CONTINUES
04:44Viraj. Six.
04:46And Rachel. Five.
04:48A five is? Piled.
04:50And a six is? Deploy.
04:52Deploy. Deploy for six.
04:54And that is actually really good.
04:56Can you get beyond that?
04:58Can't get beyond it, no.
05:00There's dipole, wasn't there?
05:02Yes. A six.
05:04Magnetised poles. Yeah.
05:06And ploidy is another six.
05:08From Genetics, a number of sets of chromosomes in a single cell.
05:12We're clutching at straws already, first round.
05:15That's all there was.
05:17And six points. Rachel, your letters.
05:19Good afternoon, Rachel. Afternoon, Rachel.
05:21A consonant, please.
05:23Starts with G.
05:25And a second.
05:27S.
05:29Third.
05:31N. And one more.
05:33T. A vowel, please.
05:35E. And a second.
05:37A. And a third.
05:39U.
05:41A consonant, please.
05:43S.
05:45And a vowel.
05:47Finish with O.
05:49OK, 30 seconds.
06:15MUSIC PLAYS
06:19Rachel Copley?
06:21Seven. Veera Seeland?
06:23Seven. Seven is rich.
06:25Outages. Veeraj?
06:27Same here.
06:29Outages. Seven points each.
06:31Marcus Brigster?
06:33It's good, but they could have had one more.
06:35There is sun gates for eight.
06:37Sun gates.
06:39Pray tell, what's a sun gate?
06:41Yes, this is actually an adverb. It's all about direction.
06:43And it means in the direction of the sun as it moves.
06:45So in the northern hemisphere, that would be clockwise.
06:47Wow. There you go.
06:49Thank you very much.
06:5113-7, first numbers round of the day.
06:53Young man, you're choosing.
06:55I'll have one large.
06:57It feels like you were thinking about that.
06:59Might get some more interesting selections as the process goes on.
07:01Let's see.
07:03To start with, the first numbers game.
07:051, 6, 2, 6, 4 and 100.
07:071, 6, 2, 6, 4 and 100.
07:13And the target to reach...
07:15980.
07:17980. Numbers up.
07:37MUSIC PLAYS
07:47Fairly easy at home.
07:49Not as easy sitting here in the quarterfinal of Series 88.
07:51But the pens went down very early indeed.
07:53Viraj? 980.
07:55Yes, and Rachel? 980.
07:57Off you go. 100, take two.
07:5998. 4 plus 6.
08:014 plus 6 is 10. And then times them together.
08:03And a safe ten points.
08:05Same way. Yes.
08:07APPLAUSE
08:11It's a close affair today, 23-17.
08:13And your tea time teaser, just for these ducks,
08:15is Fed No Bird.
08:17Fed No Bird.
08:19You weren't allowed to feed the birds at the park.
08:21You weren't allowed to feed the birds at the park.
08:31APPLAUSE
08:35Welcome back.
08:37You weren't allowed to feed the birds at the park.
08:39You were forbidden.
08:41You were forbidden.
08:43Well, Rachel Copley's not ducking the challenge.
08:45It's the lower seed.
08:47She's on 17, just behind Viraj in 23.
08:49And, Rach, you're picking these letters.
08:51A consonant, please, Rachel.
08:53Thank you, Rachel. D.
08:55And another. M.
08:57And a third.
08:59P. And a fourth.
09:01W.
09:03And a vowel, please.
09:05E. And a second.
09:07A. And a third.
09:09E. A consonant, please.
09:11N.
09:13And another consonant, please.
09:15Final. T.
09:17Thanks, Rach.
09:33MUSIC PLAYS
09:47Rachel?
09:49Six. Yeah.
09:51Viraj? Six. Six as well.
09:53Yeah, hard to get beyond it. Rich?
09:55Wanted. Viraj? Panted.
09:57Yeah. No worries here.
09:59No, it was tricky.
10:01Dampen. Yes.
10:03Me too. Also for six.
10:05Lots of sixes, but nothing more than that.
10:07There you go. A rare, straightforward round.
10:09Let's move on and get more letters, Viraj.
10:11I'll start with a vowel, please.
10:13Thank you, Viraj. O.
10:15Another one.
10:17E. Another one.
10:19U. A consonant.
10:21L. Another one.
10:23G. A vowel.
10:25I. A consonant.
10:27D.
10:29Another consonant.
10:31R. And a consonant, please.
10:33Lastly, T.
10:35Interesting. Start the clock.
10:37MUSIC PLAYS
10:59MUSIC STOPS
11:07Viraj? Seven.
11:09Rachel? Seven.
11:11Viraj? Outright.
11:13Rachel? Goldier?
11:15Goldier, as in...?
11:17More golden. More golden, like...?
11:19Not there, I'm afraid, Rachel. I'm sorry.
11:21Anything above it?
11:23Well, there was gilder for seven, but yes, there is.
11:25There's an eight there,
11:27which is trilogue.
11:29A conversation between three people.
11:31Dialogue between two and trilogue.
11:33Exactly.
11:35You can miss out the A in the middle and just have trilogue.
11:37We're having a trilogue now.
11:39Can we not do it in the past tense, no?
11:41Not those verbs, just there as in now.
11:43OK, good stuff. Just to clear up.
11:45No maximum available.
11:47All right, ten points up for grabs now, though.
11:49Rachel Copley, second numbers round.
11:51My usual, please. One from the top.
11:53Not gambling, not even in the quarter.
11:55Not yet, OK.
11:57Let's see, tactics will play a crucial part in this game.
12:01And these five small ones, two, seven, two, one, and four.
12:07And the large one, 50.
12:09And the target, 491.
12:11491, numbers up.
12:25CLOCK TICKS
12:43491, the target. Rachel?
12:45494.
12:47Missed it by three. Viraj?
12:49492.
12:51Missed it by one! Off you go, still get your points.
12:531 plus 2 plus 7 is 10.
12:551 plus 2 plus 7 is 10.
12:57Times 50.
12:59Times 50, 500.
13:01Four times the other two is eight.
13:03And take off.
13:05One above.
13:07Well done, you get the points, but that is definitely pressure there.
13:09491, Rich?
13:11Yeah, well, if you keep the nine back,
13:137 plus 2 is 9 to take away,
13:15and then 4 plus 1 is 5,
13:17times that by 2 for 10,
13:19times that by 50 for 500,
13:21which we made earlier.
13:23APPLAUSE
13:25There you go.
13:2743-23.
13:29Take a little breather.
13:31Gather your thoughts as we have our last chat of the week
13:33with Marcus Brinkstock.
13:35Yesterday was thoroughly entertaining, but also a little gruesome.
13:37You were telling us about your broken leg
13:39when you did Channel 4's The Jump.
13:41You said you would do it again,
13:43and I was thinking overnight, are you a bit of a thrill-seeker then?
13:45With certain things, definitely.
13:47Winter sports, yes.
13:49So after The Jump,
13:51and, you know, everyone saw the broken leg and all this stuff,
13:55I was given the opportunity to go and do the world-famous Crestorun,
13:59which is the sort of naturally occurring bobsled track,
14:03i.e. it's not carved out, it happens anyway.
14:06And it's killed a few people, the Crestorun,
14:09and I was given the chance to do it with my dear, dear friend Andy Smart,
14:13who sadly we lost earlier this year.
14:15He's one of the greatest improvisers I've ever played with.
14:18He improvised with Paul Merton, with Mike Myers, with Josie Lawrence.
14:22He's a wonderful, wonderful man.
14:24So we got the chance to go out and do the Crestorun,
14:27face first on these ancient sleds,
14:30and Andy phoned me two days before
14:35to tell me he was on a hospital bed somewhere, I think in Hungary,
14:39and he'd had all of his teeth removed.
14:42He was waiting to have new teeth fitted, every single one.
14:45Something had gone wrong, and he said,
14:47so when you see me, I will look a bit shocking, you know.
14:51Anyway, so we get there.
14:53He still did it! Yeah, yeah, yeah.
14:55We came up with a ruse. I said to him,
14:57listen, conceal the missing teeth until after the first run
15:01and then come back to the clubhouse and tell him that's what happened.
15:04So you go in the clubhouse at the Crestorun,
15:06and it's all run by old military buffers,
15:09and they have a full skeleton made of X-rays
15:12taken of broken bones from people who've done it before,
15:15and they talk you through it.
15:17If you see here, you can see the two pins
15:20that are actually used to keep Colonel Blenkinsop's head on.
15:24Yeah, they talk you through the whole thing.
15:26And then they put your face first on these ancient bits of kit,
15:29and they said to us,
15:31your first run, you should be around 70 seconds.
15:35If you're much over 70, 75, you're dragging.
15:38If you're below that, dangerous, you've done it wrong.
15:41Andy went first, so he set off.
15:45And then I went, and I did about 73 seconds.
15:48I was a little bit disappointed. I thought, oh, I've gone too slow there.
15:51And I got to the bottom to see Andy sitting there
15:54with eyes like saucers, like this.
15:57And I said, how was it? And he just looked at me and went, 65!
16:00No!
16:01He'd done it in 65 seconds.
16:04Yeah, yeah, yeah. That's amazing.
16:06It was incredible.
16:07Wow. Well done to you. Thrill seeker.
16:10Thrill seeker. Thank you, Marcus.
16:14I think Countdown quarterfinals are almost as scary as that.
16:18You just get a little bit longer to get frightened.
16:20Let's get back to the game. And, Veeraj, your letters.
16:23I'll start with a consonant, please.
16:25Thank you, Veeraj. M
16:27Another one.
16:28R
16:29And another one.
16:30C
16:31A vowel.
16:33E
16:34A consonant.
16:36N
16:37A vowel.
16:38I
16:39Another vowel.
16:41O
16:42A consonant.
16:44B
16:45And a vowel, please.
16:47A final A.
16:48And here we go again.
17:15MUSIC STOPS
17:20Veeraj?
17:21Eight, partially written down.
17:23OK, and Rachel?
17:24Eight.
17:25OK, Veeraj?
17:26Bromance.
17:27Bromance.
17:28I need to find out why it's partially written down.
17:31Rachel?
17:32Combiner.
17:33Combiner.
17:34We'll check those, but did you write romance and spot bromance late?
17:37I wrote bro-man.
17:38What's going on here?
17:40And then the clock ran out.
17:42What is going on?
17:43Dictionary corner.
17:44Just say combiner, absolutely fine.
17:46It can mean various things, including the operator of a combine harvester.
17:49Nothing to add, nothing above that?
17:51No, that's all.
17:52OK. More letters, please, Rachel.
17:54Consonant, please, Rachel.
17:55Thank you, Rachel.
17:56S
17:57A second.
17:58X
17:59Third.
18:01R
18:02And a fourth.
18:04S
18:05And a vowel, please.
18:06E
18:07And a second.
18:08U
18:09And a third.
18:11A
18:12And finish with a consonant, please.
18:15H
18:16And one more consonant, please.
18:18And a bonus.
18:19P
18:20Right, let's do it.
18:42MUSIC PLAYS
18:52Rachel?
18:53Seven.
18:54Seven for you.
18:55Viraj?
18:56Seven.
18:57And a seven, too.
18:58Rachel?
18:59Phrases.
19:00Phrases.
19:01Viraj?
19:02Phasers.
19:03Phasers.
19:04And this has settled down.
19:0520 points the difference.
19:06It remains, and that is certainly striking distance.
19:08Dictionary corner.
19:09There is an eight there.
19:11Yes, Haruspex.
19:12Go back to ancient Rome, and these are like augurs,
19:17so they interpreted various manifestations in the natural world
19:21in order to predict the future as omens,
19:24and these were specifically studying
19:26the entrails of sacrificed animals.
19:29Yeah.
19:30Thank you, Susie.
19:31Wonderful.
19:32Let's get back to third numbers round.
19:34It's been one big all the way so far.
19:36Let's see if Viraj changes that, Rich.
19:39I really want to go for six more,
19:41but I think I'm going to stick to one large.
19:43Nerves playing a part here, I think.
19:45You don't quite trust yourself yet.
19:47Right, one large and five little.
19:50Let's see.
19:51We have two, three, two, ten, five, and the big one, 25.
19:59And the target, 518.
20:01Five won it.
20:02Numbers up.
20:08MUSIC PLAYS
20:33518, the target.
20:35Was it the right decision, Viraj?
20:37520, not written down.
20:39Missed it by two.
20:40Rachel?
20:41516.
20:42Two the other way.
20:43You can't catch your breath here.
20:45Off you go, Viraj.
20:4725 times two.
20:4950.
20:50Plus two.
20:51Plus the other two, 52.
20:53Times ten.
20:54520.
20:56Two above.
20:57OK, two the other way, Rachel.
20:59Two times ten is 20.
21:00Two tens 20.
21:02Times 25 is 500.
21:05The other two times three is six.
21:07Plus ten is 16.
21:09You've got two twos, but you've only got one ten.
21:12I'm sorry, Rachel.
21:14Another big moment in this second quarter final.
21:17So the seven points go to Viraj.
21:19Can you take us to 518, please, Rachel?
21:21Yes, I think it's the nerves.
21:23If you say five minus two is three.
21:25Three times three is nine.
21:28And then you can say 25 times ten is 250.
21:32Add on that nine for 259
21:34and times it by the remaining two for 518.
21:37Well done.
21:38APPLAUSE
21:40You're very right, Riley.
21:41It is a bit nervy today.
21:43And I wonder, is that because it's not just national television
21:46but local pride is at stake here?
21:48Because you're Norwich and you're a guest in Norwich.
21:51Are you not studying there?
21:52Yep, I study at the UEO.
21:54Right, OK, so not really a battle of Norwich.
21:56He's not a real... What do you call someone from Norwich?
21:58A Norwiger?
21:59Local.
22:00Just a local.
22:02That's me told.
22:03That's me told.
22:04But you're the one wearing the canary yellow.
22:06I didn't know that.
22:07Yeah, there you go.
22:08There you go.
22:09A little bit of local bragging rights up for stake
22:11as we get our second Tea Time teaser of the day.
22:14This sounds like the star of a 60s cop drama,
22:17plays by his own rules.
22:19Ken Shadow.
22:20Ken Shadow.
22:21Search the whole place for the milky drink.
22:24Search the whole place for the milky drink.
22:27MUSIC
22:43Hello again.
22:44Search the whole place for the milky drink.
22:46Ken Shadow becomes Shakedown.
22:48Susie, I always had that as taking money off somebody,
22:51shaking them down, but it must be a thorough search as well.
22:54It is, yeah, it can mean lots of different things.
22:56Originally, a makeshift bed that you shook down.
22:59Then you were right, 1902 is the first example of extortion,
23:03so swindling someone, and then ten years later, a thorough search.
23:06OK, lovely.
23:07Well, Rachel Copley is looking to pick the pocket
23:10of her number two seed, Vera's sea lamb.
23:12Bit of work to do, 27 points behind.
23:16Rachel, it starts now for you with these letters.
23:19Consonant, please, Rachel.
23:21Thank you, Rachel.
23:22L.
23:23A second.
23:25N.
23:26A third.
23:27T.
23:28And a fourth.
23:29R.
23:30A vowel, please.
23:32E.
23:33And a second.
23:35I.
23:36And a third.
23:37E.
23:38A consonant, please.
23:40W.
23:41And a final consonant.
23:43Final D.
23:44Good luck.
23:55MUSIC PLAYS
24:16How many, Rachel?
24:17Eight.
24:18Ooh, how many, Viraj?
24:19I have to risk an eight, then.
24:21You're going to have to.
24:22Rachel?
24:23Wintered.
24:24Viraj?
24:25Same word.
24:26Yeah.
24:27There you go.
24:28What was left, an L after that, so no hope.
24:30No hope of a nine here, Marcus.
24:32No, wintered is what we had.
24:33Lovely word.
24:34Right, 73-46.
24:36Rachel, doing her darndest to claw back with that eight,
24:39but well done, Viraj, and it's your letters.
24:41I'll start with a vowel, please.
24:43Thank you, Viraj.
24:44O.
24:45A consonant.
24:47L.
24:48Another consonant.
24:49F.
24:51A consonant again.
24:52S.
24:53A vowel.
24:54A.
24:56Another vowel.
24:57E.
24:59A consonant.
25:00C.
25:02A vowel.
25:03A.
25:05And a consonant, please.
25:06And a final B.
25:08Let's play.
25:09MUSIC PLAYS
25:23MUSIC CONTINUES
25:40Viraj?
25:41Six.
25:42Rachel?
25:43Six.
25:44Six as well.
25:45Viraj?
25:46Cabals.
25:47Cabals.
25:48And, Rachel?
25:49Fables.
25:50Fables and cabals and six points each.
25:52They match each other again, Marcus.
25:54At least there's a chance you might have something better this time.
25:57There is a chance, but a too slimmer one.
25:59It's a six.
26:00Cabals and fables is what we had here.
26:03Cabal, well done.
26:04That's all we are.
26:05Six all there is.
26:06What a ride it is today.
26:07I'd imagine when Viraj and Rachel first sent the email off
26:10to be on Countdown, they didn't imagine they'd be sitting here
26:13in the quarterfinals and have made loads of friends along the way.
26:17It's a great experience and you never know what's going to happen
26:20with you, but you've got to send the email.
26:22It's Countdown at Channel4.com.
26:24Countdown at Channel4.com.
26:26Series 89 begins in the new year, January 2nd.
26:29Why not be part of it?
26:31And you can also use that email if you're curious about words
26:34and the origins of them.
26:35And Susie's brilliant at trying to answer as many as possible
26:38across all the episodes.
26:39That's exactly what we're going to do now.
26:41Yes, today's question comes from Trilby, which is the name
26:44of the heroine in Daphne du Maurier's novel, actually,
26:47which is where we get the name for the hat.
26:49I love that name.
26:50And Trilby says,
26:51I live in Spain but still watch the show.
26:53When I first came to Spain, I needed a clothes horse
26:56and decided to translate it into caballo para ropas,
26:59which is a direct literal translation.
27:01And, of course, no-one understood me.
27:04Since Spanish classes, I now know they call it a tendedero,
27:08which is a clothesline, but I have to ask,
27:10why on earth do we call it a clothes horse?
27:12It's not like it's going to gallop off.
27:15And it's just an example of the use of a beast of burden
27:20as a sort of metaphor for a support of some kind.
27:23So, a clothes horse, obviously, is a support,
27:26it's something sturdy, it's something stable, forgive the pun.
27:29And you can find a parallel in an easel,
27:32because an easel that an artist uses actually goes back to easel
27:36in Dutch, which means an ass or a donkey.
27:40So, it's the same idea.
27:41You choose an animal as something which is strong and robust.
27:45But it also got me thinking of that tendedero,
27:48which will go all the way back, if you trace it, to its beginnings,
27:52to Latin, where tendere, which means to stretch,
27:55and it gave us tension, which, you know, is part of the family,
28:00but it also gave us tenterhooks.
28:02But, yes, be careful if you're trying to translate clothes horse
28:05into any other language, because it ain't going to work.
28:08APPLAUSE
28:11At 79-52, four rounds left.
28:15So, running out of road, Rachel, but not out of hope.
28:19Let's get more letters.
28:20A consonant, please, Rachel.
28:22Thank you, Rachel. N.
28:24And a second?
28:25T.
28:26And a third?
28:27H.
28:28And a fourth?
28:30N.
28:31A vowel, please?
28:33O.
28:34And a second?
28:35E.
28:36And a third?
28:37A.
28:38A consonant, please?
28:40C.
28:41And finish with a consonant?
28:44Finish with L.
28:45Kindine.
29:11MUSIC STOPS
29:17Time's up, Rachel.
29:18Six.
29:19Viraj?
29:20Seven.
29:21Rachel?
29:22Locate.
29:23Locate, and Viraj?
29:24Channel.
29:25And channel, yes.
29:26Points to Viraj, Susie and Marcus.
29:28Fill me in on the rest.
29:30Er, cholent?
29:31Yes, Rachel will know this one, I think.
29:33Pronunciation-wise, it's a Jewish Sabbath dish
29:35of slowly baked meat and vegetables
29:37prepared on a Friday and cooked overnight.
29:39And there's also ethanol for seven.
29:42Yeah, there you go.
29:44A seven there and a seven for Viraj picks up seven more points.
29:48You're right at the finish line, not quite there yet.
29:50Let's get the last letters.
29:52I'll start with a consonant, please.
29:54Thank you, Viraj. P.
29:56A vowel?
29:58O.
29:59A consonant?
30:00S.
30:01A vowel?
30:03I.
30:04Another vowel?
30:06O.
30:07Consonant?
30:08R.
30:09A vowel?
30:11E.
30:12A consonant?
30:14F.
30:15And a consonant, please.
30:16And lastly, T.
30:18Last letters.
30:37MUSIC CONTINUES
30:50Viraj?
30:51A seven.
30:52Rachel?
30:53Seven.
30:54Seven as well.
30:55That will be enough for you, Viraj.
30:56Prophets.
30:57Prophets.
30:58You're going to see the prophets of this.
31:00And you're cashed in and into the semifinals.
31:02APPLAUSE
31:05Well, I'll tell you what, you've approached all right.
31:07It's not been easy, but well done to you.
31:09To Dictionary Corner, seven's the best we have?
31:12No, there are two eights here, aren't there?
31:14Oh, go on.
31:15There's firepots, is one eight, and four tops.
31:19Not the band.
31:21No, platform around the head of the lower bit of a sailing ship's
31:25foremast.
31:26Oh, no, that's F-O-R-E.
31:28F-O-R-E.
31:29OK, beautiful. Four tops.
31:31Well done, Dictionary Corner.
31:32The seven, though.
31:33Viraj gets them over the hump.
31:35But, Rach, let's go out with a bye.
31:37Numbers.
31:38Let's go for six more, please.
31:39Yay!
31:40Just for fun, why not?
31:41Thank you, Rachel.
31:42Six little ones.
31:43Final numbers of this quarterfinal.
31:45And they are nine, three, five, two, four, and one.
31:52And the target, 745.
31:55Seven for five last numbers.
32:03MUSIC
32:28745, Rachel.
32:30Nowhere at all.
32:31It's your fault, Viraj.
32:32735, not written down.
32:34So, ten away, off you go.
32:36Nine minus two.
32:37Nine minus two is seven.
32:41Times five.
32:42Times five, 35.
32:46No, I lost it.
32:47Yeah.
32:48That was like watching a video on YouTube
32:50of someone falling off a skateboard, you know?
32:52Just, like, hanging on.
32:53But you knew it was going to happen.
32:55You knew they were going to fall.
32:57And I think we've all fallen, but maybe not Rachel Riley?
33:00You could have got to one away, but this was impossible,
33:03so we were striving for nothing, really.
33:05Right, 93 plus 59.
33:07Let's get these last ten points out of the way.
33:11Viraj, finger on the buzzer.
33:13Rachel's brilliant at the conundrum,
33:15so this should be interesting.
33:16Let's reveal today's Countdown Conundrum.
33:23Viraj.
33:24Pantaloon.
33:25Let's have a look.
33:26Yes!
33:28Viraj Silam, sensational work from our 19-year-old,
33:32although not welcome back in Norwich anymore,
33:34but, you know, that's the way it goes.
33:36Well done to you.
33:39And, Rachel, well, it's just been lovely to see you again.
33:42Thank you, it's been great to be here.
33:44It's been the best thing ever.
33:45All right, lots of love to you. Thank you so much.
33:47Thank you very much. Thank you so much.
33:49And, Marcus, you know, if I could keep you for two weeks,
33:51I really, really would. It's been so nice to have you here.
33:53Thanks, mate. It's been a pleasure.
33:55And you two, massively impressed.
33:57Susie, see you on Monday?
33:59Yes, definitely see you then.
34:00And, Rachel, we know what happens on Monday.
34:02Today's studio, your favourite day of the year.
34:04Is it going to be Christmas?
34:06It's going to be so many Christmas stories.
34:08I hope there's lots of tinsel.
34:10I literally don't want to stand still next week.
34:12You'll wrap me in tinsel.
34:13I think that's a good idea.
34:14Oh, my goodness. Well, I can't wait. I can't wait for it.
34:16I'll buy into it 100%.
34:18And also really looking forward to our next quarterfinal.
34:21Our number one and number two seeds are through,
34:23but things start to get a little bit closer.
34:25It's three against six on Monday.
34:27Same time, same place.
34:29Ben Bazzar taking on Caroline McManus.
34:31And, Rachel, Susie and I will be waiting for you
34:34at the other side of the weekend.
34:36You can count on us.
34:37APPLAUSE
34:39You can contact the programme by email at countdown at channel4.com.
34:43You can also find our web page at channel4.com forward slash countdown.
34:47APPLAUSE
34:53CHEERING AND APPLAUSE