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Episode Cats128

From Countdown

Episode Cats128, billed as 8 Out of 10 Cats Does Countdown Series 20, Episode 3 was a special episode broadcast on 14 August 2020, as part of 8 Out of 10 Cats Does Countdown Series 20.

Regular Sean Lock and Acting Team Captain Richard Ayoade were the contestants, along with Daisy May Cooper and Ivo Graham who were their teammates respectively, while Jimmy Carr reprised his role as the host.

The match saw Richard Ayoade, with the assistance of Ivo Graham, winning by 27 – 22 in a 7-rounder and they won a Countdown golf set consisting of a golf ball, a putter and a flag. Joe Wilkinson also made a special appearance just before Round 5 dressed as a fortune teller in a movable booth where he read Susie's fortune before she broke his crystal ball in anger after claiming she would be the lexicographer for 50 more years and raced with Margaret, an old lady dressed in the costume in the same type of booth around the studio and backstage with Fabio, the show's permanent male model acting as the race marshal.

Rachel Riley was, as ever, the arithmetician. The Dictionary Corner guest was Adam Buxton, and the lexicographer was Susie Dent.

Interesting and notable moments from the episode are listed below:

1) In Round 2, Richard initially confused Jimmy by saying he both did and did not get the target. However, after Sean's solution was proven to be incorrect, the former declared he had 276 with a correct solution written down. Thus, points were given to his team even though his first declaration was unclear.

2) During the 30 seconds, Jimmy pretended to be a puppet with four strings attached and being controlled by a fake hand attached to the ceiling of the studio. In the process, he broke his mug before Rachel came to the rescue with a large scissors and cut three strings off.

3) During Round 5 when the letters were picked, Margaret, who crashed into several barrels of "explosive stuff" outside the BBC's Philharmonic Studios during the race, came back into the studio with her hair "burnt" and gave two fingers to Joe before walking off into the audience. Also, as Sean commented he disliked the I in the selection, it was thrown out and replaced with the A. Had that not happened, the selection would have been OCLSEIRST, of which two nine-letter words were available for the maximum score (i.e. it would have been worth ten more points).

4) During the 30 seconds in Round 6, two uncredited men and a woman dressed as zombies "attacked" both Jimmy and Susie, forcing the former to use a baseball bat in the centre of the studio and attack both men while the woman was a stunt double for Susie who was "infected". Simultaneously, a fog-like effect was produced, the studio lights were dimmed and the Countdown table lights turned green. Also during the round, Joe did not place the first I and T properly and as a result, both letters appeared tilted on camera.

5) During the Conundrum, Jimmy assisted the players by mentioning the answer ended with the letters ING, however points were still awarded to Sean's team even though this was considered cheating.

NOTE 1: In this version, both players' declarations were allowed, although points were only awarded for the best answer.

NOTE 2: In Round 1, as implied by Susie, Ivo's declaration of BANTS should have been allowed as it was in the ODO. However, this would not have impacted the final outcome.

NOTE 3: The conundrum had two valid solutions: FEATURING and FIGURANTE.

Rounds

Rnd Selection Daisy & Sean Score Richard & Ivo Others Max.
1 BUCTEASDN DATES
BEAUTS
6 – 0 BASED
bants** ☓
ABDUCENTS* 18
2 100 50 8 10 4 1 → 271
269 ☓
6 – 7 276

(100 − 8) × (4 − 1)

RR: 271 = (100 − 8) × (4 − 1) − 50 ÷ 10

28
TTT EROTICME It's out of this world. METEORIC
Rnd Selection Sean Lock Score Ivo Graham Others Max.
3 ISLEOTGNZ nesting ☓ 6 – 14 TINGLES ENTISOL*, GLISTEN*, GLITZES*, LEGIONS*, LENTIGO*, LINGOES, LINGOTS*, LOGIEST*, LONGEST, LONGIES*, ONGLETS*, ONLIEST*, SINGLET, SONGLET*, TIGLONS*, ZESTING*, ZLOTIES* 35
Rnd Selection Daisy May Cooper Score Richard Ayoade Others Max.
4 25 8 6 9 7 2 → 682 200 6 – 14 250

RR: 682 = ((8 + 6) × 25 − 9) × 2

45
TTT WASHSACK Make sure you've got a firm grip. HACKSAWS
Rnd Selection Daisy & Sean Score Richard & Ivo Others Max.
5 OCLSEARST ARSE
CLEARS
6 – 21 ARSES
CLOSEST
ALECOSTS*, COARSEST*, COASTERS*, COSTRELS*, CROTALES*, ESCOLARS*, LACROSSE, LOCATERS*, SCARLETS*, SECTORAL* 53
TTT EDGYHORN This could explode. HYDROGEN
6 RITROWEIN WRITER
rotwein ☓
12 – 27 NEWT
WINTER
INTERIOR*, WINTRIER 61
7 EATINGFUR FEATURING**
(22.75 seconds)
22 – 27 fureating ☓
(16 seconds)
71