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Series 46

From Countdown
The Series 46 finalists with the presenters and Dictionary Corner.

Series 46 ran from 24 September to 25 December 2001. The forty-sixth of 53 series presented by Richard Whiteley was won by Ben Wilson. As this was the first series in the original version of the 15 round format, players were limited to six wins in the heats, not the traditional eight. While the new format was retained, the six-game limitation was reversed, so this was the only series to feature six-and-out winners known as viscounts. This was also the first series to feature Teatime Teasers.

In the finals, the No. 1 seed was Ben Wilson, one such viscount, who began by defeating the No. 8 seed Simon Cartwright. Phil Wass had to face Brian Capper, the player that Wass had already beaten during the heats. This time Capper got his revenge as he beat Wass on the crucial conundrum ACROBATSD which gives BROADCAST. Loz Sands also had to face a crucial conundrum against Steve Sandalls, but it was Sandalls that unravelled VERBOHIRE to reach the semi-finals. Paul Ryan completed the quarter-finals by beating unbeaten player Ian McMenzie 90 – 69.

In the semi-finals, there was a classic game between Wilson and Ryan as Paul Ryan led after 12 rounds. In Round 13, Wilson spotted the eight-letter word RIVULETS and beat Ryan on the six small numbers game, which meant that Wilson led by 11 points with only 10 points remaining for the conundrum. It was academic, as Wilson spotted the conundrum READYSETY in 1.25 seconds. The second semi-final was another close game with Steve Sandalls triumphing over Brian Capper 99 – 84.

The final, shown on Christmas Day, was another close game and included another crucial conundrum. After nine rounds, Wilson and Sandalls had equalled each other in every round, until Wilson chose his preferred six small numbers and took a ten point lead. He extended his lead with BONNIES, but Sandalls clawed his way back with ACCEPT, GYRATED and five points on a very difficult final numbers game. This left the game poised at 75 – 74 with just the conundrum to go. Wilson solved the conundrum SANTASITS in three seconds to become the 15 round era's first series champion, unbeaten with nine wins out of nine.

This series also introduced a new camera-angle sequence during the letters rounds; the camera angles shot on the contestants, clock, studio and Dictionary Corner changed every two seconds instead of the traditional four seconds, while retaining the zooming-in on the bottom of the clock in the final eight seconds. The sequence reverted to the traditional four-second change in Series 48.

Seed table

Rank Name Wins Points
1 Ben Wilson 6 570
2 Phil Wass 6 570
3 Loz Sands 6 569
4 Paul Ryan 6 559
5 Ian McMenzie 6 511
6 Steve Sandalls 5 525
7 Brian Capper 4 478
8 Simon Cartwright 4 467
Between Series 38 and Series 59, players were sorted by number of wins, then by number of points. Points from both wins and losses count. Points from sudden death conundrums were not counted, and players with the same number of wins and points were sorted by highest score.

Finals progress

Ben Wilson (1) vs Simon Cartwright (8) Ben Wilson (1) vs Paul Ryan (4) Ben Wilson (1)
vs
Steve Sandalls (6)
Ian McMenzie (5) vs Paul Ryan (4)
Loz Sands (3) vs Steve Sandalls (6) Steve Sandalls (6) vs Brian Capper (7)
Brian Capper (7) vs Phil Wass (2)
The winner of each game is displayed in bold.

Episodes

# Date Type Contestant 1 Score Contestant 2 Presenters Guest Lex Max
3086 24/09/2001 P Ian McMenzie 64 – 61 Simon Pope Richard Whiteley Carol Vorderman Gyles Brandreth Susie Dent 123
3087 25/09/2001 P Ian McMenzie 85 – 56 Linda Smith Richard Whiteley Carol Vorderman Gyles Brandreth Susie Dent 128
3088 26/09/2001 P Ian McMenzie 86 – 81 David Whyte Richard Whiteley Carol Vorderman Gyles Brandreth Susie Dent 132
3089 27/09/2001 P Ian McMenzie 106 – 70 Fergus Murray Richard Whiteley Carol Vorderman Gyles Brandreth Susie Dent 153
3090 28/09/2001 P Ian McMenzie 87 – 71 Sam Chandler Richard Whiteley Carol Vorderman Gyles Brandreth Susie Dent 131
3091 01/10/2001 P Ian McMenzie 83 – 55 Craig Bromfield Richard Whiteley Carol Vorderman Lesley Graham Susie Dent 121
3092 02/10/2001 P Paul Booth 38 – 94 Ronald Holt Richard Whiteley Carol Vorderman Lesley Graham Susie Dent 122
3093 03/10/2001 P Ronald Holt 84 – 68 Daphne Champkins Richard Whiteley Carol Vorderman Lesley Graham Susie Dent 122
3094 04/10/2001 P Ronald Holt 46 – 107 Steve Sandalls Richard Whiteley Carol Vorderman Lesley Graham Susie Dent 130
3095 05/10/2001 P Steve Sandalls 84 – 51 Ted Beddard Richard Whiteley Carol Vorderman Lesley Graham Susie Dent 141
3096 08/10/2001 P Steve Sandalls 109 – 70 Paul Gardener Richard Whiteley Carol Vorderman Keith Barron Tania Styles 118
3097 09/10/2001 P Steve Sandalls 70 – 47 Pat Baxter Richard Whiteley Carol Vorderman Keith Barron Tania Styles 128
3098 10/10/2001 P Steve Sandalls 89 – 61 Bruce Dick Richard Whiteley Carol Vorderman Keith Barron Tania Styles 132
3099 11/10/2001 P Steve Sandalls 66 – 70 Diane Dootson Richard Whiteley Carol Vorderman Keith Barron Tania Styles 123
3100 12/10/2001 P Diane Dootson 44 – 121 Simon Cartwright Richard Whiteley Carol Vorderman Keith Barron Tania Styles 131
3101 15/10/2001 P Simon Cartwright 91 – 49 Carl Pilgrim Richard Whiteley Carol Vorderman Alastair Stewart Richard Samson 126
3102 16/10/2001 P Simon Cartwright 83 – 38 Ian Williams Richard Whiteley Carol Vorderman Alastair Stewart Richard Samson 119
3103 17/10/2001 P Simon Cartwright 91 – 78 Austen Allen Richard Whiteley Carol Vorderman Alastair Stewart Richard Samson 120
3104 18/10/2001 P Simon Cartwright 81 – 100 Stefan Gatward Richard Whiteley Carol Vorderman Alastair Stewart Richard Samson 154
3105 19/10/2001 P Stefan Gatward 47 – 76 Brian Capper Richard Whiteley Carol Vorderman Alastair Stewart Richard Samson 132
3106 22/10/2001 P Brian Capper 111 – 68 Mairéad Cheallacháin Richard Whiteley Carol Vorderman Kathryn Apanowicz Richard Samson 151
3107 23/10/2001 P Brian Capper 118 – 58 Trevor Whitnall Richard Whiteley Carol Vorderman Kathryn Apanowicz Richard Samson 128
3108 24/10/2001 P Brian Capper 94 – 60 Ann Kemp Richard Whiteley Carol Vorderman Kathryn Apanowicz Richard Samson 141
3109 25/10/2001 P Brian Capper 79 – 90 Phil Wass Richard Whiteley Carol Vorderman Kathryn Apanowicz Richard Samson 143
3110 26/10/2001 P Phil Wass 95 – 56 Charles Brindley Richard Whiteley Carol Vorderman Kathryn Apanowicz Richard Samson 118
3111 29/10/2001 P Phil Wass 93 – 59 Phil Quirk Richard Whiteley Carol Vorderman Lionel Blair Tania Styles 143
3112 30/10/2001 P Phil Wass 100 – 41 Alison McKenzie Richard Whiteley Carol Vorderman Lionel Blair Tania Styles 130
3113 31/10/2001 P Phil Wass 93 – 59 Ed Schaffert Richard Whiteley Carol Vorderman Lionel Blair Tania Styles 143
3114 01/11/2001 P Phil Wass 99 – 72 Michael McDowell Richard Whiteley Carol Vorderman Lionel Blair Tania Styles 121
3115 02/11/2001 P Rosemarie Loveridge 92 – 45 Joe Marshall Richard Whiteley Carol Vorderman Lionel Blair Tania Styles 122
3116 05/11/2001 P Rosemarie Loveridge 51 – 91 Peter Wilson Richard Whiteley Carol Vorderman Vanessa Feltz Clare Pemberton 141
3117 06/11/2001 P Peter Wilson 70 – 101 Ben Wilson Richard Whiteley Carol Vorderman Vanessa Feltz Clare Pemberton 114
3118 07/11/2001 P Ben Wilson 102 – 49 Jeanette Littlejohn Richard Whiteley Carol Vorderman Vanessa Feltz Clare Pemberton 152
3119 08/11/2001 P Ben Wilson 98 – 60 Bob Bride Richard Whiteley Carol Vorderman Vanessa Feltz Clare Pemberton 121
3120 09/11/2001 P Ben Wilson 90 – 80 Mike Nicholson Richard Whiteley Carol Vorderman Vanessa Feltz Clare Pemberton 130
3121 12/11/2001 P Ben Wilson 86 – 72 Pearl Norman Richard Whiteley Carol Vorderman Nigel Rees Phiona Stanley 122
3122 13/11/2001 P Ben Wilson 93 – 76 John Hadley Richard Whiteley Carol Vorderman Nigel Rees Phiona Stanley 123
3123 14/11/2001 P Mike Barnard 54 – 90 Leon Pugh Richard Whiteley Carol Vorderman Nigel Rees Phiona Stanley 132
3124 15/11/2001 P Leon Pugh 84 – 75 Cathy Wright Richard Whiteley Carol Vorderman Nigel Rees Phiona Stanley 161
3125 16/11/2001 P Leon Pugh 73 – 82 Iain Wilson Richard Whiteley Carol Vorderman Nigel Rees Phiona Stanley 128
3126 19/11/2001 P Iain Wilson 66 – 92 Loz Sands Richard Whiteley Carol Vorderman Barry Norman Susie Dent 124
3127 20/11/2001 P Loz Sands 97 – 82 Ray Gossington Richard Whiteley Carol Vorderman Barry Norman Susie Dent 137
3128 21/11/2001 P Loz Sands 80 – 64 Ron Else Richard Whiteley Carol Vorderman Barry Norman Susie Dent 121
3129 22/11/2001 P Loz Sands 111 – 37 Ena Clinton Richard Whiteley Carol Vorderman Barry Norman Susie Dent 141
3130 23/11/2001 P Loz Sands 86 – 65 Richard Hewitt Richard Whiteley Carol Vorderman Barry Norman Susie Dent 126
3131 26/11/2001 P Loz Sands 103 – 55 Steve Smith Richard Whiteley Carol Vorderman Richard Digance Richard Samson 118
3132 27/11/2001 P Mark Roper 99 – 72 Maeve Mulryan Richard Whiteley Carol Vorderman Richard Digance Richard Samson 122
3133 28/11/2001 P Mark Roper 72 – 98 Paul Ryan Richard Whiteley Carol Vorderman Richard Digance Richard Samson 142
3134 29/11/2001 P Paul Ryan 89 – 68 Jeff Butcher Richard Whiteley Carol Vorderman Richard Digance Richard Samson 124
3135 30/11/2001 P Paul Ryan 96* – 86 Andrew Clayton Richard Whiteley Carol Vorderman Richard Digance Richard Samson 121
3136 03/12/2001 P Paul Ryan 80 – 73 Turlough McConnell Richard Whiteley Carol Vorderman Henry Blofeld Richard Samson 118
3137 04/12/2001 P Paul Ryan 101 – 65 Mandy Buck Richard Whiteley Carol Vorderman Henry Blofeld Richard Samson 131
3138 05/12/2001 P Paul Ryan 95 – 57 Eleanor Grafton Richard Whiteley Carol Vorderman Henry Blofeld Richard Samson 120
3139 06/12/2001 P Tony Owen 90 – 80 Reg Jewitt Richard Whiteley Carol Vorderman Henry Blofeld Richard Samson 132
3140 07/12/2001 P Tony Owen 87 – 49 Colleen Russ Richard Whiteley Carol Vorderman Henry Blofeld Richard Samson 131
3141 10/12/2001 P Tony Owen 42 – 87 Nick Billington Richard Whiteley Carol Vorderman Sue Perkins Phiona Stanley 120
3142 11/12/2001 P Nick Billington 75 – 99 Jean Goodman Richard Whiteley Carol Vorderman Sue Perkins Phiona Stanley 123
3143 12/12/2001 P Jean Goodman 89 – 99 Donald Isles Richard Whiteley Carol Vorderman Sue Perkins Phiona Stanley 120
3144 13/12/2001 P Donald Isles 88 – 72 Michael Weekes Richard Whiteley Carol Vorderman Sue Perkins Phiona Stanley 119
3145 14/12/2001 P Donald Isles 59 – 83 Terance Carey Richard Whiteley Carol Vorderman Sue Perkins Phiona Stanley 119
3146 17/12/2001 QF Ben Wilson 83 – 68 Simon Cartwright Richard Whiteley Carol Vorderman Denis Norden Tania Styles 122
3147 18/12/2001 QF Phil Wass 80 – 99 Brian Capper Richard Whiteley Carol Vorderman Denis Norden Tania Styles 117
3148 19/12/2001 QF Loz Sands 66 – 82 Steve Sandalls Richard Whiteley Carol Vorderman Denis Norden Tania Styles 138
3149 20/12/2001 QF Paul Ryan 90 – 69 Ian McMenzie Richard Whiteley Carol Vorderman Denis Norden Tania Styles 123
3150 21/12/2001 SF Paul Ryan 80 – 101 Ben Wilson Richard Whiteley Carol Vorderman Denis Norden Tania Styles 131
3151 24/12/2001 SF Brian Capper 84 – 99 Steve Sandalls Richard Whiteley Carol Vorderman Geoffrey Durham Clare Pemberton 142
3152 25/12/2001 GF Steve Sandalls 75 – 84 Ben Wilson Richard Whiteley Carol Vorderman Geoffrey Durham Clare Pemberton 117
* includes 10 points from a tie-break conundrum

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