Series 60

From Countdown

Series 60 champion Kirk Bevins holding the Richard Whiteley Memorial Trophy

Series 60 ran from February to June 2009, and started with Championship of Champions XIII before reverting to normal episodes. It was the first series to feature Jeff Stelling and Rachel Riley as presenters, and was won by Kirk Bevins. Notably, on his way to the quarter finals Bevins compiled what is believed to be the first perfect game in the history of 15 round televised Countdown.

1 Seed table
2 Series finals
3 Easter egg
4 Finals progress
5 Episodes
6 External links

[edit] Seed table

Rank	Name	Wins	Score
1	Kirk Bevins	8	925
2	Cate Henderson	8	782
3	Jimmy Gough	8	782
4	Shane Roberts	8	766
5	Neil Zussman	8	758
6	James Doohan	8	692
7	Hamish Williamson	4	415
8	Julie Russell	3	356

Jacqueline Baker reached number 8 position on the leaderboard with 4 wins and 331 points, but continued her run in Series 61.

Players are sorted by number of wins then by number of points. Points from both wins and losses count. Points from sudden death conundrums aren't counted, and players with the same number of wins and points are sorted by number of conundrums spotted.

[edit] Series finals

[edit] Quarter-finals

The first quarter final between Bevins and three-time winner Julie Russell was a surprisingly close affair granted the two players' distance from one another in the seedings. The evenly matched players were separated by only twenty-five points; Bevins beat Russell in two letters games with PARERGON and MEDIANT, and unravelled the conundrum GONNALOAN in one second. The second quarter-final between number 2 seed Cate Henderson and number 7 seed Hamish Williamson went the way of the underdog. Finding a nine-letter word in FRACTIOUS and unscrambling the conundrum BADLYBEAT in five seconds helped Williamson turn a two-point deficit at the end of part two into a victory with 100 points to 74.

The third quarter-final between James Doohan and Jimmy Gough came down to the crucial conundrum NINECARAT. Doohan looked like stealing the match when he buzzed on 29 seconds. However, he failed to declare anything and so the match went the way of Gough by nine points. The final quarter-final between the fourth and fifth seeds should supposedly have been the closest matched of them all. However this was not to be, with Neil Zussman romping home by 82 points to Shane Roberts' 35.

[edit] Semi-finals

Zussman returned the very next day, taking on Kirk Bevins for a place in the grand final. Bevins took an early lead, surpassing Zussman's SCABIES with his own SUBSPACE for an eight-point advantage after round 3. However, Zussman pounced in round 8 when Bevins missed the eight-letter POLITEST, bringing the scores to 50 apiece. Thereafter both players scored equally in every round, reaching the conundrum with the scores at 88 – 88. However, it was a visibly relieved Bevins who solved AMSPECIAL in half a second, securing his place in the grand final.

The second semi-final between Jimmy Gough and Hamish Williamson saw Gough establish an early advantage through the eight-letter CORTINAS. Williamson then missed the first numbers game, and when Gough spotted the nine-letter REEDLINGS his lead had climbed to 62 – 33. Williamson stayed in touch, beating Gough with GAVOTTES in round 11 and JOINERY in round 13 when Gough declared the non-existent monetry ☓. This left it all to play for, with the scores at 58 – 78 with just the final numbers and conundrum to play. However, Williamson was unable to come close to the 866 target whereas Gough got it on the nose, and the unsolved conundrum NICEGROOM rounded off the game which went to Gough 88 – 58.

[edit] Grand final

The grand final between Kirk Bevins and Jimmy Gough was not a particularly close affair, as Bevins demonstrated his supreme game by scoring the maximum in each of the first thirteen rounds with words including NEPETAS and WAPITI. With the scores at 59 – 95 with just two rounds remaining the game was over for Gough, though Kirk went on to drop thirteen points from the maximum possible score by getting one away from the final numbers target and failing to unscramble the conundrum GRANIVORE. Nevertheless Kirk had done more than enough to win the series, accumulating his ninth century in the process.

[edit] Easter egg

Humourously, series producer Damian Eadie concealed an Easter egg in the final nine games of this series, from the penultimate preliminary game up to the grand final. Following the recording of these episodes it was revealed that taking the initial letters of the conundrums from these games in order - GESTATING, ANTIVENOM, NONAGONAL, DEBATABLY, INCARNATE, SPEAKEASY, ECLAMPSIA, ERGONOMIC and GRANIVORE - spelt out the faux word GANDISEEG.

[edit] Finals progress

Kirk Bevins (1) vs Julie Russell (8)	Kirk Bevins (1) vs Neil Zussman (5)	Kirk Bevins (1) vs Jimmy Gough (3)
Neil Zussman (5) vs Shane Roberts (4)
Jimmy Gough (3) vs James Doohan (6)	Jimmy Gough (3) vs Hamish Williamson (7)
Hamish Williamson (7) vs Cate Henderson (2)

The winner of each game is displayed in bold.

[edit] Episodes

#	Date	Type	Contestant 1	Score	Contestant 2	Guest	Lex
4748	2/02/2009	P	Zoe Bowman	83 – 73	Andrew Hodges	John Inverdale	Susie Dent
4749	3/02/2009	P	Zoe Bowman	57 – 98	Lisa Thomson	John Inverdale	Susie Dent
4750	4/02/2009	P	Lisa Thomson	77 – 62	Roy Catley	John Inverdale	Susie Dent
4751	5/02/2009	P	Lisa Thomson	67 – 62	Anna Sarre	John Inverdale	Susie Dent
4752	6/02/2009	P	Lisa Thomson	80 – 82	Mike Spellar	John Inverdale	Susie Dent
4753	9/02/2009	P	Mike Spellar	72 – 86	Janet Scowcroft	John Sergeant	Susie Dent
4754	10/02/2009	P	Janet Scowcroft	85 – 54	Roy Daniels	John Sergeant	Susie Dent
4755	11/02/2009	P	Janet Scowcroft	50 – 91	Kate Richardson	John Sergeant	Susie Dent
4756	12/02/2009	P	Kate Richardson	79 – 53	Phil Baker	John Sergeant	Susie Dent
4757	13/02/2009	P	Kate Richardson	84 – 83	Audrey Lazenby	John Sergeant	Susie Dent
4758	16/02/2009	P	Kate Richardson	54 – 92	Neil Zussman	Kate Humble	Susie Dent
4759	17/02/2009	P	Neil Zussman	92 – 37	Kevin Pidduck	Kate Humble	Susie Dent
4760	18/02/2009	P	Neil Zussman	111 – 94	Anita Fairhurst	Kate Humble	Susie Dent
4761	19/02/2009	P	Neil Zussman	86* – 76	Simon Greening	Kate Humble	Susie Dent
4762	20/02/2009	P	Neil Zussman	101 – 55	Matthew Meads	Kate Humble	Susie Dent
4763	23/02/2009	P	Neil Zussman	108 – 87	Heather Chidgey	Graham Cole	Susie Dent
4764	24/02/2009	P	Neil Zussman	81 – 77	Rick Warburton	Graham Cole	Susie Dent
4765	25/02/2009	P	Neil Zussman	97 – 48	Sheila Box	Graham Cole	Susie Dent
4766	26/02/2009	P	Ann Abel	82 – 80	Brian Goulding	Graham Cole	Susie Dent
4767	27/02/2009	P	Ann Abel	86 – 56	Catherine Gillespie	Graham Cole	Susie Dent
4768	2/03/2009	P	Ann Abel	54 – 127	Kirk Bevins	Phil Hammond	Susie Dent
4769	3/03/2009	P	Kirk Bevins	97 – 67	Fiona Shaw	Phil Hammond	Susie Dent
4770	4/03/2009	P	Kirk Bevins	126 – 47	Ben Nicholas	Phil Hammond	Susie Dent
4771	5/03/2009	P	Kirk Bevins	130 – 55	Peter Bennett	Phil Hammond	Susie Dent
4772	6/03/2009	P	Kirk Bevins	111 – 39	Barrie Robinson	Phil Hammond	Susie Dent
4773	9/03/2009	P	Kirk Bevins	114 – 53	Anne Adams	Colin Murray	Susie Dent
4774	16/03/2009	P	Kirk Bevins	106 – 71	Ian Payn	Colin Murray	Susie Dent
4775	17/03/2009	P	Kirk Bevins	114 – 31	Rosie Owen	Colin Murray	Susie Dent
4776	18/03/2009	P	Kezra Shakir	33 – 93	Stephen Porritt	Colin Murray	Susie Dent
4777	19/03/2009	P	Stephen Porritt	80 – 67	Jennie Foster	Colin Murray	Susie Dent
4778	20/03/2009	P	Stephen Porritt	76* – 66	Tony Robinson	Brian Capron	Susie Dent
4779	23/03/2009	P	Stephen Porritt	86 – 88	Cate Henderson	Brian Capron	Susie Dent
4780	24/03/2009	P	Cate Henderson	93 – 52	Sadhana Mehendale	Brian Capron	Susie Dent
4781	25/03/2009	P	Cate Henderson	95 – 35	Richard Gray	Brian Capron	Susie Dent
4782	26/03/2009	P	Cate Henderson	103 – 55	Gerald Conley	Jon Gaunt	Susie Dent
4783	27/03/2009	P	Cate Henderson	99 – 63	Helen Kerr	Jon Gaunt	Susie Dent
4784	30/03/2009	P	Cate Henderson	90 – 58	Aaron Higgs	Jon Gaunt	Susie Dent
4785	31/03/2009	P	Cate Henderson	113 – 51	Michael Bryant	Jon Gaunt	Susie Dent
4786	1/04/2009	P	Cate Henderson	101 – 45	Chantalle Edgley	Jerry Springer	Susie Dent
4787	2/04/2009	P	Sandy Kell	63 – 68	Joe Caruana	Jerry Springer	Susie Dent
4788	3/04/2009	P	Joe Caruana	81 – 37	Sue Keable	Jerry Springer	Susie Dent
4789	6/04/2009	P	Joe Caruana	73 – 75	Fiona Chambers	Jerry Springer	Susie Dent
4790	7/04/2009	P	Fiona Chambers	83 – 56	Andrew Mitchell	Jonathan Ansell	Susie Dent
4791	8/04/2009	P	Fiona Chambers	68 – 89	Andrew Pearson	Jonathan Ansell	Susie Dent
4792	9/04/2009	P	Andrew Pearson	83 – 87	Shane Roberts	Jonathan Ansell	Susie Dent
4793	10/04/2009	P	Shane Roberts	92 – 57	Keith Butcher	Jonathan Ansell	Susie Dent
4794	13/04/2009	P	Shane Roberts	105 – 56	Clare Sudbery	David Lloyd	Susie Dent
4795	14/04/2009	P	Shane Roberts	86 – 85	Bob Savage	David Lloyd	Susie Dent
4796	15/04/2009	P	Shane Roberts	102 – 39	Beth Elkins	David Lloyd	Susie Dent
4797	16/04/2009	P	Shane Roberts	101 – 47	Stephen Parkes	David Lloyd	Susie Dent
4798	17/04/2009	P	Shane Roberts	90 – 80	George Robertson	David Lloyd	Susie Dent
4799	20/04/2009	P	Shane Roberts	103 – 59	Ramsay Nashef	Tim Vine	Susie Dent
4800	21/04/2009	P	Karyn Cooke	71 – 105	James Robinson	Tim Vine	Susie Dent
4801	22/04/2009	P	James Robinson	91 – 74	Louise Bambury	Tim Vine	Susie Dent
4802	23/04/2009	P	James Robinson	86 – 87	Patrick McCurdie	Tim Vine	Susie Dent
4803	24/04/2009	P	Patrick McCurdie	65 – 74	Julie Russell	Tim Vine	Susie Dent
4804	27/04/2009	P	Julie Russell	104 – 67	Dominic Colley	Gyles Brandreth	Susie Dent
4805	28/04/2009	P	Julie Russell	94 – 31	David Affleck	Gyles Brandreth	Susie Dent
4806	29/04/2009	P	Julie Russell	84 – 134	Hamish Williamson	Gyles Brandreth	Susie Dent
4807	30/04/2009	P	Hamish Williamson	74 – 68	Heather Bolam	Gyles Brandreth	Susie Dent
4808	1/05/2009	P	Hamish Williamson	65 – 60	John Marsom	Gyles Brandreth	Susie Dent
4809	4/05/2009	P	Hamish Williamson	88 – 55	Linda Lofthouse	Martin Lewis	Susie Dent
4810	5/05/2009	P	Hamish Williamson	54 – 58	Bob Stevenson	Martin Lewis	Susie Dent
4811	6/05/2009	P	Bob Stevenson	76 – 79	Chrissie Buckley	Martin Lewis	Susie Dent
4812	7/05/2009	P	Chrissie Buckley	69 – 81	Paul Casimir	Martin Lewis	Susie Dent
4813	8/05/2009	P	Paul Casimir	86 – 70	Leslie Smith	Martin Lewis	Susie Dent
4814	11/05/2009	P	Paul Casimir	84 – 115	Jimmy Gough	Steve Davis	Susie Dent
4815	12/05/2009	P	Jimmy Gough	106 – 78	Dave Sorensen	Steve Davis	Susie Dent
4816	13/05/2009	P	Jimmy Gough	96 – 84	Tony Hurst	Steve Davis	Susie Dent
4817	14/05/2009	P	Jimmy Gough	113 – 46	Sue Morgan	Steve Davis	Susie Dent
4818	15/05/2009	P	Jimmy Gough	116 – 53	Peter Tarrant	Steve Davis	Susie Dent
4819	18/05/2009	P	Jimmy Gough	86 – 58	Gerry Buckley	Rory McGrath	Susie Dent
4820	19/05/2009	P	Jimmy Gough	72 – 62	Kerr Nairn	Rory McGrath	Susie Dent
4821	20/05/2009	P	Jimmy Gough	78 – 38	Tony Larlham	Rory McGrath	Susie Dent
4822	21/05/2009	P	Mabel Weston	51 – 47	Gary Beaty	Rory McGrath	Susie Dent
4823	22/05/2009	P	Mabel Weston	46 – 88	James Doohan	Rory McGrath	Susie Dent
4824	25/05/2009	P	James Doohan	88 – 50	Anne Loveday	Barry Cryer	Susie Dent
4825	26/05/2009	P	James Doohan	89* – 79	Jack Morgan	Barry Cryer	Susie Dent
4826	27/05/2009	P	James Doohan	70 – 51	Nick Patrick	Barry Cryer	Susie Dent
4827	28/05/2009	P	James Doohan	91 – 48	Michael Calder	Barry Cryer	Susie Dent
4828	29/05/2009	P	James Doohan	101 – 60	Margaret Oliver	Barry Cryer	Susie Dent
4829	1/06/2009	P	James Doohan	91 – 70	Rob Thomas	Richard Digance	Susie Dent
4830	2/06/2009	P	James Doohan	84 – 77	Angela Nayar	Richard Digance	Susie Dent
4831	3/06/2009	P	Ian Sinclair	28 – 103	Chris Kirby	Richard Digance	Susie Dent
4832	4/06/2009	P	Chris Kirby	99 – 47	Hans Farley	Richard Digance	Susie Dent
4833	5/06/2009	P	Chris Kirby	69 – 82	Jacqueline Baker	Richard Digance	Susie Dent
4834	8/06/2009	P	Jacqueline Baker	91 – 60	Sean Toland	John Stapleton	Susie Dent
4835	9/06/2009	P	Jacqueline Baker	74 – 59	Jasvir Singh	John Stapleton	Susie Dent
4836	10/06/2009	P	Jacqueline Baker	84 – 56	Desi Corcoran	John Stapleton	Susie Dent
4837	11/06/2009	QF	Kirk Bevins	115 – 90	Julie Russell	John Stapleton	Susie Dent
4838	12/06/2009	QF	Cate Henderson	74 – 100	Hamish Williamson	John Stapleton	Susie Dent
4839	15/06/2009	QF	James Doohan	74 – 83	Jimmy Gough	Phil Hammond	Susie Dent
4840	16/06/2009	QF	Shane Roberts	35 – 82	Neil Zussman	Phil Hammond	Susie Dent
4841	17/06/2009	SF	Kirk Bevins	98 – 88	Neil Zussman	Phil Hammond	Susie Dent
4842	18/06/2009	SF	Hamish Williamson	58 – 88	Jimmy Gough	Phil Hammond	Susie Dent
4843	19/06/2009	GF	Jimmy Gough	59 – 102	Kirk Bevins	Phil Hammond	Susie Dent