Susie Dent (born September 1967) is a lexicographer on Countdown. Her first appearance in Dictionary Corner was on 29 June 1992, aged 24. At the time, the role of lexicographer rotated regularly between a group of members of the Oxford University Press (OUP) – most commonly Richard Samson and later Alison Heard – and occasionally members of the Countdown production team, Mark Nyman and Damian Eadie. For Series 50, Dent became a recurring member of the on-screen team, appearing in all but 15 episodes. She adjudicated every episode from 24 August 2004 until 9 May 2007, when the late Michael Wylie stepped in under the pseudonym "Susie Gent" to cover a bout of illness. Later in 2007, she took three months' maternity leave, allowing Heard to return for the last two months of Series 57, including the series final. She returned to the programme in February 2008, and has performed all lexicography work since.

She oversaw the final episodes presented by Richard Whiteley, Des Lynam, Des O'Connor, Jeff Stelling and Carol Vorderman. In total, Dent has appeared on over 4,500 episodes of Countdown, and if 8 Out of 10 Cats Does Countdown is included, has appeared more than anyone else, overhauling Vorderman's total in 2021. Beginning in Series 72 in 2015, Dent has been credited as a co-presenter alongside Rachel Riley. She has also appeared as the lexicographer in every episode of 8 Out of 10 Cats Does Countdown, and in 2015, she finally appeared as a contestant in Episode Cats41.

Dent's close association with Countdown has been acknowledged through variations of her name having featuring as conundrums on four occasions: the Series 31 final used the scramble SUSISDENT; on 22 March 2005 the conundrum was SUSIEDANT; the episode broadcast on 27 August 2015 had the similar scramble SUSIADENT; and the episode broadcast on 15 December 2017 had the slightly more adapted SUSIFENNT. Moreover, many other episodes' conundrum scrambles have incorporated her first name (e.g. SUSIEPONG) or surname (e.g. DENTSCENE). Indeed, in the 13 January 2017 edition of 8 Out of 10 Cats Does Countdown, the conundrum was DENTPOOPS, solved by Series 70 champion Mark Murray.

Since Series 57, Dent has been given a regular slot called Origins of Words, in which she explains the derivations of well-known words or phrases. As well as being a native English speaker, she is fluent in French and German and often makes comments on the etymologies of words derived from those two languages. She has also on occasion been called upon to assist Dictionary Corner guests Geoffrey Durham and Paul Zenon during their magic tricks. Away from Countdown, Dent authored a series of annual Language Reports for the OUP between 2003 and 2007, and continues to write about the ongoing evolution of the English language. She lives in Oxford with her husband Paul, and her daughters Lucy (born 11 February 2000) and Thea (born 22 October 2007).

On 29 June 2017, Dent celebrated her 25th anniversary as Countdown lexicographer, and that day's programme featured several tributes and gifts to her, with that day's Dictionary Corner guest Colin Murray reading a poem on her behalf and Nick Hewer presenting her with a postcard signed by Arsène Wenger, the manager of her favoured football club Arsenal. (more...)

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• ...that in round 2 of Episode 4145, had contestant Phil Watkins chosen a final consonant instead of a final vowel, the longest available word in the selection would have been COUNTDOWN?
• ...that Richard Whiteley's Gotcha game and the Championship of Champions XI final (group photo, pictured) had identical maximum scores, despite one being a 9 rounder and the other a 15 rounder?
• ...that two sets of Countdown contestants have had names which were anagrams of each other: Jane Smith and Jean Smith, and Dave Roome and Dave Moore?
• ...that Conor Travers achieved three consecutive perfect games en route to the final of the 30th Birthday Championship?

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• 2019: Andy Myerson beat Huw Davies in a 90 – 70 game.
• 2018: Mac Walker beat Masha Bell with scores of 87 – 80.
• 2017: Berkan Chelikhan beat Matt Windsor with a score of 86 – 55.
• 2016: Ann Dibben beat Ben Manuell, scoring 102 – 54.
• 2014: Mark Murray beat Mike Wilson, by a score of 122 – 86.
• 2013: John Gardner beat Dan Tibbles with final score 82 – 68.
• 2012: Matt Heal beat Hilary White in a game that ended 77 – 68.
• 2011: Mary Adie beat Barbara Grice in a 105 – 95 game.
• 2008: Ben Hanks beat Len Marshall with scores of 101 – 92.
• 2007: Pam Smith beat Jeff Lomax with a score of 79 – 61.
• 2006: Tony Downing beat Pat Ridley, scoring 66 – 40.
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• 2001: Neil Cycon beat Pete Buss in a 47 – 42 game.
• 2000: Rodney Marrison beat Colin Northmore with scores of 60 – 50.
• 1997: Natascha Kearsey beat Colin Thomas, scoring 41 – 25.
• 1990: Roger Smith played Bill Taylor in the second leg of a Countdown Masters game.
• 1989: Tim Davies played Tony Rand in the second leg of a Countdown Masters game.
• 1988: Allan Saldanha beat Katy Green, by a score of 81 – 15.
• 1986: David Trace beat Lynn Blackburn with a score of 51 – 17.
• 1984: Peter Skiba beat Alison Hepworth with final score 44 – 38.

• A brief overview of Countdown and some of its records and terminology.
• The team: Nick Hewer, Rachel Riley, and Susie Dent.
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• Luke Johnson-Davies, reigning series champion, and his series grand final against Sam Cappleman-Lynes.
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• The 30th Birthday Championship final between Conor Travers and Jack Hurst.
• Carol Vorderman, Richard Whiteley, Des Lynam, Des O'Connor, Jeff Stelling, and Colin Murray, the show's former presenters.
• The highest ever score, Elliott Mellor's 152.
• Series 83, the current series of Countdown.

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