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Series 49

From Countdown

Series 49 ran from 27 January to 27 June 2003, and began with Championship of Champions XI. The forty-ninth of 53 series presented by Richard Whiteley was won by John Davies, whose total of 766 points was at the time the lowest ever score for a player that went on to be a series winner, until Nick Wainwright won Series 56. No. 3 seed David Wilson only had five wins, the lowest win total for any No. 3 seed since the 15 round format was introduced.

John Davies saw off the challenge of Christine Scott in the first quarter-final. Scott chose six small numbers twice and failed to score in either game. Martin Gardner beat Peter Jeffery 101 – 64 and David Wilson recorded a very impressive score of 115 against Patrick Vowles. The #4 seed Ian Buckley couldn't join the top three seeds who'd all won, and crashed out against Andrew Tatham. In the semi-finals, John Davies beat Andrew Tatham with impressive words like BOOTLEGS and David Wilson saw off the challenge of Martin Gardner as he scored in 13 of the 15 rounds, including the impressive HORRIDLY when Martin only had HOLIER. The final wasn't a close affair, although Wilson led 6 – 0 after one round, he offered the invalid diazole ☓ and missed FURRIEST, TOILET and DOSAGES. Wilson only scored on one of the three numbers games, and after the conundrum TINEYMIND, he was beaten 102 – 58.

This series also included a three-episode Ladies' Championship from 11–13 March. Four female series winners, Hilary Hopper (Series 13), Liz Barber (Series 20), Verity Joubert (Series 30) and Kate Ogilvie (Series 39), competed, with Kate Ogilvie coming out the overall winner.

Seed table

Rank Name Wins Points
1 John Davies 8 766
2 Martin Gardner 8 746
3 David Wilson 5 560
4 Ian Buckley 5 508
5 Andrew Tatham 5 497
6 Patrick Vowles 4 459
7 Peter Jeffery 4 411
8 Christine Scott 4 375
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

John Davies (1) vs Christine Scott (8) John Davies (1) vs Andrew Tatham (5) John Davies (1)
vs
David Wilson (3)
Andrew Tatham (5) vs Ian Buckley (4)
David Wilson (3) vs Patrick Vowles (6) David Wilson (3) vs Martin Gardner (2)
Peter Jeffery (7) vs Martin Gardner (2)
The winner of each game is displayed in bold.

Episodes

# Date Type Contestant 1 Score Contestant 2 Presenters Guest Lex Max
6–24 January 2003: Championship of Champions XI
3405 27/01/2003 P Ian Burrows 65 – 59 Janet Rainford Richard Whiteley Carol Vorderman Tom O'Connor Susie Dent 120
3406 28/01/2003 P Ian Burrows 87 – 79 Don Campbell-Wilson Richard Whiteley Carol Vorderman Tom O'Connor Susie Dent 118
3407 29/01/2003 P Ian Burrows 67 – 78 Peter Cogar Richard Whiteley Carol Vorderman Tom O'Connor Susie Dent 119
3408 30/01/2003 P Peter Cogar 77 – 97 Rosemary Dale Richard Whiteley Carol Vorderman Tom O'Connor Susie Dent 127
3409 31/01/2003 P Rosemary Dale 63 – 73 Martin Gilbert Richard Whiteley Carol Vorderman Tom O'Connor Susie Dent 118
3410 03/02/2003 P Martin Gilbert 78 – 66 Nic Hodgkinson Richard Whiteley Carol Vorderman Richard Stilgoe Susie Dent 119
3411 04/02/2003 P Martin Gilbert 69 – 53 Bertie McCully Richard Whiteley Carol Vorderman Richard Stilgoe Susie Dent 131
3412 05/02/2003 P Martin Gilbert 54 – 94 Paul Best Richard Whiteley Carol Vorderman Richard Stilgoe Susie Dent 122
3413 06/02/2003 P Paul Best 52 – 70 Christine Scott Richard Whiteley Carol Vorderman Richard Stilgoe Susie Dent 129
3414 07/02/2003 P Christine Scott 92 – 90 Saji Kamalananthan Richard Whiteley Carol Vorderman Richard Stilgoe Susie Dent 119
3415 10/02/2003 P Christine Scott 75 – 58 Fiona Walters Richard Whiteley Carol Vorderman Esther Rantzen Richard Samson 138
3416 11/02/2003 P Christine Scott 86 – 62 John Glenny Richard Whiteley Carol Vorderman Esther Rantzen Richard Samson 117
3417 12/02/2003 P Christine Scott 52 – 81 Russell Fleckney Richard Whiteley Carol Vorderman Esther Rantzen Richard Samson 118
3418 13/02/2003 P Russell Fleckney 86 – 97 Ruth Hartley Richard Whiteley Carol Vorderman Esther Rantzen Richard Samson 130
3419 14/02/2003 P Ruth Hartley 101 – 49 Nanette Swain Richard Whiteley Carol Vorderman Esther Rantzen Richard Samson 130
3420 17/02/2003 P Ruth Hartley 76 – 82 John Marlowe Richard Whiteley Carol Vorderman Richard Digance Susie Dent 120
3421 18/02/2003 P John Marlowe 82 – 78 Cliff Port Richard Whiteley Carol Vorderman Richard Digance Susie Dent 121
3422 19/02/2003 P John Marlowe 88 – 18 Judy Smedley Richard Whiteley Carol Vorderman Richard Digance Susie Dent 130
3423 20/02/2003 P John Marlowe 81 – 85 Isabel Wilson Richard Whiteley Carol Vorderman Richard Digance Susie Dent 122
3424 21/02/2003 P Isabel Wilson 66 – 87 Roly Abbott Richard Whiteley Carol Vorderman Richard Digance Susie Dent 139
3425 24/02/2003 P Roly Abbott 66 – 75 John Clarke Richard Whiteley Carol Vorderman Christine Hamilton Susie Dent 132
3426 25/02/2003 P John Clarke 96 – 77 David Poyser Richard Whiteley Carol Vorderman Christine Hamilton Susie Dent 115
3427 26/02/2003 P John Clarke 80 – 63 Norma Gill Richard Whiteley Carol Vorderman Christine Hamilton Susie Dent 111
3428 27/02/2003 P John Clarke 73 – 101 Peter Jeffery Richard Whiteley Carol Vorderman Christine Hamilton Susie Dent 120
3429 28/02/2003 P Peter Jeffery 80 – 63 Gill Cook Richard Whiteley Carol Vorderman Christine Hamilton Susie Dent 118
3430 03/03/2003 P Peter Jeffery 84 – 82 Gordon Munn Richard Whiteley Carol Vorderman Barry Norman Alison Heard 128
3431 04/03/2003 P Peter Jeffery 79 – 70 CJ de Mooi Richard Whiteley Carol Vorderman Barry Norman Alison Heard 126
3432 05/03/2003 P Peter Jeffery 67 – 74 Keith Johnson Richard Whiteley Carol Vorderman Barry Norman Alison Heard 122
3433 06/03/2003 P Keith Johnson 81 – 37 Alice Keaveney Richard Whiteley Carol Vorderman Barry Norman Alison Heard 120
3434 07/03/2003 P Keith Johnson 91 – 43 Eileen Draycott Richard Whiteley Carol Vorderman Barry Norman Alison Heard 119
3435 10/03/2003 P Keith Johnson 71 – 89 Andrew Tatham Richard Whiteley Carol Vorderman Rick Wakeman Alison Heard 130
11–13 March 2003: Ladies' Championship
3439 14/03/2003 P Andrew Tatham 97 – 37 Julian Duxbury Richard Whiteley Carol Vorderman Rick Wakeman Alison Heard 121
3440 17/03/2003 P Andrew Tatham 90 – 64 Val Mills Richard Whiteley Carol Vorderman Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen Susie Dent 118
3441 18/03/2003 P Andrew Tatham 90 – 68 Billy Parkinson Richard Whiteley Carol Vorderman Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen Susie Dent 123
3442 19/03/2003 P Andrew Tatham 69 – 61 Lewis Bevan Richard Whiteley Carol Vorderman Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen Susie Dent 115
3443 20/03/2003 P Andrew Tatham 62 – 67 Beth Sutton Richard Whiteley Carol Vorderman Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen Susie Dent 119
3444 21/03/2003 P Beth Sutton 92 – 53 Simon Cussons Richard Whiteley Carol Vorderman Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen Susie Dent 127
3445 24/03/2003 P Beth Sutton 103 – 88 Keith Williams Richard Whiteley Carol Vorderman Raj Persaud Alison Heard 118
3446 25/03/2003 P Beth Sutton 73 – 91 Derek Pollard Richard Whiteley Carol Vorderman Raj Persaud Alison Heard 126
3447 26/03/2003 P Derek Pollard 80 – 61 Elena Bonetti Richard Whiteley Carol Vorderman Raj Persaud Alison Heard 118
3448 27/03/2003 P Derek Pollard 101 – 76 Janet Creamer Richard Whiteley Carol Vorderman Raj Persaud Alison Heard 128
3449 28/03/2003 P Derek Pollard 70 – 85 Carl Dyke Richard Whiteley Carol Vorderman Raj Persaud Alison Heard 117
3450 31/03/2003 P Carl Dyke 69 – 53 Mollie Wallis Richard Whiteley Carol Vorderman Magnus Magnusson Susie Dent 140
3451 01/04/2003 P Carl Dyke 67 – 78 Ian Buckley Richard Whiteley Carol Vorderman Magnus Magnusson Susie Dent 118
3452 02/04/2003 P Ian Buckley 93 – 72 Chris Canham Richard Whiteley Carol Vorderman Magnus Magnusson Susie Dent 116
3453 03/04/2003 P Ian Buckley 80 – 43 Bill Gibb Richard Whiteley Carol Vorderman Magnus Magnusson Susie Dent 119
3454 04/04/2003 P Ian Buckley 93 – 66 James Robinson Richard Whiteley Carol Vorderman Magnus Magnusson Susie Dent 118
3455 07/04/2003 P Ian Buckley 90 – 62 Matthew Crew Richard Whiteley Carol Vorderman Joan Bakewell Susie Dent 118
3456 08/04/2003 P Ian Buckley 74 – 87 Andrea Maycock Richard Whiteley Carol Vorderman Joan Bakewell Susie Dent 132
3457 09/04/2003 P Andrea Maycock 64 – 84 David Wilson Richard Whiteley Carol Vorderman Joan Bakewell Susie Dent 149
3458 10/04/2003 P David Wilson 82 – 68 Richard Sked Richard Whiteley Carol Vorderman Joan Bakewell Susie Dent 120
3459 11/04/2003 P David Wilson 104 – 32 Mary Frankel Richard Whiteley Carol Vorderman Joan Bakewell Susie Dent 133
3460 14/04/2003 P David Wilson 113 – 40 Peter Wreghitt Richard Whiteley Carol Vorderman Charles Collingwood Susie Dent 144
3461 15/04/2003 P David Wilson 97 – 73 Marion Martin Richard Whiteley Carol Vorderman Charles Collingwood Susie Dent 131
3462 16/04/2003 P David Wilson 80 – 83 Ric Morgan Richard Whiteley Carol Vorderman Charles Collingwood Susie Dent 131
3463 17/04/2003 P Ric Morgan 80 – 88 Anne Beer Richard Whiteley Carol Vorderman Charles Collingwood Susie Dent 128
3464 18/04/2003 P Anne Beer 96 – 90 Frank Blake Richard Whiteley Carol Vorderman Charles Collingwood Susie Dent 121
3465 21/04/2003 P Anne Beer 65 – 79 Jan Rolnis Richard Whiteley Carol Vorderman Lesley Graham Richard Samson 130
3466 22/04/2003 P Jan Rolnis 98 – 95 Andrew Naylor Richard Whiteley Carol Vorderman Lesley Graham Richard Samson 122
3467 23/04/2003 P Jan Rolnis 68 – 91 Mike Wenble Richard Whiteley Carol Vorderman Lesley Graham Richard Samson 121
3468 24/04/2003 P Mike Wenble 67 – 62 Lyndon Sedgwick Richard Whiteley Carol Vorderman Lesley Graham Richard Samson 115
3469 25/04/2003 P Mike Wenble 81 – 91* Clive Rudd Richard Whiteley Carol Vorderman Lesley Graham Richard Samson 129
3470 28/04/2003 P Clive Rudd 82 – 83 Martin Ballhatchet Richard Whiteley Carol Vorderman Martin Jarvis Susie Dent 133
3471 29/04/2003 P Martin Ballhatchet 59 – 84 Lesley Darlow Richard Whiteley Carol Vorderman Martin Jarvis Susie Dent 127
3472 30/04/2003 P Lesley Darlow 57 – 78 Chris Roberts Richard Whiteley Carol Vorderman Martin Jarvis Susie Dent 130
3473 01/05/2003 P Chris Roberts 56 – 58 Jim Stewart Richard Whiteley Carol Vorderman Martin Jarvis Susie Dent 117
3474 02/05/2003 P Jim Stewart 48 – 103 John Davies Richard Whiteley Carol Vorderman Martin Jarvis Susie Dent 128
3475 05/05/2003 P John Davies 92 – 91 Austin Shin Richard Whiteley Carol Vorderman Jennie Bond Susie Dent 132
3476 06/05/2003 P John Davies 87 – 71 Norma Sutherland Richard Whiteley Carol Vorderman Jennie Bond Susie Dent 140
3477 07/05/2003 P John Davies 93 – 84 Michael Perkins Richard Whiteley Carol Vorderman Jennie Bond Susie Dent 140
3478 08/05/2003 P John Davies 94 – 59 Paul Johnson Richard Whiteley Carol Vorderman Jennie Bond Susie Dent 119
3479 09/05/2003 P John Davies 106 – 49 Harry Simpson Richard Whiteley Carol Vorderman Jennie Bond Susie Dent 121
3480 12/05/2003 P John Davies 88 – 53 Gwenda Withnall Richard Whiteley Carol Vorderman Linda Smith Alison Heard 129
3481 13/05/2003 P John Davies 103 – 93 Jerry Humphreys Richard Whiteley Carol Vorderman Linda Smith Alison Heard 131
3482 14/05/2003 P Anthony Wilson 81 – 107 Martin Gardner Richard Whiteley Carol Vorderman Linda Smith Alison Heard 118
3483 15/05/2003 P Martin Gardner 72 – 44 Pat Elkington Richard Whiteley Carol Vorderman Linda Smith Alison Heard 119
3484 16/05/2003 P Martin Gardner 88 – 35 Bernard Gudgin Richard Whiteley Carol Vorderman Linda Smith Alison Heard 118
3485 19/05/2003 P Martin Gardner 101 – 64 Richard Brooks Richard Whiteley Carol Vorderman Ken Bruce Susie Dent 128
3486 20/05/2003 P Martin Gardner 101 – 47 Gloria Crossley Richard Whiteley Carol Vorderman Ken Bruce Susie Dent 138
3487 21/05/2003 P Martin Gardner 76 – 63 Dave Mackenzie Richard Whiteley Carol Vorderman Ken Bruce Susie Dent 131
3488 27/05/2003 P Martin Gardner 102 – 33 John Carpenter Richard Whiteley Carol Vorderman Ken Bruce Susie Dent 120
3489 28/05/2003 P Martin Gardner 99 – 66 Tracy Murrell Richard Whiteley Carol Vorderman Ken Bruce Susie Dent 136
3490 29/05/2003 P Dave Walters 56 – 54 Ruth Bowes Richard Whiteley Carol Vorderman Barry Cryer Susie Dent 128
3491 30/05/2003 P Dave Walters 80 – 78 Peter Tarry Richard Whiteley Carol Vorderman Barry Cryer Susie Dent 130
3492 02/06/2003 P Dave Walters 71 – 85 Margaret Marshall Richard Whiteley Carol Vorderman Barry Cryer Susie Dent 116
3493 03/06/2003 P Margaret Marshall 73 – 82 Marjory Carnegie Richard Whiteley Carol Vorderman Barry Cryer Susie Dent 131
3494 04/06/2003 P Marjory Carnegie 50 – 95 Tony Steele Richard Whiteley Carol Vorderman Barry Cryer Susie Dent 118
3495 05/06/2003 P Tony Steele 60 – 84 Patricia Eagles Richard Whiteley Carol Vorderman Kathryn Apanowicz Susie Dent 141
3496 06/06/2003 P Patricia Eagles 70 – 76 Claire Cohan Richard Whiteley Carol Vorderman Kathryn Apanowicz Susie Dent 120
3497 09/06/2003 P Claire Cohan 45 – 59 Bob Wright Richard Whiteley Carol Vorderman Kathryn Apanowicz Susie Dent 137
3498 10/06/2003 P Bob Wright 79 – 89* Patrick Vowles Richard Whiteley Carol Vorderman Kathryn Apanowicz Susie Dent 124
3499 11/06/2003 P Patrick Vowles 73 – 60 Ian Atkinson Richard Whiteley Carol Vorderman Kathryn Apanowicz Susie Dent 130
3500 12/06/2003 P Patrick Vowles 88 – 86 Clive Jones Richard Whiteley Carol Vorderman Peter Baldwin Susie Dent 130
3501 13/06/2003 P Patrick Vowles 127 – 58 Connie Piggott Richard Whiteley Carol Vorderman Peter Baldwin Susie Dent 132
3502 16/06/2003 P Patrick Vowles 82 – 88 Alan Stevens Richard Whiteley Carol Vorderman Peter Baldwin Susie Dent 119
3503 17/06/2003 P Alan Stevens 67 – 59 Steve Cann Richard Whiteley Carol Vorderman Peter Baldwin Susie Dent 120
3504 18/06/2003 P Alan Stevens 75 – 72 Carol Ingham Richard Whiteley Carol Vorderman Peter Baldwin Susie Dent 122
3505 19/06/2003 QF John Davies 105 – 76 Christine Scott Richard Whiteley Carol Vorderman Clare Balding Alison Heard 142
3506 20/06/2003 QF Martin Gardner 101 – 64 Peter Jeffery Richard Whiteley Carol Vorderman Clare Balding Alison Heard 122
3507 23/06/2003 QF Patrick Vowles 55 – 115 David Wilson Richard Whiteley Carol Vorderman Clare Balding Alison Heard 120
3508 24/06/2003 QF Andrew Tatham 100 – 56 Ian Buckley Richard Whiteley Carol Vorderman Clare Balding Alison Heard 119
3509 25/06/2003 SF Andrew Tatham 65 – 93 John Davies Richard Whiteley Carol Vorderman Clare Balding Alison Heard 120
3510 26/06/2003 SF David Wilson 98 – 86 Martin Gardner Richard Whiteley Carol Vorderman Geoffrey Durham Susie Dent 123
3511 27/06/2003 GF John Davies 102 – 58 David Wilson Richard Whiteley Carol Vorderman Geoffrey Durham Susie Dent 118
* includes 10 points from a tie-break conundrum

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