Episode Cats161

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Episode Cats161, billed as 8 Out of 10 Cats Does Countdown Series 26, Episode 4, was a special episode broadcast on 9 August 2024, as part of 8 Out of 10 Cats Does Countdown Series 26. This episode was recorded in 2022 as evident by the truncated desk set from COVID-19 times and premiered on Australian BBC UKTV on 24 January 2024, months before being transmitted in the UK.

The team captains were Richard Ayoade and Jon Richardson, their teammates were Laura Smyth and Katherine Ryan respectively, while Jimmy Carr reprised his role as the presenter.

The match saw Jon Richardson, with the assistance of Katherine Ryan, winning by 46 – 45 in a 8-rounder and they won a Countdown home decorating kit.

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

Notably, it is the first time in the last five years where more than two numbers games were featured in a Catsdown episode – the last being on 26 July 2019.

Interesting and notable moments from the episode are listed below:

1) In the introduction, Laura Smyth presented her Countdown teapot that she received for winning an episode in the regular Countdown in 2004. A snippet of Round 2 from the following episode in which Laura declared GONADS was shown afterwards.

2) During the 30 seconds in Round 1, Jimmy threw the garbage into the corresponding recycling bins. He ended his performance with cautiously putting Susie Dent's Word Perfect book in a dog waste bin.

3) In Round 3, the clock music was replaced with Starstruck by Years & Years. At the same time, both Jimmy and Jon played on a dance arcade machine.

4) In Round 4, Laura initially declared that she got 827 but after Richard's calculations, she provided the solution for the exact target. Jimmy awarded her with 10 points anyway.

5) In Round 5, as Laura was a champion in regular Countdown, the round was dubbed "The Battle of the Super Nerds" which involved both her and Jon throwing shade at each other before the letters were picked. A whopping 18 letters went on the board and points were doubled. Thus, the maximum was worth 26 points in this case. Later on, the clock music was replaced with the techno version heard during tension rounds in several episodes, albeit without the sirens and the voice counting down from ten.

6) The same techno version of the clock music played in Round 6 which was dubbed "The Battle of the Super Nerd and Katherine Ryan". At the end of the timer, Jon could be seen sneaking a piece of paper to Katherine (possibly with the solution on it) which she looked at. As Jimmy presumably didn't see that, he awarded Katherine with 10 points anyway.

7) During the 30 seconds in Round 7, Jimmy filled in an application form for the Love Island reality show.

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

Rounds

Rnd	Selection	Laura & Richard	Score	Jon & Katherine	Others	Max.
1	RMCPEOAUD	compared ☓7 MOPED	0 – 8	CRAMPED COMPARED	COMPADRE, CROUPADE*	8
2	7 3 6 4 9 9 → 295	285 —	0 – 18	295 — 6 × 4 × (9 + 3) + 7		18
TTT	OWNGIRTH	You night need two hands.			THROWING
3	NDATGIOSE	DIAGNOSE goating ☓	8 – 26	SEDATING STAINED	AGONISED*, GODETIAS*, SEDATION*, STEADING*	26
4	50 75 1 2 9 1 → 828	828** 827 (50 × 9 + 1) × 2 − 75 + 1	18 – 26	827 823		36
TTT	TAPEARSE	They're moving apart.			SEPARATE
Rnd	Selection	Laura Smyth	Score	Jon Richardson	Others	Max.
5	LYUIANERT ONGAUHSNI	UNEARTHING	38 – 26	SLAUGHTER	INAUGURATIONS, UNREASONINGLY*, UNRIGHTEOUSLY*	62
Rnd	Selection	Richard Ayoade	Score	Katherine Ryan	Others	Max.
6	100 50 8 7 4 2 → 584	585	38 – 36	584 (100 + 50) × 4 − 8 × 2		72
TTT	ACHYLIPS	No time for talking.			PHYSICAL
Rnd	Selection	Laura & Richard	Score	Jon & Katherine	Others	Max.
7	QADELOGRE	REGALED LOADER	45 – 36	lagered ☓ RELOAD	AEROGEL*, RELODGE*	79
8	IDONEDUMP		45 – 46	IMPOUNDED (15 seconds)		89