Episode Cats167

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Episode Cats166, billed as 8 Out of 10 Cats Does Countdown Series 27, Episode 5 in the UK and Series 16, Episode 1 in international markets, was a special episode broadcast on 31 January 2025, as part of 8 Out of 10 Cats Does Countdown Series 27.

The team captains were Richard Ayoade and Jon Richardson, their teammates were Guz Khan and Amy Gledhill respectively, while Jimmy Carr reprised his role as the presenter.

The match saw Jon Richardson, with the assistance of Amy Gledhill, winning by 49 – 23 in a 7-rounder and they won a Countdown beach kit consisting of a sunscreen, float and sunglasses.

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

Just before Round 5, both Guz and Jon had to feel objects which were all spelt with nine letters one at a time while blindfolded and guess what they were. Guz got the words SPAGHETTI and HANDCUFFS while Jon got the words TAXIDERMY, DRUMSTICK (although Jimmy was holding onto it and both touched a cymbal instead) and SQUIRTING (with Jimmy using a water gun each to spray at both). Hence, Jon's team won the game with the score at 3 – 2 and five points were awarded to his team.

Interesting and notable moments from the episode are listed below:

1) During the Introduction, Jon showed a booked titled "Smoothie Operator" (a play on Smooth Operator by Sade) which contained recipes for smoothies. He then proceeded to blend a "Breakfast" recipe (toast, beans, vegan sausage, coffee and orange juice) and had a sample of "Night in a Cup" (pickled egg and scampi fries) to show off, to which he and Amy respectively drank a portion of those smoothies.

2) During the 30 seconds in Round 1, Jimmy painted "Rachel"'s face to that of a giraffe at a face painting booth to the side of the table. However, he painted her entire body instead and the giraffe's face was at "her" leg. Subsequently, "she" went over to the letters board and proceeded to stick her leg out while stretching briefly.

3) During the 30 seconds in Round 3, Jimmy and Susie played a game of pool at the same location as where the face painting booth was (but was rigged as the balls were moved by someone underneath the table). Later, in reference to the theme, pub snacks were distributed to all the celebrities which consisted of beer or wine and pork scratchings (except for Jon who was given vegan juice as a replacement).

4) Just before the third and final teaser, as part of Sam's anecdote, he cracked an egg and using a stick, carried it around the studio with the egg white leaking out until it landed on to an audience member's head. That person then went backstage and became "muscular" thereafter by changing his shirt into a smaller size of his existing one.

5) During the 30 seconds in Round 6, footage of Fabio running in a carpark and driving Jimmy's "car" were shown as Jimmy wanted him to wash it. The "car" then ended up crashing outside the carpark exit into a fire hydrant and causing water to splash out. Additionally, Rachel cheekily spelt out SORE ANUS on the letters board after all the declarations were made.

NOTE 1: In this version, both players' declarations were allowed, although points were only awarded for the best answer.

NOTE 2: Guz's friend, Haroon Rashid, was his mascot and scribe and played along with him, although his declarations were not counted towards his team's efforts to score points.

Rounds

Rnd	Selection	Guz & Richard	Score	Jon & Amy	Others	Max.
1	IPDEHTOSX	DEPTHS POISED	0 – 7	HOISTED DEPTHS	DEPOSIT*, DOPIEST*, POSITED*, POXIEST, TOPSIDE*	7
2	75 50 8 1 9 7 → 677	— 677 75 × 9 + 1 + 8 − 7	10 – 17	677 — 75 × 9 + 1 + 8 − 7 *		17
TTT	IWETSACK	That was crazy.			WACKIEST
Rnd	Selection	Richard Ayoade	Score	Jon Richardson	Others	Max.
3	EAPLRENTU	REPENT	16 – 17	uplander ☓	ENTERAL*, EPAULET, ETERNAL, NEUTRAL*, PLANTER*, PLEATER*, PLEURAE*, PRELATE*, REPLANT*	24
Rnd	Selection	Guz Khan	Score	Amy Gledhill	Others	Max.
4	25 5 6 6 2 9 → 736	—	16 – 27	736 6 × 6 + 25 × (9 + 5) × 2		34
TTT	ARATCOCK	It's where Jon hangs his hat.			COATRACK
Rnd	Selection	Guz & Richard	Score	Jon & Amy	Others	Max.
5	SINMOZUGE	MINUS MUSING	16 – 39	MOUSING ZINGS	GEOSMIN*, IGNEOUS	46
TTT	MINGEBUS	How does that work?			BEMUSING
6	SAEWSRUON	WORSENS WORSENS	23 – 39	AROUSE unwears ☓	SNOWSURE	54
7	NICEARSES		23 – 49	INCREASES (5 seconds)		64