Episode 397

Episode 397 was broadcast on 27 March 1986, and was the Series 8 grand final.

Clive Spate played Anthony Butcher, with Clive Spate winning 107 - 53. Clive Spate was therefore the first player in Countdown's history to score a century. In a specially extended 45-minute edition the Dictionary Corner guests were Bill Tidy and Gyles Brandreth, and the lexicographer was Julia Swannel.

Rounds

Rnd	Selection	Clive Spate	Score	Anthony Butcher	Others	Max.
1	OAELGDSIN	DEALINGS	8 – 8	DEALINGS	ALONGSIDE*	18
2	SCRATUSNX	CARTS	13 – 13	CARTS	SUNSTAR*	25
3	50 75 4 10 7 7 → 365	367	13 – 23	365 (50+75)x(7-4)-10		35
4	EAORHLTES	EARHOLES ☓	13 – 31	LEATHERS	TREHALOSE*	53
5	PDSAWISPE	SWAPPED	20 – 38	SWAPPED	APSIDES, WASPIES	60
6	100 50 3 10 4 1 → 475	475 ((100+50+10)x3)-4-1	30 – 38	—		70
7	TRAGICIER	GERIATRIC (6 seconds)	40 – 38			80
8	STNATEYWI	SATINET	47 – 38	TWINES	TAWNIEST*	88
9	OIEDMTNAR	DOMINATER *	65 – 38	DOMINATE	DERATION, ORDINATE, RATIONED, MEDIATOR	106
10	25 75 3 7 5 8 → 698	698 ((25+75)x7)-(5-3)	75 – 48	698 ((25+75)x7)-(5-3)		116
11	BDENVROVA	BROADEN	82 – 48	BRAVED	BANDORE*	123
12	OULGVEOMW	GLOVE	87 – 53	GLOVE	VOLUME*	129
13	50 100 4 3 10 8 → 548	548 ((50+4)x10)+8	97 – 53	546		139
14	ALBUMHINT	THUMBNAIL (18 seconds)	107 – 53			149

Round 9: under the rules in force at the time (for verbs listed in COD 7, agent nouns in common usage accepted and assumed to take -er endings), DOMINATER is acceptable, despite the fact that it is commonly known that dominatOR is the correct spelling (which presumably would have been disallowed!).