The Life and Times of Miblo del Carpio

Countdown Scorecard #5695

by Miblo @ Monday, 13. May, 2013 – 13:26:15

Another track from Thundercat's forthcoming record Apocalypse has been set loose on the web – track 7 'Oh Sheit It's X' (below) – and the record is now available for pre-order at the NinjaShop. And have I mentioned this little number? Reader, meet the sounds of Summer 2013.

In other, more mundane news, Countdown enjoyed its 5695th game today, I played along and here present my scorecard, the word game and round-up of last week's romantically reminiscent entry from our Rosie.

Rnd	Selection	Declaration	Score
1	mngeierlu	leering	7
2	bsdaiaopz	dais	11
3	25 4 6 8 8 10 → 761	762 8 × (25 × 4 − 6) + 10	18
TTT	gritsink	striking¹
4	femibesdu	imbues	24
5	rtweiasnr	wariest	31
6	25 50 8 10 9 5 → 597	600 25 × (10 + 9 + 5)	38
7	tnsjeaori	rations	45
8	tdmaeocde	demoted	52
9	50 4 9 8 8 10 → 664	666 50 × (9 + 4) + 8 + 8	59
TTT	redmares	dreamers²
10	rutopehoq	torque	65
11	dssmaudelt	amused	71
12	sgvroiecg	soggier	78
13	tlspoaeis	polite	84
14	4 6 10 9 10 6 → 105	105 10 × 10 + 9 − 4	94
15	dartmaker	(trademark)	94

¹ Solved by Rosie
² Solved by Rosie

Game

Words:	leering dais imbues wariest rations demoted torque amused soggier polite
Rules:	Comment or write an article on your own blog, utilising all of the words
Hints:	If you blog here on BCUK, use the trackback-URL when publishing your entry and a snippet of your entry will then appear here as a comment

Round-up of last week's entry

'A Day in the Country' by Tearose

Countdown Scorecard #5693

by Miblo @ Monday, 06. May, 2013 – 19:29:02

What a glorious day we've had today! Just the weather for watching the World Snooker Championship Final and playing Countdown, no? Well, it's been a wonderfully dramatic fortnight at The Crucible, with Barry Hawkins progressing to his first final here and producing some magnificent snooker to push eventual winner Ronnie O'Sullivan all the way to the final session. And the drama in the Countdown studio has been no less potent, with Eileen Taylor making history today by becoming the oldest Octochamp at the age of 74. I played along with her historic game and here give you my scorecard, the word game and round-up of last week's cultural entry from our dear Tearose. All of which is followed by the long-neglected Word of the Week, this one inspired by Susie's Origins of Words presentation from today. Enjoy!

Rnd	Selection	Declaration	Score
1	eaisgrcfp	praise	6
2	rnhgeiues	ushering	14
3	75 7 1 8 6 2 → 116	116 75 + 7 × 6 − 1	24
TTT	oboesack	bookcase¹
4	ntsrioack	rations	31
5	eaonvbmsu	amuse²	36
6	100 10 9 1 10 4 → 983	983 100 × 10 − 9 × (4 − 1) + 10	46
7	aeiymrsdm	yammers	53
8	troeoaxsw	roast³	58
9	75 10 1 10 6 4 → 459	459 75 × 6 + 10 − 1	68
TTT	besorich	brioches⁴
10	fjdgoeare	freed	73
11	uianvntdo	nation	77
12	tsbleauhr	subtler⁵	84
13	eoipnrtnd	pointer	91
14	100 3 10 3 9 2 → 874	874 (100 − 3) × 9 + 3 − 2	101
15	tinyplate	(patiently)⁶	101

¹ Solved by Rosie
² Found by Dad
³ Found by Dad
⁴ Solved by Rosie
⁵ Found by Dad
⁶ Solved by audience member and series 67 contestant Sohail Virdi

Game

Words:	praise ushering rations amuse yammers roast freed nation subtler pointer
Rules:	Comment or write an article on your own blog, utilising all of the words
Hints:	If you blog here on BCUK, use the trackback-URL when publishing your entry and a snippet of your entry will then appear here as a comment

Round-up of last week's entry

'A Fête Worse Than Death?' by Tearose

Word of the Week

Procrustean

Procrustean /prəʊˈkrʌstɪən/ adj. Seeking to enforce uniformity by forceful or ruthless methods. [Gk Prokroustēs, lit. stretcher, f. prokrouō beat out: the name of a legendary robber who fitted victims to a bed by stretching them or cutting off parts of them]

Definition courtesy of The Concise Oxford Dictionary

Countdown Scorecard #5688

by Miblo @ Monday, 29. Apr, 2013 – 14:01:21

Oh! oh! in case you missed the news as I did, Thundercat has announced the follow-up to his 2011 début The Golden Age of Apocalypse. This forthcoming record is called Apocalypse and will be released on Flying Lotus's Brainfeeder label on 8th July. Enjoy this tantalising glimpse, the track 'Heartbreaks + Setbacks':

In other news, I have played Countdown as is my wont of a Monday and here give you my scorecard for today's game followed by the word game and round-up of last week's entry from our most beautiful Tearose.

Rnd	Selection	Declaration	Score
1	ieohstkpa	paste	5
2	rnevcunia	cannier	12
3	75 3 1 4 2 5 → 113	―	12
TTT	rudeadam	marauded¹
4	tzbenpigo	bingo	17
5	eaerndrtf	earned²	23
6	50 6 3 9 7 5 → 181	180 (50 − 5) × (7 − 3)	30
7	aiegsrncv	creasing	38
8	smilsetgo	smiles	44
9	75 1 5 3 4 9 → 561	561 (75 − 5) × 8 + 4 − 3	54
TTT	fudgetin	ungifted³
10	smretlane	streamer⁴	62
11	ouohtxlit	lout	66
12	sragmoera	roars	71
13	euiwdtlds	studied	79
14	50 25 7 5 3 10 → 227	228 50 × 5 − 25 + 3	86
15	laylaturn	(naturally)	86

¹ Solved by Rosie
² Found by Mum
³ Solved by Rosie
⁴ Possible nine: LAMENTERS

Game

Words:	paste cannier bingo earned creasing smiles streamer lout roars studied
Rules:	Comment or write an article on your own blog, utilising all of the words
Hints:	If you blog here on BCUK, use the trackback-URL when publishing your entry and a snippet of your entry will then appear here as a comment

Round-up of last week's entries

'British Culture' by Tearose

Countdown Scorecard #5684

by Miblo @ Tuesday, 23. Apr, 2013 – 11:11:21

This week in the world of sticks and stones Woodford Community Players put on their production of Richard Harris's Outside Edge. I will operate the lights and have contributed some sounds to bookend the acts. The show runs from Wednesday 24th to Saturday 27th April at 19:30, tickets £10. A limited number of Cricket Teas will also be served on Friday and Saturday from 18:00–19:00 priced at £7.50 a head. Do come along.

In other news, I played yesterday's game of Countdown late at night after the technical rehearsal and here put my scorecard, the word game and round-up of last week's entries from our darlings Tearose and Lucy.

Rnd	Selection	Declaration	Score
1	jmdvoeano	moaned	6
2	rlneasneu	unlearns	14
3	100 1 4 7 9 3 → 523	521 (100 + 7 − 3) × (9 − 4) + 1	21
TTT	kiwileaf	waiflike
4	trtieabre	brattier	29
5	dtltieuel	tilted	35
6	25 10 2 3 4 5 → 269	269 25 × 10 + 5 × 4 + 3 − 2	45
7	pmpdrieio	pimped	51
8	dteuavgfe	fudge	56
9	100 5 9 1 9 4 → 532	531 (100 − 1) × 5 + 9 × 4	63
TTT	nagsales	lasagne
10	loqmaescn	clones	69
11	bnpdoioek	bonked	75
12	ratnruasi	rations	83
13	zgrtxiuoi	grout	89
14	100 75 4 5 9 9 → 648	646 75 × 9 − 5 × 4 − 9	96
15	qualitied	(liquidate)	96

Game

Words:	moaned unlearns brattier tilted pimped fudge clones bonked rations grout
Rules:	Comment or write an article on your own blog, utilising all of the words
Hints:	If you blog here on BCUK, use the trackback-URL when publishing your entry and a snippet of your entry will then appear here as a comment

Round-up of last week's entries

'Flora and Fauna' by Tearose
'Thrown Off the Train' by LucyMGreenfield

Countdown Scorecard #5679

by Miblo @ Monday, 15. Apr, 2013 – 16:03:10

And as mentioned in the comments to last week's scorecard I didn't get the job. Thus the search goes on. As does the search for a new laptop. Lenovo have been ruled out on the grounds that their laptops can't be shipped without a pre-installed operating system nor a customised Super key. System76's Lemur Ultra now appeals, however since this baby comes with Ubuntu I must ask if my preferred Arch could be used instead.

Today's game of Countdown saw local lad Rob Tuson from Hazel Grove up against the mighty Giles "The Typhoon" Hutchings. Our man fought well but succumbed to The Typhoon 121–62. I played along and here give you my scorecard followed by the word game rules and round-up of last week's hilarious entry from Lucy.

Rnd	Selection	Declaration	Score
1	oastdinap	patios¹	6
2	copqisube	piques	12
3	75 6 4 3 5 1 → 794	796 (75 + 5) × (6 + 4) − 3 − 1	19
TTT	toningup	gunpoint²
4	sgahonare	gnash	24
5	oibtreafn	orbit³	29
6	25 4 8 10 6 8 → 576	576 (25 − 8 ÷ 8) × 6 × 4	39
7	spnkrieui	spunkier	47
8	tderovgiz	todger	53
9	100 1 1 6 6 9 → 703	703 100 × (6 + 1) + 9 − 6	63
TTT	vetsidea	sedative⁴
10	ldmeutdis	muddiest	71
11	dmuesleoh	housed	77
12	megnatgen	negate	83
13	vraiswera	arrives	90
14	75 10 8 4 10 2 → 732	732 75 × 10 − 10 − 8	100
15	wolflingo	(following)	100

¹ Giles found ADAPTIONS for nine
² Solved by Rosie
³ Found by Dad
⁴ Solved by Rosie

Game

Words:	patios piques gnash orbit spunkier todger muddiest housed negate arrives
Rules:	Comment or write an article on your own blog, utilising all of the words
Hints:	If you blog here on BCUK, use the trackback-URL when publishing your entry and a snippet of your entry will then appear here as a comment

Round-up of last week's entry

'The Ins and Outs of an Innings' by LucyMGreenfield

Countdown Scorecard #5674

by Miblo @ Monday, 08. Apr, 2013 – 14:49:16

Since last week's first foray into the laptop market the search has narrowed to a 13.3″ machine containing an Intel® Core™ i5 (Ivy Bridge) processor. The ideal laptop will also come free of the burden of a preinstalled operating system and with a custom Super key. One or two possible purchases have surfaced, however the search goes on.

In other news, last Tuesday saw me spruced up and in attendance at a job interview. The role is as an Audio-Visual Technician and will eventually involve journeying around Europe. The interview went wonderfully well: lovely people, lovely place and I managed to answer their questions confidently, honestly and (hopefully) impressively. They were due to interview people all last week and expect to let us know in the next few days.

Thus we come to the catalyst for this entry, the traditional Mondaily Countdown Scorecard. Please find below the record of my performance in the 5674th game, followed by the usual word game rules and round-up of last week's sombre entry from Lucy.

Rnd	Selection	Declaration	Score
1	aidnmoets	maidens¹	7
2	fimotedta	fitted	13
3	25 4 2 2 3 1 → 171	171 25 × (3 + 2 + 2) − 4	23
TTT	darnsong	grandson²
4	serazlefo	lease	28
5	eeudbmrpo	bumper	34
6	50 75 4 6 1 9 → 529	529 50 × 9 + 75 + 4	44
7	iearbmiln	manlier	51
8	sukritoug	grouts	57
9	100 25 1 6 3 4 → 530	530 100 × 6 − 25 × 3 + 4 + 1	67
TTT	hessmart	hamsters³
10	harisgaye	garish	73
11	rudrsoeaw	drawers	80
12	negishedl	needling	88
13	xdnaeopta	panted	94
14	100 2 7 3 6 4 → 314	314 (100 + 4) × 3 + 2	104
15	indiazest	(sanitized)	104

¹ Niners: Giles found DOMINATES and Susie found STAMINODE
² Solved by Rosie
³ Solved by Rosie

Game

Words:	maidens fitted lease bumper manlier grouts garish drawers needling panted
Rules:	Comment or write an article on your own blog, utilising all of the words
Hints:	If you blog here on BCUK, use the trackback-URL when publishing your entry and a snippet of your entry will then appear here as a comment

Round-up of last week's entry

'Egg Money' by LucyMGreenfield

Countdown Scorecard #5671

by Miblo @ Monday, 01. Apr, 2013 – 14:21:15

And still the changes roll. For a couple of weeks my beloved netbook had been on the blink, the electric cable being loose and unable to maintain a steady current without me holding it in place. Today, no matter how I bent and squeezed and pushed the thing, the current would not flow. I now write this from the "family desktop computer" and find myself squarely in the market for a new laptop.

However, unchanged is the traditional Mondaily Countdown Scorecard and here I give you mine for the 5671th game, followed by the usual word game rules and round-up of last week's entries from Tearose and Lucy.

Rnd	Selection	Declaration	Score
1	bheinvota	bovine	6
2	ujgpeelpu	peel	10
3	75 25 100 50 7 4 → 637	638 100 × 7 − 50 − (75 ÷ 25 × 4)	17
TTT	messcoop	composes¹
4	nsmtaierg	mastering²	35
5	dsoatmisa	admits	41
6	25 100 8 4 5 7 → 461	―	41
7	wreantoen	tanner	47
8	rtrienlra	reliant	54
9	100 75 50 25 4 5 → 324	325 100 × 4 − 75	61
TTT	aircross	corsairs³
10	sdtqiaeso	toadies	68
11	dcteoezsa	coasted	75
12	dseambegf	badges	81
13	nkgoaenru	gunner	87
14	25 6 3 8 4 2 → 245	245 25 × (6 + 4) − 8 + 3	97
15	raggedtom	mortgaged	107

¹ Solved by Dad & Rosie
² Found by Dad
³ Solved by Rosie

Game

Words:	bovine peel mastering admits tanner reliant toadies coasted badges gunner
Rules:	Comment or write an article on your own blog, utilising all of the words
Hints:	If you blog here on BCUK, use the trackback-URL when publishing your entry and a snippet of your entry will then appear here as a comment

Round-up of last week's entries

'A History Lesson' by Tearose
'For the Glorification of God' by LucyMGreenfield

Countdown Scorecard #5666

by Miblo @ Monday, 25. Mar, 2013 – 17:41:48

It is said that a change is as good as a rest. Now we are definitely not having a rest from our Mondaily Countdown Scorecard – it being, after all, the only thing keeping The Life and Times of Miblo del Carpio from stagnation – but the folks at Countdown HQ have introduced a change to the game's format. Fear not! the letters, numbers and conundrum remain, as do the Dictionary Corner Guest's anecdote and Susie's Origins of Words. The change is in the quantity of the rounds: Whereas previously the contestants chose the selections for an unequal number of eleven letters and three numbers rounds, now they choose for an equal ten letters and four numbers. This change arguably makes the game fairer, however only time will tell what it does to the scores. The one extra opportunity to garner 10 points from a precisely solved numbers round may afford some higher total scores to lesser players, however, with one fewer letters round and its potential for nine-letter words worth 18 points, stronger players may suffer.

Whatever the case, today I played along and here give you my scorecard, the word game rules and round-up of last week's theatrical entry from Lucy.

Rnd	Selection	Declaration	Score
1	vrcsaoeop	proves	6
2	sdpeaembi	debase	12
3	75 25 100 50 2 8 → 456	452 50 × 8 + 75 + 2 − 25	19
TTT	isntrare	strainer¹
4	nsmeotsaj	stamens	26
5	hdlgioiea	hidalgo	33
6	75 25 8 8 4 2 → 501	500 75 × (8 + 8 + 4)	40
7	sdtnuaeun	stunned	47
8	rraoarfri	friar	52
9	100 75 50 25 1 9 → 822	822 100 × 9 − 75 − 50 ÷ 25 − 1	62
TTT	tintwigs	twisting²
10	rlkeaigme	milker	68
11	nrfcuoesi	course	74
12	ntbueamun	butane	80
13	tsvdaoeei	teased	86
14	100 75 6 7 10 1 → 303	303 (100 + 1) × (10 − 7)	96
15	mrbigears	(ambergris)	96

¹ Solved by Rosie
² Solved by Rosie

Game

Words:	proves debase stamens hidalgo stunned friar milker course butane teased
Rules:	Comment or write an article on your own blog, utilising all of the words
Hints:	If you blog here on BCUK, use the trackback-URL when publishing your entry and a snippet of your entry will then appear here as a comment

Round-up of last week's entries

'We Don't Believe in Fairies Anymore' by LucyMGreenfield