Monday 16th November 2015 (series 73, prelim 94)

[Andy McGurn]

Countdown recap for Monday 16 November 2015.

C1: Champion Matthew Tassier (5 wins, 507 points) Statistical consultant on five wins. Nick tells us hes a bit bored telling us about Matthew as he has been here for so long. Could become an octochamp on Thursday

C2: Challenger Sarah Bladon. – A self-employed IT trainer from Rugby. She gets compared to Miranda Hart who is something of a role model to Sarah.

DC: Susie Dent and Sherrie Hewson.
RR: Rachel Riley.
OT: Other words or solutions

R01: L O M R I S A E I
R02: G Z N U E A L R E
R03: 2, 9, 8, 4, 5, 10. Target: 838.
TTT: EMMASTIR - "some of you will love these cooking pots others can't stand them"
R04: T O R W I L E S N
R05: R O Y C E H I A E
R06: 6, 1, 9, 1, 8, 100. Target: 802.
R07: Q O T R E H U O A
R08: D E N F I U S M R
R09: 3, 8, 6, 3, 4, 10. Target: 642.
TTT: NEEDSHIM - "she needs him to come round and cover her in henna tattoos"
R10: S O A T V N I A J
R11: S U C I B P A O T
R12: F U E A X P T S E
R13: G I T R A D O L T
R14: 1, 9, 8, 2, 50, 100. Target: 727.
R15: L A T I N G I R L (conundrum)


And now a brief interlude before our main feature:

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Enjoy the show.

Round 1: L O M R I S A E I

Matthew: MORALISE (8)
Sarah: MORALISE (8)
DC: MORSEL (6) SIMILAR (7)
Score: 8–8 (max 8)

MORALISE to open the show for Matthew. He seemed to know it was there in the first eight so its inteesting that he chose a vowel to finish as it has no vowel stems but plenty of consonant stems. Sarah has it too so maybe Matthew should have gambled on a consonant.


Round 2: G Z N U E A L R E

Matthew: ENLARGE (7)
Sarah: ENLARGE (7)
DC: GNU (3) GENERAL (7) LEAGUER (7)
OT: EUGLENA (7) GLEANER (7) GRANULE (7) REGLAZE (7)
Score: 15–15 (max 15)

Contestants have identical results again as both fail to ENLARGE their round one efforts (which obviously was impossible as seven was the max here). Sherrie is proud of her three.


Round 3: 2, 9, 8, 4, 5, 10. Target: 838.

Matthew: 839. Mistake in working.
Sarah: -
RR: (AFTER THE ADVERT BREAK) 838. ((((5+4)*9)+2)*10)+8) (10)
Score: 15–15 (max 25)


Shocking miss by Matt and equally shocking that Rachael needs the ad break to get the solution. It was a low difficulty one for a six small.



Teatime teaser: EMMASTIR -> MARMITES



Round 4: T O R W I L E S N

Matthew: TOWLINES (8)
Sarah: TROWELS (7)
DC: SNORT (5)
Score: 23–15 (max 33)

Its taken until round four but Matt finally takes the lead with the excellent TOWLINES. Sherrie continues to play along with SNORT.


Round 5: R O Y C E H I A E

Matthew: CHEERY (6)
Sarah: CHEERY (6)
DC: HAIRY (5) CHOREA (6)
OT: CHEERIO (7) OCHREAE (7)
Score: 29–21 (max 40)

Both contestants are CHEERY but neither spot CHEERIO, which you would think they would get if they’d got CHEERY


Round 6: 6, 1, 9, 1, 8, 100. Target: 802.

Matthew: 802. (100*8)+1+1 (10)
Sarah: 802. (100*8)+1+1 (10)
Score: 39–31 (max 50)

Easy one.. not much else to say..


DC Guest – Sherries tells us a toupee story from her days on coronation street with Ken Morley.


Round 7: Q O T R E H U O A

Matthew: HOOTER (6)
Sarah: QUOTER (6)
DC: EQUATOR (7)
OT: QUORATE (7)
Score: 45–37 (max 57)

QUOTER is quite a recent addition but it’s now valid enabling Sarah to stay just TOWLINES behind Matthew.


Round 8: D E N F I U S M R

Matthew: FRIENDS (7)
Sarah: INSURED (7)
DC: FINDERS (7) FUNDERS (7) REFUNDS (7) INFUSED (7)
OT: FRENUMS (7) FUNDIES (7) INFUSER (7) MINDERS (7) REMINDS (7) UNFIRED (7)
Score: 52–44 (max 64)

A nice round for many contestants as its one in which a very casual player can equal a top apterite with plenty of very spottable max words available.


Round 9: 3, 8, 6, 3, 4, 10. Target: 642.

Matthew: 643. ((10*8)*4)*(6/3)+3 (7)
Sarah: 643. (((6*4*3)-8)*10)+3 (7)
RR: 642. (((8+3)*10)-3)*6 (10)
Score: 59–51 (max 74)

One away from both contestants, Matthew was certainly well capable of getting this one, but he is one away meaning his opponent is still in touch as we reach the end of part two.


Teatime teaser: NEEDSHIM -> MEHENDIS



Round 10: S O A T V N I A J

Matthew: SONATA (6)
Sarah: JOIST (5)
DC: JOINTS (6)
OT: VANITAS (7)
Score: 65–51 (max 81)

An ouch moment for Sarah who has done well to keep the game close. Could this be the decisive moment in the game.


Round 11: S U C I B P A O T

Matthew: CUBITS (6)
Sarah: COATIS (6)
DC: PATIOS (6) SUBTOPIC (8) CAPTIOUS (8)
OT: SUBTOPIA (8)
Score: 71–57 (max 89)

Some quality eights available here and Susie tells us about two of them.



OoW-Susie responds to some email requests from viewers including one viewers request to know the origin of the word “foolscap”


Round 12: F U E A X P T S E

Matthew: EXPATS (6)
Sarah: FEATS (5)
DC: FAUX
OT: FAUXEST (7)
Score: 77–57 (max 96)

Matt defeats his opponent for the third time in the game, meaning the win now looks likely. Sarah has done well but the aperous advantage is working for Matt. Sherrie continues with the smaller spots but Susie surprisingly doesn’t notice that –EST ca be added to FAUX for FAUXEST.


Round 13: G I T R A D O L T

Matthew: ADROIT (6)
Sarah: RADIO (5)
DC: TAILOR (6) DILATOR (7)
Score: 83–57 (max 103)

Matthew seals his sixth win with ADROIT. Sarah wasn’t a bad challenger but the game is over now.


Round 14: 1, 9, 8, 2, 50, 100. Target: 727.

Matthew: 727. ((100-9)*8)-1 (10)
Sarah: 723.
Score: 93–57 (max 113)

Ten more points for Matthew gives him a chance at another century.


Round 15: L A T I N G I R L

Matthew buzzes on 8 seconds to say TRIALLING which is correct.
Final Score: 103–57 (max 123)


Matthew gets his second conundrum to secure his third century. If he wins tomorrow he drops Judy Bursford down a place in the standings which will not please John Hardie who will be Matthew’s most likely quarter final opponent (I should add that I am writing this with no knowledge whatsoever of what happens in the finals).

Sarah did well for a while, she will wish the show was still a nine rounder format, under which she would have had a genuine chance.

Congratulations to James Robinson on winning CODUB