Monday 14th March 2016 (Series 74, Prelim 36)

[Sean Fletcher]

Conrad will be hoping for his fifth win, and another solid performance should give him a good chance of remaining as champion. Mark Swayland will be hoping to put a stop to Conrad's octochamp journey.

Countdown recap for Monday 14 March 2016.

C1: Champion Conrad Teixeira (4 wins, 418 points.)
C2: Challenger Mark Swayland. A portfolio analyst from Kent. An American football fan, supporting Minnesota Vikings, and a keen golfer with a 12 handicap.
DC: Susie Dent and Colin Murray.
RR: Rachel Riley.
OT: Other words or solutions.

R01: R D M G U I E N A
R02: X I E S A O P N D
R03: 6, 2, 9, 3, 4, 25. Target: 796.
TTT: BLUEROAR - "He's not a big tourist, but he's seen a lot of sites in his time."
R04: T E A J I L S V D
R05: S L M S E U A W I
R06: 6, 2, 75, 25, 100, 50. Target: 644.
R07: L T D B E O A T S
R08: F E U D R O I H L
R09: 8, 4, 10, 1, 9, 25. Target: 423.
TTT: TELLRACE - "No need to go downstairs for drinks, you can keep them in here."
R10: T A U P I A N Z T
R11: S C L N E O I M E
R12: R A O F E A R T B
R13: N S C R I U O E B
R14: 5, 9, 4, 8, 6, 2. Target: 827.
R15: M O R O N T I N A (conundrum)


And now a brief interlude before our main feature:

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Enjoy the show.

Round 1: R D M G U I E N A

Conrad: DREAMING (8)
Mark: DREAMING (8)
DC: MARGINED (8)
OT: GERANIUM (8) MUDARINE (8) MURAENID (8)
Score: 8–8 (max 8)

The contestants are both DREAMING about 8 points.

MURAENID: A fish of the family Muraenidae; a moray eel.
MUDARINE: A bitter poisonous alkaloid present in the root-bark of mudar (Calotropis species).
Round 2: X I E S A O P N D

Conrad: EXPANDS (7)
Mark: EXPAND (6)
DC: DAPSONE (7) DIOXANE (7)
OT: ADIPOSE (7) ADONISE (7) ANODISE (7) OXIDASE (7) PANDIES (7) PANSIED (7) PEDIONS (7) PINAXES (7) PODINAS (7) SPANDEX (7)
Score: 15–8 (max 15)

Conrad uses the S to EXPAND Mark's word and take an early lead.

PEDIONS: A crystal form, shown by triclinic minerals, consisting of a single face bounded by other faces having no simple symmetrical relation to it (or to each other).
DAPSONE: A sulphur compound with bacteriostatic action, used in the treatment of leprosy. Chemical formula: (H2NC6H4)2SO2.


Round 3: 6, 2, 9, 3, 4, 25. Target: 796.

Conrad: 797. (6+2)*25*4-3 (7)
Mark: 802.
RR: 796. ((25+9)*6-3-2)*4 (10)
Score: 22–8 (max 25)

Mark can only get 6 away, allowing Conrad to stretch his lead with his 1 away solution. Rachel has the exact solution.
Teatime teaser: BLUEROAR -> LABOURER

Round 4: T E A J I L S V D

Conrad: DETAILS (7)
Mark: DETAILS (7)
DC: JILTED (6) DATIVES (7)
OT: ALVITES (7) DILATES (7)
Score: 29–15 (max 32)

The DETAILS of this round are 7 points each.

Round 5: S L M S E U A W I

Conrad: AIMLESS (7)
Mark: MUSSEL (6)
DC: MUESLIS (7)
OT: MELISSA (7)
Score: 36–15 (max 39)

Conrad extends his lead with a 7, as Mark is stuck on 6.

Round 6: 6, 2, 75, 25, 100, 50. Target: 644.

Conrad: 644. (100+2-75/25)*6+50 (10)
Mark: 644. 100*6+50-75/25*2 (10)
Score: 46–25 (max 49)

Two different solutions give 10 points each.

Colin talks about shame in sport, linking it to how he cheated in getting his ten yard swimming certificate.

Round 7: L T D B E O A T S

Conrad: BLOATED (7)
Mark: bloatest
DC: BOTTLED (7) TABLETS (7) STABLED (7)
OT: TOADLETS (8)
Score: 53–25 (max 57)

Conrad has BLOATED his lead as Mark's 8 is disallowed.

Round 8: F E U D R O I H L

Conrad: FURLED (6)
Mark: flouride
DC: HOLIER (6) FLUORIDE (8)
Score: 59–25 (max 65)

Really unlucky for Mark as he gets the U and O the wrong way around.

Round 9: 8, 4, 10, 1, 9, 25. Target: 423.

Conrad: 423. (9+8)*25-10/(4+1) (10)
Mark: 423. (9+8)*25-10/(4+1) (10)
Score: 69–35 (max 75)

A straight forward numbers game which both contestants get.

Teatime teaser: TELLRACE -> CELLARET

Round 10: T A U P I A N Z T

Conrad: ATTAIN (6)
Mark: PAINT (5)
DC: TAIPAN (6) PATINA (6)
OT: PINATA (6) PUTAIN (6)
Score: 75–35 (max 81)

Conrad ATTAINs another six points, and extends his lead to a comfortable 40 points.

Round 11: S C L N E O I M E

Conrad: CLIMES (6)
Mark: CLONES (6)
DC: SILENCE (7) LICENSE (7) INCOMES (7)
OT: MESOLINE (8)
Score: 81–41 (max 89)

Sixes from the contestants although some common 7's were available.

MESOLINE: A white granular aluminosilicate of the zeolite group.

OoW: Susie talks odd couples in English, including how Fornication and Furnace are linked.

Round 12: R A O F E A R T B

Conrad: BARTER (6)
Mark: BARTER (6)
DC: FORBEAR (7)
OT: ARBORETA (8)
Score: 87–47 (max 97)

The contestants BARTERing gets them 6 points each. DC beat them with a 7 but miss the darrenic max.

Round 13: N S C R I U O E B

Conrad: BOUNCIER (8)
Mark: BOUNCIER (8)
DC: NEUROBICS (18)
Score: 95–55 (max 115)

A good spot by both contestants increases their points by 8. DC beat them again with an excellent 9.

NEUROBICS: Activities or mental tasks designed to stimulate the brain and help prevent memory loss.

Round 14: 5, 9, 4, 8, 6, 2. Target: 827.

Conrad: 826.
Mark: 827. (9*6*2-4)*8-5 (10)
Score: 95–65 (max 125)

Mark picks 6 small and pulls 10 points back with a good solve, as Conrad can only get 1 away.

Round 15: M O R O N T I N A

Mark buzzes on 20 seconds to say MONOTRAIN which is incorrect.
Conrad does not buzz.
The answer was NOMINATOR.
Final Score: 95–65 (max 135)

A reasonable enough guess by Mark is wrong and time runs out on Conrad allowing an audience member to solve the conundrum.
Another good performance from Conrad keeps him in the hunt for octochamp status. Horse racing means there are no more shows this week.
Join me next Monday to see if Conrad can notch up his sixth win.


Further summaries are at:
http://cdb.apterous.org/series.php?series=74

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