Wednesday 23rd May 2018 (Series 78, Prelim 96)

[James Robinson]

Countdown recap for Wednesday 23 May 2018.

C1: Champion Steve Middle (2 wins, 172 points.) A DJ from Frome, Somerset.
C2: Challenger Terry Hyde. A retired printer from Yeovil, Somerset. He decided to go to Glastonbury for the first time while celebrating his 70th birthday.
DC: Susie Dent and Barry McGuigan.
RR: Rachel Riley.
OT: Other words or solutions.

R01: W G R T O E I W A
R02: T R G O E N A E Z
R03: 75, 9, 3, 1, 2, 8. Target: 695.
TTT: CAUSEOFIT - "The atmosphere changed. Flippant remarks were the cause of it."
R04: P S G A I D E I T
R05: P T L R E E I V R
R06: 75, 25, 10, 7, 8, 2. Target: 175.
R07: Q F S T A O U S I
R08: D L N E A S I U Y
R09: 100, 2, 6, 4, 1, 1. Target: 384.
TTT: STEALHERS - "The suitor won't steal hers, like a jellyfish, she hasn't got one."
R10: D T J S I O A H O
R11: M N D N A O U S O
R12: L P T A O V E A G
R13: P N S X E E I N R
R14: 50, 25, 7, 5, 10, 2. Target: 313.
R15: C L E O P E T R A (conundrum)


And now a brief interlude before our main feature:

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Enjoy the show.

Round 1: W G R T O E I W A

Steve: WAITER (6)
Terry: GREAT (5)
DC: EARWIG (6) TOWAGE (6) TOERAG (6)
OT: GOATIER (7)
Score: 6–0 (max 7)

Round 2: T R G O E N A E Z

Steve: TOERAG (6)
Terry: REGENT (6)
DC: NEGATOR (7)
OT: GRANTEE (7) GREATEN (7) NEGATER (7) REAGENT (7) RENTAGE (7)
Score: 12–6 (max 14)

Round 3: 75, 9, 3, 1, 2, 8. Target: 695.

Steve: 695. (9 x 75) + (8 x 2) + 3 + 1 (10)
Terry: -
Score: 22–6 (max 24)

Teatime teaser: CAUSEOFIT -> FACETIOUS

Round 4: P S G A I D E I T

Steve: DIGITS (6)
Terry: PASTED (6)
DC: PEGASID (7)
OT: DIGIPETS (8)
Score: 28–12 (max 32)

Round 5: P T L R E E I V R

Steve: TREE (4)
Terry: RETIRE (6)
DC: REPTILE (7) RIVERLET (8)
Score: 28–18 (max 40)

Round 6: 75, 25, 10, 7, 8, 2. Target: 175.

Steve: 175. 25 x 7 (10)
Terry: 175. ((8 + 2) x 10) + 75 (10)
Score: 38–28 (max 50)

Barry talks about his early days of his boxing career which took part during The Troubles.

Round 7: Q F S T A O U S I

Steve: QUOITS (6)
Terry: QUOTAS (6)
DC: FATSO (5) SQUATS (6) FATSOS (6) FOISTS (6)
OT: OUSIAS (6) QUASSI (6) SOFTAS (6) SQUITS (6)
Score: 44–34 (max 56)

Round 8: D L N E A S I U Y

Steve: SAILED (6)
Terry: UNEASY (6)
DC: UNEASILY (8) UNSAID (6) UNLAID (6)
Score: 50–40 (max 64)

Round 9: 100, 2, 6, 4, 1, 1. Target: 384.

Steve: 384. ((100 - 2) x 4) - 6 - 1 - 1 (10)
Terry: 384. Mistake in working.
Score: 60–40 (max 74)

Teatime teaser: STEALHERS -> HEARTLESS

Round 10: D T J S I O A H O

Steve: HOOTS (5)
Terry: HOIST (5)
DC: DHOTIS (6)
OT: HOODIAS (7) TOADISH (7)
Score: 65–45 (max 81)

Round 11: M N D N A O U S O

Steve: MOUNDS (6)
Terry: NOMADS (6)
DC: DAMSON (6)
OT: ADNOUNS (7) MUNDANS (7) OSMUNDA (7)
Score: 71–51 (max 88)

Susie's Origins Of Words talks about the origins of "in the sticks".

Round 12: L P T A O V E A G

Steve: VOLTAGE (7)
Terry: GATE (4)
DC: GLOVE (5) PELOTA (6)
OT: PLAGATE (7)
Score: 78–51 (max 95)

Round 13: P N S X E E I N R

Steve: SPINNER (7)
Terry: PENNIES (7)
DC: EXPIRES (7)
OT: NERINES (7) NEXINES (7) PENNERS (7) PERINES (7) PINNERS (7) PREXIES (7) REPINES (7)
Score: 85–58 (max 102)

Round 14: 50, 25, 7, 5, 10, 2. Target: 313.

Steve: 313. (50 x 7) - (25 + 10 + 2) (10)
Terry: 313. Mistake in working.
Score: 95–58 (max 112)

Round 15: C L E O P E T R A

No one buzzes. The answer, solved by Rachel, was PERCOLATE.
Final Score: 95–58 (max 122)

Statistics Corner

Steve:
Total score - 95
Raw score - 99
Total % of max - 78
Raw % of max - 81
Total average score per round - 6.3
Raw average score per round - 6.6
Number of maxes - 7

Terry:
Total score - 58
Raw score - 67
Total % of max - 48
Raw % of max - 55
Total average score per round - 3.9
Raw average score per round - 4.5
Number of maxes - 3

Further summaries are at:
http://cdb.apterous.org/series.php?series=78