Tuesday 29th May 2018 (Series 78, Prelim 99)

[James Robinson]

Countdown recap for Tuesday 29 May 2018.

C1: Champion Amy Benfield (2 wins, 145 points.) An occupational therapist from Halifax, West Yorkshire.
C2: Challenger Jan Pask. A semi-retired admin worker from Sleaford, Lincolnshire. She moved to Australia as a teenager, and stayed there for 12 years.
DC: Susie Dent and Barry McGuigan.
RR: Rachel Riley.
OT: Other words or solutions.

R01: T A E G O D T S U
R02: L N A O E Z S T I
R03: 50, 100, 9, 4, 10, 8. Target: 689.
TTT: BERRYBUSH - "The berry bush was located in this part of the garden."
R04: H R O U A G L E N
R05: S A G P K E O L A
R06: 50, 25, 7, 7, 8, 3. Target: 548.
R07: R O S E J S R I L
R08: Q A O E M R T S O
R09: 50, 8, 2, 10, 10, 3. Target: 984.
TTT: TRADESPEE - "Dan the tradesman needs a pee badly, he's got to go now!"
R10: R N U A C R O T E
R11: O M N A S B E D U
R12: F H Y E A E M R C
R13: T I E N O P X R I
R14: 75, 25, 2, 4, 3, 8. Target: 887.
R15: S T I C K B A L L (conundrum)


And now a brief interlude before our main feature:

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Enjoy the show.

Round 1: T A E G O D T S U

Amy: OUTAGES (7)
Jan: OUTAGES (7)
DC: OUTDATES (8)
OT: OUTGATES (8)
Score: 7–7 (max 8)

Round 2: L N A O E Z S T I

Amy: LAZIEST (7)
Jan: -
DC: SALIENT (7) TOENAILS (8) ZANIEST (7)
OT: ALNOITES (8)
Score: 14–7 (max 16)

Round 3: 50, 100, 9, 4, 10, 8. Target: 689.

Amy: 691.
Jan: 689. ((100 + 50) x 4) + (8 x 10) + 9 (10)
Score: 14–17 (max 26)

Teatime teaser: BERRYBUSH -> SHRUBBERY

Round 4: H R O U A G L E N

Amy: HANGER (6)
Jan: LOUNGER (7)
DC: ROUGHEN (7) LANGUOR (7)
OT: ORGANULE (8)
Score: 14–24 (max 34)

Round 5: S A G P K E O L A

Amy: SPOKE (5)
Jan: PAGES (5)
DC: GOSPEL (6) POLKAS (6) KOALAS (6)
OT: PASKOLA (7) SOAKAGE (7)
Score: 19–29 (max 41)

Round 6: 50, 25, 7, 7, 8, 3. Target: 548.

Amy: 551.
Jan: 549. ((8 + 3) x 50) - (7 / 7) (7)
RR: 548. (50 x 7) + ((25 - 7) x (8 + 3)) (10)
Score: 19–36 (max 51)

Barry talks about his most courageous fight, when he lost his World title under the intense heat of Las Vegas.

Round 7: R O S E J S R I L

Amy: LORRIES (7)
Jan: LOSERS (6)
DC: RISSOLE (7)
OT: LORISES (7) RESOILS (7) SORRELS (7)
Score: 26–36 (max 58)

Round 8: Q A O E M R T S O

Amy: MOROSE (6)
Jan: MOROSE (6)
DC: MOOTERS (7) MAESTRO (7)
OT: TEAROOMS (8)
Score: 32–42 (max 66)

Round 9: 50, 8, 2, 10, 10, 3. Target: 984.

Amy: -
Jan: 984. ((10 + 10) x 50) - (2 x 8) (10)
Score: 32–52 (max 76)

Teatime teaser: TRADESPEE -> DESPERATE

Round 10: R N U A C R O T E

Amy: TROUNCER (8)
Jan: CURATOR (7)
DC: TROUNCE (7) RACONTEUR (18)
Score: 40–52 (max 94)

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

Amy: ABOUNDS (7)
Jan: BEMOANS (7)
DC: ABDOMENS (8)
Score: 47–59 (max 102)

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

Round 12: F H Y E A E M R C

Amy: CHEERY (6)
Jan: CREAMY (6)
DC: MACHE (5)
OT: CHAMFER (7) MACHREE (7)
Score: 53–65 (max 109)

Round 13: T I E N O P X R I

Amy: POINTIER (8)
Jan: misdeclared 6
Score: 61–65 (max 117)

Round 14: 75, 25, 2, 4, 3, 8. Target: 887.

Amy: 894. ((25 + 75 + (3 x 4)) x 8) - 2 (5)
Jan: -
RR: 887. (((75 x 4) + (8 / 2)) x 3) - 25 (10)
Score: 66–65 (max 127)

Round 15: S T I C K B A L L

Jan buzzes on 21.5 seconds to say BLACKLIST which is correct.
Final Score: 66–75 (max 137)

Statistics Corner

Amy:
Total score - 66
Raw score - 86
Total % of max - 48
Raw % of max - 63
Total average score per round - 4.4
Raw average score per round - 5.7
Number of maxes - 2

Jan:
Total score - 75
Raw score - 88
Total % of max - 55
Raw % of max - 64
Total average score per round - 5.0
Raw average score per round - 5.9
Number of maxes - 3

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

[Tom S]

Possibly one of my favourite low-scoring games I've seen of Countdown. Very nip and tuck, great camaraderie and after being 20 pts behind at one stage, it looked like Amy would take it, until Jan gave her the last laugh. Thought Jan was fab on her run, very personable, and would love to see more successful players like her come on......