Thursday 31st October 2019 (Series 81, Prelim 88)

[James Robinson]

Countdown recap for Thursday 31 October 2019.

C1: Challenger Sarah Buchanan. A clinical psychologist from Dublin, but originally from Marlow, Buckinghamshire.
C2: Challenger Russell Sullivan. A retired headteacher from Bethersden, Kent. Just before his retirement, he found his school had had a mole infestation, thanks to a couple of young boys wanting to create a Great Escape-style tunnel to get to the local chippy.
DC: Susie Dent and Helen Fospero.
RR: Rachel Riley.
OT: Other words or solutions.

R01: T Z P N E U A O S
R02: X R G A I A R S E
R03: 25, 75, 10, 1, 8, 6. Target: 376.
TTT: CODEXRISE - "It sounds like he stayed very active and he got rid of things from his mind."
R04: U A I R S R B O M
R05: S D W T E O U M I
R06: 50, 25, 8, 3, 7, 9. Target: 417.
R07: D G L S O E O I T
R08: E I E C R L C M O
R09: 100, 9, 8, 4, 8, 10. Target: 513.
TTT: MINORHITS - "Most of his hits revolve around heavy and soft metal"
R10: E I O P N K I T R
R11: N G R F S E A E I
R12: J N R A I E C Q O
R13: N S N Y A I E U S
R14: 75, 50, 1, 6, 3, 8. Target: 878.
R15: M A N I C P R O G (conundrum)


And now a brief interlude before our main feature:

SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER
SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER
SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER
SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER
SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER
SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER
SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER
SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER
SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER
SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER
SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER
SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER
SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER
SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER
SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER
SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER
SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER
SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER
SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER
SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER

Enjoy the show.

Round 1: T Z P N E U A O S

Sarah: PEANUTS (7)
Russell: SPOUT (5)
DC: UNPASTE (7) AUTOPENS (8)
Score: 7–0 (max 8)

Round 2: X R G A I A R S E

Sarah: GEARS (5)
Russell: exiges
DC: RAGS (4) AIRERS (6) SIERRA (6)
OT: ARSIER (6) RAGERS (6) RAISER (6) REGARS (6) RERIGS (6)
Score: 12–0 (max 14)

Round 3: 25, 75, 10, 1, 8, 6. Target: 376.

Sarah: 375.
Russell: 376. ((10 / (8 - 6)) x 75) + 1 (10)
Score: 12–10 (max 24)

Teatime teaser: CODEXRISE -> EXORCISED

Round 4: U A I R S R B O M

Sarah: BURSAR (6)
Russell: BARIUM (6)
DC: ARBOURS (7)
OT: BIRAMOUS (8) ORARIUMS (8) RAMBOURS (8) ROSARIUM (8)
Score: 18–16 (max 32)

Round 5: S D W T E O U M I

Sarah: misdeclared 6
Russell: TEDIOUS (7)
DC: WIDEOUTS (8)
Score: 18–23 (max 40)

Round 6: 50, 25, 8, 3, 7, 9. Target: 417.

Sarah: -
Russell: 416. Mistake in working.
RR: 417. ((50 - (3 + 7 - 9)) x 8) + 25 (10)
Score: 18–23 (max 50)

Helen talks about her trek to the Atlas Mountains in Morocco.

Round 7: D G L S O E O I T

Sarah: OLDEST (6)
Russell: TOOLED (6)
DC: GLIDES (6) GOODLIEST (18)
Score: 24–29 (max 68)

Round 8: E I E C R L C M O

Sarah: CLERIC (6)
Russell: CIRCLE (6)
DC: COMELIER (8)
OT: COLEMICE (8)
Score: 30–35 (max 76)

Round 9: 100, 9, 8, 4, 8, 10. Target: 513.

Sarah: 511. ((9 - 4) x 100) + 10 + (8 / 8) (7)
Russell: 510.
RR: 513. ((100 + 8) / 4) x (10 + 9) (10)
Score: 37–35 (max 86)

Teatime teaser: MINORHITS -> IRONSMITH

Round 10: E I O P N K I T R

Sarah: PINKER (6)
Russell: PINKER (6)
DC: POINTIER (8) PINKIER (7)
Score: 43–41 (max 94)

Round 11: N G R F S E A E I

Sarah: FEARING (7)
Russell: FINGERS (7)
DC: FREEGANS (8) REFINAGES (18)
Score: 50–48 (max 112)

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

Round 12: J N R A I E C Q O

Sarah: CRANE (5)
Russell: JOINER (6)
DC: CORNEA (6)
OT: AEONIC (6) CANOER (6) COINER (6) INJERA (6) ORCEIN (6) RACINO (6) RANCIO (6) RECOIN (6) REJOIN (6)
Score: 50–54 (max 118)

Round 13: N S N Y A I E U S

Sarah: SUNNIES (7)
Russell: INANE (5)
DC: UNSAYS (6)
OT: SIENNAS (7) SINSYNE (7)
Score: 57–54 (max 125)

Round 14: 75, 50, 1, 6, 3, 8. Target: 878.

Sarah: -
Russell: -
RR: 878. ((75 + 50) x (6 + 1)) + 3 (10)
Score: 57–54 (max 135)

Round 15: M A N I C P R O G

No one buzzes. The answer was COMPARING.
Final Score: 57–54 (max 145)

Statistics Corner

Sarah:
Total score - 57
Raw score - 69
Total % of max - 39
Raw % of max - 48
Total average score per round - 3.8
Raw average score per round - 4.6
Number of maxes - 1

Russell:
Total score - 54
Raw score - 71
Total % of max - 37
Raw % of max - 49
Total average score per round - 3.6
Raw average score per round - 4.7
Number of maxes - 2

Further summaries are at:
http://cdb.apterous.org/series.php?series=81