Countdown recap for Wednesday 15 April 2020.
C1: Champion Gemma Geoghegan (2 wins, 180 points.) A compliance manager from Corsham, Wiltshire.
C2: Challenger Andrew Shaw. A central heating builder from Derbyshire. On the side, he does darts scoring on the PDC Pro Tour, which I've been to plenty of times.
DC: Susie Dent and Tom Kerridge.
RR: Rachel Riley.
OT: Other words or solutions.
R01: S Y L G E A I R O
R02: N A U D O V M I R
R03: 100, 25, 8, 10, 10, 9. Target: 269.
TTT: COLINSOME - "English teacher Colin had some of his large intestine removed, and his friends nicknamed him this."
R04: S T E U B Q O R E
R05: C D L T I A E N A
R06: 75, 4, 9, 8, 10, 3. Target: 467.
R07: S R N E I U T M O
R08: D E W I O N T A K
R09: 50, 75, 1, 8, 6, 7. Target: 847.
TTT: AWINELIST - "He refuses a wine list from the waiter, he's trying to watch this."
R10: S T E I D H O T P
R11: S H S E U A N F I
R12: O R T R A S L R U
R13: C P Y C A E I N O
R14: 25, 10, 6, 7, 3, 3. Target: 431.
R15: E Q U A L S I G N (conundrum)
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Round 1: S Y L G E A I R O
Gemma: GAOLERS (7)
Andrew: LAGERS (6)
DC: GREASILY (8)
OT: GASOLIER (8) GIRASOLE (8) ROYALISE (8) SERAGLIO (8)
Score: 7–0 (max 8)
Early lead for Gemma thanks to he old dchool GAOLERS, while DC get a slick 8.
A GASOLIER is a chandelier with gas burners rather than light bulbs or candles.
A GIRASOLE (or GIRASOL) is a kind of opal reflecting a reddish glow or another term for Jerusalem artichoke.
To ROYALISE (or ROYALIZE) is to make royal, to invest with a royal character or standing, or to bring under royal control.
A SERAGLIO is the women's apartments (harem) in an Ottoman palace.
Round 2: N A U D O V M I R
Gemma: unavoid
Andrew: RANDOM (6)
DC: OVARIUM (7)
OT: MAINOUR (7) MAROUDI (7) MORINDA (7) MUDARIN (7)
Score: 7–6 (max 15)
I'd argue that Gemma could "unavoid" that 7, but it lets Andrew into the game.
A MAINOUR (or MANNER) is a stolen object found in the possession of a thief when arrested.
In Guyana, a MAROUDI (or MAROODI, MAROODIE or MARUDI) is any of several large, tree-dwelling birds resembling pheasants, having predominantly brown or black plumage; especially Penelope marail, Penelope jacquacu, and Pipile cumanensis.
A MORINDA is a genus of small trees and shrubs of the family Rubiaceae, native especially to tropical Asia and Australia, several of which have roots and root bark yielding red and yellow dyes; or any of the plants of this genus, especially Morinda citrifolia and Morinda tinctoria, used as dye plants in South Asia.
A MUDARIN (or MUDARINE, MADARIN or MADARINE) is a bitter poisonous alkaloid present in the root-bark of mudar (Calotropis species).
Round 3: 100, 25, 8, 10, 10, 9. Target: 269.
Gemma: 269. (25 x 10) + 10 + 9 (10)
Andrew: 269. (25 x 10) + 10 + 9 (10)
Score: 17–16 (max 25)
Not a taxing numbers game here.
Teatime teaser: COLINSOME -> SEMICOLON
Round 4: S T E U B Q O R E
Gemma: REQUOTES (8)
Andrew: REQUEST (7)
DC: TUBEROSE (8)
Score: 25–16 (max 33)
A great 8 from Gemma extends her lead once more.
Round 5: C D L T I A E N A
Gemma: TAILED (6)
Andrew: dialate
DC: DILATE (6) CANDELA (7)
OT: CADENTIAL (18)
Score: 31–16 (max 51)
Oh dear, you can't spell DILATE that way, Andrew... An interesting 9 missed here too.
CADENTIAL is an adjective meaning relating to a cadenza or cadence.
Round 6: 75, 4, 9, 8, 10, 3. Target: 467.
Gemma: 467. Mistake in working.
Andrew: 467. ((10 - 4) x 75) + 9 + 8 (10)
Score: 31–26 (max 61)
Oh dear, Gemma's late solve derails just as she was about to solve it, letting Andrew back in yet again....
Tom talks about deciphering some mysteries on menus.
Round 7: S R N E I U T M O
Gemma: REMOUNTS (8)
Andrew: MINUTES (7)
DC: MOUNTERS (8) MOISTURE (8) TERMINUS (8)
OT: MINUTERS (8) MISROUTE (8) MOURNEST (8) MUNTRIES (8) NITREOUS (8) NUMERIST (8) RIMSTONE (8) ROUTINES (8) RUNTIMES (8) UNMERITS (8)
Score: 39–26 (max 69)
Well, her letters have been up and down, but Gemma has got another 8 again.
In Scots law, a MINUTER is a person or party presenting a minute to a court.
A MUNTRY (plural MUNTRIES) is the edible berry-like fruit of the creeping shrub Kunzea pomifera (family Myrtaceae), native to south-eastern Australia.
A RIMSTONE is a thin deposit of calcite forming a dam round the rim of an overflowing basin or evaporating pool of water, typically found in caves.
Round 8: D E W I O N T A K
Gemma: tawnied
Andrew: WINKED (6)
DC: TAKEDOWN (8)
Score: 39–32 (max 77)
Talk about up and down, another unnecessary gamble lets Andrew back in again...
Round 9: 50, 75, 1, 8, 6, 7. Target: 847.
Gemma: -
Andrew: -
RR: 847. ((75 + 8) x 6) - 1 + (7 x 50) (10)
Score: 39–32 (max 87)
A tricky 2 large comes up which takes Rachel completes after the break.
Teatime teaser: AWINELIST -> WAISTLINE
Round 10: S T E I D H O T P
Gemma: POTTIES (7)
Andrew: POTTIES (7)
DC: DEPOSIT (7) HOTTIES (7)
OT: OPSITTED (8)
Score: 46–39 (max 95)
Both players on the POTTIES, as a darrenic 8 is missed by all.
In South Africa, to OPSITT (or OPZIT or OPSIT) is for a couple to sit up together at night as a recognized part of courtship.
Round 11: S H S E U A N F I
Gemma: HESSIAN (7)
Andrew: UNSAFE (6)
DC: SUNFISH (7)
OT: FUNISES (7) FUNSIES (7) INFUSES (7)
Score: 53–39 (max 102)
Another great spot by Gemma restores her double figure lead, as he head closer to the end...
A FUNIS is a rare term for the umbilical cord.
A FUNSY (plural FUNSIES) is a prank or practical joke.
Susie's Origins Of Words talks about the origins of "talking a blue streak".
Round 12: O R T R A S L R U
Gemma: ROARS (5)
Andrew: ULTRAS (6)
DC: ROTULAR (7)
OT: ROSTRAL (7) ROTULAS (7)
Score: 53–45 (max 109)
Well, maybe Andrew can still salvage this, as his 6 reduces Gemma's lead to single figures again...
ROSTRAL is an adjective meaning situated or occurring near the front end of the body, especially in the region of the nose and mouth or (in an embryo) near the hypophyseal region.
The ROTULA is the patella (kneecap).
Round 13: C P Y C A E I N O
Gemma: OCEANIC (7)
Andrew: CAPON (5)
DC: CANOPY (6)
OT: APNOEIC (7) COCAINE (7) PAEONIC (7)
Score: 60–45 (max 116)
Well, another top spot by Gemma, and is she now nearly home and dry...
Round 14: 25, 10, 6, 7, 3, 3. Target: 431.
Gemma: 432. ((10 + 6 + (3 / 3)) x 25) + 7 (7)
Andrew: -
RR: 431. ((10 + 7) x 25) + 6 (10)
Score: 67–45 (max 126)
Well, Andrew blanks out, leaving Gemma to somehow mess up a very easy numbers game by going round the houses for 1 away for no reason....
Round 15: E Q U A L S I G N
Gemma buzzes on 13.25 seconds to say SQUEALING which is correct.
Final Score: 77–45 (max 136)
Well, certainly no going around the houses with the conundrum, as Gemma seals her third win, but her performances are going to have to improve again soon, or she won't be here much longer....
Join me tomorrow to see her attempt at half-octochampdom.
Statistics Corner
Gemma:
Total score - 77
Raw score - 82
Total % of max - 57
Raw % of max - 60
Total average score per round - 5.1
Raw average score per round - 5.3
Number of maxes - 6
Andrew:
Total score - 45
Raw score - 76
Total % of max - 33
Raw % of max - 56
Total average score per round - 3.0
Raw average score per round - 5.1
Number of maxes - 2
Further summaries are at:
http://cdb.apterous.org/series.php?series=82