Countdown recap for Thursday 16 April 2020.
C1: Champion Gemma Geoghegan (3 wins, 257 points.) A compliance manager from Corsham, Wiltshire.
C2: Challenger Jez Noble. A bartender from Leeds. He loves playing the piano, and does like the art of mixology (or making cocktails to you and I).
DC: Susie Dent and Tom Kerridge.
RR: Rachel Riley.
OT: Other words or solutions.
R01: M P G D U O A S I
R02: R N T D E O A L O
R03: 50, 100, 5, 3, 6, 1. Target: 797.
TTT: CASTIRONS - "It's a cast iron bet that Pierre will be having this for breakfast."
R04: R F C M E I U T A
R05: W B N L E O I Z B
R06: 75, 5, 1, 3, 7, 4. Target: 381.
R07: C M C N O A U T N
R08: J I K H S L O E O
R09: 25, 75, 1, 7, 7, 4. Target: 761.
TTT: AGLARETOM - "Any budding chef would get a real glare from Tom if they couldn't make this."
R10: S L Y H A I U D E
R11: S R Q T I U E N I
R12: P D V R E A E S A
R13: F T R S I A E C M
R14: 8, 2, 4, 5, 1, 10. Target: 585.
R15: P E A R T O R T S (conundrum)
And now a brief interlude before our main feature:
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Enjoy the show.
Round 1: M P G D U O A S I
Gemma: GOADS (5)
Jez: AUDIO (5)
DC: PODIUMS (7) PODIA (5)
OT: ADIPOUS (7) DAIGOUS (7) PIGDOMS (7)
Score: 5–5 (max 7)
Just 5's to start the day, but there were some sevens around...
ADIPOUS is a rare adjective meaning the same as adipose.
A DAIGOU (plural DAIGOUS) is a person outside China who buys consumer goods on behalf of people living in China, in situations where particular goods are not available or are more expensive in China itself.
PIGDOM (plural PIGDOMS) is a humorous term meaning the condition of being a pig or like a pig; the realm of pigs.
Round 2: R N T D E O A L O
Gemma: RANTED (6)
Jez: DONATOR (7)
DC: TORNADO (7) RATOONED (8)
Score: 5–12 (max 15)
After clarifying his spelling of DONATOR, Jez takes the lead, while DC excel with a great 8.
Round 3: 50, 100, 5, 3, 6, 1. Target: 797.
Gemma: 799. ((5 + 3) x 100) - 1 (7)
Jez: 799. ((5 + 3) x 100) - 1 (7)
RR: 797. (((100 - (5 - 1)) / 6) x 50) - 3 (10)
Score: 12–19 (max 25)
Tricky numbers here, but Rachel takes the spoils, whilst the players takes 7 points each.
Teatime teaser: CASTIRONS -> CROISSANT
Round 4: R F C M E I U T A
Gemma: REMIT (5)
Jez: FAUCET (6)
DC: MURICATE (8)
Score: 12–25 (max 33)
Jez pulls further ahead thanks to his FAUCET, but DC go darrenic once again.
Round 5: W B N L E O I Z B
Gemma: BOWLINE (7)
Jez: NIBBLE (6)
Score: 19–25 (max 40)
A risk well taken this time by Gemma, as she gets back into the game with a darrenic 7.
Round 6: 75, 5, 1, 3, 7, 4. Target: 381.
Gemma: 381. (75 x 5) + 7 - 1 (10)
Jez: 381. (75 x 5) + 7 - 1 (10)
Score: 29–35 (max 50)
Easier numbers this time.
Tom talks about the Countdown subculture in the hospitality industry.
Round 7: C M C N O A U T N
Gemma: OUTMAN (6)
Jez: OUTMAN (6)
DC: AMOUNT (6) ACCOUNT (7)
OT: MONTUNA (7)
Score: 35–41 (max 57)
DC take into ACCOUNT their super seven, but our players are content with their 6's.
A NOMTUNA is a traditional costume worn by Panamanian women, usually consisting of a flared skirt, embroidered bodice, and loose shawl; each of the garments of this costume.
Round 8: J I K H S L O E O
Gemma: HOOKS (5)
Jez: LOOSE (5)
DC: HOOLIES (7)
Score: 40–46 (max 64)
DC are on fire today, yet another darren for them, with the players down on 5's.
Round 9: 25, 75, 1, 7, 7, 4. Target: 761.
Gemma: 757.
Jez: 760. ((75 + 25 + 7 + 1) x 7) + 4 (7)
RR: 761. (((25 x 4) - 1) x 7) - 7 + 75 (10)
Score: 40–53 (max 74)
A great one away from Jez here, as he restores a double figure lead heading into the third half.
Teatime teaser: AGLARETOM -> GREMOLATA
Round 10: S L Y H A I U D E
Gemma: HAULED (6)
Jez: DELAYS (6)
DC: SHADILY (7) DUALISE (7)
OT: DIALYSE (7) HALIDES (7) HEADILY (7) LADYISH (7)
Score: 46–59 (max 81)
Staying together in the letters still, but that's not good enough for Gemma for now....
A HALIDE is a binary compound of a halogen with another element or group.
Round 11: S R Q T I U E N I
Gemma: SQUINTER (8)
Jez: INQUIRES (8)
DC: SQUINTIER (18)
Score: 54–67 (max 99)
Eeek, I wonder if Gemma considered SQUINTIER...., could that be fatal....
Susie's Origins Of Words talks about the origins of "alight".
Round 12: P D V R E A E S A
Gemma: ADVERSE (7)
Jez: SPREAD (6)
DC: PERVADES (8) DEPRAVES (8)
OT: PAVESADE (8)
Score: 61–67 (max 107)
Well, she's back into the game now thanks to that 7....
Originally, a PAVESADE (or PAVISADE) was a defence or screen made of pavises or other shields joined in a continuous line (either in land warfare or on board ship). In later use also, a screen of canvas erected around the sides of a ship to protect and conceal the crew.
Round 13: F T R S I A E C M
Gemma: CREAMS (6)
Jez: RACIST (6)
DC: MATRICES (8)
OT: CAMERIST (8)
Score: 67–73 (max 115)
A perfect game for DC today.
But, who will win the main game today. A CAMERIST is a rare American term for a person who uses a camera, a photographer.
Round 14: 8, 2, 4, 5, 1, 10. Target: 585.
Gemma: -
Jez: 590. Mistake in working.
RR: 585. (((8 + 4) x 10) - 1 - 2) x 5 (10)
Score: 67–73 (max 125)
It looked like Jez was about to wrap up the win, but he forgets his method, meaning that we're now on for a CRUCIAL CONUNDRUM
Round 15: P E A R T O R T S
No one buzzes. The answer was PROSTRATE.
Final Score: 67–73 (max 135)
A tricky conundrum appears and neither can make a guess, leaving Rachel to solve it.
So, Jez is the new champion and we'll find out later if he will be the champion over the weekend.
Statistics Corner
Gemma:
Total score - 67
Raw score - 85
Total % of max - 50
Raw % of max - 63
Total average score per round - 4.5
Raw average score per round - 5.7
Number of maxes - 2
Jez:
Total score - 73
Raw score - 85
Total % of max - 54
Raw % of max - 63
Total average score per round - 4.9
Raw average score per round - 5.7
Number of maxes - 1
Further summaries are at:
http://cdb.apterous.org/series.php?series=82