Countdown recap for Monday 20 April 2020.
C1: Champion Jez Noble (2 wins, 163 points.) A bartender from Leeds.
C2: Challenger John Doherty. A mortgage and protection adviser originally from Dublin, but now lives in Castledawson, County Londonderry.
DC: Susie Dent and Nicki Chapman.
RR: Rachel Riley.
OT: Other words or solutions.
R01: G C T R E A E D I
R02: Q S M G A I R E X
R03: 100, 4, 2, 4, 1, 6. Target: 182.
TTT: SAUDIHOME - "She works in Saudi Arabia, taking care of the home of a sheikh."
R04: S F Y U O A V D E
R05: S C Z T D O A E R
R06: 25, 10, 6, 2, 3, 6. Target: 481.
R07: P N M P E I A T E
R08: N V L I O I A M R
R09: 50, 10, 4, 5, 1, 9. Target: 961.
TTT: SMARTENED - "The landlady said she wouldn't let them into the pub wearing their dirty, working clothes."
R10: N B G E I R S O N
R11: T B H A I O R F E
R12: T N H A O I D T E
R13: W M S C A E A T O
R14: 75, 1, 4, 8, 4, 8. Target: 234.
R15: A W A R M T R E K (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: G C T R E A E D I
Jez: REACTED (7)
John: GRATED (6)
DC: CREATED (7)
OT: GAITERED (8)
Score: 7–0 (max 8)
Jez has REACTED first in this game today, giving him the lead right from the off.
GAITERED relates to GAITER, a protective covering of cloth or leather for the ankle and lower leg.
Round 2: Q S M G A I R E X
Jez: IMAGES (6)
John: GAMIER (6)
DC: IMAGERS (7) MIRAGES (7)
Score: 13–6 (max 15)
Jez could've stuck the R in his IMAGES to double his lead, but maybe it was a MIRAGE to him...
Round 3: 100, 4, 2, 4, 1, 6. Target: 182.
Jez: 182. (100 - 6 - 4 + 1) x 2 (10)
John: 182. (100 x 2) - ((4 - 1) x 6) (10)
Score: 23–16 (max 25)
Easy numbers to start the week off.
Teatime teaser: SAUDIHOME -> HOUSEMAID
Round 4: S F Y U O A V D E
Jez: suaved
John: FEUDS (5)
OT: VADOSE (6)
Score: 23–21 (max 31)
Unfortunately, Jez can't be suaved, so John is now within "touching distance" (not the best of phrases in this climate) of Jez.
VADOSE is an adjective meaning relating to or denoting underground water above the water table.
Round 5: S C Z T D O A E R
Jez: COASTED (7)
John: COASTED (7)
DC: REDCOATS (8)
Score: 30–28 (max 39)
Both players have COASTED, but DC have got their darrenic REDCOATS on.
Round 6: 25, 10, 6, 2, 3, 6. Target: 481.
Jez: 481. ((10 + 6 + 3) x 25) + 6 (10)
John: 482.
Score: 40–28 (max 49)
Jez solves the numbers and pulls a dozen points clear.
Nicki talks about her recent brain tumour operation.
Round 7: P N M P E I A T E
Jez: INMATE (6)
John: eminate
DC: MATINEE (7) PIPEMAN (7)
OT: EMPTAIN (7) NAPTIME (7) PEAIMEN (7) PEINETA (7) PIPEMEN (7)
Score: 46–28 (max 56)
The usual eminate/EMANATE spelling mistake rears its ugly head again...
EMPTAIN (or EMPTIN or EMPTING) is a type of yeast deriving from the process of fermentation, typically used in baking. More generally: yeast of any type; a preparation containing yeast or another raising agent.
Among the indigenous peoples of Suriname and other parts of South America, a PEAIMAN (or PIAIMAN) is a medicine man, a healer, a shaman.
In Spain and Spanish-speaking countries, a PEINETA is an ornamental comb traditionally worn with a mantilla.
Round 8: N V L I O I A M R
Jez: VIOLIN (6)
John: VIOLIN (6)
DC: RAVIOLI (7) MARLION (7)
OT: ILMORAN (7) MOLINIA (7) MONILIA (7)
Score: 52–34 (max 63)
Plucking away at the VIOLIN strings are both our players....
An ILMORAN (or MORAN) is a member of the warrior group of the Masai people of East Africa, which comprises the younger unmarried males.
A MOLINIA is a genus of perennial densely tufted grasses typically having long, narrow panicles; a grass of this genus, specifically Molinia caerulea subsp. caerulea, purple moor grass, plentiful over large areas of damp peaty moorland in Eurasia.
MONILIA (or CANDIDA) is a yeastlike parasitic fungus that can sometimes cause thrush.
Round 9: 50, 10, 4, 5, 1, 9. Target: 961.
Jez: 960. ((10 + 9) x 50) + 5 + 4 + 1 (7)
John: 960. ((10 + 9) x 50) + 5 + 4 + 1 (7)
RR: 961. (((50 x 5) - 10) x 4) + 1 (10)
Score: 59–41 (max 73)
1 away is pretty simple enough, but at least we have Rach to show us the way to 961.
Teatime teaser: SMARTENED -> TRADESMEN
Round 10: N B G E I R S O N
Jez: BONNIER (7)
John: BRINGS (6)
DC: SOBERING (8)
OT: ENROBING (8) NEGRONIS (8) RIGBONES (8) RINGBONE (8)
Score: 66–41 (max 81)
That 7 will certainly make Jez a bit BONNIER now.
A NEGRONI is a cocktail made from gin, vermouth, and Campari.
A RIGBONE is a Scottish term for the backbone; the spine.
RINGBONE is osteoarthritis of the pastern joint of a horse, causing swelling and lameness.
Round 11: T B H A I O R F E
Jez: BOTHER (6)
John: BOTHER (6)
DC: BATHER (6) FIREBOAT (8)
Score: 72–47 (max 89)
A great 8 from DC, but our players settle for 6 apiece.
Susie's Origins Of Words talks about the origins of "gobble", "goblet" and "gob".
Round 12: T N H A O I D T E
Jez: TAINTED (7)
John: NOTATED (7)
DC: ANTIDOTE (8)
OT: ATHETOID (8) TETANOID (8)
Score: 79–54 (max 97)
ATHETOID is related to ATHETOSIS, a condition in which abnormal muscle contraction causes involuntary writhing movements. It affects some people with cerebral palsy, impairing speech and use of the hands.
Round 13: W M S C A E A T O
Jez: MASCOT (6)
John: MASCOT (6)
DC: CAMEOS (6) MACAWS (6)
OT: ACOAST (6) COMETS (6) COSTAE (6) OSMATE (6) SATCOM (6)
Score: 85–60 (max 103)
Two flat rounds in a row seals the deal for Jez.
ACOAST is an adverb meaning to or by the coast; ashore.
A COSTA (plural COSTAE) is a rib, midrib, or riblike structure or the main vein running along the leading edge of an insect's wing.
An OSAMTE is a salt or ester of osmic acid; a salt containing oxyanions of osmium, especially one containing the anion [OsO ₂ (OH) ₄ ]2−.
SATCOM is an abbreviation for satellite communications.
Round 14: 75, 1, 4, 8, 4, 8. Target: 234.
Jez: 234. (4 - 1 + 75) x (4 - (8 / 8)) (10)
John: 234. Mistake in working.
Score: 95–60 (max 113)
A deceptively tricky numbers appears, but while Jez solves it, John messes up.
Round 15: A W A R M T R E K
John buzzes on 4.75 seconds to say WATERMARK which is correct.
Final Score: 95–70 (max 123)
He makes up for it though with a nice conundrum solve to deny Jez his century, but it's getting better and better for Jez as he seals his 3rd win.
Join us later to see if he can reach half-octochampdom.
Statistics Corner
Jez:
Total score - 95
Raw score - 95
Total % of max - 77
Raw % of max - 77
Total average score per round - 6.3
Raw average score per round - 6.3
Number of maxes - 4
John:
Total score - 70
Raw score - 89
Total % of max - 57
Raw % of max - 72
Total average score per round - 4.7
Raw average score per round - 5.9
Number of maxes - 3
Further summaries are at:
http://cdb.apterous.org/series.php?series=82