Countdown recap for Tuesday 18 August 2020.
C1: Champion Paul Westwood (1 win, 91 points.) A recently retired area manager for a manufacturing company from Penymynydd, Flintshire.
C2: Challenger Ian Kay. A statistician for NHS England from Barnsley. He mainly focuses on stats for the ambulance services.
DC: Susie Dent and Dr. Phil Hammond.
RR: Rachel Riley.
OT: Other words or solutions.
R01: S C E U E H N C A
R02: R D N I E X C I B
R03: 50, 100, 8, 4, 6, 8. Target: 965.
TTT: HEARDTUNE - "They did some digging around and discovered the plugs hadn't been wired correctly."
R04: S D E R T N O O Y
R05: S D A I T R E M F
R06: 3, 8, 4, 2, 10, 6. Target: 577.
R07: M H I O G N A K L
R08: P T S I F L E O V
R09: 25, 8, 1, 9, 6, 5. Target: 947.
TTT: ISNTSALES - "This isn't in the sales, but even at full price, it's a steel."
R10: N T A R T E O S M
R11: Q S L A E A R M D
R12: R B O T Y D E O N
R13: P W G A E L E T G
R14: 2, 5, 8, 8, 1, 1. Target: 812.
R15: F I G S I N S O Y (conundrum)
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Round 1: S C E U E H N C A
Paul: CHANCES (7)
Ian: CHANCES (7)
DC: eunuchs cachucha
OT: ACHENES (7) ENCHASE (7)
Score: 7–7 (max 7)
CHANCES are there to be taken, and both players do early on.
An ACHENE is a small, dry one-seeded fruit that does not open to release the seed.
To ENCHASE is to decorate a piece of jewellery or work of art by inlaying, engraving, or carving.
Round 2: R D N I E X C I B
Paul: INBRED (6)
Ian: BRINED (6)
DC: BINDI (5)
OT: BINDER (6) BIRDIE (6) BRIDIE (6) CINDER (6) CRINED (6) DICIER (6) IRENIC (6) REBIND (6)
Score: 13–13 (max 13)
Loadsa 6's, as our players keep up the double max start.
In Scotland, to CRINE is to shrink, shrivel, especially with age or heat; to dry up.
IRENIC (or EIRENIC) is an adjective meaning aiming or aimed at peace.
Round 3: 50, 100, 8, 4, 6, 8. Target: 965.
Paul: 960.
Ian: 966. ((4 + 6) x 100) - 50 + 8 + 8 (7)
RR: 964/966. (7)
OT: 964. ((100 + 50) x 6) + (8 x 8) (7)
Score: 13–20 (max 20)
Another impossible numbers game, but Ian takes the first lead today.
Teatime teaser: HEARDTUNE -> UNEARTHED
Round 4: S D E R T N O O Y
Paul: DESTROY (7)
Ian: TRENDS (6)
DC: SNORTED (7)
OT: DRYSTONE (8)
Score: 20–20 (max 28)
Paul responds immediately to level proceedings just like that.
Round 5: S D A I T R E M F
Paul: firsted (declared as 6 as well)
Ian: STRAFED (7)
DC: MISRATED (8) MARDIEST (8)
OT: MISFARED (8) READMITS (8)
Score: 20–27 (max 36)
Oh dear, a double disaster for Paul, as he declared 6, when he had 7, but it wasn't in anyway, and Ian restores his 7 point lead.
Round 6: 3, 8, 4, 2, 10, 6. Target: 577.
Paul: 574. (((6 x 10) - 3) x (2 + 8)) + 4 (7)
Ian: 582.
RR: 577. (8 x 6 x (10 + 2)) + 4 - 3 (10)
Score: 27–27 (max 46)
And just like that, neutrality is restored once again, as Paul gets closer with the numbers.
Dr. Phil talks about "the new normal".
Round 7: M H I O G N A K L
Paul: loaming
Ian: HOMING (6)
DC: HOLING (6)
OT: ALMOIGN (7) HALOING (7) KOHANIM (7) MILONGA (7) OAKLING (7)
Score: 27–33 (max 53)
And once again, Ian returns into the lead, as Paul's offering ain't in.
ALMOIGN (or ALMOIN) is another name for FRANKALMOIGN, a feudal tenure in England by which a religious body could hold land perpetually, in principle without any secular obligations, in return for the performance of religious duties, most commonly the saying of masses or prayers for the soul of the donor and his descendants.
In Judaism, a KOHANIM (or KOHEN) is a member of the priestly caste, having certain rights and duties in the synagogue.
MILONGA is an Argentinian ballroom dance, the forerunner of the tango.
Round 8: P T S I F L E O V
Paul: STIFLE (6)
Ian: STIFLE (6)
DC: VIOLETS (7) PISTOLE (7) PLOSIVE (7)
OT: OLIVETS (7) PIOLETS (7)
Score: 33–39 (max 60)
They might want to STIFLE, but they're cancelling each other out again.
An OLIVET (or OLIVETTE) is an oval button or piece of wood covered with silk or worsted and used for fastening a garment by means of a loop of braid, or a small oval weight, threaded on to a fishing line.
A PIOLET is another name for a climber's ice pick.
Round 9: 25, 8, 1, 9, 6, 5. Target: 947.
Paul: 947. (8 x 5 x 25) - ((9 x 6) - 1) (10)
Ian: 947. (8 x 5 x 25) - ((9 x 6) - 1) (10)
Score: 43–49 (max 70)
That numbers worked out very nicely, didn't it?
Teatime teaser: ISNTSALES -> STAINLESS
Round 10: N T A R T E O S M
Paul: MONSTER (7)
Ian: MONSTER (7)
DC: SMATTER (7) NEARMOST (8) STOREMAN (8) MONSTERA (8)
OT: MAROTTES (8) MONASTER (8) MONTERAS (8) NORTMAST (8) TORMENTS (8)
Score: 50–56 (max 78)
Lots of MONSTERs, but there were MONSTERAs amongst 8's in there....
A MAROTTE is a baton carried by a fool or jester as a mock emblem of office.
A MONASTER is a unipolar (monopolar) or half spindle.
A MONTERA is the black cap worn by a bullfighter.
NORTMAST is a US/Scottish term for NORTHMOST, meaning most northerly.
Round 11: Q S L A E A R M D
Paul: malades
Ian: DREAMS (6)
DC: ALARMED (7)
OT: ALMADES (7) MARDELS (7) MARDLES (7) MEDLARS (7) MELADAS (7)
Score: 50–62 (max 85)
Even I thought malades was good, but that's no comfort to Paul, as he falls further behind...
An ALMADE (or ALMADIA or ALMADIE) is any of various types of dugout or canoe, especially as used in parts of Africa and Asia.
In Scotland, a MARDEL or MARDLE is a rabble; an unruly crowd, a group of hangers-on.
A MEDLAR is a small bushy tree of the rose family (Mespilus germanica, family Rosaceae).
In sugar-making, a MELADA (or MELADO) is the juice of the sugar cane after it has been concentrated by boiling.
Susie's Origins Of Words talks about the origins of some shapes.
Round 12: R B O T Y D E O N
Paul: BOOTY (5)
Ian: BOOTED (6)
DC: NOBODY (6)
OT: DOOBREY (7) OREBODY (7)
Score: 50–68 (max 92)
Ian is now pulling away, Paul is just starting to fall behind....
A DOOBREY (or DOOBRY or DOOBRIE) is used to refer to something that the speaker cannot name precisely.
An OREBODY is a connected mass of ore in a mine or suitable for mining.
Round 13: P W G A E L E T G
Paul: pagelet
Ian: WAGGLE (6)
DC: PELTAGE (7)
Score: 50–74 (max 99)
And that ends that game, although pagelet was another decent guess by Paul, it has to be said.
Round 14: 2, 5, 8, 8, 1, 1. Target: 812.
Paul: 800.
Ian: 800.
RR: 810. (7)
OT: 810. (8 + 1) x (8 + 1) x 5 x 2 (7)
Score: 50–74 (max 106)
What a nasty 6 small to end the day, both players too far out to score.
Round 15: F I G S I N S O Y
No one buzzes. The answer was OSSIFYING.
Final Score: 50–74 (max 116)
And it's left to Rachel to solve the conundrum too, as Ian can now celebrate being the new champion.
Will he make it 2 tomorrow, find out soon.
Statistics Corner
Paul:
Total score - 50
Raw score - 62
Total % of max - 43
Raw % of max - 53
Total average score per round - 3.3
Raw average score per round - 4.1
Number of maxes - 3
Ian:
Total score - 74
Raw score - 87
Total % of max - 64
Raw % of max - 75
Total average score per round - 4.9
Raw average score per round - 5.8
Number of maxes - 4
Further summaries are at:
http://cdb.apterous.org/series.php?series=82