Thursday 10th June 2021 (Series 83, Preliminary 114)

[Rhys Benjamin]

Watching the cricket whilst doing a recap live. I am a multitasker.

Countdown recap for Thursday 10 June 2021.

Nick talks about lockdown hobbies, and specifically cooking.

C1: Champion Declan McSweeney (1 win, 73 points.)
C2: Challenger Charlie Rowlands. A student from Ellesmere Port in Cheshire. Went to see Joshua vs Klitchko at Wembley. That presumably means something to someone.
DC: Susie Dent and Gloria Hunniford.
RR: Rachel Riley.
OT: Other words or solutions.

R01: E A E N S K R P O
R02: S D U E I W B H E
R03: 25, 100, 2, 9, 1, 3. Target: 316.
TTT: LOUSYRED - "The bottle of wine looked far better than it actually tasted."
R04: R G L O E A R N O
R05: E I E D T W A R H
R06: 25, 75, 1, 4, 6, 6. Target: 389.
R07: A O E N P G O D A
R08: Y C U A I R N L E
R09: 50, 25, 2, 5, 3, 2. Target: 863.
TTT: NIRVANAS - "Nirvana's where I'm at when I eat platefuls of these."
R10: E U T Q S N I I G
R11: A E A D F M I O R
R12: P S A I I N O S T
R13: E A O D T S M O P
R14: 2, 8, 5, 10, 10, 3. Target: 226.
R15: T I N G L T R A P (conundrum)


And now a brief interlude before our main feature:

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Enjoy the show.

Round 1: E A E N S K R P O

Declan: SPEAKER (7)
Charlie: OPENERS (7)
DC: PERSONAE (8)
OT: PERAEONS (8) PRASKEEN (8) RESPOKEN (8)
Score: 7–7 (max 8, jos 8)
Darren-o-meter: 0/1 (0%)

Sevens each for our two contestants, but an eight for Dictionary Corner.

Round 2: S D U E I W B H E

Declan: WISHED (6)
Charlie: WISHED (6)
DC: BUSIED (6) BESIDE (6) DWEEBISH (8)
Score: 13–13 (max 16, jos 16)
Darren-o-meter: 1/2 (50%)

Susie gets eight whereas everyone else, Gloria included, gets six.

Round 3: 25, 100, 2, 9, 1, 3. Target: 316.

Declan: 317.
Charlie: 316. 3 × 100 + (9 − 1) × 2 (10)
Score: 13–23 (max 26, jos 26)

A poor miss here from Declan allows Charlie to take an early lead.

Teatime teaser: LOUSYRED -> DELUSORY

Round 4: R G L O E A R N O

Declan: LONGER (6)
Charlie: LONGER (6)
DC: ORANGE (6) OREGANO (7) GROANER (7)
OT: RAGLORE (7)
Score: 19–29 (max 33, jos 33)
Darren-o-meter: 1/3 (33%)

Once again our contestants can only see six, despite something LONGER being in there.

Round 5: E I E D T W A R H

Declan: rethread (phantom R)
Charlie: wrathed
DC: WEATHER (7) RAWHIDE (7) WITHERED (8)
OT: WREATHED (8)
Score: 19–29 (max 41, jos 41)
Darren-o-meter: 1/4 (25%)

Charlie's pronunciation of WRATHED^ is all over the place, starting off as WRE-- before somewhat attempting to correct himself. In any case it's not valid. WREATHED is valid, as is WITHERED. Declan's RETHREAD is valid, but it has a phantom R.

Round 6: 25, 75, 1, 4, 6, 6. Target: 389.

Declan: 389. (75 + 25) × 4 − (6 + 6​ − 1) (10)
Charlie: 388.
Score: 29–29 (max 51, jos 51)

One numbers game each, as Declan undoes the damage from earlier on.

Gloria talks about Rip-Off Britain, and that items lost in transit (although she doesn't want to name the company) sometimes go to auction, including a batch of silver that a church ordered to replace a stolen set. (Didn't Joe Lycett already expose this? Spoilers: it's Hermes.)

Round 7: A O E N P G O D A

Declan: PAGODA (6)
Charlie: GAPED (5)
DC: DOGNAP (6) PONDAGE (7)
OT: APOGEAN (7)
Score: 35–29 (max 58, jos 58)
Darren-o-meter: 1/5 (20%)

Declan extends his lead with a six, although once again the max goes begging.

Round 8: Y C U A I R N L E

Declan: UNCLEAR (7)
Charlie: UNCLEAR (7)
DC: CULINARY (8) LARCENY (7)
Score: 42–36 (max 66, jos 66)
Darren-o-meter: 2/6 (33%)

A nice moment here as Charlie, who declared first, tries to also show his paper to Declan! That's adorable. Like a puppy with sad eyes. A darren from Susie.

Round 9: 50, 25, 2, 5, 3, 2. Target: 863.

Declan: -
Charlie: -
RR: 863. (50 × 3 + 25 − 2) × 5 − 2​ (10)
Score: 42–36 (max 76, jos 76)

Both contestants draw a blank and it's left up to Arrr Rach to get it. Rachel seems uncertain, but she gets there. It's the only solution.

Teatime teaser: NIRVANAS -> NAVARINS

Round 10: E U T Q S N I I G

Declan: QUESTING (8)
Charlie: squinting (phantom N, also declared as an 8 but not noted)
DC: INQUEST (7)
OT: QUIETING (8)
Score: 50–36 (max 84, jos 84)
Darren-o-meter: 2/7 (29%)

A double fault from Charlie, as SQUINTING is a nine (not an eight) and also has a phantom N. Susie does not note the misdeclaration. In any case, it's a lead of 14 now for Declan.

Round 11: A E A D F M I O R

Declan: FOAMIER (7)
Charlie: FRAMED (6)
DC: FORMED (6) DIORAMA (7)
OT: DEIFORM (7)
Score: 57–36 (max 91, jos 91)
Darren-o-meter: 2/8 (25%)

Declan extends his lead further still, as Charlie is stuck on six.

Bob Sissons emails to ask about "skinflint" and "nosey Parker".

Round 12: P S A I I N O S T

Declan: PASSION (7)
Charlie: PASSION (7)
DC: PIANISTS (8)
OT: PISATINS (8)
Score: 64–43 (max 99, jos 99)
Darren-o-meter: 2/9 (22%)

The PASSION of our contestants is only worth 7 points. Eight for Dictionary Corner.

Round 13: E A O D T S M O P

Declan: POSTED (6)
Charlie: STOOPED (7)
DC: MOPEDS (6) STAMPED (7) STOMPED (7) DAMPEST (7)
OT: POETDOMS (8) POMATOES (8)
Score: 64–50 (max 107, jos 106)
Darren-o-meter: 2/10 (20%)

At the last moment, Susie drops a point, as two eights elude her. Charlie gets a crucial 7 points to get himself into "the Rachel gamble" territory.

Round 14: 2, 8, 5, 10, 10, 3. Target: 226.

Declan: 224.
Charlie: 225. (2 × 10 + 3) × 10 − 5 (7)
RR: 226. (10 × 3 − 2) × 8 + 10 ÷ 5 (10)
Score: 64–57 (max 117, jos 116)

The gamble works and Charlie gets a crucial conundrum. Rachel can take us that extra one.

Round 15: T I N G L T R A P

Declan buzzes on 16.75 seconds to say PRATTLING which is correct.
Final Score: 74–57 (max 127, jos 126)

It's Declan, however, that takes the crucial conundrum. The 17-point lead perhaps isn't a major reflection of Charlie's good challenge. Glenn Close but no cigar.

Two wins now for Declan. Will he make it three? Join us again tomorrow.


Further summaries are at:
http://cdb.apterous.org/series.php?series=83