Monday 14th June 2021 (Series 83, Preliminary 116)

[Rhys Benjamin]

Football's coming home, apparently. I have to rush off, so this recap will be a little rushed.

Countdown recap for Monday 14 June 2021.

It's international bath day, according to Nick, so he launches into a diatribe about Archimedes.

C1: Champion Neil Thomas (1 win, 77 points.)
C2: Challenger Mark Ward. Retired software engineer from Bournemouth.
DC: Susie Dent and Gloria Hunniford. Gloria is wearing a bright pink jacket. I'm getting tinnitus here.
RR: Rachel Riley.
OT: Other words or solutions.

R01: L F N C O I O A Y
R02: G M N S E O U I L
R03: 25, 8, 5, 4, 2, 8. Target: 181.
TTT: ISINBATH - "She's in the bath again. In fact, she lives in there."
R04: W A T O D O R E K
R05: P V S H I A I A M
R06: 50, 100, 7, 2, 1, 4. Target: 349.
R07: R S B C E U A P E
R08: I L E T O D O S E
R09: 25, 8, 2, 6, 1, 7. Target: 302.
TTT: SAMSTREE - "It sounds like you eat a lot of food, so this will definitely help."
R10: N B C D G A U E O
R11: M F D S E U I N A
R12: L P G T E A E E R
R13: T S D N U O O I L
R14: 25, 100, 50, 4, 10, 3. Target: 487.
R15: Q U O C O R N E R (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: L F N C O I O A Y

Neil: FOCAL (5)
Mark: COLONY (6)
DC: FALCON (6)
OT: ACYLOIN (7) COALIFY (7) FANCILY (7) FOLACIN (7)
Score: 0–6 (max 7)

Mark starts us off with a six, but Dictionary Corner already drop a point.

Two sevens here, but Rachel spots the brilliant nine, which overshadows Susie's obscure eight.

Round 2: G M N S E O U I L

Neil: LOUNGES (7)
Mark: MOUSING (7)
DC: MINGLES (7) LIGNEOUS (8) MOUSELING (18) (from RR)
Score: 7–13 (max 25)

Round 3: 25, 8, 5, 4, 2, 8. Target: 181.

Neil: 184. (25 − 2) × 8​ (7)
Mark: 181. Mistake in working.
RR: 181. (25 − 2) × 8​ − (8 − 5) AND 25 × (5 + 2) + 8 − 8 ÷ 4​ (10)
Score: 14–13 (max 35)

Oh dear. What an awful numbers round. Mark uses the 2 twice, and Neil can only see 184, which prompts Rachel to finish off BOTH solutions!

Teatime teaser: ISINBATH -> INHABITS

Round 4: W A T O D O R E K

Neil: ROOTED (6)
Mark: WORKED (6)
DC: WOODRAT (7)
OT: AEROTOW (7)
Score: 20–19 (max 42)

Two sixes again for our contestants; seven for Gloria.

Round 5: P V S H I A I A M

Neil: VAMPS (5)
Mark: PASHA (5)
DC: VAMPISH (7)
Score: 25–24 (max 49)

Susie sticks an I and an H into Neil's word to extend 5 into 7.

Round 6: 50, 100, 7, 2, 1, 4. Target: 349.

Neil: 349. (7 − 4) × 100 + 50 − 1​ (10)
Mark: 349. 7 × 50 − 1​ (10)
Score: 35–34 (max 59)

thank u, next...

Gloria talks about having a number one on Mount Everest when interviewing Sir Ranulph Fiennes.

Round 7: R S B C E U A P E

Neil: BECAUSE (7)
Mark: ESCAPER (7)
DC: APERCUS (7)
OT: BURPEES (7) CAPRESE (7) PERCASE (7) REPACES (7) SCAUPER (7)
Score: 42–41 (max 66)

Flat.

Round 8: I L E T O D O S E

Neil: TOILED (6)
Mark: LOOTED (6)
DC: SLOE ETOILES (7)
OT: ESTOILE (7) ODELETS (7) OILSEED (7) OOLITES (7) OSTEOID (7) OSTIOLE (7) STOOLED (7) STOOLIE (7) TOESIDE (7) TOODLES (7) TOOLIES (7)
Score: 48–47 (max 73)

Both contestants miss a billion 7s. Oh dear.

Round 9: 25, 8, 2, 6, 1, 7. Target: 302.

Neil: 302. 2 × 6 × 25 + 8 − 7 + 1 (10)
Mark: 302. 2 × 6 × 25 + 8 − 7 + 1 (10)
Score: 58–57 (max 83)

thank u, next...

Teatime teaser: SAMSTREE -> MASSETER

Round 10: N B C D G A U E O

Neil: BONDAGE (7)
Mark: BOUNCED (7)
DC: DECAGON (7)
OT: BUNCOED (7) CONGAED (7) DOGBANE (7) GUANOED (7) UNCAGED (7)
Score: 65–64 (max 90)

Sevens all around here.

Round 11: M F D S E U I N A

Neil: FAMINES (7)
Mark: damned (phantom D)
DC: INFUSED (7) MEDUSAN (7)
OT: FEMINAS (7) FUNDIES (7) MAIDENS (7) MANDIES (7) MEDIANS (7) MEDINAS (7) MINDAES (7) SIDEMAN (7) SNAFUED (7) UNMAIDS (7)
Score: 72–64 (max 97)

Neil extends his lead when Mark can only see an invalid 6.

Susie tries to introduce us to a few summery words because summer is fast approaching. If Boris ever lets us out.

Round 12: L P G T E A E E R

Neil: REPLATE (7)
Mark: REPLEAT (7)
DC: RELEGATE (8)
OT: REGELATE (8)
Score: 79–71 (max 105)

Another tied round...

Round 13: T S D N U O O I L

Neil: untools (try)
Mark: SOLUTION (8)
OT: STUDIOLO (8)
Score: 79–79 (max 113)

Mark gets a brilliant 8 to tie the scores on 79 each.

Round 14: 25, 100, 50, 4, 10, 3. Target: 487.

Neil: 487. (100 + 25) × 4 − 10 − 3​ (10)
Mark: -
Score: 89–79 (max 123)

Mark goes for a gamble, suggesting he doesn't fancy winning it on the conundrum.... gamble backfires!

Round 15: Q U O C O R N E R

Neil buzzes on 9.5 seconds to say RECONQUER which is incorrect.
Mark buzzes on 10.25 seconds to say CONQUEROR which is correct.
Final Score: 89–89 (max 133)

It's tie-break time!

Round 16: W H I T E S A C K

Neil buzzes on 16.25 seconds to say WHACKIEST which is correct.
Final Score: 99–89 (max 133)

Neil takes it, to take a second win.

ktnhx bye


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