Wednesday 31st March 2021 (Series 83, Prelim 63)

[James Robinson]

Countdown recap for Wednesday 31 March 2021.

C1: Challenger Malcolm Atkinson. A musician from Rochdale, Greater Manchester. He helps to run a non-profit organisation to help vulnerable people be taught music.
C2: Challenger Ian Gibson. A courier from Houghton-le-Spring, Tyne & Wear, but is originally from Middlesbrough. He plays for a billiards team in Middlesbrough and runs a quiz night in Sunderland!
DC: Susie Dent and making his DC debut, John Thomson.
RR: Rachel Riley.
OT: Other words or solutions.

R01: L D R E O I N P A
R02: G C T W E U O V I
R03: 75, 8, 2, 6, 1, 8. Target: 379.
TTT: CREAMTEA - "It's much easier to swallow if you make it soft."
R04: A O S L E G D I T
R05: N P R A U E B L I
R06: 75, 9, 6, 5, 4, 1. Target: 921.
R07: Y S T O E A D G R
R08: N C U O E H N T A
R09: 50, 2, 3, 1, 4, 10. Target: 582.
TTT: MOLLYATE - "Molly ate a plate of luxurious seafood."
R10: M P D R I E O F N
R11: S M H A E I T D E
R12: R K T U A I N O V
R13: S L M E U A C R L
R14: 25, 9, 1, 3, 5, 7. Target: 561.
R15: I S I N G H Y M M (conundrum)


And now a brief interlude before our main feature:

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Enjoy the show.

Round 1: L D R E O I N P A

Malcolm: LEOPARD (7)
Ian: PANDER (6)
DC: PANDEIRO (8)
OT: PALINODE (8) PAROLEIN (8) POINDLAR (8) POINDLER (8)
Score: 7–0 (max 8)

Round 2: G C T W E U O V I

Malcolm: VOICE (5)
Ian: TWICE (5)
DC: OUTGIVE (7)
Score: 12–5 (max 15)

Round 3: 75, 8, 2, 6, 1, 8. Target: 379.

Malcolm: 379. ((6 - 1) x 75) + (8 / 2) (10)
Ian: 379. ((6 - 1) x 75) + (8 / 2) (10)
Score: 22–15 (max 25)

Teatime teaser: CREAMTEA -> MACERATE

Round 4: A O S L E G D I T

Malcolm: ISOLATED (8)
Ian: GOALIES (7)
DC: GOALSIDE (8)
OT: ALIGOTES (8) DIASTOLE (8) DOGSTAIL (8) GODETIAS (8) GODLIEST (8) GOLDITES (8) SODALITE (8)
Score: 30–15 (max 33)

Round 5: N P R A U E B L I

Malcolm: PRALINE (7)
Ian: enable (declared as 5 too)
DC: UNABLE (6) BIPLANE (7) PRUNABLE (8)
OT: RUINABLE (8)
Score: 37–15 (max 41)

Round 6: 75, 9, 6, 5, 4, 1. Target: 921.

Malcolm: 913. Mistake in working.
Ian: -
RR: 921. ((6 + 5) x (75 + 9)) - (4 - 1) (10)
Score: 37–15 (max 51)

John begins a week of talking about comedians with some stories of Ken Dodd.

Round 7: Y S T O E A D G R

Malcolm: ROASTED (7)
Ian: TADGERS (7)
DC: TODGERS (7)
OT: DESTROY (7) DOGATES (7) DOTAGES (7) GYRATED (7) GYRATES (7) ORGEATS (7) OTRYADS (7) RADGEST (7) STORAGE (7) STRAYED (7) TOERAGS (7) TORSADE (7) TRAGEDY (7)
Score: 44–22 (max 58)

Round 8: N C U O E H N T A

Malcolm: TOUCAN (6)
Ian: UNTEACH (7)
DC: COUNT (5) ENCHANT (7)
OT: NANOTECH (8)
Score: 44–29 (max 66)

Round 9: 50, 2, 3, 1, 4, 10. Target: 582.

Malcolm: 582. Mistake in working.
Ian: 587. ((10 + 2) x 50) - ((3 x 4) + 1) (7)
RR: 582. ((50 + 3 + 1 + 4) x 10) + 2 (10)
Score: 44–36 (max 76)

Teatime teaser: MOLLYATE -> TOMALLEY

Round 10: M P D R I E O F N

Malcolm: POINDER (7)
Ian: INFORMED (8)
OT: PEDIFORM (8) PENIFORM (8)
Score: 44–44 (max 84)

Round 11: S M H A E I T D E

Malcolm: HEADIEST (8)
Ian: HEADIEST (8)
DC: MEDIATE (7) MEDIATES (8)
OT: HEADTIES (8) METHIDES (8) SIDEMEAT (8)
Score: 52–52 (max 92)

Susie's Origins Of Words talks about the origins of "in his cups".

Round 12: R K T U A I N O V

Malcolm: RAINOUT (7)
Ian: outrain
DC: RATION (6)
OT: OUTRANK (7)
Score: 59–52 (max 99)

Round 13: S L M E U A C R L

Malcolm: CALLERS (7)
Ian: CALLERS (7)
DC: SMALLER (7)
OT: ALLURES (7) CELLARS (7) CULLERS (7) LAURELS (7) MACULES (7) MALLEUS (7) MARCELS (7) MAULERS (7) MULLERS (7) MUSELAR (7) RECALLS (7) RECUSAL (7) SCLERAL (7) SCULLER (7) SECULAR (7)
Score: 66–59 (max 106)

Round 14: 25, 9, 1, 3, 5, 7. Target: 561.

Malcolm: -
Ian: 559. (((7 x 3) + 1) x 25) + 9 (7)
RR: 561. (((25 x 3) + 5) x 7) + 1 (10)
Score: 66–66 (max 116)

Round 15: I S I N G H Y M M

No one buzzes. The answer was SHIMMYING.
Score: 66–66 (max 126)

So, we need another conundrum to decide our new champion....

Tie-breaker conundrum: M I N I N G A X E

Ian buzzes on 3.5 seconds to say EXAMINING which is correct.
Final Score: 66–76 (max 126)

Statistics Corner

Malcolm:
Total score - 66 (66)
Raw score - 79 (79)
Total % of max - 52 (52)
Raw % of max - 63 (63)
Total average score per round - 4.4 (4.1)
Raw average score per round - 5.3 (4.9)
Number of maxes - 6 (6)

Ian:
Total score - 66 (76)
Raw score - 78 (88)
Total % of max - 52 (60)
Raw % of max - 62 (70)
Total average score per round - 4.4 (4.8)
Raw average score per round - 5.2 (5.5)
Number of maxes - 5 (6)

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