Monday 29th November 2021 (Series 84, Preliminary 110)

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Rhys Benjamin
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Monday 29th November 2021 (Series 84, Preliminary 110)

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Annedown CIX on a day where I started a new job.

Countdown recap for Monday 29 November 2021.

On this day in 1972 the first game, Pong, was launched.

C1: Champion Stu Harkness (3 wins, 348 points.) Maths teacher from Tweedbank. Has a ponytail and an alice band. He plugs the guest, so much so that the new contestant gets forgotten temporarily.
C2: Challenger Olly Walker. Assistant director of student experience at Kingston University. Apterite. I think I saw him on a dating app at University.
DC: Susie Dent and Clare Balding.
RR: Rachel Riley.
OT: Other words or solutions.

R01: R E L E H A T S F
R02: R D S Y I E U O U
R03: 50, 3, 6, 8, 4, 5. Target: 669.
TTT: RIVALEMU - "This can make you hear more clearly and it can also keep you dry."
R04: T W P R E I A N S
R05: G A R E N E F I A
R06: 50, 8, 3, 2, 9, 4. Target: 151.
R07: P I T E G I S U D
R08: W G K D E O A M O
R09: 25, 5, 8, 9, 2, 4. Target: 525.
TTT: CAKECOMB - "Eddy Grant sang about this quick and witty reply."
R10: N B S H E A O I E
R11: T I C N A A T C V
R12: B I R T A A P O U
R13: M I S D O G R A N
R14: 25, 8, 3, 10, 5, 4. Target: 423.
R15: D I R T T W E E T (conundrum)


And now a brief interlude before our main feature:

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Enjoy the show.

Round 1: R E L E H A T S F

Stu: FEATHERS (8)
Olly: HEALERS (7)
DC: LEATHERS (8) REFLATES (8)
OT: HALTERES (8)
Score: 8–0 (max 8, jos 8)
Darren-o-meter: 0/1 (0%)

Stu takes an early lead with a gentle eight.

Round 2: R D S Y I E U O U

Stu: SOURED (6)
Olly: drousy
DC: RIDES (5) ROUSED (6)
OT: DORIES (6) DOUSER (6) ORDIES (6) ROSIED (6) ROUSIE (6) RUDIES (6)
Score: 14–0 (max 14, jos 14)
Darren-o-meter: 0/2 (0%)

DROUSY^ needs a W (DROWSY), so Stu extends his lead out to 14.

Stu and Clare talk about parrots. Who's a pretty boy?

Round 3: 50, 3, 6, 8, 4, 5. Target: 669.

Stu: 668. (8 + 5) × 50 + 6 × 3 (7)
Olly: 668. (8 + 5) × 50 + 6 × 3 (7)
RR: 669. (8 + 4) × (50 + 6) − 3 (10)
Score: 21–7 (max 24, jos 24)

Seven points for both contestants: Rachel shows us that 12x is the way to go rather than 13x.

Teatime teaser: RIVALEMU -> VELARIUM

Round 4: T W P R E I A N S

Stu: PAINTERS (8)
Olly: prawniest (try)
DC: RAINSWEPT (18)
Score: 29–7 (max 42, jos 42)
Darren-o-meter: 1/3 (33%)

Olly clearly has never seen this classic game: PRAWNIEST -> RAINSWEPT is a classic falseagram and it gives Stu a 22-point lead.

Round 5: G A R E N E F I A

Stu: AFEARING (8) (try)
Olly: FREEING (7) (stick with)
DC: FREEGAN (7)
OT: REFINAGE (8)
Score: 37–7 (max 50, jos 50)
Darren-o-meter: 1/4 (25%)

Stu beats the studio, including Olly, whose seven still means he's yet to score a letters point.

Round 6: 50, 8, 3, 2, 9, 4. Target: 151.

Stu: 151. 9 × 8 × 2 + 3 + 4 (10)
Olly: 151. 3 × 50 + 9 − 8 (10)
Score: 47–17 (max 60, jos 60)

thank u, next

Clare talks about the Paralympics and praises Channel 4's coverage of it compares favourably to the BBC's Paralympics coverage. She also praises the accessibility of London 2012, which was "designed with the Paralympics in mind" as well.

Round 7: P I T E G I S U D

Stu: DISPUTE (7)
Olly: DISPUTE (7) - rejected PUDGIEST
DC: PUDGIEST (8)
Score: 54–24 (max 68, jos 68)
Darren-o-meter: 2/5 (40%)

Nothing is going right for Olly today, as he chickens PUDGIEST^ and costs himself a net 8 points. I suspect having PRAWNIEST disallowed influenced this decision somewhat, but as a result a potential 47-25 score is now 54-24.

Round 8: W G K D E O A M O

Stu: MEADOW (6)
Olly: AWOKE (5)
DC: GAWKED (6)
OT: AMOWED (6) MOKOED (6) MOODGE (6)
Score: 60–24 (max 74, jos 74)
Darren-o-meter: 2/6 (33%)

Stu extends his lead still further as Olly can only see five.

Round 9: 25, 5, 8, 9, 2, 4. Target: 525.

Stu: 525. (8 + 9 + 4) × 25 (10)
Olly: 525. (9 − 2) × (8 − 5) × 25 (10)
Score: 70–34 (max 84, jos 84)

21 x 25 - pick a method, any method...

Teatime teaser: CAKECOMB -> COMEBACK

Round 10: N B S H E A O I E

Stu: BANSHEE (7)
Olly: BANSHEE (7)
DC: BEANIES (7)
OT: BONEISH (7) EBONIES (7) EBONISE (7)
Score: 77–41 (max 91, jos 91)
Darren-o-meter: 2/7 (29%)

Sevens all around here.

Round 11: T I C N A A T C V

Stu: TACTIC (6)
Olly: ATTAIN (6)
DC: INTACT (6)
OT: ATACTIC (7)
Score: 83–47 (max 98, jos 97)
Darren-o-meter: 3/8 (38%)

No max for Susie today, as ATACTIC beats everyone.

OOW Susie talks about the origins of wimp.

Round 12: B I R T A A P O U

Stu: ABRUPT (6)
Olly: AIRPOT (6)
DC: AIRBOAT (7) UTOPIA (6)
Score: 89–53 (max 105, jos 104)
Darren-o-meter: 4/9 (44%)

A nice darren from the corner as Stu leads by 36 points, so is not quite over the line just yet...

Round 13: M I S D O G R A N

Stu: ORGANISM (8)
Olly: roamings (try)
DC: ADORING (7)
OT: MORINDAS (8) MORINGAS (8) ROADINGS (8) SINOGRAM (8)
Score: 97–53 (max 113, jos 112)
Darren-o-meter: 4/10 (40%)

Olly tries an eight but ROAMING cannot be pluralised, so Stu takes the game with two rounds to go.

Round 14: 25, 8, 3, 10, 5, 4. Target: 423.

Stu: 422. (not written down)
Olly: 423. (not written down) 4 × 25 × 5 − 8 × 10 + 3 (10)
Score: 97–63 (max 123, jos 122)

A consolation prize for Olly here, seeing a good method for 423 and getting above 60.

Round 15: D I R T T W E E T

Stu buzzes on 1.5 seconds to say TWITTERED which is correct.
Final Score: 107–63 (max 133, jos 132)

And Stu tweets himself to success, with another century and makes it 4 wins now. Can he be stopped? Find out in Tuesday's show!


Further summaries are at:
http://cdb.apterous.org/series.php?series=84
The forum's resident JAILBAKER, who has SPONDERED several times...
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