Wednesday 22nd February 2023 (Series 87, Preliminary 23)

[James Robinson]

Countdown recap for Wednesday 22 February 2023.

C1: Champion Seán Dennehy (2 wins, 177 points.) A theatre worker from County Clare, Republic of Ireland.
C2: Challenger Charlotte Rimmer. An event worker from Ellesmere Port, Cheshire.
DC: Susie Dent and Bob Harris.
RR: Rachel Riley.
OT: Other words or solutions.

R01: S D Z T O E E P S
R02: C T I O A L G E N
R03: 50, 100, 10, 9, 6, 8. Target: 712.
TTT: SOFTPOET - "Every long journey starts with one of these."
R04: O A R P R U O W E
R05: Y T R F A U O G N
R06: 75, 50, 1, 10, 9, 5. Target: 394.
R07: R T X S U E U J R
R08: T R G A I A S U E
R09: 75, 25, 5, 1, 7, 4. Target: 190.
TTT: SETTHIEF - "The judge set the thief the biggest fine possible."
R10: I A E L N B O S V
R11: T T R D A U O L I
R12: M B N E U H P E T
R13: H N W G A E A S O
R14: 25, 75, 100, 9, 1, 2. Target: 800.
R15: M I N T N G A L A (conundrum)


And now a brief interlude before our main feature:

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Enjoy the show.

Round 1: S D Z T O E E P S

Seán: POSTED (6)
Charlotte: POSTED (6)
DC: DESPOTS (7)
OT: DEPOSES (7) POETESS (7) SPEEDOS (7)
Score: 6–6 (max 7)

Round 2: C T I O A L G E N

Seán: LOCATING (8)
Charlotte: GELCOAT (7)
OT: GELATION (8) LEGATION (8) NOETICAL (8) OCTANGLE (8)
Score: 14–6 (max 15)

Round 3: 50, 100, 10, 9, 6, 8. Target: 712.

Seán: -
Charlotte: 710. ((8 + 6) x 50) + 10 (7)
RR: 712. (10 x 9 x 8) - (100 / 50) - 6 (10)
Score: 14–13 (max 25)

Teatime teaser: SOFTPOET -> FOOTSTEP

Round 4: O A R P R U O W E

Seán: REPOUR (6)
Charlotte: POURER (6)
OT: ARROPE (6) PARURE (6) POORER (6) REWRAP (6) ROUPER (6) UPREAR (6) UPROAR (6) WARPER (6)
Score: 20–19 (max 31)

Round 5: Y T R F A U O G N

Seán: OUTRAN (6)
Charlotte: fourty
DC: FORTY (5) OUTRANG (7)
OT: NUGATORY (8)
Score: 26–19 (max 39)

Round 6: 75, 50, 1, 10, 9, 5. Target: 394.

Seán: 394. (75 x 5) + 10 + 9 (10)
Charlotte: 394. (75 x 5) + 10 + 9 (10)
Score: 36–29 (max 49)

Bob talks about how his first meeting with John Peel led to his friendships with Marc Bolan and David Bowie.

Round 7: R T X S U E U J R

Seán: SUTURE (6)
Charlotte: JUSTER (6)
DC: ruster UTERUS (6)
OT: RUSTRE (6) USURER (6)
Score: 42–35 (max 55)

Round 8: T R G A I A S U E

Seán: AGEIST (6)
Charlotte: GUSTIER (7)
DC: GUITARS (7)
OT: AGEUSTIA (8)
Score: 42–42 (max 63)

Round 9: 75, 25, 5, 1, 7, 4. Target: 190.

Seán: 191. ((7 + 1) x 25) - 4 - 5 (7)
Charlotte: 191. ((7 + 1) x 25) - 4 - 5 (7)
RR: 190. (75 + 25 - (4 + 1)) x (7 - 5) (10)
Score: 49–49 (max 73)

Teatime teaser: SETTHIEF -> HEFTIEST

Round 10: I A E L N B O S V

Seán: BOVINE (6)
Charlotte: -
DC: EVASION (7) ALBINOS (7)
OT: ABSOLVE (7) ALEVINS (7) ALOINES (7) ANSIBLE (7) BONSELA (7) BOVINES (7) LESBIAN (7) LEVAINS (7) NOVELAS (7) OBELIAS (7) OLIBANE (7) OVALISE (7)
Score: 55–49 (max 80)

Round 11: T T R D A U O L I

Seán: OUTLAID (7)
Charlotte: TROUT (5)
DC: DILATOR (7) TUTORIAL (8)
OT: ALTITUDO (8)
Score: 62–49 (max 88)

Susie's Origins Of Words talks about the origins of some food eponyms.

Round 12: M B N E U H P E T

Seán: HUNT (4)
Charlotte: THUMB (5)
DC: UMPTEEN (7)
Score: 62–54 (max 95)

Round 13: H N W G A E A S O

Seán: HANGS (5)
Charlotte: HANGS (5)
DC: WAGONS (6)
OT: HAGWONS (7) NGAWHAS (7)
Score: 67–59 (max 102)

Round 14: 25, 75, 100, 9, 1, 2. Target: 800.

Seán: 800. (9 - 1) x 100 (10)
Charlotte: 800. (9 - 1) x 100 (10)
Score: 77–69 (max 112)

Round 15: M I N T N G A L A

Charlotte buzzes on 7.5 seconds to say LAMINATING which is incorrect.
Seán does not buzz.
The answer was MALIGNANT.
Final Score: 77–69 (max 122)

Statistics Corner

Seán:
Total score - 77
Raw score - 87
Total % of max - 63
Raw % of max - 71
Total average score per round - 5.1
Raw average score per round - 5.8
Number of maxes - 5

Charlotte:
Total score - 69
Raw score - 81
Total % of max - 57
Raw % of max - 66
Total average score per round - 4.6
Raw average score per round - 5.4
Number of maxes - 4

Further summaries are at:
http://cdb.apterous.org/series.php?series=87