Thursday 9th March 2023 (Series 87, Preliminary 34)

[James Robinson]

Countdown recap for Thursday 9 March 2023.

C1: Champion Simon Higgins (1 win, 72 points.) From Cornwall.
C2: Challenger Elaine Carr. A former piano teacher.
DC: Susie Dent and Ore Oduba.
RR: Rachel Riley.
OT: Other words or solutions.

R01: F B W U E T U O S
R02: I A I G L G L O I
R03: 100, 8, 7, 9, 10, 3. Target: 971.
TTT: OLDGREED - "His log-on will cause many to jog on."
R04: E O E S D K J C G
R05: M N A S O I T D E
R06: 75, 100, 5, 3, 4, 2. Target: 154.
R07: N R L U A T O E F
R08: T R T I O A E P T
R09: 75, 8, 4, 7, 3, 10. Target: 511.
TTT: GLUTPAIN - "A glut of pain awaits, if you're quick to be this."
R10: S D S I A E Y V T
R11: N R N A I U T X E
R12: S R P N A I A S E
R13: R N M A E H L O R
R14: 75, 50, 1, 8, 3, 5. Target: 782.
R15: S U P E R D O N S (conundrum)


And now a brief interlude before our main feature:

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Enjoy the show.

Round 1: F B W U E T U O S

Simon: OBTUSE (6)
Elaine: STEW (4)
DC: FOETUS (6)
OT: BOWFEST (7)
Score: 6–0 (max 7)

Round 2: I A I G L G L O I

Simon: AIOLI (5)
Elaine: igloo
DC: LOGGIA (6)
OT: GIALLO (6) GILGAI (6)
Score: 11–0 (max 13)

Round 3: 100, 8, 7, 9, 10, 3. Target: 971.

Simon: 971. ((100 + 8) x 9) - ((7 + 3) / 10) (10)
Elaine: 970.
Score: 21–0 (max 23)

Teatime teaser: OLDGREED -> EDGELORD

Round 4: E O E S D K J C G

Simon: SOCKED (6)
Elaine: SOCKED (6)
DC: GECKOES (7)
OT: DECOKES (7)
Score: 27–6 (max 30)

Round 5: M N A S O I T D E

Simon: amonites
Elaine: DAEMONS (7)
DC: DOMINATES (18) STAMINODE (18)
OT: ADEMONIST (18) DEMONIAST (18)
Score: 27–13 (max 48)

Round 6: 75, 100, 5, 3, 4, 2. Target: 154.

Simon: 154. (75 x 2) + 4 (10)
Elaine: 154. (75 x 2) + 4 (10)
Score: 37–23 (max 58)

Ore talks about how he caught David Beckham in just his underpants, before interviewing him.

Round 7: N R L U A T O E F

Simon: FLAUNTER (8)
Elaine: FRONTAL (7)
OT: OUTLEARN (8)
Score: 45–23 (max 66)

Round 8: T R T I O A E P T

Simon: POTTIER (7)
Elaine: POTTIER (7)
DC: TATTIER (7)
OT: POTARITE (8)
Score: 52–30 (max 74)

Round 9: 75, 8, 4, 7, 3, 10. Target: 511.

Simon: 511. (75 x 7) - 10 - 4 (10)
Elaine: 511. (75 x 7) - 10 - 4 (10)
Score: 62–40 (max 84)

Teatime teaser: GLUTPAIN -> PUGILANT

Round 10: S D S I A E Y V T

Simon: ASIDES (6)
Elaine: STEADY (6)
DC: ADVISES (7) DATIVES (7)
OT: DAYSETS (7) DIVESTS (7) STEVIAS (7) VISTAED (7)
Score: 68–46 (max 91)

Round 11: N R N A I U T X E

Simon: TAURINE (7)
Elaine: ENTRAIN (7)
OT: ANEURIN (7) RUINATE (7) TRANNIE (7) URANITE (7) URINATE (7)
Score: 75–53 (max 98)

Susie's Origins Of Words talks about the origins of "glee" and "astound".

Round 12: S R P N A I A S E

Simon: SPRAINS (7)
Elaine: PRAISES (7)
DC: ASPIRES (7)
OT: PARNASES (8) PERSIANA (8) PRASINES (8) SPIRAEAS (8)
Score: 82–60 (max 106)

Round 13: R N M A E H L O R

Simon: MOANER (6)
Elaine: MOANER (6)
DC: MANHOLE (7) MENORAH (7) ALMONER (7)
OT: ARMHOLE (7) NEMORAL (7) ORRAMEN (7)
Score: 88–66 (max 113)

Round 14: 75, 50, 1, 8, 3, 5. Target: 782.

Simon: -
Elaine: -
RR: 782. ((75 / 5) x 50) + ((3 + 1) x 8) (10)
Score: 88–66 (max 123)

Round 15: S U P E R D O N S

Elaine buzzes on 26 seconds to say PROUDNESS which is correct.
Final Score: 88–76 (max 133)

Statistics Corner

Simon:
Total score - 88
Raw score - 88
Total % of max - 66
Raw % of max - 66
Total average score per round - 5.9
Raw average score per round - 5.9
Number of maxes - 5

Elaine:
Total score - 76
Raw score - 94
Total % of max - 57
Raw % of max - 71
Total average score per round - 5.1
Raw average score per round - 6.3
Number of maxes - 4

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