Monday 15th February 2016 (Series 74, Prelim 16)

[Sean Fletcher]

Countdown recap for Monday 15 February 2016.

Jack will be hoping for his fourth win today but could face a stern challenge as he is up against an Apterite.

C1: Champion Jack Cresswell (3 wins, 235 points.) A Facilities manager from Glasgow.
C2: Challenger David Armstrong. A keen follower of the Northern Ireland Football team. From Portlethen in Scotland. He became a member of Mensa at the age of 8.
DC: Susie Dent and Richard Arnold.
RR: Rachel Riley.
OT: Other words or solutions.

R01: D T M E I U R W A
R02: D Z E U O L F T A
R03: 7, 1, 9, 6, 9, 2. Target: 849.
TTT: ROBSTATE - "These people might be considered partners in crime."
R04: S J I O A R T W E
R05: H N T O E I M P L
R06: 3, 9, 7, 10, 9, 7. Target: 478.
R07: T D R D U O U N E
R08: S G S A E A V T M
R09: 3, 1, 9, 7, 4, 7. Target: 848.
TTT: CLIPDEMO - "Put together lots of clips for a demo tape."
R10: P C S E A E R B D
R11: T M T I O A N D U
R12: X L R E A E S R S
R13: K T R A O E H G V
R14: 2, 3, 5, 3, 2, 50. Target: 327.
R15: V I T A L C U R E (conundrum)


And now a brief interlude before our main feature:

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Enjoy the show.

Round 1: D T M E I U R W A

Jack: untried
David: WAITER (6)
DC: MIDWATER (8)
OT: MUDIRATE (8) TIMEWARD (8)
Score: 0–6 (max 8)

A phantom N gives the challenger an early lead.

Round 2: D Z E U O L F T A

Jack: outfazed
David: FLOATED (7)
DC: FLOUTED (7)
OT: DEFAULT (7) FAULTED (7)
Score: 0–13 (max 15)

David has FLOATED further ahead as Jack's risk at an OUT- word doesn't pay off.

Round 3: 7, 1, 9, 6, 9, 2. Target: 849.

Jack: -
David: 847. Mistake in working.
RR: 849. ((9+1)*2*6*7)+9 (10)
Score: 0–13 (max 25)

A mistake by David changes nothing. Rachel uses the start of his method to get perfection.

Teatime teaser: ROBSTATE -> ABETTORS

Round 4: S J I O A R T W E

Jack: WAITERS (7)
David: RAWEST (6)
DC: RATIOS (6)
OT: OSIETRA (7) OSTERIA (7) OTARIES (7) WARIEST (7)
Score: 7–13 (max 32)

David misses the plural of his round 1 offering whilst Jack gets his first points of the game.

Round 5: H N T O E I M P L

Jack: POLITE (6)
David: POLITE (6)
DC: NEOLITH (7)
OT: PILOTMEN (8)
Score: 13–19 (max 40)

A well-mannered round gets both contestants six points.

Round 6: 3, 9, 7, 10, 9, 7. Target: 478.

Jack: 478. 7*7*10-9-3 (10)
David: 478. 7*7*10-9-3 (10)
Score: 23–29 (max 50)

A fairly straight forward 6 small selection is solved by both contestants.

Richard Arnold discusses his first jobs.

Round 7: T D R D U O U N E

Jack: ROUNDED (7)
David: UNROUTED (8)
DC: ROTUND (6)
Score: 23–37 (max 58)

David's risky UNROUTED moves him 14 points clear.

Round 8: S G S A E A V T M

Jack: STAGES (6)
David: MASSAGE (7)
DC: SAVAGES (7)
OT: MAGASES (7) MAGASSE (7) TAMASES (7)
Score: 23–44 (max 65)

The challenger may be able to relax a bit as his MASSAGE gives him a nice lead.

MAGASSE is the fibrous residue left after the extraction of sugar from sugar cane, used chiefly as fuel.

Round 9: 3, 1, 9, 7, 4, 7. Target: 848.

Jack: -
David: -
OT: 847. ((9+1)*7*4*3)+7 (7)
Score: 23–44 (max 72)

A difficult six small that stumps both contestants. Rachel's claim that one away is the best is true.

Teatime teaser: CLIPDEMO -> COMPILED

Round 10: P C S E A E R B D

Jack: ESCAPED (7)
David: ESCAPED (7)
DC: CAPERED (7)
OT: BARDEES (7) BECARDS (7) CAPRESE (7) CREASED (7) DEBASER (7) ESCAPER (7) PERCASE (7) REBASED (7) RECASED (7) REDCAPS (7) REPACED (7) REPACES (7) SCARPED (7) SCRAPED (7) SPEARED (7)
Score: 30–51 (max 79)

Lots of 7's available here and both contestants ESCAPE the round with the points.

BARDEES are the edible larva or pupa of certain insects, such as a longhorn beetle that bores within stems, or a moth that develops underground on roots.

Round 11: T M T I O A N D U

Jack: AMOUNT (6)
David: MUTTON (6)
DC: MUTATION (8)
Score: 36–57 (max 87)

An extra 6 points for both contestants, while DC spot the only 8.

OOW - Susie discusses English words of Viking origin.

Round 12: X L R E A E S R S

Jack: RELAXERS (8)
David: RELAXERS (8)
DC: RELAXERS (8)
Score: 44–65 (max 95)

The darrenic max is spotted by both the contestants. Can Jack make a comeback in the final few rounds?

Round 13: K T R A O E H G V

Jack: EARTH (5)
David: HEART (5)
DC: GATHER (6)
OT: ETHROG (6) GHERAO (6) ORGEAT (6) THROVE (6) TOERAG (6)
Score: 49–70 (max 101)

Quite a few 6's available the contestants are both stuck on five meaning David now has an unassailable lead.

EHTROG - A citron, the fruit of the tree Citrus medica (family Rutaceae), used ritually in the Jewish Feast of Tabernacles.

Round 14: 2, 3, 5, 3, 2, 50. Target: 327.

Jack: 327. Mistake in working.
David: 327. (50-3)*(5+2) -2 (10)
Score: 49–80 (max 111)

Jack's mistake furthers David's lead.

Round 15: V I T A L C U R E

Jack buzzes on 7 seconds to say CULTIVATER which is incorrect.
David buzzes on 17 seconds to say LUCRATIVE which is correct.
Final Score: 49–90 (max 121)

I thought Jack was going to have the last say but his guess is incorrect, leaving David pressure free to end on 90 points.

Jack has had a good couple of wins but the phantom N and disallowed word in the opening rounds left him with an uphill battle today.

Will David be able to emulate or surpass him?


Further summaries are at:
http://cdb.apterous.org/series.php?series=74