Thursday 25th November 2021 (Series 84, Preliminary 108)

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Rhys Benjamin
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Thursday 25th November 2021 (Series 84, Preliminary 108)

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Annedown CVII on my last day at my current job before starting my new one on Monday.

Countdown recap for Thursday 25 November 2021.

It's one month to go before Christmas, so it's "Shopping Reminder Day" according to Anne.

C1: Champion Stu Harkness (1 win, 148 points.) From Tweedbank. Apterite. "Smiles all the time."
C2: Challenger Matty Hurst. Somehow even younger than Jack yesterday, aged just 16. Now doing A Levels, one of which is criminology, so Anne asks whether he wants to be a criminal or a policeman, and says he "preferably" - ! - wants to be a policeman.
DC: Susie Dent and Shirley Ballas.
RR: Rachel Riley.
OT: Other words or solutions.

R01: R U M A G E O T E
R02: F D G T O A I N U
R03: 50, 1, 10, 9, 2, 6. Target: 374.
TTT: SHAMEBUD - "Attacked surprisingly, I'm very tired."
R04: R D S A E E R C I
R05: T O B O N E U S E
R06: 25, 7, 4, 9, 10, 8. Target: 794.
R07: M O L E P I S R C
R08: G I S G E O W N D
R09: 50, 5, 8, 4, 3, 1. Target: 804.
TTT: CAKECHIP - "Swap the cake and chips for something healthier."
R10: K I S R O E D T P
R11: T E N A S H I R A
R12: O A V S M A U L H
R13: S N I W O R E L M
R14: 6, 4, 1, 2, 6, 9, . Target: 401.
R15: D O N O T T E A R (conundrum)


And now a brief interlude before our main feature:

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Enjoy the show.

Round 1: R U M A G E O T E

Stu: OUTRAGE (7) (try)
Matty: gouter
DC: GOURMET (7) TOERAG (6)
OT: REMUAGE (7)
Score: 7–0 (max 7, jos 7)
Darren-o-meter: 0/1 (0%)

Stu takes an early lead, though I'm not sure why he's only "trying" OUTRAGE.

Round 2: F D G T O A I N U

Stu: AUTOING (7) (try)
Matty: fountain (misdeclared as 7, and used the N twice)
DC: DOUTING (7) FUNGOID (7)
OT: FONDUTA (7) OUTGAIN (7)
Score: 14–0 (max 14, jos 14)
Darren-o-meter: 0/2 (0%)

Once again Stu "tries" a seven, but Matty's invalid-on-two-counts eight means he doubles his lead.

Round 3: 50, 1, 10, 9, 2, 6. Target: 374.

Stu: 374. 50 ÷ 2 × (9 + 6) − 1​ (10)
Matty: 373.
Score: 24–0 (max 24, jos 24)

I preferred 52 x 7 + 10, but each to their own.

Teatime teaser: SHAMEBUD -> AMBUSHED

Round 4: R D S A E E R C I

Stu: CREASED (7)
Matty: CARDIES (7)
DC: SIDECAR (7) READIES (7)
OT: DECRIERS (8) DESCRIER (8)
Score: 31–7 (max 32, jos 31)
Darren-o-meter: 0/3 (0%)

No max for Stu, then, but he is still on for the jos as things stand. Matty finally gets off the mark.

Round 5: T O B O N E U S E

Stu: BONESET (7) (try)
Matty: BONES (5)
DC: OUTSEEN (7)
OT: SONOTUBE (8)
Score: 38–7 (max 40, jos 38)
Darren-o-meter: 1/4 (25%)

Still on for a jos here from Stu, whilst the game as a contest is all but over already.

Round 6: 25, 7, 4, 9, 10, 8. Target: 794.

Stu: 794. 25 × 4 × 8 − (7​ − (10 − 9)) (10)
Matty: 794. 25 × 4 × 8 − (7​ − (10 − 9)) (10)
Score: 48–17 (max 50, jos 48)

10 points each here, the hard part was making the 32.

Shirley is doing pantomime this year (does she really need the money!?) in Tunbridge Wells, playing the Wicked Witch in Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. So plugs it.

Round 7: M O L E P I S R C

Stu: compliers (try)
Matty: PRICES (6)
DC: COMPILERS (18) - rejected by Stu!
Score: 48–23 (max 68, jos 66)
Darren-o-meter: 1/5 (20%)

Stu goes for the wrong one - ouch - although it's a double ouch as if you can't be a COMPLIER^, then what would you call someone who complies with something?

Round 8: G I S G E O W N D

Stu: WIGEONS (7) (stick with)
Matty: wedgings (try)
DC: WIDGEONS (8)
OT: SWEDGING (8) WENDIGOS (8)
Score: 55–23 (max 76, jos 74)
Darren-o-meter: 1/6 (17%)

(I tried to paste wingdings here which was tempting but a phantom, but the forum didn't like it...)

Round 9: 50, 5, 8, 4, 3, 1. Target: 804.

Stu: 804. (5 − 3) × 8 × 50 + 4​ (10)
Matty: 804. 50 × 8 × (3 − 1) + 4 (10)
Score: 65–33 (max 86, jos 84)

thank u, next

Teatime teaser: CAKECHIP -> CHICKPEA

Round 10: K I S R O E D T P

Stu: DIOPTRES (8)
Matty: DOPIEST (7) (try)
DC: DORKIEST (8) PORKIEST (8)
OT: PERIDOTS (8) PROTEIDS (8) PROTIDES (8) PTEROIDS (8) RIPOSTED (8)
Score: 73–33 (max 94, jos 92)
Darren-o-meter: 1/7 (14%)

Stu's eight of DIOPTRES is excellent and now leads by 40 points.

Round 11: T E N A S H I R A

Stu: HAIRNETS (8)
Matty: THANES (6)
OT: RHATANIES (18)
Score: 81–33 (max 112, jos 100)
Darren-o-meter: 2/8 (25%)

HAIRNETS is a good old RETAINS+H, but Stu doesn't realise you can have +AH for the nine.

Susie defines some very old Greek terms that are around today.

Round 12: O A V S M A U L H

Stu: OVALS (5)
Matty: HAULS (5)
DC: SHALOM (6)
OT: AMOVALS (7) MAHALOS (7) MASULAH (7)
Score: 86–38 (max 119, jos 106)
Darren-o-meter: 2/9 (22%)

This round is so naff that we don't even get to hear from Shirley.

Round 13: S N I W O R E L M

Stu: MERLIONS (8)
Matty: SWINE (5)
DC: WINSOME (7) SNOWIER (7)
Score: 94–38 (max 127, jos 114)
Darren-o-meter: 3/10 (30%)

A lovely darren to finish on the letters from Stu, and now, with the game won, can he get himself up to a century?

Matty's nan writes books. So he gets to plug them. She also taught Matty how to Countdown.

Round 14: 6, 4, 1, 2, 6, 9. Target: 401.

Stu: 401. 6 × 6 × (9 + 2) + 4 + 1​ (10)
Matty: -
Score: 104–38 (max 137, jos 124)

Stu virtually admits he'll try to have a fudge for a bit of fun, and makes it, getting himself a ton.

Round 15: D O N O T T E A R

No one buzzes. Rachel gives the answer, which was DETONATOR.
Final Score: 104–38 (max 147, jos 134)

That's a horrid conundrum. Well done to Rachel for getting it.

It's not quite 148 but Stu has made it to a second win. The next task for him will be to make it to three wins tomorrow. Join us then. Goodbye.


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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