Tuesday 4th January 2022 (Series 85, Preliminary 2)

[James Robinson]

Countdown recap for Tuesday 4 January 2022.

C1: Champion Niclas Want (1 win, 81 points.) A 22-year-old from Barry, South Glamorgan, but is studying at the University of Warwick.
C2: Challenger Adrian Fletcher. A worker in IT who lives in Kensington, but is originally from Warrington.
DC: Susie Dent and making his DC debut, Michael Grade.
AMI: Anne-Marie Imafidon.
OT: Other words or solutions.

R01: V R A E A B P E N
R02: T D U A S M E B I
R03: 25, 2, 7, 6, 4, 6. Target: 219.
TTT: MILDBLUE - "It's not a pungent cheese, but it does have a lovely smell."
R04: C W O R M I A R E
R05: P W A O R D U X A
R06: 25, 7, 6, 10, 1, 3. Target: 752.
R07: E T R A S I N C E
R08: S N U R I S K E S
R09: 50, 1, 6, 9, 5, 8. Target: 473.
TTT: ROSIECAB - "Rosie drives a cab by day, and does this by night."
R10: I L T O H E R Z R
R11: M P O I L E N G O
R12: H I N T O E N D O
R13: S G I S E G F A P
R14: 50, 3, 7, 9, 10, 10. Target: 913.
R15: T T A C Q U I L A (conundrum)


And now a brief interlude before our main feature:

SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER
SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER
SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER
SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER
SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER
SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER
SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER
SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER
SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER
SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER
SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER
SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER
SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER
SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER
SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER
SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER
SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER
SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER
SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER
SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER

Enjoy the show.

Round 1: V R A E A B P E N

Niclas: REPAVE (6)
Adrian: BEAVER (6)
DC: BRAVE (5) RAVEN (5) PARABEN (7)
OT: VERBENA (7)
Score: 6–6 (max 7)

Round 2: T D U A S M E B I

Niclas: DUMBEST (7)
Adrian: baudiest
DC: MATED (5) MASTED (6) BEAUTS (6)
OT: AMBITUS (7) BASTIDE (7) IDEATUM (7) MAUBIES (7) MISDATE (7) MITSUBA (7) STADIUM (7) SUBEDIT (7)
Score: 13–6 (max 14)

Round 3: 25, 2, 7, 6, 4, 6. Target: 219.

Niclas: 219. (25 x 4 x 2) + 7 + 6 + 6 (10)
Adrian: 219. (25 x 4 x 2) + 7 + 6 + 6 (10)
Score: 23–16 (max 24)

Teatime teaser: MILDBLUE -> BDELLIUM

Round 4: C W O R M I A R E

Niclas: WORMIER (7)
Adrian: ARMOIRE (7)
DC: MARROW (6) MICROWEAR (18)
Score: 30–23 (max 42)

Round 5: P W A O R D U X A

Niclas: PROUD (5)
Adrian: PARADOX (7)
OT: PAROWAX (7)
Score: 30–30 (max 49)

Round 6: 25, 7, 6, 10, 1, 3. Target: 752.

Niclas: 752. (3 x 25 x 10) + 7 - 6 + 1 (10)
Adrian: 752. (3 x 25 x 10) + 7 - 6 + 1 (10)
Score: 40–40 (max 59)

Michael talks about his early days working as a showbiz agent, including taking Morecambe & Wise away from ATV (owned by his uncle, Lew Grade) to the BBC.

Round 7: E T R A S I N C E

Niclas: scariest
Adrian: SINCERE (7)
DC: CINEASTE (8) NECTARIES (18)
OT: NECTARISE (18)
Score: 40–47 (max 77)

Round 8: S N U R I S K E S

Niclas: SUNRISES (8)
Adrian: SUNRISES (8)
DC: KISSES (6)
OT: UNKISSES (8)
Score: 48–55 (max 85)

Round 9: 50, 1, 6, 9, 5, 8. Target: 473.

Niclas: 473. (50 x 9) + (6 x 5) - (8 - 1) (10)
Adrian: 473. (50 x 9) + (6 x 5) - (8 - 1) (10)
Score: 58–65 (max 95)

Teatime teaser: ROSIECAB -> AEROBICS

Round 10: I L T O H E R Z R

Niclas: LOITER (6)
Adrian: LOITER (6)
DC: ZEROTH (6)
OT: HERITOR (7)
Score: 64–71 (max 102)

Round 11: M P O I L E N G O

Niclas: LOOMING (7)
Adrian: POOLING (7)
DC: LOOPING (7)
OT: ELOPING (7) MOOLING (7)
Score: 71–78 (max 109)

Susie's Origins Of Words talks about the origins of "level pegging".

Round 12: H I N T O E N D O

Niclas: denotion
Adrian: HINTED (6)
DC: INTEND (6) INTONED (7)
OT: NOONTIDE (8)
Score: 71–84 (max 117)

Round 13: S G I S E G F A P

Niclas: PAGES (5)
Adrian: GASES (5)
DC: AGGIES (6)
OT: PAISES (6) PEGASS (6) SEPIAS (6)
Score: 76–89 (max 123)

Round 14: 50, 3, 7, 9, 10, 10. Target: 913.

Niclas: -
Adrian: 913. ((10 + 9) x 50) - (3 x 10) - 7 (10)
Score: 76–99 (max 133)

Round 15: T T A C Q U I L A

No one buzzes. The answer, correctly answered in the studio by Anne-Marie was ACQUITTAL.
Final Score: 76–99 (max 143)

Statistics Corner

Niclas:
Total score - 76
Raw score - 81
Total % of max - 53
Raw % of max - 57
Total average score per round - 5.1
Raw average score per round - 5.4
Number of maxes - 6

Adrian:
Total score - 99
Raw score - 99
Total % of max - 69
Raw % of max - 69
Total average score per round - 6.6
Raw average score per round - 6.6
Number of maxes - 7

Further summaries are at:
http://cdb.apterous.org/series.php?series=85