Thursday 10th February 2022 (Series 85, Preliminary 29)

[James Robinson]

Countdown recap for Thursday 10 February 2022.

C1: Champion Catriona Devaney (2 wins, 182 points.) A DBO validation officer from Barnaderg, County Galway.
C2: Challenger Callum Roberts. A PhD student at the University of Edinburgh.
DC: Susie Dent and Geoff Norcott.
AMI: Anne-Marie Imafidon.
OT: Other words or solutions.

R01: A I A Y S T W R E
R02: T N S U I A W F I
R03: 50, 3, 8, 2, 6, 4. Target: 847.
TTT: NUDELIVE - "Not necessarily nude, but all was certainly revealed."
R04: S V R E O O H P L
R05: A E O D S C L R E
R06: 100, 8, 2, 3, 9, 10. Target: 360.
R07: I A E N M D S K I
R08: C N T P O U O S O
R09: 25, 10, 5, 8, 1, 3. Target: 991.
TTT: ECRUCOAT - "Put on your impressive jacket to get this."
R10: N P R T U E I S A
R11: O A I M B R L R E
R12: S N O A O M L R U
R13: A I A G V D G F U
R14: 50, 1, 7, 4, 8, 5. Target: 277.
R15: S A U C I M O L I (conundrum)


And now a brief interlude before our main feature:

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Enjoy the show.

Round 1: A I A Y S T W R E

Catriona: awares
Callum: WAITERS (7)
DC: STAIRWAY (8)
Score: 0–7 (max 8)

Round 2: T N S U I A W F I

Catriona: inuits
Callum: FAINTS (6)
DC: UNFITS (6) FUSTIAN (7)
Score: 0–13 (max 15)

Round 3: 50, 3, 8, 2, 6, 4. Target: 847.

Catriona: 846. Mistake in working.
Callum: 848. ((8 + 6 + 3) x 50) - 2 (7)
AMI: 847. (((50 x 2) + 6) x 8) - (4 - 3) (10)
Score: 0–20 (max 25)

Teatime teaser: NUDELIVE -> UNVEILED

Round 4: S V R E O O H P L

Catriona: PLOVERS (7)
Callum: HOOVERS (7)
OT: HOOPERS (7) LOOPERS (7) PLOSHER (7) POOLERS (7)
Score: 7–27 (max 32)

Round 5: A E O D S C L R E

Catriona: RECLOSED (8)
Callum: CLEARED (7)
DC: DESCALE (7) DESCALER (8)
OT: ADOLESCE (8) DECLARES (8) ESCAROLE (8) RECOALED (8) REDCOALS (8) REDCOLES (8) RESCALED (8)
Score: 15–27 (max 40)

Round 6: 100, 8, 2, 3, 9, 10. Target: 360.

Catriona: 360. ((10 x 2) + 100) x 3 (10)
Callum: 360. (3 x 100) + ((8 - 2) x 10) (10)
Score: 25–37 (max 50)

Geoff talks about what comedians can and can't get away with nowadays.

Round 7: I A E N M D S K I

Catriona: MASKED (6)
Callum: MAIDENS (7)
DC: demeans DIAMINES (8)
Score: 25–44 (max 58)

Round 8: C N T P O U O S O

Catriona: COUPONS (7)
Callum: COUNTS (6)
DC: copouts
OT: OCTOPUS (7) SOUPCON (7)
Score: 32–44 (max 65)

Round 9: 25, 10, 5, 8, 1, 3. Target: 991.

Catriona: 991. (5 x 8 x 25) - (10 - 1) (10)
Callum: 992.
Score: 42–44 (max 75)

Teatime teaser: ECRUCOAT -> ACCOUTRE

Round 10: N P R T U E I S A

Catriona: PAINTERS (8)
Callum: PARTIES (7)
DC: PURITANS (8) PETUNIAS (8)
OT: NEATRUPS (8) PANTRIES (8) PERTAINS (8) PINASTER (8) PRISTANE (8) PRUINATE (8) REPAINTS (8) REPUNITS (8) RUINATES (8) SUPINATE (8) UNPRAISE (8) UNPRIEST (8) URANITES (8) URINATES (8)
Score: 50–44 (max 83)

Round 11: O A I M B R L R E

Catriona: bromine
Callum: misdeclared 8
DC: RAMBLER (7) ARMOIRE (7)
OT: BALMIER (7) BARMIER (7) BROILER (7) EMBROIL (7) LOAMIER (7) LORIMER (7) MARBLER (7) REMBLAI (7) RIMABLE (7)
Score: 50–44 (max 90)

Susie's Origins Of Words talks about the origins of "piping hot".

Round 12: S N O A O M L R U

Catriona: MAROONS (7)
Callum: NORMALS (7)
DC: SUNROOM (7)
OT: MONAULOS (8) ROOMAULS (8)
Score: 57–51 (max 98)

Round 13: A I A G V D G F U

Catriona: AVID (4)
Callum: GUAVA (5)
OT: DAGGA (5)
Score: 57–56 (max 103)

Round 14: 50, 1, 7, 4, 8, 5. Target: 277.

Catriona: 277. Mistake in working.
Callum: 277. ((50 + 4) x 5) + 7 (10)
Score: 57–66 (max 113)

Round 15: S A U C I M O L I

Catriona buzzes on 8.5 seconds to say MALICIOUS which is correct.
Final Score: 67–66 (max 123)

Statistics Corner

Catriona:
Total score - 67
Raw score - 77
Total % of max - 54
Raw % of max - 63
Total average score per round - 4.5
Raw average score per round - 5.1
Number of maxes - 7

Callum:
Total score - 66
Raw score - 93
Total % of max - 54
Raw % of max - 76
Total average score per round - 4.4
Raw average score per round - 6.2
Number of maxes - 4

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