Friday 11th February 2022 (Series 85, Preliminary 30)

[James Robinson]

Countdown recap for Friday 11 February 2022.

C1: Champion Catriona Devaney (3 wins, 249 points.) A DBO validation officer from Barnaderg, County Galway.
C2: Challenger Mark Curtis. A global key accountant in the automotive industry from Ascot, Berkshire.
DC: Susie Dent and Geoff Norcott.
AMI: Anne-Marie Imafidon.
OT: Other words or solutions.

R01: O I E T S M H D I
R02: T P U E L R N E S
R03: 100, 8, 5, 4, 8, 4. Target: 909.
TTT: THEACRES - "The acres have had a metric conversion."
R04: T A U Y L N I M E
R05: A E I C T B S R E
R06: 100, 50, 8, 2, 8, 7. Target: 110.
R07: O A U M R P N W I
R08: L A G T N E I D R
R09: 100, 1, 10, 1, 8, 6. Target: 405.
TTT: TENHULLS - "In the fewest possible words, it's where the kernel lives."
R10: S P E I V G C U D
R11: A A E R S D L F O
R12: T M E I S G P A C
R13: I A O N K G S L Q
R14: 75, 50, 1, 4, 1, 10. Target: 606.
R15: P A W N B R O K E (conundrum)


And now a brief interlude before our main feature:

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Enjoy the show.

Round 1: O I E T S M H D I

Catriona: METHODS (7)
Mark: DEMIST (6)
DC: HEIST (5) ETHMOIDS (8)
OT: DITHEISM (8) SMITHIED (8)
Score: 7–0 (max 8)

Round 2: T P U E L R N E S

Catriona: PRUNES (6)
Mark: PRUNES (6)
DC: REPENTS (7) REPULSE (7)
OT: PURSELET (8)
Score: 13–6 (max 16)

Round 3: 100, 8, 5, 4, 8, 4. Target: 909.

Catriona: 908. ((5 + 4) x 100) + 8 (7)
Mark: 908. ((5 + 4) x 100) + 8 (7)
AMI: 909. ((8 / 8) + 100) x (5 + 4) (10)
Score: 20–13 (max 26)

Teatime teaser: THEACRES -> HECTARES

Round 4: T A U Y L N I M E

Catriona: MINUTELY (8)
Mark: LAMENT (6)
DC: LIME (4) UNTIMELY (8)
Score: 28–13 (max 34)

Round 5: A E I C T B S R E

Catriona: BERATES (7)
Mark: BEATERS (7)
OT: BACTERISE (18)
Score: 35–20 (max 52)

Round 6: 100, 50, 8, 2, 8, 7. Target: 110.

Catriona: 110. 2 + 8 + 100 (10)
Mark: 110. 2 + 8 + 100 (10)
Score: 45–30 (max 62)

Geoff talks about how you sometimes forget the punchlines to jokes.

Round 7: O A U M R P N W I

Catriona: PRAM (4)
Mark: PRAWN (5)
DC: RAMPION (7)
OT: MAINOUR (7) PINWORM (7)
Score: 45–35 (max 69)

Round 8: L A G T N E I D R

Catriona: RELATING (8)
Mark: glinter
DC: GLINTED (7) TRIANGLE (8) TREADING (8) TREADLING (18)
Score: 53–35 (max 87)

Round 9: 100, 1, 10, 1, 8, 6. Target: 405.

Catriona: 405. ((100 + 1) x (10 - 6)) + 1 (10)
Mark: 404.
Score: 63–35 (max 97)

Teatime teaser: TENHULLS -> NUTSHELL

Round 10: S P E I V G C U D

Catriona: SPIED (5)
Mark: SPIED (5)
DC: SPICED (6) CUPIDS (6) GUIDES (6)
OT: CUSPED (6) CUSPID (6) UPSIDE (6) VESPID (6)
Score: 68–40 (max 103)

Round 11: A A E R S D L F O

Catriona: FOLDERS (7)
Mark: LOAFERS (7)
DC: FEDORAS (7) LOADERS (7)
OT: FARDELS (7) LAARFED (7) ORDEALS (7) RAFALES (7) REFOLDS (7) RELOADS (7)
Score: 75–47 (max 110)

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

Round 12: T M E I S G P A C

Catriona: CAMPIEST (8)
Mark: CAMPS (5)
DC: CAMPSITE (8)
Score: 83–47 (max 118)

Round 13: I A O N K G S L Q

Catriona: SOAKING (7)
Mark: SOAKING (7)
DC: SLAKING (7)
OT: OAKLINGS (8)
Score: 90–54 (max 126)

Round 14: 75, 50, 1, 4, 1, 10. Target: 606.

Catriona: 605. Mistake in working.
Mark: 604. ((10 - 1 - 1) x 75) + 4 (7)
AMI: 606. ((50 + 4 - 1) x 10) + 75 + 1 (10)
Score: 90–61 (max 136)

Round 15: P A W N B R O K E

No one buzzes. The answer was POWERBANK.
Final Score: 90–61 (max 146)

Statistics Corner

Catriona:
Total score - 90
Raw score - 94
Total % of max - 62
Raw % of max - 64
Total average score per round - 6.0
Raw average score per round - 6.3
Number of maxes - 5

Mark:
Total score - 61
Raw score - 85
Total % of max - 42
Raw % of max - 58
Total average score per round - 4.1
Raw average score per round - 5.7
Number of maxes - 2

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