Wednesday 2nd March 2022 (Series 85, Preliminary 43)

[James Robinson]

Countdown recap for Wednesday 2 March 2022.

C1: Champion Eric McPhail (1 win, 66 points.) A retired man from Edinburgh.
C2: Challenger Gary Janaway. A used vehicle marketing worker from Watford.
DC: Susie Dent and Nicky Campbell.
AMI: Anne-Marie Imafidon.
OT: Other words or solutions.

R01: D M S A I L N P A
R02: H S T E E O G U R
R03: 75, 4, 8, 9, 5, 10. Target: 141.
TTT: ICUPHERO - "I scored the winning goal in the cup final, and felt this."
R04: C S N I A E F R E
R05: M P U A G F S I R
R06: 25, 75, 8, 7, 7, 6. Target: 316.
R07: N Q I O A G D M S
R08: L H C E I E B R O
R09: 50, 1, 2, 9, 3, 9. Target: 725.
TTT: USAGEFIT - "Uses the gym to get fit, but becomes tired."
R10: G D T O A E R W S
R11: D V R U E O P K A
R12: R N T S E E I L W
R13: D T U O C L S E Y
R14: 5, 6, 8, 10, 2, 5. Target: 111.
R15: B E N D I F E E T (conundrum)


And now a brief interlude before our main feature:

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Enjoy the show.

Round 1: D M S A I L N P A

Eric: DISMAL (6)
Gary: PLAIN (5)
DC: PLAIDS (6) ANIMALS (7) PALADINS (8)
Score: 6–0 (max 8)

Round 2: H S T E E O G U R

Eric: TOUGHER (7)
Gary: ROGUES (6)
DC: GREETS (6) ROUGHEST (8)
OT: ETHEROUS (8) HOGSTEER (8) RESOUGHT (8) ROUGHETS (8)
Score: 13–0 (max 16)

Round 3: 75, 4, 8, 9, 5, 10. Target: 141.

Eric: 142.
Gary: 141. ((8 / 4) x 75) - 9 (10)
Score: 13–10 (max 26)

Teatime teaser: ICUPHERO -> EUPHORIC

Round 4: C S N I A E F R E

Eric: FANCIERS (8)
Gary: FANCIER (7)
DC: SCARF (5) FIANCEES (8)
OT: FRANCISE (8) INCREASE (8)
Score: 21–10 (max 34)

Round 5: M P U A G F S I R

Eric: GRUMPS (6)
Gary: GRUMPS (6)
DC: GRAMPUS (7)
Score: 27–16 (max 41)

Round 6: 25, 75, 8, 7, 7, 6. Target: 316.

Eric: -
Gary: 317. ((6 + 7) x 25) - 8 (7)
AMI: 316. ((75 - 25 - 6) x 7) + 8 (10)
Score: 27–23 (max 51)

Nicky talks about how he tracked down his birth mother.

Round 7: N Q I O A G D M S

Eric: DOSING (6)
Gary: modings
DC: AMIGOS (6) IMAGOS (6) DAIMONS (7)
OT: AGONISM (7) DOMAINS (7) GANOIDS (7) MADISON (7)
Score: 33–23 (max 58)

Round 8: L H C E I E B R O

Eric: HOLIER (6)
Gary: HOLIER (6)
DC: CHEERIO (7) BRIOCHE (7) CORBEIL (7)
OT: BRICOLE (7) ORBICLE (7)
Score: 39–29 (max 65)

Round 9: 50, 1, 2, 9, 3, 9. Target: 725.

Eric: -
Gary: 723. Mistake in working.
AMI: 725. (((50 x 2) - 9) x (9 - 1)) - 3 (10)
Score: 39–29 (max 75)

Teatime teaser: USAGEFIT -> FATIGUES

Round 10: G D T O A E R W S

Eric: DOWAGERS (8)
Gary: misdeclared 7
DC: goaters WATERDOGS (18)
Score: 47–29 (max 93)

Round 11: D V R U E O P K A

Eric: PARKED (6)
Gary: PROUD (5)
DC: PROVED (6)
OT: VAPOURED (8)
Score: 53–29 (max 101)

Susie's Origins Of Words talks about the origins of "a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush".

Round 12: R N T S E E I L W

Eric: LISTENER (8)
Gary: WINTERS (7)
DC: RELISTEN (8)
OT: ENLISTER (8)
Score: 61–29 (max 109)

Round 13: D T U O C L S E Y

Eric: CLOUTED (7)
Gary: CLOSED (6)
DC: CLOUDY (6) DULCET (6)
OT: COULDEST (8)
Score: 68–29 (max 117)

Round 14: 5, 6, 8, 10, 2, 5. Target: 111.

Eric: 111. 5 + 6 + (10 x 2 x 5) (10)
Gary: 111. ((5 + 6) x 10) + 8 - 5 - 2 (10)
Score: 78–39 (max 127)

Round 15: B E N D I F E E T

Eric buzzes on 0.75 seconds to say BENEFITED which is correct.
Final Score: 88–39 (max 137)

Statistics Corner

Eric:
Total score - 88
Raw score - 95
Total % of max - 64
Raw % of max - 69
Total average score per round - 5.9
Raw average score per round - 6.3
Number of maxes - 4

Gary:
Total score - 39
Raw score - 75
Total % of max - 28
Raw % of max - 55
Total average score per round - 2.6
Raw average score per round - 5.0
Number of maxes - 2

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