Monday 1st May 2023 (Series 87, Preliminary 71)

[James Robinson]

Countdown recap for Monday 1 May 2023.

C1: Champion Alex Blundy (1 win, 76 points.) An 18-year-old student from Oxfordshire.
C2: Challenger Sandy Boyle. A 74-year-old retired merchant navy cook from Grimsby.
DC: Susie Dent and Cheryl Baker.
RR: Rachel Riley.
OT: Other words or solutions.

R01: L N P O E I N S R
R02: T A V I E S G O N
R03: 100, 25, 3, 7, 6, 5. Target: 707.
TTT: ECOBALLS - "This applies to the deals and the doors."
R04: E S N U E T H R A
R05: W T J O I U P T A
R06: 75, 10, 7, 6, 4, 9. Target: 581.
R07: R S R E A I S C R
R08: L A T D O A K E N
R09: 25, 75, 8, 5, 8, 3. Target: 906.
TTT: MADEAPAN - "Made a panful of these lovely Spanish snacks."
R10: G M H O I R E N G
R11: L P R I A U N T I
R12: N M S A E D A E G
R13: B F T U E I D G O
R14: 100, 50, 8, 8, 5, 1. Target: 953.
R15: Q U I L L S N A G (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: L N P O E I N S R

Alex: slopier
Sandy: SPOILER (7)
DC: PENSION (7) PROLINE (7)
OT: ONLINERS (8) PLERIONS (8)
Score: 0–7 (max 8)

Round 2: T A V I E S G O N

Alex: SAVING (6)
Sandy: SEATING (7)
DC: VINTAGES (8)
Score: 0–14 (max 16)

Round 3: 100, 25, 3, 7, 6, 5. Target: 707.

Alex: 707. (100 x 7) + (25 / 5) + (6 / 3) (10)
Sandy: 707. (6 - 5 + 100) x 7 (10)
Score: 10–24 (max 26)

Teatime teaser: ECOBALLS -> CLOSABLE

Round 4: E S N U E T H R A

Alex: HAUNTERS (8)
Sandy: ENTHUSE (7)
DC: UNEARTHS (8)
OT: HASTENER (8) HEARTENS (8) RHENATES (8) URETHANE (8)
Score: 18–24 (max 34)

Round 5: W T J O I U P T A

Alex: OUTWIT (6)
Sandy: OUTWAIT (7)
DC: UTOPIA (6)
Score: 18–31 (max 41)

Round 6: 75, 10, 7, 6, 4, 9. Target: 581.

Alex: 581. (75 x 7) + (10 x 6) - 4 (10)
Sandy: -
Score: 28–31 (max 51)

Cheryl talks about that memorable night in 1981, when she won the Eurovision Song Contest as part of Bucks Fizz.

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

Alex: SCARIER (7)
Sandy: CARRIERS (8)
Score: 28–39 (max 59)

Round 8: L A T D O A K E N

Alex: DONATE (6)
Sandy: TANKED (6)
DC: ANKLET (6)
OT: ALKANET (7) OATLAND (7) TALONED (7)
Score: 34–45 (max 66)

Round 9: 25, 75, 8, 5, 8, 3. Target: 906.

Alex: 908. ((8 - 5) x 3 x (75 + 25)) + 8 (7)
Sandy: 900.
RR: 906. (((75 - 8) x 5) - 25 - 8) x 3 (10)
Score: 41–45 (max 76)

Teatime teaser: MADEAPAN -> EMPANADA

Round 10: G M H O I R E N G

Alex: REHOMING (8)
Sandy: HOMING (6)
OT: HOMERING (8)
Score: 49–45 (max 84)

Round 11: L P R I A U N T I

Alex: RITUAL (6)
Sandy: UNPLAIT (7)
DC: NUPTIAL (7)
OT: NAUPLII (7) NAUTILI (7) PATULIN (7) PINTAIL (7) PURITAN (7)
Score: 49–52 (max 91)

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

Round 12: N M S A E D A E G

Alex: DAMAGES (7)
Sandy: MANAGES (7)
DC: SEAMAN (6) ENDGAMES (8)
OT: MANAGEES (8)
Score: 56–59 (max 99)

Round 13: B F T U E I D G O

Alex: FIDGET (6)
Sandy: BUDGIE (6)
DC: BIGOTED (7)
Score: 62–65 (max 106)

Round 14: 100, 50, 8, 8, 5, 1. Target: 953.

Alex: 953. ((1 + 8) x 100) + 8 - 5 + 50 (10)
Sandy: 953. ((1 + 8) x 100) + 8 - 5 + 50 (10)
Score: 72–75 (max 116)

Round 15: Q U I L L S N A G

Sandy buzzes on 3.5 seconds to say nothing, as Colin times him out, which is incorrect.
Alex buzzes on 3.75 seconds to say SQUALLING which is correct.
Final Score: 82–75 (max 126)

Statistics Corner

Alex:
Total score - 82
Raw score - 107
Total % of max - 65
Raw % of max - 85
Total average score per round - 5.5
Raw average score per round - 7.1
Number of maxes - 6

Sandy:
Total score - 75
Raw score - 93
Total % of max - 60
Raw % of max - 74
Total average score per round - 5.0
Raw average score per round - 6.2
Number of maxes - 5

Further summaries are at:
http://cdb.apterous.org/series.php?series=87