Wednesday 10th May 2023 (Series 87, Preliminary 78)

[James Robinson]

Countdown recap for Wednesday 10 May 2023.

C1: Champion Adam Blundred (4 wins, 389 points.) A finance manager from Stoke-on-Trent.
C2: Challenger Jonathan Seal. A museum lover from London.
DC: Susie Dent and Les Dennis.
RR: Rachel Riley.
OT: Other words or solutions.

R01: M G O E A R W R G
R02: T S O I L S E A N
R03: 100, 1, 4, 7, 2, 9. Target: 687.
TTT: BIGBUSTER - "Buster was a big fella, but he was also very dirty."
R04: U P N Q E U B N I
R05: P C Y E A R S T O
R06: 75, 100, 50, 25, 9, 9. Target: 813.
R07: N S E O R G E I T
R08: D G F A E T R A L
R09: 50, 5, 3, 8, 2, 8. Target: 899.
TTT: LINETRADE - "Usually the last one and the last one out."
R10: I A S F N E R L D
R11: V S M I O I T J E
R12: N K R A O H M U A
R13: T R T I E L Z A W
R14: 75, 50, 100, 25, 5, 2. Target: 717.
R15: T U T U L F A C E (conundrum)


And now a brief interlude before our main feature:

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Enjoy the show.

Round 1: M G O E A R W R G

Adam: WARMER (6)
Jonathan: wagger
DC: GROWER (6) RAGWORM (7)
OT: EARWORM (7) GROGRAM (7) REOGRAM (7)
Score: 6–0 (max 7)

Round 2: T S O I L S E A N

Adam: selations
Jonathan: selations
DC: ELATION (7) tonalises TOENAILS (8)
OT: AEOLISTS (8) ALNOITES (8) ANOLISES (8) EASTLINS (8) ENTISOLS (8) ISOLATES (8) SALIENTS (8) SALTINES (8)
Score: 6–0 (max 15)

Round 3: 100, 1, 4, 7, 2, 9. Target: 687.

Adam: 687. (100 x 7) - (9 + 4) (10)
Jonathan: 687. ((100 - 2) x 7) + 1 (10)
Score: 16–10 (max 25)

Teatime teaser: BIGBUSTER -> GRUBBIEST

Round 4: U P N Q E U B N I

Adam: bunnie
Jonathan: UNIQUE (6)
Score: 16–16 (max 31)

Round 5: P C Y E A R S T O

Adam: CAPTORS (7)
Jonathan: CARPETS (7)
DC: COASTER (7) CAPOTES (7)
OT: AEROCYST (8) CRAYPOTS (8) POTECARY (8)
Score: 23–23 (max 39)

Round 6: 75, 100, 50, 25, 9, 9. Target: 813.

Adam: 814. (100 x 9) - 75 - 9 - (50 / 25) (7)
Jonathan: 814. ((100 - 9) x 9) - ((75 + 50) / 25) (7)
OT: 813. ((100 - (9 x (50 / 25))) x 9) + 75 (10)
Score: 30–30 (max 49)

Les talks about working with some of comedy's greatest legends, including his personal favourite, Tommy Cooper.

Round 7: N S E O R G E I T

Adam: STEERING (8)
Jonathan: GORIEST (7)
DC: GENITORS (8)
OT: EGESTION (8) ENERGIST (8) INTEGERS (8) REESTING (8) REINGEST (8) ROSETING (8) SEROTINE (8) TRIGONES (8)
Score: 38–30 (max 57)

Round 8: D G F A E T R A L

Adam: GRAFTED (7)
Jonathan: GRAFTED (7)
DC: GRADATE (7)
OT: ALGRADE (7) ALTARED (7) DATALER (7) FALGATE (7) LAARFED (7) LATERAD (7)
Score: 45–37 (max 64)

Round 9: 50, 5, 3, 8, 2, 8. Target: 899.

Adam: 900. (8 - 2) x 3 x 50 (7)
Jonathan: 900. (8 - 2) x 3 x 50 (7)
RR: 899. ((((50 + 8) x 2) - 3) x 8) - 5 (10)
Score: 52–44 (max 74)

Teatime teaser: LINETRADE -> TAILENDER

Round 10: I A S F N E R L D

Adam: SLANDER (7)
Jonathan: FINALES (7)
DC: ISLANDER (8)
OT: FLINDERS (8) SNARFLED (8)
Score: 59–51 (max 82)

Round 11: V S M I O I T J E

Adam: jiviest
Jonathan: MOTIVES (7)
DC: EMOJIS (6)
OT: VETOISM (7)
Score: 59–58 (max 89)

Susie's Origins Of Words talks about the origins of the fingers of our hands.

Round 12: N K R A O H M U A

Adam: unmark
Jonathan: ANORAK (6)
OT: KORHAAN (7) MAHORKA (7)
Score: 59–64 (max 96)

Round 13: T R T I E L Z A W

Adam: LATTER (6)
Jonathan: LITTER (6)
DC: wittler
OT: WALTZER (7)
Score: 65–70 (max 103)

Round 14: 75, 50, 100, 25, 5, 2. Target: 717.

Adam: 714.
Jonathan: 715. ((100 + 50 - 2) x 5) - 25 (7)
RR: 718. ((75 - 50) x 25) + 100 - 5 - 2 (7)
Score: 65–77 (max 110)

Round 15: T U T U L F A C E

Jonathan buzzes on 20.5 seconds to say FLUCTUATE which is correct.
Final Score: 65–87 (max 120)

Statistics Corner

Adam:
Total score - 65
Raw score - 72
Total % of max - 54
Raw % of max - 60
Total average score per round - 4.3
Raw average score per round - 4.8
Number of maxes - 3

Jonathan:
Total score - 87
Raw score - 94
Total % of max - 73
Raw % of max - 78
Total average score per round - 5.8
Raw average score per round - 6.3
Number of maxes - 6

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