Countdown recap for Wednesday 14 July 2021.
Anne says it's Bastille day. Does that mean we have to sing "Pompeii"?
C1: Champion Florence Cappleman-Lynes (1 win, 105 points.)
C2: Challenger Charlie Higgins. Hip-hop writer. With a degree in Jazz. No, really. From North Ascot. Looks about 12, is actually 24.
DC: Susie Dent and Philippa Perry.
RR: Rachel Riley.
OT: Other words or solutions.
R01: M I N I S E T D K
R02: G T Y A A N P E T
R03: 75, 100, 25, 5, 3, 10. Target: 676.
TTT: ACTDROVE - "Her lascivious act drove the crowd wild."
R04: B C N S O O S I E
R05: M O H E T I D R A
R06: 25, 100, 50, 1, 10, 9. Target: 492.
R07: W U P I R I T E G
R08: S P F R A G E I R
R09: 75, 50, 25, 100, 5, 3. Target: 887.
TTT: MAULGENT - "Not 50 shades of grey, just the one."
R10: L T B N D I A I A
R11: J O S U L E W S R
R12: N D G E U E O R A
R13: N E L E P U C O E
R14: 100, 25, 75, 9, 2, 7. Target: 501.
R15: M R S M E D I U M (conundrum)
And now a brief interlude before our main feature:
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Enjoy the show.
Round 1: M I N I S E T D K
Florence: DINKIEST (8)
Charlie: MINES (5)
DC: MINDSET (7) MINTED (6)
OT: IDENTISM (8)
Score: 8–0 (max 8, jos 8)
Darren-o-meter: 0/1 (0%)
Florence takes an early lead.
Anne to Charlie: "Do you need to get a proper job? [...] I bet your mother asks it too."
Round 2: G T Y A A N P E T
Florence: PETTY (5)
Charlie: PETTY (5)
DC: PAGEANT (7)
Score: 13–5 (max 15, jos 15)
Darren-o-meter: 1/2 (50%)
Lovely bit of darrenage from Dictionary Corner, but at least Charlie is now off the mark.
Round 3: 75, 100, 25, 5, 3, 10. Target: 676.
Florence: 675. (100 − 75) × 25 + 5 × 10 (7)
Charlie: 674.
RR: 676. (75 + 10) × (5 + 3) − 100 ÷ 25 (10)
Score: 20–5 (max 25, jos 25)
Florence is one away, Charlie is two away... Rachel is zero away. Florence has a 15-point lead already.
Teatime teaser: ACTDROVE -> CAVORTED
Round 4: B C N S O O S I E
Florence: BOONS (5)
Charlie: SCOOBIE (7) (I think)
DC: CESSION (7) BOONIES (7) SCOOBIES (8) (from RR)
Score: 20–12 (max 33, jos 33)
Darren-o-meter: 2/3 (67%)
Zoinks! What a good seven from Charlie, but Rachel points out he can pluralise it.
Round 5: M O H E T I D R A
Florence: MOTHIER (7) (try)
Charlie: MOTHER (6)
DC: MOHAIRED (8)
OT: MEDIATOR (8)
Score: 27–12 (max 41, jos 41)
Darren-o-meter: 2/4 (50%)
Florence's turn to give us a risk which pays off. Lead goes up to 15 again.
Round 6: 25, 100, 50, 1, 10, 9. Target: 492.
Florence: 492. 50 ÷ 10 × 100 − (9 − 1) (10)
Charlie: 492. 50 × 10 − (9 − 1) (10)
Score: 37–22 (max 51, jos 51)
Florence being a bit superlative, so much so that Quantum Tombola doesn't recognise it as a solution.
Philippa lectures us on parenting.
Round 7: W U P I R I T E G
Florence: WRITE (5)
Charlie: TRIPE (5)
DC: PERIWIG (7)
Score: 42–27 (max 58, jos 58)
Darren-o-meter: 3/5 (60%)
PERIWIG is an excellent darren from Susie, as the contestants can only see 5.
Round 8: S P F R A G E I R
Florence: GRAPIER (7)
Charlie: SPARE (5)
DC: PARRIES (7) GRASPER (7)
OT: GRIPERS (7) PRAISER (7) PRISAGE (7) RAPIERS (7) RASPIER (7) REPAIRS (7) RIPRESA (7) SPARGER (7)
Score: 49–27 (max 65, jos 65)
Darren-o-meter: 3/6 (50%)
Charlie misses about 20 sevens.
Round 9: 75, 50, 25, 100, 5, 3. Target: 887.
Florence: 885. (not written down) (75 ÷ 25 × 100 − 5) × 3 (7)
Charlie: -
OT: 887. ((100 × 3 − 5) × 75 + 50) ÷ 25 (10)
Score: 56–27 (max 75, jos 72)
Florence isn't a million miles away here. If she had switched the 3 and the 75 over 25, she could use the 50 to find the extra 2.
Teatime teaser: MAULGENT -> GUNMETAL
Round 10: L T B N D I A I A
Florence: TIBIAL (6) (try)
Charlie: BANDIT (6)
OT: NATALID (7)
Score: 62–33 (max 82, jos 78)
Darren-o-meter: 4/7 (57%)
The seven eludes everyone here.
Round 11: J O S U L E W S R
Florence: SLOWER (6) (stick with)
Charlie: JOULES (6)
DC: SOULERS (7)
OT: LOUSERS (7)
Score: 68–39 (max 89, jos 85)
Darren-o-meter: 4/8 (50%)
Anne looks set to continue the unwanted Nick trait of not asking contestants what they were thinking of. Unless it was SOULERS or LOUSERS, Florence was right to stick.
Susie tells about tickling and the origin of the phrase "tickled pink". Pretty much what it says on the tin.
Round 12: N D G E U E O R A
Florence: AGROUND (7)
Charlie: NUDGER (6)
DC: gandered (phantom D) RENEGADO (8)
OT: DUNGAREE (8) UNDERAGE (8) UNGEARED (8)
Score: 75–39 (max 97, jos 93)
Darren-o-meter: 4/9 (44%)
Florence is the one who points out Philippa's GANDERED has a phantom D, as Susie gets excited and starts looking it up...!
Round 13: N E L E P U C O E
Florence: COUPLE (6) (stick with)
Charlie: CLONE (5)
DC: POUNCE (6) PLOUNCE (7)
OT: OPULENCE (8)
Score: 81–39 (max 105, jos 100)
Darren-o-meter: 5/10 (50%)
OPULENCE! You own everything! Florence's six gets her over the line.
Round 14: 100, 25, 75, 9, 2, 7. Target: 501.
Florence: 500. (7 − 2) × 100 (7)
Charlie: 500. (7 − 2) × 100 (7)
RR: 501. (75 − (9 − 2)) × 7 + 25 (10)
Score: 88–46 (max 115, jos 110)
This time Rachel can do her job, spotting how to find the missing 1.
Round 15: M R S M E D I U M
Florence buzzes on 7.5 seconds to say MIDSUMMER which is correct.
Final Score: 98–46 (max 125, jos 120)
0.5 seconds slower than your normal speed, Florence... tut tut... Sam will be looking after the kids for another day!
Anne and Rachel talk about shoes. Rachel is wearing 10cm heels, and for a Maths grad she is clearly unaware of her conversion rates, as it's 4 inches, not "3 and a bit". I have no idea how impressive that is.
Join us again for Countdown. Goodbye.
Further summaries are at:
http://cdb.apterous.org/series.php?series=84