Tuesday 22nd December 2020 (Special S48)
Posted: Mon Apr 05, 2021 10:21 pm
Our 2nd special gives us a battle of two super-champions 
Countdown recap for Tuesday 22 December 2020.
C1: Series 69 Champion & Champion of Champions XIV Quarter-Finalist Callum Todd. (12 games, 10 wins, 1,300 points.) An Apteforumite from Tingley, West Yorkshire.
C2: Series 63 Champion & 30th Birthday Championship Runner-Up Jack Hurst. (17 games, 16 wins, 1,983 points.) An Apteforumite from Desford, Leicestershire.
DC: Susie Dent and Rory Bremner.
RR: Rachel Riley, wearing a very fetching double pudding sweater...
CM: Guest Host Colin Murray.
OT: Other words or solutions.
R01: U O E I A Y W C D
R02: S T L E O A M R N
R03: 100, 25, 75, 50, 6, 6. Target: 603.
TTT: SLOWFLAN - "In the coming days, you might get a lot of this."
R04: H P B I E A S D G
R05: N M F D T S I U O
R06: 100, 8, 7, 10, 3, 8. Target: 399.
R07: R L N C E I O E V
R08: D T N A I O S F M
R09: 100, 25, 3, 5, 8, 7. Target: 896.
TTT: FUNGIFTS - "Gifts are fun to give at Christmas, but you can't beat one of these."
R10: S N P A E O H T G
R11: R L J S I E A U N
R12: T P K E I A W O E
R13: A R C O G I B E R
R14: 50, 3, 5, 5, 7, 8. Target: 625.
R15: X M A S C L U B I (conundrum)
And now a brief interlude before our main feature:
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Round 1: U O E I A Y W C D
Callum: ADIEU (5)
Jack: WAYED (5)
DC: DECAY (5) COWED (5)
OT: DIOECY (6)
Score: 5–5 (max 6)
Horrible letters to begin with, and just a rogue 6 left hidden.
In a plant or invertebrate animal, DIOECY is the quality of having the male and female reproductive organs in separate individuals.
Round 2: S T L E O A M R N
Callum: STOREMAN (8)
Jack: MARLSTONE (18)
DC: MASON (5)
OT: MESTRANOL (18)
Score: 5–23 (max 24)
Jack bursts clear early doors thanks to that rock hard 9.
MESTRANOL is a synthetic oestrogen used chiefly in oral contraceptives, in combination with a progestational agent; the 3-methyl ether of ethynyloestradiol, C₂₁ H₂₆ O₂.
Round 3: 100, 25, 75, 50, 6, 6. Target: 603.
Callum: 603. (6 x 100) + (75 / 25) (10)
Jack: 603. (6 x 100) + (75 / 25) (10)
Score: 15–33 (max 34)
Too easy....
Tinsel teaser: SLOWFLAN -> SNOWFALL
Round 4: H P B I E A S D G
Callum: BASHED (6)
Jack: pigheads
DC: bigheads APHIDES (7)
OT: BAGSIED (7) PEGASID (7)
Score: 21–33 (max 41)
Even I thought pigheads was good, shame it ain't.
PEGASID is a fish of the family Pegasidae; a sea-moth.
Round 5: N M F D T S I U O
Callum: FOUNDS (6)
Jack: DISMOUNT (8)
DC: NUDIST (6) NUTS (4)
Score: 21–41 (max 49)
But, Jack gets back on board immediately thanks to a nice DISMOUNT.
Round 6: 100, 8, 7, 10, 3, 8. Target: 399.
Callum: 399. ((8 x 8) - 7) x (10 - 3) (10)
Jack: 399. ((7 - 3) x 100) - (8 / 8) (10)
Score: 31–51 (max 59)
Two very, very different ways to get to 399 here.
Rory talks about people who we have lost this year from COVID.
Round 7: R L N C E I O E V
Callum: OVERLINE (8)
Jack: OVERLINE (8)
DC: COVERLINE (18)
Score: 39–59 (max 77)
That must be a rarity, two very skilled players missing adding a letter to the start of an 8 to make a 9!!!
Round 8: D T N A I O S F M
Callum: STIFADO (7)
Jack: SAINTDOM (8)
DC: IN (2) INMOST (6) FANTODS (7)
OT: MONADIST (8)
Score: 39–67 (max 85)
But, Jack is back in the big man's good books thanks to his SAINTDOM.
A MONADIST is a follower or adherent of monadism.
Round 9: 100, 25, 3, 5, 8, 7. Target: 896.
Callum: 896. (100 + 7 + 5) x 8 (10)
Jack: 896. (100 + 25 + 3) x 7 (10)
Score: 49–77 (max 95)
Now that's using the 112 and 128 times tables to your advantage!!!
Tinsel teaser: FUNGIFTS -> STUFFING
Round 10: S N P A E O H T G
Callum: HEPTAGONS (18)
Jack: PATHOGENS (18)
Score: 67–95 (max 113)
Round 11: R L J S I E A U N
Callum: INJURES (7)
Jack: JAILERS (7)
DC: NAILERS (7)
OT: INSULAE (7) INSULAR (7) LARNIES (7) RESLAIN (7) UNJAILS (7) URANILE (7) URINALS (7)
Score: 74–102 (max 120)
FLATTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT
In ancient Rome, an INSULA (plural INSULAE) was a tenement in a city.
In South Africa, a LARNEY (or LARNIE) is an informal term for a white man.
URANILE (or URANYL) is the cation UO₂²⁺, present in some compounds of uranium.
Susie's Origins Of Words talks about the origins of some Christmassy words.
Round 12: T P K E I A W O E
Callum: KWAITO (6)
Jack: PEEWIT (6)
DC: TWEAK (5)
OT: KATIPO (6) KEWPIE (6) OPIATE (6)
Score: 80–108 (max 126)
Love Callum's great offering there.
A KATIPO is a highly venomous New Zealand spider which is black with a red spot on the back, closely related to the American black widow. (Latrodectus mactans katipo, family Theridiidae)
A KEWPIE is a type of doll characterized by a large head, big eyes, chubby cheeks, and a curl or topknot on top of its head.
Round 13: A R C O G I B E R
Callum: BEAR (4)
Jack: BEGORRA (7)
OT: AEROBIC (7) BRACERO (7) RIBCAGE (7)
Score: 80–115 (max 133)
Jack seals the win with his great 7, while Callum goes BARE (or is he going on a BEAR hunt....
)
A BRACERO is a Mexican labourer allowed into the United States for a limited time as a seasonal agricultural worker.
Round 14: 50, 3, 5, 5, 7, 8. Target: 625.
Callum: 625. ((5 + 5) x (7 + 3) x 50) / 8 (10)
Jack: 625. (50 x 5 x 5) / (8 / (7 - 3) (10)
Score: 90–125 (max 143)
Round 15: X M A S C L U B I
Callum buzzes on 1.25 seconds to say SUBCLIMAX which is correct.
Final Score: 100–125 (max 153)
Nice CLIMAX, or even a SUBCLIMAX for Callum, as he seals a century for himself.
But, it's a great win for Jack, who clearly hasn't lost his edge in the nearly 8 year gap since his last appearance on this show.
Well, if you thought this was good, tomorrow sees the BATTLE OF THE GOATs, as Conor Travers takes on Jack Worsley in what should be a humdinger of a way to finish off 2020 
Statistics Corner
Callum:
Total score - 100
Raw score - 125
Total % of max - 65
Raw % of max - 82
Total average score per round - 6.7
Raw average score per round - 8.3
Number of maxes - 8
Jack:
Total score - 125
Raw score - 125
Total % of max - 82
Raw % of max - 82
Total average score per round - 8.3
Raw average score per round - 8.3
Number of maxes - 11
Further summaries are at:
http://cdb.apterous.org/series.php?series=-14
Countdown recap for Tuesday 22 December 2020.
C1: Series 69 Champion & Champion of Champions XIV Quarter-Finalist Callum Todd. (12 games, 10 wins, 1,300 points.) An Apteforumite from Tingley, West Yorkshire.
C2: Series 63 Champion & 30th Birthday Championship Runner-Up Jack Hurst. (17 games, 16 wins, 1,983 points.) An Apteforumite from Desford, Leicestershire.
DC: Susie Dent and Rory Bremner.
RR: Rachel Riley, wearing a very fetching double pudding sweater...
CM: Guest Host Colin Murray.
OT: Other words or solutions.
R01: U O E I A Y W C D
R02: S T L E O A M R N
R03: 100, 25, 75, 50, 6, 6. Target: 603.
TTT: SLOWFLAN - "In the coming days, you might get a lot of this."
R04: H P B I E A S D G
R05: N M F D T S I U O
R06: 100, 8, 7, 10, 3, 8. Target: 399.
R07: R L N C E I O E V
R08: D T N A I O S F M
R09: 100, 25, 3, 5, 8, 7. Target: 896.
TTT: FUNGIFTS - "Gifts are fun to give at Christmas, but you can't beat one of these."
R10: S N P A E O H T G
R11: R L J S I E A U N
R12: T P K E I A W O E
R13: A R C O G I B E R
R14: 50, 3, 5, 5, 7, 8. Target: 625.
R15: X M A S C L U B I (conundrum)
And now a brief interlude before our main feature:
SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER
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Enjoy the show.
Round 1: U O E I A Y W C D
Callum: ADIEU (5)
Jack: WAYED (5)
DC: DECAY (5) COWED (5)
OT: DIOECY (6)
Score: 5–5 (max 6)
Horrible letters to begin with, and just a rogue 6 left hidden.
In a plant or invertebrate animal, DIOECY is the quality of having the male and female reproductive organs in separate individuals.
Round 2: S T L E O A M R N
Callum: STOREMAN (8)
Jack: MARLSTONE (18)
DC: MASON (5)
OT: MESTRANOL (18)
Score: 5–23 (max 24)
Jack bursts clear early doors thanks to that rock hard 9.
MESTRANOL is a synthetic oestrogen used chiefly in oral contraceptives, in combination with a progestational agent; the 3-methyl ether of ethynyloestradiol, C₂₁ H₂₆ O₂.
Round 3: 100, 25, 75, 50, 6, 6. Target: 603.
Callum: 603. (6 x 100) + (75 / 25) (10)
Jack: 603. (6 x 100) + (75 / 25) (10)
Score: 15–33 (max 34)
Too easy....
Tinsel teaser: SLOWFLAN -> SNOWFALL
Round 4: H P B I E A S D G
Callum: BASHED (6)
Jack: pigheads
DC: bigheads APHIDES (7)
OT: BAGSIED (7) PEGASID (7)
Score: 21–33 (max 41)
Even I thought pigheads was good, shame it ain't.
PEGASID is a fish of the family Pegasidae; a sea-moth.
Round 5: N M F D T S I U O
Callum: FOUNDS (6)
Jack: DISMOUNT (8)
DC: NUDIST (6) NUTS (4)
Score: 21–41 (max 49)
But, Jack gets back on board immediately thanks to a nice DISMOUNT.
Round 6: 100, 8, 7, 10, 3, 8. Target: 399.
Callum: 399. ((8 x 8) - 7) x (10 - 3) (10)
Jack: 399. ((7 - 3) x 100) - (8 / 8) (10)
Score: 31–51 (max 59)
Two very, very different ways to get to 399 here.
Rory talks about people who we have lost this year from COVID.
Round 7: R L N C E I O E V
Callum: OVERLINE (8)
Jack: OVERLINE (8)
DC: COVERLINE (18)
Score: 39–59 (max 77)
That must be a rarity, two very skilled players missing adding a letter to the start of an 8 to make a 9!!!
Round 8: D T N A I O S F M
Callum: STIFADO (7)
Jack: SAINTDOM (8)
DC: IN (2) INMOST (6) FANTODS (7)
OT: MONADIST (8)
Score: 39–67 (max 85)
But, Jack is back in the big man's good books thanks to his SAINTDOM.
A MONADIST is a follower or adherent of monadism.
Round 9: 100, 25, 3, 5, 8, 7. Target: 896.
Callum: 896. (100 + 7 + 5) x 8 (10)
Jack: 896. (100 + 25 + 3) x 7 (10)
Score: 49–77 (max 95)
Now that's using the 112 and 128 times tables to your advantage!!!
Tinsel teaser: FUNGIFTS -> STUFFING
Round 10: S N P A E O H T G
Callum: HEPTAGONS (18)
Jack: PATHOGENS (18)
Score: 67–95 (max 113)
Round 11: R L J S I E A U N
Callum: INJURES (7)
Jack: JAILERS (7)
DC: NAILERS (7)
OT: INSULAE (7) INSULAR (7) LARNIES (7) RESLAIN (7) UNJAILS (7) URANILE (7) URINALS (7)
Score: 74–102 (max 120)
FLATTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT
In ancient Rome, an INSULA (plural INSULAE) was a tenement in a city.
In South Africa, a LARNEY (or LARNIE) is an informal term for a white man.
URANILE (or URANYL) is the cation UO₂²⁺, present in some compounds of uranium.
Susie's Origins Of Words talks about the origins of some Christmassy words.
Round 12: T P K E I A W O E
Callum: KWAITO (6)
Jack: PEEWIT (6)
DC: TWEAK (5)
OT: KATIPO (6) KEWPIE (6) OPIATE (6)
Score: 80–108 (max 126)
Love Callum's great offering there.
A KATIPO is a highly venomous New Zealand spider which is black with a red spot on the back, closely related to the American black widow. (Latrodectus mactans katipo, family Theridiidae)
A KEWPIE is a type of doll characterized by a large head, big eyes, chubby cheeks, and a curl or topknot on top of its head.
Round 13: A R C O G I B E R
Callum: BEAR (4)
Jack: BEGORRA (7)
OT: AEROBIC (7) BRACERO (7) RIBCAGE (7)
Score: 80–115 (max 133)
Jack seals the win with his great 7, while Callum goes BARE (or is he going on a BEAR hunt....
)A BRACERO is a Mexican labourer allowed into the United States for a limited time as a seasonal agricultural worker.
Round 14: 50, 3, 5, 5, 7, 8. Target: 625.
Callum: 625. ((5 + 5) x (7 + 3) x 50) / 8 (10)
Jack: 625. (50 x 5 x 5) / (8 / (7 - 3) (10)
Score: 90–125 (max 143)
Round 15: X M A S C L U B I
Callum buzzes on 1.25 seconds to say SUBCLIMAX which is correct.
Final Score: 100–125 (max 153)
Nice CLIMAX, or even a SUBCLIMAX for Callum, as he seals a century for himself.
But, it's a great win for Jack, who clearly hasn't lost his edge in the nearly 8 year gap since his last appearance on this show.
Well, if you thought this was good, tomorrow sees the BATTLE OF THE GOATs, as Conor Travers takes on Jack Worsley in what should be a humdinger of a way to finish off 2020
Statistics Corner
Callum:
Total score - 100
Raw score - 125
Total % of max - 65
Raw % of max - 82
Total average score per round - 6.7
Raw average score per round - 8.3
Number of maxes - 8
Jack:
Total score - 125
Raw score - 125
Total % of max - 82
Raw % of max - 82
Total average score per round - 8.3
Raw average score per round - 8.3
Number of maxes - 11
Further summaries are at:
http://cdb.apterous.org/series.php?series=-14