Wednesday 29th April 2026 ( Series 93 Preliminary 84 )
Posted: Mon Jun 01, 2026 2:08 pm
After a very long hiatus..................the Tracey Mills recaps are finally back !
Welcome to another midweek recap our current champion Tom is going rather well at the moment...........stop the press..........but look who is back it is the return of Patrick Thompson.............some of you may recognise our challenger from a previous appearance in series 72 where he lost his one and only game effectively making him the second returning contestant from 2015. After considerable practice and time on apterous can Patrick go one better and bag himself the long overdue countdown teapot he has been yearning for ?
C1: Champion Tom Bashford (4 wins, 383 points.)
C2: Challenger Patrick Thompson.
DC: Susie Dent and Kate Bottley.
RR: Rachel Riley.
OT: Other words or solutions.
R01: U E A R S C O I N
R02: T S R D O E I G L
R03: 50, 25, 100, 75, 3, 8. Target: 378.
TTT: INCARAIN - "Tim and Zoe head to Italy for some food"
R04: M K L N A O E F L
R05: R O E A D E T G N
R06: 50, 100, 75, 25, 9, 8. Target: 564.
R07: P Z T G R I E I M
R08: N P R B U A E T S
R09: 3, 9, 6, 2, 10, 4, . Target: 910.
TTT: HORSECON - "Raise a glass to the four seasons"
R10: D F L T I A I O R
R11: E O S G W I T M T
R12: S N P H E A U O W
R13: E A E A D R C V L
R14: 25, 100, 50, 75, 10, 9. Target: 696.
R15: R E D U N G E O N (conundrum)
And now a brief interlude before our main feature:
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Enjoy the show.
Round 1: U E A R S C O I N
Tom: INSOURCE (8)
Patrick: SCENARIO (8)
DC: COINERS (7)
OT: NACREOUS (8)
Score: 8–8 (max 8)
A great start from our Champion and Challenger to kick off the days proceedings
Round 2: T S R D O E I G L
Tom: STODGIER (8)
Patrick: STODGIER (8)
DC: GODLIEST (8)
Score: 16–16 (max 16)
Top marks yet again from Tom and Patrick with their 8 Stodgier
Round 3: 50, 25, 100, 75, 3, 8. Target: 378.
C1: 378. 50 × 8 − 25 + 3 (10)
C2: 378. 50 × 8 − 25 + 3 (10)
Score: 26–26 (max 26)
Nice and straightforward from Tom and Patrick.........this bags them both 10 points each
Teatime teaser: INCARAIN -> ARANCINI
Round 4: M K L N A O E F L
Tom: FALLEN (6)
Patrick: FLANK (5)
DC: FALLEN (6)
OT: MENFOLK (7)
Score: 32–26 (max 33)
A fantastic round from our champion Tom with his 6 fallen that gives him a brief but narrow lead.........however there was an interesting 7 missed by all with Menfolk
Round 5: R O E A D E T G N
Tom: GARDEN (6)
Patrick: DEROGATE (8)
DC: DRAGONET (8)
OT: RENEGADO (8)
Score: 32–34 (max 41)
Game challenger from our challenger Patrick his 8 Derogate that gives him a narrow lead over our champion Tom
Round 6: 50, 100, 75, 25, 9, 8. Target: 564.
C1: -
C2: 564. 8 × 75 − 100 ÷ 25 × 9 (10)
Score: 32–44 (max 51)
Our challenger Patrick means business with with this excellent 4L solve.......this puts him 12 points ahead with everything still left to play for
Round 7: P Z T G R I E I M
Tom: TRIPE (5)
Patrick: PERMIT (6)
DC: GRIPE (5) TRIPE (5) PRIME (5)
OT: PERITI (6)
Score: 32–50 (max 57)
What an absolute stinker this is............our challenger Patrick does well to get a 6 out of it.......and extends his lead much further
Round 8: N P R B U A E T S
Tom: UPRATES (7)
Patrick: PARENTS (7)
DC: PEANUTS (7) BANTERS (7) SAUNTER (7)
OT: ARPENTS (7) BARNETS (7) BURNETS (7) ENTRAPS (7) NATURES (7) NUTBARS (7) PASTERN (7) PASTURE (7) PUNSTER (7) PUNTERS (7) SUNTRAP (7) TREPANS (7) TURBANS (7) UNSTRAP (7) UPBEATS (7)
Score: 39–57 (max 64)
Sevens all round.........nothing worth arguing over..........let's play nicely children
Round 9: 3, 9, 6, 2, 10, 4. Target: 910.
C1: 910. (4 + 3) × (9 + 6 − 2) × 10 (10)
C2: 910. (9 + 4) × (3 − 2 + 6) × 10 (10)
Score: 49–67 (max 74)
Top marks for Tom and Patrick with this rather tough 6S solve........that bags them 10 more points each
Teatime teaser: HORSECON -> SCHOONER
Round 10: D F L T I A I O R
Tom: ADROIT (6)
Patrick: DILATOR (7)
DC: AIRLIFT (7)
OT: AIRFOIL (7) TRIFOLD (7)
Score: 49–74 (max 81)
Another fantastic round from our challenger Patrick that puts him further ahead.........sadly for Tom his Countdown adventure is over
Round 11: E O S G W I T M T
Tom: EGOTIST (7)
Patrick: EGOTIST (7)
DC: EGOTISM (7)
Score: 56–81 (max 88)
Sevens all round...........let's jump to the next round shall we ?
Round 12: S N P H E A U O W
Tom: WEAPONS (7)
Patrick: WEAPONS (7)
DC: WEAPONS (7) PAEONS (6)
Score: 63–88 (max 95)
It's Darren central in this round as Tom and Patrick bag themselves the only available seven
Round 13: E A E A D R C V L
Tom: CADAVER (7)
Patrick: CADAVER (7)
DC: CARAVEL (7)
OT: CALDERA (7) CLEARED (7) CLEAVED (7) CLEAVER (7) CREEDAL (7) DECLARE (7)
A very unpleasant looking 7 with Cadaver which is a dead body..............Cadaver dogs are a form of scent detection dog that is specially trained to use their sharp sense of smell to locate human remains and alert their handlers to the location
Score: 70–95 (max 102)
Round 14: 25, 100, 50, 75, 10, 9. Target: 696.
C1: 696. 75 × 10 − 50 − 100 ÷ 25 (10)
C2: 696. 75 × 10 − 50 − 100 ÷ 25 (10)
Score: 80–105 (max 112)
Another fantastic solve from our champion and challenger, sadly for our outgoing champion Tom it is game over
Round 15: R E D U N G E O N
C2 buzzes on 1.5 seconds to say UNDERGONE which is correct.
Final Score: 80–115 (max 122)
A super speedy conundrum solve from our newest champion Patrick and a century too ! I have a feeling that we could be seeing him over the coming days. But take nothing away from Tom he gave as good as he got.........now the question is will 4 wins be enough for Series 93 finals week...............It is a wrap folks !
Welcome to another midweek recap our current champion Tom is going rather well at the moment...........stop the press..........but look who is back it is the return of Patrick Thompson.............some of you may recognise our challenger from a previous appearance in series 72 where he lost his one and only game effectively making him the second returning contestant from 2015. After considerable practice and time on apterous can Patrick go one better and bag himself the long overdue countdown teapot he has been yearning for ?
C1: Champion Tom Bashford (4 wins, 383 points.)
C2: Challenger Patrick Thompson.
DC: Susie Dent and Kate Bottley.
RR: Rachel Riley.
OT: Other words or solutions.
R01: U E A R S C O I N
R02: T S R D O E I G L
R03: 50, 25, 100, 75, 3, 8. Target: 378.
TTT: INCARAIN - "Tim and Zoe head to Italy for some food"
R04: M K L N A O E F L
R05: R O E A D E T G N
R06: 50, 100, 75, 25, 9, 8. Target: 564.
R07: P Z T G R I E I M
R08: N P R B U A E T S
R09: 3, 9, 6, 2, 10, 4, . Target: 910.
TTT: HORSECON - "Raise a glass to the four seasons"
R10: D F L T I A I O R
R11: E O S G W I T M T
R12: S N P H E A U O W
R13: E A E A D R C V L
R14: 25, 100, 50, 75, 10, 9. Target: 696.
R15: R E D U N G E O N (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
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Enjoy the show.
Round 1: U E A R S C O I N
Tom: INSOURCE (8)
Patrick: SCENARIO (8)
DC: COINERS (7)
OT: NACREOUS (8)
Score: 8–8 (max 8)
A great start from our Champion and Challenger to kick off the days proceedings
Round 2: T S R D O E I G L
Tom: STODGIER (8)
Patrick: STODGIER (8)
DC: GODLIEST (8)
Score: 16–16 (max 16)
Top marks yet again from Tom and Patrick with their 8 Stodgier
Round 3: 50, 25, 100, 75, 3, 8. Target: 378.
C1: 378. 50 × 8 − 25 + 3 (10)
C2: 378. 50 × 8 − 25 + 3 (10)
Score: 26–26 (max 26)
Nice and straightforward from Tom and Patrick.........this bags them both 10 points each
Teatime teaser: INCARAIN -> ARANCINI
Round 4: M K L N A O E F L
Tom: FALLEN (6)
Patrick: FLANK (5)
DC: FALLEN (6)
OT: MENFOLK (7)
Score: 32–26 (max 33)
A fantastic round from our champion Tom with his 6 fallen that gives him a brief but narrow lead.........however there was an interesting 7 missed by all with Menfolk
Round 5: R O E A D E T G N
Tom: GARDEN (6)
Patrick: DEROGATE (8)
DC: DRAGONET (8)
OT: RENEGADO (8)
Score: 32–34 (max 41)
Game challenger from our challenger Patrick his 8 Derogate that gives him a narrow lead over our champion Tom
Round 6: 50, 100, 75, 25, 9, 8. Target: 564.
C1: -
C2: 564. 8 × 75 − 100 ÷ 25 × 9 (10)
Score: 32–44 (max 51)
Our challenger Patrick means business with with this excellent 4L solve.......this puts him 12 points ahead with everything still left to play for
Round 7: P Z T G R I E I M
Tom: TRIPE (5)
Patrick: PERMIT (6)
DC: GRIPE (5) TRIPE (5) PRIME (5)
OT: PERITI (6)
Score: 32–50 (max 57)
What an absolute stinker this is............our challenger Patrick does well to get a 6 out of it.......and extends his lead much further
Round 8: N P R B U A E T S
Tom: UPRATES (7)
Patrick: PARENTS (7)
DC: PEANUTS (7) BANTERS (7) SAUNTER (7)
OT: ARPENTS (7) BARNETS (7) BURNETS (7) ENTRAPS (7) NATURES (7) NUTBARS (7) PASTERN (7) PASTURE (7) PUNSTER (7) PUNTERS (7) SUNTRAP (7) TREPANS (7) TURBANS (7) UNSTRAP (7) UPBEATS (7)
Score: 39–57 (max 64)
Sevens all round.........nothing worth arguing over..........let's play nicely children
Round 9: 3, 9, 6, 2, 10, 4. Target: 910.
C1: 910. (4 + 3) × (9 + 6 − 2) × 10 (10)
C2: 910. (9 + 4) × (3 − 2 + 6) × 10 (10)
Score: 49–67 (max 74)
Top marks for Tom and Patrick with this rather tough 6S solve........that bags them 10 more points each
Teatime teaser: HORSECON -> SCHOONER
Round 10: D F L T I A I O R
Tom: ADROIT (6)
Patrick: DILATOR (7)
DC: AIRLIFT (7)
OT: AIRFOIL (7) TRIFOLD (7)
Score: 49–74 (max 81)
Another fantastic round from our challenger Patrick that puts him further ahead.........sadly for Tom his Countdown adventure is over
Round 11: E O S G W I T M T
Tom: EGOTIST (7)
Patrick: EGOTIST (7)
DC: EGOTISM (7)
Score: 56–81 (max 88)
Sevens all round...........let's jump to the next round shall we ?
Round 12: S N P H E A U O W
Tom: WEAPONS (7)
Patrick: WEAPONS (7)
DC: WEAPONS (7) PAEONS (6)
Score: 63–88 (max 95)
It's Darren central in this round as Tom and Patrick bag themselves the only available seven
Round 13: E A E A D R C V L
Tom: CADAVER (7)
Patrick: CADAVER (7)
DC: CARAVEL (7)
OT: CALDERA (7) CLEARED (7) CLEAVED (7) CLEAVER (7) CREEDAL (7) DECLARE (7)
A very unpleasant looking 7 with Cadaver which is a dead body..............Cadaver dogs are a form of scent detection dog that is specially trained to use their sharp sense of smell to locate human remains and alert their handlers to the location
Score: 70–95 (max 102)
Round 14: 25, 100, 50, 75, 10, 9. Target: 696.
C1: 696. 75 × 10 − 50 − 100 ÷ 25 (10)
C2: 696. 75 × 10 − 50 − 100 ÷ 25 (10)
Score: 80–105 (max 112)
Another fantastic solve from our champion and challenger, sadly for our outgoing champion Tom it is game over
Round 15: R E D U N G E O N
C2 buzzes on 1.5 seconds to say UNDERGONE which is correct.
Final Score: 80–115 (max 122)
A super speedy conundrum solve from our newest champion Patrick and a century too ! I have a feeling that we could be seeing him over the coming days. But take nothing away from Tom he gave as good as he got.........now the question is will 4 wins be enough for Series 93 finals week...............It is a wrap folks !