Monday 31st August 2015 (series 73, prelim 43)

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Andy McGurn
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Monday 31st August 2015 (series 73, prelim 43)

Post by Andy McGurn »

Countdown recap for Monday 31 August 2015.

C1: Champion Jonathan Wynn (5 wins, 549 points) – Jonathan has wun five games so far and is streaking towards octochampdom. The interesting thing with his last three games is to see whether he can supass Stephen Briggs as the current series number one seed.

C2: Challenger Paul Curtayne. – A student doctor from Dublin who likes long distance swimming and wishes to swim the straits of Gilbraltar.

DC: Susie Dent and Greg Rusedski.
RR: Rachel Riley.
OT: Other words or solutions.

R01: B G R E I O P F D
R02: V S R A E U M T A
R03: 10, 1, 9, 10, 3, 50. Target: 704.
TTT: AIRCHESS - "if they worked for you they would literally tell your fortune"
R04: D R W I E O S P A
R05: X N L I O I R E A
R06: 6, 5, 10, 1, 75, 50. Target: 226.
R07: T M C E U I T F Y
R08: N D M A O E S L A
R09: 5, 2, 1, 4, 7, 100. Target: 876.
TTT: CHATBITE - "felt a bit let down after a long soak perhaps"
R10: D G R N O E I L E
R11: R H Q A E I S T E
R12: N W P A U O K I S
R13: M R S E O I T U S
R14: 10, 7, 2, 8, 75, 50. Target: 644.
R15: P E N D E C E I T (conundrum)


And now a brief interlude before our main feature:

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Enjoy the show.

Round 1: B G R E I O P F D

Jonathan: PODGIER (7)
Paul: GROPED (6)
DC: FIREDOG (7)
Score: 7–0 (max 7)

Jonathan continues where he left off while maxing round one while his oppponent can’t match him.

Round 2: V S R A E U M T A

Jonathan: AMATEURS (8)
Paul: AMATEURS (8)
DC: TRAUMAS (7)
Score: 15–8 (max 15)

After round one the challenger looked like a weak player. Not the case in this round though as he matches Jonathan with the max

Round 3: 10, 1, 9, 10, 3, 50. Target: 704.

Jonathan: 703. ((9+1+10+50)*10)+3 (7)
Paul: 700.

Jonathan’s one away but that beats Paul and he increases his lead. Rachael can’t spot it either but says she’ll keep trying during the advert break.

Teatime teaser: AIRCHESS -> CASHIERS

RR: 704. ((50-10-3)*(10+9))+1 (10)
Score: 22–8 (max 25)
Rachael gives us the solution after the adverts

Round 4: D R W I E O S P A

Jonathan: PARODIES (8)
Paul: PARODIES (8)
DC: ASPIRED (7) DESPAIR (7)
OT: DIASPORE (8)
Score: 30–16 (max 33)

For the second time in the game the challenger matches the champion with a max eight.


Round 5: X N L I O I R E A

Jonathan: AIRLINE (7)
Paul: AILERON (7)
DC: RELAXIN (7)
OT: ALIENOR (7)
Score: 37–23 (max 40)

Two aviation related words for the contestants sees Jonathan score his fourth max and Paul his third.

Round 6: 6, 5, 10, 1, 75, 50. Target: 226.

Jonathan: 226. (((6/(10/5)*75)+1 (10)
Paul: 226. ((6*50)-75)+1 (10)
Score: 47–33 (max 50)

Straightforward for Paul, round the houses for Jonathan but the result is the same and its another ten points each.
DC Guest: Greg talks about his success in 1997 when he got to the final of the US open having failed to even win a match there in six previous visits there. He talks about how this coincided with the death of proncess Diana.

Round 7: T M C E U I T F Y

Jonathan: TUMEFY (6)
Paul: TIME (4)
DC: CUTEY (5)
OT: TECTUM (6)
Score: 53–33 (max 56)

A tough round but Jonathan comes through and he now has a 20 point lead.

Round 8: N D M A O E S L A

Jonathan: MANDOLAS (8)
Paul: ALMONDS (7)
OT: ADENOMAS (8)
Score: 61–33 (max 64)

A bit of kidology from Jonathan as he implies he is unsure of his word. Its in of course and he now has a commanding lead.

Round 9: 5, 2, 1, 4, 7, 100. Target: 876.

Jonathan: 876. ((100/4)*(7*5))+1 (10)
Paul: 875.
Score: 71–33 (max 74)

Did I see it wrong here or did Rachael miswrite Jonathan’s solution on the board? Either way, Jonathan describes a spot on method which is all he needs to do.

Teatime teaser: CHATBITE -> BATHETIC

Round 10: D G R N O E I L E

Jonathan: REEDLING (8)
Paul: LINGERED (8)
OT: ENGIRDLE (8) LEGIONED (8)
Score: 79–41 (max 82)

When the max is eight Paul is as good as Jonathan. When it comes to TV presenting you can’t say the same in relation to the Ross brothers.

Round 11: R H Q A E I S T E

Jonathan: HEARTIES (8)
Paul: HEARTIES (8)
DC: REHEATS (7)
Score: 87–49 (max 90)

If every letters round had an eight max the game would probably have been a lot closer.

OoW – Susie explains the origins of the word HIP including as a prefix to words pertaining to being cool.

Round 12: N W P A U O K I S

Jonathan: OKAPIS (6)
Paul: PIANOS (6)
DC: PAWNS (5) POWANS (6)
OT: PINKOS (6)
Score: 93–55 (max 96)

The game is already all but over but both get another max word in this round.

Round 13: M R S E O I T U S

Jonathan: MISROUTES (18)
Paul: moistures
DC: MOISTURE (8) MOUSIEST (8)
Score: 111–55 (max 114)

Nice nine from Jonathan leads to Paul also trying a nine, his is invalid however and gap continues to widen.


Round 14: 10, 7, 2, 8, 75, 50. Target: 644.

Jonathan: 644. ((75+7)*8)-10-2 (10)
Paul: 640.
Score: 121–55 (max 124)

Jonathan caps off this impressive performance with another solve that his opponent misses.

Round 15: P E N D E C E I T

Jonathan buzzes on 28 seconds to say CENTIPEDE which is correct.
Final Score: 131–55 (max 134)

Jonathan leaves it late (and is admonished by Nick as a result) but that spot sees him increase his score to 131 out of a maximum of 134. Only the numbers game in round three stopped him from getting a max game.
Having been a bit affected by studio pressure in his first couple of games that appears to not be the case now and the high score makes him favourite to surpass Stephen Briggs’ score to become the series number one seed.
Hope everyone in c4c land has had a great bank holiday...

Further summaries are at:
http://cdb.apterous.org/series.php?series=73
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