Enjoy.
Countdown recap for Thursday 10 March 2016.
C1: Champion Conrad Teixeira (2 wins, 186 points). A forumapterite and pharmaceutical salesman from Manchester.
C2: Challenger Angus Eady. An Apterite and accountancy worker from Sheffield. He plays football with Byronhouse F.C., and he went on a backpacking trip around Eastern Europe.
DC: Susie Dent and Colin Murray.
RR: Rachel Riley.
OT: Other words or solutions.
R01: P N T C B E A I S
R02: R G W U E O L N U
R03: 9, 1, 2, 3, 6, 9. Target: 931.
TTT: KIMSCUTE - "Kim may be cute, but she's very, very dirty"
R04: S N G L E I E A R
R05: P T Q L E O E R A
R06: 75, 6, 10, 4, 5, 2. Target: 316.
R07: B M S L I E I Y H
R08: R D F A I A J N E
R09: 4, 6, 2, 9, 10, 1. Target: 785.
TTT: REGALMET - "Her special birthday was met with regal recognition"
R10: B T N R I E O D A
R11: Z S T S U A U R G
R12: S J T H O U I O M
R13: I D R L O E A C X
R14: 75, 2, 9, 5, 6, 4. Target: 972.
R15: I B U Y D A R T S (conundrum)
And now a brief interlude before our main feature:
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Enjoy the show.
Round 1: P N T C B E A I S
Conrad: CABINETS (8)
Angus: PANTIES (7)
DC: BASCINET (8)
Score: 8–0 (max 8)
Time to find some PANTIES in the CABINETS.
Round 2: R G W U E O L N U
Conrad: LOUNGER (7)
Angus: LOUNGER (7)
OT: LONGUEUR (8)
Score: 15–7 (max 16)
While the players are on their LOUNGERs, Colin announces that he plans to nab a Countdown mug. (I'm not sure if he actually got away with it...
)A LONGUEUR is a tedious passage in a book, piece of music, etc.
Round 3: 9, 1, 2, 3, 6, 9. Target: 931.
Conrad: 936. ((9 x 6 x 2) - 3 - 1) x 9 (7)
Angus: -
RR: 930. (((9 x 9) - 3) x 2) - 1) x 6 (7)
Score: 22–7 (max 23)
Conrad back in with the 6 small again, and further extends his lead thanks to this nasty piece of work....
Teatime teaser: KIMSCUTE -> MUCKIEST
Round 4: S N G L E I E A R
Conrad: RESEALING (18)
Angus: RELEASING (18)
Score: 40–25 (max 41)
Great 9's from both players.
Round 5: P T Q L E O E R A
Conrad: OPERATE (7)
Angus: PORTAL (6)
DC: PROLATE (7)
OT: PAROLEE (7) PEARLET (7) PRELATE (7) REPLATE (7) REPLEAT (7)
Score: 47–25 (max 48)
But, it's time for Conrad to OPERATE and go further clear....
A PEARLET is a small pearl.
Round 6: 75, 6, 10, 4, 5, 2. Target: 316.
Conrad: 316. (6 - 2 + 75) x 4 (10)
Angus: 316. (6 - 2 + 75) x 4 (10)
Score: 57–35 (max 58)
SIMPLES, NEXT
Colin talks about his unfortunate forfeit he did when he said Northern Ireland wouldn't qualify for Euro 2016, and had to wear a mankini through Belfast on Boxing Day
Round 7: B M S L I E I Y H
Conrad: BLEMISH (7)
Angus: BLEMISH (7)
Score: 64–42 (max 65)
A pair of BLEMISHes, but not on the players, who get the darrenic 7.
Round 8: R D F A I A J N E
Conrad: AFRAID (6)
Angus: AFRAID (6)
OT: ARANEID (7) RANDJIE (7)
Score: 70–48 (max 72)
Both players now seem AFRAID to get past 6....
In South Africa, a RANDJIE is a narrow ridge of rocky ground.
Round 9: 4, 6, 2, 9, 10, 1. Target: 785.
Conrad: 784. Mistake in working.
Angus: 781. (((4 x 2 x 9) + 6) x 10) + 1 (7)
RR: 785. (((6 x 9) + 2) x (10 + 4)) + 1 (10)
Score: 70–55 (max 82)
Oh dear, a 6 small meltdown for Cornad, and Angus gets an unexpected way back in....
Teatime teaser: REGALMET -> TELEGRAM
Round 10: B T N R I E O D A
Conrad: BARITONE (8)
Angus: beration
DC: DERATION (8) DEBONAIR (8)
OT: DIBORANE (8) NADORITE (8) OBTAINED (8) OBTAINER (8) ORDINATE (8) RATIONED (8) REOBTAIN (8) RODENTIA (8)
Score: 78–55 (max 90)
But, he throws it away as he goes for beration, rather that DERATION.
NADORITE is an orthorhombic oxychloride of antimony and lead, PbSbO2Cl, usually occurring as brown to yellow tabular or prismatic crystals.
A RODENTIA is an animal relating to an order of mammals that comprises the rodents or gnawing animals, which are characterized by having strong constantly-growing incisor teeth adapted for gnawing, and lacking canine teeth.
Round 11: Z S T S U A U R G
Conrad: TRUSS (5)
Angus: STARS (5)
DC: AUGUST (6) taurus
OT: AUGURS (6) SUGARS (6) SUTRAS (6) TARSUS (6) TRAGUS (6)
Score: 83–60 (max 96)
6 sixes available with DC going for the monthly option.
A SUTRA is a rule or aphorism in Sanskrit literature, or a set of these on grammar or Hindu law or philosophy.
A TARSUS is a group of small bones between the main part of the hindlimb and the metatarsus in terrestrial vertebrates. The seven bones of the human tarsus form the ankle and upper part of the foot. They are the talus, calcaneus, navicular, and cuboid, and the three cuneiform bones.
A TRAGUS is a prominence on the inner side of the external ear, in front of and partly closing the passage to the organs of hearing.
Susie's Origins of Words talks about the origins of "occulus".
Round 12: S J T H O U I O M
Conrad: MOUTHS (6)
Angus: MOIST (5)
DC: MOJITOS (7)
Score: 89–60 (max 103)
MOIST, MOUTHS and MOJITOS. Quite a connected mix there.
Round 13: I D R L O E A C X
Conrad: DARIOLE (7)
Angus: COILED (6)
DC: EXORDIAL (8)
Score: 96–60 (max 111)
And that old favourite gives Conrad his 3rd win in a row.
Round 14: 75, 2, 9, 5, 6, 4. Target: 972.
Conrad: 972. ((9 + 4) x 75) - (6 / 2) (10)
Angus: 972. ((9 + 4) x 75) - (6 / 2) (10)
Score: 106–70 (max 121)
A first century for Conrad too.
Round 15: I B U Y D A R T S
Conrad buzzes on 3 seconds to say ABSURDITY which is correct.
Final Score: 116–70 (max 131)
And that's back-to-back conundrum solves for Conrad too.
Can he make it to half-octochampdom tomorrow
See you soon. Statistics Corner
Conrad:
Total score - 116
Raw score - 116
Total % of max - 89
Raw % of max - 89
Total average score per round - 7.7
Raw average score per round - 7.7
Number of maxes - 9
Angus:
Total score - 70
Raw score - 94
Total % of max - 53
Raw % of max - 72
Total average score per round - 4.7
Raw average score per round - 6.3
Number of maxes - 4
Further summaries are at:
http://cdb.apterous.org/series.php?series=74