Enjoy.
Countdown recap for Thursday 2 June 2016.
C1: Champion Jonny Peppiatt (1 win, 93 points.) An economics student at the University of Exeter.
C2: Challenger Chris Lowry. An retired economist from Solihull, West Midlands. He worked for the same energy company for 36 years!! He enjoys daily walks with his Border Collie, Smudge.
DC: Susie Dent and Chris Hollins.
RR: Rachel Riley.
OT: Other words or solutions.
R01: S R I U T N A O P
R02: D R E A T P O S L
R03: 50, 75, 1, 3, 2, 1. Target: 240.
TTT: REALICON - "Its Germanic roots are common in British gardens."
R04: D V I E R S P U A
R05: G W N E I J B A R
R06: 25, 3, 7, 6, 7, 1. Target: 993.
R07: S O I N M S T A E
R08: Q P M O I R Y E L
R09: 50, 100, 2, 1, 6, 5. Target: 238.
TTT: LARGETIN - "A large tin is very important if you're baking a large loaf."
R10: R U M F I W S O E
R11: R G R U A O D T E
R12: M H A I S L D E N
R13: C D T O U A D E O
R14: 75, 25, 2, 9, 3, 2. Target: 407.
R15: E P I C M I S E R (conundrum)
And now a brief interlude before our main feature:
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Round 1: S R I U T N A O P
Jonny: PRINTS (6)
Chris: STRAIN (6)
DC: TURNIPS (7) SPROUT (6) RAINOUTS (8) PURITANS (8)
OT: RAINSPOUT (18) SUPINATOR (18)
Score: 6–6 (max 18)
There's some STRAIN on the PRINTS for our players, but while DC enjoy some RAINOUTS with the PURITANS (whilst eating some TURNIPS and a solitary SPROUT), there are a duo of nines lurking around....
A SUPINATOR is a muscle whose contraction produces or assists in the supination of a limb or part of a limb.
Round 2: D R E A T P O S L
Jonny: TREADS (6)
Chris: PLASTER (7)
DC: SPRAT (5) DROPLETS (8) LEOTARDS (8)
OT: PRODELTAS (18)
Score: 6–13 (max 36)
Jonny TREADS carefully, but Chris is ready with the PLASTER, but there's yet another 9 in the selection
A PRODELTA is the prodelta part of a delta. It's also an adjective meaning lying beyond the sloping front of the main body of a delta, below the depth of effective wave erosion.
Round 3: 50, 75, 1, 3, 2, 1. Target: 240.
Jonny: 237. (75 + 2 + 1 + 1) x 3 (7)
Chris: 237. (75 + 2 + 1 + 1) x 3 (7)
RR: 240. (50 + 75 - (1 + 1 + 3)) x 2 (10)
Score: 13–20 (max 46)
Not quite enough for an 80 x 3 method here, so just 7 points each, while Rachel goes the direct alternative route.
Teatime teaser: REALICON -> LONICERA
Round 4: D V I E R S P U A
Jonny: PRAISED (7)
Chris: DIVERS (6)
DC: DIAPERS (7) UPRAISED (8)
Score: 20–20 (max 54)
Jonny might be PRAISED to be level, but he could've UPRAISED to go ahead......
Round 5: G W N E I J B A R
Jonny: BREWING (7)
Chris: WEARING (7)
OT: BARWING (7) BEARING (7) BRAINGE (7) RIGBANE (7) WEBINAR (7)
Score: 27–27 (max 61)
Seven 7's here.
A BARWING is an Asian bird of the babbler family, with barred feathers on the wings and tail. (Genus Actinodura, family Timaliidae)
In Scotland, to BREENGE (or BRAINGE) is to move with clumsy violence, to rush noisily or impetuously.
A RIGBONE (or RIGBANE) is a Northern English/Scottish term for the backbone or spine.
Round 6: 25, 3, 7, 6, 7, 1. Target: 993.
Jonny: 993. (((7 x 6) - 3 + 1) x 25) - 7 (10)
Chris: 1000.
Score: 37–27 (max 71)
Good maths from Jonny, as he takes the lead for the first time today.
Chris talks about covering the memorable 1999 UEFA Champions League final between Manchester United and Bayern Munich.
Round 7: S O I N M S T A E
Jonny: MOISTENS (8)
Chris: MOISTENS (8)
DC: STAMENS (7) AMNIOTES (8) MATINESS (8)
OT: ATOMISES (8) MANTISES (8) MISNOTES (8) MOANIEST (8) MONESIAS (8) OSMIATES (8) SOMATISE (8)
Score: 45–35 (max 79)
One of Susie's "favourite" words appears again.
A MONESIA is a vegetable extract obtained from the bark of the Brazilian tree Chrysophyllum glyciphloeum (family Sapotaceae), formerly used to treat diarrhoea, dyspepsia, catarrhal conditions, and ulcers.
An OSMIATE is a salt or ester of osmic acid; a salt containing oxyanions of osmium in a high valency.
Round 8: Q P M O I R Y E L
Jonny: MOPILY (6)
Chris: PRIMLY (6)
DC: POLYMER (7) IMPLORE (7)
OT: PRIMELY (7)
Score: 51–41 (max 86)
A couple of LY-ing 6's, but a good pair of 7's from DC.
Round 9: 50, 100, 2, 1, 6, 5. Target: 238.
Jonny: 238. (100 x 2) + 50 - 6 - 5 - 1 (10)
Chris: 238. (100 x 2) + 50 - 6 - 5 - 1 (10)
Score: 61–51 (max 96)
Not too taxing here.... NEXT
Teatime teaser: LARGETIN -> INTEGRAL
Round 10: R U M F I W S O E
Jonny: fumers
Chris: FIRES (5)
DC: WIFE (4) MOUSIER (7) FORUMS (6)
OT: ROUEISM (7)
Score: 61–56 (max 103)
Oooooh, how costly could that be from Jonny
Maybe he might be a bit FUMIER.... 
ROUÉISM is the lifestyle or behaviour of a roué; debauchery.
Round 11: R G R U A O D T E
Jonny: OUTDARE (7)
Chris: TREAD (5)
DC: OUTRAGE (7) OUTRAGED (8)
OT: OUTRAGER (8)
Score: 68–56 (max 111)
Jonny's memory is good though, remembering OUTDARE from R2 in yesterday's game, and his momentary lapse is swiftly forgotten.
Susie's Origins of Words talks about the origins of "bowdlerizing".
Round 12: M H A I S L D E N
Jonny: MISHANDLE (18)
Chris: MAILED (6)
Score: 86–56 (max 129)
Well, Jonny didn't MISHANDLE this chance, and that brilliant nine means that he's about to win his second match.
Round 13: C D T O U A D E O
Jonny: outaced
Chris: OUTDO (5)
DC: COATED (6) ADDUCE (6)
OT: AUTOCODE (8)
Score: 86–61 (max 137)
Well, Chris might be able to OUTDO Jonny in this round, but Mr. Peppiatt certainly aced him overall.
Round 14: 75, 25, 2, 9, 3, 2. Target: 407.
Jonny: 407. ((3 + 2) x 75) + 25 + 9 - 2 (10)
Chris: 407. ((3 + 2) x 75) + 25 + 9 - 2 (10)
Score: 96–71 (max 147)
Nice and simple numbers puts Jonny in line for a century.......
Round 15: E P I C M I S E R
No one buzzes. The answer was IMPRECISE.
Final Score: 96–71 (max 157)
.....unfortunately, Lady Luck wasn't with him for this. But, ah well, he has his 2nd win, and he still has a chance of making it to the series finals, which start at the end of next week.
No Friday show this week, so join Sean on Monday for the next instalment of this series.....
Till next week, bye for now.
Statistics Corner
Jonny:
Total score - 96
Raw score - 102
Total % of max - 61
Raw % of max - 65
Total average score per round - 6.4
Raw average score per round - 6.8
Number of maxes - 6
Chris:
Total score - 71
Raw score - 93
Total % of max - 45
Raw % of max - 59
Total average score per round - 4.7
Raw average score per round - 6.2
Number of maxes - 4
Further summaries are at:
http://cdb.apterous.org/series.php?series=74