Wednesday 21st February 2018 (Series 78, Prelim 32)

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Wednesday 21st February 2018 (Series 78, Prelim 32)

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Countdown recap for Wednesday 21 February 2018.

C1: Champion Jill Thwaites (1 win, 103 points.) An educational appeals adviser from Chelmsford, Essex.
C2: Challenger Philip Aston. An Apteforumite from Bideford, Devon. He's a big Formula One fan and saw Lewis Hamilton win the British Grand Prix at Silverstone in 2016.
DC: Susie Dent and Alastair Stewart.
RR: Rachel Riley.
OT: Other words or solutions.

R01: T R O E M N A S L
R02: N T R E A I S N T
R03: 100, 5, 7, 8, 3, 9. Target: 520.
TTT: SMALLBIOG - "It may only be small, but it can certainly have a big impact."
R04: P N X E O I M E I
R05: T S E T B A E G M
R06: 25, 5, 8, 9, 7, 2. Target: 462.
R07: S Q A D M E I J T
R08: R D F A I E G L E
R09: 25, 3, 9, 5, 1, 2. Target: 728.
TTT: ABITEWITH - "If you fancy a bite to eat, you might have these with tartare sauce."
R10: P W H O I U I C A
R11: H L A F L E O C R
R12: G R N A U E P U I
R13: M P S A I Z O R I
R14: 25, 50, 75, 8, 1, 5. Target: 644.
R15: R U M P A L I A S (conundrum)


And now a brief interlude before our main feature:

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Enjoy the show.

Round 1: T R O E M N A S L

Jill: LAMENTS (7)
Philip: MONSTERA (8)
DC: STOREMAN (8)
OT: MARLSTONE (18) MESTRANOL (18)
Score: 0–8 (max 18)

Round 2: N T R E A I S N T

Jill: INSTANT (7)
Philip: NITRATES (8)
DC: INSTANTER (18) TRANSIENT (18)
OT: INTRANETS (18)
Score: 0–16 (max 36)

Round 3: 100, 5, 7, 8, 3, 9. Target: 520.

Jill: 520. (100 x 5) + 9 + 3 + 8 (10)
Philip: 520. (100 + 7 - 3) x 5 (10)
Score: 10–26 (max 46)

Teatime teaser: SMALLBIOG -> GLOBALISM

Round 4: P N X E O I M E I

Jill: PIXIE (5)
Philip: PIEMEN (6)
DC: MOXIE (5)
OT: MEINIE (6) MOENIE (6)
Score: 10–32 (max 52)

Round 5: T S E T B A E G M

Jill: BEAST (5)
Philip: GESTATE (7)
DC: GAMETES (7)
OT: METATES (7) TAGETES (7)
Score: 10–39 (max 59)

Round 6: 25, 5, 8, 9, 7, 2. Target: 462.

Jill: 462. (9 x 2 x 25) + 7 + 5 (10)
Philip: 462. (25 + 8) x 2 x 7 (10)
Score: 20–49 (max 69)

Alastair talks about his encounters with politicians over the years.

Round 7: S Q A D M E I J T

Jill: DEMIST (6)
Philip: MISDATE (7)
Score: 20–56 (max 76)

Round 8: R D F A I E G L E

Jill: FAILED (6)
Philip: FILAGREE (8)
DC: FILAGREED (18)
Score: 20–64 (max 94)

Round 9: 25, 3, 9, 5, 1, 2. Target: 728.

Jill: -
Philip: 729. ((25 x 3) + 5 + 1) x 9 (7)
RR: 728. ((25 + 2) x 3 x 9) - 1 (10)
Score: 20–71 (max 104)

Teatime teaser: ABITEWITH -> WHITEBAIT

Round 10: P W H O I U I C A

Jill: CHOP (4)
Philip: POUCH (5)
DC: CHIP (4) POACH (5)
OT: CAHOW (5) COPHA (5) OPIHI (5) PHOCA (5) PICHI (5) WHAUP (5)
Score: 20–76 (max 109)

Round 11: H L A F L E O C R

Jill: CALLER (6)
Philip: CHOLERA (7)
DC: COLLAR (6)
OT: ORCHELLA (8)
Score: 20–83 (max 117)

Susie's Origins Of Words talks about the origins of "skinflint".

Round 12: G R N A U E P U I

Jill: REAPING (7)
Philip: REAPING (7)
DC: PINGER (6)
OT: GUIPURE (7)
Score: 27–90 (max 124)

Round 13: M P S A I Z O R I

Jill: PRISM (5)
Philip: IMPAIRS (7)
DC: MISPAIR (7)
Score: 27–97 (max 131)

Round 14: 25, 50, 75, 8, 1, 5. Target: 644.

Jill: 642.
Philip: 644. (75 x 8) + 50 - 5 - 1 (10)
Score: 27–107 (max 141)

Round 15: R U M P A L I A S

Philip buzzes on 29.5 seconds to say "I haven't got a clue", which is incorrect.
Jill does not buzz.
The answer was MARSUPIAL.
Final Score: 27–107 (max 151)

Jill's score of 27 is actually the joint-lowest score by a champion in the 15-round format.

Statistics Corner

Jill:
Total score - 27
Raw score - 85
Total % of max - 18
Raw % of max - 56
Total average score per round - 1.8
Raw average score per round - 5.7
Number of maxes - 3

Philip:
Total score - 107
Raw score - 107
Total % of max - 71
Raw % of max - 71
Total average score per round - 7.1
Raw average score per round - 7.1
Number of maxes - 9

Further summaries are at:
http://cdb.apterous.org/series.php?series=78
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