Countdown recap for Friday 28 August 2020.
C1: Champion Sam Cappleman-Lynes (2 wins, 231 points.) An Apteforumite and software developer from Rochdale.
C2: Challenger Phil Savage. A support worker from Macclesfield, Cheshire. For his wedding to his wife 35 years, he took it upon himself to learn the bagpipes and even performed a song as part of his groom's speech.
DC: Susie Dent and Dr. Linda Papadopoulos.
RR: Rachel Riley.
OT: Other words or solutions.
R01: G D N X O I A H Q
R02: E K R O T U P A N
R03: 100, 75, 25, 50, 3, 8. Target: 495.
TTT: MORALSUIT - "His career as a pilot took off, but only after hundreds of hours on this."
R04: D I S E N T O C R
R05: C M T S E A E U E
R06: 25, 8, 1, 6, 8, 3. Target: 278.
R07: R S R S A E I A E
R08: T G A L O F E C Z
R09: 75, 8, 5, 3, 2, 6. Target: 333.
TTT: MEEKCATCH - "Keep an eye on your friend at the end of the game."
R10: M E L E N E T O V
R11: S B P N I E O A R
R12: C I G E B A S I Y
R13: T R L S O U A C V
R14: 100, 4, 2, 3, 3, 7. Target: 427.
R15: S U R E T H I N G (conundrum)
And now a brief interlude before our main feature:
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Enjoy the show.
Round 1: G D N X O I A H Q
Sam: HOAXING (7)
Phil: DOING (5)
DC: DOXING (6)
Score: 7–0 (max 7)
A nice start from Sam, as he gets the darren in the first round.
Round 2: E K R O T U P A N
Sam: OUTRANK (7)
Phil: OPEN (4)
DC: OUTRAKE (7) PRONATE (7)
OT: KNOUPERT (8)
Score: 14–0 (max 15)
A good 7 from Sam, as a very tough 8 is missed by all.
A KNOUPERT (or KNOWPERT) is the shrub crowberry, Empetrum nigrum; (also) the berries, or a berry, of this plant.
Round 3: 100, 75, 25, 50, 3, 8. Target: 495.
Sam: 495. (100 - ((75 - 50) / 25)) x (8 - 3) (10)
Phil: -
Score: 24–0 (max 25)
Here comes a 4 large, and perfectly solved by Sam.
Teatime teaser: MORALSUIT -> SIMULATOR
Round 4: D I S E N T O C R
Sam: DOCTRINES (18)
Phil: DIRECTS (7)
DC: CORNIEST (8)
OT: CENTROIDS (18)
Score: 42–0 (max 43)
The "sitting still after a few seconds" pose from Sam was a bit of a giveaway, but he got the 9, so that'll do.
A CENTROID is the centre of mass of a geometric object of uniform density.
Round 5: C M T S E A E U E
Sam: MECATES (7)
Phil: MEETS (5)
DC: ESTEEM (6) MUSCAT (6)
OT: ACETUMS (7) ACTEMES (7) MUCATES (7)
Score: 49–0 (max 50)
A very unusual 7 here from Sam, but we're definitely getting used to them now.
ACETUM is a historical term for vinegar.
An ACTEME is a minimum indivisible unit of action or behaviour.
A MUCATE is a salt or ester of mucic acid.
Round 6: 25, 8, 1, 6, 8, 3. Target: 278.
Sam: 278. ((8 + 8 - 6 + 1) x 25) + 3 (10)
Phil: 276.
Score: 59–0 (max 60)
Are we going to be on a similar course to yesterday, I wonder....
Dr. Linda talks about a study that looked at how employees adjusted to a "new normal".
Round 7: R S R S A E I A E
Sam: REARISES (8)
Phil: ARISES (6)
DC: SIERRAS (7)
Score: 67–0 (max 68)
Round 8: T G A L O F E C Z
Sam: GELCOAT (7)
Phil: TALE (4)
Score: 74–0 (max 75)
2 darrens in a row for Sam here.
Round 9: 75, 8, 5, 3, 2, 6. Target: 333.
Sam: 333. (75 - (8 x 5) + 2) x (6 + 3) (10)
Phil: 337.
Score: 84–0 (max 85)
And that's a brilliant way to solve 333 here.
Teatime teaser: MEEKCATCH -> CHECKMATE
Round 10: M E L E N E T O V
Sam: ELEMENT (7)
Phil: LOVE (4)
DC: NOVELET (7)
Score: 91–0 (max 92)
And that's game, set and match with 5 rounds still to go...
Round 11: S B P N I E O A R
Sam: BARONIES (8)
Phil: REASON (6)
DC: RAPINE (6)
Score: 99–0 (max 100)
More perfection for Sam here...., he's still only dropped one point so far
Susie's Origins Of Words talks about the origins of "quarantine" and "self-isolation".
Round 12: C I G E B A S I Y
Sam: BASIC (5)
Phil: BASIC (5)
DC: CAGES (5) BAGSY (5)
OT: BIGSEY (6) BIGSIE (6) CEIBAS (6) GABIES (6)
Score: 104–5 (max 106)
WAHEY!!! Phil has some points at last...
BIGSEY (or BIGSIE) is a Scottish adjective meaning having an exaggerated sense of one's own importance; arrogant, pretentious, conceited.
A CEIBA is a very tall tropical American tree from which kapok is obtained, with lightweight yellowish or pinkish timber. (Ceiba pentandra, family Bombacaceae)
A GABY (plural GABIES) is a stupid or foolish person; an idiot; a fool.
Round 13: T R L S O U A C V
Sam: COSTAL (6)
Phil: CAVORTS (7)
DC: VAULT (5)
OT: CROTALS (7) CRUSTAL (7) CUATROS (7) CURTALS (7) LOCUSTA (7) LOUVARS (7) OCULARS (7) OSCULAR (7) ROTULAS (7) SCROTAL (7) SURCOAT (7) TURACOS (7) VOCULAR (7) VORTALS (7)
Score: 104–12 (max 113)
Well, I didn't see that coming..., but at least Phil is into double figures.
A CROTAL (or CROTTLE) is a common lichen found on rocks, used in Scotland to make a golden-brown or reddish-brown dye for staining wool for making tweed. (Parmelia saxatilis (order Parmeliales)
CRUSTAL is an adjective meaning relating to or originating in the earth's crust.
A CUATRO is a small guitar, typically with four (or five) single or paired strings, used in Latin American and Caribbean folk music, especially in Puerto Rico.
A CURTAL is a dulcian or bassoon of the late 16th to early 18th century.
A LOCUSTA is a lobster, crayfish, or other crustacean.
A LOUVAR is a large brightly coloured fish with a distinctive high forehead. It lives in warm open seas, feeding on jellyfishes and comb jellies. (Luvarus imperialis)
An OCULAR is another term for an eyepiece.
OSCULAR is an adjective meaning relating to kissing.
A ROTULA is a rare term for the kneecap.
A SURCOAT is a loose robe worn over armour.
A TURACO (or TOURACO) is fruit-eating African bird with brightly coloured plumage, a prominent crest, and a long tail. (Family Musophagidae)
A VORTAL is a website or web page that provides a directory of links to information related to a particular industry.
Round 14: 100, 4, 2, 3, 3, 7. Target: 427.
Sam: 427. ((100 + 7) x 4) - (3 / 3) (10)
Phil: 426.
Score: 114–12 (max 123)
Normality returns as Sam's lead goes into triple figures.
Round 15: S U R E T H I N G
Sam buzzes on 7.75 seconds to say HUNGRIEST which is correct.
Final Score: 124–12 (max 133)
And for the second game in a row, Sam wins by 112 points
He just keeps getting better and better, and producing some incredible new words too. Sam is one to look out for, and he might be giving Luke and the other octochamps nightmares....
By this time next week, he should be an octochamp, but will he....
Statistics Corner
Sam:
Total score - 124
Raw score - 130
Total % of max - 93
Raw % of max - 98
Total average score per round - 8.3
Raw average score per round - 8.7
Number of maxes - 12
Phil:
Total score - 12
Raw score - 74
Total % of max - 9
Raw % of max - 56
Total average score per round - 0.8
Raw average score per round - 4.9
Number of maxes - 1
Further summaries are at:
http://cdb.apterous.org/series.php?series=82