Thursday 23rd February 2023 (Series 87, Preliminary 24)

[James Robinson]

Countdown recap for Thursday 23 February 2023.

C1: Champion Seán Dennehy (3 wins, 254 points.) A theatre worker from County Clare, Republic of Ireland.
C2: Challenger Hugh Shepheard-Walwyn. From Stourbridge, West Midlands. His great-grandmother's cousin is Antarctic explorer Captain Scott.
DC: Susie Dent and Bob Harris.
RR: Rachel Riley.
OT: Other words or solutions.

R01: C R M N U E I B P
R02: T H L N A E I O S
R03: 100, 9, 2, 2, 8, 1. Target: 395.
TTT: TENRACED - "Ten horses raced, but the winner came in so easily."
R04: B R S A E U P I V
R05: D S H O A I W N E
R06: 100, 50, 9, 8, 2, 8. Target: 619.
R07: G J K R O E O T S
R08: X T R I E A S O G
R09: 75, 2, 3, 6, 1, 4. Target: 355.
TTT: RIOSAMBA - "It's not a dance in Brazil, it's a meal in Greece"
R10: N R G O E A E T U
R11: L N S F I E A M S
R12: T M N T U I A I D
R13: L N G E O E A C F
R14: 75, 25, 7, 1, 4, 8. Target: 591.
R15: T E N T H M A C C (conundrum)


And now a brief interlude before our main feature:

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Enjoy the show.

Round 1: C R M N U E I B P

Seán: PUMICE (6)
Hugh: IMPURE (6)
DC: NUMERIC (7) BUMPIER (7)
OT: BRUCINE (7) MINCEUR (7) PNEUMIC (7) UNPRIME (7)
Score: 6–6 (max 7)

Round 2: T H L N A E I O S

Seán: SALIENT (7)
Hugh: ELATION (7)
DC: TOENAIL (7) TOENAILS (8) HAILSTONE (18)
Score: 13–13 (max 25)

Round 3: 100, 9, 2, 2, 8, 1. Target: 395.

Seán: 395. ((8 / 2) x 100) - ((9 + 1) / 2) (10)
Hugh: 397.
Score: 23–13 (max 35)

Teatime teaser: TENRACED -> CANTERED

Round 4: B R S A E U P I V

Seán: burpies
Hugh: UPRAISE (7)
DC: ABUSIVE (7)
OT: PARVISE (7) PAVISER (7)
Score: 23–20 (max 42)

Round 5: D S H O A I W N E

Seán: ANODISE (7)
Hugh: DISOWN (6)
DC: WAHINES (7)
OT: ADHESION (8)
Score: 30–20 (max 50)

Round 6: 100, 50, 9, 8, 2, 8. Target: 619.

Seán: 617. ((8 + 2) x 50) + 100 + 8 + 9 (7)
Hugh: 617. ((8 - 2) x 100) + 8 + 9 (7)
RR: 619. (((100 x 50) + 8) / 8) - (9 - 2) (10)
Score: 37–27 (max 60)

Bob talks about his love of country music.

Round 7: G J K R O E O T S

Seán: JOKERS (6)
Hugh: STROKE (6)
DC: STOOGE (6)
OT: ERGOTS (6) ETROGS (6) JERKOS (6) OSTROG (6) RETOOK (6) STOKER (6) TOKERS (6)
Score: 43–33 (max 66)

Round 8: X T R I E A S O G

Seán: GORIEST (7)
Hugh: EXTRAS (6)
DC: STORAGE (7) TOERAGS (7) ORGIAST (7)
OT: GEOTAXIS (8)
Score: 50–33 (max 74)

Round 9: 75, 2, 3, 6, 1, 4. Target: 355.

Seán: 355. ((6 - 1) x 75) - ((3 + 2) x 4) (10)
Hugh: 352.
Score: 60–33 (max 84)

Teatime teaser: RIOSAMBA -> AMBROSIA

Round 10: N R G O E A E T U

Seán: ORANGE (6)
Hugh: GREAT (5)
DC: ENTOURAGE (18)
Score: 66–33 (max 102)

Round 11: L N S F I E A M S

Seán: FINALS (6)
Hugh: FINALS (6)
DC: SEMINAL (7) FAMINES (7) INFLAMES (8)
OT: FLAMINES (8) ISLESMAN (8)
Score: 72–39 (max 110)

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

Round 12: T M N T U I A I D

Seán: MAID (4)
Hugh: TAINT (5)
DC: ADMIT (5) INTIMA (6)
OT: TITANIUM (8)
Score: 72–44 (max 118)

Round 13: L N G E O E A C F

Seán: FLANGE (6)
Hugh: FOCAL (5)
DC: FLAGON (6) CONGEAL (7)
Score: 78–44 (max 125)

Round 14: 75, 25, 7, 1, 4, 8. Target: 591.

Seán: 593.
Hugh: 592. ((7 - 1) x (75 + 25)) - 8 (7)
RR: 591. ((((7 + 1) / 4) + 75) x 8) - 25 (10)
Score: 78–51 (max 135)

Round 15: T E N T H M A C C

Seán buzzes on 6.25 seconds to say ATTACHMENT (followed by Colin saying he was out of time for taking too long), which is incorrect.
Hugh buzzes on 17.25 seconds to say CATCHMENT which is correct.
Final Score: 78–61 (max 145)

Statistics Corner

Seán:
Total score - 78
Raw score - 89
Total % of max - 54
Raw % of max - 61
Total average score per round - 5.2
Raw average score per round - 5.9
Number of maxes - 3

Hugh:
Total score - 61
Raw score - 97
Total % of max - 42
Raw % of max - 67
Total average score per round - 4.1
Raw average score per round - 6.5
Number of maxes - 3

Further summaries are at:
http://cdb.apterous.org/series.php?series=87