Tuesday 21st March 2023 (Series 87, Preliminary 42)

[James Robinson]

Countdown recap for Tuesday 21 March 2023.

C1: Champion Matt Williams (3 wins, 247 points.) From Wrexham.
C2: Challenger Laura Baxter. A sales manager from Oxfordshire. She's also the proud mother of non-identical twins.
DC: Susie Dent and John Cooper Clarke.
RR: Rachel Riley.
OT: Other words or solutions.

R01: T A S N O Y A E T
R02: G T B O E O D R M
R03: 100, 3, 10, 4, 5, 4. Target: 113.
TTT: SAIDMATE - "You won't close this gap by levelling up."
R04: T S L U A E T G S
R05: N A T E P R O U S
R06: 100, 5, 5, 6, 10, 9. Target: 337.
R07: T P I N H A I O E
R08: C S L I E A N K R
R09: 100, 2, 4, 3, 1, 8. Target: 473.
TTT: FOGTREES - "Al prepares to watch his favourite scary movie."
R10: M N L E U I T H W
R11: G A D N I A S M O
R12: C R M I O E G R J
R13: B A X F E I R T S
R14: 50, 9, 5, 4, 8, 6. Target: 801.
R15: H A R D Y T R E E (conundrum)


And now a brief interlude before our main feature:

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Enjoy the show.

Round 1: T A S N O Y A E T

Matt: ATONES (6)
Laura: NOTATES (7)
DC: SONATA (6) SNOTTY (6)
OT: ANATTOS (7)
Score: 0–7 (max 7)

Round 2: G T B O E O D R M

Matt: MOTORED (7)
Laura: MOTORED (7)
DC: GROOMED (7) BEDROOM (7)
OT: BOREDOM (7)
Score: 7–14 (max 14)

Round 3: 100, 3, 10, 4, 5, 4. Target: 113.

Matt: 113. 100 + 10 + 3 (10)
Laura: 113. 100 + 10 + 3 (10)
Score: 17–24 (max 24)

Teatime teaser: SAIDMATE -> DIASTEMA

Round 4: T S L U A E T G S

Matt: STEALS (6)
Laura: estates
DC: GUTLESS (7) STATUES (7) lustgate
OT: GESTALTS (8)
Score: 23–24 (max 32)

Round 5: N A T E P R O U S

Matt: PARENTS (7)
Laura: PARENTS (7)
DC: APTEROUS (8) OPERANTS (8) PRONATES (8)
OT: RESPONAUT (18)
Score: 30–31 (max 50)

Round 6: 100, 5, 5, 6, 10, 9. Target: 337.

Matt: 335. ((9 - 6) x 100) + (5 x 5) + 10 (7)
Laura: -
OT: 336. ((100 + 5) x (10 + 6)) / 5 (7)
Score: 37–31 (max 57)

John does a poem about songs that were created by changing the letter of one word of an established song.

Round 7: T P I N H A I O E

Matt: HENTAI (6)
Laura: PAINT (5)
DC: PHAETON (7)
OT: PHOTINIA (8)
Score: 43–31 (max 65)

Round 8: C S L I E A N K R

Matt: crankies
Laura: SLICKER (7)
DC: CLEARSKIN (18)
Score: 43–38 (max 83)

Round 9: 100, 2, 4, 3, 1, 8. Target: 473.

Matt: 474. ((4 + 1) x 100) - (8 x 3) - 2 (7)
Laura: 474. ((4 + 1) x 100) - (8 x 3) - 2 (7)
RR: 473. ((4 + 1) x (100 - (8 - 3))) - 2 (10)
Score: 50–45 (max 93)

Teatime teaser: FOGTREES -> GOREFEST

Round 10: M N L E U I T H W

Matt: MINUTE (6)
Laura: WHITEN (6)
DC: MINUET (6)
OT: HELIUM (6) HITMEN (6) HUMINT (6) INHUME (6) LUTEIN (6) MUTILE (6)
Score: 56–51 (max 99)

Round 11: G A D N I A S M O

Matt: DOSING (6)
Laura: DINGOS (6)
DC: MADISON (7) ANGIOMAS (8)
OT: AGAMOIDS (8) GOADSMAN (8) MANGIAOS (8)
Score: 62–57 (max 107)

Susie's Origins Of Words talks about the origins of words relating to Damacles.

Round 12: C R M I O E G R J

Matt: CRIME (5)
Laura: CRIME (5)
DC: CORRIE (6)
OT: GORIER (6) GRICER (6) GROCER (6)
Score: 67–62 (max 113)

Round 13: B A X F E I R T S

Matt: FAIREST (7)
Laura: BRIEFS (6)
DC: FIXATES (7) BAITERS (7)
OT: ARTIFEX (7) BARITES (7) BIFTERS (7) FIBSTER (7) REBAITS (7)
Score: 74–62 (max 120)

Round 14: 50, 9, 5, 4, 8, 6. Target: 801.

Matt: 800. Mistake in working.
Laura: 795. Mistake in working.
RR: 801. ((8 x 6) - (4 + 5) + 50) x 9 (10)
Score: 74–62 (max 130)

Round 15: H A R D Y T R E E

Matt buzzes on 3 seconds to say REHYDRATE which is correct.
Final Score: 84–62 (max 140)

Statistics Corner

Matt:
Total score - 84
Raw score - 90
Total % of max - 60
Raw % of max - 64
Total average score per round - 5.6
Raw average score per round - 6.0
Number of maxes - 6

Laura:
Total score - 62
Raw score - 73
Total % of max - 44
Raw % of max - 52
Total average score per round - 4.1
Raw average score per round - 4.9
Number of maxes - 4

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