Wednesday 22nd March 2023 (Series 87, Preliminary 43)

[James Robinson]

Countdown recap for Wednesday 22 March 2023.

C1: Champion Matt Williams (4 wins, 331 points.) From Wrexham.
C2: Challenger Dave Cappleman. Can he match the achievements of his wife, Catriona, his son, (Series Champion) Thomas, and his daughter-in-law, Ruth?
DC: Susie Dent and John Cooper Clarke.
RR: Rachel Riley.
OT: Other words or solutions.

R01: N E S A W H I G T
R02: N L O A M E N S O
R03: 50, 7, 10, 2, 2, 10. Target: 672.
TTT: SUEGORGE - "Sue gorged on lots of these at the party."
R04: T N I E D A P N E
R05: P S A R E U W N A
R06: 25, 75, 3, 1, 1, 8. Target: 532.
R07: T E S L I G E A M
R08: L R O U T E N O U
R09: 3, 5, 8, 2, 6, 7. Target: 622.
TTT: BABEHOOD - "Down under, he's more in than out, and it's just not cricket."
R10: M B A I C E M T A
R11: N E Q T I R E Y I
R12: R L U E F A R J V
R13: C F O I R E S H I
R14: 50, 4, 3, 10, 10, 6. Target: 298.
R15: G R A P E N E S S (conundrum)


And now a brief interlude before our main feature:

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Enjoy the show.

Round 1: N E S A W H I G T

Matt: SWEATING (8)
Dave: SWEATING (8)
DC: SWATHING (8)
Score: 8–8 (max 8)

Round 2: N L O A M E N S O

Matt: LEMONS (6)
Dave: SOLEMN (6)
DC: NANOMOLES (18)
Score: 14–14 (max 26)

Round 3: 50, 7, 10, 2, 2, 10. Target: 672.

Matt: 672. ((50 + 10 + 7) x 10) + 2 (10)
Dave: 672. ((50 + 10 + 7) x 10) + 2 (10)
Score: 24–24 (max 36)

Teatime teaser: SUEGORGE -> GOUGERES

Round 4: T N I E D A P N E

Matt: PAINTED (7)
Dave: PINNATE (7)
DC: PINNATED (8)
OT: PENNATED (8)
Score: 31–31 (max 44)

Round 5: P S A R E U W N A

Matt: PRAWNS (6)
Dave: PRAWNS (6)
DC: UNWRAPS (7) UNAWARES (8)
Score: 37–37 (max 52)

Round 6: 25, 75, 3, 1, 1, 8. Target: 532.

Matt: 527.
Dave: 529. ((8 - 1) x 75) + 3 + 1 (7)
RR: 532. (8 - 1) x (75 + 1) (10)
Score: 37–44 (max 62)

John does a poem about cars, called "The Motorist".

Round 7: T E S L I G E A M

Matt: gleamiest
Dave: MEALIEST (8)
DC: ELEGIAST (8)
Score: 37–52 (max 70)

Round 8: L R O U T E N O U

Matt: LOOTER (6)
Dave: ROOTLE (6)
DC: UNROOT (6) unroute
OT: NOTOUR (6) OUTNER (6) OUTRUN (6) RETOOL (6) RUNLET (6) TOOLER (6) UNRULE (6) UNTRUE (6)
Score: 43–58 (max 76)

Round 9: 3, 5, 8, 2, 6, 7. Target: 622.

Matt: 621. (8 x 7 x (5 + 6)) + 3 + 2 (7)
Dave: 625.
RR: 622. (8 x 7 x (5 + 6)) + (3 x 2) (10)
Score: 50–58 (max 86)

Teatime teaser: BABEHOOD -> BOOBHEAD

Round 10: M B A I C E M T A

Matt: TAME (4)
Dave: ABATE (5)
DC: CAMBIA (6)
OT: IMAMATE (7)
Score: 50–63 (max 93)

Round 11: N E Q T I R E Y I

Matt: ENTER (5)
Dave: ENTIRE (6)
OT: NITERIE (7)
Score: 50–69 (max 100)

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

Round 12: R L U E F A R J V

Matt: FLARE (5)
Dave: refurl
DC: VALUER (6)
OT: EARFUL (6) FERULA (6) JARFUL (6)
Score: 55–69 (max 106)

Round 13: C F O I R E S H I

Matt: FISHIER (7)
Dave: FISHIER (7)
DC: HEROICS (7) ICEFISH (7)
OT: ORIFICES (8)
Score: 62–76 (max 114)

Round 14: 50, 4, 3, 10, 10, 6. Target: 298.

Matt: 298. (6 x 50) - (4 - 3) - (10 / 10) (10)
Dave: 298. (6 x 50) - (3 - (10 / 10)) (10)
Score: 72–86 (max 124)

Round 15: G R A P E N E S S

No one buzzes. The answer, correctly guessed by John, was PASSENGER.
Final Score: 72–86 (max 134)

Statistics Corner

Matt:
Total score - 72
Raw score - 88
Total % of max - 54
Raw % of max - 66
Total average score per round - 4.8
Raw average score per round - 5.9
Number of maxes - 4

Dave:
Total score - 86
Raw score - 93
Total % of max - 64
Raw % of max - 69
Total average score per round - 5.7
Raw average score per round - 6.2
Number of maxes - 5

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