Thursday 23rd March 2023 (Series 87, Preliminary 44)

[James Robinson]

Countdown recap for Thursday 23 March 2023.

C1: Champion Dave Cappleman (1 win, 86 points.) A retired computer worker.
C2: Challenger Harvey Burgess. From London.
DC: Susie Dent and John Cooper Clarke.
RR: Rachel Riley.
OT: Other words or solutions.

R01: S T E I R U D P O
R02: D N E O R A S W E
R03: 75, 25, 9, 1, 7, 5. Target: 961.
TTT: CEASEOLD - "You don't stop being young, you just grow up a bit."
R04: A N T E B N A O T
R05: F P U A R O S D I
R06: 25, 1, 3, 5, 9, 7. Target: 621.
R07: W N E A G I S M A
R08: T I E G R I F G S
R09: 50, 100, 5, 3, 9, 10. Target: 890.
TTT: RAILREPS - "Focus on an act of retaliation."
R10: O E T S N P U T M
R11: L R E I H A T G E
R12: B O E R N R U E Z
R13: T H A E N O C M E
R14: 100, 75, 2, 6, 3, 8. Target: 354.
R15: T I M S M E R C Y (conundrum)


And now a brief interlude before our main feature:

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Enjoy the show.

Round 1: S T E I R U D P O

Dave: SPROUTED (8)
Harvey: DOPIEST (7)
DC: POSTURED (8) OUTSIDER (8) STUPIDER (8) RIPOSTED (8) PROUDEST (8)
OT: DIPTEROUS (18)
Score: 8–0 (max 18)

Round 2: D N E O R A S W E

Dave: WORSENED (8)
Harvey: WORSENED (8)
DC: ANSWERED (8) ENDOWERS (8)
OT: REASONED (8)
Score: 16–8 (max 26)

Round 3: 75, 25, 9, 1, 7, 5. Target: 961.

Dave: 962. ((25 + 75 + 7) x 9) - 1 (7)
Harvey: 968.
RR: 961. ((25 + 75 + 5 + 1) x 9) + 7 (10)
Score: 23–8 (max 36)

Teatime teaser: CEASEOLD -> ADOLESCE

Round 4: A N T E B N A O T

Dave: ANNOTATE (8)
Harvey: BATTEN (6)
Score: 31–8 (max 44)

Round 5: F P U A R O S D I

Dave: FRAUDS (6)
Harvey: POURS (5)
DC: RADIOS (6)
OT: ADIPOUS (7) PODURAS (7) RADIOUS (7) RAPIDOS (7)
Score: 37–8 (max 51)

Round 6: 25, 1, 3, 5, 9, 7. Target: 621.

Dave: 625. (7 - 3 + 1) x 5 x 25 (7)
Harvey: -
RR: 621. ((25 x 3) - 5 - 1) x 9 (10)
Score: 44–8 (max 61)

John does his own haikus.

Round 7: W N E A G I S M A

Dave: SEAMING (7)
Harvey: SAWING (6)
DC: MAGNESIA (8)
Score: 51–8 (max 69)

Round 8: T I E G R I F G S

Dave: gifters
Harvey: firiest
DC: FIGGIEST (8)
Score: 51–8 (max 77)

Round 9: 50, 100, 5, 3, 9, 10. Target: 890.

Dave: 890. (9 x 100) - 10 (10)
Harvey: 890. (9 x 100) - 10 (10)
Score: 61–18 (max 87)

Teatime teaser: RAILREPS -> REPRISAL

Round 10: O E T S N P U T M

Dave: OUTSPENT (8)
Harvey: MOUNTS (6)
DC: POSTMEN (7)
Score: 69–18 (max 95)

Round 11: L R E I H A T G E

Dave: alighter
Harvey: GATHER (6)
DC: ALIGHT (6) LITHARGE (8) LEATHER (7)
OT: ETHERIAL (8) HERITAGE (8) LITREAGE (8) RELIGATE (8)
Score: 69–24 (max 103)

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

Round 12: B O E R N R U E Z

Dave: REBORN (6)
Harvey: BRONZER (7)
DC: BONZER (6) unborn BURNER (6)
OT: BOURREE (7) RUBRENE (7)
Score: 69–31 (max 110)

Round 13: T H A E N O C M E

Dave: METHANE (7)
Harvey: MATCH (5)
DC: METACONE (8)
OT: MECHANTE (8) MECONATE (8)
Score: 76–31 (max 118)

Round 14: 100, 75, 2, 6, 3, 8. Target: 354.

Dave: 351.
Harvey: 353. (3 x 100) + 75 - (2 x 8) - 6 (7)
RR: 354. ((6 / 3) + 75 + 100) x 2 (10)
Score: 76–38 (max 128)

Round 15: T I M S M E R C Y

Dave buzzes on 17.5 seconds to say TRIMESTER which is incorrect.
Harvey does not buzz.
The answer, correctly guessed by Rachel, was SYMMETRIC.
Final Score: 76–38 (max 138)

Statistics Corner

Dave:
Total score - 76
Raw score - 89
Total % of max - 55
Raw % of max - 64
Total average score per round - 5.1
Raw average score per round - 5.9
Number of maxes - 4

Harvey:
Total score - 38
Raw score - 78
Total % of max - 28
Raw % of max - 57
Total average score per round - 2.5
Raw average score per round - 5.2
Number of maxes - 3

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