Wednesday 3rd May 2023 (Series 87, Preliminary 73)

[James Robinson]

Countdown recap for Wednesday 3 May 2023.

C1: Champion Alex Blundy (3 wins, 233 points.) An 18-year-old student from Oxfordshire.
C2: Challenger Susan Bradshaw. A big heavy metal fan, particularly of Deep Purple, Iron Maiden and Disturbed.
DC: Susie Dent and Cheryl Baker.
RR: Rachel Riley.
OT: Other words or solutions.

R01: L G R A E O N Y I
R02: O M E P T I N P E
R03: 25, 100, 6, 9, 10, 2. Target: 500.
TTT: JOECRIED - "Joe cried tears of happiness."
R04: I C E R G A S R O
R05: S M T I O E J N I
R06: 50, 25, 1, 8, 7, 3. Target: 477.
R07: T H S E I O R D S
R08: I N O P R E G M B
R09: 75, 100, 10, 9, 3, 6. Target: 283.
TTT: ANDMUSIC - "Nothing to do with music, but it's just outside the top 20."
R10: I S U D T E S L R
R11: S G T O A E B T U
R12: A N I M X A S L G
R13: K N T E A E S Z A
R14: 75, 100, 10, 6, 8, 3. Target: 276.
R15: M E N S P U B I S (conundrum)


And now a brief interlude before our main feature:

SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER
SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER
SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER
SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER
SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER
SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER
SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER
SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER
SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER
SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER
SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER
SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER
SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER
SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER
SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER
SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER
SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER
SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER
SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER
SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER

Enjoy the show.

Round 1: L G R A E O N Y I

Alex: realing
Susan: ANGRILY (7)
DC: RELAYING (8)
OT: LEGIONARY (18)
Score: 0–7 (max 18)

Round 2: O M E P T I N P E

Alex: POINT (5)
Susan: EPITOME (7)
OT: EMPTION (7) EPITOPE (7) PEPTONE (7) PIMENTO (7) PIPEMEN (7) TEMENOI (7)
Score: 0–14 (max 25)

Round 3: 25, 100, 6, 9, 10, 2. Target: 500.

Alex: 500. (10 / 2) x 100 (10)
Susan: 500. (10 / 2) x 100 (10)
Score: 10–24 (max 35)

Teatime teaser: JOECRIED -> REJOICED

Round 4: I C E R G A S R O

Alex: CARRIES (7)
Susan: CORGIS (6)
DC: GROCERS (7) GRICERS (7) CORSAGE (7)
OT: CARGOES (7) CIRROSE (7) COARSER (7) CORRIES (7) CORSAIR (7) CROSIER (7) GRACERS (7) ROSACRE (7) SCARIER (7) SCORIAE (7)
Score: 17–24 (max 42)

Round 5: S M T I O E J N I

Alex: EMITS (5)
Susan: mentions
DC: JOINTS (6) MOISTEN (7)
OT: MIONITES (8) SIMONITE (8)
Score: 22–24 (max 50)

Round 6: 50, 25, 1, 8, 7, 3. Target: 477.

Alex: 478. ((8 + 1) x 50) + 25 + 3 (7)
Susan: 478. ((8 + 1) x 50) + 25 + 3 (7)
RR: 477. ((50 + 7) x 8) - 3 - 1 + 25 (10)
Score: 29–31 (max 60)

Cheryl talks about Sam Ryder revitalising the UK's interest in Eurovision.

Round 7: T H S E I O R D S

Alex: THESIS (6)
Susan: SHORTIES (8)
DC: deshirts
OT: DOITHERS (8) HOISTERS (8) HORSIEST (8) ORTHESIS (8) ORTHIDES (8) REHOISTS (8) ROSSITED (8) ROTISSED (8) STEROIDS (8)
Score: 29–39 (max 68)

Round 8: I N O P R E G M B

Alex: PROBING (7)
Susan: PROBING (7)
DC: PONGIER (7) BROMINE (7)
OT: PERIGON (7) PERMING (7) PIBGORN (7) PIROGEN (7) PRIGMEN (7) RIGBONE (7) ROMPING (7)
Score: 36–46 (max 75)

Round 9: 75, 100, 10, 9, 3, 6. Target: 283.

Alex: 284. (100 x 3) - 10 - 6 (7)
Susan: -
RR: 283. ((100 - 6) x 3) + 10 - 9 (10)
Score: 43–46 (max 85)

Teatime teaser: ANDMUSIC -> SCANDIUM

Round 10: I S U D T E S L R

Alex: STUDIES (7)
Susan: STUDIES (7)
DC: STUDLIER (8)
OT: DILUTERS (8) STRUDELS (8) STUDIERS (8) SURLIEST (8)
Score: 50–53 (max 93)

Round 11: S G T O A E B T U

Alex: ASTUTE (6)
Susan: BOAST (5)
DC: TUGBOATS (8)
OT: BOTTEGAS (8) OUTGATES (8)
Score: 56–53 (max 101)

Round 12: A N I M X A S L G

Alex: MAXING (6)
Susan: ANIMALS (7)
OT: AGNAILS (7) LINGAMS (7) MALIGNS (7) MANGALS (7) MAXINAS (7) SIAMANG (7)
Score: 56–60 (max 108)

Round 13: K N T E A E S Z A

Alex: STANK (5)
Susan: STEAK (5)
DC: STANZA (6) TANKAS (6)
OT: ANSATE (6) ANSATZ (6) ASKANT (6) KANATS (6) KENTES (6) SATEEN (6) SENATE (6) SKEAZE (6) ZEENAS (6)
Score: 61–65 (max 114)

Round 14: 75, 100, 10, 6, 8, 3. Target: 276.

Alex: 276. (100 x 3) - (10 + 6 + 8) (10)
Susan: 275.
Score: 71–65 (max 124)

Round 15: M E N S P U B I S

No one buzzes. The answer, correctly given by Rachel, was BUMPINESS.
Final Score: 71–65 (max 134)

Statistics Corner

Alex:
Total score - 71
Raw score - 88
Total % of max - 53
Raw % of max - 66
Total average score per round - 4.7
Raw average score per round - 5.9
Number of maxes - 4

Susan:
Total score - 65
Raw score - 83
Total % of max - 49
Raw % of max - 62
Total average score per round - 4.3
Raw average score per round - 5.5
Number of maxes - 5

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