Countdown recap for Thursday 25 January 2024.
C1: Champion Mark Finnerty (7 wins, 771 points.) A consultant psychiatrist from Newry, County Down, Northern Ireland.
C2: Challenger Matthew Cox. From Bourneville, West Midlands. He is an "Alpha Wolf", as he takes part in Wolf Run obstacle courses.
DC: Susie Dent and Jon Culshaw.
RR: Rachel Riley.
OT: Other words or solutions.
R01: R G F O E O L D R
R02: G M A E S M I H A
R03: 50, 2, 5, 1, 8, 7. Target: 581.
TTT: RACYTUNE - "Not one in a million, this plant is one in one hundred."
R04: P R E I H S A N D
R05: R S R I O E L Z A
R06: 25, 100, 5, 2, 9, 6. Target: 837.
R07: T S W I A E C S G
R08: I U L C T L E M O
R09: 4, 6, 5, 8, 4, 2. Target: 649.
TTT: PETFLORA - "Fear and disappointment with the computer speed."
R10: A V M S E O T D E
R11: N T S U E A D R U
R12: N E S I C N E P U
R13: B T J E O E D T O
R14: 25, 7, 4, 3, 5, 3. Target: 711.
R15: R I P E N G I F T (conundrum)
And now a brief interlude before our main feature:
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Enjoy the show.
Round 1: R G F O E O L D R
Mark: FLOORED (7)
Matthew: GOLFER (6)
Score: 7–0 (max 7)
Round 2: G M A E S M I H A
Mark: MIASMA (6)
Matthew: MIASMA (6)
DC: IMAGES (6) GEISHA (6)
OT: AGAMIES (7) GAMAHES (7) HAMMIES (7) MAGAMES (7)
Score: 13–6 (max 14)
Round 3: 50, 2, 5, 1, 8, 7. Target: 581.
Mark: 583. ((7 + 5) x 50) - ((2 x 8) + 1) (7)
Matthew: 576.
RR: 581. ((50 + 8) x 2 x 5) + 1 (10)
Score: 20–6 (max 24)
Teatime teaser: RACYTUNE -> CENTAURY
Round 4: P R E I H S A N D
Mark: SPRAINED (8)
Matthew: SANDIER (7)
DC: PINHEADS (8)
OT: PARISHED (8) PARISHEN (8) PINDHERS (8) RAPHIDES (8) RHEADINS (8)
Score: 28–6 (max 32)
Round 5: R S R I O E L Z A
Mark: oralizers
Matthew: LORRIES (7)
DC: SOLARIZE (8) solarizer
Score: 28–13 (max 40)
Round 6: 25, 100, 5, 2, 9, 6. Target: 837.
Mark: 837. (100 - 5 - 2) x 9 (10)
Matthew: -
Score: 38–13 (max 50)
Jon talks about his love of solar eclipse chasing.
Round 7: T S W I A E C S G
Mark: CAGIEST (7)
Matthew: CAGIEST (7)
OT: AGEISTS (7) ASCITES (7)
Score: 45–20 (max 57)
Round 8: I U L C T L E M O
Mark: MOTILE (6)
Matthew: CUTIE (5)
DC: MILLET (6)
OT: CELTIUM (7) MELILOT (7) MOUILLE (7) MULLITE (7)
Score: 51–20 (max 64)
Round 9: 4, 6, 5, 8, 4, 2. Target: 649.
Mark: 644. ((((2 x 6) + 4) x 5) x 8) + 4 (7)
Matthew: 649. Mistake in working.
RR: 648/650. (7)
Me: 648. (8 x 4 x 4 x 5) + 6 + 2 (7)
Score: 58–20 (max 71)
Teatime teaser: PETFLORA -> TERAFLOP
Round 10: A V M S E O T D E
Mark: DEVOTES (7)
Matthew: stoved (declared as 5)
DC: STEAMED (7)
OT: DEMOTES (7)
Score: 65–20 (max 78)
Round 11: N T S U E A D R U
Mark: UNRATED (7)
Matthew: STAND (5)
DC: UNRUSTED (8) TRANSUDE (8)
Score: 72–20 (max 86)
Susie's Origins Of Words talks about the origins of some Scottish words, in honour of Burns' Night.
Round 12: N E S I C N E P U
Mark: PENNIES (7)
Matthew: UNPINS (6)
DC: INCENSE (7)
OT: CUNNIES (7) PEICENS (7) PIECENS (7) PINCENS (7)
Score: 79–20 (max 93)
Round 13: B T J E O E D T O
Mark: BOOTED (6)
Matthew: JOTTED (6)
DC: BOOTEE (6) boottee
OT: BETTED (6) JETTED (6) TOOTED (6)
Score: 85–26 (max 99)
Round 14: 25, 7, 4, 3, 5, 3. Target: 711.
Mark: 711. (((7 x 25) + 5) x 4) - (3 x 3) (10)
Matthew: 711. (25 x 4 x 7) + 3 + 3 + 5 (10)
Score: 95–36 (max 109)
Round 15: R I P E N G I F T
Mark buzzes on 24.75 seconds to say FINGERTIP which is correct.
Final Score: 105–36 (max 119)
A total of 876 points from his 8 games (all 8 being centuries too) sees Mark go to #1 seed in the embryonic table.
Statistics Corner
Mark:
Total score - 105
Raw score - 105
Total % of max - 88
Raw % of max - 88
Total average score per round - 7.0
Raw average score per round - 7.0
Number of maxes - 10
Matthew:
Total score - 36
Raw score - 72
Total % of max - 30
Raw % of max - 61
Total average score per round - 2.4
Raw average score per round - 4.8
Number of maxes - 3
Further summaries are at:
http://cdb.apterous.org/series.php?series=89