Wednesday 14th February 2024 (Series 89, Preliminary 32)

[James Robinson]

Countdown recap for Wednesday 14 February 2024.

C1: Champion Michael Calder (1 win, 83 points.) A Trussell Trust worker from Scotland.
C2: Challenger David Munday. From Tiverton, Devon. He was previously on the show in 1992, and he got back on thanks to meeting Susie in a school in Somerset, when she mentioned the fabled "10 year rule".
DC: Susie Dent and Sir Tim Rice.
RR: Rachel Riley.
OT: Other words or solutions.

R01: R G W I E A D R S
R02: M N M T I E A I B
R03: 50, 4, 3, 9, 8, 1. Target: 709.
TTT: NICEREGO - "His fingers are on fire playing this way."
R04: T D H P U I E O G
R05: C P N I A E T L O
R06: 75, 4, 6, 8, 10, 1. Target: 192.
R07: B S V M A O E T P
R08: O A U D N J I T S
R09: 100, 1, 8, 5, 3, 10. Target: 904.
TTT: HUGENERD - "He craved to absorb more and more information."
R10: A E A I F N S N T
R11: L X S G E U E D O
R12: F T G R E U E O S
R13: C K R E A E N P H
R14: 100, 25, 75, 10, 1, 4. Target: 985.
R15: S L O E F R U I T (conundrum)


And now a brief interlude before our main feature:

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Enjoy the show.

Round 1: R G W I E A D R S

Michael: WAGERS (6)
David: REGARDS (7)
DC: DRAWERS (7) EARWIGS (7) REWARDS (7)
OT: GARDIES (7) GIRDERS (7) GRADERS (7) RAIDERS (7) REDRAWS (7) RIDGERS (7) WARDERS (7) WIDGERS (7)
Score: 0–7 (max 7)

Round 2: M N M T I E A I B

Michael: BAIT (4)
David: AMBIENT (7)
DC: INMATE (6)
OT: INTIMAE (7) MINIATE (7)
Score: 0–14 (max 14)

Round 3: 50, 4, 3, 9, 8, 1. Target: 709.

Michael: -
David: 709. ((4 + 3 - 1 + 8) x 50) + 9 (10)
Score: 0–24 (max 24)

Teatime teaser: NICEREGO -> ENERGICO

Round 4: T D H P U I E O G

Michael: TOUGHED (7)
David: TOUGHIE (7)
DC: HIDEOUT (7)
OT: POUGHITE (8)
Score: 7–31 (max 32)

Round 5: C P N I A E T L O

Michael: POLENTA (7)
David: ELATION (7)
DC: POETICAL (8)
OT: ANTIPOLE (8) LEPTONIC (8) NOETICAL (8) PECTINAL (8) PLANETIC (8) PLATONIC (8)
Score: 14–38 (max 40)

Round 6: 75, 4, 6, 8, 10, 1. Target: 192.

Michael: 190. ((8 + 4) x 10) + 75 - 6 + 1 (7)
David: -
RR: 192. 4 x 6 x 8 (10)
Score: 21–38 (max 50)

Sir Tim talks about his earliest inspirations for his music.

Round 7: B S V M A O E T P

Michael: TEMPOS (6)
David: OVATES (6)
OT: BAMPOTS (7) SPAMBOT (7)
Score: 27–44 (max 57)

Round 8: O A U D N J I T S

Michael: AUDITS (6)
David: NUDIST (6)
DC: ADUSTION (8)
OT: ADJOINTS (8)
Score: 33–50 (max 65)

Round 9: 100, 1, 8, 5, 3, 10. Target: 904.

Michael: 904. ((10 - 1) x 100) + (8 / (5 - 3)) (10)
David: 905.
Score: 43–50 (max 75)

Teatime teaser: HUGENERD -> HUNGERED

Round 10: A E A I F N S N T

Michael: INFANTS (7)
David: ANNATES (7)
DC: INFANTES (8)
OT: FAINEANTS (18)
Score: 50–57 (max 93)

Round 11: L X S G E U E D O

Michael: DELUGES (7)
David: SEGUED (6)
DC: DELOUSE (7)
Score: 57–57 (max 100)

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

Round 12: F T G R E U E O S

Michael: FORGETS (7)
David: grouted
OT: FOREGUTS (8) GOREFEST (8)
Score: 64–57 (max 108)

Round 13: C K R E A E N P H

Michael: CHEAPER (7)
David: CHEAPEN (7)
DC: HENPECK (7)
OT: HEARKEN (7) KNEECAP (7) PEACHER (7)
Score: 71–64 (max 115)

Round 14: 100, 25, 75, 10, 1, 4. Target: 985.

Michael: 986. ((100 - 1) x 10) - 4 (7)
David: 984. Mistake in working.
RR: 985. ((100 + 1) x 10) - 25 (10)
Score: 78–64 (max 125)

Round 15: S L O E F R U I T

No one buzzes. The answer was FLOURIEST.
Final Score: 78–64 (max 135)

Statistics Corner

Michael:
Total score - 78
Raw score - 88
Total % of max - 58
Raw % of max - 65
Total average score per round - 5.2
Raw average score per round - 5.9
Number of maxes - 3

David:
Total score - 64
Raw score - 77
Total % of max - 47
Raw % of max - 57
Total average score per round - 4.3
Raw average score per round - 5.1
Number of maxes - 4

Further summaries are at:
http://cdb.apterous.org/series.php?series=89