Countdown recap for Thursday 22 February 2024.
C1: Champion Michael Calder (7 wins, 627 points.) A Trussell Trust worker from Forfar, Angus.
C2: Challenger Julia Blake. A Samaritans volunteer originally from Plymouth, but now living in Cleator Moor, Cumbria.
DC: Susie Dent and Sara Davies.
RR: Rachel Riley.
OT: Other words or solutions.
R01: R S P W A O U L E
R02: N D P I E T Y O I
R03: 100, 2, 2, 8, 7, 7. Target: 291.
TTT: KITEWARS - "Hundreds of feet, but just one tow."
R04: S D G E U H S I E
R05: B N D O A O R K I
R06: 25, 100, 6, 10, 7, 4. Target: 211.
R07: W T D F U A E M S
R08: C T R A E I S Z L
R09: 100, 8, 6, 9, 9, 4. Target: 557.
TTT: AVIDCUTS - "They carry the train, but they're not bridesmaids."
R10: P N G E I N S O T
R11: N G L E O A V R L
R12: M T D E A R G O R
R13: S T C A U E D R O
R14: 50, 100, 10, 2, 7, 3. Target: 310.
R15: L E F T C R E E D (conundrum)
And now a brief interlude before our main feature:
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Enjoy the show.
Round 1: R S P W A O U L E
Michael: LOWERS (6)
Julia: POWERS (6)
DC: PAROLES (7) PERUSAL (7)
OT: PALOUSER (8)
Score: 6–6 (max 8)
Round 2: N D P I E T Y O I
Michael: POINTED (7)
Julia: POINTED (7)
DC: IDIOTYPE (8)
Score: 13–13 (max 16)
Round 3: 100, 2, 2, 8, 7, 7. Target: 291.
Michael: 292. (((7 / 7) + 2) x 100) - 8 (7)
Julia: -
RR: 291. (100 x 2) + ((8 + 7 - 2) x 7) (10)
Score: 20–13 (max 26)
Teatime teaser: KITEWARS -> WATERSKI
Round 4: S D G E U H S I E
Michael: GUESSED (7)
Julia: GUSHED (6)
DC: GUSSIED (7)
OT: DISEUSE (7) HEDGIES (7)
Score: 27–13 (max 33)
Round 5: B N D O A O R K I
Michael: INROAD (6)
Julia: BRAND (5)
DC: ONBOARD (7)
OT: BORONIA (7) BRADOON (7) BRIDOON (7) INBOARD (7)
Score: 33–13 (max 40)
Round 6: 25, 100, 6, 10, 7, 4. Target: 211.
Michael: 210. ((6 - 4) x 100) + 10 (7)
Julia: 207.
RR: 211. 7 + 4 + ((10 - 6) x 25) + 100 (10)
Score: 40–13 (max 50)
Sara talks about receiving her MBE two days before giving birth.
Round 7: W T D F U A E M S
Michael: FASTED (6)
Julia: FASTED (6)
DC: AMUSED (6) WASTED (6)
OT: DEFATS (6) ESTUFA (6) FUMETS (6) MAFTED (6) MASTED (6) MEATUS (6) MEDUSA (6) MUSTED (6) MUTASE (6) SAUTED (6) WAFTED (6)
Score: 46–19 (max 56)
Round 8: C T R A E I S Z L
Michael: CRAZIEST (8)
Julia: CLARETS (7)
DC: ARTICLES (8) RACIEST (7) LAZIEST (7)
OT: RECITALS (8)
Score: 54–19 (max 64)
Round 9: 100, 8, 6, 9, 9, 4. Target: 557.
Michael: 558. ((100 - 4) x 6) - 9 - 9 (7)
Julia: 559.
RR: 557. ((100 - 9) x 6) + 9 + (8 / 4) (10)
Score: 61–19 (max 74)
Teatime teaser: AVIDCUTS -> VIADUCTS
Round 10: P N G E I N S O T
Michael: PONGIEST (8)
Julia: POSTING (7)
OT: OPENINGS (8)
Score: 69–19 (max 82)
Round 11: N G L E O A V R L
Michael: GRAVEL (6)
Julia: GRAVEL (6)
DC: ALLEGRO (7) OVERALL (7)
OT: LONGEVAL (8)
Score: 75–25 (max 90)
Susie's Origins Of Words talks about the origins of some local sayings.
Round 12: M T D E A R G O R
Michael: GRATED (6)
Julia: GRATED (6)
DC: MORTARED (8)
Score: 81–31 (max 98)
Round 13: S T C A U E D R O
Michael: OUTRACED (8)
Julia: OUTRACED (8)
DC: CROUSTADE (18) EDUCATORS (18)
Score: 89–39 (max 116)
Round 14: 50, 100, 10, 2, 7, 3. Target: 310.
Michael: 310. (100 x 3) + 10 (10)
Julia: 310. (100 x 3) + 10 (10)
Score: 99–49 (max 126)
Round 15: L E F T C R E E D
Michael buzzes on 3.75 seconds to say REFLECTED which is correct.
Final Score: 109–49 (max 136)
Michael's much improved "second half" sees his octototal climb to 736 points, putting him at #3 on the leaderboard..., but with less than half the series gone, are we in danger of another series of more than 8 octochamps...
Statistics Corner
Michael:
Total score - 109
Raw score - 109
Total % of max - 80
Raw % of max - 80
Total average score per round - 7.3
Raw average score per round - 7.3
Number of maxes - 6
Julia:
Total score - 49
Raw score - 88
Total % of max - 36
Raw % of max - 65
Total average score per round - 3.3
Raw average score per round - 5.9
Number of maxes - 2
Further summaries are at:
http://cdb.apterous.org/series.php?series=89