Monday 4th March 2024 (Series 89, Preliminary 45)

[James Robinson]

Countdown recap for Monday 4 March 2024.

C1: Champion Isabelle Heward (4 wins, 314 points.) From Lincolnshire.
C2: Challenger Richard Phillips. Originally from Lincolnshire, but now lives in Tottenham. He lived in Costa Rica for 4 years, living off the grid.
DC: Susie Dent and Rory Bremner.
RR: Rachel Riley.
OT: Other words or solutions.

R01: N S A G T U E S L
R02: C R I A J W L I U
R03: 75, 7, 5, 4, 9, 6. Target: 974.
TTT: ACORNPIE - "You're in support of Michael at the dentist."
R04: G P R I U E S B O
R05: P N I E O T G N S
R06: 1, 8, 5, 4, 2, 4. Target: 713.
R07: T M S P E U O D T
R08: N H F E I O L G W
R09: 100, 2, 5, 9, 1, 6. Target: 510.
TTT: ROANLAMB - "A roan lamb? That's surely not right."
R10: N L P E A I D T C
R11: N D T R E I E D H
R12: R K S C I E A T S
R13: N F M L E A I R D
R14: 3, 7, 4, 8, 10, 5. Target: 853.
R15: N I N E R D U E T (conundrum)


And now a brief interlude before our main feature:

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Enjoy the show.

Round 1: N S A G T U E S L

Isabelle: TANGLES (7)
Richard: GUTLESS (7)
DC: UNSEATS (7)
OT: LANGUETS (8) SUNGAETS (8) SUNGATES (8)
Score: 7–7 (max 8)

Round 2: C R I A J W L I U

Isabelle: CURL (4)
Richard: cruel
DC: CRAWL (5) RAULI (5)
OT: URACIL (6)
Score: 11–7 (max 14)

Round 3: 75, 7, 5, 4, 9, 6. Target: 974.

Isabelle: 974. ((9 + 4) x 75) - (6 - 5) (10)
Richard: 974. ((9 + 4) x 75) - (6 - 5) (10)
Score: 21–17 (max 24)

Teatime teaser: ACORNPIE -> PROCAINE

Round 4: G P R I U E S B O

Isabelle: PURGES (6)
Richard: PURGE (5)
DC: BROGUES (7) PIROGUES (8)
OT: GROUPIES (8)
Score: 27–17 (max 32)

Round 5: P N I E O T G N S

Isabelle: STONING (7)
Richard: TOEING (6)
DC: OPENINGS (8)
OT: PONGIEST (8)
Score: 34–17 (max 40)

Round 6: 1, 8, 5, 4, 2, 4. Target: 713.

Isabelle: 720. Mistake in working.
Richard: 720. (4 + 4 + 1) x 8 x 5 x 2 (5)
RR: 712. ((5 x 4 x (8 + 1)) - 2) x 4 (7)
OT: 714. ((8 x 5) + 2) x ((4 x 4) + 1) (7)
Score: 34–22 (max 47)

Rory talks about coaching people on how to impersonate people.

Round 7: T M S P E U O D T

Isabelle: SPOTTED (7)
Richard: SPOTTED (7)
DC: SPOUTED (7) STUMPED (7)
OT: DUETTOS (7) OUTSPED (7) OUTSTEP (7) SMUTTED (7) STOMPED (7) TESTUDO (7)
Score: 41–29 (max 54)

Round 8: N H F E I O L G W

Isabelle: HOWLING (7)
Richard: HOWLING (7)
DC: FLOWING (7) WHINGE (6)
OT: FOWLING (7) WOLFING (7)
Score: 48–36 (max 61)

Round 9: 100, 2, 5, 9, 1, 6. Target: 510.

Isabelle: 510. (5 x 100) + 9 + 1 (10)
Richard: 510. (5 x 100) + 9 + 1 (10)
Score: 58–46 (max 71)

Teatime teaser: ROANLAMB -> ABNORMAL

Round 10: N L P E A I D T C

Isabelle: PLANTED (7)
Richard: PLACED (6)
DC: PECTINAL (8)
OT: PANICLED (8) PANTILED (8) PEDANTIC (8) PENTADIC (8) PLANETIC (8) PLICATED (8)
Score: 65–46 (max 79)

Round 11: N D T R E I E D H

Isabelle: HINDERED (8)
Richard: thirded
DC: DITHERED (8) TRENDED (7)
OT: DENDRITE (8) DIRTENED (8) NIDDERET (8) NITHERED (8)
Score: 73–46 (max 87)

Susie's Origins Of Words talks about the origins of "sixes and sevens".

Round 12: R K S C I E A T S

Isabelle: STREAKS (7)
Richard: STICKERS (8)
DC: TRACKIES (8)
OT: ASTERISK (8) SARKIEST (8) SCARIEST (8) STACKERS (8) STERICKS (8)
Score: 73–54 (max 95)

Round 13: N F M L E A I R D

Isabelle: FLAMIER (7)
Richard: MANLIER (7)
DC: RIFLEMAN (8)
OT: INFLAMED (8) INFLAMER (8)
Score: 80–61 (max 103)

Round 14: 3, 7, 4, 8, 10, 5. Target: 853.

Isabelle: 854. (((8 x 10) + 5) x (3 + 7)) + 4 (7)
Richard: 855.
RR: 853. (3 x 4 x 7 x 10) + 8 + 5 (10)
Score: 87–61 (max 113)

Round 15: N I N E R D U E T

No one buzzes. The answer was INDENTURE.
Final Score: 87–61 (max 123)

Statistics Corner

Isabelle:
Total score - 87
Raw score - 94
Total % of max - 71
Raw % of max - 76
Total average score per round - 5.8
Raw average score per round - 6.3
Number of maxes - 5

Richard:
Total score - 61
Raw score - 85
Total % of max - 50
Raw % of max - 69
Total average score per round - 4.1
Raw average score per round - 5.7
Number of maxes - 5

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