Thursday 29th May 2025 ( Series 91 Preliminary 104 )

[Tracey Anne Mills]

Countdown recap for Thursday 29 Unknown month '05' 2025.

C1: Champion Guy Crozier (1 win, 103 points.)
C2: Challenger Ashley Upchurch.
DC: Susie Dent and Harry Aikines-Aryeetey.
RR: Rachel Riley.
OT: Other words or solutions.

R01: D N G E I R P L A
R02: S E M O H U T G R
R03: 50, 100, 75, 25, 1, 5. Target: 490.
TTT: TAPHOUSE - "Pubs are shutting down rapidly – it's called this"
R04: N I P A N A K S E
R05: D R Y G S O A O H
R06: 100, 8, 9, 1, 2, 7. Target: 716.
R07: E P T C I E W D O
R08: T A B E R T O W G
R09: 75, 50, 100, 25, 3, 3. Target: 599.
TTT: AREANEST - "Mr Wenger had food – it sounds quite toxic"
R10: T U C V A N I A M
R11: L F F P E S R U I
R12: S J A D E S B I V
R13: N O T E L R I S T
R14: 100, 75, 8, 1, 2, 9. Target: 427.
R15: G O N E I N C A R (conundrum)


And now a brief interlude before our main feature:

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Enjoy the show.

Round 1: D N G E I R P L A

Guy: REAPING (7)
Ashley: PLAINER (7)
DC: PLEADING (8)
OT: DANGLIER (8) DRAGLINE (8) PEARLING (8)
Score: 7–7 (max 8)

Round 2: S E M O H U T G R

Guy: MOUTHERS (8)
Ashley: MOUTHERS (8)
DC: GOURMETS (8) ROUGHEST (8)
Score: 15–15 (max 16)

Round 3: 50, 100, 75, 25, 1, 5. Target: 490.

C1: 490. (100 − 50 ÷ 25) × 5 (10)
C2: -
Score: 25–15 (max 26)

Teatime teaser: TAPHOUSE -> PHASEOUT

Round 4: N I P A N A K S E

Guy: SKEIN (5)
Ashley: NAPKINS (7)
DC: NAPKINS (7)
Score: 25–22 (max 33)

Round 5: D R Y G S O A O H

Guy: HOORAYS (7)
Ashley: SHARD (5)
DC: HOORAYS (7)
Score: 32–22 (max 40) **NOTE: In Round 5, Crozier's declaration of hoorays ☓ is invalid in the ODP as it redirects to the nounal entry for HURRAH/HURRAY but is not specified. HOORAY only has a separate entry as an exclamation which cannot be pluralised. Therefore, the final score should have been 73 – 92.

Round 6: 100, 8, 9, 1, 2, 7. Target: 716.

C1: 716. 7 × 100 + 8 × 2 (10)
C2: 716. 7 × 100 + 8 × 2 (10)
Score: 42–32 (max 50)

Round 7: E P T C I E W D O

Guy: DEPICT (6)
Ashley: PIECED (6)
DC: PICOTEE (7) EPIDOTE (7)
Score: 48–38 (max 57)

Round 8: T A B E R T O W G

Guy: BATTER (6)
Ashley: BATTER (6)
DC: ABETTOR (7) GAROTTE (7)
OT: BORGATE (7)
Score: 54–44 (max 64)

Round 9: 75, 50, 100, 25, 3, 3. Target: 599.

C1: 600.
C2: 599. (3 + 3) × 100 − (50 + 25) ÷ 75 (10)
Score: 54–54 (max 74)

Teatime teaser: AREANEST -> ARSENATE

Round 10: T U C V A N I A M

Guy: MANIAC (6)
Ashley: MANIAC (6)
DC: MANTIC (6)
OT: AVAUNT (6) CAIMAN (6) MANTUA (6) TUNICA (6) VACANT (6) VICUNA (6)
Score: 60–60 (max 80)

Round 11: L F F P E S R U I

Guy: PUFFERS (7)
Ashley: PUFFIER (7)
OT: PILFERS (7) PURFLES (7) RIFFLES (7) RUFFLES (7)
Score: 67–67 (max 87)

Round 12: S J A D E S B I V

Guy: BIASED (6)
Ashley: BIASED (6)
DC: ADVISES (7)
Score: 73–73 (max 94)

Round 13: N O T E L R I S T

Guy: STONIER (7)
Ashley: TOILETS (7)
DC: SNOTTIER (8)
OT: TENORIST (8) TRIOLETS (8) TRITONES (8)
Score: 80–80 (max 102)

Round 14: 100, 75, 8, 1, 2, 9. Target: 427.

C1: 432.
C2: 423. 9 × 8 + (100 + 75) × 2 + 1 (7)
RR: 427. (100 − 75) × (8 + 9) + 2 (10)
Score: 80–87 (max 112)

Round 15: G O N E I N C A R

C1 buzzes on 28.75 seconds to say CAREONING which is incorrect.
C2 does not buzz.
The answer was IGNORANCE.
Final Score: 80–87 (max 122)