Monday 11th March 2024 (Series 89, Preliminary 50)

[James Robinson]

Countdown recap for Monday 11 March 2024.

C1: Champion FIona Povey (1 win, 78 points.) From Coalville, Leicestershire.
C2: Challenger Alex Munro. A choir manager from Marple, Greater Manchester. She's the manager of the Hallé Choir in Manchester.
DC: Susie Dent and Rick Edwards.
RR: Rachel Riley.
OT: Other words or solutions.

R01: F S N G O E A I S
R02: G H A E W O C E D
R03: 25, 2, 10, 3, 4, 6. Target: 745.
TTT: RUNTODIP - "You did a toe in the water and see this running towards you."
R04: Y P U A G T O I R
R05: U M S L S O A N E
R06: 25, 10, 5, 8, 2, 6. Target: 739.
R07: R V A O D T A G N
R08: P K U I O R D E N
R09: 75, 25, 9, 8, 1, 5. Target: 104.
TTT: LOWERLAP - "This isn't a tiny fib, it's a great big lie."
R10: R T I E V S A E R
R11: L S F O I L S E I
R12: W T O E H M C A I
R13: B L R E O E N P C
R14: 100, 9, 6, 7, 10, 8. Target: 406.
R15: C I G A R A B L E (conundrum)


And now a brief interlude before our main feature:

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Enjoy the show.

Round 1: F S N G O E A I S

Fiona: SINGES (6)
Alex: SEASON (6)
DC: FESSING (7) AGONISES (8)
OT: ANGOISSE (8)
Score: 6–6 (max 8)

Round 2: G H A E W O C E D

Fiona: CHEWED (6)
Alex: CHOWED (6)
DC: HOGWEED (7) COWHAGE (7)
Score: 12–12 (max 15)

Round 3: 25, 2, 10, 3, 4, 6. Target: 745.

Fiona: 746. (3 x 25 x 10) - 4 (7)
Alex: 746. (3 x 25 x 10) - 4 (7)
RR: 745. (3 x 25 x 10) - ((6 + 4) / 2) (10)
Score: 19–19 (max 25)

Teatime teaser: RUNTODIP -> PORTUNID

Round 4: Y P U A G T O I R

Fiona: PARTY (5)
Alex: PARITY (6)
DC: TAPIR (5) AGOUTI (6) GUITAR (6) TOPIARY (7)
OT: GUITARY (7) OUTPRAY (7) PARIGOT (7)
Score: 19–25 (max 32)

Round 5: U M S L S O A N E

Fiona: SEASON (6)
Alex: SOLEMN (6)
DC: MOLASSE (7)
OT: ALMONESS (8) MELANOUS (8) MUONLESS (8) SOLANUMS (8)
Score: 25–31 (max 40)

Round 6: 25, 10, 5, 8, 2, 6. Target: 739.

Fiona: 742.
Alex: 738. (5 x 6 x 25) - 10 - 2 (7)
RR: 738/740. (7)
OT: 739. ((((25 x 10) - 5) x 6) + 8) / 2 (10)
Score: 25–38 (max 50)

Rick talks about how his university paper about the oryx inadvertently saved it from possible extinction in Oman.

Round 7: R V A O D T A G N

Fiona: DRAGON (6)
Alex: DART (4)
DC: VAGRANT (7)
OT: ADORANT (7) ONAGRAD (7) TRAVADO (7)
Score: 31–38 (max 57)

Round 8: P K U I O R D E N

Fiona: RUINED (6)
Alex: DRONE (5)
DC: PUNKIER (7) PRONKED (7)
OT: DOURINE (7) NEUROID (7) POINDER (7) PONERID (7) POUNDER (7) PRINKED (7) PRUNOID (7) RONUKED (7) UNIRKED (7) UNRIPED (7) UNROPED (7)
Score: 37–38 (max 64)

Round 9: 75, 25, 9, 8, 1, 5. Target: 104.

Fiona: 104. 75 + 25 + 5 - 1 (10)
Alex: 104. 75 + 25 + 5 - 1 (10)
Score: 47–48 (max 74)

Teatime teaser: LOWERLAP -> WALLOPER

Round 10: R T I E V S A E R

Fiona: veritas
Alex: REVERTS (7)
DC: RESTIVE (7) TRAVERSE (8)
OT: ARTERIES (8) EVIRATES (8) RAVERIES (8) RESTRIVE (8) REVARIES (8) REVERIST (8) RIVETERS (8) SEVIRATE (8)
Score: 47–55 (max 82)

Round 11: L S F O I L S E I

Fiona: FLOSS (5)
Alex: FOLLIES (7)
DC: FILLIES (7) FISSILE (7)
OT: OILLESS (7) SILLIES (7)
Score: 47–62 (max 89)

Round 12: W T O E H M C A I

Fiona: MATCH (5)
Alex: MATCH (5)
DC: CHEAT (5) ACHIOTE (7)
Score: 52–67 (max 96)

Round 13: B L R E O E N P C

Fiona: ELOPE (5)
Alex: PENCE (5)
OT: PRENOBLE (8)
Score: 57–72 (max 104)

Round 14: 100, 9, 6, 7, 10, 8. Target: 406.

Fiona: 406. ((9 - 7 + 10 - 8) x 100) + 6 (10)
Alex: 406. ((9 - 7 + 10 - 8) x 100) + 6 (10)
Score: 67–82 (max 114)

Round 15: C I G A R A B L E

No one buzzes. The answer was ALGEBRAIC.
Final Score: 67–82 (max 124)

Susie's Origins Of Words talks about the origins of words relating to the calendar.

Statistics Corner

Fiona:
Total score - 67
Raw score - 84
Total % of max - 54
Raw % of max - 68
Total average score per round - 4.5
Raw average score per round - 5.6
Number of maxes - 2

Alex:
Total score - 82
Raw score - 91
Total % of max - 66
Raw % of max - 73
Total average score per round - 5.5
Raw average score per round - 6.1
Number of maxes - 3

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