Wednesday 12th June 2024 (Series 89, Preliminary 117)

[James Robinson]

Countdown recap for Wednesday 12 June 2024.

C1: Champion Francis Scott (1 win, 71 points.) A retired vicar originally from East Anglia.
C2: Challenger Elise Hay. A maths and statistics tutor from Greater Manchester. She's also a big fan of The Wizard of Oz.
DC: Susie Dent and Sam Quek.
RR: Rachel Riley.
OT: Other words or solutions.

R01: S L S N U I E C L
R02: T O W S E R P A G
R03: 100, 75, 8, 1, 5, 4. Target: 323.
TTT: CUTERPUP - "Forget the drink, just focus on the punch."
R04: B N I T E R I T Q
R05: G D P S E O U M T
R06: 100, 25, 2, 10, 6, 10. Target: 977.
R07: F S T E A I O W G
R08: A R D V O E R S K
R09: 75, 6, 7, 7, 4, 10. Target: 433.
TTT: CLOTSKIN - "This will help you keep danger at arm's length."
R10: N O T G E R N O S
R11: N B G I O E M C H
R12: L X U E M T I D R
R13: F M N O A E A R N
R14: 75, 100, 25, 50, 8, 1. Target: 426.
R15: L U L U Y A U N S (conundrum)


And now a brief interlude before our main feature:

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Enjoy the show.

Round 1: S L S N U I E C L

Francis: SLICES (6)
Elise: UNLESS (6)
DC: ILLNESS (7)
OT: ESCULINS (8) INCLUSES (8)
Score: 6–6 (max 8)

Round 2: T O W S E R P A G

Francis: TOWERS (6)
Elise: STOWAGE (7)
DC: PORTAGES (8)
OT: POTAGERS (8)
Score: 6–13 (max 16)

Round 3: 100, 75, 8, 1, 5, 4. Target: 323.

Francis: 321.
Elise: 323. (4 x 100) - 75 - (8 - 1 - 5) (10)
Score: 6–23 (max 26)

Teatime teaser: CUTERPUP -> UPPERCUT

Round 4: B N I T E R I T Q

Francis: BITTERN (7)
Elise: BITTER (6)
DC: NITRITE (7)
OT: BITTIER (7)
Score: 13–23 (max 33)

Round 5: G D P S E O U M T

Francis: POUTED (6)
Elise: SPOUTED (7)
DC: STOMPED (7)
OT: OUTSPED (7) STUMPED (7)
Score: 13–30 (max 40)

Round 6: 100, 25, 2, 10, 6, 10. Target: 977.

Francis: 977. (100 x 10) - (25 - 2) (10)
Elise: 977. (100 x 10) - (25 - 2) (10)
Score: 23–40 (max 50)

Sam talks about how her life changed after winning her Olympic gold medal.

Round 7: F S T E A I O W G

Francis: FOGIES (6)
Elise: STOWAGE (7)
OT: SEGOTIA (7) TOWAGES (7)
Score: 23–47 (max 57)

Round 8: A R D V O E R S K

Francis: boarder
Elise: oversad
DC: DROSERA (7) DROVERS (7)
OT: ADORERS (7) ADVOKES (7) ARRODES (7) ROADERS (7) ROSAKER (7) SEROVAR (7)
Score: 23–47 (max 64)

Round 9: 75, 6, 7, 7, 4, 10. Target: 433.

Francis: 433. (75 x 6) - (10 + 7) (10)
Elise: 433. (75 x 6) - (10 + 7) (10)
Score: 33–57 (max 74)

Teatime teaser: CLOTSKIN -> LINSTOCK

Round 10: N O T G E R N O S

Francis: SONNET (6)
Elise: gonners
DC: GONERS (6) gooners GENTOOS (7) NORTENOS (8)
OT: RONTGENS (8)
Score: 39–57 (max 82)

Round 11: N B G I O E M C H

Francis: COMBING (7)
Elise: ECHOING (7)
DC: BECOMING (8)
Score: 46–64 (max 90)

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

Round 12: L X U E M T I D R

Francis: MILDER (6)
Elise: exulted
DC: MIXTURE (7)
OT: MXEDRULI (8)
Score: 52–64 (max 98)

Round 13: F M N O A E A R N

Francis: MANNER (6)
Elise: foamer
DC: FOREMAN (7) MONERAN (7)
OT: FORAMEN (7) MANFARE (7) MOREANA (7) NONAMER (7)
Score: 58–64 (max 105)

Round 14: 75, 100, 25, 50, 8, 1. Target: 426.

Francis: 426. (8 x 50) + 25 + 1 (10)
Elise: 426. (8 x 50) + 25 + 1 (10)
Score: 68–74 (max 115)

Round 15: L U L U Y A U N S

Elise buzzes on 2.5 seconds to say UNUSUALLY which is correct.
Final Score: 68–84 (max 125)

Statistics Corner

Francis:
Total score - 68
Raw score - 93
Total % of max - 54
Raw % of max - 74
Total average score per round - 4.5
Raw average score per round - 6.2
Number of maxes - 4

Elise:
Total score - 84
Raw score - 90
Total % of max - 67
Raw % of max - 72
Total average score per round - 5.6
Raw average score per round - 6.0
Number of maxes - 7

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