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Monday 5th January 2026 ( Series 93 Preliminary 1 )

Posted: Fri Jan 16, 2026 9:14 pm
by Tracey Anne Mills
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Hello and welcome to my first recap of 2026 and a new series of Countdown.........we are in our 93rd Series.............after seeing Jase Cullen become the 92nd series champion and Brett Davids becoming the 92nd runner up.............the search is on for the 93rd champion and runner up.......so let's find out in six months time who will achieve this and become a legend in their own right.............in other news it is the 54th birthday of our recap writer and countdown legend Tracey Mills !

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C1: Champion Megel Barker (4 wins, 372 points.)
C2: Challenger Izyan Bashiruddin.
DC: Susie Dent and Debbie McGee.
RR: Rachel Riley.
OT: Other words or solutions.

R01: K P T D N E A O E
R02: U I O S T G N A F
R03: 100, 25, 75, 50, 4, 9, . Target: 292.
TTT: DEBLIFEIS - "Debbie's life is full of moments that leave people in this state."
R04: E A A S G R X T L
R05: M N B Y D E O A I
R06: 10, 1, 8, 8, 2, 4, . Target: 300.
R07: T L C N S O A E O
R08: I E I D R L A U N
R09: 25, 100, 50, 75, 4, 6. Target: 103.
TTT: ECHOSUSIE - " I echo Susie's concern; it's freezing in all these buildings. "
R10: E O U I W S F T G
R11: D R V P G A E I A
R12: T H P O E I T M E
R13: R L N H L A U O I
R14: 50, 75, 100, 8, 5, 4, . Target: 112.
R15: B R I N K G A M E (conundrum)


And now a brief interlude before our main feature:

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Enjoy the show.

Round 1: K P T D N E A O E

Megel: tokened
Izyan: tokened
DC: NOTEPAD (7) TONEPAD (7) ADOPTEE (7)
OT: PENTODE (7)
Score: 0–0 (max 7)

Round 2: U I O S T G N A F

Megel: OUTINGS (7)
Izyan: FASTING (7)
DC: OUTGAINS (8)
Score: 7–7 (max 15)

Round 3: 100, 25, 75, 50, 4, 9. Target: 292.

C1: 292. (75 − 50 ÷ 25) × 4 (10)
C2: 292. (75 − 50 ÷ 25) (10)
Score: 17–17 (max 25)

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Teatime teaser: DEBLIFEIS -> DISBELIEF

Round 4: E A A S G R X T L

Megel: LAAGERS (7)
Izyan: -
DC: AGRESTAL (8)
Score: 24–17 (max 33)

Round 5: M N B Y D E O A I

Megel: DOMAINE (7)
Izyan: EMBODY (6)
DC: DOMAINE (7)
OT: ABDOMEN (7)
Score: 31–17 (max 40)

Round 6: 10, 1, 8, 8, 2, 4. Target: 300.

C1: 300. (8 + 2) × 10 × (4 − 1) (10)
C2: 300. (8 + 2) × 10 × (4 − 1) (10)
Score: 41–27 (max 50)

A piece of piss this numbers solve..........counting sheep is more fun !

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Round 7: T L C N S O A E O

Megel: CONSOLE (7)
Izyan: COOLEST (7)
DC: COOLANTS (8)
OT: ECOTONAL (8) LACTONES (8)
Score: 48–34 (max 58)

Round 8: I E I D R L A U N

Megel: LAUNDER (7)
Izyan: unrailed
DC: AIRLINE (7)
OT: DENARII (7) DIURNAL (7) LURDANE (7) UNAIRED (7) UNIDEAL (7) URIDINE (7)
Score: 55–34 (max 65)

Round 9: 25, 100, 50, 75, 4, 6. Target: 103.

C1: 103. 75 ÷ 25 + 100 (10)
C2: 103. 75 ÷ 25 + 100 (10)
Score: 65–44 (max 75)

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Teatime teaser: ECHOSUSIE -> ICEHOUSES

Round 10: E O U I W S F T G

Megel: SWIFT (5)
Izyan: outswig
DC: EGOIST (6) SOFTIE (6) FOGIES (6)
OT: FOETUS (6) FOUEST (6) OUTIES (6) STOGIE (6) TOWIES (6)
Score: 70–44 (max 81)

Round 11: D R V P G A E I A

Megel: RAVAGED (7)
Izyan: RAVAGED (7)
DC: RAVAGED (7)
Score: 77–51 (max 88)

Round 12: T H P O E I T M E

Megel: EPITOME (7)
Izyan: PETITE (6)
DC: TIPTOE (6)
OT: EPITHET (7) HOMETTE (7)
Score: 84–51 (max 95)

Round 13: R L N H L A U O I

Megel: URINAL (6)
Izyan: LOAN (4)
DC: UNROLL (6)
OT: HALLION (7)
Score: 90–51 (max 102)

Round 14: 50, 75, 100, 8, 5, 4. Target: 112.

C1: 112. 100 + 8 + 4 (10)
C2: 112. 100 + 8 + 4 (10)
Score: 100–61 (max 112)

Another easy one yet again............the numbers gods have been generous today.......or is CECIL hungover ?

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Round 15: B R I N K G A M E

C2 buzzes on 1.25 seconds to say EMBARKING which is correct.
Final Score: 100–71 (max 122)