Monday 5 May 2008 (Series 58, Game 85)

[JimBentley]

Monday 5 May 2008 (Series 58, Game 85)

C1: Peter Davies, appearance 3
C2: Mike Nelson from Adderbury, near Banbury in Oxfordshire
DC: Susie Dent and Jenny Bond

Summary of game:

ROUND 1 R X M I E I R C T
ROUND 2 I E O Y R T B P S
ROUND 3 F W N E I A L N D
ROUND 4 O E U S T L N T R
ROUND 5 50 7 5 2 3 1 Target 808

TTT 1 IRANBISM The noise made by small sheep in your hotel room

ROUND 6 E O I S P M T G R
ROUND 7 S K N E A U L D H
ROUND 8 E A O R C F V S T
ROUND 9 E A P J Q R E N S
ROUND 10 75 8 10 9 10 3 Target 834

TTT 2 REVSCORE Gets better and smartens up the sofa

ROUND 11 P L G A O A U T D
ROUND 12 E A O R C N M S G
ROUND 13 R T S E O A M N O
ROUND 14 50 8 9 2 6 4 Target 941

ROUND 15 G R I L L H I N T


We've seen Peter twice now, and he's good. He's scored 98 and 103 so far, aided by some startlingly good letters game spots (FOREPAW, PARODIST, etc.), and seems to be pretty hot on the numbers, too. He's probably going to be the fourth octochamp of the series.

Or is he?


ROUND 1 R X M I E I R C T

C1: METRIC (6)
C2: METRIC (6)
DC: METRIC (6)
OT: TRIMERIC (8), MICRITE, RECTRIX (7)
>>> TRIMERIC (adjective) relating to a TRIMER, a polymer comprising three monomer units; MICRITE (mass noun) microcrystalline calcite present in some types of limestone; RECTRIX (noun, plural RECTRICES) the larger feathers in a bird's tail, used for steering in flight
Max: 8 (8)
Score: 6 - 6

ROUND 2 I E O Y R T B P S

C1: PROBITY (7)
C2: SPRITE (6)
DC: PROBITY, OBESITY (7)
OT: BIOTYPES, SOBRIETY (8)
>>> BIOTYPE (noun) a group of organisms having an identical genetic constitution
Max: 8 (16)
Score: 13 - 6

ROUND 3 F W N E I A L N D

C1: WAILED (6)
C2: WAILED (6)
DC: INLAND, FINALE (6)
OT: ANNELID, FANNIED, FENLAND, LINDANE (7)
>>> ANNELID (noun) a segmented worm; FENLAND (mass noun) land consisting of fens, of course; LINDANE (mass noun) a synthetic insecticide, also called gamma-HCH, now largely banned
Max: 7 (23)
Score: 19 - 12

ROUND 4 O E U S T L N T R

C1: STOUTER (7)
C2: LUSTRE (6)
DC: TONSURE (7)
OT: TURNSOLE (8)
>>> TURNSOLE (noun) a Mediterranean plant whose flowers are said to turn with the sun
Max: 8 (31)
Score: 26 - 12

ROUND 5 50 7 5 2 3 1 Target 808

C1: 808 = ((50 x 2) x (5 + 3)) + 7 + 1
C2: 809
CV:
Max: 10 (41)
Score: 36 - 12

Tea Time Teaser 1 IRANBISM = MINIBARS

ROUND 6 E O I S P M T G R

C1: IMPOSTER (8)
C2: IMPORTS (7)
DC: IMPOSTER, ERGOTISM (8)
OT: STOMPIER (8)
Max: 8 (49)
Score: 44 - 12

ROUND 7 S K N E A U L D H

C1: SHANKED (7)
C2: SNAKED (6)
DC: SULKED (6), UNASKED (7)
OT: LUNKHEADS (9), LUNKHEAD, UNLASHED (8)
>>> LUNKHEAD (noun) a slow-witted person; UNLASH (verb) to untie something secured with a rope
Max: 18 (67)
Score: 51 - 12

ROUND 8 E A O R C F V S T

C1: CAVORTS (7)
C2: COASTER (7)
DC: FORECAST (8)
OT: OVERACTS, OVERCAST (8)
Max: 8 (75)
Score: 58 - 19

ROUND 9 E A P J Q R E N S

C1: PREENS (6)
C2: SPEAR (5)
DC: JASPER, PARENS (6)
OT: NEPERS, PANEER, RANEES, SERAPE (6)
>>> NEPER (noun) a unit of measurement used in comparing voltages, currents and power levels, especially in communications circuits; PANEER (noun) a type of milk curd cheese used in Indian and Iranian cooking; RANEE (noun, also RANI) a Hindu queen; SERAPE (noun) in Latin America, a shawl or blanket worn as a cloak
Max: 6 (81)
Score: 64 - 19

ROUND 10 75 8 10 9 10 3 Target 834

C1: 834 = ((75 + 8) x 10) + 10 + 3 - 9
C2: 0
CV:
Max: 10 (91)
Score: 74 - 19

Tea Time Teaser 2 REVSCORE = RECOVERS

ROUND 11 P L G A O A U T D

C1: GOAD (4)
C2: PAGODA (6)
DC: UPLOAD, LAPDOG (6)
OT: PUTLOG (6)
>>> PUTLOG (noun, also PUTLOCK) a short horizontal pole projecting from a wall, on which scaffolding floorboards rest
Max: 6 (97)
Score: 74 - 25

ROUND 12 E A O R C N M S G

C1: ORANGES (7)
C2: CANOERS (7)
DC: ORGASM (6), ROMANCES (8)
OT: CRAGSMEN, MEGARONS (8)
>>> CRAGSMAN (noun) a skilled rock climber; MEGARON (noun) the central hall of a large Mycenaean house
Max: 8 (105)
Score: 81 - 32

ROUND 13 R T S E O A M N O

C1: STOREMAN (8)
C2: MONSTER (7)
DC: MONSTERA (8)
OT: ANTEROOMS (9), ANTEROOM, MOONRATS (8)
>>> MOONRAT (noun) a shy insectivorous mammal of the hedgehog family, native to southeast Asia and China
Max: 18 (123)
Score: 89 - 32

ROUND 14 50 8 9 2 6 4 Target 941

C1: 940 = ((8 + 9 + 2) x 50) - 6 - 4
C2: 940 = ((8 + 9 + 2) x 50) - 6 - 4
CV:
OT: 941 = ((((8 x 4) + 6) / 2) x 50) - 9 [Matt Coates]
Max: 10 (133)
Score: 96 - 39

ROUND 15 - Conundrum

G R I L L H I N T




C2 buzzes after 2 seconds to say THRILLING
Max: 10 (143)
Score: 96 - 49


More good stuff from Peter; he was nowhere near the maximum possible from the game (that said, it was a weird game, with quite a lot of odd words flying about) but still won convincingly. Poor Mike was one behind, round after round, but at least got the conundrum in quickfire style to make the scores respectable.


Further summaries are at:
http://www.sooreams.com/cd/series.asp?series=58


Written by Veronica Purdey & Jim Bentley

[Matt Coates]

last numbers:

8X4=32, 32+6=38
50/2=25
38X25=950
950-9=941

[Martin Gardner]

Has to come close to the record for the most maxes missed by Dictionary Corner in one game. Oddly enough they got TRIMERIC once before - I should know because it was the second quarter-final of Series 49 - which I was playing in (I had RECITE). I also remember ANTEROOMS coming up in my Countdown tens quiz, which David O'Donnell duly got.

Martin

Edit: by my count they dropped 26 points on the letters.