Episode 3898

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Episode 3898 was broadcast on 1 April 2005, as part of Series 53.

Steve Smith played Jon O'Neill, with Jon O'Neill winning 87 – 67. The Dictionary Corner guest was Mitch Murray, and the lexicographer was Susie Dent.

O'Neill would later describe the conundrum on The Countdown Page as "the easiest conundrum ever" [1] as it only required one letter to be transposed, in a manner similar to Round 6 of the Gotcha.

Rounds

Rnd	Selection	Steve Smith	Score	Jon O'Neill	Others	Max.
1	WRTAIEGRN	RATING	0 – 8	WATERING	INTERWAR*, RERATING, TWANGIER*	8
2	CTDTLUAEJ	CATTLE	6 – 8	cutted ☓	CATTED*, CUTLET, CUTTLE*, DUCTAL*, DULCET*, JUTTED*, TALCED*	14
3	IAETLPNRN	PANNIER	6 – 16	TRIPLANE	INTERLAP, INTERNAL, TRAPLINE*	22
4	HXNDTAOIS	HANDS	6 – 22	TOXINS	OXIDANTS	30
5	25 10 1 5 9 2 → 295	295 (9 + 2 + 1) × 25 – 5	16 – 32	295 (2 × 25 + 9) × 5		40
TTT	RONSLIST	They almost get right up your nose.			NOSTRILS
6	NKFMSEAIL	FAMINES	23 – 32	SALINE	FLAMINES*, INFLAMES	48
7	FSGOIOIRE	goofers ☓	23 – 39	GOOFIER	FORGOES, ROOFIES*	55
8	PMRPNOAOE	PAMPER	29 – 39	pooper ☓	PAMPERO*, POMPANO*, PROPANE	62
9	IAEMRVNAY	VAINER	35 – 45	RAVINE	VERMIAN	69
10	50 100 75 25 10 4 → 452	453	35 – 55	452 (75 ÷ 25 + 100 + 10) × 4		79
TTT	WINOBARS	Do they yield pots of gold for George?			RAINBOWS
11	BSROEOTSI	BOOSTERS	43 – 63	BOOSTERS	ROBOTISES	97
12	CDTRUIUSE	CRUISED	50 – 70	DUSTIER	CRUDITES, CURTSIED*	105
13	IEAHDTCOB	BOTCHED	57 – 77	BITCHED	COHABITED	123
14	50 25 100 75 9 7 → 576	575	57 – 87	576 ((100 + 75) ÷ 25 + 7 + 50) × 9		133
15	TINCLEMEN	INCLEMENT (5.25 seconds)	67 – 87	clementine ☓ (2.25 seconds)		143