Episode ZD163

Episode ZD163 was broadcast on 2 September 2025 as the first and second quarter-finals of ZoomDown Series 5.

NB: George Armstrong acted as host for this episode, while Tal Lessner acted as arithmetician.

Game 1

Elliott Mellor played Steven Grady, with Steven Grady winning 108 – 86. The Dictionary Corner guest was Tal Lessner, and the lexicographer was Adam Beach.

Rnd	Selection	Elliott Mellor	Score	Steven Grady	Others	Max.
1	FRLFEUEOI	RUFFLE	6 – 6	REFUEL	FERULE, FOULER, IREFUL, LOERIE, LOURIE, RELIEF, RIFFLE	6
2	EIATGBNRD	DEBATING	14 – 14	GRADIENT	BEARDING, BERATING, BREADING, DERATING, REBATING, TREADING	14
3	8 5 1 4 2 3 → 582	580 5 × 4 × ((8 + 2) × 3 – 1)	21 – 21	584 ((4 + 1) × 5 × 3 – 2) × 8	TL: 582 = ((5 + 1) × 8 × 4 + 2) × 3	24
4	OEACSLGUE	CAGOULES	29 – 29	CAGOULES	ECLOGUES	32
5	NSZLOAIEA	alazonies ☓	29 – 35	ALIENS	NASALIZE	40
6	100 50 75 10 5 7 → 705	705 ((75 – 5) × 100 + 50) ÷ 10	39 – 45	705 100 × 7 + 5		50
7	GDNTEOILT	TINGLED	46 – 52	LETTING	DOTTING, ETTLING, GLINTED, LENTIGO, LENTOID, LOTTING	57
8	EOAQMSTUW	outswam ☓	46 – 58	MOSQUE	MASQUE, MEATUS, QUOTAS, QUOTES, TOQUES	63
9	1 4 9 2 10 5 → 378	378 (10 × 4 + 2) × 9	56 – 68	378 (10 × 4 + 2) × 9		73
10	EIESJHRSG	SHIRES	62 – 74	SHIRES	HEIRESS	80
11	RTAUNORNM	montuna ☓	62 – 74	montuna ☓	AMOUNT, ANTRUM, ARMOUR, MARRON, MATRON, MORTAR, NATRON, OUTMAN, OUTRAN, TURRON	86
12	AIESRDNPD	SPRAINED	70 – 82	SPRAINED	SARDINED	94
13	GEPMTIAIE	MAGPIE	76 – 88	MAGPIE	GAMETE, METAGE	100
14	75 9 8 7 1 5 → 552	552 (9 × 7 + 5 + 1) × 8	86 – 98	552 (75 – 5 – 1) × 8		110
15	POSHWARTS		86 – 108	SPORTWASH (1.2 seconds)		120

Rnd	Selection	MSR	Score	Ciaran McCarthy	Others	Max.
1	TMNCEIUEE	CENTIME	7 – 0	MINUTE	EMETINE	7
2	LRIASFIRE	FRIARIES	15 – 0	lairise ☓	RARIFIES	15
3	50 1 10 9 9 3 → 216	216 (3 – 1 + 50 ÷ 2) × 9 – 9	25 – 0	218		25
4	MDAERVROI	AIRDROME	33 – 8	AIRDROME		33
5	LRGSAUOXO	GOALS	38 – 13	GOALS	GORALS, GOURAS, GULARS, LARGOS, RUGOLA, RUGOSA	39
6	75 50 100 6 2 5 → 596	595 100 × 6 – 5	45 – 20	595 100 × 6 – 5	TL: 595/597	46
7	NLNQAIEOD	ANNELID	52 – 27	ANNELID	LINDANE	53
8	SPEIBTESA	BAPTISES	60 – 35	BAPTISES	BEASTIES	61
9	75 9 1 2 5 2 → 457	457 (9 – 2 – 1) × 75 + 5 + 2	70 – 45	457 (5 + 1) × 75 + 9 – 2		71
10	TSEUCLIEW	leucites ☓	70 – 52	CLUIEST	LEUCITE	78
11	RKTGAEANE	RETAKEN	77 – 59	REAGENT	GRANTEE, TANAGER, TANKAGE	85
12	PSUODCANU	POUNDS	83 – 65	POUNDS	CAPONS, UNCAPS	91
13	DBMSAIEGT	GAMIEST	90 – 72	GAMIEST	MEGABITS	99
14	75 50 25 100 3 7 → 819	822 7 × 100 + 75 + 50 – 3	97 – 72	822 ☓	EM: 819 = (100 × 25 – 50 + 7) ÷ 3	109
15	ENDEDADAM	DEADNAMED (2.5 seconds)	107 – 72			119