Episode 8729
From Countdown
Episode 8729 was broadcast on 23 March 2026, as part of Series 93.
Anne Hennessy played Wayne Tritton, with Wayne Tritton winning 91 – 77. The Dictionary Corner guest was Jon Kay, and the lexicographer was Susie Dent.
NOTE: In Round 12 CODINGS was disallowed, although in the Oxford Dictionary Online there is a variant specified as a count noun, so it is treated as valid for the purposes of this recap.
Rounds
| Rnd | Selection | Anne Hennessy | Score | Wayne Tritton | Others | Max. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | NTFLEOUSP | FLOUTS | 6 – 6 | SOFTEN | FOULEST*, LEPTONS*, NESTFUL*, NETFULS*, OPULENT, PENULTS*, PLUTONS*, POTFULS, TUPELOS* | 7 |
| 2 | MALHECINO | MACHINE | 13 – 6 | coalmine ☓ | INCHMEAL | 15 |
| 3 | 25 2 7 10 1 3 → 357 | 357
7 × 2 × 25 + 10 − 3 |
23 – 16 | 357
(10 + 1 + 3) × 25 + 7 |
|
25 |
| TTT | TAKESKILL | Doesn't take much skill to plant the beans and wait for these shoots to appear. | STALKLIKE | |||
| 4 | EUESBDTAW | DEBATES | 30 – 16 | DEBUTS | BEASTED*, SAUTEED*, SWEATED* | 32 |
| 5 | GORSCEGLA | CORSAGE | 30 – 24 | CLOGGERS | 40 | |
| 6 | 50 9 1 10 4 2 → 712 | 712
(10 + 4) × 50 + 9 + 1 + 2 |
40 – 34 | 712
(10 + 4) × 50 + 9 + 1 + 2 |
|
50 |
| 7 | DSRIAEMEY | REMEDY | 40 – 41 | SMEARED | ADMIRES, DEARIES*, MARDIES*, MEADERY*, MISREAD*, MYRIADS, READIES*, REMISED*, SEAMIER*, SERIEMA*, SIDEARM | 57 |
| 8 | OUENPRNTI | PROTEIN | 47 – 48 | POINTER | ERUPTION*, NEUTRINO* | 65 |
| 9 | 100 10 10 8 5 9 → 694 | — | 47 – 55 | 695
100 × 8 − 10 × 10 − 5 |
Best: 694 = (100 − 10 ÷ 5) × 8 − 10 × 9 |
75 |
| TTT | LIBELENID | She certainly made her mark ‐ what an impression. | INDELIBLE | |||
| 10 | WRLEAREJP | WEARER | 53 – 61 | REPEAL | PEARLER | 82 |
| 11 | DIANOCAGS | anoid ☓ | 53 – 67 | CODING | ADAGIOS*, AGNOSIA*, CODINGS**, DOGANAS*, GANOIDS | 89 |
| 12 | MTNEIZTAS | MITTENS | 60 – 74 | SMITTEN | INMATES*, INSTATE*, MATIEST*, MATTINS*, MAZIEST*, MESTIZA*, MINTEST*, SATINET*, TANTIES*, ZANIEST | 96 |
| 13 | DPOIVERLU | LOUVRED | 67 – 81 | PROVIDE | EUPLOID* | 103 |
| 14 | 25 5 9 1 8 3 → 302 | 302
(9 + 3) × 25 + 8 − 5 − 1 |
77 – 91 | 302
(9 + 3) × 25 + 8 − 5 − 1 |
|
113 |
| 15 | BEANIERUG | 77 – 91 | AUBERGINE | 123 | ||