Episode 8048

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Episode 8048 was broadcast on 27 June 2023, as the first semi-final of Series 87.

Ronan Higginson played Adam Dexter, with Ronan Higginson winning 122 – 98. The Dictionary Corner guest was Maggie Aderin-Pocock, and the lexicographer was Susie Dent.

This game had a few notable highlights:

• Higginson's performance was a max game — the fourteenth in the history of Countdown, and it was the second time it had occurred in just over a month.
• This also made him the first person to obtain two max games in a single regular series.
• Notably, this was the second known occasion of a player getting the max score in every round without getting the best solutions — the first time being on 16 December 1996. In Round 3, Dexter and Higginson still scored the max of seven points, with both declaring a target of 672, but neither of them could find the closest possible solution of 663.

Rounds

Rnd	Selection	Ronan Higginson	Score	Adam Dexter	Others	Max.
1	WLFOEAMEN	LOANEE	6 – 0	wolfman ☓	ENAMEL*, FEMALE*, FLAMEN, FOEMAN*, FOEMEN*, LAWMEN*, LEAFEN*, MAENOL*, MELENA*	6
2	DNMOOAGIN	MONODIA	13 – 7	DAMNING	DOOMING*, GOODMAN, MAGNOON*, MIDNOON*, MOANING*, MONDAIN*, MOONING	13
3	100 75 25 50 1 2 → 667	672 (100 − 75) × 25 + 50 − 2 − 1	20 – 14	672 (100 − 75) × 25 + 50 − 2 − 1	RR: 663 Best: 663 = (50 × 25 + 75 + 1) ÷ 2	20
TTT	ENDEDBIRD	He ended his hobby of birdwatching when he could no longer get up.			BEDRIDDEN
4	GSLEIUHAS	SLEIGHS	27 – 21	SLEIGHS	GEISHAS*, GLASSIE*, LIGASES*, SHEILAS*, SILAGES, SLUSHIE*	27
5	OEATSNHOL	ANETHOLS	35 – 29	ETHANOLS		35
6	4 9 7 1 10 5 → 843	844 (7 × 10 − 5) × (9 + 4) − 1	42 – 36	844 (10 + 5) × 7 × (9 − 1) + 4		42
7	AIEXTRSAE	AERATES	49 – 43	AERATES	ATRESIA*, EXISTER*, RETAXES, SERIATE*	49
8	DSNOAICED	DIOCESAN	57 – 51	ANODISED	ADENOIDS, ADONISED*	57
9	75 100 50 25 5 9 → 140	140 100 + 75 − 25 − 50 ÷ 5	67 – 61	140 (75 − 5) × 100 ÷ 50		67
TTT	SARAHSGIN	Sarah's had too much gin, and is starting to upset people.			HARASSING
10	RBFOUONAR	RURBAN	73 – 67	UNROOF	ARBOUR*, FOOBAR*	73
11	IAETPSMUE	AMPUTEES	81 – 67	epistema ☓	SEPTEMIA*	81
12	NRTIOASOG	ROGATIONS	99 – 85	ROGATIONS		99
13	EUILGDEPU	PLEDGE	105 – 91	PLEDGE	DELUGE*, GULPED*	105
14	50 75 100 25 10 3 → 692	693 75 × 10 − 50 − (100 ÷ 25 + 3)	112 – 98	693 75 × 10 − 50 − (100 ÷ 25 + 3)		112
15	SITONSAND	DISSONANT (1.5 seconds)	122 – 98			122