Spoilers For Thursday December 15th 2011

[James Robinson]

So, while we finish mourning the loss of Mark from tomorrow's final, let's forward to today's semi-final, Jeff's penultimate episode as host.

Facing off against Carl tomorrow will be either the #2 Seed Graeme "The Reading Ramrod" Cole and the #3 Seed Paul "The Finchley Firestorm" Keane, who has just joined our website it seems.

Here are some statistics for you to enjoy:

Firstly, No.2 Seed Graeme Cole - 9 Wins, 926 Points
Highest Score: 125 vs. Mike Linnell (6th Game)
Lowest Score: 91 vs. Justin Maelzer (7th Game)
9's Achieved: 4/5
Total Points/Max/%: 926/1109 (83%)
Letters Points/Max/%: 641/755 (85%)
Numbers Points/Max/%: 245/264 (93%)
Conundrum Points/Max/%: 40/90 (44%)

Secondly, No.3 Seed Paul Keane - 9 Wins, 840 Points
Highest Score: 104 vs. Clare Nitman (8th Game)
Lowest Score: 73 vs. Claire Aizlewood (4th Game)
9's Achieved: 1/6
Total Points/Max/%: 840/1128 (74%)
Letters Points/Max/%: 574/768 (75%)
Numbers Points/Max/%: 206/270 (76%)
Conundrum Points/Max/%: 60/90 (67%)

I'll be back later for my last recap of the year.

[Jojo Apollo]

Well done, Graeme, on making the final.

Hard lines to Paul, good spirited semi-final there.

[Adam Gillard]

Hwell done Grrraeme end hwell played Paullll too. Cue people billing the final as the epic battle between good and evil.

[Eoin Monaghan]

Congratulations to Graeme, again you seem to be loving absolutely every minute of it, something I tried to do! A very solid semi-final performance. Also commiserations to Paul, you were very humble in defeat and also great to watch.

Should be a good one tomorrow!

Did I get the names right this time?

[Graeme Cole]

Thanks all. Yes, the game was played in a great spirit and Paul was a friendly and sporting opponent, as well as being a decent player who's tough to beat. At the end of R13 he was already offering me his congratulations on making the final.

Incidentally, the audience member who solved the conundrum was Jayne's husband, Eddie.

[Jack Worsley]

Well done Graeme, a very good performance against a worthy opponent. You kept your composure really well after going behind in the opening round and never looked like losing once you got in front.

I tried to be too clever with ADORNEE in round 3 and I also failed to get either of the last two numbers games.

Paul certainly seemed very gracious in defeat and he has had a very good run too.

I hope Graeme wins tomorrow. As well as the controversy that Carl has caused, he has been nowhere near as good as Graeme during his run. I think I speak for almost every other forum member by saying this.

[Philip Jarvis]

I hope Graeme wins tomorrow. As well as the controversy that Carl has caused, he has been nowhere near as good as Graeme during his run. I think I speak for almost every other forum member by saying this.

This.

Well done Graeme. I hope you go on to beat Carl in style tomorrow.

[Mark Deeks]

Because Paul's shows had not aired by the time the finals were filmed, he was a complete unknown to us. But it quickly transpired that he was a perfectly pleasant man and an incredibly solid player. Scant few misses in his 10 shows. Very solid stuff.

[Brian Moore]

Just to say how much I enjoyed this contest, and the series as a whole - a great mix of characters.

I found yesterday's match uncomfortable viewing as I too wanted Mark to win, but Carl played well to take it, and deserved to win on the day. I can't say I've warmed in the least to him - he reminds me of someone I used to play badminton against as a junior, for whom winning was so important that I think he genuinely didn't realise he was not playing in a sportsmanlike way. Today's contest showed how friendly but exciting it can be when played in the best spirit.

Oh, and well done to everyone who was involved in the finals, either as contestant or spectator, for not giving even the slightest hint that you knew what the results were. Tomorrow is going to be fun.

[Jon Corby]

Congratulations Graeme, well done for keeping your composure after going behind early on. Nice to see a game played in a good spirit (although that said I'm massively looking forward to tomorrow's game which hopefully won't be played in the same spirit )

The conundrums have been awesome for these finals as well, the perfect level.

GRAEME MUST WIN TOMORROW. PLEASE.

[Thomas Carey]

The conundrums have been awesome for these finals as well, the perfect level.

No they haven't. If BLACRHINO was instead something easier then Mark would have spotted it instantly, and would have won.

[Michael Wallace]

The conundrums have been awesome for these finals as well, the perfect level.

Yeah, I've been checking them out when I've read the recap/watched the show, and those I've checked were 6s (with the exception of one 10 which was at least a reasonable word).

[Brian Moore]

I've just realised that watching Mark go out yesterday was like watching Omar get a bullet in the head in The Wire.

[Jon Corby]

The conundrums have been awesome for these finals as well, the perfect level.

No they haven't. If BLACRHINO was instead something easier then Mark would have spotted it instantly, and would have won.

Nah, it's not the conundrum's fault that Mark's shit. He had a full 25 seconds or whatever to spot it before Carl buzzed.

[Mark James]

The conundrums have been awesome for these finals as well, the perfect level.

No they haven't. If BLACRHINO was instead something easier then Mark would have spotted it instantly, and would have won.

I thought that one was pretty easy. I got it after five seconds and I'm shit at conundrums.

[Jon Corby]

The conundrums have been awesome for these finals as well, the perfect level.

No they haven't. If BLACRHINO was instead something easier then Mark would have spotted it instantly, and would have won.

I thought that one was pretty easy. I got it after five seconds and I'm shit at conundrums.

I got it sub-half-a-second, because Deeks spoilt it on Facebook, the twat.

[James Robinson]

Very well done, Graeme. I had bad visions that you were going to lose that after yesterday, but very well done. I needed that conundrum just to tie with you today.

STRAITED in round 9 as an alternative.

P.S. WIN IT TOMORROW!!!!

[Douglas Wilson]

Very well done, Graeme. I had bad visions that you were going to lose that after yesterday, but very well done. I needed that conundrum just to tie with you today.

STRAITED in round 9 as an alternative.

P.S. WIN IT TOMORROW!!!!

Didn't you go to the finals?

[James Robinson]

Very well done, Graeme. I had bad visions that you were going to lose that after yesterday, but very well done. I needed that conundrum just to tie with you today.

STRAITED in round 9 as an alternative.

P.S. WIN IT TOMORROW!!!!

Didn't you go to the finals?

Not inside the studio.

[Tony Atkins]

Not inside the studio.

Have you been banned by ITV Studios because you had the cheek to appear on a BBC show?

[Tony Atkins]

Alt last numbers: ((100 + (2x4)) x (10-4)) +7 (but well out of time).

[Joyce Phillips]

I enjoyed today's semi, not just for the great play but for the spirit in which it was played. Yesterday's was uncomfortable to watch so I hope Graeme can inject some of his enthusiasm into the final.

[James Robinson]

Not inside the studio.

Have you been banned by ITV Studios because you had the cheek to appear on a BBC show?

If that's the case, then they must have a psychic, as it happened a long time before I went on Pointless.

[Andy Platt]

I also enjoyed Graeme's semi, but less about our night out and more about Countdown, please.

[Jon O'Neill]

I've just realised that watching Mark go out yesterday was like watching Omar get a bullet in the head in The Wire.

Thanks for spoiling The Wire for me.

[John Garcia]

I've just realised that watching Mark go out yesterday was like watching Omar get a bullet in the head in The Wire.

Thanks for spoiling The Wire for me.

He forgot to mention that at the end they come across the statue of liberty and realise they are still on planet earth. Also the ship hits an iceberg and sinks.

[Brian Moore]

He forgot to mention that at the end they come across the statue of liberty and realise they are still on planet earth. Also the ship hits an iceberg and sinks.

And that Jesus gets crucified in The Bible.

What is the acceptable interval before one's allowed to discuss a plot twist publicly? (When will the general public be able to talk about Mark's untimely Countdown exit outside of a spoiler thread?)

[Miriam Nussbaum]

He forgot to mention that at the end they come across the statue of liberty and realise they are still on planet earth. Also the ship hits an iceberg and sinks.

And that Jesus gets crucified in The Bible.

What is the acceptable interval before one's allowed to discuss a plot twist publicly? (When will the general public be able to talk about Mark's untimely Countdown exit outside of a spoiler thread?)

The link Chris posted the other day actually made me think of this as well, but maybe that's just because I vividly remember having that particular event in Little Women spoiled for me when I was 8 or 9…by reading a children's book that referred to it.