Spoilers for Wednesday December 12th 2012 (Series 67 QF 1)

[Jordan F]

It's that time again, due to some odd scheduling we get our first QF on a Wednesday. Regardless of this scheduling, the finals begin, and we have what to me appears to be one of the best 1 vs 8 match-ups in a long time, featuring the number 1 seed, Paul "Mr. 14 Years Later" James, and the number 8 seed, Grant "G-R-A-N-T" Waters. I'll post stats later.

James will also recap us later.

[James Robinson]

And as per usual, here are the Robinson Stats:

Firstly, No.1 Seed Paul "The Brampton Behemoth" James - 8 Wins, 794 Points (Average: 99.25)
Highest Score: 110 vs. Phil Hopgood (7th Game)
Lowest Score: 83 vs. Chris Barnett (6th Game)
9's Achieved: 1/6
Total Points/Max/%: 794/1023 (78%)
Letters Points/Max/%: 562/703 (80%)
Numbers Points/Max/%: 182/240 (76%)
Conundrum Points/Max/%: 50/80 (63%)

Secondly, No.8 Seed Grant "The Maidstone Master" Waters - 7 Wins, 722 Points (Average: 90.25)
Highest Score: 105 vs. Joyce Benfield (3rd Game)
Lowest Score: 70 vs. Andy Rossall (8th Game)
9's Achieved: 4/8
Total Points/Max/%: 722/1040 (69%)
Letters Points/Max/%: 520/720 (72%)
Numbers Points/Max/%: 172/240 (72%)
Conundrum Points/Max/%: 30/80 (38%)

[Chris Marshall]

Also worth noting that if Grant had spotted REINFLATE in his final game, he would have been number 3 seed and a look at apterous head-to-head games says Grant 2-0 Paul making it a closer game than it looks on the stats above.

[Jordan F]

I think Grant probably wins the best dressed finalist award of this series, possibly of any series I've recently seen.

[Tony Atkins]

Did I see FAIRIES in R1 and SHEENING in R3?

[szodiac]

Yes I saw FAIRIES and SHEENING too.

Round 4: Paul unlucky with OMITTER* (It's anagram, MOTTIER*, suffers the same fate) I would have gone for COTTIER


Mauro

[Tony Atkins]

Good solve by Paul on the second numbers. The "easier" way to 954 was ((2+1)x4x75)+(6x9)

[Ryan Taylor]

A final pick of a vowel in Round 12 would have given ZEUGMATIC, never before seen on Countdown.

[Jordan F]

Very competitive opening game of the finals, I must say. Very well done to Paul, you were solid throughout. Commiserations to Grant, you fought very hard against the number 1 seed, had the numbers been easier this could have been another story.

[Jack Worsley]

ZEUGMA in round 12; don't think DC spotted it but I'm not sure.

Congrats Paul and well done to both for a very good game. Hopefully more of the same to come.

[Tony Atkins]

Well done to Paul for the strong ending. As often when we play he beat me on the conundrum. Sorry that Grant's numbers failed him so that it wasn't as close an end as it might have been.

[John Garcia]

Got SHEENING in R3 too.
Also COTTIER in R4.

Thought MIXWATER might have been a word in R13, but sadly not!

[szodiac]

A final pick of a vowel in Round 12 would have given ZEUGMATIC, never before seen on Countdown.

ZEUGMA was there, though, as a DC beater.

Round 11: so the device for measuring carbon dioxide (BIOMETER*) not in OED3

Mauro

[Grant Waters]

I had SHEENING written down in R3. Got it at the last minute and didn't have time to work out if SHEEN could be a verb so decided not to risk it. Could have been a pivotal point.

Paul was the deserved winner as I didn't perform on the day.

Has been a fantastic experience though.

G-R-A-N-T

[Jojo Apollo]

Well done, lads, good close contest. Congrats to Paul on making the semis.

[James Robinson]

I had SHEENING written down in R3. Got it at the last minute and didn't have time to work out if SHEEN could be a verb so decided not to risk it. Could have been a pivotal point.

Paul was the deserved winner as I didn't perform on the day.

Rubbish that you didn't perform, Grant. You and Paul were both fantastic, and that definitely rivals with Rob and Jonathan's quarter-final from the last series in terms of a tense 1v8-er.

THEOREM in round 11.

2nd Numbers Alt.: ((75 - 1) x (9 + 4)) - 6 - 2 = 954

[Graeme Cole]

I had SHEENING written down in R3. Got it at the last minute and didn't have time to work out if SHEEN could be a verb so decided not to risk it. Could have been a pivotal point.

Paul was the deserved winner as I didn't perform on the day.

Rubbish that you didn't perform, Grant. You and Paul were both fantastic, and that definitely rivals with Rob and Jonathan's quarter-final from the last series in terms of a tense 1v8-er.

This. There wasn't much in it until Paul broke away in the last numbers round.

[Johnny Canuck]

This is the fourth consecutive time that the #1 seed has gone second in the first QF. Also, the higher seed went second in all finals matches in Series 66. I recall that the seating positions used to be decided by a coin toss -- does the higher seed always get to choose now?

Did the second numbers game JR's way and was happy to get it. DUCAT as an equaller in R12.

R13 was the best round, AMIRITE^?

[Graeme Cole]

This is the fourth consecutive time that the #1 seed has gone second in the first QF. Also, the higher seed went second in all finals matches in Series 66. I recall that the seating positions used to be decided by a coin toss -- does the higher seed always get to choose now?

In Series 66, the higher seed got the challenger's chair in all the finals matches - there were no coin tosses. Never really understood why.

[Keith Bennett]

Presumably to give the higher seed the perceived advantage of nominating 2 numbers games.

On which subject I had (75x2+9)x6 =954 in the second one.

[Adam Gillard]

There was certainly lots of tossing going on behind the scenes at the S64 finals. Well done Paul; strong numbers saw you through, and you capped it off nicely with that excellent conundrum solve. Well played Grant, it was an enthralling contest and you almost took it to a crucial.

[James Robinson]

There was certainly lots of tossing going on behind the scenes at the S64 finals.

Yes, that's all we need to know, thanks, Adam.

[Gavin Chipper]

I think Grant probably wins the best dressed finalist award of this series, possibly of any series I've recently seen.

Yeah, but it did look like his tie was being held together by a safety pin.

By the way, I had to watch this on the YouTube 4OD, because on the normal 4OD website, it had QF2 for both Wednesday and Thursday. Weird. Worth watching though. Good game.