Well what a week it has been. The champion at the end of last week, James Penny didn't last long once the apterites started to invade the show. The week started with Jason Turner coming in to oust the champion and then win a 2nd game, before coming unstuck against Tricia Pay on Wednesday. Tricia has looked pretty formidable in the 2 games she has played. Today she is against Tom Read. Will she end the week with a 3rd win?Countdown recap for Friday 25 July 2014.
C1: Champion Tricia Pay (2 wins, 219 points.) A retired assistant land registrar from Dunsford, Devon. Previously taught science students how to read Russian scientific tests. An apterite and a scrabble player.
C2: Challenger Tom Read. A barman from The Manor House in Royston, Hertfordshire. Plays for a snooker team in Cambridge.
DC: Susie Dent and Anton Du Beke.
RR: Rachel Riley.
OT: Other words or solutions.
R01: B L N E U O T H I
R02: S O D L A N D O E
R03: 6, 4, 8, 7, 9, 25, . Target: 846.
TTT: ABITSOON - "It's never too soon to eat these. How sweet."
R04: P A G S U I M E V
R05: R F W A I O N R E
R06: 8, 7, 1, 5, 9, 9, . Target: 281.
R07: K N T I A I S Y R
R08: H O T D A O X U E
R09: 1, 3, 10, 9, 6, 25. Target: 126.
TTT: SHECOULD - "She could sit up properly, but she's not."
R10: N O T P E R N I A
R11: S G T I E I B M A
R12: T E R Q A O G E S
R13: J D T I O E R L U
R14: 10, 3, 5, 4, 3, 7. Target: 448.
R15: F A N C Y P I G I (conundrum)
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Round 1: B L N E U O T H I
Tricia: OUTLINE (7)
Tom: OUTLINE (7)
DC: HOTLINE (7)
OT: BOTULIN (7) ELUTION (7)
Score: 7–7 (max 7)
Both players OUTLINE their intentions straight away with a 7.
Round 2: S O D L A N D O E
Tricia: NOODLES (7)
Tom: LANDED (6)
DC: DOODLES (7)
OT: ANDOSOL (7) DANDLES (7) LADDOOS (7) NODDLES (7) NOODLED (7)
Score: 14–7 (max 14)
Tom has LANDED in Sodland with this selection,
as Tricia gets NOODLES for 7.Round 3: 6, 4, 8, 7, 9, 25. Target: 846.
Tricia: 847.
Tom: 846. (8+7) x 6 + 4 x 9 (10)
Score: 14–17 (max 24)
And Tom comes storming into the lead with a perfect 10 on the numbers, as Tricia falls 1 short.
Teatime teaser: ABITSOON -> BONIATOS
Round 4: P A G S U I M E V
Tricia: MAGPIES (7)
Tom: IMAGES (6)
OT: GUIMPES (7) MISGAVE (7)
Score: 21–17 (max 31)
Tricia regains the lead with MAGPIES for 7, as Tom only sees IMAGES for 6.
Round 5: R F W A I O N R E
Tricia: REFRAIN (7)
Tom: REFRAIN (7)
DC: INFOWAR (7) IRONWARE (8)
OT: FOREWARN (8)
Score: 28–24 (max 39)
Both players REFRAIN from getting anything other than 7 in this round.
Round 6: 8, 7, 1, 5, 9, 9. Target: 281.
Tricia: 281. (8 x 5) x 7 + (9/9) (10)
Tom: 281. (8 x 5) x 7 + 1 (10)
Score: 38–34 (max 49)
It's a perfect 10 for both players as 281 is successfully achieved.
Anton Du Beke talks about his time playing sport as a child, which led to his dancing.
Round 7: K N T I A I S Y R
Tricia: SANITY (6)
Tom: SANITY (6)
DC: STRAIN (6)
OT: KIRTANS (7) RAISINY (7) SIRTAKI (7) SYRTAKI (7)
Score: 44–40 (max 56)
Both players restore their SANITY and get 6 points here.
Round 8: H O T D A O X U E
Tricia: TUXEDO (6)
Tom: HOAXED (6)
OT: HOOTED (6)
Score: 50–46 (max 62)
Tom HOAXED his way to 6 points, as Tricia got a TUXEDO and also 6 points.
Round 9: 1, 3, 10, 9, 6, 25. Target: 126.
Tricia: 126. (6-1) x 25 + (10-9) (10)
Tom: 126. (25-3-1) x 6 (10)
Score: 60–56 (max 72)
Another perfect 10 for both players as 126 is achieved.
Teatime teaser: SHECOULD -> SLOUCHED
Round 10: N O T P E R N I A
Tricia: ATROPINE (8)
Tom: PAINTER (7)
DC: POINTER (7) PANNIER (7)
OT: ANOINTER (8) PATRONNE (8)
Score: 68–56 (max 80)
It's an important 8 for Tricia with ATROPINE, as Tom has to settle for PAINTER for 7.
Round 11: S G T I E I B M A
Tricia: GAMBITS (7)
Tom: - (0)
DC: MEGABITS (8) BIGAMIST (8)
Score: 75–56 (max 88)
Tom fails to see anything as Tricia takes one of her GAMBITS and scores 7.
Susie talks about words for childhood illnesses.
Round 12: T E R Q A O G E S
Tricia: TOERAGS (7)
Tom: STORAGE (7)
DC: GOATEES (7) OATERS (6)
OT: ORGEATS (7) RESTAGE (7) ROSEATE (7)
Score: 82–63 (max 95)
It's TOERAGS for Tricia and STORAGE for Tom. Another 7 a piece.
Round 13: J D T I O E R L U
Tricia: OUTRIDE (7)
Tom: OUTRIDE (7)
DC: DILUTER (7) OUTLIER (7)
OT: JOLTIER (7)
Score: 89–70 (max 102)
Both players OUTRIDE the system in this round. Another 7 each.
Round 14: 10, 3, 5, 4, 3, 7. Target: 448.
Tricia: 448. (10+3+3) x 4 x 7 (10)
Tom: 448. (10+3+3) x 7 x 4 (10)
Score: 99–80 (max 112)
A perfect 10 for both players.
Round 15: F A N C Y P I G I
Tricia buzzes on 3 seconds to say PACIFYING which is correct.
Final Score: 109–80 (max 122)
Tricia gets the conundrum in 3 seconds, to claim her 3rd victory.
So Tricia's reign as champion shows no signs of letting up, as she storms to a 3rd win in a row by beating Tom Read. It's going to take quite some player to beat her. Her scrabble experience is clearly proving to be a factor, as happens with so many players. Will Tricia continue her run? Join Andy McGurn on Monday to find out if she can get win number 4. Then you'll have to wait another week before the next game, as yet again our dear friends the horses take over, meaning you'll have to do without me for a fortnight unfortunately. Who cheered then?
So I shall be back on Friday 8th August, to once again lighten up your Friday. 
Until then, thank you very much for reading, and goodbye. Further summaries are at:
http://cdb.apterous.org/series.php?series=71
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