Sorry, I've got a bit behind with these recaps so let's get straight into the action.
C1: Champion Jonathan Liew (3 wins, 285 points.) is a sports journalist for the Telegraph and is doing quite well, averaging 95 points per game. He's had three fairly comfortable wins so far but will he be pushed harder today?
C2: Challenger Alistair Clayton is Jonathan's first male opponent. He's a commercial director from Bury and is also a member of the Rubgy Union football club. He once did a 2,000 feet parachute jump in a bid to cure his fear of heights but sadly it didn't work out for him.
DC: Susie Dent and Selina Scott.
RR: Rachel Riley.
OT: Other words or solutions.
R01: O A O N L S G T I
R02: N D P T E I A L N
R03: 4, 8, 5, 6, 1, 8. Target: 259.
TTT: LEGALCON - "It doesn't punch, but it might give you a fat lip."
R04: T X C T E O U R E
R05: I E A T K S B G E
R06: 25, 5, 9, 6, 9, 1. Target: 235.
R07: A E I L H V R D E
R08: S J B T I O A W E
R09: 10, 5, 7, 5, 2, 7. Target: 581.
TTT: LADTOBED - "The lad's gone to bed, so he puts this across the door."
R10: S C N R O E A F O
R11: E O E Q D S R H R
R12: S P G H A I O I R
R13: O I E V D M T F O
R14: 25, 100, 75, 50, 10, 10. Target: 128.
R15: P U R E S P O R T (conundrum)
And now a brief interlude before our main feature:
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Round 1: O A O N L S G T I
C1: LOOTING (7)
C2: TOOLINGS X
DC: TOOLING (7) LOTIONS (7) STOOLING (8)
OT: ANTILOGS (8)
Score: 7–0 (max 8)
An unfortunate start for Alistair as TOOLING is deemed to be unpluralisable by Susie and he could have stuck the S on the other end to take the lead.
Round 2: N D P T E I A L N
C1: PAINTED (7)
C2: PAINTED (7)
DC: PLANTED (7) PENDANT (7)
OT: DENTINAL (8) PANTILED (8) PINNATED (8)
Score: 14–7 (max 16)
Three eights surprisingly missed by DC so everyone settles for solid sevens instead.
Round 3: 4, 8, 5, 6, 1, 8. Target: 259.
C1: 259. (8 x 4 + 1) x 8 - 5 (10)
C2: 260.
Score: 24–7 (max 26)
Jonathan's been pretty deadly on his favourite six small so far and again, he doesn't disappoint. His lead is into double figures already.
Teatime teaser: LEGALCON -> COLLAGEN
Round 4: T X C T E O U R E
C1: EXECUTOR (8)
C2: EXECUTOR (8)
DC: CUTTER (6)
Score: 32–15 (max 34)
Wow, a brilliant spot by both, even if Jonathan saw it late!
Round 5: I E A T K S B G E
C1: BEGETS (6)
C2: BEASTIE (7)
DC: KITBAGS (7)
OT: BETAKES (7)
Score: 32–22 (max 41)
Alistair is back to within ten points of Jonathan with his BEASTIE.
Round 6: 25, 5, 9, 6, 9, 1. Target: 235.
C1: 235. (9 + 1) x 25 - 9 - 6 (10)
C2: 235. 9 x 25 + 9 + 1 (10)
Score: 42–32 (max 51)
Moving on.
Selina talks about seeing elephants killed in Kenya for their ivory many years ago when she was working for an American TV company.
Round 7: A E I L H V R D E
C1: DELIVER (7)
C2: DELIVER (7)
DC: REVILED (7)
OT: HAVERED (7) HEADIER (7) HEAVIER (7) RELIVED (7)
Score: 49–39 (max 58)
Another max safely DELIVERed by our two contestants.
Round 8: S J B T I O A W E
C1: BOWTIE X
C2: BESTOW (6)
DC: BOATIES (7) BOWSIE (6)
Score: 49–45 (max 65)
BOW TIE is two words unfortunately for Jonathan, so Alistair makes up some more ground and is making a real game of it.
Round 9: 10, 5, 7, 5, 2, 7. Target: 581.
C1: 581. ((10 + 2) x 7 - 5/5) x 7 (10)
C2: 585.
Score: 59–45 (max 75)
The six small specialist responds with a great solution and underlines the value of knowing your 83 times tables.
Teatime teaser: LADTOBED -> DEADBOLT
This teaser brings back memories of Andrew Hulme's first 30BC game when he came up with that brilliant word.
Round 10: S C N R O E A F O
C1: FORCES (6)
C2: FORCES (6)
DC: CONFERS (7) CORNEAS (7)
OT: CANOERS (7) COARSEN (7) CORONAE (7) CORONAS (7) RACOONS (7)
Score: 65–51 (max 82)
Quite a few sevens missed by the players here and DC mop up a couple of them.
Round 11: E O E Q D S R H R
C1: SHORED (6)
C2: ERODES (6)
DC: REREDOS (7)
OT: HERDERS (7)
Score: 71–57 (max 89)
DC's REREDOS stems with a few consonants, but H isn't one of them and neither is Q, unsurprisingly.
OoW: Susie talks about the origin of the term "qualms".
Round 12: S P G H A I O I R
C1: PARISH (6)
C2: GRAPHS (6)
DC: AIRSHIP (7)
Score: 77–63 (max 96)
Round 13: O I E V D M T F O
C1: MOTIVE (6)
C2: MOTIVE (6)
DC: MOTIVED X VOMITED (7)
Score: 83–69 (max 103)
Jonathan and Alistair may be feeling a bit sick after missing this max as the game remains there for the taking but Alistair needs a dramatic comeback.
Round 14: 25, 100, 75, 50, 10, 10. Target: 128.
C1: 130. 100 + 25 + 50/10 (7)
C2: 127 X
RR: 128. 75 + 50 + 100/25 - 10/10 (10)
Score: 90–69 (max 113)
In this situation, it makes sense to gamble on either six small or four large. Against someone like Jonathan, the former doesn't seem like a good idea so Alistair wisely opts for four large in a bid to keep his hopes alive. He looks set to force a crucial but he gets to 125 with a 10 and a 5 left over and concludes that he's gone wrong. Rachel reveals that he could have said 10/5 to get the 2,
after Jonathan reads out his two away method to seal his fourth win. Rachel solves it by using 75 + 50 to get to 125, which most experienced four large players will know is often more useful than the obvious 100 + 25.Round 15: P U R E S P O R T
C1 buzzes on 1.75 second to say SUPPORTER which is correct.
Final Score: 100–69 (max 123)
The sports journalist solves an apt conundrum fairly quickly and notches up his fourth century. making it a flattering final scoreline. Alistair put up a pretty good fight for most of the way and will rue not at least forcing a crucial conundrum. The following week's recap should follow soon, hopefully!
Further summaries are at:
http://cdb.apterous.org/series.php?series=69