It's Friday once more which means it is my turn to do today's recap. What a week it has been, and as I think many of us were expecting, we have reached our first potential Octochamp game, with Andy Naylor carrying his bat throughout this week. BUT.... today he faces a challenge from one of our apterites, as Martin Thompson takes the stage. Will he spoil Andy's party today?Countdown recap for Friday 28 February 2014.
C1: Champion Andy Naylor (7 wins, 696 points.) An Account Manager from Hendon, making a good 'account' of himself here
C2: Challenger Martin Thompson. A civil servant from Newcastle. Works in the Department of Work and Pensions. A member of Newcastle Scrabble Club, and an apterite.
DC: Susie Dent and Janet Street Porter.
RR: Rachel Riley.
OT: Other words or solutions.
R01: A E I F M S H T N
R02: J R D U O E R V O
R03: 4, 4, 9, 6, 9, 25. Target: 876.
TTT: ONEBLAST - "These famous people haven't got anywhere to sit down and eat."
R04: A O I M N T E D N
R05: I U B R G V T D E
R06: 4, 9, 4, 8, 6, 75. Target: 302.
R07: N C B O A E G T R
R08: Z D S O E A H R E
R09: 5, 9, 6, 4, 50, 100. Target: 973.
TTT: NERDGOAT - "The mythical beast had this fish for dinner."
R10: U I A F D S O G E
R11: A I O T L S M L I
R12: P H P E A E X T M
R13: I O C N A L I Y K
R14: 10, 7, 1, 6, 8, 100. Target: 466.
R15: G I A N T C L A P (conundrum)
And now a brief interlude before our main feature:
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Round 1: A E I F M S H T N
C1: INMATES (7)
C2: fainest
DC: MINESHAFT (18)
Score: 7–0 (max 18)
Andy gets INMATES but he's taking no prisoners. Martin has 'fainest' disallowed.
Round 2: J R D U O E R V O
C1: OVERDO (6)
C2: ODOUR (5)
DC: DROVER (6) DEVOUR (6)
OT: DOURER (6) ORDURE (6)
Score: 13–0 (max 24)
Andy mustn't OVERDO it as he strives to win. Martin can smell a rat already and it has an unpleasant ODOUR.
Round 3: 4, 4, 9, 6, 9, 25. Target: 876.
C1: 876. (9x25) -6 x 4 (10)
C2: 876. (25x4) x 9 - (6x4) (10)
Score: 23–10 (max 34)
No trouble for the players here as both score 10 points.
Teatime teaser: ONEBLAST -> NOTABLES
Round 4: A O I M N T E D N
C1: DOMINATE (8)
C2: INTONED (7)
DC: ANOINTED (8) NOMINATED (18)
Score: 31–10 (max 52)
Andy is really starting to DOMINATE now, as Martin gets INTONED.
Round 5: I U B R G V T D E
C1: BRIDGE (6)
C2: BRUITED (7)
Score: 31–17 (max 59)
A 'BRUIT'al blow for Andy as Martin gets BRUITED for 7, while Andy can only make a BRIDGE for 6.
Round 6: 4, 9, 4, 8, 6, 75. Target: 302.
C1: 302. (75x4) + (8/4) (10)
C2: 302. (75x4) + (6-4) (10)
Score: 41–27 (max 69)
Both players get another easy numbers game, so the gap remains the same.
Janet Street Porter talks about dieting, and how to live to be happy.
Round 7: N C B O A E G T R
C1: BORGATE (7)
C2: COGNATE (7)
DC: BOATER (6) BACONER (7) BARONET (7)
OT: ENACTOR (7) NEGATOR (7)
Score: 48–34 (max 76)
BORGATE and COGNATE. Both 7's so honours even once more.
Round 8: Z D S O E A H R E
C1: SHEARED (7)
C2: SHEARED (7)
DC: SOREHEAD (8)
Score: 55–41 (max 84)
Both players get SHEARED, but they could have had SOREHEAD, though they may have that in the morning
Round 9: 5, 9, 6, 4, 50, 100. Target: 973.
C1: 974. (100x9) + 50 + (6x4) (7)
C2: 974. (100+6) x 9 + (5x4) (7)
RR: 973. (100+50+9+4) x 6 -5 (10)
Score: 62–48 (max 94)
It's 1 away for both players with 974, so 7 points each.
Teatime teaser: NERDGOAT -> DRAGONET
Susie explains that DRAGONET is a marine fish partly buried in the seabed.
Round 10: U I A F D S O G E
C1: DOSAGE (6)
C2: GAUDIES (7)
DC: FUDGES (6)
Score: 62–55 (max 101)
Andy takes a DOSAGE but it isn't enough as Martin's GAUDIES get him 7 points.
Round 11: A I O T L S M L I
C1: ALLOTS (6)
C2: ALLOTS (6)
DC: MAILLOTS (8)
Score: 68–61 (max 109)
The scorer ALLOTS both players 6 points as they both get the same here.
Susie talks the origins of expressions to answer viewers' questions.
Round 12: P H P E A E X T M
C1: hexate
C2: THEME (5)
DC: EMPATH (6)
OT: EXEMPT (6) TEMPEH (6)
Score: 68–66 (max 115)
A slip by Andy allows Martin back in the game. Andy found 'hexate' was disallowed, and 5 points was the THEME for Martin.
Round 13: I O C N A L I Y K
C1: CLAN (4)
C2: CLANK (5)
DC: KAOLIN (6) OILCAN (6)
OT: CLONKY (6)
Score: 68–71 (max 121)
A low scoring round allows Martin to take the lead, as Andy only manages CLAN for 4, whilst Martin added a K to make CLANK.
Round 14: 10, 7, 1, 6, 8, 100. Target: 466.
C1: 465. (100-7) x (6+1) (7)
C2: 472.
RR: 466. (100-7) x (10/(8-6)) +1 (10)
Score: 75–71 (max 131)
A tricky numbers game sees Andy regain the lead as Martin gets 6 away and andy only the 1 away. Crucial Conundrum. Can Martin destroy Andy's octochamp dream?
Round 15: G I A N T C L A P
C1 buzzes on 3 seconds to say PLACATING which is correct.
Final Score: 85–71 (max 141)
And so it took Andy only 3 seconds to get the Conundrum and take his place as the first Octochamp of series 70. He's carried his bat through some tough challenges, and though Martin put up a gallant display, Andy was just too good in the end. It's going to take a very good player to overcome Andy in the Quarter Finals.
Well that's about it from me for this week. Thank you once again for reading. Andy McGurn will be here on Monday, recapping a game involving 2 new players. I will be back next Friday for what could be the 5th game of the Octochamp run of the next challenger to the throne. Until then, goodbye and have a good week.
Further summaries are at:
http://cdb.apterous.org/series.php?series=70
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