Enjoy.
Countdown recap for Wednesday 11 June 2014.
C1: Champion James Wall (1 win, 82 points.) A bank cashier from Redcar, North Yorkshire.
C2: Challenger Richard Dillon. A motorsport parts retailer from Moira, County Down. He supports Ulster Rugby Club, and Liverpool F.C., as does his opponent today.
DC: Susie Dent and Chris Packham.
RR: Rachel Riley.
OT: Other words or solutions.
R01: R T E G P I A W S
R02: L O I E V S D L M
R03: 10, 1, 4, 3, 2, 8. Target: 195.
TTT: GIVENTEN - "The rider was given a 10 point penalty during this competition"
R04: G A E U H N S D I
R05: T G A R M O E K I
R06: 25, 10, 9, 8, 6, 4. Target: 251.
R07: E A D T M O F R E
R08: C A U E P S G S N
R09: 75, 6, 10, 8, 2, 5. Target: 575.
TTT: ACEFILLY - "The ace filly won the race with consummate ease"
R10: T O A E B Y R N S
R11: V O N B I E T N D
R12: P O I A R T Z M S
R13: C T H E R I O D S
R14: 75, 3, 6, 10, 6, 5. Target: 927.
R15: R I N S E D V E G (conundrum)
And now a brief interlude before our main feature:
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Enjoy the show.
Round 1: R T E G P I A W S
James: tapiers
Richard: WAITERS (7)
DC: WASP (4) TIGERS (6) PIRATES (7) GRAPIEST (8) TAPIRS (6)
OT: WIRETAPS (8)
Score: 0–7 (max 8)
Almost controversy in the studio, thankfully averted at the last second by Susie, who realises that James has added an unnecessary E to his TAPIRS............
Round 2: L O I E V S D L M
James: OLIVES (6)
Richard: DOLLIES (7)
DC: VOLES (5) SOLVED (6) OLDIES (6) SELDOM (6) MOLLIES (7)
OT: MIDSOLE (7) VILLOSE (7)
Score: 0–14 (max 15)
Richard doubles his lead thanks to his DOLLIES.
VILLOSE (or VILLOUS) is an adjective meaning covered with or of the nature of villi, the minute, wormlike processes on certain membranes, especially on the mucous membrane of the small intestine, where they serve in absorbing nutriment.
Round 3: 10, 1, 4, 3, 2, 8. Target: 195.
James: 195. ((4 x 10) - 1) x (3 + 2) (10)
Richard: 197.
Score: 10–14 (max 25)
James brings out the 6 small numbers and it works wonders for him, immediately getting him back into the game.
Teatime teaser: GIVENTEN -> EVENTING
Round 4: G A E U H N S D I
James: ANGUISHED (18)
Richard: DASHING (7)
Score: 28–14 (max 43)
Well, that's a turn up for the books, James coolly and calmly spots the 9 to launch himself into the lead.
Round 5: T G A R M O E K I
James: MARKET (6)
Richard: GAITER (6)
DC: RAGTIME (7) MIGRATE (7) KITE (4)
Score: 34–20 (max 50)
A pair of 6's here from the contestants, followed up by the pair of 7's DC offer up.
Round 6: 25, 10, 9, 8, 6, 4. Target: 251.
James: 251. (10 x 25) + 9 - 8 (10)
Richard: 251. (10 x 25) + 9 - 8 (10)
Score: 44–30 (max 60)
NEXT
Chris talks about the latest discoveries in scientific studies of animals, mainly involving chimpanzees, fishes and ants.
Round 7: E A D T M O F R E
James: formated
Richard: remoted
DC: FREEDOM (7) FORMATE (7)
RR: MODERATE (8)
Score: 44–30 (max 68)
Well, no joy for either, as James needs another T, and Richard needs to lose the D.
NEXT Round 8: C A U E P S G S N
James: SPACES (6)
Richard: spacegun
DC: SAUCES (6) UPCASES (7)
OT: SUNSPACE (8)
Score: 50–30 (max 76)
Hmmm, spacegun, really
Nope, me neither, James' lead goes up to 20 now. Round 9: 75, 6, 10, 8, 2, 5. Target: 575.
James: 575. ((8 + 2) x 10 x 5) + 75 (10)
Richard: 575. (8 x 75) - ((10 / 2) x 5) (10)
Score: 60–40 (max 86)
Plenty of methods for this one, mainly thanks to the 75 being there too.
Teatime teaser: ACEFILLY -> FACILELY
Round 10: T O A E B Y R N S
James: BOATERS (7)
Richard: BARONETS (8)
DC: BARNEYS (7) BAYONETS (8)
OT: BARYTONS (8)
Score: 60–48 (max 94)
Well, is Richard threatening a comeback here.............
A BARYTON is an 18th-century stringed instrument with six bowed strings and several additional strings that vibrate sympathetically.
Round 11: V O N B I E T N D
James: INVENT (6)
Richard: BOVINE (6)
DC: INTONED (7)
Score: 66–54 (max 101)
Nothing to separate this time, as DC go darrenic with their INTONED offering.
Susie's Origins of Words talks about the origins of "nutmeg", "panache", "pinnacle", "pedigree", "Penelope" and "queue".
Round 12: P O I A R T Z M S
James: IMPORTS (7)
Richard: IMPORTS (7)
DC: TAPIRS (6) ARMPITS (7) IMPASTO (7)
OT: AMORIST (7) IMPARTS (7) TROPISM (7) TZARISM (7)
Score: 73–61 (max 108)
7's aplenty here, along with the correctly 6-ed TAPIRS.
TROPISM is an orientation of an organism to an external stimulus, as light, especially by growth rather than by movement.
Round 13: C T H E R I O D S
James: SHORTED (7)
Richard: DITHERS (7)
DC: HEROICS (7) OSTRICH (7) DITCHERS (8)
Score: 80–68 (max 116)
Lots of 7's once again, although I wonder if Richard was thinking about the C in his DITHERS for DITCHERS
(He probably DITHERed on that........ 
)Round 14: 75, 3, 6, 10, 6, 5. Target: 927.
James: 930.
Richard: 925. ((6 + 6) x 75) + (5 x 3) + 10 (7)
RR: 927. ((6 + 6) x (75 + (10 / 5))) + 3 (10)
Score: 80–75 (max 126)
After forcing our Rach into getting an "L for Liverpool" formation, Richard manages to get one closer than James, and forces a CRUCIAL CONUNDRUM
Round 15: R I N S E D V E G
James buzzes on 2 seconds to say DESERVING which is correct.
Final Score: 90–75 (max 136)
Literally a split second away from victory was Richard, but instead, it's James who manages to hold on to his 2nd win.
So, he'll be back tomorrow for the 100th and last preliminary of this series. So, if he wins that, he'll return on June 30 for the start of Series 71. Join me for that.
So, till then, bye bye for now.
Statistics Corner
James:
Total score - 90
Raw score - 110
Total % of max - 66
Raw % of max - 81
Total average score per round - 6.0
Raw average score per round - 7.3
Number of maxes - 6
Richard:
Total score - 75
Raw score - 89
Total % of max - 55
Raw % of max - 65
Total average score per round - 5.0
Raw average score per round - 5.9
Number of maxes - 5
Further summaries are at:
http://cdb.apterous.org/series.php?series=70