Countdown recap for Wednesday 9 January 2019.
C1: Series 77 Champion Tom Chafer-Cook (11 games, 11 wins, 1,235 points.) An Apteforumite and software developer from Horsehay, Shropshire.
C2: Series 75 Champion Martin Hurst (11 games, 11 wins, 1,128 points.) A forumite and life insurance underwriter from Camberley, Surrey.
DC: Susie Dent and Dr. Linda Papadopoulos.
RR: Rachel Riley.
OT: Other words or solutions.
R01: M R K E A I S E D
R02: O I A G T D B T N
R03: 25, 2, 1, 1, 4, 7. Target: 345.
TTT: CACTISONG - "He was approaching people aggressively with a breakdown of prices."
R04: E O I C R R G F N
R05: M T L U E O P E M
R06: 5, 1, 8, 2, 8, 9. Target: 398.
R07: N S W I O A X E U
R08: A O E L D Y R S I
R09: 25, 5, 7, 6, 1, 8. Target: 635.
TTT: DINEGREAT - "He would dine on a great big portion of cauliflower, covered in cheese and browned in the oven."
R10: A I E T W N P S C
R11: J G Z U A U H E G
R12: A I E S L P D S O
R13: R P V S A E I A M
R14: 25, 100, 50, 75, 10, 10. Target: 257.
R15: I T I E S C O R E (conundrum)
And now a brief interlude before our main feature:
SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER
SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER
SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER
SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER
SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER
SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER
SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER
SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER
SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER
SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER
SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER
SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER
SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER
SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER
SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER
SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER
SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER
SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER
SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER
SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER
Enjoy the show.
Round 1: M R K E A I S E D
Tom: MADERISE (8)
Martin: ADMIRES (7)
DC: REMAKES (7) SMIRKED (7) MISREAD (7) sidemark
OT: MERDEKAS (8)
Score: 8–0 (max 8)
Quite the start from Tom, with his double accented 8 here
Round 2: O I A G T D B T N
Tom: BOATING (7)
Martin: DOTTING (7)
DC: BANDITO (7) BATTING (7)
OT: ABODING (7) BOTTING (7) DINGBAT (7)
Score: 15–7 (max 15)
Round 3: 25, 2, 1, 1, 4, 7. Target: 345.
Tom: 345. (7 x 2 x 25) - 4 - 1 (10)
Martin: 345. (7 x 2 x 25) - 4 - 1 (10)
Score: 25–17 (max 25)
Teatime teaser: CACTISONG -> ACCOSTING
Round 4: E O I C R R G F N
Tom: reforcing
Martin: reforcing
DC: FORCING (7) FOREIGN (7) CONIFER (7)
OT: CORNIER (7) CRINGER (7) IGNORER (7)
Score: 25–17 (max 32)
After 2 straightforward rounds, the trigger is clicked, and both players go for the 9 that isn't there...
Round 5: M T L U E O P E M
Tom: EELPOUT (7)
Martin: MOTEL (5)
DC: PLUMMET (7) TEMPLE (6) POMMELE (7)
OT: EMPLUME (7) PLOMMET (7) PLUMETE (7) POEMLET (7) PUMMELO (7)
Score: 32–17 (max 39)
A great 7 spot from Tom sees his lead go up to double figures.
Round 6: 5, 1, 8, 2, 8, 9. Target: 398.
Tom: 398. (((9 x 8) + 8) x 5) - 2 (10)
Martin: 398. (((9 x 8) + 8) x 5) - 2 (10)
Score: 42–27 (max 49)
Dr. Linda talks about psychology and how it affects people trying to diet.
Round 7: N S W I O A X E U
Tom: ANXIOUS (7)
Martin: ANXIOUS (7)
Score: 49–34 (max 56)
Round 8: A O E L D Y R S I
Tom: ROYALISED (18)
Martin: ROYALISED (18)
Score: 67–52 (max 74)
Now, thats a 9
Round 9: 25, 5, 7, 6, 1, 8. Target: 635.
Tom: 633. ((6 - 1) x 5 x 25) + 8 (7)
Martin: 634. Mistake in working.
RR: 635. ((25 x 7) - (6 x 8)) x 5 (10)
Score: 74–52 (max 84)
Oh dear, oh dear..., is that the fatal blow for Martin here...
Teatime teaser: DINEGREAT -> GRATINEED
Round 10: A I E T W N P S C
Tom: PANTIES (7)
Martin: PANTIES (7)
DC: INSPECT (7)
OT: ACETINS (7) ACTINES (7) ASEPTIC (7) CATNIPS (7) CINEAST (7) INCEPTS (7) INSCAPE (7) PACIEST (7) PANCITS (7) PANTECS (7) PATINES (7) PECTINS (7) PIANETS (7) PICANTE (7) PINATES (7) PINCASE (7) SAPIENT (7) SPICATE (7) WANTIES (7)
Score: 81–59 (max 91)
Round 11: J G Z U A U H E G
Tom: GAUGE (5)
Martin: GAUGE (5)
DC: GAUZE (5)
Score: 86–64 (max 96)
Susie's Origins Of Words talks about the origins of "once in a blue moon".
Round 12: A I E S L P D S O
Tom: ELASIPODS (18)
Martin: ELASIPODS (18)
DC: SPOILED (7) DESPOIL (7)
Score: 104–82 (max 114)
And here's another brilliant 9, after the 2 normal rounds before that...
Round 13: R P V S A E I A M
Tom: VAMPIRES (8)
Martin: ARMIES (6)
OT: ASPERMIA (8) PAREMIAS (8)
Score: 112–82 (max 122)
A blood-sucking way to win the match for Tom there...
Round 14: 25, 100, 50, 75, 10, 10. Target: 257.
Tom: 258. (10 x 25) + 10 - (100 / 50) (7)
Martin: 258. (10 x 25) + 10 - (100 / 50) (7)
RR: 257. (25 x 10) + (((75 x 10) - 50) / 100) (10)
Score: 119–89 (max 132)
Simple, yet effective from Rachel.
Round 15: I T I E S C O R E
Tom buzzes on 4.25 seconds to say EROTICISE which is correct.
Final Score: 129–89 (max 142)
A superb 129 score from Tom, who is clearly carrying on from where he left off, and will now move onto the quarter-finals, where he will take on Matthew Tassier in a week's time.
Statistics Corner
Tom:
Total score - 129
Raw score - 129
Total % of max - 91
Raw % of max - 91
Total average score per round - 8.6
Raw average score per round - 8.6
Number of maxes - 12
Martin:
Total score - 89
Raw score - 107
Total % of max - 63
Raw % of max - 75
Total average score per round - 5.9
Raw average score per round - 7.1
Number of maxes - 8
Further summaries are at:
http://cdb.apterous.org/series.php?series=-18