I'm not sure if I've recovered from yesterday though...
Time for the first of the Series final rematches
(And don't forget, this is the THIRD time that these two have played, having also met in the prelims earlier in Series 78 too.) 
Countdown recap for Friday 18 January 2019.
C1: Series 78 Runner-Up Philip Aston (12 games, 10 wins, 1,293 points.) An Apteforumite and recent graduate from Bideford, Devon. He won his quarter-final 110-92 against Jonathan Wynn on Monday.
C2: Series 78 Champion Zarte Siempre (13 games, 13 wins, 1,594 points.) An Apteforumite and freelance marketer from Dadford, Buckinghamshire. He won his record breaking quarter-final 150-122 against Tom Carey yesterday.
DC: Susie Dent and Jon Culshaw.
RR: Rachel Riley.
OT: Other words or solutions.
R01: G V L O U E H R S
R02: A O T M Y O B T P
R03: 75, 5, 10, 4, 10, 4. Target: 138.
TTT: TINASMALL - "No need to worry about dandruff, just buy yourself a few of these."
R04: I N R E N A X I T
R05: R H P E O A S Z N
R06: 100, 25, 50, 75, 2, 1. Target: 972.
R07: S T F E I O M S D
R08: E I R E M R D S A
R09: 25, 50, 100, 75, 3, 2. Target: 534.
TTT: EPICPOSER - "The captain's not sure what's up there, but he's looking into it."
R10: O E A J S D T U C
R11: A Q E P A D I L E
R12: I G N E V E F L W
R13: O T A L I C O S E
R14: 50, 75, 7, 8, 8, 5. Target: 927.
R15: C O N T I I N N U (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: G V L O U E H R S
Philip: GLOVERS (7)
Zarte: GROVELS (7)
DC: VELOURS (7)
OT: LOUVRES (7) REGULOS (7)
Score: 7–7 (max 7)
Round 2: A O T M Y O B T P
Philip: BOTTOM (6)
Zarte: BOTTOM (6)
DC: POTATO (6) TOMBOY (6)
OT: POMATO (6) TOMATO (6) TOMPOT (6)
Score: 13–13 (max 13)
Round 3: 75, 5, 10, 4, 10, 4. Target: 138.
Philip: 138. (75 - 10 + 4) x (10 / 5) (10)
Zarte: 138. (75 - 10 + 4) x (10 / 5) (10)
Score: 23–23 (max 23)
A perfect first half, just like when these guys met in the Series 78 final.
Teatime teaser: TINASMALL -> MANTILLAS
Round 4: I N R E N A X I T
Philip: TRIENNIA (8)
Zarte: TRIENNIA (8)
DC: TANNER (6) INERTIA (7)
Score: 31–31 (max 31)
Round 5: R H P E O A S Z N
Philip: PERSONA (7)
Zarte: SHARPEN (7)
DC: HOARSEN (7) PANZERS (7)
OT: ORPHANS (7) PHERANS (7) PHONERS (7) PRONASE (7) SENHORA (7)
Score: 38–38 (max 38)
Round 6: 100, 25, 50, 75, 2, 1. Target: 972.
Philip: 987.
Zarte: -
RR: 973. (((25 + 1) x 75) / (100 / 50)) - 2 (7)
Score: 38–38 (max 45)
Well, the letters might still be perfect, but this impossible 4 large breaks the max game, but keeps the game level.
Round 7: S T F E I O M S D
Philip: MISDOES (7)
Zarte: MODISTES (8)
DC: FOISTED (7) DEMISTS (7) SOFTIES (7)
Score: 38–46 (max 53)
Round 8: E I R E M R D S A
Philip: maderiser
Zarte: SIDEARMER (18)
DC: MADERISE (8) SMEARED (7) MARDIER (7)
OT: MISREADER (18) READMIRES (18)
Score: 38–64 (max 71)
Double delight for Zarte as his brilliant 8 and 9 give him a 26 point lead out of nothing
Round 9: 25, 50, 100, 75, 3, 2. Target: 534.
Philip: 533. ((100 + 75 + 2) x 3) + (50 / 25) (7)
Zarte: 533. ((100 + 75 + 2) x 3) + (50 / 25) (7)
OT: 534. ((((100 + 2) x 75) / 50) + 25) x 3 (10)
Score: 45–71 (max 81)
Another tough 4 large, which even though it's possible, has even stumped Rachel.
Teatime teaser: EPICPOSER -> PERISCOPE
Round 10: O E A J S D T U C
Philip: JOUSTED (7)
Zarte: JOUSTED (7)
DC: SCOUTED (7) COASTED (7)
OT: ACETOUS (7) ACTUOSE (7) ADJECTS (7) CUSTODE (7) DOUCEST (7)
Score: 52–78 (max 88)
Round 11: A Q E P A D I L E
Philip: PLEIAD (6)
Zarte: PEALED (6)
DC: LEAPED (6)
OT: ADIPAL (6) AEDILE (6) ALDEIA (6) ALIPED (6) PAIDLE (6) PALEAE (6) PEDIAL (6) PELADE (6)
Score: 58–84 (max 94)
Susie's Origins Of Words talks more about the origins of "eye".
Round 12: I G N E V E F L W
Philip: FEELING (7)
Zarte: FEELING (7)
OT: FLEEING (7)
Score: 65–91 (max 101)
Round 13: O T A L I C O S E
Philip: SOCIETAL (8)
Zarte: SOCIETAL (8)
DC: COALITES (8)
Score: 73–99 (max 109)
4 perfect rounds by both following the break, and Zarte is now a Champion of Champions finalist.
Round 14: 50, 75, 7, 8, 8, 5. Target: 927.
Philip: 928. Mistake in working.
Zarte: 926. ((8 + 5) x 75) - 50 + 8 - 7 (7)
RR: 927. (((8 x 5) + 75) x 8) + 7 (10)
Score: 73–106 (max 119)
Another tricky numbers sees a miscount from Philip, and Rachel eventually getting it done at the end of the show.
Round 15: C O N T I I N N U
Zarte buzzes on 28 seconds to say UNINTONIC which is incorrect.
Philip buzzes on 29.75 seconds to say "Bye", which is incorrect.
The answer was INUNCTION.
Final Score: 73–106 (max 129)
Certainly the most humorous way to say goodbye that anyone has ever done by Philip there, but not for the first time, Zarte has thwarted him.
But, Zarte Siempre has booked his place in the Champion of Champions final on Tuesday, and he will play the winner of the Series 77 final rematch between Bradley Horrocks and Tom Chafer-Cook, which takes place on Monday.
Statistics Corner
Philip:
Total score - 73
Raw score - 80
Total % of max - 57
Raw % of max - 62
Total average score per round - 4.9
Raw average score per round - 5.3
Number of maxes - 9
Zarte:
Total score - 106
Raw score - 106
Total % of max - 82
Raw % of max - 82
Total average score per round - 7.1
Raw average score per round - 7.1
Number of maxes - 11
Further summaries are at:
http://cdb.apterous.org/series.php?series=-18