To today's recap and will Brian become Octochamp No.6 of Series 61? Or not?
A special message for readers of the Honiton Herald: If you don't want to know the result, you shouldn't have read last week's paper!
Countdown recap for Wednesday 28 October 2009.
C1: Champion Brian Selway (7 wins, 640 points.) The ABBA & Doctor Who loving kitchen assistant from Honiton, Devon. His worst habit is being easily distracted. (Hint for all quarter-finalists
) Wearing a strange purple shirt with yellow trim. 
C2: Challenger Nick Jones. A retired RAF navigator from Alderholt, Hampshire (I've looked it up, it's in Dorset). He is now a member of the local parish council and is married and has a granddaughter. In 1984, while with the RAF, he was the captain of the Nimrod crew that won the Finn Castle Trophy in Australia. Nick described this win as like a win for Jeff's beloved Hartlepool United - Lucky!
DC: Susie Dent and Jane Moore.
RR: Rachel Riley.
OT: Other words or solutions.
R01: S E R T O A W E T
R02: D L A I Q C E N T
R03: X O N U R I O S R
R04: G B P A I S N A R
R05: 75, 4, 5, 7, 7, 8. Target: 381.
TTT: VENTHEEL - "The very last minute becomes an hour"
R06: C S R E O L N I D
R07: S M E L O I T R E
R08: T D N O E L S A R
R09: G K C I A U E S B
R10: 100, 2, 9, 3, 10, 4. Target: 783.
TTT: DUFFROLO - "A large increase in origami participants"
R11: V M D O E A T Y R
R12: D L S E I O M T F
R13: G I T E I P J N H
R14: 75, 9, 2, 9, 5, 7. Target: 971.
R15: B I B S C U R S E (conundrum)
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Enjoy the show.
Round 1: S E R T O A W E T
C1: ROTATES (7)
C2: swatter
DC: SWEATER (7) TOASTER (7)
OT: ESTREAT (7) RESTATE (7) ROSEATE (7) ROSETTE (7) TETROSE (7)
Score: 7–0 (max 7)
Amazingly, no SWATTER gives Brian the perfect start.
Round 2: D L A I Q C E N T
C1: ENTAIL (6)
C2: DEALT (5)
JS: DIALECT (7)
OT: CITADEL (7) DELTAIC (7) EDICTAL (7) LANDTIE (7)
Score: 13–0 (max 14)
Jeff bails out DC with a nice 7.
Round 3: X O N U R I O S R
C1: IRONS (5)
C2: RUINS (5)
DC: NOXIOUS (7)
Score: 18–5 (max 21)
Round 4: G B P A I S N A R
C1: BARGAINS (8)
C2: SPARING (7)
Score: 26–5 (max 29)
Brian's BARGAINS give him a massive early advantage.
Round 5: 75, 4, 5, 7, 7, 8. Target: 381.
C1: 381. (75 x 5) + 7 - (8 - 7) (10)
C2: 381. (75 x 5) + 7 - (8 - 7) (10)
Score: 36–15 (max 39)
Jane talks about her early days at the Birmingham Post & Mail, telling the story of the time when an elderly woman was asked for a smear test, when she thought she was going for a bus pass.
Teatime teaser: VENTHEEL -> ELEVENTH
Round 6: C S R E O L N I D
C1: INCLOSED (8)
C2: RESCIND (7)
DC: CONSIDER (8)
OT: LICENSOR (8)
Score: 44–15 (max 47)
Round 7: S M E L O I T R E
C1: MOISTER (7)
C2: LOITERS (7)
DC: limiters MOLESTER (8) TIRESOME (8)
Score: 51–22 (max 55)
Slight miscalculation by Jane as the word LIMITERS is limited by the fact that there's only one I in the selection.
Round 8: T D N O E L S A R
C1: LEOTARDS (8)
C2: LEOTARDS (8)
DC: LODESTAR (8)
OT: DELATORS (8) SOLANDER (8)
Score: 59–30 (max 63)
The old favourite makes its first appearance for a while (well, in its plural form anyway)
A SOLANDER is a case for a map made to look like a book.
Round 9: G K C I A U E S B
C1: BUCKS (5)
C2: backies
DC: BEAKS (5) BACKS (5)
RR: sickbag
OT: CUBAGES (7)
Score: 64–30 (max 70)
Nick's South African related word is not to be seen in the dictionary, so Brian now has one foot over the finishing line.
Unfortunately, Rachel's SICKBAG is a SICK BAG, or in other words, 2 words.
Susie's Origin Of Words talks about the nautical origins of the phrases, "the devil to pay", "pass with flying colours" and "taken aback".
Round 10: 100, 2, 9, 3, 10, 4. Target: 783.
C1: 784. (4 x 2 x 100) - 10 - (9 - 3) (7)
C2: 775.
RR: 783. ((100 - (4 - 3)) x (10 - 2)) - 9 (10)
Score: 71–30 (max 80)
Teatime teaser: DUFFROLO -> FOURFOLD
Round 11: V M D O E A T Y R
C1: MOATED (6)
C2: ROAMED (6)
DC: DREAMY (6) ADVERT (6)
OT: DREAMT (6) OMERTA (6) ORATED (6) RADOME (6) VOTARY (6)
Score: 77–36 (max 86)
OMERTA is an Italian code of silence.
A VOTARY is a person bound by solemn religious vows, such as a monk or nun.
Round 12: D L S E I O M T F
C1: FOISTED (7)
C2: FILMED (6)
DC: FILMSET (7)
OT: MELODIST (8)
Score: 84–36 (max 94)
Game over! Brian becomes Octochamp No.6!
Round 13: G I T E I P J N H
C1: TINGE (5)
C2: EIGHT (5)
DC: NIGHTIE (7)
JS: TIEPIN (6)
OT: PITHING (7)
Score: 89–41 (max 101)
Round 14: 75, 9, 2, 9, 5, 7. Target: 971.
C1: 975. (9 + 5 - ((9 - 7) / 2)) x 75 (7)
C2: 979.
RR: 971. ((75 - (7 - 2)) x (9 + 5)) - 9 (10)
Score: 96–41 (max 111)
Round 15: B I B S C U R S E
C1 buzzes on 4 seconds to say SUBSCRIBE which is correct.
Score: 106–41 (max 121)
Well, Brian wins with a nice century. Interestingly, since I became a recapper 3 weeks ago, I have done a recap involving an octochamp every time. (The first 2 with Steve Wood, the second 2 with Brian) I wonder if I'll be recapping a pontential new octochamp next week
We'll have to wait and see. Meanwhile, Brian becomes No.4 seed, ahead of Steve & Jeffrey guaranteeing his place in the finals.
Statistics Corner
Brian:
Total score - 106
Raw score - 106
Total % of max - 88
Raw % of max - 88
Total average score per round - 7.1
Raw average score per round - 7.1
Number of maxes - 7
Nick:
Total score - 41
Raw score - 81
Total % of max - 34
Raw % of max - 67
Total average score per round - 2.7
Raw average score per round - 5.4
Number of maxes - 3
Further summaries are at:
http://www.apterous.org/cdb/series.php?series=61
