But that's definitely a good thing, as this series is definitely hard to find a winner or even an out-and-out favourite for that matter
So, this will be super enjoyable methinks.
So, enjoy. 
Countdown recap for Wednesday 12 December 2012.
C1: No.8 Seed Grant "The Maidstone Master" Waters (7 wins, 722 points.) An Apteforumite and Unix systems administrator from Maidstone, Kent.
C2: No.1 Seed Paul "The Brampton Behemoth" James (8 wins, 794 points.) An Apteforumite from Brampton, Cumbria. He is still in the midst of studying for his Bachelor of Science degree.
DC: Susie Dent and Dave Spikey.
RR: Rachel Riley.
OT: Other words or solutions.
R01: F I S V L A E I R
R02: F M R E O E D C A
R03: N G H E I A S N E
R04: C T M O E I Q T R
R05: 50, 4, 2, 3, 2, 9. Target: 358.
TTT: OVALRIBS - "You'd have to be "Caracas" to visit Venezuela without these"
R06: K D N E O I L R B
R07: F P D O E A S E D
R08: R N P G U E A S U
R09: J O L N W U E O T
R10: 75, 2, 4, 9, 6, 1. Target: 954.
TTT: BACKREST - "Open or closed, they'll keep the shelf up"
R11: R B T E O E M H I
R12: T Z C U E A G M D
R13: T R X W I E A M I
R14: 50, 2, 6, 8, 10, 5. Target: 937.
R15: T E N N I S B A T (conundrum)
And now a brief interlude before our main feature:
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Enjoy the show.
Round 1: F I S V L A E I R
C1: RIVALS (6)
C2: FLARES (6)
DC: SLAVE (5) REVISAL (7)
OT: FAIRIES (7)
Score: 6–6 (max 7)
A nice and gentle start by our No.1 and 8 seeds here. Well, at least they're not away with the FAIRIES.........
Round 2: F M R E O E D C A
C1: CREAMED (7)
C2: FREEDOM (7)
DC: CAROMED (7)
OT: AMERCED (7) COMRADE (7) DEFACER (7) DEFAMER (7) DEFORCE (7) MERCADO (7) REFACED (7)
Score: 13–13 (max 14)
It must be 7 o'clock in round 2.
To AMERCE is to punish by imposing a fine not fixed by statute.
To DEFORCE is to eject or evict by force.
Round 3: N G H E I A S N E
C1: HINGES (6)
C2: SEEING (6)
DC: EASING (6) SHENG (5)
RR: ENGINES (7)
OT: SHEENING (8)
Score: 19–19 (max 22)
Oooooh, Grant actually thought of SHEENING, but decides to keep things on the level. I wonder if the outcome HINGES on that decision...............
Round 4: C T M O E I Q T R
C1: MORTICE (7)
C2: omitter
DC: METRIC (6) TOTEMIC (7)
OT: COTTIER (7)
Score: 26–19 (max 29)
Well, maybe not, as Grant takes the first lead for the first time as Paul's omitter is omitted from the dictionary.
A COTTIER is a rural worker; a labourer on a farm or in a small village.
Round 5: 50, 4, 2, 3, 2, 9. Target: 358.
C1: 358. ((3 + 4) x 50) + 9 - (2 / 2) (10)
C2: 358. ((3 + 4) x 50) + 9 - (2 / 2) (10)
Score: 36–29 (max 39)
Nice and easy numbers game here.
Dave talks about eavesdropping on other people and why you shouldn't do it...................
Teatime teaser: OVALRIBS -> BOLIVARS
Round 6: K D N E O I L R B
C1: BROILED (7)
C2: BLINKED (7)
DC: BRINDLE (7)
OT: BLINDER (7) BLINKER (7) BLONDER (7) BOINKED (7) KINDLER (7)
Score: 43–36 (max 46)
Have we gone back to 7 o'clock............
Round 7: F P D O E A S E D
C1: DEPOSED (7)
C2: DEPOSED (7)
DC: SADDO (5)
Score: 50–43 (max 53)
Nice and simple darrenic 7 here.
Round 8: R N P G U E A S U
C1: GRAPES (6)
C2: SPRUNG (6)
DC: segue SPEARGUN (8)
Score: 56–49 (max 61)
No segue as offered by Dave, but Susie strikes the target with her darrenic 8.
Round 9: J O L N W U E O T
C1: WOOL (4)
C2: JOULE (5)
DC: OWLET (5)
OT: JUNTO (5) LENTO (5) TOWEL (5) UNLET (5)
Score: 56–54 (max 66)
A nasty selection gives us just half a dozen 5's, but it's good enough for Paul, as he cuts Grant's lead down to 2.
A JUNTO is a self-appointed committee, especially with political aims.
LENTO is Italian for slow, as in reference to music.
Susie's Origins Of Words talks about the origins of the phrase, "bang for your buck". (NOTE: The Johnny Robinson who sent in the letter is no relation of mine.)
Round 10: 75, 2, 4, 9, 6, 1. Target: 954.
C1: 963.
C2: 954. ((75 - 2) x (9 + 4)) + 6 - 1 (10)
Score: 56–64 (max 76)
Well, Grant is quite a bit away with this numbers, but Paul is on target and now takes the lead for the first time today.
Teatime teaser: BACKREST -> BRACKETS
Round 11: R B T E O E M H I
C1: MOTHIER (7)
C2: MOTHIER (7)
DC: THROMBI (7)
OT: THEOREM (7)
Score: 63–71 (max 83)
Despite widespread condemnation from Dave and Nick, the contestants' offering of MOTHIER is perfectly fine. I hope it doesn't bug them.
Quite a nice hearty offering from DC too. Round 12: T Z C U E A G M D
C1: ACUTE (5)
C2: ACUTE (5)
DC: GAUZE (5)
OT: ZEUGMA (6)
Score: 68–76 (max 89)
Just some 5's from all in the studio, although there is a quite obscure 6 hiding away, and if a vowel was picked last, it could've been extended to the almighty 9, ZEUGMATIC!!!
ZEUGMA is the use of a word to modify or govern two or more words when it is appropriate to only one of them or is appropriate to each but in a different way, as in "to wage war and peace", or "On his fishing trip, he caught three trout and a cold".
Round 13: T R X W I E A M I
C1: WARTIME (7)
C2: WARTIME (7)
DC: AIRTIME (7) MATRIX (6)
Score: 75–83 (max 96)
Both 7's checked off and accounted for, and with the gap still only at 8 points, the fate of this tie is still in the balance................
Round 14: 50, 2, 6, 8, 10, 5. Target: 937.
C1: 932.
C2: 937. ((50 + 2) x (10 + 8)) + 6 - 5 (10)
Score: 75–93 (max 106)
Until now, that is.
Another numbers meltdown for Grant, combined with a 2nd numbers masterclass from Paul has finished the game off, and removes the crucial conundrum element, which I'm sure will be a relief for Paul. Round 15: T E N N I S B A T
C2 buzzes on 7.5 seconds to say ABSTINENT which is correct.
Final Score: 75–103 (max 116)
But, luckily, he still has some extra energy to let off and solves the conundrum expertly, giving him another century in the process too.
A very impressive first quarter-final we have had here from Grant & Paul, and even though they finished at opposite ends on the leaderboard, we had a fantastic show today, and both players would have been worthy winners.
In the end though, it was Grant's numbers collapses that gave the game to Paul, but he was very good today and shouldn't be disappointed with his performance today and during his previous 8 games earlier in the series.
This also means that, keeping with the 15-round tradition, the winner of this series will also be an octochamp.
So, Paul will return in a week's time to play the winner of Tuesday's quarter-final between No.4 Seed, Liam "The Skipton Supremo" Shaw and No.5 Seed, Rose "The Dublin Dervish" Boyle.
I'll be back tomorrow for the 2nd quarter-final between No.2 Seed David, "The Ross-On-Wye 'Reckin Ball" Barnard and the No.7 Seed, Chris "The Brighouse Bomber" Marshall.
So till then, bye bye.
Statistics Corner
Grant:
Total score - 75
Raw score - 91
Total % of max - 65
Raw % of max - 78
Total average score per round - 5.0
Raw average score per round - 6.1
Number of maxes - 7
Paul:
Total score - 103
Raw score - 103
Total % of max - 89
Raw % of max - 89
Total average score per round - 6.9
Raw average score per round - 6.9
Number of maxes - 10
Further summaries are at:
http://www.apterous.org/cdb/series.php?series=67
