C1: Champion Eileen Taylor (3 wins, 275 points.) A retired personnel officer from London. After winning two closely-fought games on crucial conundrums, she won her third more comfortably yesterday as she beat Ron Boyman by 39 points. It's her second spell on the show as in 1991, she lost by a single point against eventual heptochamp Anne Lyng.
C2: Challenger Morgan Nock. A history student at Aberystwyth but from Soturbridge. He's a football and cricket player and once stood in as a fourth official at a Kidderminster Harriers match, after the original one was injured.
DC: Susie Dent and Bill Turnbull.
RR: Rachel Riley.
OT: Other words or solutions.
R01: O E A G C W S B S
R02: M N R I O E M G L
R03: 50, 6, 5, 3, 9, 8. Target: 296.
TTT: BOOMRENT - "You'll need good lungs if you're going to take up this"
R04: I U N P R I Q D E
R05: O A I F B D N D E
R06: 25, 4, 3, 9, 7, 6. Target: 309.
R07: A E I L S R T P L
R08: F T V A O A T R E
R09: 100, 7, 6, 6, 9, 3. Target: 893.
TTT: NIGELMAG - "Full of joy, but the Chinese vase is very shiny"
R10: K H C S A O A U T
R11: E O E R G N X R D
R12: G D S U O N R I E
R13: A I E S L T P R M
R14: 25, 75, 100, 50, 5, 7. Target: 452.
R15: B I G U N D I S S (conundrum)
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Round 1: O E A G C W S B S
Eileen: COWAGE X
Morgan: CAGES (5)
DC: BOSCAGE (7)
Score: 0–5 (max 7)
Eileen takes a punt on COWAGE which Susie hinks might have been in the dictionary once. Unfortunately, it's not in the current edition so Morgan takes the lead. DC make a flying start with the only seven, which unfortunately you can't put the other S on. It means trees and shrubs collectively.
Round 2: M N R I O E M G L
Eileen: LEMMING (7)
Morgan: LINGER (6)
DC: GREMLIN (7)
OT: GLIMMER (7) MONGREL (7)
Score: 7–5 (max 14)
Eileen hits straight back to take the lead with a good seven.
Round 3: 50, 6, 5, 3, 9, 8. Target: 296.
Eileen: 296. 6 x 50 - (9 - 5) (10)
Morgan: 296. 6 x 50 - (9 - 5) (10)
Score: 17–15 (max 24)
A nice and easy start to the numbers for today.
Teatime teaser: BOOMRENT -> TROMBONE
Round 4: I U N P R I Q D E
Eileen: UNRIPE (6)
Morgan: PRIDE (5)
DC: QUIRED (6) INQUIRED (8)
Score: 23–15 (max 32)
Eileen extends her lead with her six but DC go further with a darrenic eight.
Round 5: O A I F B D N D E
Eileen: BONDED (6)
Morgan: -
DC: BANDIED (7)
OT: BANDIDO (7)
Score: 29–15 (max 39)
Morgan blanks a letters round (I know the feeling
) and falls further behind.Round 6: 25, 4, 3, 9, 7, 6. Target: 309.
Eileen: 309. (6 + 7 - (4 - 3)) x 25 +9 (10)
Morgan: 309. 4 x 3 x 25 + 9 (10)
Score: 39–25 (max 49)
Another easy numbers game helps him get back to scoring form though. Eileen looks like she might be good at Omelette numbers on apterous.
Bill mentions one anonymous GMTV guest who was difficult to deal with before going on camera.
Round 7: A E I L S R T P L
Eileen: PALLIEST (8)
Morgan: RALLIES (7)
DC: PASTILLE (8) PILASTER (8)
OT: LITERALS (8) TALLIERS (8)
Score: 47–25 (max 57)
A good spot by Eileen who looks in control now. DC get PILASTER, which was present before the final letter came out and a final vowel pick would probably have given a better chance of a nine coming out. It stems with A, E, and O. Never mind, I'm sure Eileen won't care.
Round 8: F T V A O A T R E
Eileen: FATTER (6)
Morgan: ROTATE (6)
DC: ROTAVATE (8)
Score: 53–31 (max 65)
A very impressive eight by DC here.
Round 9: 100, 7, 6, 6, 9, 3. Target: 893.
Eileen: 893. 9 x 100 - 7 (10)
Morgan: 893. 9 x 100 - 7 (10)
Score: 63–41 (max 75)
Yet another easy numbers game means another ten points for both players.
Teatime teaser: NIGELMAG -> GLEAMING
Round 10: K H C S A O A U T
Eileen: SHACK (5)
Morgan: COAST (5)
OT: CHAATS (6) CUSHAT (6) TACHOS (6) TOCHUS (6)
Score: 68–46 (max 81)
A horrible selection yields just four sixes, all weird and none found by anyone in the studio. My favourite one of those is TOCHUS which is a chiefly North American term for someone's buttocks or anus.
Round 11: E O E R G N X R D
Eileen: GENDER (6)
Morgan: GENDER (6)
DC: ROGERED (7)
Score: 74–52 (max 88)
An amusing seven by DC here.
OoW: Susie explains the origins of the American terms "guy" and "jerk".
Round 12: G D S U O N R I E
Eileen: GROUNDS (7)
Morgan: UNDERGO (7)
DC: GUERDONS (8)
OT: SOIGNEUR (8)
Score: 81–59 (max 96)
Two solid sevens but there were a couple of eights lurking. Sadly nothing to lower the tone this time.
Round 13: A I E S L T P R M
Eileen: PRIMATES (8)
Morgan: PRIMATES (8)
DC: TRAMPLES (8) IMPALERS (8)
OT: LEMPIRAS (8) PALMIERS (8) PALMIEST (8) PILASTER (8) SEPTIMAL (8)
Score: 89–67 (max 104)
Again PILASTER is present from the first eight letters but again Eileen picks a final consonant and there's no nine available. There are lots of eights though as both contestants spot the same one and DC spot two more.
Round 14: 25, 75, 100, 50, 5, 7. Target: 452.
Eileen: 452 X
Morgan: 452 X
Rachel: 452. (100 + 50) x 75/25 + 7 - 5 (10)
Score: 89–67 (max 114)
Morgan decides to go adventurous with four large, since this is his only appearance on the show. Both declare the target but mess up. Morgan uses the five twice and Eileen miscalculates by 100, so there's no change to the score. Instead, Rachel is called upon for the first and only time today and as usual, she doesn't disappoint.
Round 15: B I G U N D I S S
Eileen buzzes on 9 seconds to say SUBSIDING which is correct.
Final Score: 99–67 (max 124)
Eileen solves the conundrum to leave her just one point short of a century. She's looking like a dangerous opponent and is certainly making the most of her second chance. As this series is shorter than usual, she is just one win away from being assured a place in the finals. Join James tomorrow to find out if she can get it and I'll be back next Tuesday for another recap. If Eileen becomes an octochamp, it'll be between two newbies. Bye for now!
Further summaries are at:
http://www.apterous.org/cdb/series.php?series=68