Let's hope he doesn't disappoint. Enjoy.
Countdown recap for Wednesday 12 June 2013.
C1: Champion Glen Webb (5 wins, 593 points.) An Apterite and financial advisor from Cradley Heath, West Midlands.
C2: Challenger Mark Williams. A student studying business at Liverpool Hope University. He's a fan of stand-up comedy and has done 2 gigs, which he claimed was better the second time round.
DC: Susie Dent and Dan Snow.
RR: Rachel Riley.
OT: Other words or solutions.
R01: T D S B E O E I T
R02: G D S O E A M S U
R03: 50, 7, 2, 4, 7, 10. Target: 173.
TTT: DETERTHE - "Deter the horse from running away by ensuring it's this"
R04: N P W T E A I S Z
R05: R T P M O A E I R
R06: 75, 50, 25, 100, 4, 3. Target: 740.
R07: J N T X U E A D N
R08: F R S O E O E K R
R09: 50, 6, 1, 8, 5, 3. Target: 469.
TTT: WIFESITS - "His wife sits and waits while he has a few quick drinks"
R10: C S N Q U E I U R
R11: D H Y R V E O A I
R12: L R M N O E A T O
R13: R T G N I E E L G
R14: 100, 10, 6, 1, 2, 4. Target: 310.
R15: E N C R I N G E S (conundrum)
And now a brief interlude before our main feature:
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Enjoy the show.
Round 1: T D S B E O E I T
C1: BOTTIES (7)
C2: BESIDE (6)
DC: BEDSIT (6)
Me: BESOTTED (8)
Score: 7–0 (max 8)
While I was BESOTTED with getting the darrenic 8, Glen seemed to be more interested in the BOTTIES on display.
Round 2: G D S O E A M S U
C1: SMUDGES (7)
C2: SMUDGES (7)
DC: MEDUSAS (7)
OT: ASSUMED (7) DEGAUSS (7) DOSAGES (7) GASEOUS (7) MOUSSED (7)
Score: 14–7 (max 15)
Seven 7's in this round, although it seems to be the SMUDGES that are the most popular.
To DEGAUSS is to demagnetize (a ship's hull, electrical equipment, etc.) by means of electric coils.
Round 3: 50, 7, 2, 4, 7, 10. Target: 173.
C1: 173. (4 x 50) - (2 x 10) - 7 (10)
C2: 173. (4 x 50) - (2 x 10) - 7 (10)
Score: 24–17 (max 25)
A nice and simple start with the numbers here.
Teatime teaser: DETERTHE -> TETHERED
Round 4: N P W T E A I S Z
C1: ZANIEST (7)
C2: PANTIES (7)
DC: WASPIE (6)
OT: SAPIENT (7)
Score: 31–24 (max 32)
The ZANIEST PANTIES on display. Not sure what to make of it.
Round 5: R T P M O A E I R
C1: IMPORTER (8)
C2: TAMPER (6)
DC: AIRPORT (7)
OT: IMPERATOR (18)
Score: 39–24 (max 50)
A very good 8 spot from Glen, but there's an even more impressive 9 left uncovered.
An IMPERATOR is an absolute or supreme ruler.
Round 6: 75, 50, 25, 100, 4, 3. Target: 740.
C1: 735. (((75 + 50) / 25) + 100) x (4 + 3) (7)
C2: 747.
RR: "A bit closer". (7)
OT: 740. ((((50 - 3) x 100) - 75) x 4) / 25 (10)
Score: 46–24 (max 60)
A surprising 4 large pick from Mark there, and unfortunately it backfires on him, as Glen gets closer and goes further clear too. Rachel can't even do it, but it is well nasty, and has only 1 solution, as you can see above.
Dan talks about his recently broadcast shows about the D-Day landings and the interesting stories that the few remaining veterans have to tell.
Round 7: J N T X U E A D N
C1: TANNED (6)
C2: UNTAXED (7)
DC: JUNTA (5) JAUNTED (7)
Score: 46–31 (max 67)
Well, with Glen playing it safe on 6, Mark makes up for his 4 large with a good 7, VAT free of course.
Round 8: F R S O E O E K R
C1: ROOFERS (7)
C2: rookers
OT: KOREROS (7)
Score: 53–31 (max 74)
But, he immediately loses the ground again, as his 7 isn't in, but a little tweak via Glen would've got him those points.
Round 9: 50, 6, 1, 8, 5, 3. Target: 469.
C1: 468. ((8 + 1) x 50) + (6 x 3) (7)
C2: 471.
RR: 469. ((6 + 3 - 1 + 50) x 8) + 5 (10)
Score: 60–31 (max 84)
Another deceptive numbers game, which gets both away from the target, but Glen is still nearer, so gets the 7 points, while Rachel tidies up.
Teatime teaser: WIFESITS -> SWIFTIES
Interesting little bit from Nick suggesting a connection between SWIFTIES and QUICKIES.
Round 10: C S N Q U E I U R
C1: QUINCES (7)
C2: SQUIRE (6)
DC: CINQUE (6) UNIQUES (7)
OT: CINQUES (7) CIRQUES (7)
Score: 67–31 (max 91)
A very jammy answer from Glen there, but it's a good 7 and he goes further and further ahead.
A CIRQUE is a bowl-shaped, steep-walled mountain basin carved by glaciation, often containing a small, round lake.
Round 11: D H Y R V E O A I
C1: AVOIDER (7)
C2: DRIVE (5)
DC: VARIED (6) ROADIE (6)
OT: HAYRIDE (7) HYDRIAE (7)
Score: 74–31 (max 98)
Glen doesn't avoid AVOIDER and good thing too, as he now has a lead of over 40 points, meaning that win #6 is just moments away now.
A HAYRIDE is a pleasure ride or outing, usually at night, by a group in an open wagon or truck partly filled with hay.
Susie's Origins Of Words talks about the origins of one of Susie's favourite words, "fascinating".
Round 12: L R M N O E A T O
C1: OMENTAL (7)
C2: TREMOLO (7)
DC: ANTEROOM (8)
Score: 81–38 (max 106)
Quite a few 7's from this selection, but DC get the killer 8, which also confirms Glen's 6th win.
Round 13: R T G N I E E L G
C1: GREETING (8)
C2: LEERING (7)
DC: GENTILE (7) RINGLET (7)
Score: 89–38 (max 114)
A nice GREETING from Glen there. And he's been in good form with his letters today.
Round 14: 100, 10, 6, 1, 2, 4. Target: 310.
C1: 310. ((4 - 1) x 100) + 10 (10)
C2: 310. ((1 + 2) x 100) + 10 (10)
Score: 99–48 (max 124)
Another simple numbers put Glen on 99. Can he get his 5th century in 6
Round 15: E N C R I N G E S
C1 buzzes on 1.75 seconds to say SCREENING which is correct.
Final Score: 109–48 (max 134)
And after last week's pedestrian speed conundrum solves, Glen has hit Concorde speed this week, taking just under 7 seconds to solve the 3 conundrums so far this week. And his scores have seen him rocket up the leaderboard too, but unfortunately #5 is as high as he can go for this series with just 1 show to go before the finals.
It also happened to be impossible for Glen to improve on yesterday's score, but hey-ho, you can't win them all.
So, Glen has 702 points from 6 games, which is just 14 less than Joe McGonigle, who won 8 games
And he'll be playing Joe in the quarters, if he loses tomorrow's final preliminary. If he wins, then he'll have to return at the start of Series 69 to try and become an octochamp and set an early benchmarker for what could be a mega-impressive series, with all the talent that is expected in the coming months So, join me tomorrow to see whether Glen's future is going to be in this series, or if he will be transferring over to Series 69 to finish off his run.
So, till then, bye bye.
Statistics Corner
Glen:
Total score - 109
Raw score - 115
Total % of max - 81
Raw % of max - 86
Total average score per round - 7.3
Raw average score per round - 7.7
Number of maxes - 9
Mark:
Total score - 48
Raw score - 90
Total % of max - 36
Raw % of max - 67
Total average score per round - 3.2
Raw average score per round - 6.0
Number of maxes - 5
Further summaries are at:
http://www.apterous.org/cdb/series.php?series=68