C1: Champion Graeme Cole (5 wins, 502 points.)
C2: Challenger Mike Linnell.
DC: Susie Dent and Jon Culshaw.
RR: Rachel Riley.
OT: Other words or solutions.
R01: M N L S E O I N O
R02: S T A D E T O W A
R03: D P R O O I B T A
R04: P R N U E R A W E
R05: 50, 8, 2, 10, 6, 9. Target: 907.
TTT: THESAINT - "He didn't go marching in, he was a bit tentative"
R06: S L A T E M E S L
R07: D N R U E A M S I
R08: Q V A E L H I I V
R09: F J C A E U N R E
R10: 100, 6, 5, 1, 2, 8. Target: 821.
TTT: EARTHMOP - "Bumped into the quartet, so to speak"
R11: M G Z O A O R K E
R12: X T P U E F I O D
R13: R G N I U A B S E
R14: 25, 100, 4, 1, 5, 6. Target: 427.
R15: I V Y L E A V E S (conundrum)
And now a brief interlude before our main feature:
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Jeff's preamble today bemoans the fact that cycling appears to be going out of fashion with the younger generation, prompted by the fact that more kids own computers than bikes.Rachel in turn bemoans the fact that she's had three bikes stolen from outside her house in the last year.Maybe somebody just thought they'd been abandoned.
Graeme Cole, returning for his sixth appearance, is a software engineer and amateur impressionist.
Challenger Mike Linnell is an accounts manager from Rugby. His main claim to fame is that he was once lead singer and bass player with a band called The Mighty Avengers, who had minor chart success in the Sixties. Surprisingly, he neglects to mention that the other members of the band went on to Sky Highsuccess by forming the core of Jigsaw.
Enjoy the show.
Round 1: M N L S E O I N O
C1: LOONIES (7)
C2: MELONS (6)
DC: NOISOME (7)
OT: SIMOLEON (8)
Score: 7–0 (max 8)
Susie brings out the pencam to explains that NOISOME means an extremely offensive smell.
A SIMOLEON is an American slang term for a dollar.
Round 2: S T A D E T O W A
C1: TOASTED (7)
C2: STATED (6)
DC: TOSTADA (7)
OT: SWATTED (7) SWOTTED (7)
Score: 14–0 (max 15)
Graeme edges Mike out again.
Round 3: D P R O O I B T A
C1: PAROTID (7)
C2: ORBIT (5)
Score: 21–0 (max 22)
A nice darren from Graeme increases his lead.Unfortunately for Mike, this is probably as close to sky high that he's ever going to get.
PAROTID refers to the largest salivary glands.
Round 4: P R N U E R A W E
C1: WARREN (6)
C2: PURER (5)
DC: PRUNE (5) PRAWNER (7)
Score: 27–0 (max 29)
Susie tells us that a PRAWNER is a boat which fishes for prawns.Fairly obvious really.
Round 5: 50, 8, 2, 10, 6, 9. Target: 907.
C1: 907. ((10+8)*50)+(9-2) (10)
C2: -
Score: 37–0 (max 39)
Mike fails to get anywhere near the target. Graeme is spot on.
Jon Culshaws' guest spot includes impressions of Professor Brian Cox, a fantastically accurate Les Dawson William Hague and Tony Blair.
Teatime teaser: THESAINT -> HESITANT
Clue:He didn't go marching in, he was a bit tentative.
A clever, if straightforward clue.
Round 6: S L A T E M E S L
C1: MALLETS (7)
C2: latest
DC: MEATLESS (8) MATELESS (8)
OT: SMALLEST (8)
Score: 44–0 (max 47)
Graeme hammers home his advantage.....
Round 7: D N R U E A M S I
C1: NURSEMAID (18)
C2: DREAMS (6)
Score: 62–0 (max 65)
....while Mikes dreams are shattered by this lovely nine spot.
Round 8: Q V A E L H I I V
C1: VALVE (5)
C2: VALVE (5)
DC: ALIVE (5)
OT: HAVELI (6)
Score: 67–5 (max 71)
Mike finally gets on the scoreboard, with VALVE relieving the pressure of possibly becoming the first pointless contestant.
HAVELI is the term used for a private mansion in India and Pakistan.
Round 9: F J C A E U N R E
C1: FURNACE (7)
C2: FENCER (6)
DC: FURNACE (7)
Score: 74–5 (max 78)
Graeme continues to turn up the heat.
Origin of Words focuses on words or phrases derived from the world of film. Examples include "bunny boiler" "babelicious" and"Mini-Me"
Round 10: 100, 6, 5, 1, 2, 8. Target: 821.
C1: 821. ((100+2)*8)+5 (10)
C2: 821. Mistake in working.
Score: 84–5 (max 88)
Ouch. Mike was so close there, probably intended (100*8)+((1+2)*5)+6, but forgot to write down how he got the 15. That slip-up means that for the first time ever, the game is won before the final break.
Teatime teaser: EARTHMOP -> METAPHOR
Clue:Bumped into the quartet, so to speak.
Another clever clue, but not so straightforward this time ( well I didn't get it
)Round 11: M G Z O A O R K E
C1: MOORAGE (7)
C2: GROOM (5)
Score: 91–5 (max 95)
Graeme's coasting home now.
Round 12: X T P U E F I O D
C1: POUTED (6)
C2: POUTED (6)
DC: TUXEDO (6)
OT: FOETID (6)
Score: 97–11 (max 101)
At least this score means that Mike avoids having the lowest score ever.
Round 13: R G N I U A B S E
C1: URBANISE (8)
C2: BEARINGS (8)
DC: BEARINGS (8)
OT: REBASING (8)
Score: 105–19 (max 109)
Mike finally finds his bearings. too late, Unfortunately.
Round 14: 25, 100, 4, 1, 5, 6. Target: 427.
C1: 427. (4*100)+25+1+(6-5) (10)
C2: 427. Mistake in working.
Score: 115–19 (max 119)
Another flub on the numbers from Mike.
Round 15: I V Y L E A V E S
C1 buzzes on 2 seconds to say EVASIVELY which is correct.
Final Score: 125–19 (max 129)
Graemes' fastest conundrum spot yet rounds off a polished performance with his highest score to date. Mike retires to his favourite place in the world, the Merchants Inn, (to nursemaid a pint, presumably). Jon Culshaw does a passable Obi Wan Kenobi complaining about his hotel room being a little on the dark side. Jeff asks Rachel for a croggy on her bike. An unimpressed Rachel threatens to throw up on him.
Further summaries are at:
http://www.apterous.org/cdb/series.php?series=65