C1: Champion Ben Rollett (2 wins, 171 points.) - A football and tennis-playing student studying at Sheffield Hallam University. On a personal note, I'm cheering him on cos he auditioned with me!
C2: Challenger Michael Taiwo. - A school teacher from London. He supports Liverpool and plays Sunday league football.
DC: Susie Dent and Pam Ayres.
RR: Rachel Riley.
OT: Other words or solutions.
R01: T P I B S E L I O
R02: T A X U R C A S E
R03: R A P N E I D W S
R04: L O R M E N L U F
R05: 50, 3, 3, 2, 1, 7. Target: 692.
TTT: ACEGOTIT - "The ace got it, but he had to think hard"
R06: R A D M E G N R O
R07: U H T C O E J M I
R08: Y O D B A S G D E
R09: T G I Q E T U F N
R10: 50, 100, 75, 8, 5, 6. Target: 568.
TTT: GETMYPIN - "If you get my pin, you might do this to my account"
R11: D R E H E N A R I
R12: G E L S V O N I L
R13: M E S A T E P A K
R14: 50, 75, 100, 9, 6, 8. Target: 190.
R15: D R E A D A G U T (conundrum)
And now a brief interlude before our main feature:
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Apparently it's World Spelling Day, and Nick actually seems quite pleased about this! Rachel tells us about some little girl from Enfield that was a spelling world champion for her age group
Enjoy the show.
Round 1: T P I B S E L I O
C1: POLITE (6)
C2: POLITE (6)
DC: OILIEST (7) PISTOLE (7)
OT: PISOLITE (8) POLITIES (8)
Score: 6–6 (max 8)
Both are off the mark with sixes, but the Corner trump them with sevens. PISTOLE are any of various gold coins used in Europe or Scotland in the 17th and 18th centuries.
But if you jiggle the words around a bit two 8's are lurking. PISOLITE is a sedimentary rock, and POLITIES are forms of civil government.
Round 2: T A X U R C A S E
C1: EXTRAS (6)
C2: secataur
DC: CURATES (7) EXACTAS (7)
OT: ARCUATE (7) CAESURA (7)
Score: 12–6 (max 15)
Michael misspells SECATEUR and Ben edges ahead.
EXACTAS are bets in which the first two places in a race must predicted in the correct order.
Round 3: R A P N E I D W S
C1: SPRAINED (8)
C2: SPRAINED (8)
Score: 20–14 (max 23)
Straightforward darren-spotting!
Round 4: L O R M E N L U F
C1: fulorn
C2: FULLER (6)
DC: UNROLL (6)
OT: FLEURON (7)
Score: 20–20 (max 30)
Ugh, I never want to see FORLORN spelt like that ever again!
FLEURON has two different meanings - it can be a flower-shaped ornament or motif, or a piece of puff pastry used for garnishing
Round 5: 50, 3, 3, 2, 1, 7. Target: 692.
C1: 692. 7*2*50-(3*3-1) (10)
C2: 692. 7*2*50-(3*3-1) (10)
Score: 30–30 (max 40)
Pam reads us an extract from her autobiography, The Unnecessary Aptitude.
Teatime teaser: ACEGOTIT -> COGITATE
Round 6: R A D M E G N R O
C1: MARRED (6)
C2: GROANED (7)
DC: ROADMEN (7)
OT: DRAGOMEN (8)
Score: 30–37 (max 48)
It seems as though Michael has been asked to speed up his selections during the break, and now Rachel can't keep up!
Anyway, he is ahead for the first time. A nice max is missed by all though - DRAGOMEN are interpreters or guides, esp. in countries speaking Arabic, Turkish, or Persian. You learn something new every day 
Round 7: U H T C O E J M I
C1: touchie
C2: MITCH (5)
DC: TOUCHE (6) COUTHIE (7)
Score: 30–42 (max 55)
Ooo, Ben may have had TOUCHE there, but unfortunately he declares first with a wrong version of TOUCHY. DC go darrenic though with COUTHIE, which is a Scottish term for warm and friendly.
Round 8: Y O D B A S G D E
C1: BADGES (6)
C2: BADGED (6)
DC: BODEGAS (7)
OT: DAYBEDS (7)
Score: 36–48 (max 62)
BODEGAS makes a swift return - they are cellars or shops selling wine and food in Spanish speaking-countries. Nick wouldn't have liked the American DAYBEDS, which are couches that can be made up into beds.
Round 9: T G I Q E T U F N
C1: TUFTING (7)
C2: QUINTET (7)
DC: QUIET (5)
Score: 43–55 (max 69)
The two available sevens are both found by the contestants.
OoW - Susie discusses the origin of 'full of beans' and 'to turn a hair'
Round 10: 50, 100, 75, 8, 5, 6. Target: 568.
C1: 567. 5*100+75-8 (7)
C2: 569. 5*100+75-6 (7)
RR: 568. (75-(50/5-6))*8 (10)
Score: 50–62 (max 79)
The gap's still at 12 as Rachel sparkles us with her wisdom. (another Hewer-ism)
Teatime teaser: GETMYPIN -> EMPTYING
Round 11: D R E H E N A R I
C1: HARDENER (8)
C2: HARDENER (8)
DC: HARDENER (8) DRAINER (7)
Score: 58–70 (max 87)
Well done everybody!
Round 12: G E L S V O N I L
C1: SOLVING (7)
C2: SOLVING (7)
DC: SELLING (7) LEGS
OT: LIVELONGS (18)
Score: 65–77 (max 105)
A nine is lurking in here - the noun LIVELONG is a stonecrop, especially orpine. Nope, I'm none the wiser either.
Round 13: M E S A T E P A K
C1: PEAKS (5)
C2: PESETA (6)
DC: STEEP (5)
OT: PATKAS (6)
Score: 65–83 (max 111)
Ben can't find one of the two sixes, so Michael's on the edge of victory...
Round 14: 50, 75, 100, 9, 6, 8. Target: 190.
C1: 190. 100+75+9+6 (10)
C2: 190. 100+75+9+6 (10)
Score: 75–93 (max 121)
... and a simple numbers round means that Michael will be in the Champions' chair tomorrow. Can he get a debut century?
Round 15: D R E A D A G U T
C2 buzzes on 26 seconds to say DERAGATED which is incorrect.
C1 buzzes on 28 seconds to say TEARGUARD which is incorrect.
The answer was GRADUATED.
Final Score: 75–93 (max 131)
No, but a good effort.
So Ben is off back across the Peak District, but two wins is better than what I managed, so well done!
Score: 75-93
Raw score: 86-93
Maxes: 5-6
From next Tuesday, the best show on Earth is replaced by the second best show on Earth (the Cheltenham Festival) for four days, so I'll be back in a fortnight with another recap.
So join me here then, same time, same place. Be sure of it.
Good afternoon
Further summaries are at:
http://www.apterous.org/cdb/series.php?series=66
