Countdown recap for Wednesday 25 April 2012.
C1: Champion Megan Jephson (2 wins, 169 points.) She's a freelance subeditor from High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire, but was originally from Hull.
C2: Challenger Kerry-Anne Alcock. An Apteforumite from Birmingham. She works as a short breaks co-ordinator for children with autism.
And for those of you who haven't seen it, Kerry's wearing "cavewoman chic", and looks pretty hot in it too. 
DC: Susie Dent and Paul Zenon.
RR: Rachel Riley.
OT: Other words or solutions.
R01: S D M O E U R D A
R02: W C O G E D I S A
R03: N V C E A O R N I
R04: T N E D O N A S E
R05: 75, 6, 1, 10, 4, 8. Target: 137.
TTT: SITSEASY - "Writing for hours sits easy with this person"
R06: P K O L U L A P I
R07: B T N A E O S N A
R08: R J I P E Y U L T
R09: R S D A E O X P I
R10: 100, 75, 10, 9, 7, 6. Target: 702.
TTT: MORESAFE - "It's not more safe, it's rather terrifying actually!"
R11: G Z S E O U T T M
R12: D R E Q I L A T O
R13: R H A E O F T H E
R14: 50, 75, 4, 4, 9, 7. Target: 483.
R15: R O B S F R A U D (conundrum)
And now a brief interlude before our main feature:
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Enjoy the show.
Round 1: S D M O E U R D A
C1: AROUSED (7)
C2: MOUSER (6)
DC: AMOURS (6)
OT: DEODARS (7) MADDERS (7) MODDERS (7) RADOMES (7) REMUDAS (7)
Score: 7–0 (max 7)
The champ makes a good start as we seem to be getting slightly steamy in the study with AMOURS and AROUSED....
A DEODAR is a large Himalayan cedar, Cedrus deodara, yielding a durable wood.
A MADDER is any plant of the genus Rubia, especially the climbing Rubia tinctorum, of Europe, having open clusters of small, yellowish flowers.
In the Southwestern US, a REMUDA is a group of saddle horses from which ranch hands choose mounts for the day.
Round 2: W C O G E D I S A
C1: WODGES (6)
C2: WODGES (6)
OT: CADGES (6) COSIED (6) DAGOES (6) DOGIES (6) DOSAGE (6) GEODIC (6) SOCAGE (6) SWAGED (6)
Score: 13–6 (max 13)
Nice, flat round here.
In Medieval English law, a SOCAGE is a tenure of land held by the tenant in performance of specified services or by payment of rent, and not requiring military service.
Round 3: N V C E A O R N I
C1: CAVERN (6)
C2: CANNIER (7)
DC: VOICER (6) VERONICA (8)
OT: CONNIVER (8)
Score: 13–13 (max 21)
Kerry-Anne equalises with her CANNIER 7 there. A couple of 8's there too.
Round 4: T N E D O N A S E
C1: DONATES (7)
C2: TENDONS (7)
DC: STANDEE (7) NEONATES (8)
OT: ENDNOTES (8) SONNETED (8)
Score: 20–20 (max 29)
More 7's and 8's here, as we have reached a cricket match score.
Round 5: 75, 6, 1, 10, 4, 8. Target: 137.
C1: 139.
C2: 137. (6 x 10) + 75 + (8 / 4) (10)
Score: 20–30 (max 39)
How many more times will these people be stumped by a target in the 100's
Luckily, Kerry-Anne takes full advantage and now takes the lead. Paul does a spot of memory magic by remembering the first word in 3 pages of the dictionary given by Rachel, Kerry-Anne and Megan, which he does successfully.
Teatime teaser: SITSEASY -> ESSAYIST
Round 6: P K O L U L A P I
C1: POLKA (5)
C2: POLKA (5)
DC: OKAPI (5)
OT: OUKLIP (6)
Score: 25–35 (max 45)
There was me thinking that PAPULI was in..........
Round 7: B T N A E O S N A
C1: BATONS (6)
C2: ATONES (6)
DC: BONNETS (7) ABSONANT (8)
Score: 31–41 (max 53)
A super impressive 8 spot by DC there, but the gap is still at half a score.
Round 8: R J I P E Y U L T
C1: TRIPLE (6)
C2: jilter
OT: PELTRY (6) PERTLY (6) PLUTEI (6) PURELY (6) PURITY (6) PYRITE (6) RIPELY (6) RUTILE (6) TRIPLY (6)
Score: 37–41 (max 59)
Not now though, as you can't be a jilter apparently.......
A PELTRY is a fur skin.
A PLUTEUS (plural PLUTEI) is the free-swimming, bilaterally symmetrical larva of an echinoid or ophiuroid.
RUTILE is a common mineral, titanium dioxide, TiO2, usually reddish-brown in colour with a brilliant metallic or adamantine lustre, occurring in crystals, used to coat welding rods.
Round 9: R S D A E O X P I
C1: ROADIES (7)
C2: PROXIES (7)
DC: EXORDIA (7)
RR: PARODIES (8)
OT: DIASPORE (8)
Score: 44–48 (max 67)
Even though Kerry-Anne doesn't seem sure with her 7, both are fine and the game is still at a nip-tuck phase.
DIASPORE is a mineral, aluminum oxyhydroxide, AlO(OH), occurring in crystals, or more usually in lamellar or scaly masses, a principal constituent of bauxite and an important source of aluminum.
Susie's Origins Of Words talks about the origins of the word, "phoney".
Round 10: 100, 75, 10, 9, 7, 6. Target: 702.
C1: 701. (100 x 7) + 10 - 9 (7)
C2: 701. (100 x 7) + 10 - 9 (7)
RR: 702. ((100 - 10) x 7) + 75 - (9 - 6) (10)
Score: 51–55 (max 77)
Not as easy as it looked, but Rachel knew it was possible, while our contestants stick with the 1 away.
Teatime teaser: MORESAFE -> FEARSOME
Round 11: G Z S E O U T T M
C1: MUTES (5)
C2: MOUSE (5)
DC: UTMOST (6) TOTEMS (6)
OT: MOTETS (6) MOTTES (6) MUTEST (6) OUTSET (6)
Score: 56–60 (max 83)
Six sixes here, but two fives will do for the contestants, although Megan might regret not sticking the other T onto MUTES.........
A MOTET is a vocal composition in polyphonic style, on a Biblical or similar prose text, intended for use in a church service.
In the Southwestern US, a MOTTE is a grove or clump of trees in prairie land or open country.
Round 12: D R E Q I L A T O
C1: TAILORED (8)
C2: IDOLATER (8)
Score: 64–68 (max 91)
Both 8's seen and accounted for.
Round 13: R H A E O F T H E
C1: FEATHER (7)
C2: FEATHER (7)
DC: REHEAT (6) THEREOF (7)
OT: HEATHER (7)
Score: 71–75 (max 98)
A couple of light FEATHERs are spotted, and with the gap still at 4, this could be yet another crucial in the offing.............
Round 14: 50, 75, 4, 4, 9, 7. Target: 483.
C1: 481.
C2: 483. (75 x 7) - 50 + 4 + 4 (10)
Score: 71–85 (max 108)
But Kerry-Anne has other ideas and has instead won the game with that brilliant numbers solve, which was definitely much simpler than my method
((75 - ((50 + 4) / 9)) x 7, if you're interested. )Round 15: R O B S F R A U D
C1 buzzes on 23.5 seconds to say SURFBOARD which is correct.
Final Score: 81–85 (max 118)
Good think that Kerry-Anne got it too, as Megan made it 3 out of 3 conundrum solves, and ends her run on 250 points dead. Not a bad return from 3 games, but unfortunately we won't be seeing her again.
On the plus side though, we will be seeing Kerry-Anne again, which is brilliant, as she definitely showed some flashes of brilliance during her game today, and could easily be with for a few games to come.
(I think we also quite liked the fact that when Nick asked her what "felt cakes" are, she replied, "They're cakes made of felt." )I'll be back tomorrow to see if we can another win for our Apteforumite tomorrow.
So till then, bye bye. See you soon, BE SURE OF IT!!
Statistics Corner
Megan:
Total score - 81
Raw score - 101
Total % of max - 69
Raw % of max - 86
Total average score per round - 5.4
Raw average score per round - 6.7
Number of maxes - 6
Kerry-Anne:
Total score - 85
Raw score - 91
Total % of max - 72
Raw % of max - 77
Total average score per round - 5.7
Raw average score per round - 6.1
Number of maxes - 5
Further summaries are at:
http://www.apterous.org/cdb/series.php?series=66
