Enjoy.
Countdown recap for Wednesday 7 November 2012.
C1: Champion Philip Jackson (4 wins, 368 points.) From Ascot, Berkshire.
C2: Challenger Heather Styles. An Apteforumite and assistant editor for a publishing company from Sevenoaks, Kent. She has walked the 84 miles along Hadrian's Wall. And as we know, her mum, Phyllis ("Phyl" nowadays), won 6 shows in Series 65, before coming up short against a certain Jack Worsley. Note also that Heather is raising money for charity from her appearance on the show, and you can donate here.
DC: Susie Dent and Janet Street-Porter.
RR: Rachel Riley.
OT: Other words or solutions.
R01: G W B F S I E A K
R02: H N D S O E A I N
R03: H S F N R U E O I
R04: Z T Y F E O A I S
R05: 6, 8, 10, 10, 1, 9. Target: 418.
TTT: ZEROWITH - "You have zero chance of survival if you're hit by one of these"
R06: A I E O H T P Q E
R07: D N P T L I A E O
R08: V D M R I A O U L
R09: T D W S R A E E I
R10: 75, 1, 8, 2, 3, 10. Target: 298.
TTT: PIERROMP - "A romp on the pier? It's just not acceptable!"
R11: G S T N X A E A E
R12: P D C L A O E A R
R13: S N M R T O E A C
R14: 75, 1, 10, 2, 5, 4. Target: 670.
R15: C R O N I E J I G (conundrum)
And now a brief interlude before our main feature:
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Enjoy the show.
Round 1: G W B F S I E A K
C1: WAGES (5)
C2: FAKES (5)
DC: BEAKS (5) FAKIES (6)
Score: 5–5 (max 6)
Ooooooooooh, an unlucky start for Heather, as she misses the darren by not sticking the I into her FAKES.........
Round 2: H N D S O E A I N
C1: HANDIES (7)
C2: ANODISE (7)
DC: SHINNED (7)
OT: ADHESION (8)
Score: 12–12 (max 14)
Some good 7's here by all concerned, but clearly everyone was stuck in finding that darrenic 8.
Round 3: H S F N R U E O I
C1: FURNISH (7)
C2: FURNISH (7)
DC: HEINOUS (7) INFUSER (7) UNHORSE (7)
OT: INSHORE (7) NOURISH (7)
Score: 19–19 (max 21)
Flatness all round.
Round 4: Z T Y F E O A I S
C1: SAFETY (6)
C2: FEISTY (6)
DC: SOFTIE (6) FIESTA (6)
Score: 25–25 (max 27)
Not many 6's in this one, but all 4 of them are found by the members of the studio brigade.
Round 5: 6, 8, 10, 10, 1, 9. Target: 418.
C1: 419. ((6 - 1) x 10 x 8) + 10 + 9 (7)
C2: 419. ((8 - 1) x 6 x 10) - (10 - 9) (7)
RR: 418. (((6 x 10) - 9) x 8) + 10 (10)
Score: 32–32 (max 37)
Interesting tactics by Philip. Clearly, he recognises that Heather is a formidable opponent, and ever the formidable opponent, she won't be shaken off by the 6 small numbers thrown at her. Rachel solves this one, which based on the replies in the spoiler thread, seems to have plenty of solutions.
Janet talks about the lack of women in boardrooms, and why the government are doing nothing about it.
Teatime teaser: ZEROWITH -> HOWITZER
Round 6: A I E O H T P Q E
C1: HEAT (4)
C2: PIETA (5)
DC: OPIATE (6)
Score: 32–37 (max 43)
And the deadlock is finally broken by a very nice 5 from Heather. DC wrap up with the darrenic 6. I wonder what's coming round the corner...............
Round 7: D N P T L I A E O
C1: PAINTED (7)
C2: PLANETOID (18)
DC: DILATE (6)
Score: 32–55 (max 61)
OH MY GOD!!!!
How many people predicted that I certainly didn't 
And on the 67th preliminary of the 67th series, we might possibly have a series defining moment.
Round 8: V D M R I A O U L
C1: ALOUD (5)
C2: VALOUR (6)
DC: MODULAR (7)
Score: 32–61 (max 68)
Heather is on full power now with another beater. Philip seems beaten already.
Round 9: T D W S R A E E I
C1: waterised
C2: READIEST (8)
DC: WATERSIDE (18)
Score: 32–69 (max 86)
OH MY GOD AGAIN!!! Or cruelly not I'm afraid, Philip goes into desperation mode with a 9 to match Heather's, but unfortunately, he is agonisingly wrong by just the flipping of a couple of letters........
Now that is such a shame, but plaudits for his efforts.
Susie's Origins Of Words talks about the origins (ironically for Philip) of "agony".
Round 10: 75, 1, 8, 2, 3, 10. Target: 298.
C1: 298. ((3 + 1) x 75) - 2 (10)
C2: 298. ((8 / 2) x 75) - (3 - 1) (10)
Score: 42–79 (max 96)
A nice and easy numbers game this time, and Heather's score is still looking very healthy at 79 after 10.
Teatime teaser: PIERROMP -> IMPROPER
Round 11: G S T N X A E A E
C1: EXEATS (6)
C2: STAGE (5)
DC: TANGAS (6) AGNATES (7)
OT: NEGATES (7) SANGEET (7)
Score: 48–79 (max 103)
Oh dear, a slight (but only very slight) blot on Heather's record, as Philip tries to regain some pride in these last few rounds.
Round 12: P D C L A O E A R
C1: PLACARD (7)
C2: LEOPARD (7)
DC: CARLOAD (7)
OT: CALDERA (7) CRAPOLA (7) PAROLED (7) PRELOAD (7)
Score: 55–86 (max 110)
Flatness reigns supreme with a collection of seven 7's. The two given by our contestants are quite impressive I must say.
A CALDERA is a large, basinlike depression resulting from the explosion or collapse of the center of a volcano.
CRAPOLA is a slang term for nonsense or drivel.
Round 13: S N M R T O E A C
C1: SMARTEN (7)
C2: MONSTERA (8)
DC: MOANERS (7) STOREMAN (8) ANCESTOR (8)
OT: ENACTORS (8) ROMANCES (8)
Score: 55–94 (max 118)
It seems like ages since we've last seen MONSTERA/STOREMAN in a selection on this show, but Heather clearly still has a good memory of them, and she's on for a very, very good score here still.
Round 14: 75, 1, 10, 2, 5, 4. Target: 670.
C1: 670. (75 - (2 x 4)) x 10 (10)
C2: 670. ((10 - 1) x 75) - 5 (10)
Score: 65–104 (max 128)
That numbers give her the century, which then leads to Nick informing her that her mother's highest score during her run was 109. So, will Heather finish 5 above or 5 below today
Round 15: C R O N I E J I G
C2 buzzes on 5.75 seconds to say REJOICING which is correct.
Final Score: 65–114 (max 138)
IT'S ABOVE!!!!!!!!!!!
What a phenomenal performance from Heather!!! Not only is it the highest score of the series, but the highest début score since Edward McCullagh's début score of 115 in Series 64.
PLANETOID is definitely one thing I'll take away from this game for a long time, as I can honestly say I was beaten all ends up on that one, but with 2 female octochamps already in the final, this performance by Heather today, suggests that we could definitely have another female presence in a month and a half's time.
Join me tomorrow to see what more delights she can provide for us.
Till then, bye bye.
Statistics Corner
Philip:
Total score - 65
Raw score - 88
Total % of max - 47
Raw % of max - 64
Total average score per round - 4.3
Raw average score per round - 5.9
Number of maxes - 5
Heather:
Total score - 114
Raw score - 119
Total % of max - 83
Raw % of max - 86
Total average score per round - 7.6
Raw average score per round - 7.9
Number of maxes - 8
Further summaries are at:
http://www.apterous.org/cdb/series.php?series=67