Just as you thought the Countdown world was safe from the immortals of the apterous world, along comes not one more, but two more. I think we can safely declare October as the month of the apterite. Following the demolition derby that was Dan McColm's octochamp run, we quickly ran into Jonny Rye, who after winning 2 games then came across a certain George Ford. Now Mr FORD is completely unknown to the apterous world, though we do have a player with a similar name called George Pryn, who told us a little while ago he would be on about now. 
Work that out if you can. George Ford won a close game yesterday, and today faces John Payne. Will this be a Payne-ful experience? Enjoy.Countdown recap for Friday 24 October 2014.
C1: Champion George Ford (aka Pryn) (1 win, 102 points.) An Apterite, forumite and 6th Form student from Whittlesey, near Peterborough, Cambridgeshire.
C2: Challenger John Payne. A Bartender from Aldershot. Describes himself as a musicals geek.
DC: Susie Dent and Dave Myers.
RR: Rachel Riley.
OT: Other words or solutions.
R01: L R T A E W A U L
R02: N T D O E O Z M D
R03: 10, 5, 75, 100, 50, 25. Target: 434.
TTT: TONICSIR - "The youth is angry about pieces of fried bread."
R04: B T S I A I K U D
R05: R L R B A E O C R
R06: 9, 9, 4, 2, 7, 1. Target: 343.
R07: Q H E A I E R F H
R08: G T S A E O D R I
R09: 4, 7, 75, 50, 100, 25. Target: 427.
TTT: CAMPLEAF - "The two body parts come together to show their dismay."
R10: C E R I S A P O N
R11: Y S N A O A G S E
R12: N T L O I E N S O
R13: G L R P U I O X A
R14: 3, 1, 50, 75, 100, 25. Target: 974.
R15: A L L R E D V E G (conundrum)
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Round 1: L R T A E W A U L
George: WALLET (6)
John: WALLET (6)
DC: LATERAL (7) TALLER (6) LAUREL (6)
Score: 6–6 (max 7)
Both players reach for their WALLET here to score 6 points.
Round 2: N T D O E O Z M D
George: MOONED (6)
John: MOOTED (6)
DC: ODDMENT (7) ZOOMED (6)
Score: 12–12 (max 14)
John MOOTED that George MOONED in this round. Interesting
but 6 points a piece anyway.Round 3: 10, 5, 75, 100, 50, 25. Target: 434.
George: 434. (50x10) - 75 +(100/25) + 5 (10)
John: 435.
Score: 22–12 (max 24)
George dazzles us with his 4 large numbers skills to get the target 434 bang on, while John could only reach 435.
Teatime teaser: TONICSIR -> CROSTINI
Round 4: B T S I A I K U D
George: AUDITS (6)
John: BAITS (5)
DC: TIBIAS (6)
OT: ADUKIS (6) KITABS (6) TIKIAS (6)
Score: 28–12 (max 30)
George completes the AUDITS for this round, while John simply takes the BAITS.
Round 5: R L R B A E O C R
George: ROARER (6)
John: BARREL (6)
DC: CORRAL (6)
OT: BRACERO (7)
Score: 34–18 (max 37)
George is a ROARER and John is over a BARREL. It's 6 points each again.
Round 6: 9, 9, 4, 2, 7, 1. Target: 343.
George: 343. (9x4) + 2 x 9 + 1 (10)
John: 343. (9x4) + 2 x 9 + 1 (10)
Score: 44–28 (max 47)
It's a perfect 10 for both players with 343.
Dave Myers talks about when he built an aeroplane as a child and broke his thumbs.
Round 7: Q H E A I E R F H
George: HEAR (4)
John: HEIFER (6)
OT: FAERIE (6)
Score: 44–34 (max 53)
George could only manage to HEAR a 4, but John got HEIFER to get 6 points back.
Round 8: G T S A E O D R I
George: GODETIAS (8)
John: ASTEROID (8)
DC: TODGERS (7) STODGIER (8)
Score: 52–42 (max 61)
Two old Countdown favourites GODETIAS and ASTEROIDS for 8 a piece.
Round 9: 4, 7, 75, 50, 100, 25. Target: 427.
George: 427. (7x75) - 100 + (50/25) (10)
John: 427. (7x75) - 100 + (50/25) (10)
Score: 62–52 (max 71)
Another 4 larger, another 10 points for George, but this time John joins him for 10 points himself.
Teatime teaser: CAMPLEAF -> FACEPALM
Round 10: C E R I S A P O N
George: CAPONIERS (18)
John: CANOPIES (8)
DC: PROSCENIA (18)
Score: 80–52 (max 89)
John did so well with CANOPIES for 8, but George got a 9 CAPONIERS to take 18 points.
Round 11: Y S N A O A G S E
George: SEASON (6)
John: NOSEGAYS (8)
Score: 80–60 (max 97)
John gets 8 points back with NOSEGAYS while George remained in SEASON for 6. It's a long way back for John, but this must be some consolation at least.
Susie talks about the origin of two versions of printed words, round robin and rigmorole.
Round 12: N T L O I E N S O
George: LOONIEST (8)
John: OILSTONE (8)
DC: INSOLENT (8) LOTIONS (7)
Score: 88–68 (max 105)
LOONIEST and OILSTONE for 8 a piece. An INSOLENT moment from DC as well.
Round 13: G L R P U I O X A
George: GIAOUR (6)
John: palor
DC: UXORIAL (7)
Score: 94–68 (max 112)
John gets 'palor' disallowed as it needs a double L. George gets GIAOUR to score 6 points.
Round 14: 3, 1, 50, 75, 100, 25. Target: 974.
George: 974. (75+3) x 25 x 50 / 100 - 1 (10)
John: 975.
Score: 104–68 (max 122)
This time John picks 4 large and George brilliantly gets the 974 target bang on, while John joins the likely majority of the nation in getting 975 to fall 1 short.
Round 15: A L L R E D V E G
George buzzes on 2 seconds to say GRAVELLED which is correct.
A magnificent 2 second solve for George to round off another superb win.
So George wins his second game, and what a performance it was. A 9 letter word, brilliant numbers and a very quick conundrum. We thought we had seen it all after the last couple of weeks with Dan McColm, but George is showing himself to be a very good well rounded player who would be difficult to bet against progressing to the later stages. One way or another we could be in for a real treat come the end of the series, because anyone who can beat George would have to be very capable of progressing themselves. Join Andy McGurn on Monday to see if George can get his 3rd win. I'll be back next Friday. Until then, thank you for reading, and goodbye.
Final Score: 114–68 (max 132)
Further summaries are at:
http://cdb.apterous.org/series.php?series=71
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