Well having said goodbye for now to our apterite mayor of Pryn-Ford, we now begin our search for the next Octochamp wannabe. Yesterday saw Laurence Killen post a very handsome 118 in his first game. Is this the start of something big, or just a storm in a teacup? Well today he faces Caro Hunt. Enjoy.Countdown recap for Friday 7 November 2014.
C1: Champion Laurence Killen (1 win, 118 points.) A recently recruited Apterite from Belfast, currently studying Actuarial Sciences at Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh.
C2: Challenger Caro Hunt. From Holyhead in Anglesey, an Associate Lecturer in Psychology. Once qualified for the finals of the Times Crossword.
DC: Susie Dent and Sian Williams.
RR: Rachel Riley.
OT: Other words or solutions.
R01: D T A O S L E U C
R02: P R G E I S O T B
R03: 1, 5, 2, 4, 5, 1, . Target: 869.
TTT: MADGNOME - "Beaten badly at the game, in fact hammered."
R04: D N R E I A H R S
R05: T R U E I S N R A
R06: 2, 3, 9, 6, 5, 100. Target: 136.
R07: X G T O E O N M A
R08: R B N E O L I T A
R09: 7, 6, 2, 75, 25, 100. Target: 789.
TTT: FITSFINE - "The item fits fine but it smells quite a lot."
R10: Q R S H O A U O F
R11: P E I E T G V O S
R12: N C K E I S A D E
R13: P T C Y I A E G S
R14: 6, 4, 8, 10, 5, 75. Target: 531.
R15: S P E E V E N I X (conundrum)
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Round 1: D T A O S L E U C
Laurence: COASTED (7)
Caro: COASTED (7)
DC: OSCULATED (18)
Score: 7–7 (max 18)
Both players COASTED to 7 points here, but could have had a 9.
Round 2: P R G E I S O T B
Laurence: gropiest
Caro: BIGOTS (6)
OT: GOITRES (7) GORIEST (7) OBITERS (7) PORGIES (7) PROBIES (7) PROBITS (7) RIPOSTE (7) ROPIEST (7)
Score: 7–13 (max 25)
Laurence wants to be the 'gropiest' person here, but Susie says no. What a disappointment
Caro gets BIGOTS for 6.Round 3: 1, 5, 2, 4, 5, 1. Target: 869.
Laurence: -
Caro: -
Score: 7–13 (max 25)
An impossible numbers game, where only 400 can be reached by multiplying all numbers together.
Teatime teaser: MADGNOME -> GAMMONED
Round 4: D N R E I A H R S
Laurence: DRAINERS (8)
Caro: DRAINER (7)
DC: RANDIER (7)
OT: SERRANID (8)
Score: 15–13 (max 33)
Laurence takes the lead with DRAINERS as Caro only declares the singular.
Round 5: T R U E I S N R A
Laurence: RESTRAIN (8)
Caro: TRAINERS (8)
DC: RETRAINS (8)
OT: STRAINER (8) TERRAINS (8) TRANSIRE (8) URINATES (8)
Score: 23–21 (max 41)
Laurence has to RESTRAIN himself, while Caro gets her TRAINERS on.
Round 6: 2, 3, 9, 6, 5, 100. Target: 136.
Laurence: 136. (2x3) x 6 + 100 (10)
Caro: 136. (2x3) x 6 + 100 (10)
Score: 33–31 (max 51)
A rather easier numbers with both players getting a perfect 10.
Sian Williams talks about times when live shows went wrong on the breakfast show.
Round 7: X G T O E O N M A
Laurence: MANGO (5)
Caro: AGENT (5)
DC: MONTAGE (7) MEGATON (7)
OT: MAGNETO (7)
Score: 38–36 (max 58)
Just 5 for both players with MANGO and AGENT, though a few 7's were available.
Round 8: R B N E O L I T A
Laurence: BOILER (6)
Caro: ORBITAL (7)
DC: BARITONE (8) ORIENTAL (8) RELATION (8)
OT: OBTAINER (8)
Score: 38–43 (max 66)
Laurence gets BOILER for 6, but it's not enough to beat Caro's ORBITAL for 7.
Round 9: 7, 6, 2, 75, 25, 100. Target: 789.
Laurence: 789. (100+2) x 7 + 75 (10)
Caro: 789. (100+2) x 7 + 75 (10)
Score: 48–53 (max 76)
A perfect 10 for both players with 789.
Teatime teaser: FITSFINE -> NIFFIEST
Round 10: Q R S H O A U O F
Laurence: QUASH (5)
Caro: HOURS (5)
DC: FOURS (5) SHOFAR (6)
Score: 53–58 (max 82)
Laurence decides to QUASH this round, and Caro takes HOURS.
Round 11: P E I E T G V O S
Laurence: VESTIGE (7)
Caro: stovie
DC: POETISE (7)
Score: 60–58 (max 89)
Laurence gets VESTIGE for 7, while Caro gets 'stovie' disallowed, as it has to be pluralised.
Susie talks about leading words and phrases.
Round 12: N C K E I S A D E
Laurence: SICKENED (8)
Caro: SICKENED (8)
DC: DICKENS (7) SNACKED (7)
Score: 68–66 (max 97)
Both players are SICKENED by this round.
Round 13: P T C Y I A E G S
Laurence: CAGIEST (7)
Caro: SPACEY (6)
DC: GAIETY (6)
OT: ASEPTIC (7) PACIEST (7)
Score: 75–66 (max 104)
Laurence is the CAGIEST in this round. Caro gets SPACEY but it doesn't score.
Round 14: 6, 4, 8, 10, 5, 75. Target: 531.
Laurence: 531. 8 - (5-4) x 75 + 6 (10)
Caro: 531. Mistake in working.
Score: 85–66 (max 114)
Caro makes a mistake in trying to get 531. Laurence gets it spot on so gets another 10 points.
Round 15: S P E E V E N I X
Caro buzzes on 5 seconds to say EXPENSIVE which is correct.
Final Score: 85–76 (max 124)
The conundrum is an EXPENSIVE round. Caro gets it in 5 seconds to get a consolation 10 points.
So Laurence gets his second win and is already well on his way to the Quarter Finals. With a combined score of 203 from 2 games, he is looking strong and will take some beating. Caro put up a good fight but was soundly beaten in the end. Join Andy McGurn on Monday to see if Laurence can continue his run. I'll be back next Friday. Thank you very much for reading, and goodbye.
Further summaries are at:
http://cdb.apterous.org/series.php?series=71
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