Tuesday again but we are still no closer to finding out the identities of the remaining two finalists, will we come any closer to finding out today. Well first we hear Nick talking about Bradley Cooper premiering "The Elephant Man" in London tonight on stage, only to find out from Rachel that he did the same on Broadway last year
C1: Champion Len Hughes (1 win, 82 points.) Back after a "surprise" victory over David Pooley because he "messed it up", bit harsh really there Nick?
C2: Challenger Steve Redfern. An apterite and IT manager from Droitwich. A big swimmer and qualified swimming referee.
DC: Susie Dent and Louise Minchin.
RR: Rachel Riley.
OT: Other words or solutions.
R01: D T T E I E Q S A
R02: D Y N M O A I E A
R03: 2, 9, 7, 1, 9, 25. Target: 836.
TTT: LEGALSIN - "Do these plants belong to a former chancellors daughter?"
R04: H D R V O A E T W
R05: S R B O I E M O N
R06: 5, 1, 75, 100, 50, 25. Target: 367.
R07: R L P E I A S E D
R08: R D G B O U O E A
R09: 1, 10, 6, 8, 10, 75. Target: 217.
TTT: ANICERUM - "If you want this doing, you'll need to lend a hand"
R10: M S C S U E U O N
R11: T R M A U I E S G
R12: R C F C E O U N E
R13: R L S A U E I T J
R14: 2, 8, 100, 50, 75, 25. Target: 755.
R15: G I A N T B I P S (conundrum)
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Round 1: D T T E I E Q S A
Len: STATED (6)
Steve: SEATED (6)
DC: IDEATES (7)
Score: 6–6 (max 7)
Steve is SEATED into the points straight away and Len has STATED another six to get both contestants off the mark, but DC impress with the Darren
Round 2: D Y N M O A I E A
Len: MONIED (6)
Steve: DYNAMO (6)
DC: DOMAINE (7)
OT: ADENOMA (7) DAYANIM (7)
Score: 12–12 (max 14)
Two more 6s available. DC get apterous favourite DOMAINE but two obscure 7s remain unseen
An ADENOMA is a benign tumour formed from glandular structures in epithelial tissue.
DAYANIM is the plural of DAYAN, a religious judge in particular one in a rabbinic court.
Round 3: 2, 9, 7, 1, 9, 25. Target: 836.
Len: -
Steve: -
RR: 837. (7)
OT: 836. ((9+9-1)*25-7)*2 (10)
Score: 12–12 (max 24)
It's a very tricky numbers game to start the day and even Rachel can only get one away. Crossword Tools gives this one a 99% difficulty level
Teatime teaser: LEGALSIN -> NIGELLAS
Round 4: H D R V O A E T W
Len: throwed
Steve: THREAD (6)
DC: ADVERT (6)
OT: AVOWED (6) DEARTH (6) DEHORT (6) HATRED (6) HAWTER (6) ORATED (6) THAWED (6) THROVE (6) TOWARD (6) TROWED (6) WHATEV (6) WHORED (6) WREATH (6)
Score: 12–18 (max 30)
First lead of the day to Steve as Len tries an invalid 7 in a very flat round
Round 5: S R B O I E M O N
Len: MOONRISE (8)
Steve: BONIER (6)
DC: MOONIER (7)
OT: BROOMIES (8) IONOMERS (8) RIBOSOME (8)
Score: 20–18 (max 38)
But the lead is now Len's with a brilliant 8
RIBOSOME is a minute particle consisting of RNA and associated proteins found in large numbers in the cytoplasm of living cells.
Round 6: 5, 1, 75, 100, 50, 25. Target: 367.
Len: 370.
Steve: 368. (75-1)*5-(50/25) (7)
Score: 20–25 (max 45)
Steve is one away and this time it turns out to be the max in this ding-dong battle.
Louise Minchin talks about her (and Nick's) experiences on Around the World In 80 Days, and how Bill Turnbull got better accomodation than her on a Russian ferry.
Round 7: R L P E I A S E D
Len: PLEASED (7)
Steve: RELAPSED (8)
DC: PEARLISED (18)
OT: PEDLARIES (18)
Score: 20–33 (max 63)
Len won't be PLEASED with himself in that round as Steve extends his lead with an 8 but it's DC who impress with the 9!
Round 8: R D G B O U O E A
Len: BROGUE (6)
Steve: BADGER (6)
DC: BODGER (6)
OT: ARGUED (6) BARGED (6) BODEGA (6) BOOGER (6) BORAGE (6) BURGOO (6) DAUBER (6) DROGUE (6) EARBUD (6) GARBED (6) GOOBER (6) GOURDE (6) ROGUED (6) ROUGED (6)
Score: 26–39 (max 69)
This round may look like it has a 7 but nope, just a mammoth SEVENTEEN 6s. Think it's fair to say that round fell flat even if Steve and DC gave us these two
Round 9: 1, 10, 6, 8, 10, 75. Target: 217.
Len: 217. (10-(6+1))*75-8 (10)
Steve: 217. (6/((10/10)+1))*75-8 (10)
Score: 36–49 (max 79)
Different ways of finding the 3 here but it doesn't matter, 10 points a piece and Len is still in it going into the third half
Teatime teaser: ANICERUM -> MANICURE
Round 10: M S C S U E U O N
Len: SCONES (6)
Steve: SCONES (6)
DC: CONSUMES (8)
Score: 42–55 (max 87)
The classic argument how to pronounce SCONES comes up here while DC find the Darrenic 8
Round 11: T R M A U I E S G
Len: amuser
Steve: MIGRATES (8)
DC: MURIATES (8)
OT: MAGISTER (8) STERIGMA (8)
Score: 42–63 (max 95)
Ouch! could that be the killer blow. Not only is Len's word invalid but he also misdeclares it as a 7 (not that Susie mentions this part)
OoW: Susie talks about the origins of insults.
Round 12: R C F C E O U N E
Len: - (0)
Steve: ENFORCE (7)
DC: FROUNCE (7)
Score: 42–70 (max 102)
It appears it could have been as Len blanks as Steve ENFORCEs the lead further
Round 13: R L S A U E I T J
Len: suiter
Steve: REALIST (7)
DC: SALUTE (6) SALUTER (7) SALTIRE (7)
OT: JAILERS (7) LUSTIER (7) RETAILS (7) RITUALS (7) RULIEST (7) SALTIER (7) SALUTER (7)
Score: 42–77 (max 109)
It's Game, Set and Match to Steve and he finds one of the many 7s available and Len can only declare an invalid 6.
Round 14: 2, 8, 100, 50, 75, 25. Target: 755.
Len: 754. (8+2)*75+(100/25) (7)
Steve: 754. (8+2)*75+(100/25) (7)
RR: 755. 8*100-50+2+(75/25) (10)
Score: 49–84 (max 119)
One away from each contestant here but a spot on solution wasn't too taxing
Round 15: G I A N T B I P S
No one buzzes. The answer was BAPTISING.
Final Score: 49–84 (max 129)
Nobody gets the conundrum so it goes to Ciaran McCarthy in the audience to win himself a mug. Nick seems to recognise him but didn't mention it on air like he did with Callum Bundy not so long ago. Len is sent off with the teapot and goody bag. Nick tells us tomorrow we will be seeing the captain of the gold-medal winning England amateur poker team, which turns out to be Steve. Will he be able to win a few more and get one of the last two places in Series 72 finals? Stay tuned to Channel 4 and 2.10 to find out and join Robbo for Steve's second game.
Further summaries are at:
http://cdb.apterous.org/series.php?series=72