Spoilers for Thusday August 25th 2016

[Tony Atkins]

Natalie's 3rd v Martin Hurst

[Tony Atkins]

Alt 2nd numbers 3x4x5x10-3-8

[Steven M. McCann]

I was convinced Martin's "Nine" was DENIALING, fine in Touchy Words, probably illegal everywhere else.

[Tony Atkins]

I was convinced Martin's "Nine" was DENIALING, fine in Touchy Words, probably illegal everywhere else.

INDEALING sounds pluasible too.

I think Martin started off too aggressively and only showed his strength when he stettled down. Great finish by him.

[Tony Atkins]

ROUGHDONG (conundrum) sounds like it was left over from Catsdown!

[Johnny Canuck]

ROUGHDONG (conundrum) sounds like it was left over from Catsdown!

Indeed, I was expecting to hear some of that infernal scramble-related audience laughter after it was revealed. If there was any, it was thankfully edited out.

Cracking début (well, second début) by Martin, especially considering that he started a bit slow today. Had an alternate solution for the 3rd numbers but it's already taken.

[Martin Hurst]

Thanks guys.

Awful start was pure nerves - I thought attending the FOCAL event in St Albans a few weeks before, being on the show before, and watching a couple games in the audience would do the trick, but it just goes to show you can't really tell what is going to happen when the cameras start rolling. Maybe an "ask Greame" in there somewhere as can't be many who have won a show after blanking the first 3 letters games?

INLEADING was one I'd genuinely thought I'd seen before - anyone who has played me on Apterous knows this is a common mistake I make though!

Overall though, can't really complain with a 100+ and 8 maxes.

I didn't notice the "risqué" conundrum TBH, until Nick questioned it while talking to the gallery when the credits stopped. My wife was in the audience and didn't notice it either, or any laughing from the rest of the audience.

Tough opponent on paper tomorrow - another returning player who lost on a crucial last time out. http://wiki.apterous.org/Alan_Gillies

[Graeme Cole]

Maybe an "ask Greame" in there somewhere as can't be many who have won a show after blanking the first 3 letters games?

It's not common, but it's happened a few times. 9 times in 9-rounders, 14 times in old 15-rounders, and up to the end of series 74, twice in new 15-rounders.

Ned Pendleton offered invalid words in his first two rounds, and was beaten again in round 3. He went on to win that game and then become an octochamp.

[Martin Hurst]

Maybe an "ask Greame" in there somewhere as can't be many who have won a show after blanking the first 3 letters games?

It's not common, but it's happened a few times. 9 times in 9-rounders, 14 times in old 15-rounders, and up to the end of series 74, twice in new 15-rounders.

Ned Pendleton offered invalid words in his first two rounds, and was beaten again in round 3. He went on to win that game and then become an octochamp.

You da man!

[Thomas Cappleman]

Maybe an "ask Greame" in there somewhere as can't be many who have won a show after blanking the first 3 letters games?

It's not common, but it's happened a few times. 9 times in 9-rounders, 14 times in old 15-rounders, and up to the end of series 74, twice in new 15-rounders.

Ned Pendleton offered invalid words in his first two rounds, and was beaten again in round 3. He went on to win that game and then become an octochamp.

Did any of those go on to score a century though? To do that with 4 blanked letters rounds in total is very impressive.

[David Williams]

Tough opponent on paper tomorrow - another returning player who lost on a crucial last time out. http://wiki.apterous.org/Alan_Gillies

Just in case anyone makes the same mistake as me after watching this show. The link is a spoiler for Friday!

[Gavin Chipper]

Maybe an "ask Greame" in there somewhere as can't be many who have won a show after blanking the first 3 letters games?

It's not common, but it's happened a few times. 9 times in 9-rounders, 14 times in old 15-rounders, and up to the end of series 74, twice in new 15-rounders.

Ned Pendleton offered invalid words in his first two rounds, and was beaten again in round 3. He went on to win that game and then become an octochamp.

Did any of those go on to score a century though? To do that with 4 blanked letters rounds in total is very impressive.

I would imagine that getting a century with four non-scores in total in the letters isn't that rare (if you get a nine, it's still very much on), but missing the first three from the start is certainly a big deal.

[Stewart Gordon]

Hi Martin, just wondering: Are you any relation to Jack or Josh? Or, for that matter, Bill, John, Rachel or Tony?

PS Congrats for winning the series.

[Martin Hurst]

Hi Martin, just wondering: Are you any relation to Jack or Josh? Or, for that matter, Bill, John, Rachel or Tony?

PS Congrats for winning the series.

Thanks Stewart,

No, I am no relation to any of these (unless in a tenuous Danny Dyer to William the Conqueror type of way that I am unaware of )