Countdown recap for Wednesday 22 December 2021.
C1: #2 Seed Stu Harkness (9 games, 9 wins, 998 points.) A teacher from Tweedbank, Scottish Borders. He defeated #7 Seed Roddie Bell 112-82 in his quarter-final last Thursday. He also has a little octopus mascot called Octo, given to him by his daughter.
C2: #3 Seed Florence Cappleman-Lynes (9 games, 9 wins, 981 points.) A housewife from Rochdale. She defeated #6 Seed Jasamrit Rahala 121-62 in her quarter-final last Friday.
DC: Susie Dent and Rev. Richard Coles.
AMI: Anne-Marie Imafidon.
OT: Other words or solutions.
R01: N S T S O F I E E
R02: G U B A T O D A E
R03: 75, 5, 5, 1, 3, 7. Target: 111.
TTT: GOOPYHAM - "Well done if you get this, but it's far from well done."
R04: K A S I N E C J D
R05: N F M R E I U O O
R06: 25, 10, 4, 6, 10, 9. Target: 970.
R07: T A L E G A D I M
R08: T O G I W O S L G
R09: 100, 1, 7, 7, 9, 5. Target: 148.
TTT: DAVEPERM - "Dave had a perm, and it changed his look completely."
R10: N E W I S E B E A
R11: R E M O T I R N A
R12: P U S O D O L A I
R13: V R P D S R A O U
R14: 1, 5, 6, 5, 10, 4. Target: 181.
R15: I N A N E P E S T (conundrum)
And now a brief interlude before our main feature:
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Enjoy the show.
Round 1: N S T S O F I E E
Stu: SOFTENS (7)
Florence: SOFTENS (7)
DC: SOFTIES (7) FINESSE (7) FITNESS (7)
OT: INFESTS (7) NEOISTS (7) NOSIEST (7) ONESIES (7)
Score: 7–7 (max 7)
Round 2: G U B A T O D A E
Stu: outaged
Florence: GEODATA (7)
DC: GADABOUT (8)
Score: 7–14 (max 15)
Stu forced into an error thanks to Florence's great GEODATA, but DC get a great 8.
Round 3: 75, 5, 5, 1, 3, 7. Target: 111.
Stu: 111. (7 x 5 x 3) + 5 + 1 (10)
Florence: 111. (7 x 5) + 75 + 1 (10)
Score: 17–24 (max 25)
Teatime teaser: GOOPYHAM -> OMOPHAGY
Round 4: K A S I N E C J D
Stu: SNACKED (7)
Florence: CANDIES (7)
OT: DECANIS (7) DICKENS (7) INCASED (7) JACKSIE (7) NICKASE (7) SNICKED (7)
Score: 24–31 (max 32)
Hmmm, SNACKED on CANDIES, only at Christmas time
Round 5: N F M R E I U O O
Stu: FUMIER (6)
Florence: UNIFORM (7)
DC: MOONIER (7)
OT: FERMION (7) IONOMER (7)
Score: 24–38 (max 39)
Florence doubles her lead thanks to some military precision.
Round 6: 25, 10, 4, 6, 10, 9. Target: 970.
Stu: 970. ((25 x 4) - (9 - 6)) x 10 (10)
Florence: 970. (25 x 4 x 9) + (6 x 10) + 10 (10)
Score: 34–48 (max 49)
Rev. Richard talks about how audiences have changed not just by location, but from when he used to tour with The Communards, and to his role as a vicar.
Round 7: T A L E G A D I M
Stu: ADAMITE (7)
Florence: LIGATED (7)
OT: AGALITE (7) ALMADIE (7) DIALAGE (7) GAMETAL (7)
Score: 41–55 (max 56)
Round 8: T O G I W O S L G
Stu: OLOGIST (7)
Florence: OLOGIST (7)
DC: GIGOLOS (7)
Score: 48–62 (max 63)
Round 9: 100, 1, 7, 7, 9, 5. Target: 148.
Stu: 148. (7 x 7) - 1 + 100 (10)
Florence: 148. (7 x 7) - 1 + 100 (10)
Score: 58–72 (max 73)
Perfection in this mini section for both, but did we expect anything less...
Teatime teaser: DAVEPERM -> REVAMPED
Round 10: N E W I S E B E A
Stu: BEANIES (7)
Florence: BEANIES (7)
DC: NEWBIES (7)
OT: WEENIES (7)
Score: 65–79 (max 80)
Round 11: R E M O T I R N A
Stu: ROMANITE (8)
Florence: ROMANITE (8)
DC: ANTERIOR (8)
Score: 73–87 (max 88)
More perfect rounds, getting harder and harder for Stu to get back in...
Susie's Origins Of Words talks about the origins of some initiatives to keep regional dialect alive.
Round 12: P U S O D O L A I
Stu: ADIPOUS (7)
Florence: UPLOADS (7)
OT: APODOUS (7) PAILOUS (7)
Score: 80–94 (max 95)
Round 13: V R P D S R A O U
Stu: VAPOURS (7)
Florence: SAVOUR (6)
DC: UPROARS (7)
OT: PODURAS (7)
Score: 87–94 (max 102)
WOAH!! An unexpected breakthrough for Stu, and Florence's lead is cut in half at such a crucial moment in the game...
Round 14: 1, 5, 6, 5, 10, 4. Target: 181.
Stu: 181. (5 x 5 x (6 + 1)) + 10 - 4 (10)
Florence: 181. ((10 - 1) x 5 x 4) + 6 - 5 (10)
Score: 97–104 (max 112)
6 small is Florence's gamble, but a relatively easy one appears, and so we have A CRUCIAL CONUNDRUM to see who will reach tomorrow's final
In a way, it's a great way to end a fantastic match between two great competitors. 
Round 15: I N A N E P E S T
Florence buzzes on 16.75 seconds to say SEPTENNIA which is correct.
Final Score: 97–114 (max 122)
WOWSERS!!! Florence maintains her perfect conundrum record, a 10/10 performance indeed, and especially after missing the 7's in the last letters round to let Stu back in, who knows how much pressure she was under..., but she's got the job done, and is in the Series 84 final, where she'll take on the #1 Seed Ahmed Mohammed tomorrow.
Sad for Stu, as not too many people get 12-max games and lose, and we even see his octopus' sad face...
Hope you enjoyed this recap.
Have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.
Statistics Corner
Stu:
Total score - 97
Raw score - 103
Total % of max - 80
Raw % of max - 84
Total average score per round - 6.5
Raw average score per round - 6.9
Number of maxes - 12
Florence:
Total score - 114
Raw score - 120
Total % of max - 93
Raw % of max - 98
Total average score per round - 7.6
Raw average score per round - 8.0
Number of maxes - 13
Further summaries are at:
http://cdb.apterous.org/series.php?series=84