C1: Champion Neil Zussman (5 wins, 482 points.)
C2: Challenger Heather Chidgey. A Somersetian easy-going competitive perfectionist medical secretary. A common theme is obvious.
DC: Susie Dent and Graham Cole. We discover that Rachel has also appeared in the bill as a child and got paid the same amount as Graham does nowadays (£12).
RR: Rachel Riley.
OT: Other words or solutions.
R01: P A S C A L E N T
R02: D I T Q E M S O E
R03: G E R N A C O H I
R04: N E D L A J T U E
R05: 10, 9, 5, 9, 3, 2. Target: 706.
TTT: CREEDLAD - "Make an announcement about the cricket score."
R06: N P S O E O G A K
R07: M E S T A C E B R
R08: F I M P A S T E E
R09: R I L N A T O E W
R10: 100, 3, 3, 5, 8, 9. Target: 188.
TTT: RINGFOOL - "Carpet at a knockout price, perhaps."
R11: D O N S O R I X H
R12: R E D D A N T I E
R13: R O V L U B A R S
R14: 75, 1, 10, 8, 3, 7. Target: 606.
R15: G R A H A M D I P (conundrum)
And now a brief interlude before our main feature:
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Enjoy the show.
Round 1: P A S C A L (
![Razz :P](./images/smilies/icon_razz.gif)
C1: PLACENTAS (18)
C2: SCALE (5)
Score: 18–0 (max 18)
A quality start from Neil with that (although the letters were obviously set up).
Round 2: D I T Q E M S O E
C1: DEMOTES (7)
C2: moisted
DC: MODISTE (7)
OT: TIMESED (7) Yes, the word Countdonians love to hate.
Score: 25–0 (max 25)
Round 3: G E R N A C O H I
C1: REACHING (8)
C2: HEARING (7)
OT: COHERING (8)
Score: 33–0 (max 33)
A max start from Neil leaves Heather on love...
Round 4: N E D L A J T U E
C1: DENTAL (6)
C2: JAUNTED (7)
Score: 33–7 (max 40)
...Until she steals some points (somehow) of the Zussinator. Nice spot.
Round 5: 10, 9, 5, 9, 3, 2. Target: 706.
C1: 709.
C2: 707. (9x9-(5x2))x10-3 (7)
OT: 706. (10x5+9)x(9+3)-2 (10)
Score: 33–14 (max 50)
Aargh! Neil got beaten on 6 small!
![Shocked :shock:](./images/smilies/icon_eek.gif)
![Surprised :o](./images/smilies/icon_e_surprised.gif)
Graham describes something about some rubbish soap thingy on da box.
Teatime teaser: CREEDLAD -> DECLARED
Round 6: N P S O E O G A K
C1: pongoes
C2: SPONGE (6)
OT: GENOAS (6) GOPAKS (6) PAEONS (6) PEKANS (6) PENGOS (6) POGOES (6) PONGAS (6) PONGOS (6) POOKAS (6) SPOKEN (6)
Score: 33–20 (max 56)
PONGO becomes PONGOS, unfortunately.
Round 7: M E S T A C E B R
C1: BEATERS (7)
C2: CAMBERS (7)
DC: EMBRACES (8) Aaaahhhh!
OT: CREMATES (8)
Score: 40–27 (max 64)
Round 8: F I M P A S T E E
C1: FIESTA (6)
C2: PASTIME (7)
DC: EMPTIES (7)
OT: SEPTIME (7) STEAMIE (7)
Score: 40–34 (max 71)
Heather brings the game back into the balance with her favourite hobby.
Round 9: R I L N A T O E W
C1: RELATION (8)
C2: RELATION (8)
OT: ORIENTAL (8)
Score: 48–42 (max 79)
The classic!
OoW: Susie talks (coincidentally) about thugs.
![Confused :?](./images/smilies/icon_e_confused.gif)
Round 10: 100, 3, 3, 5, 8, 9. Target: 188.
C1: 188. 100+((5+3+3)x8) (10)
C2: 188. 100x(5-3)-9-3 (10)
Score: 58–52 (max 89)
Teatime teaser: RINGFOOL -> FLOORING
Round 11: D O N S O R I X H
C1: INDOORS (7)
C2: INDOORS (7)
OT: SINDOOR (7) SORDINO (7)
Score: 65–59 (max 96)
Round 12: R E D D A N T I E
C1: DETRAINED (18)
C2: DETRAINED (18)
Score: 83–77 (max 114)
Yet another nine comes up, and this time both contestants spot it.
Round 13: R O V L U B A R S
C1: BLURS (5)
C2: BARS (4)
DC: OVULAR (6) BRAVOS (Jeff) (6)
OT: ARBOURS (7) LABOURS (7) LOUVARS (7)
Score: 88–77 (max 121)
BRAVO - thug (wow! That's like OoW!
)
Round 14: 75, 1, 10, 8, 3, 7. Target: 606.
C1: 606. 75x8+7-1 (10)
C2: 606. 75x8+7-1 (10)
Score: 98–87 (max 131)
An easy numbers game assures Neil of a non-crucial conundrum.
Round 15: G R A H A M D I P
C1 buzzes on 1.5 seconds to say DIAPHRAGM which is correct.
Score: 108–87 (max 141)
Another quick spot from Neil gives him another century and it looks like he'll be in the finals now. Brilliant letters today, with a max of 141.
Recap brought to you by Howard Somerset.
Further summaries are at:
http://www.apterous.org/cdb/series.php?series=-15
Toodles!