So, join me for the semi-finals, starting now.
Countdown recap for Wednesday 18 December 2013.
C1: #1 Seed Dylan "The Malpas Mutilator" Taylor (9 wins, 1,082 points.) From Malpas, Cheshire. He defeated the #8 seed Gemma Church 108-76 in his quarter-final last Thursday.
C2: #4 Seed Bradley "The Southport Superstorm" Cates (9 wins, 978 points.) From Southport, Merseyside. He defeated the #5 seed Alex Fish 116-85 in his quarter-final yesterday.
DC: Susie Dent and Richard Madeley.
RR: Rachel Riley.
OT: Other words or solutions.
R01: G I A N M S U E P
R02: V A R O Z E H D O
R03: 2, 6, 5, 7, 4, 9. Target: 729.
TTT: MILDBEER - "Warmed up the arms and legs for a bit of exertion"
R04: R U L I M A Q P J
R05: E R O T D A T G N
R06: 50, 3, 7, 10, 2, 3. Target: 946.
R07: O L M V E N I G O
R08: H E D A X I B R B
R09: 2, 9, 7, 2, 3, 8. Target: 528.
TTT: STEELNUT - "Are they curtains in the toilet or a type of window?"
R10: S E R A T E N D W
R11: T R S C O I U O A
R12: R E S I P E P S T
R13: O D N Y U L E H S
R14: 10, 2, 4, 3, 8, 7. Target: 638.
R15: I T C H Y S E M I (conundrum)
And now a brief interlude before our main feature:
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Enjoy the show.
Round 1: G I A N M S U E P
C1: AMUSING (7)
C2: AMUSING (7)
DC: ENIGMAS (7)
OT: GAMINES (7) GUIMPES (7) GUINEAS (7) GUINEPS (7) IMPUGNS (7) MAGPIES (7) PAUSING (7) PNEUMAS (7) SEAMING (7) SPAEING (7) SPUMING (7)
Score: 7–7 (max 7)
An AMUSING start by both our players, nice to ease our semi-finalists in.
A GUIMPE is a chemisette or yoke of lace, embroidery, or other material, worn with a dress cut low at the neck.
A GUINEP, also known as the mamón (Melicoccus bijugatus) (although the word is considered obscene in some Spanish speaking countries where it translates roughly as cocksucker
) is a fruit-bearing tree in the soapberry family Sapindaceae, native or naturalised over a wide area of the American tropics.A PNEUMA is a philosophical term, meaning to compare psyche a person's vital spirit, soul, or creative energy.
To SPAE is to to prophesy, foretell or predict.
Round 2: V A R O Z E H D O
C1: OVERDO (6)
C2: OVERDO (6)
DC: HOOVER (6)
Score: 13–13 (max 13)
No OVERDOing here by our champs-in-the-making, while DC HOOVER up.
Round 3: 2, 6, 5, 7, 4, 9. Target: 729.
C1: 729. (((6 + 5) x 7) + 4) x 9 (10)
C2: 729. (5 + 4) x (7 + 2) x 9 (10)
Score: 23–23 (max 23)
The joy of cubed answers.
A double max first half for Dylan and Bradley. MORE OF THE SAME, PLEASE. Teatime teaser: MILDBEER -> LIMBERED
Round 4: R U L I M A Q P J
C1: PUJARI (6)
C2: PRIMAL (6)
DC: PRIMULA (7)
Score: 29–29 (max 30)
Oh, well that didn't last long, did it
A very nice darrenic 7 by DC, and the chance of Dylan atoning for missing out on the max game on Thursday is off for now.......Round 5: E R O T D A T G N
C1: DRAGONET (8)
C2: GAROTTED (8)
OT: ATTORNED (8)
Score: 37–37 (max 38)
The first 8's in the show today, these guys definitely don't want to give up easy.
Round 6: 50, 3, 7, 10, 2, 3. Target: 946.
C1: 946. (((50 - 3) x 10) + 3) x 2 (10)
C2: 947.
Score: 47–37 (max 48)
Well, with 2 highly skilled wordsmiths in action, it was almost inevitable that it would be the numbers that provide the first gap, and it's the #1 seed who solves this tricky little numbers game out to take a 10 point lead.
Richard talks about the time when a former newspaper editor went for an interview for the Los Angeles Times, on the day of JFK's assassination, and made a faux pas by asking what the name of the president who just died was............
Round 7: O L M V E N I G O
C1: LOOMING (7)
C2: LOOMING (7)
OT: VIOLOGEN (8)
Score: 54–44 (max 56)
We're all LOOMING here, but there is an unusual 8 lurking around there...........
A VIOLOGEN is a diquaternary derivative of 4,4'-bipyridyl. The name comes from the fact that this class of compounds is easily reduced to the radical mono cation, which is intensely blue coloured. In an experimental electrolysis setup, viologen in solution with sodium sulfate is reduced at the cathode with simultaneous formation of hydrogen gas. oxygen generated at the anode is capable of oxidizing the radical ion back to the viologen.
Round 8: H E D A X I B R B
C1: HAIRED (6)
C2: RIBBED (6)
DC: BARBED (6) BRIBED (6)
OT: AIRBED (6) BABIED (6) BARBIE (6) BARDIE (6) DABBER (6) DIBBER (6)
Score: 60–50 (max 62)
Loadsa loadsa 6's here, but nothing more.
A BARDIE is an edible white wood-boring grub of Australia.
Round 9: 2, 9, 7, 2, 3, 8. Target: 528.
C1: 528. ((9 x 7) + 3) x 8 (10)
C2: 528. ((9 x 7) + 3) x 8 (10)
Score: 70–60 (max 72)
Another 6 small there, but nothing to worry our expert contestants here. This game is definitely still on a knife-edge.
Teatime teaser: STEELNUT -> LUNETTES
Round 10: S E R A T E N D W
C1: DEWATERS (8)
C2: WARDENS (7)
DC: WANDERS (7) ANSWERED (8)
Score: 78–60 (max 80)
Another impressive 8 from Dylan, and it gives him that extra boost at a crucial phase of the game.
Round 11: T R S C O I U O A
C1: ATROCIOUS (18)
C2: ATROCIOUS (18)
Score: 96–78 (max 98)
NOW THAT'S AN AMAZING FISH
What a 9 fished out by Dylan there, and Bradley gladly accepts the catch too. HIGH QUALITY ALL ROUND!!! 
Susie's Origins Of Words talks about the origins of "penknife".
Round 12: R E S I P E P S T
C1: RESPITES (8)
C2: RESPITES (8)
DC: PRESSIE (7)
OT: SPREITES (8) STEPPERS (8)
Score: 104–86 (max 106)
No RESPITES here. No, sorry, it's RESPITES and even more RESPITES here.
Round 13: O D N Y U L E H S
C1: LOUDENS (7)
C2: NODULES (7)
DC: YODELS (6) UNHOLY (6)
OT: HOYDENS (7) SOUNDLY (7)
Score: 111–93 (max 113)
Anagrams of each other's words gives Dylan a Nelson, but even with a score of 111, the game isn't up yet. What will Bradley do to try and force a crucial
A HOYDEN is a boisterous, bold, and carefree girl; a tomboy.
Round 14: 10, 2, 4, 3, 8, 7. Target: 638.
C1: 638. ((8 x 7) + 2) x (4 - 3 + 10) (10)
C2: 638. ((4 + 3 + 2) x 7 x 10) + 8 (10)
Score: 121–103 (max 123)
Well, it seems a bit of a bizarre tactic, using the same selection that your opponent has been using in the game, but Bradley decides to fight fire with fire and go 6 small, which doesn't pay off at all, sadly for him, although he does get his century by way of consolation.
Now, can Dylan get the conundrum for a truly phenomenal score of 131
Round 15: I T C H Y S E M I
WHO DIDN'T GIVE OFF A LITTLE SMIRK WHEN THEY SAW THAT
C2 buzzes on 29.5 seconds to say ECHYMITIS which is incorrect.
C1 does not buzz.
The answer was MYTHICISE.
Final Score: 121–103 (max 133)
Joking aside, it's a fitting semi-final conundrum, where Bradley tries for a last-gasp 10 points, but fails to solve it correctly.
For those wondering what happened to the audience participation, a few of us got it, but were avoided, whereas a woman on the front row tried CHEMISTRY, but Nick almost sounded like he was laughing it off as a silly answer, so it was rightly cut out.
So, Dylan has survived the tough test brought about by the naturally gifted Bradley, who was more than a match for Dylan throughout the entire game. He has definitely been a revelation in this series and deserves all the praise he has got.
That means Dylan will be in Friday's final against the winner of tomorrow's match between the #7 seed, Callum "The Tingley Tearaway" Todd and the #3 seed, Glen "The Cradley Heath Cleaver" Webb. You can join me for that in 24 hours time.
So, till tomorrow, bye bye.
Statistics Corner
Dylan:
Total score - 121
Raw score - 121
Total % of max - 91
Raw % of max - 91
Total average score per round - 8.1
Raw average score per round - 8.1
Number of maxes - 12
Bradley:
Total score - 103
Raw score - 117
Total % of max - 77
Raw % of max - 88
Total average score per round - 6.9
Raw average score per round - 7.8
Number of maxes - 10
Further summaries are at:
http://cdb.apterous.org/series.php?series=69
