So, here we go. Enjoy.
Countdown recap for Thursday 23 January 2014.
C1: Champion Priscilla Munday (2 wins, 136 points.) A retired pharmacist from Redhill, Surrey. She's also a member of her local Scrabble club.
C2: Challenger Anthony Willis. A Games Technology student at Bournemouth University. He co-owns a studio which creates apps for phones, and has just downloaded its 10,000th app.
DC: Susie Dent and Matt Allwright.
RR: Rachel Riley.
OT: Other words or solutions.
R01: N R O I J E P S T
R02: N L X A R E I K D
R03: 25, 3, 3, 1, 9, 8. Target: 822.
TTT: PREPHOST - "Did these people make money from spreading the word?"
R04: G H D T A U O S M
R05: N T E O S N I S Y
R06: 100, 25, 9, 1, 3, 2. Target: 817.
R07: L F E U C L I O G
R08: R N R T E O I D W
R09: 25, 8, 2, 6, 7, 4. Target: 916.
TTT: LEANBOYS - "The boys won't stay lean for long if they keep scoffing these"
R10: S R N L A E O M P
R11: S V U E R Q A M D
R12: T P H S I O E H R
R13: N Z O I C V U O T
R14: 25, 50, 3, 5, 3, 2. Target: 198.
R15: G E N C R A V E S (conundrum)
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Round 1: N R O I J E P S T
C1: POINTERS (8)
C2: pointers (declared as 7)
DC: PROTEINS (8)
OT: JOINTERS (8) REPOINTS (8)
Score: 8–0 (max 8)
Ouchy, a nightmare start for Anthony, as he has an 8, but has declared it as a 7, so is already on the back foot from the off.
Round 2: N L X A R E I K D
C1: LANKIER (7)
C2: drainer
DC: RELAXIN (7)
OT: KINDLER (7) KNAIDEL (7) RANKLED (7)
Score: 15–0 (max 15)
And it goes from bad to worse for our challenger, as he sees a phantom 2nd R in the selection, and he's already 15 down..............
In Jewish cookery, a KNAIDEL is a dumpling, especially a small ball of matzo meal, eggs, and salt, often mixed with another foodstuff, as ground almonds or grated potato, usually served in soup.
Round 3: 25, 3, 3, 1, 9, 8. Target: 822.
C1: 824. ((8 + 3) x 3 x 25) - 1 (7)
C2: 822. Mistake in working.
RR: 822. (((8 + 3) x 25) - 1) x 3 (10)
Score: 22–0 (max 25)
Well, it looks like Anthony's luck is about to turn, but just as he starts to give his answer, he says he's gone wrong and Priscilla takes full advantage, while with a little bit of tinkering, Rachel shows us the way to the answer.
Teatime teaser: PREPHOST -> PROPHETS
Round 4: G H D T A U O S M
C1: SOUGHT (6)
C2: smout
DC: MAHOUTS (7)
OT: MUGSHOT (7)
Score: 28–0 (max 32)
Anthony still can't even get anything that exists at the moment
This is turning into a walkover............ 
Round 5: N T E O S N I S Y
C1: NOSIEST (7)
C2: STONES (6)
DC: TENSIONS (8)
Score: 35–0 (max 40)
Well, Anthony's STONES give him some steadiness at last, but his points total is still at zero, as Priscilla's NOSIEST offering sends her up to 35 points, while DC go darrenic with their 8.
Round 6: 100, 25, 9, 1, 3, 2. Target: 817.
C1: 825.
C2: 819. ((9 - 1) x 100) + 25 - (2 x 3) (7)
RR: 817. ((100 - 1) x (9 - 3 + 2)) + 25 (10)
Score: 35–7 (max 50)
AT LAST, SOME POINTS FOR ANTHONY
And even after a little stumble near the end, he gets away with it, while Rachel shows us how to do it again. Matt talks about Sam Bass, an orphaned outlaw, who took $60,000 from a Union Pacific train.
Round 7: L F E U C L I O G
C1: COLLIE (6)
C2: FUEL (4)
OT: LIGULE (6) LOCULE (6) LOCULI (6) OCELLI (6)
Score: 41–7 (max 56)
A nasty selection here has left us all barking mad, which is good for Priscilla and her COLLIE.
A LIGULE is a thin, membranous outgrowth from the base of the blade of most grasses.
In botany, a LOCULE (plural LOCULI) is any of the chambers of an ovary or anther.
An OCELLUS (plural OCELLI) is an eyelike spot, as on a peacock feather.
Round 8: R N R T E O I D W
C1: WORRIED (7)
C2: REWORD (6)
DC: DOWNIER (7) WORDIER (7)
OT: WORRITED (8)
Score: 48–7 (max 64)
Anthony still can't score on the letters games, and I think he should definitely be WORRIED now.............., although by sticking the T in there, they could've have been darrenically WORRITED for 8.
To WORRIT is to tease or worry.
Round 9: 25, 8, 2, 6, 7, 4. Target: 916.
C1: 914.
C2: 915. ((2 + 4) x 6 x 25) + 8 + 7 (7)
RR: 916. (((7 - 4) x 6 x 25) + 8) x 2 (10)
Score: 48–14 (max 74)
Well, the numbers are still Anthony's friend for now, as he doubles his tally thanks to his 1 away, while Rachel seems to be working overtime today
Teatime teaser: LEANBOYS -> BALONEYS
Round 10: S R N L A E O M P
C1: SAMPLER (7)
C2: PLANERS (7)
DC: PERSONAL (8) PSORALEN (8)
OT: ALMONERS (8) LAMPERNS (8) NEOPLASM (8) PLEONASM (8)
Score: 55–21 (max 82)
Half a dozen 8's around, but Anthony finally gets some points for a letters game
YAY A NEOPLASM is a new, often uncontrolled growth of abnormal tissue; tumour.
A PLEONASM is a redundant word or expression.
Round 11: S V U E R Q A M D
C1: QUAVERS (7)
C2: quarms
DC: MARQUES (7)
OT: MASQUER (7) REMUDAS (7) SQUARED (7)
Score: 62–21 (max 89)
Hmmm, I wonder if Anthony was thinking of quaLms.....
No matter, as Priscilla's QUAVERS take her lead above 40, and edge her closer to the hat-trick.A MASQUER, quite simply, is a person who wears a mask or takes part in a masque.
Susie's Origins Of Words talks about the origins of "hermaphrodite".
Round 12: T P H S I O E H R
C1: ROPIEST (7)
C2: HIPSTER (7)
DC: TROPHIES (8)
OT: SEPHIROTH (18)
Score: 69–28 (max 107)
The super amazing SEPHIROTH is there for a 9, but the ROPIEST 7 from Priscilla is enough for her third win.
In Kabbalah, SEPHIROTH is any of the 10 emanations, or powers, by which God the Creator was said to become manifest.
Round 13: N Z O I C V U O T
C1: TUNIC (5)
C2: outcoin
DC: TONIC (5) COUNT (5)
OT: OZONIC (6)
Score: 74–28 (max 113)
A disgusting set of letters to finish off today, as Anthony tries for one last bit of glory, but it comes to nothing, unfortunately.
Round 14: 25, 50, 3, 5, 3, 2. Target: 198.
C1: 198. ((5 + 3) x 25) - 2 (10)
C2: 198. Mistake in working.
Score: 84–28 (max 123)
Oh dear, oh dear, oh dear, this is just about the one thing that can't go wrong for Anthony today, but as soon as he says 25 x 5 = 150, Anthony just completely goes under, and Priscilla makes him just feel even more down..............
Round 15: G E N C R A V E S
C1 buzzes on 6.25 seconds to say SCAVENGER which is correct.
Final Score: 94–28 (max 133)
Well, Priscilla wraps up a very convincing win with the conundrum, but at least Anthony's misery is now over, as his run of bad luck in today's game was enough to last a lifetime for anyone. Hopefully, studying at Bournemouth will help him get over this.
Priscilla will be back tomorrow for half-octochampdom, and you can join Anthony for that one.
I'll be back next week after what will surely be a phenomenal COLIN this weekend, and I'm everyone who's going will have a great time, and I can't wait to meet everyone again, some for the first time (admittedly not that many now.
)So, have a brill weekend everyone, at COLIN or not, and see you soon. Bye bye.
Statistics Corner
Priscilla:
Total score - 94
Raw score - 106
Total % of max - 71
Raw % of max - 80
Total average score per round - 6.3
Raw average score per round - 7.1
Number of maxes - 6
Anthony:
Total score - 28
Raw score - 44
Total % of max - 21
Raw % of max - 33
Total average score per round - 1.9
Raw average score per round - 2.9
Number of maxes - 0
Further summaries are at:
http://cdb.apterous.org/series.php?series=70