All Fridays are good, but this is quite literally 'Good Friday' 
Today sees our very own Mark Murray take on his 7th game, having already overcome 2 excellent apterites, both of which were very close games, he has proved to be formidable so far. Is there anybody out there who can beat him? Hoping to answer that question in the affirmative today is Mike Wilson. Enjoy.
Countdown recap for Friday 18 April 2014.
C1: Champion Mark Murray (6 wins, 670 points.) An apterite originally from Dublin, now living in Bristol.
C2: Challenger Mike Wilson. A retired journalist from Clevedon in Somerset.
DC: Susie Dent and Louise Minchin.
RR: Rachel Riley.
OT: Other words or solutions.
R01: R D T C E I O S R
R02: E A O M X T E F V
R03: 6, 8, 2, 50, 100, 75. Target: 750.
TTT: AREDMIST - "A red mist descended on me and I became this sort of person."
R04: N S H J O I A E P
R05: T Z R O U E S N R
R06: 10, 6, 3, 7, 50, 75. Target: 710.
R07: D M D O E I A N S
R08: E I O E K T G R L
R09: 8, 9, 4, 1, 50, 100. Target: 177.
TTT: REMOVEIT - "In the USA it's extended play, but here it's extended work."
R10: A I O E V N T G Y
R11: B M R O I A E L S
R12: I A E I C P Q S D
R13: L N P S O E U D T
R14: 4, 2, 10, 7, 100, 50. Target: 114.
R15: I T S M Y N O T E (conundrum)
And now a brief interlude before our main feature:
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Enjoy the show.
Round 1: R D T C E I O S R
Mark: DIRECTORS (18)
Mike: DIRECTORS (18)
OT: CREDITORS (18) RECORDIST (18)
Score: 18–18 (max 18)
What a start! The DIRECTORS will be loving this as both players get a 9 in the first round.
Round 2: E A O M X T E F V
Mark: EXEAT (5)
Mike: EXAM (4)
DC: EMOTE (5)
OT: FOVEAE (6)
Score: 23–18 (max 24)
Mike takes an EXAM for 4, but fails as Mark gets EXEAT for 5.
Round 3: 6, 8, 2, 50, 100, 75. Target: 750.
Mark: 750. (8+2) x 75 (10)
Mike: 750. (8+2) x 75 (10)
Score: 33–28 (max 34)
Both players score 10 points with 750.
Teatime teaser: AREDMIST -> MARDIEST
Round 4: N S H J O I A E P
Mark: PHONIES (7)
Mike: SHAPE (5)
Score: 40–28 (max 41)
Mike gets into SHAPE but it's not good enough to beat the PHONIES from Mark.
Round 5: T Z R O U E S N R
Mark: RETURNS (7)
Mike: ROUTERS (7)
DC: TROUSER (7) TONSURE (7)
OT: SNORTER (7) TOURERS (7) TURNERS (7) ZONURES (7)
Score: 47–35 (max 48)
Good RETURNS from the ROUTERS here as both players get 7.
Round 6: 10, 6, 3, 7, 50, 75. Target: 710.
Mark: 710. 75 - (10-6) x (7+3) (10)
Mike: -
Score: 57–35 (max 58)
Mark gets a perfect 10 with 710, but Mike doesn't get near it.
Louise Minchin talks about her career progress to a BBC journalist.
Round 7: D M D O E I A N S
Mark: ANODISED (8)
Mike: DEMANDS (7)
DC: DOMAINES (8)
OT: ADENOIDS (8) DIAMONDS (8)
Score: 65–35 (max 66)
Mike is making DEMANDS. It might be his only chance of winning, as Mark gets ANODISED to go a further 8 points ahead.
Round 8: E I O E K T G R L
Mark: LORIKEET (8)
Mike: TOILER (6)
DC: GOITRE (6) LOITER (6)
Score: 73–35 (max 74)
Mike is becoming a TOILER here as Mark gets LORIKEET for a further 8 points.
Round 9: 8, 9, 4, 1, 50, 100. Target: 177.
Mark: 177. (9x8) + 4 + 1 + 100 (10)
Mike: 177. (4-1) x 9 + 100 + 50 (10)
Score: 83–45 (max 84)
Both players get 10 with 177.
Teatime teaser: REMOVEIT -> OVERTIME
Round 10: A I O E V N T G Y
Mark: VINTAGE (7)
Mike: VETOING (7)
DC: VANITY (6)
OT: NAIVETY (7)
Score: 90–52 (max 91)
A VINTAGE performance from Mark as Mike tries VETOING him.
Round 11: B M R O I A E L S
Mark: MORALISE (8)
Mike: EMBROILS (8)
DC: BALMIER (7)
Score: 98–60 (max 99)
Mike EMBROILS himself in a battle as Mark gets MORALISE so both players score 8.
Susie talks about 'snook' as a past tense to 'sneak'.
Round 12: I A E I C P Q S D
Mark: SPICED (6)
Mike: SPACED (6)
OT: APICES (6) CAPSID (6)
Score: 104–66 (max 105)
Mark SPICED this round up, as Mike SPACED it out. Either way it's 6 a piece.
Round 13: L N P S O E U D T
Mark: OUTSPEND (8)
Mike: UNPOSED (7)
DC: SPOUTED (7)
OT: POSTLUDE (8)
Score: 112–66 (max 113)
Mike is UNPOSED as Mark seeks to OUTSPEND him in this round.
Round 14: 4, 2, 10, 7, 100, 50. Target: 114.
Mark: 114. 100 + 10 + 4 (10)
Mike: 114. (7x2) + 100 (10)
Score: 122–76 (max 123)
A very difficult numbers game
both players score another 10. Mark has dropped only 1 point in the first 14 rounds.Round 15: I T S M Y N O T E
Mike buzzes on 5 seconds to say TESTIMONY which is correct.
Final Score: 122–86 (max 133)
A brilliant conundrum spot from Mike, which was TESTIMONY to his ability. Too little too late though unfortunately.
So Mark gets his 7th win and is now on the verge of Octochampdom. He hasn't done it the easy way by any means. Each one of his wins have been hard earned with excellent performances. Will he complete the task on Monday? Andy McGurn will be here for that one, so be sure to join him. I'll be back next Friday and would be pleased to have you all in my company once again.
Thank you very much for reading, and have a very Happy Easter. Further summaries are at:
http://cdb.apterous.org/series.php?series=70
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