Hope you enjoy.
Countdown recap for Wednesday 10 December 2014.
C1: #1 Seed Dan "The Kineton Kolossus" McColm (8 wins, 942 points.) An Apteforumite and student from Kineton, Warwickshire, but is currently studying Linguistics at Edinburgh University.
C2: #8 Seed Paul "The Blackpool Behemoth" Worsley (6 wins, 647 points.) An Apteforumite and pharmacist from Blackpool, Lancashire. He'll be hoping to emulate his son, Jack, the champion of Series 66.
DC: Susie Dent and Arlene Phillips.
RR: Rachel Riley.
OT: Other words or solutions.
R01: J D S E A E T F R
R02: T L R I E O D S U
R03: 75, 25, 50, 100, 5, 7. Target: 923.
TTT: STEAMSIN - "Do they say prayers before they're about to eat?"
R04: N P V E I E R M A
R05: X K M U I E N S H
R06: 50, 9, 3, 8, 3, 8. Target: 587.
R07: R Y S O E O T S M
R08: Q D R I E O Z R A
R09: 100, 5, 9, 6, 10, 2. Target: 143.
TTT: RUEVOTER - "Is it time for some music just before 6:15pm?"
R10: L M T I I A H P A
R11: R L G E A E C O R
R12: T W F I A O T D A
R13: G L B O A O S T L
R14: 100, 3, 2, 1, 7, 6. Target: 216.
R15: G R U N T O N C E (conundrum)
And now a brief interlude before our main feature:
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Enjoy the show.
Round 1: J D S E A E T F R
Dan: DRAFTEES (8)
Paul: FEASTED (7)
DC: DEFEATS (7)
Score: 8–0 (max 8)
A "Bent" start for Dan, if you follow my lead from yesterday's recap from the lovely Jen.
Round 2: T L R I E O D S U
Dan: OUTLIERS (8)
Paul: OUTLIERS (8)
DC: DUSTER (6) TEDIOUS (7) LUSTIER (7) STUDLIER (8)
OT: DILUTERS (8) OUTRIDES (8) OUTSIDER (8) SOLITUDE (8)
Score: 16–8 (max 16)
A nice and simple round gets Paul off the mark too.
Round 3: 75, 25, 50, 100, 5, 7. Target: 923.
Dan: 925. ((100 + 75) x 5) + 50 (7)
Paul: 925. Mistake in working.
RR: 923. ((7 + 5) x 75) + 25 - (100 / 50) (10)
Score: 23–8 (max 26)
Oh dear, oh dear all round. Both only get 2 away, but Paul messes up his method, and rather than fudging, he nobly concedes to Dan, while both of them (and me too, in honesty) miss the straightforward method, shown by Rachel.
Teatime teaser: STEAMSIN -> MANTISES
Round 4: N P V E I E R M A
Dan: PEAVINE (7)
Paul: VERMIAN (7)
DC: VAINER (6) EPIMERA (7)
OT: PERINEA (7) VAMPIER (7) VAMPIRE (7)
Score: 30–15 (max 33)
That's more like it, two exceptional 7's, by 2 exceptional contestants.
The PERINEUM (plural PERINEA) is the area between the anus and the scrotum or vulva.
Round 5: X K M U I E N S H
Dan: INHUMES (7)
Paul: MINXES (6)
DC: HUSK (4) NEXUS (5)
Score: 37–15 (max 40)
Another fantastic "Bent" from Dan, and he's now already over 20 points clear.
Round 6: 50, 9, 3, 8, 3, 8. Target: 587.
Dan: 587. ((9 + 3) x 50) - (8 + 8 - 3) (10)
Paul: 588.
Score: 47–15 (max 50)
And another 10 leaves Paul cursing himself, I'm sure..........
Arlene talks about her new show, Brazouka, which debuted at the Edinburgh Fringe this summer.
Round 7: R Y S O E O T S M
Dan: STOREYS (7)
Paul: STOREYS (7)
DC: STORMY (6)
OT: MOTSERS (7) OYSTERS (7)
Score: 54–22 (max 57)
Have I got some STOREYS to tell you
(No, cos it's not that type of STORY. 
)In Australia, a MOTSER is a large sum of money, especially as won in gambling.
Round 8: Q D R I E O Z R A
Dan: RAZORED (7)
Paul: ROADIE (6)
Score: 61–22 (max 64)
As sharp as ever, even when he goes "Bent" is our Dan.
Round 9: 100, 5, 9, 6, 10, 2. Target: 143.
Dan: 143. (9 x 5) + 100 - 2 (10)
Paul: 143. (9 x 5) + 100 - 2 (10)
Score: 71–32 (max 74)
Nice and simple for both this time.
Teatime teaser: RUEVOTER -> OVERTURE
Round 10: L M T I I A H P A
Dan: MITHAI (6)
Paul: LIMIT (5)
DC: PHIAL (5) IMPALA (6)
OT: THALAMI (7) TILAPIA (7)
Score: 77–32 (max 81)
Another beautiful word from Dan, but his letters max game comes to an end, as both he and DC miss the pair of 7's.
A THALAMUS (plural THALAMI) is either of two masses of grey matter lying between the cerebral hemispheres on either side of the third ventricle, relaying sensory information and acting as a centre for pain perception.
A TILAPIA is an African freshwater cichlid fish that has been widely introduced to many areas for food, such as St Peter’s fish. (Tilapia and related genera, family Cichlidae)
Round 11: R L G E A E C O R
Dan: AEROGEL (7)
Paul: AEROGEL (7)
DC: CLEARER (7) RACEGOER (8)
Score: 84–39 (max 89)
A super double spot of AEROGEL by our finalists, but DC want to go "Bent" this time, and gladly do with a brilliant 8.
Susie's Origins of Words talks about the origins of "hitch-hiking".
Round 12: T W F I A O T D A
Dan: TOWAI (5)
Paul: TOWAI (5)
DC: AWAIT (5)
OT: DITTO (5) FATWA (5) TAFIA (5)
Score: 89–44 (max 94)
TOWAI!!!, well at least it's not TOWIE. Anything is better than that
A TAFIA is a drink similar to rum, distilled from molasses or waste from the production of brown sugar.
Round 13: G L B O A O S T L
Dan: logboats
Paul: GLOBAL (6)
DC: BOAST (5) BALLOTS (7)
OT: GALOOTS (7) LOBOLAS (7)
Score: 89–50 (max 101)
The game is already won for Dan, so he tries an interesting idea for a 8, and while it doesn't work, it was still a decent try.
In North America and Scotland, a GALOOT is a clumsy or stupid person (often as a term of abuse).
Among southern African peoples, a LOBOLA is a bride price, traditionally one paid with cattle.
Round 14: 100, 3, 2, 1, 7, 6. Target: 216.
Dan: 216. (100 + 1 + 7) x 2 (10)
Paul: 216. (100 + 1 + 7) x 2 (10)
Score: 99–60 (max 111)
Simple numbers once more, and now Dan is in for a chance of an 8th century................
Round 15: G R U N T O N C E
Dan buzzes on 1.5 seconds to say CONGRUENT which is correct.
Final Score: 109–60 (max 121)
With a flip, buzz and gasp in awe, Dan solves the conundrum in super-quick time.
Paul gave a good account of himself, but after falling behind early, he had an uphill challenge to get back in, and Dan wasn't going to give it back in a hurry. So, no father/son series champions in the Worsley household, but as Rachel says at the end, "maybe you should get your daughter on the show".
You could tell Dan was happy and relieved about his win, as he fist pumps into the darkness, and Dan now has a week off before his semi-final, which will be against either the #4 seed, Mark "The Widnes Warlord" Davies and the #5 seed, George "The Whittlesey Warrior" Ford.
I'll be back tomorrow for the second quarter-final between the #2 seed, Antoinette "The Nenagh Nutcracker" Ryan and the #7 seed, David "The Stockport Survivor" Stanford.
So, till then, bye for now.
Statistics Corner
Dan:
Total score - 109
Raw score - 109
Total % of max - 90
Raw % of max - 90
Total average score per round - 7.3
Raw average score per round - 7.3
Number of maxes - 11
Paul:
Total score - 60
Raw score - 91
Total % of max - 50
Raw % of max - 75
Total average score per round - 4.0
Raw average score per round - 6.1
Number of maxes - 6
Further summaries are at:
http://cdb.apterous.org/series.php?series=71
