The last prelim of Series 72 is upon us, but first lets see who will be the holdover champion. Nick tells us its "Volunteers Week" and pays tribute to those who do work without getting paid.
C1: Champion James Judge (2 wins, 182 points.) A retired voluntary worker from Altrincham who often works with the SVP (St Vincent de Paul Society)
C2: Challenger Gerry Walker. A footware sales manager from Hampshire who once played a round of golf with the great Seve Ballesteros.
DC: Susie Dent and Gloria Hunniford.
RR: Rachel Riley.
OT: Other words or solutions.
R01: N A V T E J O S I
R02: F N H E A I D Q E
R03: 6, 4, 9, 9, 5, 100. Target: 168.
TTT: ONEMEDAL - "You won't get a medal for solving this, but you can have a drink"
R04: M R X I E I S M A
R05: L T E R D U P M E
R06: 7, 3, 9, 1, 25, 75. Target: 589.
R07: Z K L O U W E T O
R08: W C S A O A G T E
R09: 3, 4, 5, 7, 50, 75. Target: 190.
TTT: TAMPHELP - "Is this a small book of Ayres' poems"
R10: L D T U O A P L E
R11: D O C R V E S I D
R12: G S B U A O T N I
R13: R E D A G R I F L
R14: 1, 1, 4, 5, 25, 75. Target: 518.
R15: H E R D M I G N U (conundrum)
And now a brief interlude before our main feature:
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Enjoy the show.
Round 1: N A V T E J O S I
James: NOVATES (7)
Gerry: STONE (5)
DC: EVASION (7) VAINEST (7)
OT: ATONIES (7) NATIVES (7) TAJINES (7)
Score: 7–0 (max 7)
It's an old countdown favourite to start the day as James takes round 1
Round 2: F N H E A I D Q E
James: FINED (5)
Gerry: HEAD (4)
DC: DEFINE (6) DEAFEN (6)
OT: INFEED (6)
Score: 12–0 (max 13)
Gerry's still to get off the mark as James extends his lead, DC show us some of the 6s available
Round 3: 6, 4, 9, 9, 5, 100. Target: 168.
James: 167.
Gerry: 168. 6*9+9+5+100 (10)
Score: 12–10 (max 23)
Roles reversed here as Gerry gets off the mark and cuts the lead down to 2 points
Teatime teaser: ONEMEDAL -> LEMONADE
Round 4: M R X I E I S M A
James: SIMMER (6)
Gerry: MIXERS (6)
DC: MAXIMISE (8) MAXIMISER (18)
Score: 18–16 (max 41)
6s from the contestants but DC MAXIMIZE their efforts with a superb 9 and the first Darren of the game
Round 5: L T E R D U P M E
James: DUMPER (6)
Gerry: TRUMPED (7)
DC: DRUPELET (8)
OT: PERMUTED (8)
Score: 18–23 (max 49)
Gerry TRUMPED James's offering and takes the lead, while DC offer memories of the 30th Birthday Championship with DRUPELET
Round 6: 7, 3, 9, 1, 25, 75. Target: 589.
James: 590. (9-1)*75-(3+7) (7)
Gerry: -
RR: 589. (75+9)*7+1 (10)
Score: 25–23 (max 59)
Gerry blanks and James retakes the lead being 1 away. Rachel offers the correct solution
Gloria talks about how he can't use technology and tells a story I didn't entirely follow
Round 7: Z K L O U W E T O
James: TOWEL (5)
Gerry: TOWEL (5)
DC: OUZEL (5) OWLET (5)
OT: KLUTZ (5)
Score: 30–28 (max 64)
Our contestants TOWEL off 5 points each here, which turns out to be the max in a tough round
Round 8: W C S A O A G T E
James: GOATS (5)
Gerry: WASTAGE (7)
DC: STOWAGE (7)
OT: TOWAGES (7)
Score: 30–35 (max 71)
The lead keeps on changing today and Gerry retakes it here.
Round 9: 3, 4, 5, 7, 50, 75. Target: 190.
James: 190. 4*50-(3+7) (10)
Gerry: 190. 75*3-(7*5) (10)
Score: 40–45 (max 81)
Easy numbers game here, nothing special
Teatime teaser: TAMPHELP -> PAMPHLET
Round 10: L D T U O A P L E
James: PULLED (6)
Gerry: PLATED (6)
DC: POLLUTED (8)
Score: 46–51 (max 89)
James PULLED a 6 out of the bag while Gerry PLATED one up, but it's up to DC to give us the Darren
Round 11: D O C R V E S I D
James: DRIVES (6)
Gerry: DIVERS (6)
DC: DIVORCED (8) DISCOVER (8)
Score: 52–57 (max 97)
More 6s from the contestants but DC DISCOVER two 8s
OoW: Susie talks about bandy legs
Round 12: G S B U A O T N I
James: BOASTING (8)
Gerry: BASTION (7)
DC: GUNBOATS (8)
Score: 60–57 (max 105)
James will be BOASTING in this round as he retakes the lead
Round 13: R E D A G R I F L
James: larger (declared as 7)
Gerry: RIFLED (6)
DC: FRAGILE (7)
OT: FRAILER (7) GIRDLER (7) LARDIER (7)
Score: 60–63 (max 112)
OUCH! Gerry retakes the lead for himself as James misdeclares, DC wrap up with a 7 to confirm a max game for the corner
Round 14: 1, 1, 4, 5, 25, 75. Target: 518.
James: 518. (75+25+4)*5-(1+1) (10)
Gerry: 519.
Score: 70–63 (max 122)
This game just keeps on twisting and turning! James is spot on and takes a 7 point advantage going into the conundrum
Round 15: H E R D M I G N U
James buzzes on 23.5 seconds to say HUMDINGER which is correct.
Final Score: 80–63 (max 132)
It takes a while, but James gets the conundrum and confirms his victory in this exciting ding-dong battle. He will be back on the 15th June at the start of Series 73 when he will be up against some bloke called Rhys Benjamin, whoever he is
Gerry is sent back to Hampshire with Nick's best wishes and a goody bag, and Gloria says he has a touch of Jeremy Clarkson about him (apparantly Susie said it earlier) and Gloria suggests if he's hungry not to have the steak 
(I think this was filmed the day before JC was sacked by Auntie Beeb), and Nick tops it off by saying we're all going to enjoy the semis, prompting a giggle from Rachel. Join Robbo for Tom Cappleman v Gavin Woolnough. Good luck to all the finalists, and I will be back on Tuesday for Andy Noden v Kevin Steede. See you then.Further summaries are at:
http://cdb.apterous.org/series.php?series=72