Hello Countdowners, long time, no recap from me. However, Tracey is busy with something, so I've agreed to stand in for her.
Today is the 70th anniversary of the Hiroshima bombing and Nick opens by talking about it.
C1: Champion Stephen Briggs (6 wins, 648 points) has produced some splendid performances so far. He defeated apterite Liam Moloney at the start of his run and is two wins away from becoming an octochamp.
C2: Challenger Grant Weaver is a submariner in the Royal Navy. He supports Liverpool FC, despite living in Egremont, Cumbria. His son once threw a baby grow at Prince William when he and the Duchess visited.
DC: Susie Dent and Gethin Jones.
RR: Rachel Riley.
OT: Other words or solutions.
R01: Y T W O A I G T I
R02: D E L A J U L A N
R03: 75, 5, 7, 1, 8, 9. Target: 199.
TTT: TEDSFREE - "The famous uncle deteriorated quite badly."
R04: D E S E W O B U D
R05: R P T E A E P M I
R06: 75, 6, 3, 2, 10, 9. Target: 634.
R07: R S R I E U L F O
R08: Q E T U C A T O R
R09: 75, 9, 7, 10, 9, 2. Target: 248.
TTT: ROCKDUNE - "The wine was open and the taste wasn't tainted."
R10: S U P O M I O N S
R11: Z S N I A O R S E
R12: T I R O M O L I R
R13: P D T E I A H L E
R14: 100, 3, 5, 6, 4, 7. Target: 510.
R15: F C D O O R M E N (conundrum)
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Enjoy the show.
Round 1: Y T W O A I G T I
Stephen: WAIT (4)
Grant: GOAT (4)
DC: GOATY (5)
OT: GOTTA (5) TOWAI (5) WITTY (5)
Score: 4–4 (max 5)
A tricky start, with the contestants settling for fours and missing the fives.
Round 2: D E L A J U L A N
Stephen: LADEN (5)
Grant: LADEN (5)
DC: ALLUDE (6) LANDAU (6)
OT: ALUDEL (6) ALULAE (6) JANDAL (6) NULLED (6) UNLADE (6)
Score: 9–9 (max 11)
Another difficult round and again it's honours even, and again DC can go one better.
Round 3: 75, 5, 7, 1, 8, 9. Target: 199.
Stephen: 199. (75 - 9) x (8 - 5) + 1 (10)
Grant: -
Score: 19–9 (max 21)
Stephen takes the lead with a perfect solve, as we head for the first break.
Teatime teaser: TEDSFREE -> FESTERED
Round 4: D E S E W O B U D
Stephen: DOWSED (6)
Grant: SEWED (5)
DC: BOWED (5) BODES (5) BEDEWS (6)
OT: DOUSED (6) DWEEBS (6) EDDOES (6)
Score: 25–9 (max 27)
The champ immediately extends his lead but the letters aren't being very fruitful so far.
Round 5: R P T E A E P M I
Stephen: PRIMATE (7)
Grant: REPEAT (6)
DC: REPEAT (6) MEATIER (7) PERIAPT (7)
OT: MAPEPIRE (8)
Score: 32–9 (max 35)
Stephen somehow thinks PRIMATE is risky, despite how often it's offered on Countdown but he needn't have worried. After a slow start by his standards, he is bossing the game now. Everyone stays away from the MAPEPIRE, which is probably for the best as it's a venomous snake.
Round 6: 75, 6, 3, 2, 10, 9. Target: 634.
Stephen: 634. (75 - 3 - 2) x 9 + 10 - 6 (10)
Grant: 634. (75 - 9 - 3) x 10 + 6 - 2 (10)
Score: 42–19 (max 45)
Grant rediscovers his scoring touch.
Gethin talks about his parents struggling with modern technology. His mum once phoned him to ask where the “any key” was, as that's what she had to press. That reminds me of this classic moment from The Simpsons: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WubRUEf6W9o
Round 7: R S R I E U L F O
Stephen: FLURRIES (8)
Grant: FLURRIES (8)
DC: FLOURIER (8)
Score: 50–27 (max 53)
A flurry of eights - well, two but they're both spotted.
Round 8: Q E T U C A T O R
Stephen: TORQUE (6)
Grant: CURATE (6)
DC: EQUATOR (7) CROQUET (7) QUARTET (7)
OT: OUTRACE (7) QUORATE (7) RACQUET (7)
Score: 56–33 (max 60)
Just sixes for the contestants, while DC find half of the sevens.
Round 9: 75, 9, 7, 10, 9, 2. Target: 248.
Stephen: 246. (9 + 7) x 10 + 75 + 9 + 2 (7)
Grant: -
RR: 248. (9 + 9) x 10 - 7 + 75 (10)
Score: 63–33 (max 70)
Not an easy one at all and Grant can't get close. Stephen initially declares 236, which is out of scoring range, before quickly correcting himself and picking up another seven points. He's now already scored more than an entire team of Aussie batsmen.
Teatime teaser: ROCKDUNE -> UNCORKED
Round 10: S U P O M I O N S
Stephen: POISONS (7)
Grant: SPOONS (6)
DC: supomions SPUMONIS (8)
Score: 70–33 (max 78)
Another seven points for the champion. Gethin makes a valiant attempt at a “tnetennba”, while Susie spots the only eight, and a good one it is. It's an ice cream, apparently.
Round 11: Z S N I A O R S E
Stephen: REASONS (7)
Grant: SONAR (5)
DC: SENIORS (7)
OT: SENSORIA (8)
Score: 77–33 (max 86)
Stephen has plenty of REASONS to be happy, as another beater leaves him on the verge of win number seven. There was an eight hiding, though.
OoW: Susie mentions a few American words which originated in Britain, many from Elizabethan English.
Round 12: T I R O M O L I R
Stephen: LIMIT (5)
Grant: MOTOR (5)
OT: MOLTO (5) MOOLI (5) ROTOR (5) TORII (5)
Score: 82–38 (max 91)
Five's the LIMIT in this round, unfortunately not for the first time today.
Round 13: P D T E I A H L E
Stephen: EPILATED (8)
Grant: PATH (4)
DC: DEALT (5) HATED (5) PLAITED (7) PLEATED (7)
OT: DEPILATE (8)
Score: 90–38 (max 99)
A good spot by Stephen to round off the letters, while Grant fails to keep his hair on.
Round 14: 100, 3, 5, 6, 4, 7. Target: 510.
Stephen: 510. 5 x 100 + 6 + 4 (10)
Grant: 510. 5 x 100 + 3 + 7 (10)
Score: 100–48 (max 109)
An easy ten points for both players, which brings up Stephen's fifth century.
Round 15: F C D O O R M E N
Stephen buzzes on 3 seconds to say CONFORMED which is correct.
Final Score: 110–48 (max 119)
Another performance of authority sees him become the new number one seed, displacing Judy Bursford. He has accumulated a staggering 155 points more than her, despite having played a game fewer. He'll want to follow it up by becoming the first octochamp of Series 73 tomorrow. Join Anthony to find out whether he'll manage it. When I'll next be recapping is anyone's guess but hopefully see you again before too long.
Further summaries are at:
http://cdb.apterous.org/series.php?series=73
