On this day in 1973 English musician and Multi-Instrumentalist Mike Oldfield released his debut album Tubular Bells after being rejected by the major record labels, Richard Branson signed Mike Oldfield to his fledgling label Virgin Records which changed their fortunes forever and making them both very rich in the process. Sales were slow to begin with ........a lot of horror film fans will recognise this piece of music from the horror film The Exorcist that was released in the same year, this increased the popularity of Mike Oldfield and raised his profile as a musician and composer. This led to a surge of sales finally topping the UK album charts for 1 week dislodging by his own album Hergest Ridge, it eventually sold over 15M copies worldwide and it became one of the best selling albums of 1973. The following year it won a Grammy award for the best instrumental composition for it's creator Mike Oldfield, it has been used in various ad spots an orchestral version was released and a remastered version in 2003, it is a great album well worth a listen.
The debut album of Mike Oldfield that most UK households own.........that does include me !
The success of Tubular Bells led to Richard Branson forming his own airline company Virgin Atlantic in 1984 and is still going to this day, it will be celebrating it's 40th anniversary next year. One of his Virgin planes is named Tubular Belle
On this day in 1999 Manchester United won the treble which consisted of The Premier League ,FA Cup and the Champions league with Ole Gunnar Solskjaer scoring the famous goal against Bayern Munich, and Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson being knighted in the same year.
C1: Champion Ronan Higginson (6 wins, 776 points.)
C2: Challenger Andy Sheppard.
DC: Susie Dent and Vick Hope .
RR: Rachel Riley.
OT: Other words or solutions.
R01: N R T I E U I G R
R02: N R B A I A O S M
R03: 50, 6, 9, 5, 1, 7. Target: 104.
TTT: TEAMDUGIN - "The team dug in to pull off something of enormous proportions."
R04: N C G E A E L T U
R05: E O A N S R P E L
R06: 25, 50, 8, 1, 6, 5, . Target: 671.
R07: O E I T G T D E F
R08: W T X R J O A E L
R09: 50, 7, 10, 8, 7, 6, . Target: 363.
TTT: DENTSYEAR - "Susie spends most of the year enjoying this position."
R10: D N F T O A E I M
R11: L T H O E A E Z D
R12: H S T A I E S P G
R13: U O A I M S C S R
R14: 5, 6, 2, 8, 7, 4. Target: 751.
R15: M O I S T C U E S (conundrum)
And now a brief interlude before our main feature:
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Round 1: N R T I E U I G R
Ronan: INTRIGUER (18)
Andy: TRUEING (7)
DC: TRUEING (7) INTRIGUER (18)
Score: 18–0 (max 18)
What a cracking start from our Wonderkid Ronan........yes this was a 9 I spotted
Round 2: N R B A I A O S M
Ronan: AMBROSIAN (18)
Andy: BRAINS (6)
Score: 36–0 (max 36)
More brilliance from the boy Wonder Ronan with his second 9 Ambrosian....... this has earned him a flake.....you guessed it I spotted this !
Round 3: 50, 6, 9, 5, 1, 7. Target: 104.
C1: 104. 6 × 9 + 50 (10)
C2: 104. 6 × 9 + 50 (10)
Score: 46–10 (max 46)
Nice and Straightforward not too taxing solve.........but there was an LNAFP which I solved !
6+7=13
9-1=8
13*8=104
Teatime teaser: TEAMDUGIN -> MAGNITUDE
Round 4: N C G E A E L T U
Ronan: NUCLEATE (8)
Andy: UNCAGE (6)
Score: 54–10 (max 54)
Another piece of brilliance from wonderkid Ronan..........yes I did spot this !!!
Round 5: E O A N S R P E L
Ronan: ALPENROSE (18)
Andy: PLANERS (7)
Score: 72–10 (max 72)
Another cracking 9 from our champion Ronan......yes this was one I spotted !
Round 6: 25, 50, 8, 1, 6, 5. Target: 671.
C1: 671. (8 + 6) × 50 − 25 − (5 − 1) (10)
C2: 671. (8 + 6) × 50 − 25 − (5 − 1) (10)
Score: 82–20 (max 82)
Nice and Straightforward............not too taxing !
Round 7: O E I T G T D E F
Ronan: FIDGET (6)
Andy: dittoed
DC: FIDGET (6)
OT: FITTED (6) FOETID (6) GIFTED (6) GIFTEE (6) TIEFED (6)
Score: 88–20 (max 88)
LETS MOVE ON............6s all round which is rather unfortunate for Andy as he has 7 disallowed by Susie !
Round 8: W T X R J O A E L
Ronan: REJOLT (6)
Andy: TROWEL (6)
OT: WORTLE (6)
Score: 94–26 (max 94)
6s all round.........again not a lot to argue over !
Round 9: 50, 7, 10, 8, 7, 6. Target: 363.
C1: 363. 50 × 7 + 7 + 6 (10)
C2: 363. 50 × 7 + 7 + 6 (10)
Score: 104–36 (max 104)
PISS EZ........NEXT !!!!
Teatime teaser: DENTSYEAR -> SEDENTARY
Round 10: D N F T O A E I M
Ronan: DOMINATE (8)
Andy: FAINTED (7)
DC: DOMAINE (7) DOMINATE (8)
OT: NEMATOID (8)
Score: 112–36 (max 112)
More brilliance from Mr Higginson !
Round 11: L T H O E A E Z D
Ronan: LOATHED (7)
Andy: LOATHED (7)
OT: HAZELED (7) HEADLET (7) TEAZLED (7)
Score: 119–43 (max 119)
MOVING ON !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Round 12: H S T A I E S P G
Ronan: PASTIES (7)
Andy: PASTIES (7)
DC: GEISHAS (7)
OT: AGEISTS (7) APESHIT (7) APHESIS (7) PATESIS (7) PATSIES (7) PTISHES (7) SAITHES (7) SPATHES (7)
Score: 126–50 (max 126)
A rather foodie looking 7 from our contestants Pasties.....yum......yum......there were are a few 7s ......one of those I spotted was Apeshit.......the usual rudeness from our very own recap writer Tracey Mills
Round 13: U O A I M S C S R
Ronan: macrosis
Andy: MOSAICS (7)
OT: MARISCOS (8) MUSCARIS (8) SIMOSAUR (8)
Score: 126–57 (max 134)
This is something you don't see very often.........Ronan being beaten in a letters round with his 8 that was disallowed by Susie , Andy gets to score with his 7............but there are several 8s hidden away............ this can only mean one thing........ that Ronan's Max game is now off
Round 14: 5, 6, 2, 8, 7, 4. Target: 751.
C1: 750. (8 * 4 − 7) * 6 * 5 (7)
C2: -
Score: 133–57 (max 141)
Rachel says that 1 away is the best you can get......... but I got 752 which is 1 the other way
6*7=42
42+5=47
47*2=94
94*8=752
Round 15: M O I S T C U E S
C1 buzzes on 0.75 seconds to say CUSTOMISE which is correct.
Final Score: 143–57 (max 151)
Another cracking solve from Ronan and a 14 maxer ! take nothing away from Andy who had some good solves but were not enough to match the brilliance of Ronan ........57 points by no means is a respectable score......he will be happy with his goody bag and the countdown experience......join me again for the final installment of Ronan the wonderkid........and see if he can reach the dizzying heights of octo-champdom and becoming a member of the 1000 club.......in the meantime it is bye for now !
