One of the best action films of the 1980s and my Christmas Eve tradition Die Hard.................Bruce Willis portrays the hero policeman John McClane who saves the Nakatomi hostages...................Bruce Willis has stated in numerous interviews that Die Hard is not a Christmas film............make up your own minds whether you think Die Hard is a Christmas film or not
A still from the Home Alone franchise it's main character Kevin McAllister who ends up getting left behind by his parents and bullied by his siblings.............he enjoys taking down the bad guys Marv and Harry aka the wet bandits in the first film and the sticky bandits in the second film.
A bit of family festive fun that melts your heart and brings out the big kid out in you........... The Snowman from 1982 that was based on the 1978 picture book by Raymond Briggs that was an instant hit in 1982 a month after Channel 4 launched
C1: Champion Chris "The Widnes Wordsmith " Kirby (9 wins, 976 points.)
C2: Champion David " The Colne Crusher " Roe (9 wins, 906 points.)
DC: Susie Dent and Christopher Biggins.
RR: Rachel Riley.
OT: Other words or solutions.
R01: M A P E S O H T R
R02: B F G V U E O W S
R03: 75, 4, 8, 9, 10, 8, . Target: 106.
TTT: INKBARGE - "News just in; his heart's in pieces."
R04: T W S E I E N Q L
R05: Y A S I P U R N G
R06: 1, 10, 8, 5, 7, 6. Target: 250.
R07: L O R A T I S R T
R08: G U X O C E D I M
R09: 100, 10, 5, 1, 2, 8. Target: 957.
TTT: REDFIRST - "After a lot of moving around, they settle under the boardwalk"
R10: N O K L E P A R S
R11: J U T A D E H T N
R12: T O E I N S A C B
R13: P O L E T O V M G
R14: 4, 6, 5, 1, 5, 3. Target: 964.
R15: T I N M A N L O G (conundrum)
And now a brief interlude before our main feature:
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Enjoy the show.
Round 1: M A P E S O H T R
Chris: TAMPERS (7)
David: MOTHERS (7)
DC: METAPHORS (18)
Score: 7–7 (max 18)
Sevens all round from our semi-finalists.............over DC they get to steal the show with their 9 Metaphors............this was what our recap writer spotted..........she is better known as the crazy cat lady !
Round 2: B F G V U E O W S
Chris: BEFOGS (6)
David: BEFOGS (6)
DC: VOGUES (6)
OT: SOWBUG (6)
Score: 13–13 (max 24)
Moving on...............
Round 3: 75, 4, 8, 9, 10, 8. Target: 106.
C1: 106. (8 + 4) × 9 – (10 – 8) (10)
C2: 106. (8 × 4) + 75 – (10 – 9) (10)
Score: 23–23 (max 34)
Nice and Straightfoward from our Semi finalists............I like the method that Chris has used otherwise known as LNAFP
Teatime teaser: INKBARGE -> BREAKING
Round 4: T W S E I E N Q L
Chris: TENSILE (7)
David: TWINES (6)
DC: TINSEL (6)
OT: LENITES (7) LISENTE (7)
Score: 30–23 (max 41)
A fantastic 7 from Chris that gives him the lead for the first time in this rather tight contest
Round 5: Y A S I P U R N G
Chris: SPRAYING (8)
David: SPRAYING (8)
DC: SPRAYING (8) PARSING (7)
Score: 38–31 (max 49)
This is top drawer stuff.............eights all round...........what else did you expect from our semi finalists
Round 6: 1, 10, 8, 5, 7, 6. Target: 250.
C1: 250. (5 × 10) × (6 – 1) (10)
C2: 250. (5 × 10) × (6 – 1) (10)
Score: 48–41 (max 59)
A piece of piss this numbers game...........let's move on for now
Round 7: L O R A T I S R T
Chris: TRAITORS (8)
David: TRAITS (6)
DC: lora TRAITORS (8)
Score: 56–41 (max 67)
Another fine round from our top seed Chris.............he is building up his points nicely
Round 8: G U X O C E D I M
Chris: MUCOID (6)
David: MIXED (5)
DC: MEDICO (6)
OT: GEODIC (6)
Score: 62–41 (max 73)
Next Please
Round 9: 100, 10, 5, 1, 2, 8. Target: 957.
C1: 957. (100 – 5) × 10 + 8 – 1 (10)
C2: 957. (100 – 5) × 10 + 8 – 1 (10)
Score: 72–51 (max 83)
Another easy one for our semi-finalists............can we move on
Teatime teaser: REDFIRST -> DRIFTERS
Round 10: N O K L E P A R S
Chris: PERSONAL (8)
David: plankers
DC: PLONKERS (8)
OT: PSORALEN (8)
Score: 80–51 (max 91)
This time it's Personal for our No1 seed Chris as he scores with his eight..............sadly Susie disallows David's eight as it is invalid..........over in DC they are a pair of 42 carat Plonkers which is their eight and mine too !
Round 11: J U T A D E H T N
Chris: HAUNTED (7)
David: JAUNTED (7)
DC: TAUNTED (7) JAUNTED (7) HAUNTED (7)
OT: ATTUNED (7)
Score: 87–58 (max 98)
Sevens all round............................can we move along please
Round 12: T O E I N S A C B
Chris: CABINETS (8)
David: CABINETS (8)
DC: BOTANISE (8)
OT: ACONITES (8) BASCINET (8) CANOEIST (8) ICEBOATS (8) OBEISANT (8) SONICATE (8)
Score: 95–66 (max 106)
Eights all round............nothing to argue over.............so let's play nicely
Round 13: P O L E T O V M G
Chris: POMELO (6)
David: POOTLE (6)
DC: POOTLE (6)
Score: 101–72 (max 112)
Next Please
Round 14: 4, 6, 5, 1, 5, 3. Target: 964.
C1: -
C2: 964. ((3 + 5) × 5 × 6 + 1) × 4 (10)
Score: 101–82 (max 122)
A fantastic solve from our fourth seed David................sadly it is not enough to save him...........and for him it is game over
Round 15: T I N M A N L O G
No one buzzes. The answer was LAMINGTON.
Final Score: 101–82 (max 132)
Neither semi finalist solves this difficult conundrum............not even our recap writer can solve it , firstly congratulations to our top seed Chris for making into the grand final on Friday where he will await the winner of Fiona Wood or Terence Newnham that will be on our screens tomorrow..........secondly take nothing away from David his performances have been fantastic throughout his numbers spots were superb........he can hold his head up high and be proud of what he has achieved in his countdown career............join me for the second semi final recap.........in the meantime it is bye for now.
