That's mainly due to the fact that Huddersfield Town have decided to play on a Wednesday for once. So, me and Jack have switched yet again, meaning that I'm in control again this Tuesday.
So, let's enjoy.
Countdown recap for Tuesday 29 January 2013.
C1: Series 65 Semi-Finalist Paul Keane (10 games, 9 wins, 911 points.) An forumite and accountant from London. His favourite book is The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien.
C2: Series 60 Semi-Finalist Neil Zussman (10 games, 9 wins, 928 points.) An Apteforumite and data analyst from Halifax, West Yorkshire. He has been to the World SuDoku Championships and has finished in the top 10, making him the best Brit at these championships. One of his burning desires is to be the next Nick Hewer, in terms of being the host of Countdown. (Get in line, mate
)DC: Susie Dent and Mark Foster.
RR: Rachel Riley.
OT: Other words or solutions.
R01: T D L I A U N S E
R02: G O Y S I F A N Q
R03: M T E A G P O T D
R04: S I N M E P U R C
R05: 75, 7, 3, 10, 10, 4. Target: 733.
TTT: ASKBASIN - "Did someone put graffiti over these Australian shrubs?"
R06: N E V R O G E S D
R07: B S Z U A A R N E
R08: C A P R O L E I E
R09: D A E N T U F C R
R10: 75, 25, 50, 6, 7, 6. Target: 960.
TTT: LIKEDSEA - "He liked the sea, but this location was even better"
R11: N D T E I O R T E
R12: S I L V U R A M X
R13: T W J R O A I S D
R14: 75, 100, 25, 5, 9, 6. Target: 142.
R15: R A N K R O M E O (conundrum)
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Enjoy the show.
Round 1: T D L I A U N S E
C1: UNSALTED (8)
C2: UNLISTED (8)
DC: INSULATED (18)
Score: 8–8 (max 18)
Two UN-8's to start with today, but DC seem to be on fire early on with their INSULATED 9.
Round 2: G O Y S I F A N Q
C1: SAYING (6)
C2: SAYING (6)
DC: GASIFY (6)
OT: GONIFS (6) NGAIOS (6)
Score: 14–14 (max 24)
Only 6's here, I'm just SAYING.
A GONIF (or GANEF) is a thief, swindler, crook, or rascal.
Round 3: M T E A G P O T D
C1: POTAGE (6)
C2: potaged
DC: POTTAGE (7)
Score: 20–14 (max 31)
Oh dear, oh dear, oh dear. Paul actually says "POTTAGE" in his 6, which is of course the French sounding word, POTAGE, while Neil tries to stick a D to the end of the French word, which won't do, leaving Susie to explain that saying POTTAGE in the English way will make you 7 points better off.
Round 4: S I N M E P U R C
C1: UMPIRES (7)
C2: PRINCES (7)
DC: PUMICES (7) MINCERS (7)
OT: MURICES (7) NUMERIC (7) PINCERS (7) PURINES (7) UPRISEN (7)
Score: 27–21 (max 38)
Flatness all round in round 7 reverts back to normality.
A MUREX (plural MURICES) is any marine gastropod of the genus Murex, common in tropical seas, certain species of which yield the royal purple dye valued by the ancients.
A PURINE is a white, crystalline compound, C5H4N4, from which is derived a group of compounds including uric acid, xanthine, and caffeine.
Round 5: 75, 7, 3, 10, 10, 4. Target: 733.
C1: 733. (75 x 10) - 10 - 7 (10)
C2: 733. (75 x 10) - 10 - 7 (10)
Score: 37–31 (max 48)
An interesting prelude to the numbers, as Nick asks Paul to pick the numbers as Rachel is expectant...............
She quickly dispels that theory, although the person who sorts out the numbers probably needs a ticking off for sticking BOTH tens on the tray upside down............. Mark talks about his protege, James O'Shea, who he mentioned on his last trip to the studios, who came 4th in the Paralympics, and the charismatic Bert Le Clos, the father of gold medallist Chad Le Clos, who was so overjoyed at seeing his son win the gold.
Teatime teaser: ASKBASIN -> BANKSIAS
Round 6: N E V R O G E S D
C1: GOVERNED (8)
C2: ENDORSE (7)
Score: 45–31 (max 56)
Paul takes a commanding lead thanks to his GOVERNED approach.
Round 7: B S Z U A A R N E
C1: ABUSER (6)
C2: BRAZEN (6)
DC: urbanes URBANE (6)
OT: BAUERAS (7) BRAZENS (7) ZAREBAS (7)
Score: 51–37 (max 63)
Hmmm, interesting safety play by Neil, sticking with BRAZEN, and rightly not going for urbanes, yet no-one in the studio thinks about sticking the S onto BRAZEN..........
In Sudan, a ZAREBA is a protective enclosure, as of thorn bushes.
Round 8: C A P R O L E I E
C1: PAROLEE (7)
C2: CARIOLE (7)
DC: CAPRIOLE (8)
Score: 58–44 (max 71)
Oh dear, Neil's got getting the run of the green with these extra letters, as he could've stuck the P in his CARIOLE for a darrenic CAPRIOLE.
Round 9: D A E N T U F C R
C1: CENTAUR (7)
C2: UNDERACT (8)
DC: TRANCED (7)
OT: FURCATED (8) UNCRATED (8) UNTRACED (8)
Score: 58–52 (max 79)
But, he's finally got some luck at last with his 8 here.
Susie's Origins of Words talks about the origins of the phrase "to burn one's boat or bridges".
Round 10: 75, 25, 50, 6, 7, 6. Target: 960.
C1: 963. ((7 + 6) x 75) - ((50 / 25) x 6) (7)
C2: 963. ((7 + 6) x 75) - ((50 / 25) x 6) (7)
RR: 960. (75 + 7 - (50 / 25)) x (6 + 6) (10)
Score: 65–59 (max 89)
Taking a break from his 6 small selections that were very frequent during his previous stint on the show, we have a nasty looking 3 large on show, and the fact that our contestants are both 3 away proves it
But, well done to Rach for showing us how it's done. Teatime teaser: LIKEDSEA -> LAKESIDE
Round 11: N D T E I O R T E
C1: intent
C2: DOTTIER (7)
DC: ORIENTED (8)
Score: 65–66 (max 97)
Paul just completely loses it here with just a 6, which even uses a phantom letter, giving Neil his first lead of the day.
Round 12: S I L V U R A M X
C1: RIVALS (6)
C2: MURALS (6)
OT: MAULVIS (7)
Score: 71–72 (max 104)
Both contestants seem to want to take risks, but both stay safe on 6, although we don't hear what Neil would've gone with, Paul's choice of valiums would've definitely been a step too far.
Round 13: T W J R O A I S D
C1: RATIOS (6)
C2: ASTROID (7)
DC: TOWARDS (7)
Score: 71–79 (max 111)
The mathematical mind of Neil comes up with a shooting star of a 7 in ASTROID, but this game is far from over yet, as the gap is still only in single figures.............
Round 14: 75, 100, 25, 5, 9, 6. Target: 142.
C1: 142. (9 x 5) + 100 - (75 / 25) (10)
C2: 142. 100 + 75 - 25 - (9 - (6 - 5)) (10)
Score: 81–89 (max 121)
Another 3 large is selected and while the target is low, the 2 solutions provided by the contestants are just about as different as they could be.
So, another crucial conundrum match here. Just the way, uh huh, uh huh, we like it.
Round 15: R A N K R O M E O
C2 buzzes on 1 second to say MOONRAKER which is correct.
Final Score: 81–99 (max 131)
Wahey, a nice Bond flavour to today's conundrum, although Neil does get it in quicker than 007 seconds.
So, Neil has completed a very impressive comeback, after seeming like he was gonna be stuck behind Paul for the rest of the game at the halfway point, but Paul seemingly seemed to collapse, only scoring in 1 of the last 4 letters rounds, letting Neil take full advantage.
Neil won't have to wait long to find out his next opponent, as that will be revealed tomorrow in the next game between Series 44 semi-finalist David Hoskisson and Series 13 semi-finalist Mike Whiteoak. Jack will give you the recap for that tomorrow, while I brave the cold at the John Smith's Stadium.
I'll be back on Thursday for the eagerly anticipated "Battle of the Recappers" between the champions of Series 65 and 66, Graeme Cole and Jack Worsley.
So, till then, bye bye.
Statistics Corner
Paul:
Total score - 81
Raw score - 94
Total % of max - 62
Raw % of max - 72
Total average score per round - 5.4
Raw average score per round - 6.3
Number of maxes - 5
Neil:
Total score - 99
Raw score - 106
Total % of max - 76
Raw % of max - 81
Total average score per round - 6.6
Raw average score per round - 7.1
Number of maxes - 7
Further summaries are at:
http://www.apterous.org/cdb/series.php?series=-16