Hello again, since I swapped with Robbo this week, I will be supplying today's recap, sorry to disappoint you all.
At least we have a high quality apterite in the challenger's chair to cheer you up. 
C1: Champion Rory Coleman (3 wins, 264 points.) A semi-professional footballer, yesterday he overturned a 26-point deficit in the last three rounds, a countdown record, to see off apterite Graham Harrison. He has another apterite to deal with today.
C2: Challenger Zarte Siempre. An apte-forumite, whose name is of Spanish origin. It basically means "strive always", which is a good sign for someone appearing on this show. Let's see if he'll strive for victory today.
DC: Susie Dent and Jon Culshaw.
RR: Rachel Riley.
OT: Other words or solutions.
R01: T S W S A O A E V
R02: M T D U I A N S E
R03: 75, 3, 8, 5, 6, 2. Target: 197.
TTT: VETREELS - "They sound like fake cow skin, but they're real hairs"
R04: T P M O A E L Q M
R05: R B L I R N A E L
R06: 50, 100, 75, 8, 1, 10. Target: 918.
R07: A P F S U I R N A
R08: V H T S O E I G U
R09: 100, 6, 9, 3, 4, 10. Target: 990.
TTT: SOURDOWN - "You'll be anything but sour and down if you feel like this"
R10: D J F O I E T O G
R11: N R T A S G I E M
R12: N S D S I O E U O
R13: R L R I A O N P E
R14: 50, 100, 6, 3, 9, 1. Target: 550.
R15: E V I L P A D R E (conundrum)
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Round 1: T S W S A O A E V
C1: SWEATS (6)
C2: STOVES (6)
DC: WASTES (6) STAVES (6)
OT: OVATES (6) SAVATE (6) TAWSES (6) VESTAS (6)
Score: 6–6 (max 6)
A nice flat start.
Round 2: M T D U I A N S E
C1: STADIUM (7)
C2: MINUTES (7)
DC: MEDUSA (6) MISDATE (7) MEDIANTS (8)
Score: 13–13 (max 14)
Again the points are shared but DC get the darrenic musical eight.
Round 3: 75, 3, 8, 5, 6, 2. Target: 197.
C1: 198.
C2: 197. (75 - 8) x 3 - (6 - 2) (10)
Score: 13–23 (max 24)
Zarte makes the breakthrough by spotting one of the numerous methods for this numbers game.
Teatime teaser: VETREELS -> LEVERETS
Round 4: T P M O A E L Q M
C1: PLATE (5)
C2: PLEAT (5)
DC: MOTEL (5) POMMEL (6)
OT: PELOTA (6)
Score: 18–28 (max 30)
Not much on offer here, with just a couple of sixes available.
PELOTA is a game of Spanish and Basque origin played in a court with a ball and rackets. It can also refer to the ball used in this game.
Round 5: R B L I R N A E L
C1: LIBERAL (7)
C2: LINEAR (6)
DC: RALLIER (7)
OT: BRILLER (7)
Score: 25–28 (max 37)
Rory cuts the deficit to just three points with this good spot. Zarte said he's stick with a six, even though Rory declared first; I wonder if he was thinking of BRAINER^? If that's the case, then well left.
Round 6: 50, 100, 75, 8, 1, 10. Target: 918.
C1: 920.
C2: 918. 100 x 10 - 75 - 8 + 1 (10)
Score: 25–38 (max 47)
Zarte responds with a selection of three large. There don't seem to be many three large specialists around but on this one, you don't really need to be, when you spot the way, that is. Zarte does and Rory doesn't so the former extends his lead.
Jon demonstrates a cookery book for the working class written by Queen Victoria's chief cook in 1852.
Round 7: A P F S U I R N A
C1: ASPRIN X
C2: FUSARIA (7)
DC: FARINAS (7)
OT: SAURIAN (7)
Score: 25–45 (max 54)
A super spot by Zarte, who is looking like strong favourite for this game already, not that Rory's any stranger to this position. FUSARIUM (plural FUSARIA or FUSARIUMS) is a mould of a large genus which includes a number that cause plant diseases, particularly wilting.
Round 8: V H T S O E I G U
C1: VOGUES (6)
C2: OUTIES (6)
DC: TOUGHIES (8)
Score: 31–51 (max 62)
There have been some TOUGHIES in terms of letters selections today and appropriately, the word makes an appearance as a darren here. Unfortunately, neither player spots it.
Round 9: 100, 6, 9, 3, 4, 10. Target: 990.
C1: 990. 100 x 10 - 6 - 4 (10)
C2: 990. (100 + 10) x 9 (10)
Score: 41–61 (max 72)
Moving on.
Teatime teaser: SOURDOWN -> WONDROUS
Round 10: D J F O I E T O G
C1: FOOTIED X
C2: FOOTED (6)
DC: FOODIE (6) GOOFED (6)
OT: FIDGET (6) FOETID (6) FOOTIE (6) GIFTED (6) GOODIE (6)
Score: 41–67 (max 78)
You can't blame Rory for having a go but he was clutching at straws a bit with that guess. You unfortunately can't footy something and six is the maximum for this round.
Round 11: N R T A S G I E M
C1: MASTERING (18)
C2: STREAMING (18)
DC: EMIGRANTS (18)
Score: 59–85 (max 96)
In a game of rubbish selections, I think it's fair to say we were due something good. This time there are three nines available and both contestants plus the corner offer one each.
OoW: Susie discusses the origin of "cowslip".
Round 12: N S D S I O E U O
C1: SOUNDIES X
C2: SOUNDS (6)
DC: DIONE (5) ISSUED (6) UNDIES (6) DISUSE (6)
OT: NIDUSES (7) NOSODES (7)
Score: 59–91 (max 103)
Another desperate gamble from Rory and once again he is unsuccessful, allowing Zarte's lead to rise to 32. Rory came back from 33 down yesterday, so this should be a walk in the park for him.
A NIDUS (plural NIDUSES or NIDI) is a place where something is deposited. It can also be a medical term for a place where bacteria multiplies.
A NOSODE is a preparation of substances secreted in the course of a disease, used as treatment for the disease.
Round 13: R L R I A O N P E
C1: PLAINER (7)
C2: PRALINE (7)
DC: OPALINE (7)
OT: AILERON (7) LORINER (7) PROLINE (7)
Score: 66–98 (max 110)
Or maybe not. He needed another nine to appear in round 13 like yesterday to give himself a chance but seven's as good as it gets here. Zarte gets his hands safely on the teapot with two rounds still to go.
Round 14: 50, 100, 6, 3, 9, 1. Target: 550.
C1: 550. 100 x 6 - 50 (10)
C2: 550. 100 x 6 - 50 (10)
Score: 76–108 (max 120)
There was me thinking two large was evil, not always the case. Zarte secures his century and now has the chance to record the highest score of the series so far.
Round 15: E V I L P A D R E
C2 buzzes on 2 seconds to say PREVAILED which is correct.
Final Score: 76–118 (max 130)
Rory has played well but it's Zare who has PREVAILED in this contest and he solves the conundrum to score a commanding 118. A very impressive debut and he looks capable of winning a few more with some more high scores on this form. Rory has been a good champion and that comeback yesterday will live long in the memory but today was a bridge too far. James will return to recapping duty tomorrow and will reveal whether Zarte will build on this start or will turn out to be just a one-hit wonder.
Just enough time for me to tell you about my next recap. First of all, there's only one episode next week and it's on Monday, so I'll be back on 6th August. Normally, Zarte would be a pretty much nailed-on octochamp but because of the challenger in my next recap, that's certainly not the case. If Zarte wins four more games, his sixth will be against the highly-rated apterite Dylan Taylor. If that does happen, it looks set to be one of the most intriguing heat games ever, you wouldn't dare miss it, would you? I certainly won't see you all then for what could be an absolutely awesome game! Until then, goodbye!
Further summaries are at:
http://www.apterous.org/cdb/series.php?series=69
