Enjoy.
Countdown recap for Wednesday 6 April 2011.
C1: Champion Andrew McNamara (5 wins, 396 points.) A trainee maths teacher who has had 2 placements at local secondary schools, so he might make the grade yet.
C2: Challenger Colin Young. A semi-retired social care worker from Wales. He's passionate about yachting and has his own 31 foot yacht.
DC: Susie Dent and Dave Spikey.
RR: Rachel Riley.
OT: Other words or solutions.
R01: D T K R B E I U E
R02: P R O T A V O E N
R03: G T P T H A E A S
R04: N W E M I N E F R
R05: 25, 75, 50, 6, 1, 7. Target: 578.
TTT: EDSILENT - "Ed was silent while he took it all in"
R06: M T I S O G E T O
R07: R L R N S E O E O
R08: Y R U I D E M N L
R09: D P G T F I E U A
R10: 75, 50, 1, 2, 2, 5. Target: 145.
TTT: QUITRICE - "Detailed assessment of the wood, perhaps?"
R11: M T S T D I O A O
R12: L V A B A E S N A
R13: H P L Q C O E A U
R14: 75, 4, 5, 5, 1, 6. Target: 411.
R15: W I L T S H E R E (conundrum)
And now a brief interlude before our main feature:
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Enjoy the show.
Round 1: D T K R B E I U E
C1: BETIDE (6)
C2: DIETER (6)
DC: TRIBE (5) REBUKED (7) BRUITED (7)
OT: ERUDITE (7)
Score: 6–6 (max 7)
A nice start for the players, as DC find some good 7's.
Round 2: P R O T A V O E N
C1: ORNATE (6)
C2: PRONTO (6)
DC: PROTEAN (7) PRONATE (7)
OT: OPERANT (7) OVERTOP (7) PATROON (7)
Score: 12–12 (max 14)
Same again in round 2, 6's for the contestants, 7's for DC.
Round 3: G T P T H A E A S
C1: -
C2: STAGE (5)
DC: SPATE (5) SPATHE (6)
OT: HASTATE (7)
Score: 12–17 (max 21)
Colin takes the first lead in this game after Andrew realises he's messed up his declaration.
HASTATE is an adjective referring to a triangular or arrow-shaped leaf, with two spreading lobes at the base.
Round 4: N W E M I N E F R
C1: REFINE (6)
C2: WINNER (6)
DC: FIREMEN (7)
OT: WIREMEN (7)
Score: 18–23 (max 28)
DC celebrate with some FIREMEN, as our contestants can't seem to get above 6 today.
Round 5: 25, 75, 50, 6, 1, 7. Target: 578.
C1: 575. ((6 + 7 - 1) x 50) - 25 (7)
C2: -
RR: 576/580. (7)
OT: 578. ((75 - 7) x (50 + 1)) / 6 (10)
Score: 25–23 (max 38)
A tricky numbers game that even leaves Rachel a bit flummoxed, but Andy's 575 sees him take the lead for the first time today.
Dave talks about his dislike of fancy menus at restaurants.
Teatime teaser: EDSILENT -> LISTENED
Round 6: M T I S O G E T O
C1: TOTEMS (6)
C2: EGOTIST (7)
DC: TOOTSIE (7)
OT: EGOTISM (7) GOOIEST (7) MOOTEST (7) MOTTOES (7)
Score: 25–30 (max 45)
But it doesn't last long as the first contestant max of the day gives Colin the lead again.
Round 7: R L R N S E O E O
C1: enrolers
C2: LOOSER (6)
DC: LOOSENER (8)
Score: 25–36 (max 53)
And his lead then goes to double figures as Andrew's dubious 8 is just that.
Round 8: Y R U I D E M N L
C1: MINDER (6)
C2: MINDER (6)
DC: URINE (5) DRUMLIN (7)
Score: 31–42 (max 60)
As Dave takes the mickey, with his 5 which he claimed was a 6
, they also impress with a good darrenic 7.Round 9: D P G T F I E U A
C1: FATIGUED (8)
C2: GIFTED (6)
Score: 39–42 (max 68)
Which is then topped by Andrew's darrenic 8, which definitely puts him right back in it.
Susie's Origins Of Words talks about the origins of the nursery rhyme, "The Big Ship Sails On The Ally-Ally-Oh".
Round 10: 75, 50, 1, 2, 2, 5. Target: 145.
C1: 145. (75 x 2) - 5 (10)
C2: 145. 50 + 75 + (5 x 2 x 2) (10)
Score: 49–52 (max 78)
2 ends of the method spectrum here, the simple way and the not-so-simple, but I like to show off a bit way.
But's it 10 points each, and that's all that matters. Teatime teaser: QUITRICE -> CRITIQUE
Round 11: M T S T D I O A O
C1: MOODS (5)
C2: maoist
DC: MASTOID (7)
OT: ATOMIST (7) DIATOMS (7) TOSTADO (7)
Score: 54–52 (max 85)
And the lead switches again as Colin's 6 is capitalised, which has probably now given Andrew good, rather than bad MOODS.
A TOSTADO is a tortilla fried until crisp and usually topped with a variety of ingredients, as shredded meat or chicken, refried beans, lettuce, tomatoes, and cheese.
Round 12: L V A B A E S N A
C1: NAVELS (6)
C2: SAVABLE (7)
DC: BASAL (5) SALVE (5)
Score: 54–59 (max 92)
A risk well taken by Colin as SAVABLE is good with 1 or 2 E's.
Round 13: H P L Q C O E A U
C1: CHAPEL (6)
C2: CHAPEL (6)
DC: PLAQUE (6) EPOCH (5) EPOCHAL (7)
OT: COEQUAL (7)
Score: 60–65 (max 99)
By accident almost, Dave spots a brilliant 7, as the contestants continue the religious theme with their 6.
Round 14: 75, 4, 5, 5, 1, 6. Target: 411.
C1: 411. ((75 - 5) x 6) - 5 - 4 (10)
C2: 411. ((75 + 6) x 5) + 5 + 1 (10)
Score: 70–75 (max 109)
2 different methods, 10 points each and a crucial conundrum is the fitting end this game deserves.
Round 15: W I L T S H E R E
C1 buzzes on 29.5 seconds to say WHIRLIEST which is incorrect.
C2 does not buzz.
The answer was ERSTWHILE.
Final Score: 70–75 (max 119)
But that ending is probably one of the most cruellest of all time
After the clock finished after his guess of WHIRLIEST, Andrew then revealed the answer just as Jeff was about to go to the audience.
The game was a very tight affair, but Andrew will be kicking himself all the way back up to the North-East after that conundrum mess up. But, he is still the #5 seed at the moment, so there is a very good chance that we'll see him in the finals.
I'll be back tomorrow to see how Colin can follow up his win today.
So, till then, bye bye.
Statistics Corner
Andrew:
Total score - 70
Raw score - 82
Total % of max - 59
Raw % of max - 69
Total average score per round - 4.7
Raw average score per round - 5.5
Number of maxes - 3
Colin:
Total score - 75
Raw score - 81
Total % of max - 63
Raw % of max - 68
Total average score per round - 5.0
Raw average score per round - 5.4
Number of maxes - 4
Further summaries are at:
http://www.apterous.org/cdb/series.php?series=64