Wednesday 17 December 2025 ( Series 92 1st Semi Final )

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Tracey Anne Mills
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Wednesday 17 December 2025 ( Series 92 1st Semi Final )

Post by Tracey Anne Mills »

Hello and welcome to another recap.........it is the first of our semi-finals.......which of these legends will be in Friday's showpiece grand final ?

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C1: Champion Jason "Jase and Status " Cullen (9 wins, 1047 points.)
C2: Champion John " The Quiet Man " Payne (9 wins, 916 points.)
DC: Susie Dent and Christopher Biggins.
RR: Rachel Riley.
OT: Other words or solutions.

R01: O E A U P N R N Q
R02: S P D E I O R N T
R03: 25, 9, 4, 2, 7, 9. Target: 967.
TTT: COMETFARE - "Comet enjoys all the Christmas fare, especially the stuffing"
R04: L Z S U E A R P M
R05: E U O I G S F R W
R06: 50, 25, 75, 100, 10, 6. Target: 493.
R07: N T K H E A U L D
R08: J T N R I A E O G
R09: 100, 7, 9, 8, 5, 9. Target: 126.
TTT: DONNERWIG - "Donner is curious about how she'd look in a wig"
R10: C B W S I E U E L
R11: O E A E T N C S G
R12: P L V I U E N S A
R13: O O U I T H F M D
R14: 75, 25, 50, 100, 8, 8. Target: 116.
R15: R O Y A L S P E C (conundrum)


And now a brief interlude before our main feature:

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Enjoy the show.

Round 1: O E A U P N R N Q

Jason: OPAQUER (7)
John: unopen
DC: PUNNER (6)
Score: 7–0 (max 7)

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Round 2: S P D E I O R N T

Jason: PERIDOTS (8)
John: POINTERS (8)
DC: DRIPSTONE (18)
Score: 15–8 (max 25)

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Round 3: 25, 9, 4, 2, 7, 9. Target: 967.

C1: 966.(9 × 4 + 2) × 25 + 9 + 7 (7)
C2: 965.
RR: 967. (100 × 4 + 9) × 9 − 7 × 2 (10)
Score: 22–8 (max 35)

Teatime teaser: COMETFARE -> FORCEMEAT

Round 4: L Z S U E A R P M

Jason: PERUSAL (7)
John: PERUSAL (7)
DC: SAMPLER (7) AZURES (6)
OT: LAMPERS (7) LUMPERS (7) MAULERS (7) PALMERS (7) RUMPLES (7)
Score: 29–15 (max 42)

Sevens all round from our semi finalists...........no extra points for spotting most of those..........hardly worth arguing over.......so play nicely now children !

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Round 5: E U O I G S F R W

Jason: EGOSURF (7)
John: GROUSE (6)
OT: FIGURES (7)
Score: 36–15 (max 49)

Round 6: 50, 25, 75, 100, 10, 6. Target: 493.

C1: 493. 50 × 10 − (100 + 75) ÷ 25 (10)
C2: 493. 50 × 10 − (100 + 75) ÷ 25 (10)
Score: 46–25 (max 59)

Nice and straightforward not too taxing ................so let's move on !

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Round 7: N T K H E A U L D

Jason: HAUNTED (7)
John: THANKED (7)
DC: LUNKHEAD (8)
Score: 53–32 (max 67)

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Round 8: J T N R I A E O G

Jason: ROGAINE (7)
John: JANITOR (7)
DC: GRANITE (7)
OT: GENITOR (7) GOATIER (7) GRATINE (7) INGRATE (7) JOINTER (7) NEGATOR (7) ORATING (7) TANGIER (7) TEARING (7) TRIGONE (7)
Score: 60–39 (max 74)

Round 9: 100, 7, 9, 8, 5, 9. Target: 126.

C1: 126. 9 + 9 + 8 + 100 (10)
C2: 126. 9 + 9 + 8 + 100 (10)
Score: 70–49 (max 84)

Piss easy this one...........Counting sheep is more fun !

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Teatime teaser: DONNERWIG -> WONDERING

Round 10: C B W S I E U E L

Jason: SLUICE (6)
John: SLUICE (6)
DC: CELEBS (6)
OT: BELIES (6) EUCIES (6)
Score: 76–55 (max 90)

Round 11: O E A E T N C S G

Jason: NOTECASE (8)
John: COGNATES (8)
Score: 84–63 (max 98)

Round 12: P L V I U E N S A

Jason: UNVEILS (7)
John: uplines
DC: UNVEIL (6) VULPINE (7)
OT: ALEVINS (7) ALPINES (7) INSULAE (7) LUPINES (7) PINEALS (7) SPANIEL (7) SPLENIA (7) UNALIVE (7)
Score: 91–63 (max 105)

Round 13: O O U I T H F M D

Jason: HUMID (5)
John: MOUTH (5)
DC: OUTDO (5) MOTIF (5)
OT: DHOTI (5) DUOMO (5) MUFTI (5) ODIUM (5) OOTID (5) TUMID (5)
Score: 96–68 (max 110)

Fives all round from our semi-finalists...........nothing worth having a catfight over............ with a 24 point difference between them both.......sadly for John his semi-final adventure is now over

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Round 14: 75, 25, 50, 100, 8, 8. Target: 116.

C1: 116. 100 + 8 + 8 (10)
C2: 116. (50 + 8) × (8 ÷ (100 ÷ 25)) (10)
Score: 106–78 (max 120)

Both semi-finalists have no trouble solving this bad boy as they both bag themselves 10 points each..........sadly it is game over for our 5th seed John


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Round 15: R O Y A L S P E C

C1 buzzes on 3 seconds to say COSPLAYER which is correct.
Final Score: 116–78 (max 130)

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What a superb conundrum solve from Jason who now books his place in Friday's grand final the question is who will be joining him......will it be Brett Davids aka The Winking Goliath or Ben Hocking aka Trick or Treat their semi-final will take place tomorrow..........but take nothing away from John who had some fantastic wordplay and an amazing run that he can be proud of.......being a Countdown finalist is a wonderful achievement and one you can be proud of............. You can join me for that recap......in the meantime.......so long and farewell!

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Tracey 'Old Enough To Be My Mum' Mills aka Crazy Cat Lady and Cat Lover
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