COOT 08 Quarter-Final - Wilson vs Howe

[Charlie Reams]

The second COOT quarter-final, played on Tuesday 8 July 2008, was between Ben Wilson and Paul Howe. Ben Wilson is best known as the only man ever to score zero in an online game. Paul Howe is best known for losing quite a lot of semi-finals. So this game should be pretty shit, right?

C1: Challenger Ben Wilson.
C2: Challenger Paul Howe.

R01: H X G D E I A N T
R02: B M N D I A O O A
R03: L P K T U E O M E
R04: R R P P U O A I E
R05: 25, 100, 50, 9, 10, 5. Target: 416.
TTT: HEYGITES - "Eating carrots supposedly helps to improve this"
R06: N R S D A I E L E
R07: T G P N O E I R G
R08: S J B S U O A T W
R09: R S H F E E O L R
R10: 100, 3, 7, 10, 4, 1. Target: 444.
TTT: DEERPEAS - "a plant that has been sexually assaulted perhaps!"
R11: N S T Q U A I E Y
R12: F S T L O E A L C
R13: D R T C I A E E I
R14: 100, 5, 1, 10, 8, 1. Target: 952.
R15: P E E R H O U R S (conundrum)


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Round 1: H X G D E I A N T

C1: HEADING (7)
C2: HEATING (7)
Score: 7–7 (max 7)

Round 2: B M N D I A O O A

C1: DOMAIN (6)
C2: DOMINO (6)
OT: ANOMIA (6) DAIMON (6) INDABA (6) MAIDAN (6)
Score: 13–13 (max 13)

Round 3: L P K T U E O M E

C1: TEMPLE (6)
C2: TUPELO (6)
OT: EELPOUT (7)
Score: 19–19 (max 20)

Round 4: R R P P U O A I E

C1: REPAIR (6)
C2: RAPIER (6)
OT: PARURE (6) PAUPER (6) POURER (6) PROPER (6) RAPPER (6) RIPPER (6) RIPRAP (6) ROPIER (6) UPROAR (6)
Score: 25–25 (max 26)

Round 5: 25, 100, 50, 9, 10, 5. Target: 416.

C1: 416. (50-100/25)x9+10/5 (10)
C2: 416. (10+5+100/50)x25-9 (10)
Score: 35–35 (max 36)

The players totally inseparable after 5 rounds, with only one missed word (EELPOUT) between them. Can they maintain the standard?

Teatime teaser: HEYGITES -> EYESIGHT

Round 6: N R S D A I E L E

C1: ISLANDER (8)
C2: ISLANDER (8)
OT: ARSENIDE (8) NEARSIDE (8) REALISED (8) REDLINES (8) SIDEREAL (8)
Score: 43–43 (max 44)

Round 7: T G P N O E I R G

C1: GROPING (7)
C2: GROPING (7)
OT: GENITOR (7) PIROGEN (7) POINTER (7) PONGIER (7) PORTING (7) PROTEIN (7) REPOINT (7) TRIGONE (7)
Score: 50–50 (max 51)

Round 8: S J B S U O A T W

C1: SABOTS (6)
C2: SABOTS (6)
OT: BOASTS (6) JABOTS (6) JOUSTS (6) TSUBAS (6) TSUBOS (6)
Score: 56–56 (max 57)

Round 9: R S H F E E O L R

C1: REFRESH (7)
C2: HERSELF (7)
OT: FLESHER (7) FRESHER (7)
Score: 63–63 (max 64)

Round 10: 100, 3, 7, 10, 4, 1. Target: 444.

C1: 444. (100+10+1)x4 (10)
C2: 444. (100+10+1)x4 (10)
Score: 73–73 (max 74)

A straightforward second half sees both players max every round to maintain the deadlock, with still only one miss between them!

Teatime teaser: DEERPEAS -> RAPESEED

Round 11: N S T Q U A I E Y

C1: ANTIQUES (8)
C2: QUANTISE (8)
OT: QUINATES (8)
Score: 81–81 (max 82)

Round 12: F S T L O E A L C

C1: COLLATES (8)
C2: FLOATELS (8)
Score: 89–89 (max 90)

Round 13: D R T C I A E E I

C1: CATERED (7)
C2: CREATED (7)
Score: 96–96 (max 97)

Round 14: 100, 5, 1, 10, 8, 1. Target: 952.

C1: 952. (100-5)x10+1+1 (10)
C2: 952. (100-5)x10+1+1 (10)
Score: 106–106 (max 107)

So, it would be a sudden death conundrum to decide the game!

Round 15: P E E R H O U R S

Ben buzzes on 3 seconds to say SUPERHERO which is correct. Wow!
Score: 116–106 (max 117)

Totally awesome game. Admittedly there were quite a few flat rounds, but both players raised their game when it mattered and you can't knock a 98% joint total. Good luck in the next round, Ben!

[JasonCullen]

OT: EDITRICE (8) - a rare contestant-beater from Jason Cullen

Don't sound so surprised Charlie . I gotta get credit for something

Anyhow, an amazing game to watch and certainly the best game of this tourny so far IMO

[Charlie Reams]

OT: EDITRICE (8) - a rare contestant-beater from Jason Cullen

Don't sound so surprised Charlie . I gotta get credit for something

I meant it was rare for there to be a contestant beater, rather than rare for you to get it.

[JasonCullen]

OT: EDITRICE (8) - a rare contestant-beater from Jason Cullen

Don't sound so surprised Charlie . I gotta get credit for something

I meant it was rare for there to be a contestant beater, rather than rare for you to get it.

Oh right Charlie . Sorry

[Julian Fell]

Actually EDITRICE isn't in the current edition of the dictionary - it was in the NODE, so that's maybe where Jason got it from (it doesn't come up in CountMax). So Ben and Paul in fact only missed one maximum between them in the whole game (not counting the conundrum)! The rest of the tournament will have a job keeping up with this standard... really well played both; well done Ben & hard luck Paul.

(Edit to say: FERRELS isn't in the ODE2r either)

[Charlie Reams]

I was using a wordlist from Damian who insisted that it was the latest version, but it looks ever more likely that it was actually the NODE. Will edit recap accordingly.

[Paul Howe]

Actually EDITRICE isn't in the current edition of the dictionary - it was in the NODE, so that's maybe where Jason got it from (it doesn't come up in CountMax). So Ben and Paul in fact only missed one maximum between them in the whole game (not counting the conundrum)! The rest of the tournament will have a job keeping up with this standard... really well played both; well done Ben & hard luck Paul.

(Edit to say: FERRELS isn't in the ODE2r either)

Hah, I no longer feel annoyed about not having the cojones to offer it. Not that it would've made any difference to the final outcome, I got merked

[Damian E]

I was using a wordlist from Damian who insisted that it was the latest version, but it looks ever more likely that it was actually the NODE. Will edit recap accordingly.

Sorry - i thought it was the latest version, we'll its the latest version i have. It is in fact the NODE as you said Charlie. Will seek an update from OUP.