Tuesday 15th July - Series 71, Prelim 10

[Callum Todd]

Countdown recap for Tuesday 15 July 2014.

C1: Champion Ian Linton (2 wins, 196 points.)
C2: Challenger "Lord" Damen Bramwell.
DC: Susie Dent and Dan Walker.
RR: Rachel Riley.
OT: Other words or solutions.

R01: G I F U N E S A Z
R02: T W O N E R D O S
R03: 4, 8, 8, 1, 5, 10. Target: 302.
TTT: TENTRIES - "Has a keen desire to learn about financial gains, perhaps?"
R04: N P I A D S L E R
R05: T L O E N A X P H
R06: 75, 100, 10, 4, 1, 7. Target: 155.
R07: N U T G O A E L T
R08: M A R S U E D O T
R09: 100, 75, 25, 1, 3, 4. Target: 901.
TTT: ACTORDES - "Actor Des started out in showbiz working with these"
R10: G B R A E C J A O
R11: I E T Q L S N I A
R12: R E V S I O D T A
R13: M E F O R E D I P
R14: 25, 10, 4, 9, 6, 3. Target: 290.
R15: T H I N G I L A G (conundrum)

And now a brief interlude before our main feature:

SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER
SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER
SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER
SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER
SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER
SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER
SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER
SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER
SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER
SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER
SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER
SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER
SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER
SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER
SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER
SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER
SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER
SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER
SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER
SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER

With a great player like Ian in one contestant chair, a Lord in the other, and the excellent Dan Walker in DC, this should be a great show. Enjoy.

Round 1: G I F U N E S A Z

Ian: UNSAFE (6)
Damen: GUINEAS (7)
Score: 0–7 (max 7)

A great start from Lord Damen as he gets the darrenic seven.

Round 2: T W O N E R D O S

Ian: WONDERS (7)
Damen: WONDERS (7)
DC: SWOONED (7) WORSTED (7)
OT: DOWNERS (7) DOWNEST (7) RODENTS (7) ROOSTED (7) SNORTED (7) STROWED (7)
Score: 7–14 (max 14)

A very flat round here and both players take full advantage.

Round 3: 4, 8, 8, 1, 5, 10. Target: 302.

Ian: 301. (10×8−5)×4+1 (7)
Damen: 301. (8x8-4)x5+1 (7)
RR: 302. (4x8-1)x10-8 (10)
Score: 14–21 (max 24)

Ian goes for six small today, but can't quite get there. Fortunately his opponent can't either, so they both take seven points. Rachel shows us how to get there exactly.

Teatime teaser: TENTRIES -> INTEREST

Round 4: N P I A D S L E R

Ian: PRALINES (8)
Damen: pilsner
DC: ISLANDER (8) DIAPERS (7)
OT: PREDIALS (8) SPANDREL (8) SPRAINED (8)
Score: 22–21 (max 32)

Unlucky for Damen as his word is capitalised, but it wouldn't have mattered anyway as Ian had an eight and therefore takes the lead for the first time today.

Round 5: T L O E N A X P H

Ian: EXPAT (5)
Damen: pelaton
DC: POLENTA (7) PHAETON (7)
OT: ETHANOL (7) EXPLANT (7) PHONATE (7)
Score: 27–21 (max 39)

Very unlucky indeed here for Damen, as he goes for pelaton, which is actually spelt PELOTON. Ian will be relieved to score points with his five.

Round 6: 75, 100, 10, 4, 1, 7. Target: 155.

Ian: 155. 100+75-(7-4-1)x10 (10)
Damen: 155. 100+75-(7-4-1)x10 (10)
Score: 37–31 (max 49)

Nice straight forward numbers here; ten points apiece.

Round 7: N U T G O A E L T

Ian: outlean
Damen: GAUNTLET (8)
DC: TANGELO (7) GLUTTON (7)
Score: 37–39 (max 57)

This time it's Ian's turn to have a seven disallowed while his opponent spots an eight. It's a great spot from Damen and it allows him to retake the lead.

Round 8: M A R S U E D O T

Ian: DETOURS (7)
Damen: AROUSED (7)
DC: MUSTARD (7) moutardes
OT: DOUREST (7) MAESTRO (7) MATURED (7) MATURES (7) RADOMES (7) REMUDAS (7) ROASTED (7) ROUSTED (7) SMARTED (7) STARDOM (7) STORMED (7) STRUMAE (7) TORSADE (7) TSARDOM (7)
Score: 44–46 (max 64)

Is this the flattest round ever?! An incredible 17 sevens available, and there may even be one or two more in the ODO. Susie and Dan spot that you can have MUSTARD in both French and English.

Round 9: 100, 75, 25, 1, 3, 4. Target: 901.

Ian: 901. (75/25)x3x100+1 (10)
Damen: 901. 4x3x75+1 (10)
Score: 54–56 (max 74)

Two different solutions to the numbers, ten more points each.

Teatime teaser: ACTORDES -> REDCOATS

Round 10: G B R A E C J A O

Ian: COBRA (5)
Damen: BRACE (5)
DC: JERBOA (6)
OT: AGORAE (6) BOCAGE (6) BORAGE (6)
Score: 59–61 (max 80)

Fives from both of the contestants, but DC get a superb six. Surprisingly, there were three more sixes available from this tricky round.

Round 11: I E T Q L S N I A

Ian: ENTAILS (7)
Damen: ENTAILS (7)
DC: ALIENIST (8)
OT: LITANIES (8)
Score: 66–68 (max 88)

Sevens from the contestants, a nice eight from DC.

Round 12: R E V S I O D T A

Ian: oversat
Damen: DEVIATORS (18)
Score: 66–86 (max 106)

Ian has a seven disallowed but, wow, Damen spots a nine to give this game a clear favourite for the first time. He's now twenty points up with only 3 rounds remaining.

Round 13: M E F O R E D I P

Ian: FORMED (6)
Damen: FORMED (6)
DC: DEFORM (6) ROMPED (6) EMPIRE (6) FREEDOM (7)
OT: DEMIREP (7)
Score: 72–92 (max 113)

Ian and Damen have both FORMED a great contestant for us to watch today, but it looks like it's decided now as that twenty point gap remains with only twenty left to play for. Or have I spoken too soon? Can Ian make an incredible 30 point turnaround?

Round 14: 25, 10, 4, 9, 6, 3. Target: 290.

Ian: 290. 25x4x3-10 (10)
Damen: 290. (25+4)x10 (10)
Score: 82–102 (max 123)

... no. Damen asks for one large and gets an easy one, which is probably just what he wanted. That twenty point gap remains and will be more than enough to seal his victory today.

Round 15: T H I N G I L A G

Ian buzzes on 2 seconds to say ALIGHTING which is correct.

Ian isn't going quietly and gets a good quick conundrum solve in before we have to sadly bid farewell. It's a shame to see him going so soon; he's been an excellent contestant. Perhaps Series 71 is following its predecessor in that several strong players are leaving us after a handful of wins early on in the series. Let's hope to see Ian return to the studio one day.
Final Score: 92–102 (max 133)

But for now, we have a new champion! Lord Damen has lived up to his title with a fantastic performance, registering a debut century. GAUNTLET and DEVIATORS were excellent spots and deserved to win the game. Join James tomorrow to see if he can make it two out of two.

Statistics
Raw score: Ian 98 - Damen 102
Maximums: Ian 7 - Damen 8

Further summaries are at:
http://cdb.apterous.org/series.php?series=71