Well, getting ready for Italy at the weekend should do. 
Right, so before I head off, enjoy.
Countdown recap for Wednesday 10 September 2014.
C1: Champion Farhan Ahmed (1 win, 84 points.) An Apterite and social media executive for an online poker website from London. He was once mistaken by some Chinese tourists for Harry Potter star, Daniel Radcliffe.
C2: Challenger Aly Spencer. A 6th form college tutor from Blackpool, Lancashire. She likes fishing holidays, although she doesn't do as many as she would like.
DC: Susie Dent and Jenny Eclair.
RR: Rachel Riley.
OT: Other words or solutions.
R01: L W R E O U T F O
R02: M A S M O Y N E T
R03: 25, 6, 5, 2, 1, 4. Target: 954.
TTT: LADABOOT - "You'd never have fitted this much in the boot of a Lada"
R04: R A G S U H E S C
R05: N D P A I A T P O
R06: 75, 3, 3, 8, 5, 5. Target: 992.
R07: Q T N I E I R G R
R08: S E K W U T D E L
R09: 100, 3, 10, 5, 6, 1. Target: 469.
TTT: BLACKPIE - "A nose or a lock, it's your choice"
R10: B A Z G E C A R L
R11: T N S O I F R E E
R12: N A S E B V I M T
R13: R T D L A E O R A
R14: 25, 1, 4, 4, 7, 7. Target: 804.
R15: N A G P U N T E R (conundrum)
And now a brief interlude before our main feature:
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Round 1: L W R E O U T F O
Farhan: FOOTER (6)
Aly: FLOWER (6)
DC: REFLOW (6) OUTFLOW (7)
OT: FELWORT (7) OUTFLEW (7) OUTWORE (7) WOOFTER (7)
Score: 6–6 (max 7)
A pair of 6's from the contestants to start off today, but DC do find a 7 there.
A FELWORT is a European gentian of dry grassland, which produces mauve flowers in the autumn. (Gentianella amarella, family Gentianaceae)
Round 2: M A S M O Y N E T
Farhan: ATONES (6)
Aly: STAMEN (6)
DC: OMEN (4) MOMENTS (7) YEOMAN (6)
OT: METONYMS (8)
Score: 12–12 (max 15)
More 6's, although DC do have their MOMENTS, but there was a super-good darrenic 8 available too.
Round 3: 25, 6, 5, 2, 1, 4. Target: 954.
Farhan: 954. ((((5 + 1) x 6) + 2) x 25) + 4 (10)
Aly: 951.
Score: 22–12 (max 25)
Well, Farhan knows what to do to get the 38 for his multiplication, and in doing that, he takes the lead.
Teatime teaser: LADABOOT -> BOATLOAD
Round 4: R A G S U H E S C
Farhan: CHARGES (7)
Aly: CHARGES (7)
DC: CRASHES (7) CRUSHES (7)
OT: CHASSEUR (8)
Score: 29–19 (max 33)
A couple of positive CHARGES there from the contestants, while DC seem to be enjoying some CRASHES and CRUSHES. Well, I'll enjoy some darrenic 8 chicken I think.
A CHASSEUR is a soldier equipped and trained for rapid movement, especially in the French army (as well as the lovely sauce, of course.
).Round 5: N D P A I A T P O
Farhan: adaption (declared as 9)
Aly: PAINT (5)
DC: ADAPTION (8) APPOINT (7)
Score: 29–24 (max 41)
ARGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! The agony for Farhan, as he joins a very select group of people to have declared an 8 as a 9........
Round 6: 75, 3, 3, 8, 5, 5. Target: 992.
Farhan: 993. ((8 + 5) x 75) + (5 x 3) + 3 (7)
Aly: 989.
RR: 992. (((75 x 5) - 3) / 3) x 8 (10)
Score: 36–24 (max 51)
Well, he makes up for it a bit by getting one away in the numbers, which Rachel gets after a bit of extra time.
Jenny talks about her tours including the 50 Shades of Beige tour with the Grumpy Old Women.
Round 7: Q T N I E I R G R
Farhan: tingier
Aly: IGNITE (6)
DC: RETIRING (8)
Score: 36–30 (max 59)
After double-checking how many letters were in his word, Farhan might not have bothered, as you can't be tingier, and Aly comes back within range yet again.........
Round 8: S E K W U T D E L
Farhan: SULKED (6)
Aly: STEWED (6)
DC: LUSTED (6) TUSKED (6)
OT: LEWDEST (7) TELEDUS (7)
Score: 42–36 (max 66)
A pair of 7's are missed, as everyone sticks to 6.
A TELEDU is a stink badger having brownish-black fur with a white stripe along the top of the head and back, native to Sumatra, Java, and Borneo. (Mydaus javanensis, family Mustelidae)
Round 9: 100, 3, 10, 5, 6, 1. Target: 469.
Farhan: 469. ((100 - 10) x 5) + (6 x 3) + 1 (10)
Aly: 469. (5 x 100) - (3 x 10) - 1 (10)
Score: 52–46 (max 76)
Nice and easy numbers here, and like yesterday's game, Farhan is certainly not getting an easy ride.
Teatime teaser: BLACKPIE -> PICKABLE
Round 10: B A Z G E C A R L
Farhan: GARBLE (6)
Aly: BLAZER (6)
DC: LAAGER (6)
OT: ALGEBRA (7)
Score: 58–52 (max 83)
Slightly shocked that not even Rachel spotted the hidden ALGEBRA, especially as it's just a load of random letters.
Round 11: T N S O I F R E E
Farhan: REFINES (7)
Aly: REFINES (7)
DC: firestone SOFTENER (8)
OT: SEROTINE (8)
Score: 65–59 (max 91)
Farhan seemed to be in agony there, like he thought he missed an obvious 8. Well, there were a pair of 8's there, but it's not a worry for Farhan, who still holds his lead for now...........
A SEROTINE is a medium-sized insectivorous bat found in Eurasia and Africa, either;
● A chiefly Eurasian bat (genus Eptesicus, family Vespertilionidae, in particular the widespread Eptesicus serotinus).
● An African bat (genus Pipistrellus, family Vespertilionidae).
Susie's Origins Of Words talks about the origins of "pikelet" and "crumpet".
Round 12: N A S E B V I M T
Farhan: AMBIENT (7)
Aly: STAMEN (6)
DC: VIBES (5) INMATES (7)
OT: BASINET (7) BATSMEN (7) MAINEST (7) NATIVES (7) VAINEST (7)
Score: 72–59 (max 98)
Plenty of 7's around, but Aly repeats the STAMEN again, letting Farhan's AMBIENT offering take his lead back into double figures.
A BASINET is a light, close-fitting steel helmet, typically having a visor.
Round 13: R T D L A E O R A
Farhan: LEOTARD (7)
Aly: LOADER (6)
DC: REALTOR (7) AERATOR (7)
OT: AREOLAR (7) DELATOR (7) RELATOR (7)
Score: 79–59 (max 105)
Good old LEOTARD appears and Farhan is literally a point away from victory, but will Aly try and derail the charge..........
Round 14: 25, 1, 4, 4, 7, 7. Target: 804.
Farhan: 804. ((7 + 1) x 4 x 25) + 4 (10)
Aly: 800.
Score: 89–59 (max 115)
The answer is a resounding no, as Aly's late collapse is complete, giving Farhan his 2nd win.
Round 15: N A G P U N T E R
Farhan buzzes on 4.5 seconds to say REPUGNANT which is correct.
Final Score: 99–59 (max 125)
And a good conundrum solve means that he can celebrate with a 99.
Another tough game for Farhan, but he wore Aly down to take his 2nd win, and can now look forward to a good rest, as there's now no show till Monday.
I'm also going to have a good rest, as I'm now not recapping for another 3 weeks, with me heading off on my holidays.
So, I'll be recapping next on October 1st, meaning that I'll be missing Paul Worsley, who I believe is starting next week, and hopefully he'll emulate his son, Jack, and maybe even have the possibility of having the first father/son champions.
So, see you in 3 weeks, and enjoy yourselves. Till then, bye for now.
Statistics Corner
Farhan:
Total score - 99
Raw score - 99
Total % of max - 79
Raw % of max - 79
Total average score per round - 6.6
Raw average score per round - 6.6
Number of maxes - 6
Aly:
Total score - 59
Raw score - 92
Total % of max - 47
Raw % of max - 73
Total average score per round - 3.9
Raw average score per round - 6.1
Number of maxes - 1
Further summaries are at:
http://cdb.apterous.org/series.php?series=71