A band of elite cheerleaders even headed down to MediaCityUK to support him. They happened to be me, Glen Webb, Tracey Mills, Jack & Paul Worsley, Jonathan Wynn, David Hilton & Andy Platt. Would our combine cheering ability help Dan get over the line 2nd time around
Let's find out, enjoy.
Countdown recap for Wednesday 8 October 2014.
C1: Champion Gary Mehaffy (1 win, 93 points.) A primary school teacher from Lisburn, Northern Ireland.
C2: Challenger Dan McColm. An Apteforumite from Kineton, Warwickshire. He is fluent in German, Russian & Portuguese. He describes himself as a "massive wuss" and says the bravest thing he has ever done is watch a PG film without parental guidance
(Is this guy mad ) We of course also know that this is Dan's 2nd go on the show, after losing out to Ned Pendleton in Series 64, just over 3 and a half years ago. Surely it won't be 2nd time unlucky today DC: Susie Dent and Tony Jacklin.
RR: Rachel Riley.
OT: Other words or solutions.
R01: C S E A G D U T L
R02: D N S A I O X I E
R03: 50, 2, 5, 3, 2, 1. Target: 341.
TTT: FELTDEAD - "Felt dead inside after being let down badly."
R04: M D T O E O M I P
R05: O N A B D I D Q E
R06: 25, 50, 100, 75, 8, 2. Target: 124.
R07: D N S A E N T A O
R08: N R Y E I U N A O
R09: 75, 100, 7, 5, 3, 3. Target: 427.
TTT: ONEGRINS - "One grins inanely, having partaken of several of these"
R10: R W M E U O H A T
R11: S P U S G E U V O
R12: S R N R E O A E F
R13: T M O A T R I S E
R14: 100, 3, 4, 3, 8, 10. Target: 163.
R15: R O Y D O L L A R (conundrum)
And now a brief interlude before our main feature:
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Enjoy the show.
Round 1: C S E A G D U T L
Gary: LASTED (6)
Dan: SULCATE (7)
DC: CUDGELS (7) CASTLED (7)
OT: AULDEST (7) CLADEST (7) SALUTED (7) SCUTAGE (7)
Score: 0–7 (max 7)
A brilliant start for Dan, unlike me, who seemed to think that a D could be added to the end of it......
In a feudal society, SCUTAGE is money paid by a vassal to his lord in lieu of military service.
Round 2: D N S A I O X I E
Gary: IONISED (7)
Dan: DIOXANE (7)
DC: ANODISE (7)
OT: DIOXINS (7) IODINES (7) OXIDASE (7) OXIDISE (7)
Score: 7–14 (max 14)
Dan decides not to pluralise DIOXANE, which is a good idea, unlike a certain Huddersfield Town fan in the audience, who thought that pluralising it might have been good.
Round 3: 50, 2, 5, 3, 2, 1. Target: 341.
Gary: 341. ((5 + 2) x 50) - ((2 + 1) x 3) (10)
Dan: 341. ((5 + 2) x 50) - ((2 + 1) x 3) (10)
Score: 17–24 (max 24)
A nice and easy numbers game, making it a perfect "half" for Dan.
Teatime teaser: FELTDEAD -> DEFLATED
Round 4: M D T O E O M I P
Gary: MOOTED (6)
Dan: MOOTED (6)
DC: MODEM (5)
OT: TOMMED (6)
Score: 23–30 (max 30)
The game seems to have gone a bit muted, rather than MOOTED, but hey-ho.
Round 5: O N A B D I D Q E
Gary: BANDIED (7)
Dan: BANDIED (7)
DC: BANDIDO (7)
Score: 30–37 (max 37)
Our contestant stay BANDIED together, while DC go all BANDIDO.
Round 6: 25, 50, 100, 75, 8, 2. Target: 124.
Gary: 124. ((75 / 25) x 8) + 100 (10)
Dan: 124. 75 + 50 - ((100 / 25) / (8 / 2)) (10)
Score: 40–47 (max 47)
Probably not the 4 large that Dan was expecting, but he still maintains his 7 point lead, and his perfect game to boot
Tony talks about his 70th birthday party at The Belfry, in which his wife managed to secretly invite all his former golfing buddies along.
Round 7: D N S A E N T A O
Gary: DONATES (7)
Dan: annatos
DC: ANDANTES (8)
Score: 47–47 (max 55)
WOAH! WOAH!! WOAH!!! Who saw that coming
Dan mistakenly goes for annatos (it's either ANATTOS or ANNATTOS, FYI), meaning that Gary equalises with DONATES, while DC get the brilliant darrenic 8, leaving us in the audience to mourn the end of Dan's perfect game....... 
Round 8: N R Y E I U N A O
Gary: YEARN (5)
Dan: REUNION (7)
DC: NEURON (6)
OT: ANNOYER (7)
Score: 47–54 (max 62)
Well, Dan's managed to sort a REUNION with his 7 point lead again, which is good news. Now, can he start to pull away now.........
Round 9: 75, 100, 7, 5, 3, 3. Target: 427.
Gary: 428.
Dan: 427. (75 x 7) - 100 + 5 - 3 (10)
Score: 47–64 (max 72)
CHOO-CHOO!! Full steam ahead for the McColm Express
Teatime teaser: ONEGRINS -> NEGRONIS
Round 10: R W M E U O H A T
Gary: OUTWEAR (7)
Dan: OUTWEAR (7)
DC: WAREHOU (7)
OT: MOUTHER (7)
Score: 54–71 (max 79)
It's definitely been hard to OUTWEAR the contestants today. Gary is still within touching distance of Dan
Round 11: S P U S G E U V O
Gary: VOGUES (6)
Dan: SPOUSE (6)
DC: OPUSES (6)
Score: 60–77 (max 85)
Just the three 6's here in this round, but they've all been accounted for. This game is heading for a climactic finish..........
Susie's Origins of Words talks about the origin of "mullet".
Round 12: S R N R E O A E F
Gary: NEARER (6)
Dan: REASONER (8)
Score: 60–85 (max 93)
Well, Dan has certainly put his foot down now, with a brilliant darrenic 8. He clearly wants this wrapped up ASAP.
Round 13: T M O A T R I S E
Gary: MATTERS (7)
Dan: ESTIMATOR (18)
DC: AMORTISE (8) ATOMISER (8) TOASTIER (8) MISTREAT (8)
Score: 60–103 (max 111)
WELL, THAT'S THE WAY TO DO IT
A fantastic 9, which DC completely miss as well. 12 maxes out of 13 for Dan today, JUST INCREDIBLE!!! Round 14: 100, 3, 4, 3, 8, 10. Target: 163.
Gary: 163. ((8 / 4) x 3 x 10) + 100 + 3 (10)
Dan: 163. (((3 x 8) / 4) x 10) + 100 + 3 (10)
Score: 70–113 (max 121)
No 4 large nonsense from Dan, as his 13th max of the day comes from that numbers game. Now, can he match Dylan Taylor's feat of opening with a 14 maxer
Round 15: R O Y D O L L A R
Dan buzzes on 5 seconds to say ODORRALLY which is incorrect.
Gary does not buzz.
The answer was LORRYLOAD.
Final Score: 70–113 (max 131)
THE ANSWER IS NO!!!
Although, a nasty ODO conundrum has been picked by "he who roams about upstairs", and Dan's guess is incorrect, but as you could probably tell from his fistpump during the end credits, it didn't really matter to him that much.
So, it's onwards and upwards for tomorrow's game, which might give us a clue to see if Dan could realistically challenge for Dylan Taylor's octochamp points record tally of 974 points, like quite a few people think he might..............
I'll be back tomorrow for the next game of what will hopefully be an octorun for Mr McColm.
So, till then, bye for now.
Statistics Corner
Gary:
Total score - 70
Raw score - 101
Total % of max - 53
Raw % of max - 77
Total average score per round - 4.7
Raw average score per round - 6.7
Number of maxes - 8
Dan:
Total score - 113
Raw score - 113
Total % of max - 86
Raw % of max - 86
Total average score per round - 7.5
Raw average score per round - 7.5
Number of maxes - 13
Further summaries are at:
http://cdb.apterous.org/series.php?series=71