Emergency! Robbo is unavailable so I will be taking his place today.
It's been a while since my last recap.C1: Champion George Ford, aka Pryn (5 wins, 512 points.) An apteforumite from Whittlesey currently in sixth form. So far he has amazed us with his sky high four large solutions and is also a pretty decent letters player.
C2: Challenger Jonathan Lee is an analyst from Ashford, Surrey. However, he is originally from San Diego. He has a cat with a rather unusual name of Samuel L. Catson. He also once has an unfortunate encounter with a skunk.
DC: Susie Dent and John Inverdale.
RR: Rachel Riley.
OT: Other words or solutions.
R01: W L O A E A T Q B
R02: N R M O U R A I H
R03: 25, 50, 75, 100, 3, 8. Target: 186.
TTT: BADHORNS - "Easy to beat, in fact, very one-sided."
R04: V T N P O E I D E
R05: L X P A E N R A I
R06: 50, 6, 6, 10, 7, 3. Target: 189.
R07: S O D S U E U E T
R08: R P S N I E O K I
R09: 100, 75, 50, 25, 8, 9. Target: 795.
TTT: GRINDHAP - "It's not bitter, but on a motorbike, it's definitely twisted."
R10: S R D H E O U D O
R11: Y G M D A U E N T
R12: C B N L I E A D T
R13: L E I O R J G R E
R14: 75, 6, 7, 10, 1, 8. Target: 774.
R15: E U R O A G E N T (conundrum)
And now a brief interlude before our main feature:
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Round 1: W L O A E A T Q B
George: TOWABLE (7)
Jonathan: BELOW (5)
DC: OBLATE (6)
Score: 7–0 (max 7)
The champ takes an early gamble and it pays off.
Round 2: N R M O U R A I H
George: ARMOUR (6)
Jonathan: MOURN (5)
DC: MOHAIR (6)
OT: MURRAIN (7)
Score: 13–0 (max 14)
George extends his lead as Jonathan can only MOURN over his nervous start. There was an interesting seven which evaded the entire studio, though. http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/defin ... sh/murrain
Numbers now and I wonder what's coming.
Round 3: 25, 50, 75, 100, 3, 8. Target: 186.
George: 186. 100 + 75 + 8 + 3 (10)
Jonathan: 186. 100 + 75 + 8 + 3 (10)
Score: 23–10 (max 24)
I thought George might do the cheeky 197 trick – 11 here but it seems he's had enough of all of this showboating.
Jonathan gets off the mark.Teatime teaser: BADHORNS -> BODHRANS
Round 4: V T N P O E I D E
George: POINTED (7)
Jonathan: option
DC: PENTODE (7)
OT: EPIDOTE (7) EVIDENT (7) PIVOTED (7)
Score: 30–10 (max 31)
So far, George is looking like the only winner of this game, even at this early stage.
Round 5: L X P A E N R A I
George: EXPLAIN (7)
Jonathan: AIRPLANE (8)
DC: RELAXIN (7) PLAINER (7)
OT: PERIANAL (8)
Score: 30–18 (max 39)
However, Jonathan's flying high in this round and he gives the champ something to think about with his AIRPLANE. His word also has an interesting anagram.
Round 6: 50, 6, 6, 10, 7, 3. Target: 189.
George: 189. (50 - 3) x (10 - 6) + 7 - 6 (10)
Jonathan: 189. 50 x 3 + 6 x 6 + 10 - 7 (10)
Score: 40–28 (max 49)
Two different methods but two lots of ten points.
John talks about people's fears of snakes and spiders.
Round 7: S O D S U E U E T
George: OUSTED (6)
Jonathan: OUSTED (6)
DC: TOSSED (6)
OT: DUTEOUS (7)
Score: 46–34 (max 56)
Plenty of laughs from the studio audience which start after the third letter comes out and it continues for a little longer.
Perhaps it distracted everyone as another max is missed.Round 8: R P S N I E O K I
George: IRONISE (7)
Jonathan: SINKER (6)
DC: SPIKIER (7) PINKIES (7)
OT: RIPIENOS (8)
Score: 53–34 (max 64)
An impressive seven from George as he pulls further clear but not quite as impressive as the darrenic RIPIENOS, which is again missed by the corner. http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/defin ... sh/ripieno
Round 9: 100, 75, 50, 25, 8, 9. Target: 795.
George: 794. 100 x 8 + 75 / 25 - 9 (7)
Jonathan: 794. 100 x 8 + 75 / 25 - 9 (7)
RR: 795. 8 x 100 - (75 + 50) / 25 (10)
Score: 60–41 (max 74)
Hmm, I would have put my house on George solving this.
After all of the wonderful four large solutions he's delivered in the last few days, it's a relatively simple one that finally catches him out. Both get one away and Rachel shows them how it's done.Teatime teaser: GRINDHAP -> HANDGRIP
Round 10: S R D H E O U D O
George: SHROUDED (8)
Jonathan: SHROUDED (8)
DC: ROUSED (6) DOUSED (6) SHUDDER (7)
Score: 68–49 (max 82)
Neither player is sure about SHROUDED but it turns out to be a very good risk, as well as a good spot.
Round 11: Y G M D A U E N T
George: UNTAMED (7)
Jonathan: AUGMENT (7)
DC: MUTAGEN (7)
Score: 75–56 (max 89)
More good words here, with all three sevens found by the contestants and DC.
Susie explains how the word “literally” has a new sense in the dictionary, in the way that we've all heard sports commentators use it.
Round 12: C B N L I E A D T
George: DETAIL (6)
Jonathan: LINED (5)
DC: CLIENT (6) CABINET (7) CITADEL (7)
OT: CABINED (7) CITABLE (7) DELTAIC (7) DIALECT (7) EDICTAL (7) LANDTIE (7)
Score: 81–56 (max 96)
George might be a little disappointed to miss a few sevens but crucially, he still wins the round and stands on the brink of win number six.
Round 13: L E I O R J G R E
George: GORIER (6)
Jonathan: OILER (5)
OT: LOERIE (6) LOGIER (6)
Score: 87–56 (max 102)
And victory is secured with GORIER.
Round 14: 75, 6, 7, 10, 1, 8. Target: 774.
George: 774. (75 + 10 + 7 - 6) x (8 + 1) (10)
Jonathan: -
Score: 97–56 (max 112)
George rediscovers his numbers brain after slipping up on the previous one and he stands on the brink of a fifth century in six games.
Round 15: E U R O A G E N T
George buzzes on 14 seconds to say ENTOURAGE which is correct.
Final Score: 107–56 (max 122)
And he's got it too!
Another commanding display leaves him two victories away from octochampdom. The score's maybe a little harsh on Jonathan but he George was a more than worthy winner. A win tomorrow will see him leapfrog David Stanford into fourth, as long as he scores at least six points in the process. Even a defeat with 29 or more will see him overtake some bloke named Paul Worsley, whoever he is. Join Anthony for that and I'll be around for another recap one day (I hope). I look forward to seeing some of you at Co:Edi at the weekend. Take care! 
Further summaries are at:
http://cdb.apterous.org/series.php?series=71