Something a little different today. We have a special game. To us, it's just a friendly. A game which means nothing in terms of merit for the contestants. Just a game to fill in a blank spot in the schedule. BUT to the contestants this is their chance to shine once again, having been denied so cruelly previously. Another chance to appear on telly, thinking back to what might have been, but now to enjoy another day in the limelight.
So we welcome back two players from series 70 which aired in the first half of this year. These two players could have gone a lot further had they not had good runs cruelly interrupted by players who went on to make the Quarter Finals. Bobby Banerjee and Bobby Johnson are the players in question. Policing the game as usual of course is Nick Hewer.
Countdown recap for Friday 12 December 2014.
C1: Challenger Bobby Banerjee. A recruitment consultant originally from Hull, now living in Birmingham. Appeared in series 70, won 6 games then lost to Andy Naylor in the Quarter Finals.
C2: Challenger Bobby Johnson. A taxi driver from Glasgow. Appeared in series 70, winning 3 games before narrowly losing to series champion Mark Murray.
DC: Susie Dent and Arlene Phillips.
RR: Rachel Riley.
OT: Other words or solutions.
R01: P I H R N O E A P
R02: S T D E O X I R E
R03: 6, 8, 1, 7, 75, 25, . Target: 296.
TTT: BOILTUNA - "If you've handled fish, you'll need to perform this."
R04: Q B G S A U M I Y
R05: J S E T R O A W S
R06: 9, 8, 6, 5, 4, 50. Target: 524.
R07: K W M F E A I E R
R08: N F N O A Z H I S
R09: 3, 10, 2, 9, 7, 25. Target: 753.
TTT: HIDORGAN - "Commandeering all the advertising space perhaps."
R10: S L P V E U L A T
R11: R L S O I O T R E
R12: T N T N I O E T R
R13: D L O G R E I M U
R14: 8, 9, 8, 1, 5, 50. Target: 501.
R15: C L I C K R A N G (conundrum)
And now a brief interlude before our main feature:
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Round 1: P I H R N O E A P
Bobby Banerjee: HAPPIER (7)
Bobby Johnson: HAPPIER (7)
DC: HEPARIN (7) PROPANE (7)
OT: EPIPHORA (8) HORNPIPE (8)
Score: 7–7 (max 8)
Who was the HAPPIER of the two players? Well both really. It's 7 each to start.
Round 2: S T D E O X I R E
Bobby Banerjee: DIETERS (7)
Bobby Johnson: EXISTED (7)
DC: DETOXES (7) STEROID (7) DEXTROSE (8)
Score: 14–14 (max 16)
Did you know DIETERS EXISTED in this game? Apparently yes.
Round 3: 6, 8, 1, 7, 75, 25. Target: 296.
Bobby Banerjee: 300.
Bobby Johnson: 293. (75+25) x (8+1-6) - 7 (7)
RR: 296. (7+6-1+25) x 8 (10)
Score: 14–21 (max 26)
A tricky numbers game and Mr Johnson takes the lead as he gets 3 away. Mr Banerjee is 4 away.
Teatime teaser: BOILTUNA -> ABLUTION
Round 4: Q B G S A U M I Y
Bobby Banerjee: SQUIB (5)
Bobby Johnson: BIGAMY (6)
DC: BIGAMY (6) IAMBUS (6)
OT: MAQUIS (6)
Score: 14–27 (max 32)
It's a damp SQUIB for Mr Banerjee, as Mr Johnson gets BIGAMY for 6.
Round 5: J S E T R O A W S
Bobby Banerjee: WASTERS (7)
Bobby Johnson: WASTERS (7)
DC: WRESTS (6)
OT: SERTAOS (7)
Score: 21–34 (max 39)
Both of them get WASTERS here for another 7.
Round 6: 9, 8, 6, 5, 4, 50. Target: 524.
Bobby Banerjee: 522. (6+4) x 50 + 9 + 8 + 5 (7)
Bobby Johnson: -
RR: 524. (6-5) + 8 x 9 + 50 x 4 (10)
Score: 28–34 (max 49)
Mr Banerjee gets 7 back with 522, while Mr Johnson doesn't get near it.
Round 7: K W M F E A I E R
Bobby Banerjee: WEAKER (6)
Bobby Johnson: WEAKER (6)
OT: FAERIE (6) RAMKIE (6) REMAKE (6)
Score: 34–40 (max 55)
Both players get WEAKER for 6 points.
Round 8: N F N O A Z H I S
Bobby Banerjee: ANIONS (6)
Bobby Johnson: FANS (4)
DC: FASHION (7)
Score: 40–40 (max 62)
Mr Banerjee gets the equalizer with ANIONS for 6, while Mr Johnson could only manage FANS for 4.
Round 9: 3, 10, 2, 9, 7, 25. Target: 753.
Bobby Banerjee: 752. (3 x 10) x 25 + (9-7) (7)
Bobby Johnson: 753. Mistake in working.
RR: 753. (25x10) + ( (9-7) / 2) x 3 (10)
Score: 47–40 (max 72)
Disaster for Mr Johnson as he uses the 10 twice in his attempt to get 753. Mr Banerjee gets 752 for 1 away and 7 points.
Teatime teaser: HIDORGAN -> HOARDING
Round 10: S L P V E U L A T
Bobby Banerjee: VALUES (6)
Bobby Johnson: PULSATE (7)
DC: PLATES (6) PALLETS (7) PULLETS (7)
Score: 47–47 (max 79)
Mr Banerjee VALUES his 6, but it's Mr Johnson who gets 7 points with PULSATE.
Round 11: R L S O I O T R E
Bobby Banerjee: stoolier
Bobby Johnson: LOITERS (7)
DC: STOOLIE (7) LORRIES (7) ORIOLES (7)
OT: OESTRIOL (8) ROOTSIER (8)
Score: 47–54 (max 87)
Mr Banerjee attempts 'stoolier' for 8, but (Susie's) computer says no, allowing Mr Johnson to go 7 ahead with LOITERS.
Susie talks about the phrase 'when in Rome, do as the Romans do.'
Round 12: T N T N I O E T R
Bobby Banerjee: notion
Bobby Johnson: tertion
DC: INTONER (7) TRITONE (7)
OT: TONTINE (7)
Score: 47–54 (max 94)
It's a pointless round as both players get words disallowed. Mr Banerjee saw a second O for 'notion' and Mr Johnson gets 'tertion' disallowed.
Round 13: D L O G R E I M U
Bobby Banerjee: MOULDIER (8)
Bobby Johnson: MOULDIER (8)
DC: MOULD (5) GRIMED (6)
Score: 55–62 (max 102)
Both players get 8 with MOULDIER.
Round 14: 8, 9, 8, 1, 5, 50. Target: 501.
Bobby Banerjee: 501. (9+1) x 50 + (8/8) (10)
Bobby Johnson: 501. (9+1) x 50 + (8/8) (10)
Score: 65–72 (max 112)
It's a 10 point checkout here for both players with 501.
Round 15: C L I C K R A N G
Bobby Johnson buzzes on 3 seconds to say CRACKLING which is correct.
Final Score: 65–82 (max 122)
So a nice break to normal proceedings here and a good game to end the week. Bobby Johnson comes out on top, but in games like this it's not the result that matters, but the spirit in which the game is played, which was excellent.
Normal service resumes on Monday with the remaining Quarter Finals starting again. Tricia Pay and Laurence Killen are playing on Monday, hoping to earn the right to play Antoinette Ryan in next Thursday's Semi Final. Join Andy McGurn for that one. I'll be back next Friday with the final. You'll have to stay tuned throughout this week to see who will be singing 'Abide With Me' in the middle of the studio before the game. I hope you'll join me for that. In the meantime thank you for reading and goodbye.
Further summaries are at:
http://cdb.apterous.org/series.php?series=-14
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