Enjoy.
Countdown recap for Thursday 23 June 2016.
C1: #2 Seed Robin "The Basingstoke Bulwark" McKay (9 wins, 995 points.) An Apteforumite from Basingstoke, Hampshire. He defeated the #7 seed Sean Cooke 107-72 in his quarter-final the Monday before last.
C2: #3 Seed Ann "The Haslemere Hazard" Dibben (9 wins, 991 points.) A company director from Haslemere, Surrey. She defeated the #6 seed Tim Down 107-106 in her quarter-final on Monday.
DC: Susie Dent and Dr. Phil Hammond.
RR: Rachel Riley.
OT: Other words or solutions.
R01: N O F I S A D I P
R02: M R S E U N A D O
R03: 75, 10, 2, 4, 5, 7. Target: 828.
TTT: AFTERRIB - "Sack the spoiled child for bringing home this insect."
R04: C P N E I S A I T
R05: V E R U T A S E G
R06: 50, 75, 25, 4, 6, 2. Target: 508.
R07: R I Z A H O D I L
R08: R T F E A R O U N
R09: 100, 2, 8, 9, 7, 3. Target: 949.
TTT: EACHSTEM - "Each stem of the harvest was cut down with these."
R10: L M T A O U W A P
R11: S I J A M O R E D
R12: C V R I A E L R I
R13: G E W A N I L U D
R14: 50, 75, 25, 1, 4, 3. Target: 673.
R15: M E M Y S H A P E (conundrum)
And now a brief interlude before our main feature:
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Enjoy the show.
Round 1: N O F I S A D I P
Robin: PIANOS (6)
Ann: PIANOS (6)
OT: PODINAS (7)
Score: 6–6 (max 7)
Playing the PIANOS to start off today's semi, but there's a darrenic 7 missed by all here.....
A PODINA (or PUDINA) is any of several kinds of mint that grow in South Asia or are used in seasoning South Asian dishes.
Round 2: M R S E U N A D O
Robin: SURNAMED (8)
Ann: NEUROMAS (8)
OT: ENAMOURS (8) MANDORES (8) MAUNDERS (8) MODERNUS (8) NURSEDOM (8) RANSOMED (8) ROADSMEN (8)
Score: 14–14 (max 15)
8's aplenty here in this one.
A MODERNUS is an advocate of modern ideas or theories; a person characterized by modernness of thinking.
Round 3: 75, 10, 2, 4, 5, 7. Target: 828.
Robin: 828. ((7 + 4) x 75) + 5 - 2 (10)
Ann: 828. ((7 + 4) x 75) + 5 - 2 (10)
Score: 24–24 (max 25)
Pretty straightforward numbers game here.
Teatime teaser: AFTERRIB -> FIREBRAT
Round 4: C P N E I S A I T
Robin: SAPIENT (7)
Ann: PATINISE (8)
OT: PISANITE (8) PISCINAE (8)
Score: 24–32 (max 33)
And there's the first break of the game, and it's Ann's PATINISE that gives her an 8 point lead.
PISANITE is a mineral which consists of an hydrated sulphate of iron and copper, (Fe,Cu)SO4.7H2O, and is a cuprian variety of melanterite occurring as bluish crystals.
A PISCINA (plural PISCINAS or PISCINAE) is a stone basin near the altar in Catholic and pre-Reformation churches for draining water used in the Mass.
Round 5: V E R U T A S E G
Robin: GESTURE (7)
Ann: GESTURE (7)
DC: AUSTERE (7) GRAVEST (7) SEVRUGA (7)
OT: GREAVES (7) RESTAGE (7) REUSAGE (7) VAGUEST (7) VESTURE (7)
Score: 31–39 (max 40)
Plenty of 7's, plus a couple of GESTUREs from our players too.
A GREAVE is a piece of armour used to protect the shin.
VESTURE is a literary term for some clothing or a dress.
Round 6: 50, 75, 25, 4, 6, 2. Target: 508.
Robin: 508. ((75 + 50) x 4) + 6 + 2 (10)
Ann: 508. (6 x 75) + 50 + (4 x 2) (10)
Score: 41–49 (max 50)
Good numbers work by both players, and this is shaping up to be an equally tight semi-final.
Dr. Phil talks about how to make going to your GP a happier experience.
Round 7: R I Z A H O D I L
Robin: HAIRDO (6)
Ann: LIZARD (6)
DC: HIROLA (6)
OT: RHIZOIDAL (18)
Score: 47–55 (max 68)
A LIZARD with a HAIRDO.
RHIZOIDAL is an adjective relating to RHIZOID, a filamentous outgrowth or root hair on the underside of the thallus in some lower plants, especially mosses and liverworts, serving both to anchor the plant and (in terrestrial forms) to conduct water.
Round 8: R T F E A R O U N
Robin: FORTUNE (7)
Ann: FORTUNE (7)
DC: unfarter
OT: ORNATURE (8)
Score: 54–62 (max 76)
Good FORTUNE for both players still, just the one round difference so far..... Shame you can't be an unfarter too.
Round 9: 100, 2, 8, 9, 7, 3. Target: 949.
Robin: 949. ((8 - 3 + 2) x 7) + (100 x 9) (10)
Ann: 949. ((8 - 3 + 2) x 7) + (100 x 9) (10)
Score: 64–72 (max 86)
Again the numbers are proving no trouble for our second and third seeds. This game looks like it's going the distance.....
Teatime teaser: EACHSTEM -> MACHETES
Round 10: L M T A O U W A P
Robin: OUTLAW (6)
Ann: OUTLAW (6)
DC: PLOUT (5)
OT: AMATOL (6) MATAPO (6) MULATA (6) PATOLA (6) PATOLU (6)
Score: 70–78 (max 92)
A couple of OUTLAWs on show here.
MATAPO (or MATIPO or MATIPOU) is any of several New Zealand evergreen shrubs or small trees of the genera Pittosporum (family Pittosporaceae) and Myrsine (family Myrsinaceae); especially (more fully black matipo) Pittosporaceae tenuifolium, with black bark and clusters of dark purple flowers, and (more fully red matipo) Myrsinaceae australis, with dark red bark.
A MULATA (or MULATTA) is a woman having one white and one black parent.
PATOLA or PATOLU is brightly coloured fine silk cloth made by dyeing the thread before weaving.
Round 11: S I J A M O R E D
Robin: MAJORISED (18)
Ann: MAJORISED (18)
DC: MAJORED (7)
Score: 88–96 (max 110)
SUPER AWESOME NINE
Susie's Origins of Words talks about the origins of personality-related collective nouns.
Round 12: C V R I A E L R I
Robin: LAIRIER (7)
Ann: CLAVIER (7)
OT: RIVIERA (7)
Score: 95–103 (max 117)
Just a trio of 7's here, as Ann passes the ton.
NOTE: We actually had a different set of letters come up originally in this round, but it was scrapped after Rachel mispronounced a letter which confused both Robin and DC. A risky 8 that Ann tried was found not to be in, so round 13 was just restarted.
Round 13: G E W A N I L U D
Robin: DEALING (7)
Ann: weadling
DC: INDULGE (7) WELDING (7)
OT: ALIGNED (7) ALIUNDE (7) DEALIGN (7) ELUDING (7) GUNWALE (7) LANGUED (7) LANGUID (7) LAUDING (7) LEADING (7) UNIDEAL (7) UNWAGED (7) WANGLED (7) WAULING (7) WEALING (7) WINDAGE (7)
Score: 102–103 (max 124)
Oooooh, is it a case of deja vu all over again for Ann
A failed risky 8 sees her lead diminish to 1 point, just like in her quarter-final with Tim.Can Robin pounce this time
But, luckily for Ann, it's her choice of numbers this time, so I doubt 4 large is on the cards.....ALIUNDE is a law term meaning from elsewhere.
To WAUL is to give a loud plaintive cry like that of a cat.
Round 14: 50, 75, 25, 1, 4, 3. Target: 673.
Robin: 673. ((4 - 1) x 3 x 75) - (50 / 25) (10)
Ann: 673. ((4 - 1) x 3 x 75) - (50 / 25) (10)
Score: 112–113 (max 134)
Well, it's a 3 large instead, but with both players scoring the maximum, we have a grandstand finish in this high-scoring epic. Ann has the advantage this time, but will there be more drama in this conundrum.....
Round 15: M E M Y S H A P E
No one buzzes. The answer was EMPHYSEMA.
Final Score: 112–113 (max 144)
This time, the answer is no, as Ann hangs on to seal her place in the final.
Interestingly though, if you listen in on what was said straight after the reveal, Robin says he had it down, but thought it was EN-PHYSEMA, rather than EMPHYSEMA. 
Yet another great match in these series finals, and as with her quarter-final, it's a ONE POINT win for Ann, but a win is a win, and she will play Paul Erdunast in tomorrow's final, which you can join Anthony for.
I'll be back with Series 75 next week. Till then, bye for now.
Statistics Corner
Robin:
Total score - 112
Raw score - 119
Total % of max - 78
Raw % of max - 83
Total average score per round - 7.5
Raw average score per round - 7.9
Number of maxes - 10
Ann:
Total score - 113
Raw score - 113
Total % of max - 78
Raw % of max - 78
Total average score per round - 7.5
Raw average score per round - 7.5
Number of maxes - 10
Further summaries are at:
http://cdb.apterous.org/series.php?series=74