C1: Champion Cate Henderson (8 wins, 782 points.)
C2: Champion Hamish Williamson (4 wins, 415 points.)
DC: Susie Dent and John Stapleton.
RR: Rachel Riley.
OT: Other words or solutions.
The second quarter-final takes place between the number 2 and 7 seeds: Cate, a retired probation officer from Portland in Dorset, and Hamish, from Helensburgh in Scotland - or, as Jeff describes them, the Portland Powerhouse and the Helensburgh Humdinger. Hamish holds the record for the highest debut score (134) in the game's 27-year history. However, influenced no doubt by the seedings^, most people on the predictions thread have got this one down as a win for Cate. We'll see.
Put on the spot by Jeff and asked to define pi, Rachel waffles on for nearly half a minute without actually defining it. Let's get on with the game.
R01: A E A R V Q L O R
R02: D L E A N T O G A
R03: E I E D T T C A J
R04: M E Z E K I G S E
R05: 50, 9, 4, 1, 5, 6. Target: 495.
TTT: UNDERFED - "Underfed in a restaurant? Then you get your money back"
R06: L M I A R L E D H
R07: I E A S N M T I Y
R08: T N E R O P U G R
R09: E E I S R L S B N
R10: 75, 7, 8, 3, 9, 3. Target: 723.
TTT: HENGILLS - "Splashing out money on peas, perhaps"
R11: A E U M C F P E B
R12: T F O I R S U C A
R13: O I O R D N T E P
R14: 50, 5, 8, 10, 4, 1. Target: 505.
R15: B A D L Y B E A T (conundrum)
And now a brief interlude before our main feature:
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Enjoy the show.
Round 1: A E A R V Q L O R
C1: ROVER (5)
C2: LOVER (5)
DC: AREOLAR (7)
OT: LARVAE (6) (Liam Tiernan)
Score: 5–5 (max 7)
AREOLAR is the adjective relating to the areola, which is the pigmented area around the nipple. Racy stuff for 3.30 in the afternoon.
Round 2: D L E A N T O G A
C1: TANGLED (7)
C2: TANGLED (7)
DC: TANGELO (7)
OT: GLOATED (7) GONADAL (7) TALONED (7) TANGOED (7)
Score: 12–12 (max 14)
A flat round but including a Countdown classic (TANGELO). GONADAL is also there but no one has the balls to mention it (sorry).
Round 3: E I E D T T C A J
C1: JETTED (6)
C2: DICTATE (7)
DC: EJECTA (6)
OT: JADEITE (7)
Score: 12–19 (max 21)
Hamish edges ahead. EJECTA is material thrown out by an erupting volcano; JADEITE is the mineral from which jade is obtained.
Round 4: M E Z E K I G S E
C1: MIKES (5)
C2: MIKES (5)
DC: SEIZE (5) GEEKS (5) GEESE (5) (Jeff)
OT: MEZES (5) SEMEE (5) SIEGE (5)
Score: 17–24 (max 26)
Another flat round. SEMEE is a term in heraldry; Susie mentions the genuinely surprising (to me at any rate) snippet of information that GEEKS were originally people who bit off the heads of chickens.
Round 5: 50, 9, 4, 1, 5, 6. Target: 495.
C1: 495. 50 x (9 + 1) - 5 (10)
C2: 495. 50 x (6 + 4) - 5 (10)
OT: (50 + 5) x 9 (Mark Kudlowski)
Score: 27–34 (max 36)
An easy numbers round sees Hamish go into the first break with his slight lead maintained.
Teatime teaser: UNDERFED -> REFUNDED
Round 6: L M I A R L E D H
C1: RALLIED (7)
C2: -
DC: MIRED (5) MARLED (6)
OT: DIALLER (7) HEDARIM (7)
Score: 34–34 (max 43)
A slip by Hamish (he thinks he has a 7 but realises when asked to declare that he's used a letter twice) allows Cate to level the score. John Stapleton casually mentions MARLED, which goes unremarked by Susie despite being an unfamiliar word - it's a nautical term to do with fastening a rope. Nobody spots the word that caused Kirk (and Susie) to have a sweaty moment back in the heats, HEDARIM.
Round 7: I E A S N M T I Y
C1: STAMEN (6)
C2: AMNESTY (7)
DC: INMATES (7)
OT: AMENITY (7) ANYTIME (7) ANIMIST (7) INTIMAE (7)
Score: 34–41 (max 50)
Hamish takes the lead once more. An ANIMIST is one who believes that natural objects have desires and intentions. INTIMAE is the plural of INTIMA, the innermost layer of a body part, especially a blood vessel.
Round 8: T N E R O P U G R
C1: GROUPER (7)
C2: unreport
DC: GROUTER (7)
OT: REGROUP (7) GRUNTER (7) TROUPER (7)
Score: 41–41 (max 57)
A calculated risk by Hamish fails to pay off and Cate levels the score yet again.
Round 9: E E I S R L S B N
C1: LINERS (6)
C2: SENSIBLE (8)
DC: RESILES (7)
Score: 41–49 (max 65)
And a splendid darren takes Hamish back into the lead. To RESILE is to resume an original position or shape.
OoW: Susie explains the origins of the word GALVANISE in the experiments of Luigi Galvani (1737-98).
Round 10: 75, 7, 8, 3, 9, 3. Target: 723.
C1: 723. 75 x (7 + 3) - 9 x 3 (10)
C2: 723. Mistake in working.
Score: 51–49 (max 75)
Hamish uses one 3 too many, allowing Cate to take the lead for the first time in the game.
Teatime teaser: HENGILLS -> SHELLING
Round 11: A E U M C F P E B
C1: BECAME (6)
C2: BECAME (6)
Score: 57–55 (max 81)
Round 12: T F O I R S U C A
C1: FACTORS (7)
C2: FRACTIOUS (18)
DC: SAUTOIR (7) CARIOUS (7)
Score: 57–73 (max 99)
A terrific spot from Hamish puts him well ahead, though still not unbeatable. A SAUTOIR is a kind of necklace; CARIOUS is the adjective from CARIES meaning tooth decay.
Round 13: O I O R D N T E P
C1: POINTER (7)
C2: POINTER (7) PRINTED (7)
DC: PORTIONED (18)
OT: POINTED (7) PERIDOT (7)
Score: 64–80 (max 117)
Hamish flamboyantly offers a choice of two words for his 7, but this time both players miss the 9. The game is still potentially salvageable for Cate...
Round 14: 50, 5, 8, 10, 4, 1. Target: 505.
C1: 505. 50 x 10 + 5 (10)
C2: 505. 50 x 10 + 5 (10)
Score: 74–90 (max 127)
...but a trivial final numbers round seals the game for Hamish.
Round 15: B A D L Y B E A T
C2 buzzes on 5 seconds to say DEBATABLY which is correct.
Score: 74–100 (max 137)
And so, in the first notable upset of this series' finals, the number 2 seed is ousted. After what was for most of the time a very close game, Hamish cruises into the semis where he'll face either Jimmy Gough or James Doohan next Thursday. Kudos to Cate for a terrific game, although it's worth noting that Hamish would still have won by one point even without the 9 in round 12.
Further summaries are at:
http://www.apterous.org/cdb/series.php?series=60
Kirk's reply was a plain, straightforward pointing out of the mistake, which made it more appropriate to reply to than your rather elliptical comment.