Countdown recap for Wednesday 23 June 2010.
C1: Champion Scott Gillies (7 wins, 708 points.) "An ordinary bloke who likes a pint and a round of golf."
Add "being a Countdown expert" to that list.C2: Challenger Helen Ingelbrecht. From Eastbourne, Sussex. She's a former bank clerk, secretary and stable groom, but now works as a cook. Her main passion is horses, and she has managed to ride native horses in 15 different countries. She's a member of the Elite Rider's Club and has been in the Winner's Enclosure at Royal Ascot, where she even saw Her Majesty, The Queen.
DC: Susie Dent and Aled Jones.
RR: Rachel Riley.
OT: Other words or solutions.
R01: V R I U E L F G A
R02: E O A T W B L O M
R03: V H K E U I O R S
R04: G R S E O E A N P
R05: 25, 4, 10, 2, 7, 1. Target: 571.
TTT: COLABEAR - "You might not have heard of it, but you've probably all eaten it"
R06: H G B S A I A Y P
R07: L N N U A I E I D
R08: D G N T A E O C S
R09: D Q M E O E E C R
R10: 50, 3, 1, 4, 6, 10. Target: 227.
TTT: SADDINER - "The sad diner was squashed in eating his fish"
R11: D S W I E E M I R
R12: S N T I E O S D I
R13: R T E U O I J L R
R14: 75, 8, 5, 3, 5, 8. Target: 893.
R15: C E N T M A T C H (conundrum)
And now a brief interlude before our main feature:
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Enjoy the show.
Round 1: V R I U E L F G A
C1: VULGAR (6)
C2: GRAVEL (6)
DC: FRAGILE (7)
OT: FAILURE (7) FIGURAE (7) REFUGIA (7) FIGURAL (7) VIRGULE (7)
Score: 6–6 (max 7)
REFUGIA (plural of REFUGIUM) is an area where special environmental circumstances have enabled a species or a community of species to survive after extinction in surrounding areas.
A VIRGULE is another name for this - /
Round 2: E O A T W B L O M
C1: TOMBOLA (7)
C2: MOTEL (5)
OT: BOOMLET (7) TOWABLE (7) WOOABLE (7)
Score: 13–6 (max 14)
Scott manages to draw out an early lead in this one.
A BOOMLET is a brief increase, as in business activity or political popularity.
Round 3: V H K E U I O R S
C1: HOURIS (6)
C2: SHRIKE (6)
DC: SKIVER (6) HUSKIER (7)
Score: 19–12 (max 21)
Round 4: G R S E O E A N P
C1: PERSONAE (8)
C2: ORANGES (7)
DC: PERSONAGE (18)
Score: 27–12 (max 39)
Ouchy
Even though Scott's 8 is impressive, by sticking the G inbetween the A and E, he would have had an even more impressive 9 Round 5: 25, 4, 10, 2, 7, 1. Target: 571.
C1: 571. (((2 x 7) + 10 - 1) x 25) - 4 (10)
C2: 575.
Score: 37–12 (max 49)
A brilliant solve by the octochamp-in-waiting, and it looks like he's taking full control of this one.
Aled talks about his children, and how they will probably not grow up as singers like him.
Teatime teaser: COLABEAR -> ALBACORE
Round 6: H G B S A I A Y P
C1: ABASH (5)
C2: GIPSY (5)
DC: APHIS (5)
OT: BIGHAS (6)
Score: 42–17 (max 55)
Round 7: L N N U A I E I D
C1: UNNAILED (8)
C2: UNLINED (7)
DC: ANNELID (7)
OT: INDULINE (8)
Score: 50–17 (max 63)
Scott NAILED UNNAILED there.
/ 
INDULINE is any of a large class of dyes yielding colors similar to indigo.
Round 8: D G N T A E O C S
C1: COGNATES (8)
C2: COASTED (7)
DC: DECAGONS (8)
Score: 58–17 (max 71)
Scott's lead extends to 2 score and 1 with that 8.
Round 9: D Q M E O E E C R
C1: RECODE (6)
C2: REDEEM (6)
OT: DECREE (6) RECEDE (6) EMCEED (6)
Score: 64–23 (max 77)
Just 6's here, but Scott manages to find the only one that doesn't use all 3 E's.
EMCEED, relates to EMCEE, which is a master of ceremonies.
Susie's Origin Of Words tells of the origin of the connection between "champagne" and "champion".
Round 10: 50, 3, 1, 4, 6, 10. Target: 227.
C1: 227. ((50 + 6) x 4) + 3 (10)
C2: 227. (50 x 4) + ((10 - 1) x 3) (10)
Score: 74–33 (max 87)
Teatime teaser: SADDINER -> SARDINED
Round 11: D S W I E E M I R
C1: RESIDE (6)
C2: WEIRD (5)
DC: WEIRDIES (8)
OT: DIMERISE (8)
Score: 80–33 (max 95)
WEIRDIES
Is it me or is that actually very, very WEIRD 
DIMERISE means to form a DIMER, a molecule composed of two identical, simpler molecules.
Round 12: S N T I E O S D I
C1: EDITIONS (8)
C2: INSIDES (7)
DC: TIDINESS (8) SEDITION (8)
OT: INSISTED (8) NOISIEST (8)
Score: 88–33 (max 103)
And there you have it, we have our first octochamp of Series 63, and his name is Scott Gillies.
Round 13: R T E U O I J L R
C1: OUTLIER (7)
C2: LOITER (6)
DC: ULTERIOR (8)
Score: 95–33 (max 111)
Another good 7 by our champ, but DC supercede him with that darrenic 8.
Round 14: 75, 8, 5, 3, 5, 8. Target: 893.
C1: 892. ((8 + 3 + (5 / 5)) x 75) - 8 (7)
C2: 892. ((8 + 3 + (5 / 5)) x 75) - 8 (7)
RR: 893. ((75 + 5) x (8 + 3)) + 5 + 8 (10)
Score: 102–40 (max 121)
It seemed tricky at first to get it spot on, but Rachel shows us the way.
Round 15: C E N T M A T C H
C2 buzzes on 3.75 seconds to say CATCHMENT which is correct.
Score: 102–50 (max 131)
Helen has the last word with that conundrum spot, but Scott has done brilliantly and that score of 102 sees his total points tally rise to 810, making him a member of the 800 Club.
Barring a massive influx of octochamps in this series, he should return to the finals in December.
I'll be back tomorrow when two new challengers try and become the next Scott Gillies.
Till then, bye bye.
Statistics Corner
Scott:
Total score - 102
Raw score - 102
Total % of max - 78
Raw % of max - 78
Total average score per round - 6.8
Raw average score per round - 6.8
Number of maxes - 7
Helen:
Total score - 50
Raw score - 101
Total % of max - 38
Raw % of max - 77
Total average score per round - 3.3
Raw average score per round - 6.7
Number of maxes - 3
Further summaries are at:
http://www.apterous.org/cdb/series.php?series=63
