Enjoy.
Countdown recap for Wednesday 21 March 2012.
C1: Champion Rajhoo "Raj" Carooppunnen (1 win, 88 points.) From Worsley, Greater Manchester, but originally from Mauritius. He works as a helper for people with special needs, which he has done for 10 years, and before that, he worked as a psychiatric nurse. He says his ambition was to win one round of the show, which he achieved pretty much straight away yesterday.
C2: Challenger Colin Lovell. A contractor for a glass company from Basingstoke, Hampshire. He supports Liverpool F.C..
DC: Susie Dent and Martin Lewis.
RR: Rachel Riley.
OT: Other words or solutions.
R01: L B P D P U A E W
R02: F T I G A E S V I
R03: T N G Z O A R E I
R04: F A S T E R C R O
R05: 50, 6, 4, 10, 4, 9. Target: 867.
TTT: KENSMITH - "There has to be a Ken Smith out there, I reckon anyway"
R06: T E D S I N W U O
R07: S T S D X E U E V
R08: H S I R A K S O M
R09: P H N T I E N O C
R10: 25, 100, 6, 1, 9, 8. Target: 301.
TTT: DOTPETER - "Dot and Peter mooched around, rather like Harry"
R11: R D C M S R E A I
R12: N L O R E Q A M O
R13: G D L T R N U A E
R14: 75, 100, 7, 1, 10, 5. Target: 812.
R15: R O O T E P A I N (conundrum)
And now a brief interlude before our main feature:
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Enjoy the show.
Round 1: L B P D P U A E W
C1: wappled
C2: UPPED (5)
DC: DUPABLE (7)
Score: 0–5 (max 7)
Hmmm, an unnecessary risk by Raj here, but at least there's still 14 more rounds to make it up.
Round 2: F T I G A E S V I
C1: VISAGE (6)
C2: FEAST (5)
DC: FIESTA (6) AGEIST (6)
OT: STEVIA (6)
Score: 6–5 (max 13)
Well, just the one round needed then.
A STEVIA is a South American perennial shrub, Stevia rebaudiana, having small, white flowers and sweet-tasting leaves.
Round 3: T N G Z O A R E I
C1: agonizer
C2: TEARING (7)
DC: AGONIZE (7) ORGANIZE (8) TZIGANE (7)
OT: NOTARIZE (8)
Score: 6–12 (max 21)
Ouch, now that is AGONIZE-ing. These little niggling guesses are costing Raj the chance to push further forward.
Round 4: F A S T E R C R O
C1: FORECAST (8)
C2: COASTER (7)
DC: REACTORS (8) CREATORS (8) CROFTERS (8) CRAFTERS (8)
OT: REFRACTS (8)
Score: 14–12 (max 29)
But, he's recovered nicely and now he can try and push further forward.
Round 5: 50, 6, 4, 10, 4, 9. Target: 867.
C1: 868. ((6 + 10) x (50 + 4)) + 4 (7)
C2: -
RR: 866/868. (7)
OT: 866. ((9 + 4 + 4) x 50) + 10 + 6 (7)
Score: 21–12 (max 36)
Hmmm, you'd have thought that 51 x 17 might've been in there somewhere. But, clearly not.
Martin talks about being the most searched man on the Internet in 2009, as well as some money mantras.
Teatime teaser: KENSMITH -> METHINKS
Round 6: T E D S I N W U O
C1: OUTSIDE (7)
C2: OUTSIDE (7)
DC: DOWNIEST (8)
OT: WIDEOUTS (8)
Score: 28–19 (max 44)
It might be nice OUTSIDE, but DC go DOWNIEST into the duvet.........
Round 7: S T S D X E U E V
C1: ETUDES (6)
C2: VESTED (6)
DC: VEXED (5) DUVETS (6)
OT: EXUDES (6) STEEDS (6)
Score: 34–25 (max 50)
And lo and behold, some DUVETS appear in this round.
Quite impressed by Raj's ETUDES, clearly using his Mauritian heritage to his advantage there. Round 8: H S I R A K S O M
C1: SHIRKS (6)
C2: KORMAS (6)
OT: KAROSHI (7) KHIMARS (7) MOHAIRS (7) SHIKRAS (7)
Score: 40–31 (max 57)
Loadsa 7's here, but try telling that to everyone in the studio.
In Japan, KAROSHI is death caused by overwork.
A KHIMAR is a headscarf worn by observant Muslim women that hangs down to just above the waist.
Round 9: P H N T I E N O C
C1: PHONETIC (8)
C2: panic
Score: 48–31 (max 65)
While Colin goes into a phantom panic, Raj goes into super cool mode with an impressive darrenic 8 here.
Susie's Origins Of Words talks about the origins of the phrases, "on the gravy train" and "greasing someone's palm".
Round 10: 25, 100, 6, 1, 9, 8. Target: 301.
C1: 301. ((9 - 6) x 100) + 1 (10)
C2: 301. ((9 - 6) x 100) + 1 (10)
Score: 58–41 (max 75)
Nice and simple.
Teatime teaser: DOTPETER -> POTTERED
Round 11: R D C M S R E A I
C1: MISREAD (7)
C2: SCREAM (6)
DC: CARRIES (7) SIDECAR (7)
OT: ADMIRERS (8) DISARMER (8) MARRIEDS (8)
Score: 65–41 (max 83)
Hmmm, DC impress with some 7's, but there are a few lovely looking 8's in there.
Round 12: N L O R E Q A M O
C1: MORALE (6)
C2: LOANER (6)
DC: MOANER (6) ALMONER (7)
Score: 71–47 (max 90)
DC go darrenic with their 7, as Colin is going to have to go some in the next round to stay in it.
Round 13: G D L T R N U A E
C1: LAUNDER (7)
C2: granuled
DC: GRANULE (7) GRUNTLED (8)
Score: 78–47 (max 98)
But not like that
Raj LAUNDERs his way to a victory thanks to that. Round 14: 75, 100, 7, 1, 10, 5. Target: 812.
C1: 815. ((7 + 1) x 100) + 10 + 5 (7)
C2: 811. Mistake in working.
RR: 812. ((75 + 1) x (7 + 5)) - 100 (10)
Score: 85–47 (max 108)
Oh dear, a bit of a mess by Colin to further compound his woes. Very impressive solve by our Rach though.
Round 15: R O O T E P A I N
No one buzzes. The answer was OPERATION.
Final Score: 85–47 (max 118)
Oh dear, the OPERATION is timed out here, but never mind, Raj has certainly impressed yet again with some exceptional spots, although I think we'd all like it if he cut out the unnecessary guesses too. But, hey-ho, there's always tomorrow.
Join me then to see if he can complete the hat-trick.
Till then, bye bye.
Statistics Corner
Rajhoo:
Total score - 85
Raw score - 85
Total % of max - 72
Raw % of max - 72
Total average score per round - 5.7
Raw average score per round - 5.7
Number of maxes - 6
Colin:
Total score - 47
Raw score - 65
Total % of max - 40
Raw % of max - 55
Total average score per round - 3.1
Raw average score per round - 4.3
Number of maxes - 2
Further summaries are at:
http://www.apterous.org/cdb/series.php?series=66
