Hello, it's that time of the week again.
C1: Champion Philip Jackson (3 wins, 279 points.) A retired teacher from Ascott, Berkshire. His scores so far read 96, 93 and 90. For those of you who can't do maths, they're declining by three each day. Can he win with a score of 87 today? He likes to play Bridge in his free time as well as writing his own limericks. He reads out one for us:
A new Countdown host was required,
So Alan's right hand man was hired.
Apprentices quake,
But make no mistake,
It's only our interest, he's fired.
C2: Challenger Derek Tucker. A retired editor from Aberdeen, the paper he edited was Britain's third largest regional paper. Last year, he received an lifetime achievement award from the Scottish Newspaper Society. In the 1980s, when he was reporting in Lebanon, he was shot at and was only 100 yards from an explosion.
DC: Susie Dent and Janet Street-Porter.
RR: Rachel Riley.
OT: Other words or solutions.
R01: L S F R S O A I E
R02: H L A I A T D E S
R03: L S P R V E I O A
R04: D T S P I E A D B
R05: 50, 10, 6, 5, 7, 4. Target: 704.
TTT: AVRILHAD - "Avril had seen one patrolling the streets of India"
R06: M N W C O I E P N
R07: Y T J R F O E A C
R08: S M D M E I A R G
R09: T N M D Z O U A E
R10: 75, 25, 1, 1, 9, 6. Target: 263.
TTT: FELTDIRE - "Felt dire, so had a cup of this coffee"
R11: N T P H G O E I N
R12: S R D M A I A Q E
R13: K H T S N U E I R
R14: 75, 1, 3, 1, 8, 7. Target: 343.
R15: B A L E P A N I C (conundrum)
And now a brief interlude before our main feature:
SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER
SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER
SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER
SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER
SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER
SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER
SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER
SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER
SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER
SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER
SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER
SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER
SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER
SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER
SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER
SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER
SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER
SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER
SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER
SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER
Enjoy the show.
Round 1: L S F R S O A I E
C1: SAILORS (7)
C2: SAILORS (7)
DC: RISSOLE (7) SOLARISE (8)
OT: FORESAILS (18)
Score: 7–7 (max 18)
Both players SAIL onto the scoreboard before DC reveal the eight they've found. It's not as good as the nine which goes unspotted in the studio, so I'll take the credit instead.
Round 2: H L A I A T D E S
C1: DETAILS (7)
C2: DILATES (7)
DC: DAHLIAS (7)
OT: HEADSAIL (8)
Score: 14–14 (max 26)
Philip and Derek match each other with their sevens again and DC again miss another word with SAIL in it.
Round 3: L S P R V E I O A
C1: PREVAILS (8)
C2: POLARISE (8)
DC: LISPER (6) VAPORISE (8)
OT: OVERLAPS (8) OVERSAIL (8) SLIPOVER (8) VALORISE (8)
Score: 22–22 (max 34)
Both PREVAIL in spotting some of the several eights available, one of which is yet another word with SAIL in it!
Round 4: D T S P I E A D B
C1: PADDIES (7)
C2: PASTED (6)
DC: BAPTISED (8)
Score: 29–22 (max 42)
No L in this selection means that for now, the sailing theme is over. More importantly, Philip breaks the deadlock with his seven, which Susie explains the origin of. It apparently derives from a paddy field, where rice is grown. She also spots the darrenic eight.
Round 5: 50, 10, 6, 5, 7, 4. Target: 704.
C1: 704. (10 + 4) x 50 + 5 - (7 - 6) (10)
C2: 704. (6 + 5 - 7 + 10) x 50 + 4 (10)
Score: 39–32 (max 52)
Both go round the houses more than necessary to solve this numbers game but they both get the ten points which is all that really matters. It completes a first part of a good standard, let's hope they can keep it up.
Teatime teaser: AVRILHAD -> HAVILDAR
Round 6: M N W C O I E P N
C1: INCOME (6)
C2: INCOME (6)
DC: CONMEN (6) COWMEN (6)
OT: MINNOW (6)
Score: 45–38 (max 58)
Just a few sixes in this uninspiring round. DC get CONMEN, which until recently, was two words.
Round 7: Y T J R F O E A C
C1: CRAFTY (6)
C2: CRAFTY (6)
DC: FACTORY (7)
Score: 51–44 (max 65)
Sixes for the contestants and a darren for the corner.
Round 8: S M D M E I A R G
C1: RAMMED (6)
C2: grammies
DC: MERMAIDS (8) DIMMERS (7)
Score: 57–44 (max 73)
Very unlucky for Derek as his offering is in but it's capitalised, meaning Philip extends his lead, despite only finding a six. DC once again spot the darren.
Round 9: T N M D Z O U A E
C1: AMOUNTED (8)
C2: MOUNTED (7)
DC: UNMADE (6)
Score: 65–44 (max 81)
Ouch, Derek will be kicking himself for not adding the A to his word and he now has it all to do to stay alive in this contest.
Round 10: 75, 25, 1, 1, 9, 6. Target: 263.
C1: 260. (25 + 1) x (1 + 9) (7)
C2: -
RR: 262/264. (7)
OT: 263. (75 - 9) x ((25 -1)/6) - 1 (10)
Score: 72–44 (max 91)
A very tricky two large, which even our maths queen can't solve. Derek finds himself even further behind though after blanking it and Philip looks to be out of sight now.
Teatime teaser: FELTDIRE -> FILTERED
Round 11: N T P H G O E I N
C1: NOTHING (7)
C2: OPENING (7)
DC: OPINE (5)
OT: PHONING (7) PONTINE (7)
Score: 79–51 (max 98)
Like Derek in the last round, Philip gets NOTHING this time.
Round 12: S R D M A I A Q E
C1: DREAMS (6)
C2: ADMIRES (7)
DC: MADRAS (6)
OT: ARAMIDS (7) MISREAD (7) SIDEARM (7)
Score: 79–58 (max 105)
You have to ADMIRE Derek for keeping it up as he beats the champion for the first time. Has he left it too late?
Round 13: K H T S N U E I R
C1: STINKER (7)
C2: THINKERS (8)
DC: HUNKIEST (8)
OT: RETHINKS (8) SHURIKEN (8)
Score: 79–66 (max 113)
Maybe not, as Philip has a little bit of a STINKER by missing the eights.
Derek has a slim chance of victory all of a sudden.Round 14: 75, 1, 3, 1, 8, 7. Target: 343.
C1: -
C2: 341. (8 - 3) x (75 - 7) + 1 (7)
RR: 343. (75 - (3 x 8 + 1 + 1)) x 7 (10)
Score: 79–73 (max 123)
WOW!
This time it's Philip's turn to blank and Derek narrows the gap to just six with his two away method, which he could have improved by adding the other one. It doesn't make any difference though, as Rachel shows off with a fancy method. Crucial conundrum time! Round 15: B A L E P A N I C
C1 buzzes on 5.75 seconds to say INCAPABLE which is correct.
Final Score: 89–73 (max 133)
Derek is INCAPABLE of pulling an unbelievable comeback off though as Philip gets it and I'm sure he'll be a massively relieved man. He looked to be cruising with four rounds left but he left the door open for his opponent. Derek was certainly a worthy opponent and would have won on many other days. A very good game between two good players. Philip retains his place in the champion's chair and now has four wins under his belt. His score of 89 continues the trend of his scores dropping but he didn't get the 87 that I predicted. His score dropped by less so he's certainly making progress.
If he wants a fifth win tomorrow, he'll need more of the performance from rounds 1 to 11 rather than the last four. I believe that apterite Heather Styles, daughter of Phyllis, is tomorrow's challenger and I'm sure she'll provide a stern test. Join James tomorrow and I'll be back next week with two different contestants occupying the chairs. If Philip becomes the sixth octochamp of the series, it'll be between two newbies. Until then, good afternoon.
Further summaries are at:
http://www.apterous.org/cdb/series.php?series=67