There's only one way to find out and that's to enjoy.
Countdown recap for Wednesday 19 December 2012.
C1: No.5 Seed Rose "The Dublin Dervish" Boyle (9 wins, 791 points.) An Apteforumite from Dublin, but originally from Arranmore Island, County Donegal. She reached the semi-final by beating No.4 Seed Liam Shaw 90-83 in their quarter-final yesterday.
C2: No.1 Seed Paul "The Brampton Behemoth" James (9 wins, 897 points.) An Apteforumite from Brampton, Cumbria. He reached the semi-final by beating No.8 Seed Grant Waters 103-75 in their quarter-final last Wednesday.
DC: Susie Dent and Alistair McGowan.
RR: Rachel Riley.
OT: Other words or solutions.
R01: Y R T U A I H M F
R02: V T G E U O S I G
R03: S M T L E A E A N
R04: D N G U O E T X D
R05: 75, 100, 50, 8, 5, 3. Target: 801.
TTT: LEFTROAD - "Did it leave the operatic mouse feeling let down?"
R06: R L N T A E A O S
R07: C W T S E A O M D
R08: T S R U E I K N O
R09: R F N L I A O C A
R10: 75, 6, 2, 3, 2, 4. Target: 423.
TTT: SOMEMIND - "Some mind will believe in evil spirits"
R11: M V Q O E E P L P
R12: D T B O E A S P G
R13: S W C I E I P B M
R14: 50, 3, 9, 4, 6, 9. Target: 578.
R15: W O R D G O N E R (conundrum)
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Enjoy the show.
Round 1: Y R T U A I H M F
C1: FRUITY (6)
C2: ATRIUM (6)
DC: farty MIRTH (5)
OT: HUMIFY (6) RAMIFY (6) RATIFY (6) THIRAM (6) THUMRI (6)
Score: 6–6 (max 6)
A bit of a rotten lot in the first round, but there are still a few 6's to pick and choose from.
To HUMIFY to convert or be converted into humus, the dark organic soil, not the disgusting Greek food.
THIRAM is a white, crystalline compound, C6H12N2S4, insoluble in water, slightly soluble in alcohol, soluble in benzene and acetone, used as a vulcanizer and accelerator for rubber and as a fungicide, bacteriostat, and seed disinfectant.
THUMRI is a common genre of semi-classical Indian music.
Round 2: V T G E U O S I G
C1: EGOIST (6)
C2: GOUGES (6)
DC: VOGUES (6)
OT: GIGOTS (6) GIGUES (6) OGIVES (6) OUTIES (6) SOVIET (6) STOGIE (6)
Score: 12–12 (max 12)
Again, nothing more than 6, although there are some more noticeable ones thanks to the nicer letters.
A GIGOT is a leg of lamb or mutton.
A GIGUE is a dance movement often forming the conclusion of the classical suite.
A STOGIE (or STOGY) is a long, slender, roughly made, inexpensive cigar, or a coarse, heavy boot or shoe.
Round 3: S M T L E A E A N
C1: EMANATES (8)
C2: MANATEES (8)
OT: ELASTANE (8) MALEATES (8) TALESMAN (8) TALESMEN (8)
Score: 20–20 (max 20)
Now, that's more like it!!! 8's galore here. The standard is as expected for a semi-final, EXCEPTIONAL.
ELASTANE is a synthetic fibre characterized by its ability to revert to its original shape after being stretched.
A MALEATE is a salt or ester of maleic acid, a colourless soluble crystalline substance used to synthesize other compounds.
A TALESMAN (plural TALESMEN) is a person summoned as one of the tales, the order or writ summoning such jurors.
Round 4: D N G U O E T X D
C1: TONGUED (7)
C2: TONGUED (7)
DC: DONG (4) DONGED (6)
OT: DUDGEON (7)
Score: 27–27 (max 27)
Not much of a TONGUE-lashing so far, but a good ding-DONG battle, or in Nick's case, a bit DONG-DONGED.
Round 5: 75, 100, 50, 8, 5, 3. Target: 801.
C1: 801. ((100 - 3) x 8) + 75 - 50 (10)
C2: 801. ((100 + 75) x 5) - 50 - (8 x 3) (10)
Score: 37–37 (max 37)
Well, 800 was pretty easy.
And that's where I stayed................... 
But the skill displayed by both contestants is truly mind-blowing and definitely shows why they are both participating in the semi-finals, while I'm just here typing out the coolness on my laptop.
And I think I'm right in saying that that the first double max first half since Jayne Wisniewski's 3rd preliminary match in Series 65.
Alistair gives an amazing impression of a disgruntled person (himself) watching a Shakespeare play, while speaking with his own monologue.
Teatime teaser: LEFTROAD -> DEFLATOR
Round 6: R L N T A E A O S
C1: LOANERS (7)
C2: ARSENAL (7)
DC: SANTERO (7)
OT: ANTLERS (7) ETALONS (7) RENTALS (7) SALTERN (7) SEALANT (7) SENATOR (7) STERNAL (7) TREASON (7)
Score: 44–44 (max 44)
Again there looked like there was lots more, but flatness and MAXNESS reigns supreme once more.
A SALTERN is a saltworks or a plot of land laid out in pools for the evaporation of seawater to produce salt.
Round 7: C W T S E A O M D
C1: COASTED (7)
C2: MEADOWS (7)
Score: 51–51 (max 51)
Just the two 7's here, which I must admit did surprise me............
Round 8: T S R U E I K N O
C1: TINKERS (7)
C2: ROUTINES (8)
DC: STINKER (7) STONKER (7)
Score: 51–59 (max 59)
DEADLOCK-BREAKER!!!!!!!!!!! And there you have it, the first chink in the armour, and it's Paul who exploits it, and keeps the max game while he's at it too.
Round 9: R F N L I A O C A
C1: CRANIAL (7)
C2: CRANIAL (7)
DC: CLARION (7)
OT: FLORICAN (8)
Score: 58–66 (max 67)
Well, the max game is gone, but Paul's lead is still intact for now.
A FLORICAN is any of various smaller species of bustards.
Susie's Origins Of Words talks about the origins of "siren".
Round 10: 75, 6, 2, 3, 2, 4. Target: 423.
C1: 423. ((75 - 4) x 6) - 3 (10)
C2: 423. Mistake in working.
Score: 68–66 (max 77)
WOAH!-WOAH!!-WOAH!!! Shock o'clock
Paul completely loses it with his method, but calm as ever, Rose takes it at a canter to steal the lead.Is the possibility of the first ever all-female edging closer to reality, I wonder.................
Teatime teaser: SOMEMIND -> DEMONISM
Round 11: M V Q O E E P L P
C1: PEOPLE (6)
C2: PEOPLE (6)
Score: 74–72 (max 83)
Double darren time.
The tension is killing me and I'm not even in the studio............. Round 12: D T B O E A S P G
C1: BOASTED (7)
C2: BODEGAS (7)
DC: BEDPOST (7) POSTAGE (7)
OT: DOTAGES (7) POSTBAG (7) POTAGES (7) SABOTED (7)
Score: 81–79 (max 90)
More flatness. Is there going to be a crack somewhere soon......................
Interestingly, both contestants have now maxed 10 (count them, TEN) rounds each. Now that's just extraordinary, especially with the pressure of a semi-final on their shoulders too
Round 13: S W C I E I P B M
C1: SWIPE (5)
C2: BICEPS (6)
Score: 81–85 (max 96)
Well, well, well, another twist in the tale as Paul takes the lead thanks to his BICEPS. (I wonder if that's the first time they've been used to their full extent.
)Round 14: 50, 3, 9, 4, 6, 9. Target: 578.
C1: 578. ((50 + 9) x (6 + 4)) - (9 + 3) (10)
C2: 578. ((50 + 9) x (6 + 4)) - (9 + 3) (10)
Score: 91–95 (max 106)
Rose just manages to get it in time, and with a matching pair from Paul, this game (deservedly so) is heading into CRUCIAL CONUNDRUM TIME.
Do or die time it is. Will it be a repeat from yesterday from Rose, or will she wilt under the pressure...............
Round 15: W O R D G O N E R
No one buzzes. The answer was WRONGDOER.
Final Score: 91–95 (max 116)
Interestingly and definitely, totally irrelevantly, I got this quicker than the 4 quarter-final conundrums..........
(That's not weird, is it? )But even more amazingly, after the brilliance of the rest of the game, the final round ends with a sort of a whimper, as no-one solves the conundrum, with the exception of a lady (and probably a few Apteforumites) in the audience.
So, the game ends, and I can finally get my breath back after watching what is definitely the best ever semi-final (after Chris and Innis from Series 61) that I've ever seen!!! The skill and composure displayed by both Rose and Paul was beyond unbelievable and it provided us with entertainment, drama and pure emotional bliss.
I definitely wouldn't mind something like that in tomorrow's semi-final between the No.2 Seed David "The Ross-on-Wye 'Recking Ball" Barnard and the No.3 Seed Heather "The Sevenoaks Sizzler" Styles.
I'm also well intrigued that so many people say that that match is a cracker not to be missed, especially after seeing this one!!!!!!! Whatever it does to top this is going to have be dramatic beyond belief
Paul can now have a breather as he prepares for Friday's final, which will surely be a classic too.
After a good night's sleep tonight, I'll be up and at 'em in anticipation of the 2nd semi-final, which I'll be gladly recapping for all you brilliant people at this time tomorrow.
So, till then, bye bye.
Statistics Corner
Rose:
Total score - 91
Raw score - 103
Total % of max - 78
Raw % of max - 89
Total average score per round - 6.1
Raw average score per round - 6.9
Number of maxes - 11
Paul:
Total score - 95
Raw score - 95
Total % of max - 82
Raw % of max - 82
Total average score per round - 6.3
Raw average score per round - 6.3
Number of maxes - 12
Further summaries are at:
http://www.apterous.org/cdb/series.php?series=67