So, let's enjoy.
Countdown recap for Wednesday 20 February 2013.
C1: Series 44 Semi-Finalist Dave Hoskisson (10 Games, 8 Wins, 560 Points.) An IT service manager from Liverpool.
C2: Series 60 Semi-Finalist Neil Zussman (11 Games, 10 Wins, 1,027 Points.) An Apteforumite and data analyst from Halifax, West Yorkshire.
DC: Susie Dent and Dr. Phil Hammond.
RR: Rachel Riley.
OT: Other words or solutions.
R01: P E R O T E H I D
R02: M U N R E B I P S
R03: D O R E N U S E L
R04: V A C F I G A L V
R05: 25, 8, 4, 1, 9, 9. Target: 619.
TTT: MILDBEAM - "You can have a mild beam or a bright beam with this bulb"
R06: D O S L E C O R N
R07: R I D E G A S O T
R08: W I S Z A T I Y G
R09: R A D E Q O R I P
R10: 4, 6, 5, 4, 3, 7. Target: 237.
TTT: TRAPIRIS - "Does it assist a take-off at altitude?"
R11: L E P I T E O R C
R12: M I N M A S U J E
R13: R I N T A D O K A
R14: 6, 2, 10, 4, 9, 8. Target: 270.
R15: A G H A S T E N D (conundrum)
And now a brief interlude before our main feature:
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Enjoy the show.
Round 1: P E R O T E H I D
C1: DITHER (6)
C2: DITHER (6)
DC: EPIDOTE (7) PERIDOT (7)
OT: DIOPTRE (7) PRITHEE (7)
Score: 6–6 (max 7)
Hmmmm, some early DITHERing by the contestants here, especially as there are a few 7's available..............
PRITHEE is an archaic interjection meaning pray thee or please.
Round 2: M U N R E B I P S
C1: NUMBERS (7)
C2: subprime
DC: BUMPIER (7) UMPIRES (7)
OT: BUMPERS (7) IMBRUES (7) PURINES (7) SUBERIN (7) UPRISEN (7)
Score: 13–6 (max 14)
Oooooooooooooooh, that is super unlucky for Neil, as his fantastic sounding 8 is still hyphenated in the dictionary.
A PURINE is a white, crystalline compound, C5H4N4, from which is derived a group of compounds including uric acid, xanthine, and caffeine.
SUBERIN is a waxlike, fatty substance, occurring in cork cell walls and in or between other cells, that on alkaline hydrolysis yields chiefly suberic acid.
Round 3: D O R E N U S E L
C1: undersole
C2: undersole
DC: RESOUND (7) ROUNDELS (8)
OT: ENSOULED (8) UNSOLDER (8) URODELES (8)
Score: 13–6 (max 22)
SUPER OUCH!!!!!!!!!!!!! I think so many people were on their feet in anger at it not being there
A URODELE is any amphibian of the order Urodela, having a long body and tail and four short limbs.
Round 4: V A C F I G A L V
C1: AVAIL (5)
C2: FACIAL (6)
DC: VIVA (4)
OT: GAVIAL (6)
Score: 13–12 (max 28)
A very good 6 spot from Neil there, maybe he should reward himself with a FACIAL if he wins this.
A GAVIAL (or GHARIAL) is a large crocodilian, Gavialis gangeticus, of India and Pakistan, having elongated, garlike jaws.
Round 5: 25, 8, 4, 1, 9, 9. Target: 619.
C1: 621.
C2: 618. ((4 - 1) x 8 x 25) + 9 + 9 (7)
RR: 619. ((8 - 1) x 4 x 25) - (9 x 9) (10)
Score: 13–19 (max 38)
A nasty little numbers game here, but Neil spots the obvious 1 away method, while Rachel takes a bit longer to solve this 68%-er.
Dr. Phil talks about how to "kiss it better" with your local GP.
Teatime teaser: MILDBEAM -> DIMMABLE
Round 6: D O S L E C O R N
C1: CONSOLED (8)
C2: SCORNED (7)
DC: CONDOLES (8) CROONED (7) NOODLES (7)
OT: CONSOLER (8)
Score: 21–19 (max 46)
Neil's lead didn't last long
Although I don't think Dave CONSOLED him on missing the 8's. Round 7: R I D E G A S O T
C1: STODGIER (8)
C2: ASTEROID (8)
DC: GODETIAS (8)
Score: 29–27 (max 54)
STODGIER: CHECK
ASTEROID: CHECK
GODETIAS: CHECK
All present and correct in this round.
Round 8: W I S Z A T I Y G
C1: GAITS (5)
C2: WAITS (5)
DC: AGIST (5)
OT: ASITY (5) STAGY (5) TWIGS (5) WAIST (5)
Score: 34–32 (max 59)
Just a lots of 5's in this one, but this game is showing no signs of losing its intensity.
The ASITY is either of two species of short-tailed, 15cm (6") long birds of the family Philepittidae (order Passeriformes), inhabiting forests of Madagascar.
Round 9: R A D E Q O R I P
C1: PARRIED (7)
C2: PARRIED (7)
DC: AIRDROP (7) DIAPER (6)
Score: 41–39 (max 66)
Now this round has been PARRIED, as we head to the next numbers game.................
Susie's Origins Of Words talks about the origins of the nautical phrase, "learning the ropes" and "footloose and fancy-free".
Round 10: 4, 6, 5, 4, 3, 7. Target: 237.
C1: 237. ((4 x 4 x 5) - (7 - 6)) x 3 (10)
C2: 237. (((5 x 4) + 3) x (6 + 4)) + 7 (10)
Score: 51–49 (max 76)
A 6 small numbers with variation of answers all round, meaning that Dave's lead is still at just a pair.
Teatime teaser: TRAPIRIS -> AIRSTRIP
Round 11: L E P I T E O R C
C1: POLITER (7)
C2: RECEIPT (7)
DC: REPTILE (7)
OT: CORTILE (7) COTERIE (7) ELECTOR (7) ELECTRO (7) PERLITE (7) PETIOLE (7) PICOTEE (7) RETICLE (7) TIERCEL (7)
Score: 58–56 (max 83)
Flatness all round. NEXT!
A COTERIE is a group of people who associate closely.
A PERLITE is a volcanic glass in which concentric fractures impart a distinctive structure resembling masses of small spheroids, used as a plant growth medium.
A PICOTEE is a variety of carnation, tulip, etc., having an outer margin of another colour.
A RETICLE is a network of fine lines, wires, or the like placed in the focus of the eyepiece of an optical instrument.
A TIERCEL is the male of a hawk, especially of a gyrfalcon or peregrine.
Round 12: M I N M A S U J E
C1: AMUSE (5)
C2: JASMINE (7)
OT: MISNAME (7)
Score: 58–63 (max 90)
Well, well, well, is this the turning point in the game
Neil's beautiful JASMINE spot has given him a slender lead of 5, but it's not over til it's over............... 
Round 13: R I N T A D O K A
C1: RADIANT (7)
C2: RADIANT (7)
DC: TANKARD (7)
Score: 65–70 (max 97)
Shining brightly with a RADIANT offering from both Dave and Neil. This game is possibly going to go the distance...............
Round 14: 6, 2, 10, 4, 9, 8. Target: 270.
C1: 270. (6 / 2) x 9 x 10 (10)
C2: 270. (6 / 2) x 9 x 10 (10)
Score: 75–80 (max 107)
And that's not the numbers game that Neil wanted, as we now have a crucial conundrum again.......................
Not exactly new territory for either of these 2.
Round 15: A G H A S T E N D
C2 buzzes on 4.5 seconds to say STAGEHAND which is correct.
Final Score: 75–90 (max 117)
Not an AGHAST END, but a joyous result for Neil, who has survived the tricky tussle with Dave, and his reward is a quick return to the studio tomorrow to face the Series 66 runner-up Jonathan Rawlinson tomorrow.
I'll be recapping that episode too, so you can join me for that too.
The quarter-finals are now ready for us all to enjoy. In case you have forgotten them, they are:
Tomorrow: Jonathan Rawlinson vs. Neil Zussman
Friday: Jon O'Neill vs. Jack Worsley
Monday: Conor Travers vs. Kirk Bevins
Tuesday: Jack Hurst vs. David O'Donnell
We have got some serious brilliant matches coming up and you don't want to miss the conclusion of this brilliant series
So, till then, bye bye.
Statistics Corner
Dave:
Total score - 75
Raw score - 92
Total % of max - 64
Raw % of max - 79
Total average score per round - 5.0
Raw average score per round - 6.1
Number of maxes - 9
Neil:
Total score - 90
Raw score - 97
Total % of max - 77
Raw % of max - 83
Total average score per round - 6.0
Raw average score per round - 6.5
Number of maxes - 10
Further summaries are at:
http://www.apterous.org/cdb/series.php?series=-16