Hi again and welcome to my last recap of the series! I had a week off last week as I didn't want to recap my own game, hopefully I can make up for lost time this week. We're into the final week of this legendary 30th Birthday Championship and I think we're all going to miss it when it finishes.
Today is the last quarter final, between two series champions, with the winner returning to face Jonathan Rawlinson in the first semi tomorrow. Apologies also for the late recap.C1: Series 63 champion Jack Hurst (14 wins, 1642 points) is a Maths student at Pembroke College, Cambridge. He is still unbeaten on the show after winning Series 63 with a record octochamp total of 946 and his lowest score is 108 (twice)! In this competition, he's beaten Mark Deeks, Wayne Kelly (with the second highest score ever of 143) and most recently, Chris Wills. He's also the only player in the tournament who can rival Conor Travers for hideous jumpers.
C2: Series 58 champion David O'Donnell (14 wins, 1 defeat, 1597 points) is from Northern Ireland but lives in Cardiff. He also won his series convincingly with an octochamp total of 880. His one defeat came against eventual winner Steve(n) Briers in the most recent regular Champion of Champions series. His losing score of 110 is the fourth highest of all time though and was the third highest until his epic win against Series 61 champ Chris Davies eleven days ago. He solved the tiebreak conundrum GARBOLOGY to win 127-117 to book his place in today's game. He has also beaten Tom Hargeaves in this tournament with a score of 111.
DC: Susie Dent and Jenny Eclair.
RR: Rachel Riley.
OT: Other words or solutions.
R01: S H G O A I M O E
R02: O E I T N Y R A M
R03: H I L E R U D E A
R04: I E A Z C L R I F
R05: 25, 6, 10, 5, 8, 3. Target: 746.
TTT: ISNTHEIR - "There isn't an heir, so nobody gets to do this"
R06: E O U M V B L G S
R07: N R M R E I O D A
R08: E I O J R T N G S
R09: R P Q T E A E U O
R10: 100, 50, 75, 25, 2, 3. Target: 402.
TTT: DORALIRA - "For somebody to take the train, perhaps"
R11: N S P A E O T S I
R12: A E A R W R V U F
R13: K T P I O E T L I
R14: 75, 5, 3, 10, 10, 9. Target: 920.
R15: E V I L M I N O R (conundrum)
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Round 1: S H G O A I M O E
C1: HOAGIES (7)
C2: HOAGIES (7)
DC: HOMAGES (7)
OT: OOGAMIES (8)
Score: 7–7 (max 8)
HOAGIES turns up not for the first time this tournament and both players get off the mark. No one spots the weird eight available though.
Round 2: O E I T N Y R A M
C1: MONETARY (8)
C2: AMNIOTE (7)
DC: AMENITY (7) ENORMITY (8)
OT: MINATORY (8) TYRAMINE (8)
Score: 15–7 (max 16)
David suspects that there might be something longer than his AMNIOTE and he's proven right. Jack spots MONETARY (also a Word of Worsley), one of the four eights available to take the lead.
Round 3: H I L E R U D E A
C1: HAULIER (7)
C2: HAULIER (7)
DC: EUHEDRAL (8)
Score: 22–14 (max 24)
Sevens again for the contestants but this time DC shine by pulling a geological term out of the bag for a darrenic eight.
Round 4: I E A Z C L R I F
C1: LAICIZE (7)
C2: LAICIZE (7)
DC: LACIER (6)
RR: ECLAIR (6)
Score: 29–21 (max 31)
An impressive darren by both as DC are beaten this time. David said he'd stick with a seven so I wonder if he was toying with LAICIZER^? If he was, then well left. Rachel also has a bit of fun in this round by spotting Jenny's surname.
Round 5: 25, 6, 10, 5, 8, 3. Target: 746.
C1: 747. 6 x 5 x 25 - 3 (7)
C2: 747. 6 x 5 x 25 - 3 (7)
RR: 746. (6 x 10 x 25 - 8)/(5 - 3) (10)
Score: 36–28 (max 41)
This is one of those frustrating numbers games where there are so many ways of getting close but there's no easy way of reaching the target. Jack and David are both one away so the points are shared again. Rachel needs some extra time to solve it but she comes back with a beauty of a solution. 1492/2 is the way to do it as our series champs can only watch and admire. They may be kicking themselves for missing it as they will probably never get the chance to go up to a ridiculously high number to solve a numbers game again.
Jenny tells a story about a time when she was a teenager when she accidentally walked naked out onto the streets of Manchester.
Teatime teaser: ISNTHEIR -> INHERITS
Round 6: E O U M V B L G S
C1: VOLUMES (7)
C2: VOLUMES (7)
DC: BOULES (6)
OT: EMBOLUS (7)
Score: 43–35 (max 48)
An easy seven for both and a less obvious one goes unseen.
Round 7: N R M R E I O D A
C1: ORDAINER (8)
C2: ORDAINER (8)
DC: ADMIRER (7)
OT: AIRDROME (8)
Score: 51–43 (max 56)
Two ORDAINERs means the points are shared again.
Round 8: E I O J R T N G S
C1: GENITORS (8)
C2: GENITORS (8)
OT: JOINTERS (8) TRIGONES (8)
Score: 59–51 (max 64)
Eight points each again.
Round 9: R P Q T E A E U O
C1: EQUATOR (7)
C2: EQUATOR (7)
DC: PARQUET (7) OPERATE (7)
OT: OPAQUER (7) QUORATE (7)
Score: 66–58 (max 71)
The gap of eight is sticking like glue at the moment as yet again both players offer the same word; the seventh time in eight letters round! Can the numbers separate them this time?
OoW: Susie explains the origin of "humdrum".
Round 10: 100, 50, 75, 25, 2, 3. Target: 402.
C1: 402. ((100 x 50 + (75/3))/25) x 2 (10)
C2: 402. ((100 x 50 + (75/3))/25) x 2 (10)
Score: 76–68 (max 81)
DOD decides to take a gamble on his favourite four large. 3 and 2 come out which means it could be a tricky one. However, you can sense the disappointment in Rachel's voice when 402 is generated as the target. 100 x 3 + 75 + 25 + 2 = 402, simples. Oh wait, where's the fun in that? David is asked for his method first: 100 times 50, "Are you gonna make me work?", asks Rachel. Indeed he is. He gets to 5,025 and divides by 25, which everyone knows is 201. Multiplying by 2 then gives you the right answer. Jack then casually reveals that he's done it the same way so ten points are added to the scores. My only complaint here is that they didn't multiply by 2 first and therefore go up to 10,050.
As the clock was ticking, there appeared to be an interesting conversation going on between the two, probably deciding that this was the best way and as a keen four large player myself, I have to concur. Forgive me for acting like Robbo but......WOW, WOW, WOW, THAT WAS F***ING BRILLANT!
Teatime teaser: DORALIRA -> RAILROAD
Round 11: N S P A E O T S I
C1: SOAPIEST (8)
C2: SAPIENTS (8)
DC: PANTS (5) PANTIES (7)
Score: 84–76 (max 89)
Both eights are spotted by our quarter finalists and the match is still on a knife edge.
Round 12: A E A R W R V U F
C1: AWARE (5)
C2: WAVER (5)
DC: WARFARE (7)
Score: 89–81 (max 96)
Just fives from our contestants here as for once DC get the chance to look good by finding an impressive double beater in WARFARE.
Round 13: K T P I O E T L I
C1: TOILET (6)
C2: TOILET (6)
DC: TIPTOE (6) POTTLE (6)
OT: KILTIE (6) KITTLE (6) PIOLET (6) POLITE (6)
Score: 95–87 (max 102)
"Probably my last letters selection", according to Jack. He decides to mark the occasion by going down the TOILET, as does David.
They haven't really done that though, since six is the maximum for this round.Round 14: 75, 5, 3, 10, 10, 9. Target: 920.
C1: 920. (3 + 9) x 75 + 10 + 10 (10)
C2: 920. (3 + 9) x 75 + 10 + 10 (10)
Score: 105–97 (max 112)
An easy numbers game which unfortunately doesn't match the previous one in terms of cheeky solutions. It means that for the first time, the unbeaten Jack Hurst will have to face a crucial conundrum! DOD on the other hand has some experience, particularly from the recent epic against Chris Davies. Who will earn the right to return tomorrow?
Round 15: E V I L M I N O R
C1 buzzes on 1.25 seconds to say VERMILION which is correct.
Final Score: 115–97 (max 122)
Jack deals with his first crucial in the best possible way; by solving it very quickly, just over a second in fact! He will be back tomorrow to play Jonathan while David's participation in the tournament is over. He has brought plenty of bright moments to the studio, not least his win against Chris a couple of weeks ago. Today we saw another fantastic game between two top contestants with a great rapport between them. This is summed up at the end when instead of the traditional handshake, they get out of their seats and give each other a friendly hug, a nice touch!
It has been a pleasure to recap games this series, as well as taking part in it. I'm going to miss this series badly when it's over. My next recap will be next Tuesday for the second game of Series 68 proper and although next series won't be as good as this one (to be fair, what will be?), be sure to join me! Robbo and Heather will guide you through the final three games of this unforgettable series, be prepared to be amazed, see you next week!
Further summaries are at:
http://www.apterous.org/cdb/series.php?series=-16