And now we're at the semi-final stage, let's see how up for it our final 4 are. Just 2 days away from the BIG ONE!!!!!!!!!!
Now, sit yourselves back and....................... ENJOY
Countdown recap for Wednesday 27 February 2013.
C1: Series 66 Runner-Up Jonathan Rawlinson (15 Games, 14 Wins, 1,533 Points.) An Apteforumite from Sheffield, but is currently studying maths at Queen's College, Cambridge. To reach the semis, he has defeated Ed McCullagh (after 2 conundrums), Andrew Hulme, Tom Rowell and Neil Zussman.
C2: Series 63 Champion Jack Hurst (15 Games, 15 Wins, 1,757 Points.) An Apteforumite from Desford, Leicestershire, but is currently studying maths at Pembroke College, Cambridge. To reach the semis, he has defeated Mark Deeks, Wayne Kelly (scoring 143 in the process), Chris Wills and David O'Donnell (needing a crucial conundrum for the first time ever to do so).
DC: Susie Dent and Jenny Eclair.
RR: Rachel Riley.
OT: Other words or solutions.
R01: O D A N I S T E C
R02: G X H A U O N R S
R03: E G A M U K Z E A
R04: L R N U O E C A E
R05: 50, 9, 3, 10, 4, 8. Target: 725.
TTT: RIPERICH - "Seemingly happier than the other little birds"
R06: D F V U A I R E I
R07: E N O T U W M R E
R08: B D T O I A E F O
R09: I P A G U N A T E
R10: 25, 75, 50, 2, 7, 10. Target: 441.
TTT: USEDFLAT - "Uses the flat, but fails to pay the rent"
R11: I S O M I H E M A
R12: P T Y I A U S I O
R13: E D I W O T E O L
R14: 75, 100, 50, 25, 3, 9. Target: 119.
R15: T U R N M O I S T (conundrum)
And now a brief interlude before our main feature:
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Round 1: O D A N I S T E C
C1: CATENOIDS (18)
C2: CATENOIDS (18)
DC: CANOEIST (8) SEDATION (8)
OT: SONICATED (18)
Score: 18–18 (max 18)
Probably one of the most surreal opening rounds I've ever seen. Both spot the 9 pretty much immediately and even look over each to make sure that they both get it and even look like they try to have a chat. And then when Susie asks them if they know what CATENOIDS are, to which Jack gives a full and precise definition,
which does sound impressive until you remember that he got it on the show just 3 weeks ago in his 143 win. 
Oh well, no matter, it's 18-18 all after round 1, a double max game is still in the offing, and there's no clue as to who will this match yet.
(I'd better carry on quick, before I go too hyper. )Round 2: G X H A U O N R S
C1: ROUGHS (6)
C2: ROUGHS (6)
OT: SAXHORN (7)
Score: 24–24 (max 25)
Definitely ROUGH-ing out are our 2 semi-finalists, but we are already denied a max game of any sort, as the darrenic 7 is left alone by all.
A SAXHORN is any of a family of brass instruments close to the cornets and tubas.
Round 3: E G A M U K Z E A
C1: ZEUGMA (6)
C2: ZEUGMA (6)
DC: GAUZE (5) MUZAK (5)
Me: KAMEEZ (6)
Score: 30–30 (max 31)
I must say I was well impressed at spotting KAMEEZ that I completely missed the more "obvious" 6 that was available.
A KAMEEZ is a long tunic worn in the Indian subcontinent, often with shalwar.
Round 4: L R N U O E C A E
C1: ALEURONE (8)
C2: CERULEAN (8)
DC: UNCLEAR (7) NUCLEAR (7) CORNEAL (7) CLEANER (7)
Score: 38–38 (max 39)
Lol, Jonathan does a Dave Taylor by saying "probably the same 8", but this time, he and Jack differ with their 8's, but they're still forcing Susie to look in the dictionary for both the brilliant spots.
Round 5: 50, 9, 3, 10, 4, 8. Target: 725.
C1: 724. ((10 + 4) x 50) + (8 x 3) (7)
C2: 724. (8 x 9 x 10) + 4 (7)
Me (and a few others I'm sure): ((50 + 3) x (10 + 4)) - 9 - 8 (10)
RR: 725. ((((9 + 3) x 10) - 4) x 50) / 8 (10)
Score: 45–45 (max 49)
WOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! A safety first policy sorts of works for Jonathan, but even more shockingly no-one in the studio got it
(It might've been a 77% difficulty, but the simplest answer seemed relatively easy to me, especially considering that the answer that Rachel eventually gave was ridiculously complex. )Jenny talks about the time that she was one of the 4 choices in a question on Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?, and the person who was asked the question had no idea who Jenny was
Teatime teaser: RIPERICH -> CHIRPIER
Round 6: D F V U A I R E I
C1: VARIED (6)
C2: VARIED (6)
DC: FERVID (6)
OT: FAIRED (6)
Score: 51–51 (max 55)
Nothing much to be said as it's 6 apiece here.
Round 7: E N O T U W M R E
C1: REMOUNT (7)
C2: REMOUNT (7)
DC: MOUNTER (7)
Score: 58–58 (max 62)
Or in this one here, normality is certainly restored in some way at this point.
Round 8: B D T O I A E F O
C1: TABOOED (7)
C2: TABOOED (7)
DC: FOOTBED (7)
Score: 65–65 (max 69)
Slightly trickier 7's available, but it doesn't stop our brilliant contestants from getting one of them and letting DC get the other one.
Round 9: I P A G U N A T E
C1: PAGINATE (8)
C2: PAGINATE (8)
DC: PET (3) IGUANA (6)
Score: 73–73 (max 77)
Jack didn't seem certain for once, but there's certainly no worry about this darrenic 8.
This standard is just so staggering and it's a thrill to watch. In a way, the result is partially irrelevant, because we're just delighted to see the superb quality being played, so it will be a shame when one of them does eventually lose in possibly 6 rounds time.................
Susie's Origins Of Words talks about the origins of the phrase "rule of thumb".
Round 10: 25, 75, 50, 2, 7, 10. Target: 441.
C1: 441. (10 x 50) - 75 + 25 - 7 - 2 (10)
C2: 441. ((75 - 25) x 10) - 50 - 7 - 2 (10)
Score: 83–83 (max 87)
So, Jack is trying to work out what to do against a 4 large expert, so he tries the tactic of the sparsely used 3 large numbers selection, which proves to be an easy task.
So, it's 83 points each, 8 maxes each. There's still no clue as to who has an advantage, mainly because there's been no separation................ YET. Let's see how the last part goes......................
Teatime teaser: USEDFLAT -> DEFAULTS
Round 11: I S O M I H E M A
C1: MAHOES (6)
C2: hammies
OT: HOMIES (6) MASHIE (6) MIMEOS (6) MIMOSA (6) SAMMIE (6)
Score: 89–83 (max 93)
BREAK TIME!!!!!!!! Jack tries the not unreasonable sounding hammies, but unfortunately HAMMY is only in as an adjective, so by default (of sorts), Jonathan takes the first lead of the match. Can he keep this lead for 4 more rounds, I wonder......................
A MIMEO is another name for a MIMEOGRAPH, a printing machine with an ink-fed drum, around which a cut waxed stencil is placed and which rotates as successive sheets of paper are fed into it.
MIMOSA is any of numerous plants, shrubs, or trees belonging to the genus Mimosa, of the legume family, native to tropical or warm regions, having small flowers in globular heads or cylindrical spikes and often sensitive leaves.
In South Africa, a SAMMIE is an informal name for an Indian fruit and vegetable vendor who goes from house to house.
Round 12: P T Y I A U S I O
C1: PATOIS (6)
C2: AUTOPSY (7)
DC: PATIOS (6)
OT: PAYOUTS (7)
Score: 89–90 (max 100)
WOW! WOW!! WOW!!! After that slightly unnecessary gamble in the last round, Jack immediately makes a spectacular comeback with a superb 7 to lead by a solitary point with just an LNC to go.
Round 13: E D I W O T E O L
C1: OOLITE (6)
C2: LOOTED (6)
DC: TOILED (6) TOOLED (6)
OT: WELTED (6) WILTED (6)
Score: 95–96 (max 106)
Half a dozen half a dozen offerings to finish with in the letters games. This is almost guaranteed to go down to the wire,..................... yet again.
To WELT is to beat soundly, as with a stick or whip.
Round 14: 75, 100, 50, 25, 3, 9. Target: 119.
C1: 119. 100 + 25 - (9 - 3) (10)
C2: 119. 75 + 50 - (9 - 3) (10)
Score: 105–106 (max 116)
A 4 large numbers does turn up from Jack this time, but it's pretty straightforward, meaning that we have another double ton game and a fitting climax to another phenomenal game.
So, this conundrum will decide who is the first finalist for the centrepiece on Friday.
HERE WE GO................. Round 15: T U R N M O I S T
1
2
3 BUZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ
C2 buzzes on 3 seconds to say STRONTIUMwhich is CORRECT.
Final Score: 105–116 (max 126)
Well, a noticeably relieved Jack is the triumphant winner of this match, that like so many others in this series will be hard to forget and will be indelibly inked onto the backs of our minds for many years to come.
It is such bad luck for Jonathan who had done so well to reach this stage, but the fact that he has reached the semi-finals of this brilliant tournament is an achievement in itself, and something that I'm sure he'll be happy with.
So, Heather will be back in the saddle tomorrow to determine who Jack will face in Friday's grand final, whether it is Jon O'Neill or Conor Travers, who are both on the back of maxing their quarter-finals.
NOW THAT IS A GAME NOT TO BE MISSED!!!!And I'll return on Friday for the piece de resistance that is the 30th Birthday Championship Grand Final.
So, till then, bye bye for now.
Statistics Corner
Jonathan:
Total score - 105
Raw score - 111
Total % of max - 83
Raw % of max - 88
Total average score per round - 7.0
Raw average score per round - 7.4
Number of maxes - 11
Jack:
Total score - 116
Raw score - 116
Total % of max - 92
Raw % of max - 92
Total average score per round - 7.7
Raw average score per round - 7.7
Number of maxes - 12
Further summaries are at:
http://www.apterous.org/cdb/series.php?series=-16