Tuesday 5th March 2013 (Series 68, Prelim 2)

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Jack Worsley
Series 66 Champion
Posts: 979
Joined: Tue Sep 06, 2011 10:32 pm
Location: Blackpool

Tuesday 5th March 2013 (Series 68, Prelim 2)

Post by Jack Worsley »

Countdown recap for Tuesday 5 March 2013.

Sorry, late again. After the spectacular 30th Birthday Championship, we're back to the "mortals", as Nick put it on Friday. However, we've got two good players in the chairs today and some good contestants who could be making their debuts over the next couple of series, so it's certainly not all doom and gloom. :D

C1: Champion Rachael Moran (4 wins, 355 points.) An apterite who is an aspiring writer, or writer according to Nick, from Liverpool. She has four wins to her name so far, with three coming before Christmas, which seems like a long time ago now. Yesterday she got the series off to a flying start with a score of 117, with the undoubted highlight being the niner MINUSCULE. 117 is the highest score of this series (surprisingly :P) and the highest in a heat since Jonathan Rawlinson's fourth game on 14th June last year. It's also higher than the likes of myself and even the great Innis Carson have ever managed on the show. Who needs the 30th Birthday Championship?
C2: Challenger Philip Jarvis. A staffing team officer from West Yorkshire fire and rescue service, he is an apte-forumite. He has three daughters aged 13-20, named Emily, and Georgina and Gabriella, wonderful names according to Nick. This is his second stint on the show as he lost his first game against future octochamp Kevin Thurlow in 2002. Had he won that game, he would have been up against Peter Lee in his second. He also made a cameo appearance on the show last November in Heather Styles' last game as he solved the conundrum by using the words "It's KNACKERED, Nick".
DC: Susie Dent and Chris Packham.
RR: Rachel Riley.
OT: Other words or solutions.

R01: S K S W I E A T N
R02: R D B I E U Q R S
R03: V H T O I O R N A
R04: F R G N U E U A M
R05: 100, 25, 75, 50, 8, 6. Target: 287.
TTT: MADROOTS - "These will help you show a clean pair of heels"
R06: S C Z L O O I A C
R07: N S X D E A O G I
R08: R B R O E O G H I
R09: J E T A T E N P N
R10: 100, 2, 10, 8, 6, 9. Target: 910.
TTT: FITTOUGH - "Fit and tough enough to do this to you"
R11: M C V F E A I L S
R12: D N M L O E A U R
R13: T E W A P E R L S
R14: 25, 9, 7, 6, 4, 10. Target: 693.
R15: G I N G E R D E S (conundrum)


And now a brief interlude before our main feature:

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Enjoy the show.

Round 1: S K S W I E A T N

C1: TWEAKS (6)
C2: INTAKES (7)
DC: SWANKIEST (18)
Score: 0–7 (max 18)

Philip's successful gamble gives him an early lead but DC steal the show with their nine.

Round 2: R D B I E U Q R S

C1: SQUIRE (6)
C2: SQUIRED (7)
DC: BURIED (6) BISQUE (6)
OT: BIRDERS (7) BRUISED (7) BRUISER (7) DEBURRS (7) DURRIES (7)
Score: 0–14 (max 25)

And he doubles it with another risk as Rachael plays safe.

Round 3: V H T O I O R N A

C1: ORATION (7)
C2: ORATION (7)
OT: OVATION (7)
Score: 7–21 (max 32)

Both get ORATION, which deserves a standing OVATION, even if the similar alternative goes unnoticed.

Round 4: F R G N U E U A M

C1: 6 X
C2: MANGER (6)
OT: FRAENUM (7)
Score: 7–27 (max 39)

Oops, Rachael realises she's used a letter twice which allows Philip to extend his lead even further. This time no one spots the tricky max.

Round 5: 100, 25, 75, 50, 8, 6. Target: 287.

C1: 286. 75/25 x 100 - 8 - 6 (7)
C2: 288. (50 - (100/(75 - 25))) x 6 (7)
RR: 287. (50/25) x (100 + 6) + 75 (10)
Score: 14–34 (max 49)

Rachael tries something drastic in order to catch up by going for four large like yesterday. Both spot a method to get one away, in different directions and the ever-reliable Ms. Riley delivers perfection.

Chris expresses his concern for the way we keep our cats and outlines his ideas for reducing predation from them.

Teatime teaser: MADROOTS -> DOORMATS

Round 6: S C Z L O O I A C

C1: SOCIAL (6)
C2: SOCIAL (6)
DC: LOCOS (5) COLIC (5)
OT: CALICO (6) COCOAS (6) COLZAS (6)
Score: 20–40 (max 55)

Both players are SOCIAL and add six points to their tallies.

Round 7: N S X D E A O G I

C1: OXIDES (6)
C2: AGONISED (8)
DC: DINGOES (7) DIAGNOSE (8)
Score: 20–48 (max 63)

Another good spot by Philip, who has a commanding lead as we approach the halfway stage.

Round 8: R B R O E O G H I

C1: GOOIER (6)
C2: HERO (4)
OT: BOOGER (6) BOOGIE (6) GOOBER (6) GORIER (6)
Score: 26–48 (max 69)

Is this the start of a brilliant comeback? Rachael claws back six points as Philip is stuck on four. There's nothing better than six here, although I thought there might have been a weird seven or two lurking about.

Round 9: J E T A T E N P N

C1: PATENT (6)
C2: PATENT (6)
DC: PENNATE (7)
OT: PENTANE (7)
Score: 32–54 (max 76)

OoW: Susie explains the origin of "parrot".

PATENT turns up again and both contestants find it. There are a couple of sevens available too and DC excell themselves by spotting one.

Round 10: 100, 2, 10, 8, 6, 9. Target: 910.

C1: 910. 9 x 100 + 10 (10)
C2: 910. 9 x 100 + 10 (10)
Score: 42–64 (max 86)

Next please!

Teatime teaser: FITTOUGH -> OUTFIGHT

Round 11: M C V F E A I L S

C1: FACIES (6)
C2: CLAIMS (6)
DC: VESICAL (7)
OT: MALEFIC (7)
Score: 48–70 (max 93)

Two difficult sevens are available but six is enough for both contestants to score.

Round 12: D N M L O E A U R

C1: MODULAR (7)
C2: REMOULD (7)
DC: LAUNDER (7) EUROLAND (8)
OT: UNLOADER (8)
Score: 55–77 (max 101)

Plenty of sevens around but DC are really earning their money's worth today as again they are able to go one better with EUROLAND.

Round 13: T E W A P E R L S

C1: PRELATES (8)
C2: PRELATES (8)
DC: RELAPSE (7) WEASEL (6)
Score: 63–85 (max 109)

Philip seals victory here as both he and Rachael spot the very good darrenic eight. PRELATES does not have any valid anagrams, which I found out the hard way in my semi final.

Round 14: 25, 9, 7, 6, 4, 10. Target: 693.

C1: 693. (4 x 25 - (10 - 9)) x 7 (10)
C2: 693. (4 x 25 - (10 - 9)) x 7 (10)
Score: 73–95 (max 119)

Both manage to get the target again which gives Philip the chance to mark his second debut with a century.

Round 15: G I N G E R D E S

C1 buzzes on 24.75 seconds to say SNIGGERED which is correct.
Final Score: 83–95 (max 129)

Rachael has the last word by solving the conundrum but it's not enough to keep her in the champion's chair. With this series being shorter, there's every chance we will be seeing her again in June. Philip didn't get a chance to say "It's SNIGGERED, Nick" but in fairness, it doesn't quite have the same ring to it as "It's KNACKERED, Nick". He can be proud of his performance today and he wins the world famous Countdown teapot that he missed out on eleven years ago. He will be returning tomorrow to defend his place in the champion's chair. Join James to find out if he can keep up what he's started today.

Due to the horse racing, there's no Countdown next Tuesday, unless they air a special to replace the racing if it's rained off. As a result, I'll be back for my next assignment in two weeks and what a good day to be a recapper that will be! If all goes to plan, Philip will be on six wins by then. Getting to seven will not be easy though as he's up against fellow apte-forumite Andy Platt. Join me then for what could be a cracking game, you be sure of it! :D :) ;)

Further summaries are at:
http://www.apterous.org/cdb/series.php?series=67
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