Spoilers For Monday December 13th 2010

[James Robinson]

So, we've now entered the last week of Countdown in 2010, and after 2 impressive performances by the top 2 seeds at the end of last week, we can hopefully say the same about this week's games.

First up this week is the 3rd quarter-final between the #3 seed, Daniel "The Manchester Marauder" Pati, and the #6 seed, Tom "The Husbands Bosworth Herculean (couldn't think of anything better! )" Rowell.

Here are some stats for you to digest

Firstly, No.3 Seed Daniel Pati - 8 Wins, 840 Points
Highest Score: 127 vs. Barry Hughes (2nd Game)
Lowest Score: 93 vs. George Meixner (8th Game)
9's Achieved: 4/4
Total Points/Max/%: 840/1008 (83%)
Letters Points/Max/%: 589/688 (86%)
Numbers Points/Max/%: 171/240 (71%)
Conundrum Points/Max/%: 80/80 (100%)

Secondly, No.6 Seed Tom Rowell - 8 Wins, 774 Points
Highest Score: 109 vs. Joan Wright (7th Game)
Lowest Score: 87 vs. Jean Miles (2nd Game)
9's Achieved: 1/2
Total Points/Max/%: 774/965 (80%)
Letters Points/Max/%: 532/645 (82%)
Numbers Points/Max/%: 212/240 (88%)
Conundrum Points/Max/%: 30/80 (38%)

Back in DC for the first time since the finals of the last series is magician extraordinaire, Paul Zenon.

Join Ryan for his recap later.

[Charlie Reams]

Tom "Dig My T"Rowell?

[Rhys Benjamin]

POLLUTIVE SHOULD BE IN!!!!

[Rhys Benjamin]

rewinder as a beater in round whatver (i think 8)

[Liam Tiernan]

rewinder as a beater in round whatver (i think 8)

Only 1 R, Rhys

[Rhys Benjamin]

rewinder as a beater in round whatver (i think 8)

Only 1 R, Rhys

shoot

[JackHurst]

Tom appeared to be rubbing one out throughout this episode.

[Liam Tiernan]

rewinder as a beater in round whatver (i think 8)

Only 1 R, Rhys

shoot

I would, if you quit dancing around and stand still for a second.

[Martin Long]

Think I got 715 on second numbers round.

(9 x 7) + 2 = 65
7 + 3 + 1 = 11
65 x 11 = 715

[Joseph Krol]

Think I got 715 on second numbers round.

(9 x 7) + 2 = 65
7 + 3 + 1 = 11
65 x 11 = 715

Neat solve, Martin.

[Ralph Gillions]

I think Daniel may have had a trim.
I could see both his eyes this time.

[Charlie Reams]

Loving the bit where everyone laughed at FUNGO as if Daniel had just made it up. The dangers of modesty! Well played to both.

PS anyone else willing a final H in Round 11?

Tom appeared to be rubbing one out throughout this episode.

Excellent.

I would, if you quit dancing around and stand still for a second.

Excellent.

[James Robinson]

PS anyone else willing a final H in Round 11?

Yeah, weirdly I saw that, then saw a T would've brought up OLEASTERS, then realised that the R brought up RELEASORS. Slightly bad also that Daniel was on a max game upto that point.

Pretty happy with my performance today. Maxed the letters, but only got 1 numbers game, partially because I thought the 50 in the 1st numbers was a 25.

ARSENIDE in round 13.

[Dan McColm]

Nice numbers solve in the last round from Tom...I just about got 273 in the 30 seconds by doing 75 x 3 = 225 then adding 8x(9+7-10).

[Kirk Bevins]

Was pleased with a max game today (although was 2 away on the 6 small when 1 away was the best) and really thought Dan would get one too. Unlucky but well played. 13 maxes I make it - that's fantastic going. Nice to see Tom solve a non-apto conundrum too. Dan looks in good form and could be a threat to Eoin - can't wait!

[James Robinson]

13 maxes I make it - that's fantastic going.

12 maxes, he missed the 9 and got nothing from the last 2 rounds.

[Douglas Wilson]

I've noticed that so far the higher seed has always been sat in the Champions Chair. Is this coincidence that they've always won/lost the coin toss or is it procedure as of this series?

[JackHurst]

I've noticed that so far the higher seed has always been sat in the Champions Chair. Is this coincidence that they've always won/lost the coin toss or is it procedure as of this series?

Just how the toss goes.

[Brian Moore]

Tom appeared to be rubbing one out throughout this episode.

Just how the toss goes.

[Gavin Chipper]

Nice numbers solve in the last round from Tom...I just about got 273 in the 30 seconds by doing 75 x 3 = 225 then adding 8x(9+7-10).

There were several ways to get it - I was very surprised that Daniel declared nothing. I'd say it was the pressure of the quarter final, but maybe it was the apathy of having it sewn up!

I've only just seen this game so don't know what happens in the later ones, but I was wondering if there was anything to be read into some funny remarks posted in the other spoilers threads (that Daniel wins the series) but I'm probably just reading too much into them.

[JackHurst]

Nice numbers solve in the last round from Tom...I just about got 273 in the 30 seconds by doing 75 x 3 = 225 then adding 8x(9+7-10).

There were several ways to get it - I was very surprised that Daniel declared nothing. I'd say it was the pressure of the quarter final, but maybe it was the apathy of having it sewn up!

I've only just seen this game so don't know what happens in the later ones, but I was wondering if there was anything to be read into some funny remarks posted in the other spoilers threads (that Daniel wins the series) but I'm probably just reading too much into them.

Tom and Dan both declared 273 not written down, so jeff Gave them an extra ten seconds to write their solution down. When Dan wrote his method out, he thought he had made an error, so just said he actually hadnt got it (as it didnt affect the end outcome of the game). When they reshot the end of the round, Dan just said no where near as a bit of a joke I think, hences Toms smile.

[David Williams]

Tom and Dan both declared 273 not written down, so jeff Gave them an extra ten seconds to write their solution down.

Now that's something I didn't know happened. In the past we've seen the host pick one of them, the other inevitably says "Same way/word" and it's all very unsatisfactory. Maybe even better is to ask them to write it down and put their hand up when they've done so. As soon as one puts his hand up, ask the other to stop writing and give his solution verbally.

[Clive Brooker]

Now that's something I didn't know happened.

Damian explained a while back that they usually cover up "double not written down" rounds with a retake or similar. That neatly confirmed my impression that they're far rarer than they should be given how frequently players declare not written down. The few we do see are when they omitted to do the retake.

One such happened in one of my games - put on the spot, I started 5x4 when I meant 4x4, and couldn't recover, whereas if I'd been given the extra few seconds to write it down I would have done so very easily. So justice was done on that occasion, but under normal procedures I'd have got away with it.