Tuesday 14th December (Series 63, QF 4)

[Oliver Garner]

Countdown recap for Saturday 4 December 2010.

C1: Champion Scott Gillies (8 wins, 810 points.)
C2: Champion Marcus Hares (8 wins, 837 points.)
DC: Susie Dent and Paul Zenon.
RR: Rachel Riley.
OT: Other words or solutions.

R01: G R E O I S C O F
R02: N E I A T N L O P
R03: D T S O E U O D A
R04: T O E A Q J R O T
R05: 50, 100, 75, 25, 4, 3. Target: 880.
TTT: VERYSOUR - "He could have a very sour opinion of your home"
R06: M E U E M N W T A
R07: T L I E I S C U T
R08: C E E I X N S R D
R09: W P A I F M E I T
R10: 50, 1, 10, 7, 9, 8. Target: 898.
TTT: LOANLIST - "It can form many a stable relationship"
R11: G R S A E O Y E E
R12: S U A I N D L O S
R13: N B O I E A R L T
R14: 75, 3, 4, 10, 9, 1. Target: 764.
R15: L A R G E B A P S (conundrum)


And now a brief interlude before our main feature:

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Enjoy the show.

Round 1: G R E O I S C O F

C1: ROOFIES (7)
C2: FORGES (6)
OT: FORGOES (7) GOOFIER (7)
Score: 7–0 (max 7)

Round 2: N E I A T N L O P

C1: ENATION (7)
C2: POLENTA (7)
DC: TOENAIL (7)
OT: ELATION (7) OPALINE (7) PANTILE (7) PINNATE (7) PONTINE (7)
Score: 14–7 (max 14)

Round 3: D T S O E U O D A

C1: OUSTED (6)
C2: OUSTED (6)
DC: OUTDOES (7)
Score: 20–13 (max 21)

Round 4: T O E A Q J R O T

C1: JOTTER (6)
C2: ROTATE (6)
OT: TOOTER (6)
Score: 26–19 (max 27)

Round 5: 50, 100, 75, 25, 4, 3. Target: 880.

C1: 878. 50 ÷ 25 × 4 × 100 + 75 + 3 (7)
C2: 877.
RR: 879. (7)
OT: 879. 50 × 25 + 4 − 3 × 100 − 75 (7)
Score: 33–19 (max 34)

Teatime teaser: VERYSOUR -> SURVEYOR

Round 6: M E U E M N W T A

C1: TAME (4)
C2: MEANT (5)
OT: MENTUM (6)
Score: 33–24 (max 40)

Round 7: T L I E I S C U T

C1: ELICITS (7)
C2: ELICITS (7)
DC: CUTLETS (7) SCUTTLE (7) UTILISE (7)
OT: CULTIST (7) CUTTLES (7) CUTTIES (7) ELITIST (7)
Score: 40–31 (max 47)

Round 8: C E E I X N S R D

C1: INDEXERS (8)
C2: INDEXERS (8)
Score: 48–39 (max 55)

Round 9: W P A I F M E I T

C1: WAPITI (6)
C2: WAIT (4)
Score: 54–39 (max 61)

Round 10: 50, 1, 10, 7, 9, 8. Target: 898.

C1: 898. (10 + 8) × 50 − (9 − 7) (10)
C2: 898. (10 + 8) × 50 − (9 − 7) (10)
Score: 64–49 (max 71)

Teatime teaser: LOANLIST -> STALLION

Round 11: G R S A E O Y E E

C1: seerage
C2: EYESORE (7)
Score: 64–56 (max 78)

Round 12: S U A I N D L O S

C1: SUNDIALS (8)
C2: SUNDIALS (8)
OT: ANDISOLS (8)
Score: 72–64 (max 86)

Round 13: N B O I E A R L T

C1: BARITONE (8)
C2: OBTAINER (8)
DC: RELATION (8)
OT: ORIENTAL (8)
Score: 80–72 (max 94)

Round 14: 75, 3, 4, 10, 9, 1. Target: 764.

C1: 764. (75+1)*10+4 (10)
C2: 764. (75+1)*10+4 (10)
Score: 90–82 (max 104)

Round 15: L A R G E B A P S

C2 buzzes on 10 seconds to say GRASPABLE which is correct.
Final Score: 90–92 (max 114)

The conundrum caused a few laughs and a lot more attention in the media. Interesting looking at the body language of the contestants in this and other finals matches. In round 13 having (assumedly) found the 8, Scott looked nervous trying to find a 9 whereas Marcus seemed to relax after about 5 seconds, perhaps (yes, I AM making this up) trying to make Scott catch this in his peripheral vision and worry him.

Further summaries are at:
http://www.apterous.org/cdb/series.php?series=63