C1: Champion Edward McCullagh (9 wins, 997 points.)
C2: Champion Mary Adie (6 wins, 584 points.)
DC: Susie Dent and Gregg Wallace.
RR: Rachel Riley.
OT: Other words or solutions.
R01: O H S E O V Q R H
R02: G Z T S L A E O N
R03: D G I O P Y U T E
R04: L S T R S O E A I
R05: 50, 75, 100, 25, 8, 10. Target: 184.
TTT: ALLGUESS - "You won't all guess this, I predict a few hold-ups."
R06: R D P S D A I A E
R07: O N V A P M U T R
R08: L C T N S E A U E
R09: O L M U W T I C A
R10: 100, 10, 9, 3, 10, 4. Target: 183.
TTT: MANICBEE - "It gives the place a bit of a buzz"
R11: K R E O S G M I N
R12: R N F N X E U E O
R13: U M O B E S B S D
R14: 25, 6, 4, 7, 8, 9. Target: 448.
R15: L O N G N I T E S (conundrum)
And now a brief interlude before our main feature:
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Enjoy the show.
Round 1: O H S E O V Q R H
C1: HOOVERS (7)
C2: HOOVERS (7)
DC: ROOVES (6)
Score: 7–7 (max 7)
Susie explains that some brand names become generic through sheer volume of usage.
Round 2: G Z T S L A E O N
C1: TANGELOS (8)
C2: TALONS (6)
Score: 15–7 (max 15)
An old Countdown favourite for Edward here to pull ahead. A TANGELO is a cross between a tangerine and a grapefruit
.
Round 3: D G I O P Y U T E
C1: DEPUTY (6)
C2: POUTED (6)
DC: PODGY (5)
OT: DUGITE (6)
Score: 21–13 (max 21)
Flat sixes all round except for Gregg's PODGY which is kind of the opposite of flat.
Round 4: L S T R S O E A I
C1: SOLARISE (8)
C2: RETAILS (7)
DC: SALTERS (7) SALTIRES (8) ISOLATES (8)
OT: ORALISTS (8) REALISTS (8)
Score: 29–13 (max 29)
A SALTIRE is a heraldic device in the form of St Andrews Cross. An ORALIST is a person who advocates teaching deaf children to communicate solely by speaking and lip-reading. A REALIST is a person who will teach them sign language.
Round 5: 50, 75, 100, 25, 8, 10. Target: 184.
Edward leaves the choice to Rachel who chooses 4 large as fitting for a semi-final ( getting a little ahead of herself by saying final at first)
C1: 184. (25-(100/50))*8 (10)
C2: 185.
Score: 39–13 (max 39)
A fairly straightforward solve opens the gap further.
In the guest spot, chef Gregg Wallace tells the story of a photoshoot he and John Torode did for a Radio Times cover. This involved a staged food-fight, after which he met his wife for lunch with some trifle still lodged in his ear. Jeff, immediately jumped in with the old "trifle deaf" gag.(cue groans from the audience). Being a "trifle deaf" myself I've heard them all (at the second or third time of asking, usually)
Teatime teaser: ALLGUESS -> GALLUSES
Clue: You won't all guess this, I predict a few hold-ups.
GALLUSES, Susie explains, is a Scottish word for braces for trousers.
Round 6: R D P S D A I A E
C1: PARADISE (8)
C2: PARADISE (8)
DC: PARADES (7) DIAPERS (7)
Score: 47–21 (max 47)
Round 7: O N V A P M U T R
C1: PANTOUM (7)
C2: TRAMP (5)
DC: VAPOUR (6) AMOUNT (6)
Score: 54–21 (max 54)
Susie explains that a PANTOUM is a verse form from Malaya.
Round 8: L C T N S E A U E
C1: CLEANEST (8)
C2: CASTLE (6)
C1:(not offered) NUCLEATES (18)
Score: 62–21 (max 72)
Edward plays safe with the 8 rather than the risky nine. Or maybe he just didn't want to seem too cruel. Either way the max is now gone.
Round 9: O L M U W T I C A
C1: OUTLAW (6)
C2: CALM (4)
DC: TALCUM (6)
OT: COMITAL (7)
Score: 68–21 (max 79)
Mary declares that she is anything but CALM, (her appearance says otherwise) while DC offer that TALCUM derives from Persian.
In OoW, Susie defines "boilerplate" as stock or filler newspapers stories syndicated to small newspapers on ready-to-print sheets said to resemble pressed metal sheets used to make boilers.
Round 10: 100, 10, 9, 3, 10, 4. Target: 183.
C1: 183. ((9*10)+100)-(4+3) (10)
C2: 183. ((9*10)+100)-(4+3) (10)
Score: 78–31 (max 89)
Straightforward.
Teatime teaser: MANICBEE -> AMBIENCE
Clue: The manic bee gives the place a bit of a buzz.
Round 11: K R E O S G M I N
C1: MONIKERS (8)
C2: RESIGN (6)
DC: MINGERS (7)
Score: 86–31 (max 97)
Another great spot from Edward means that Mary is now RESIGNed to her fate.
Round 12: R N F N X E U E O
C1: NEURONE (7)
C2: FOUR (4)
DC: NEURON (6) FUNNER (6)
Score: 93–31 (max 104)
DC fail to spot the 7 despite having NEURON. Jeff pulls out another old gag as Mary declares FOUR and Jeff asks: "No, Mary, what's the four? "
Round 13: U M O B E S B S D
C1: MOUSSED (7)
C2: BOMBED (6)
DC: BOSSED (6)
Score: 100–31 (max111)
Mary's last letters offering just about sums up her afternoon.
Round 14: 25, 6, 4, 7, 8, 9. Target: 448.
C1: 448. (((6/(8/4))+25)*(9+7) (10)
C2: 448. ((6+4+8)*25)-(9-7) (10)
Score: 110–41 (max 121)
Edwards method gave me a headache just figuring out how to put it in the form of an equation.
Round 15: L O N G N I T E S
C1 buzzes on 1 second to say SINGLETON which is correct.
Final Score: 120–41 (max 131)
Jeff offers his commiserations to Mary, which I'd like to second here. Edward was simply in cracking form, but doesn't rate his chances for tomorrows final against Adam Gillard. Typical Irish pessimism
. Tune in tomorrow to find out if he's right.Further summaries are at:
http://www.apterous.org/cdb/series.php?series=64