So, now that the intro is over and done with, let's enjoy this recap.
Countdown recap for Thursday 2 February 2012.
C1: Champion Neil Hewitt (3 wins, 230 points.) From Ipswich, Suffolk. He's a member of his local bowls club, and he also enjoys travelling, particularly to New England.
C2: Challenger Jocelyn Menyhart. Has just returned from Michigan where she was a mathematics tutor for 33 years. She's a fan of Sir David Attenborough, the English countryside and Susie Dent.
DC: Susie Dent and Dr. Phil Hammond.
RR: Rachel Riley.
OT: Other words or solutions.
R01: J D S T I E A I D
R02: N T D M U E E A N
R03: X F R I O E A T B
R04: R W N L E A E U C
R05: 25, 5, 3, 2, 7, 6. Target: 898.
TTT: RUINONES - "These can often ruin one's original opinion of people"
R06: H N P T A I U E Q
R07: R S G D O U E A R
R08: E A O V T D L U F
R09: W S T R E O A I C
R10: 75, 5, 1, 3, 2, 3. Target: 267.
TTT: HYDROSPA - "Bohemian song might leave you feeling blue"
R11: M L D G E E O A M
R12: T R S R O I E O N
R13: P S T K E I E O V
R14: 50, 5, 1, 7, 3, 2. Target: 250.
R15: H A D B A N K E R (conundrum)
And now a brief interlude before our main feature:
SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER
SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER
SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER
SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER
SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER
SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER
SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER
SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER
SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER
SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER
SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER
SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER
SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER
SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER
SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER
SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER
SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER
SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER
SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER
SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER
Enjoy the show.
Round 1: J D S T I E A I D
C1: TIDIES (6)
C2: TIDIES (6)
DC: TIDIED (6)
OT: ADDIES (6)
Score: 6–6 (max 6)
An even start to today's proceedings.
Round 2: N T D M U E E A N
C1: TANNED (6)
C2: UNTAMED (7)
DC: MUNDANE (7)
OT: UNEATEN (7) UNMEANT (7) UNNAMED (7)
Score: 6–13 (max 13)
The deadlock is broken early today as Jocelyn takes the first lead in this one.
Round 3: X F R I O E A T B
C1: BAITER (6)
C2: BORATE (6)
DC: FIREBOX (7)
Score: 12–19 (max 20)
A nice darrenic 7 (which I missed in the RASPILLED episode) is spotted by DC, as they have to adjudicate over both declarations by the contestants in this one.
Round 4: R W N L E A E U C
C1: CLEANER (7)
C2: CLEANER (7)
DC: UNCLEAR (7) NUCLEAR (7) RENEWAL (7)
Me: CERULEAN (8)
Score: 19–26 (max 28)
While I go darrenic the 8, everyone goes with 7, with Dr. Phil even trying to claim 21 points with his treble.
CERULEAN is a deep or even sky blue colour.
Round 5: 25, 5, 3, 2, 7, 6. Target: 898.
C1: 894.
C2: 900. ((5 x 7) + 3 - 2) x 25 (7)
RR: 898. (3 x 2 x 6 x 25) - (7 - 5) (10)
Score: 19–33 (max 38)
Hmmm, for a maths tutor to only get 2 away on this one is very surprising, but she was closer than Neil and her advantage is doubled going into the first break.
Dr. Phil carries on his tutoring of Susie in the ways of the doctor by talking about etiquette with patients in the GP's office.
Teatime teaser: RUINONES -> REUNIONS
Round 6: H N P T A I U E Q
C1: PIQUANT (7)
C2: QUAINT (6)
DC: PIQUET (6)
OT: ANTIQUE (7) PETUNIA (7) QUINATE (7)
Score: 26–33 (max 45)
But Neil comes back in quickly with his 7 (you can only add the E to PIQUANT in French apparently) and the gap has shrunk back into single figures.
QUINATE is a botanical adjective meaning arranged in groups of five.
Round 7: R S G D O U E A R
C1: GROUSED (7)
C2: GROUSED (7)
DC: AROUSED (7) SUGARED (7) GROUSE (6)
OT: ADORERS (7) ARGUERS (7) DROGUES (7) DROSERA (7) GOURDES (7) GRADERS (7) GROUSER (7) REGARDS (7)
Score: 33–40 (max 52)
Flat, flat, flat, flattttttttttttttttttttttttttttt.
Round 8: E A O V T D L U F
C1: VAULTED (7)
C2: OVULATED (8)
Score: 33–48 (max 60)
Now Jocelyn goes darrenic and medical too. That'll impress our doctor in DC.
Round 9: W S T R E O A I C
C1: WASTER (6)
C2: WAITERS (7)
DC: EROTICA (7)
OT: COASTER (7) COWRIES (7) CRISTAE (7) OSTERIA (7) RACIEST (7) RECOATS (7) SCORIAE (7) WARIEST (7)
Score: 33–55 (max 67)
Even more flatness here, although don't tell Neil that........
A CRISTA (plural CRISTAE) is a zoological term for a ridge or crest.
A SCORIA (plural SCORIAE) is the refuse, dross, or slag left after melting or smelting metal.
Susie's Origins Of Words talks about the origins of the word "hurricane", "cannibal" and "maelstrom".
Round 10: 75, 5, 1, 3, 2, 3. Target: 267.
C1: 267. ((5 x 3) - 1 + 75) x 3 (10)
C2: 270.
Score: 43–55 (max 77)
Oh dear, our maths tutor might want to forget about this round for more ways than one.........
The game having looked sealed moments ago, has now blown wide open again..........Teatime teaser: HYDROSPA -> RHAPSODY
Round 11: M L D G E E O A M
C1: GLEAMED (7)
C2: GLEAMED (7)
DC: GLAMMED (7)
OT: GLOMMED (7)
Score: 50–62 (max 84)
Nick goes into NETIZEN mode again when Susie mentions GLAMMED being in the dictionary, but apart from that, all is good in his world.
To GLOM is to steal.
Round 12: T R S R O I E O N
C1: ROOSTER (7)
C2: ROOSTER (7)
DC: RIOTERS (7) EROSION (7) SNOOTIER (8)
OT: INTRORSE (8) ROOTSIER (8)
Score: 57–69 (max 92)
A few 7's and a few 8's here. This game is still tight and could go either way.
INTRORSE is a botanical adjective meaning turned or facing inward, as anthers that open toward the gynoecium.
Round 13: P S T K E I E O V
C1: POKIEST (7)
C2: EVOKES (6)
DC: POETISE (7)
OT: VOETSEK (7)
Score: 64–69 (max 99)
Ooooooooooooooooh, the gap is now in single figures as we head to the last numbers game.
In South Africa, VOETSEK is an offensive term meaning an expression of dismissal or rejection.
Round 14: 50, 5, 1, 7, 3, 2. Target: 250.
C1: 250. (50 / 2) x (7 + 3) (10)
C2: 250. (3 + 2) x 50 (10)
Score: 74–79 (max 109)
Hehe, a nice simple numbers means that the lights are being dimmed for the crucial conundrum.
Round 15: H A D B A N K E R
C1 buzzes on 20.25 seconds to say HANDBAKER which is incorrect.
C2 does not buzz.
The answer was HANDBRAKE.
Final Score: 74–79 (max 119)
Oh dear, what a sad way to end your run. A slightly embarrassing guess by Neil there basically gives Jocelyn the win.
Although, I'm actually glad, because I think Jocelyn definitely deserved it, despite needing to work on her maths a bit more, ironic after being a maths tutor for a third of a century, but hey-ho.
Join Thomas tomorrow to see if she can become the first woman in this series to win whilst being in the champions' chair.
Till next week then, bye bye.
Statistics Corner
Neil:
Total score - 74
Raw score - 100
Total % of max - 62
Raw % of max - 84
Total average score per round - 4.9
Raw average score per round - 6.7
Number of maxes - 7
Jocelyn:
Total score - 79
Raw score - 98
Total % of max - 66
Raw % of max - 82
Total average score per round - 5.3
Raw average score per round - 6.5
Number of maxes - 7
Further summaries are at:
http://www.apterous.org/cdb/series.php?series=66