Spoilers For Monday September 9th 2013

[James Robinson]

So, after a clean sweep of last week for Jen Steadman, can she finish the job off this week

She is currently on 6 wins and 707 points, needing to win her final 2 games with a total of 239 points to go above Glen Webb in the table, or even 268 points to go above Dylan Taylor (which doesn't sound likely, but you never know...............)

Her opponent today is part-time Apterite Ned French, and there's even a guy from Huddersfield waiting in the wings tomorrow, should she go through.

Connie Fisher finishes off her stint in DC today and tomorrow, before supermodel Jodie Kidd takes over on Wednesday.

Join Graeme later for what I promise you will be a dramatic game of Countdown!!!

[Tony Atkins]

Presume it is the number of maxes from Jen that will make this dramatic, as 9/9 so far.

Alts of R1 DELATION and R5 of RELIEVOS, and ADOPTER in R8. 5x104 was the quick way for 2nd nos.

[Jordan F]

Did Ned just break what I think he broke? If so, I'm not mad at Ned, but that hurts. Very very well done to Jen regardless.

[Jojo Apollo]

Did Ned just break what I think he broke? If so, I'm not mad at Ned, but that hurts. Very very well done to Jen regardless.

What do you think he broke?

Superb performance by Jen again, very well done.

[Tony Atkins]

Shame they all missed the final 9 in round 13 - but first 12 maxes + a 13th on the numbers is pretty hot by Jen.

[Jojo Apollo]

Shame they all missed the final 9 in round 13 - but first 12 maxes + a 13th on the numbers is pretty hot by Jen.

Tony, what was the nine?

[Jordan F]

Shame they all missed the final 9 in round 13 - but first 12 maxes + a 13th on the numbers is pretty hot by Jen.

That answers my question. Jojo, I thought Ned blocked Jen from getting a max game with the conundrum, but clearly not now.

[Tony Atkins]

STOMPIEST

[Matthew Brockwell]

STOMPIEST was available in R13. Well played today Jen, unlucky on missing out on the high score opportunity.

[szodiac]

Shame they all missed the final 9 in round 13 - but first 12 maxes + a 13th on the numbers is pretty hot by Jen.

Jessica came up with the unlikely STOMPIEST in that round. With Lexplorer down it was up to the OED to confirm it *was* there!!

Jess had an equaller in CENTAVOS in round 10.

OXHEART^ was fine playing to "Ray Tate's version of Countdown" !!!

MOUSEBIRD the round before was an incredible spot. Well done Jen.

Mauro/Jessica

[Tony Atkins]

Also STOMPIES and MOISTEST for 8 in R13.

[Jojo Apollo]

Shame they all missed the final 9 in round 13 - but first 12 maxes + a 13th on the numbers is pretty hot by Jen.

That answers my question. Jojo, I thought Ned blocked Jen from getting a max game with the conundrum, but clearly not now.

Ah righto, Jordan, I thought I missed him breaking a pen or something.

STOMPIEST

Nice

[Jack Worsley]

Did Ned just break what I think he broke? If so, I'm not mad at Ned, but that hurts. Very very well done to Jen regardless.

He didn't deny her a max game but he denied her another record of sorts: most consecutive rounds scored in. I read the Ask Graeme thread about this and the record was 84 set by David O'Donnell. Jen's just equalled this and would have had the record if she'd got the conundrum, so unlucky there. She still has the record for most in heats though as nine of David's were in his quarter final.

Great performance again, Jen, particularly with MOUSEBIRD. Tomorrow should be very interesting as your chances of overtaking Dylan are slim (141 points required) but Glen's total is certainly realistic (113 needed).

I also thought about STOMPIEST in the final letters round but didn't think it was in. STOMPIES for eight is fine too.

[James S Roper]

STOMPIEST in R13

R6 Numbers alternative (100+25+3+2)x4, that's providing Jen did it differently as I missed that.... well played! Great score, is gonna be a treat to see you, Zarte, Dylan and Gemma in the semi's

[Edward McCullagh]

MOUSEBIRD was a brilliant spot under 'studio pressure'

Can't wait for JR's audience-related anecdotes

[Dan McColm]

Jen told me that she considered STOMPIEST in R13 but dismissed it. Unlucky, as that would've kept the max game going and given an opportunity to break 146! Nevertheless, superb performance.

[James Robinson]

Can't wait for JR's audience-related anecdotes

Then wait no more, although I am coming from the sick bay for this (nothing major, so no flowers ).

Being in the audience for this game was so amazing, yet frustrating and emotional. In rounds 7 and 8, there were the chances that AUTHORING and ATROPHIED could've appeared, then Deeksy kept on asking if CONATIVES was available in round 10 (no, by the way), and then when Eddie showed off his delight at finding MOUSEBIRD before all of the rest of us, he just gave us the obvious message that he was "smarter" than all of us.

And then in round 13, we all realised that another 9 would put Jen in the prime position to get the 147, I was actually waiting to see an R to come out for IMPOSTERS, and so when the T came out, I thought for a second, yes, this is Jen's, and then when she said 7, I wanted to shout out "NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!", but instead I just gave a little audible "Drat".

But then, when she didn't get the conundrum either, it was a bit more relief, since missing STOMPIEST wasn't as bad, but it was still brilliant to see Jen get back-to-back 126's, which is quite PHENOMENAL!!!

And it was also quite amazing to think that even before your last game, we all knew that just winning tomorrow's game, would make Jen the greatest female octochamp of all time

So, our next discussion was going to be whether Jen could score enough to overtake Glen, or even more ambitiously Dylan, but more on that tomorrow..........

INGATHER in round 7 and SONICATE in round 10.

4th Numbers Alt.: (75 x 3) + 100 + 9 = 334

[Dave Preece]

Like

[Jon Corby]

What did Jen say to Ned after the conundrum?

[Dave Preece]

She said something along the lines of:

"You BASTARD, I could have had a max game there, FML!"

[Jennifer Steadman]

This was the only game where I got into the classic obsessive-Apterite mindset of thinking about maxes during the game - after MOUSEBIRD (my favourite word from my games ), I suddenly had this really strong feeling that I was on for a max, and it totally threw me. The Apterites in the audience told me after the game that various letters would have given a 9 in round 13, but I completely blanked out both while picking and during the 30 seconds. I did consider STOMPIEST, but thought I was making it up, and couldn't see anything that was definitely valid until POTTIES right at the end. When Susie said afterwards that MOISTEST was there, I got a bit frustrated, and when she said STOMPIEST was there for 9 I was really gutted, especially knowing I'd considered it. It's stupid to be on 116 after 13 rounds and disappointed, but when you think "fuck, the max/record are both off", it's a wee bit crushing. (I now understand why Jack Hurst looked devastated after getting 143 with an invalid word.) Got the numbers after that, but the conundrum was another blank, and a great solve by Ned. I said something to that effect after he solved it, to answer Corby's question.

In a weird way I'd rather have had 13 maxes and 126, than 14 maxes and 136 only to be thwarted on two counts by the conundrum. Either way, moral of the story: DON'T THINK ABOUT MAXES/RECORDS WHEN YOU'RE ON SET!

[Kirk Bevins]

Either way, moral of the story: DON'T THINK ABOUT MAXES/RECORDS WHEN YOU'RE ON SET!

It's hard to avoid thinking about maxes and records when you're a competitive apterite. In both of my max games I thought I was on for a max, particularly in the 30th birthday championship. I was actually more focussed and determined to get the conundrum to hopefully nail the max game, rather than nervous, which I think is the key.