October is here and today we reach the 60th preliminary of the series, already equalling last series' total!
Let's get on with the game.C1: Champion Callum Todd (2 wins, 153 points.) A sixth form student from Leeds who finished top of the C section at Co:Leamington at the weekend, his first event. Yesterday he won a very tense battle against apterite Adam Dexter on a crucial conundrum.
C2: Challenger John Blaker. A local government worker from Portsomouth, he used to work as painter and decorator. Unfortunately his fear of heights drove him out of the job. He is a fan of Cape Town, where he used to visit his son regularly during the eight years he lived there.
DC: Susie Dent and Katherine Grainger.
RR: Rachel Riley.
OT: Other words or solutions.
R01: L R D T E O E L T
R02: P R G A I N H O U
R03: 6, 3, 1, 5, 1, 6. Target: 879.
TTT: EMBARKED - "She embarked on a mission to tidy everyone's rooms"
R04: T D A V G E O P U
R05: C S R E O A K M W
R06: 25, 5, 7, 1, 5, 9. Target: 842.
R07: S R S I E Q A L R
R08: N M N I E S A E N
R09: 3, 10, 4, 8, 9, 2. Target: 792.
TTT: ENDCRAZE - "What is crazy about the new piece of furniture?"
R10: B C G I E R D I R
R11: B J T S E I E T N
R12: P M H I A X O E T
R13: D S F L O U E R N
R14: 100, 6, 5, 5, 7, 2. Target: 182.
R15: D E N I M R I P T (conundrum)
And now a brief interlude before our main feature:
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Enjoy the show.
Round 1: L R D T E O E L T
C1: LETTER (6)
C2: TROLLED (7)
OT: DOTTEREL (8)
Score: 0–7 (max 8)
First blood to challenger John who finds a seven to take the lead. After four games without a studio beater available on the letters, there's already one today as DOTTEREL goes unnoticed.
Round 2: P R G A I N H O U
C1: POURING (7)
C2: HARPING (7)
OT: NURAGHI (7) PORANGI (7) ROUPING (7)
Score: 7–14 (max 15)
A mixture of normal and weird sevens available in this round with everyone on screen keeping it simple.
Round 3: 6, 3, 1, 5, 1, 6. Target: 879.
C1: -
C2: 900.
OT: 864. (5 + 1) x 6 x 6 x (3 + 1)
Score: 7–14 (max 15)
oh dear, Callum calls on his six small which has been a useful weapon so far but with low numbers, CECIL gets up to his old cunning tricks by producing a high target. John declares 900 which is not bad but you don't get any points for being 21 away. Rachel says that she doesn't remember a numbers game in her time where it's been impossible to score any points but you only have to go back to the second game of the 30th Birthday Championship for the last time it happened.
Teatime teaser: EMBARKED -> BEDMAKER
Round 4: T D A V G E O P U
C1: UPVOTED X
C2: POTAGE (6)
DC: VOGUED (6) UPDATE (6)
OT: DEVOUT (6) DOTAGE (6) OUTAGE (6) POUTED (6)
Score: 7–20 (max 21)
Speaking of the 30BC, Callum's offering brings back memories of the fourth game between Ben and Conor. Ben was unsuccesful with UPVOTE then so Callum also gets his word disallowed here and John extends his lead.
Round 5: C S R E O A K M W
C1: SCREAM (6)
C2: MOCKERS (7)
DC: CAKE (4) CASEWORK (8)
Score: 7–27 (max 29)
John finds another winner and now has a commanding lead. A good eight by the corner too.
Round 6: 25, 5, 7, 1, 5, 9. Target: 842.
C1: 842. (5 x 5 + 9) x 25 - 7 - 1 (10)
C2: 841.
Score: 17–27 (max 39)
is this the start of a comeback for Callum. A very good numbers solve sees him halve the deficit in the blink of an eye and it's game on again.
Katherine talks about when the rowing team went to spectate a beach volleyball game at the olympics last year.
Round 7: S R S I E Q A L R
C1: SERIALS (7)
C2: RAILS (5)
DC: AIRLESS (7) RAILERS (7)
OT: ARRISES (7) RAISERS (7) RASSLER (7) SAILERS (7) SIERRAS (7)
Score: 24–27 (max 46)
Callum makes up more ground with SERIALS as John can only find a five.
Round 8: N M N I E S A E N
C1: NANNIES (7)
C2: MINES (5)
DC: MANNIES (7) ENEMAS (6)
OT: MEANIES (7) NEMESIA (7)
Score: 31–27 (max 53)
It's only three rounds since Callum trailed by 20 points but suddenly this game is turned on its head as he takes the lead for the first time today. DC's offering of ENEMAS leads to an interesting short anecdote by Nick.
Round 9: 3, 10, 4, 8, 9, 2. Target: 792.
C1: 792. (4 - 3 + 10) x 9 x 8 (10)
C2: 792. (9 x 8 + 4 + 3) x 10 + 2 (10)
Score: 41–37 (max 63)
Regular six small players will know that 72 times 11 is 792 and that's exactly what Callum does. John goes round the houses but gets there eventually to steady the ship.
Teatime teaser: ENDCRAZE -> CREDENZA
Round 10: B C G I E R D I R
C1: BRIDGE (6)
C2: BRIDGER X
DC: BIRDIE (6)
OT: BIRDER (6) BRIDIE (6) DICIER (6) GIRDER (6) GRICER (6)
Score: 47–37 (max 69)
A very unfortunate gamble by John as BRIDGER^ sounds more than reasonable but it hasn't made it into the dictionary yet. Six is the best for this round.
Round 11: B J (no jokes please) T S E I E T N
C1: JETTIES (7)
C2: STENT (5)
OT: BENTEST (7) NETTIES (7)
Score: 54–37 (max 76)
Callum continues to strengthen his grip on the game after a slow start and now has a lead of above ten.
OoW: Susie dazzles us by explaining the origin of the word "blue" in a saucy sense.
Round 12: P M H I A X O E T
C1: TEMPO (5)
C2: HOAX (4)
DC: APOTHEM (7)
OT: MIXTAPE (7)
Score: 59–37 (max 83)
The TEMPO of this game is suiting Callum right now as John's all at sea with his four and will have to do something pretty special to win from here.
Round 13: D S F L O U E R N
C1: FOUNDERS (8)
C2: FLOUNDERS (18)
Score: 59–55 (max 101)
WOW! I have to admit I didn't see this coming, especially as Callum seemed to be sitting back contently, which made me think that he had the nine too. He will be kicking himself badly too as John sticks the L in his FOUNDERS and scores a very useful 18 points. Out of nowhere, we have a grandstand finish!
Round 14: 100, 6, 5, 5, 7, 2. Target: 182.
C1: 182. (6 + 5) x 7 + 5 + 100 (10)
C2: 181.
Score: 69–55 (max 111)
Oh no, John misses the low numbers target and Callum seals the game with perfection.
Round 15: D E N I M R I P T
C1 buzzes on 1 second to say IMPRINTED which is correct.
Final Score: 79–55 (max 121)
Great speed by Callum on the conundrum and today he responded well to going behind early and the late scare inflicted by John with the nine. Callum will go for half octochampdom tomorrow and I'll be back next week for what could be another octochamp being crowned on a Tuesday, if all goes to plan for our recently-joined apterite. Until then, take care!
Further summaries are at:
http://cdb.apterous.org/series.php?series=68
Great to watch though. Thanx.