Spoilers For Wednesday December 17th 2014

[James Robinson]

So, after my excursion to MediaCityUK yesterday, time to return to the real world, and now time for the SEMI-FINALS

2 of our top 4 seeds might have been dismissed, but our top 2 remain, along with our #5 and #6 seeds, with us probably having one of the youngest average ages of the 4 semi-finalists in the history of the show...........

But, her we go, today's first semi-final sees the return of the #1 seed, after a week's rest, Dan "The Kineton Kolossus" McColm, as he takes on yesterday's winner, the #5 seed, George "The Whittlesey Warrior" Ford.

Statistics Corner:

Firstly, No.1 Seed Dan "The Kineton Kolossus" McColm - 9 Wins, 1,051 Points. (Average: 116.78)
Highest Score: 137 vs. Harry Jarrett (6th Game)
Lowest Score: 92 vs. Ben Hodgson (2nd Game)
9's Achieved: 4/5
Total Points/Max/%: 1051/1147 (92%)
Letters Points/Max/%: 642/700 (92%)
Numbers Points/Max/%: 339/357 (95%)
Conundrum Points/Max/%: 70/90 (78%)

Secondly, No.5 Seed George "The Whittlesey Warrior" Ford - 9 Wins, 922 Points. (Average: 102.44)
Highest Score: 114 vs. John Payne (2nd Game)
Lowest Score: 90 vs. Mark Davies (Quarter-Final)
9's Achieved: 1/1
Total Points/Max/%: 922/1110 (83%)
Letters Points/Max/%: 560/666 (84%)
Numbers Points/Max/%: 312/354 (88%)
Conundrum Points/Max/%: 50/90 (56%)

Join me for the recap later.

[Jennifer Steadman]

Dan and George are both looking very dapper today. This is a very fashionable week for Countdown thus far. #fashionwatch

[Mark Kudlowski]

2nd numbers alt: ((75 + 10) x 4) + (50 / 25)

[Tony Atkins]

9 rounds in and Dan still on for a max game. I had hoped Susie would explain what the alt to RIBOSOME meant,
but I will have to look BROOMIES up.

[Tony Atkins]

2nd numbers alt: ((75 + 10) x 4) + (50 / 25)

I did it that way too and the third one similar (5-1)x75-10=290.

[Rhys Benjamin]

Channel 4 need a new subtitler. We've already had "VALITA" and "PUTTIE" when it should be VALETA and PATTIE^.

[Tony Atkins]

Did the subtitler put out "max game" at the end?

[samir pilica]

Smashing game. Well done,lads.Thoroughly enjoyed all of your games,George. Look forward to seeing you again in the next CofC.

[Jennifer Steadman]

Congrats Dan, obviously brilliant performance and if the odds weren't already like 1/100000 on for you to win the series then they will be now

Obviously gutted for George But going out to a max is the best way to lose, and Rachel/Nick clearly think you're the dog's bollocks so I agree with Samir, roll on CoC

[Martin Long]

Great game!

Well done to George for making the semi finals and well done to Dan for the excellent max game and making the final.

[Callum P]

Surprised by the lack of responses. Some remarkable spots and the lad held his nerve to get a very tough conundrum. IDGABTT

Very solid again from George, I should add.

[Mark Murray]

Superb performance under the pressure and a fantastic max game. George- you played brilliantly throughout too.not much you can do coming up against a max game.. great numbers games too. Feel very fortunate to have been in series 70

[Zubair Patel]

Congrats on the max game Dan !
Unlucky George - you must be very pleased on your achievement of getting to the semi and rightly so.

[James Robinson]

This recap is gonna take a good ol' while!!!

I'm just astounded, Dan. An amazing way to win a semi-final, but kudos to George for staying in close contact for most of the game.

[Graeme Cole]

Well played, both of you - and huge congratulations on the max game, Dan.

To me, the second teaser seemed very... what's the word...?

[Jojo Apollo]

Superb standard of play, well done on the max and getting through to the final, Dan. Also well done George on getting through to the semis and the great numbers games during the series.

[Dan McColm]

Channel 4 need a new subtitler. We've already had "VALITA" and "PUTTIE" when it should be VALETA and PATTIE^.

I actually declared VELETA (there was only one A in the selection), but VALETA is also valid.

Thanks everyone else for the nice comments so far, and well played George!

[Tracey Anne Mills]

Great work from Dan

[mark b davies]

Congratulations to Dan on an awesome performance and to George too. He made a much better fist of the semi final than I ever would have.

[James Laverty]

Just caught up on 4od. Very well done Dan on a max game and to George for not falling away. Been a brilliant series and it just keeps getting better

[Gavin Chipper]

Channel 4 need a new subtitler. We've already had "VALITA" and "PUTTIE" when it should be VALETA and PATTIE^.

I actually declared VELETA (there was only one A in the selection), but VALETA is also valid.

Thanks everyone else for the nice comments so far, and well played George!

Surprised they didn't put your word up on the board. I mean, we all know how to spell HELMET! (It's J-O-N-G-A-U-N-T.)

But great game Dan. Can't do better than a max. Actually, you can. You can get that fucking conundrum a bit quicker next time!

And congratulations to George for getting to the semi-final. Still played well, but Dan was in awesome form today.

[Jack Worsley]

Amazing performance, Dan! Certainly not an easy max but you produced some brilliant words, notably RIBOSOME, ROUILLE, ANIMATO, SPEARGUN (twice) and a very tricky conundrum under the pressure of knowing you were possibly on for a max game.

George, you've been great to watch and I'll miss your four large solves. You've played brilliantly throughout, though and you can be very proud of what you've achieved. All the best players go out to a max game anyway.

[George Pryn]

And so my Countdown run comes to an end... But with 9 wins and 999 points to my name, I really can't complain.

Thanks for the comments, it's been great fun and a brilliant experience. Though I don't know about Champions of Champions - obviously it would be AHH-MAAAAAAY-ZINGGGGG - but there are quite a few series to pick from now, and there are definitely 16 people from which that are more deservant of a spot than me.

This game was more of a bonus for me really, after managing to beat Mark (which I never thought would happen, EVER) I just saw this as a bit of extra fun, as the only way I would ever beat Dan would be if he had some sort of brain attack or if I caught him on an off-day. Evidently I didn't, as he managed a fantastic MAX GAME!!!!! which really cushioned my loss. I don't think anyone can be sad about their only victor being the 6th-highest scoring Octochamp 4-year Apterite max-gaming linguist DEMON that is Dan McColm. Dan was really nice to meet and you can tell that he really wants to do well in this, like uber-well. Uber-uber-well. He is definitely deservant of the CountCrown after all of the work he has put in - but will he get it ? ? We shall see...

Anyway, the experience has been absolutely amazing and I've thoroughly enjoyed myself. The response from you guys (and from Twitter, they seem to have taken well to me for some crazy reason) has been brilliant, and I wish the best of luck to the remaining three finalists. I would like to see Dan win as it would reduce the severity of my loss EVEN MORE, however I will also be rooting for the amazing Antoinette - and the unpredictable Laurence, of course.

Thanks again!

[Conor]

Just watched this. Congrats both on a really high quality game. Welcome to the club, Dan.

[Jojo Apollo]

George, you will now be known as PC Pryn.