C1: Champion Charlie Reams (1 win, 114 points.)
C2: Challenger Darren Edwards.
DC: Susie Dent and Ann Widdecombe.
CV: Carol Vorderman.
OT: Other words or solutions.
R01: F M L K U O U S A
R02: D S F P E I L O S
R03: Q V T M A A I U R
R04: C A E W R I N R X
R05: 100, 10, 2, 6, 7, 1. Target: 371.
TTT: ROOTSLAB - "Where screwdrivers can get screwdrivers for their computer, perhaps"
R06: R P D S E A S E R
R07: G L P J A O E A E
R08: N L R R I A I N E
R09: G R N Y O E A S T
R10: 1, 5, 8, 5, 10, 1. Target: 282.
TTT: RATORGAN - ""Goodbye, I'm off" said the herb"
R11: M D S D I E I O A
R12: S N T B C I E A U
R13: T T B D A E O E N
R14: 4, 10, 1, 7, 3, 5. Target: 311.
R15: W E A R S B R A S (conundrum)
And now a brief interlude before our main feature:
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Charlie's debut appearance on Countdown yesterday continued (IMO) a high quality, enjoyable and significant run of episodes; it's only been 2 shows since young Kai left our screens as an octochamp having delighted us over the last 3 weeks (and receiving much media coverage), and now we already have another serious contender for those top spots in the seeding table. More importantly than all that though, he also got a great plug in for this site which has seen the membership swell by something like 30% (welcome all of you
), and that's just after one day. The increase in traffic here can surely only be positive for the show in perpetuating interest. Speaking of swelling members, he's also pretty easy on the eye; there's certainly more than a little D-Beck about him *swoon*. Yes, I HEART CHARLIE REAMS.Facing Charlie today is Darren Edwards, a filthy skate. He'd like to jump out of an aeroplane onto a ski slope, and after a few rounds with Charlie today he'll probably be wishing he'd done that instead. Nah, he seems like a decent bloke, good luck to him.
Round 1: F M L K U O U S A
C1: FAMOUS (6)
C2: FAMOUS (6)
OT: FAMULUS (7)
Score: 6–6 (max 7)
A famulus is (historically) an assistant or servant, especially one working for a magician or scholar (plural famuli). I was quite shocked when I just looked this up, I was expecting it to be like a genus or something. I certainly didn't expect to be thinking about Debbie McGee afterwards *shudder*
Round 2: D S F P E I L O S
C1: DESPOILS (8)
C2: SPOILED (7)
DC: FLOSSED (7)
Score: 14–6 (max 15)
Round 3: Q V T M A A I U R
C1: ATRIUM (6)
C2: QUART (5)
DC: AQUAVIT (7)
Score: 20–6 (max 22)
Aquavit (also akvavit) is an alcholic drink made from potatoes or other starchy vegetables, and coincidentally is often drunk by the quart in atriums.
Round 4: C A E W R I N R X
C1: WARNER (6)
C2: rainer
DC: WAXIER (6)
OT: AIRCREW (7)
Score: 26–6 (max 29)
Round 5: 100, 10, 2, 6, 7, 1. Target: 371.
C1: 371. (100-7)*(6-2)-1 (10)
C2: 371. (6/2)*100+10*7+1 (10)
Score: 36–16 (max 39)
Teatime teaser: ROOTSLAB -> TOOLBARS
Round 6: R P D S E A S E R
C1: SPREADERS (18)
C2: repressed
Score: 54–16 (max 57)
Oops, a letter mix-up from Darren has probably ended the game with Charlie's first niner (there's also no respreads in the dictionary, in case you were wondering.)
Round 7: G L P J A O E A E
C1: APOGEE (6)
C2: POLE (4)
DC: PELAGE (6)
OT: GALEAE (6) PALEAE (6)
Score: 60–16 (max 63)
An apogee is the highest point/climax in the development of something, or the point in orbit where the moon (or other satellite) is farthest from the Earth. Pelage is the fur, hair or wool of a mammal and paleae are the upper bracts of the floret of a grass. Galeae (also botanical) are structures shaped like helmets. What?
Round 8: N L R R I A I N E
C1: AIRLINER (8)
C2: RAINIER (7)
Score: 68–16 (max 71)
Round 9: G R N Y O E A S T
C1: RAGSTONE (8)
C2: STORAGE (7)
OT: NEGATORS (8) NEGATORY (8)
Score: 76–16 (max 79)
Round 10: 1, 5, 8, 5, 10, 1. Target: 282.
C1: 280. (8-1)*(5-1)*10 (7)
C2: 280. ((5+5)*(1+1)+8)*10 (7)
CV: 282. ((5+1)*5-1)*10-8 (10)
Score: 83–23 (max 89)
Teatime teaser: RATORGAN -> TARRAGON
Round 11: M D S D I E I O A
C1: DIADEMS (7)
C2: maddies
DC: IDIOMS (6)
OT: DAIMIOS (7) DESMOID (7) IODIDES (7) IODISED (7) MIDDIES (7)
Score: 90–23 (max 96)
Charlie does well to remember DIADEM from yesterday, while the McCanns are dismayed to hear Susie announce "I don't think we're going to find Maddy.... no" as she leafs through the dictionary following Darren's declaration. (Or you may be of the view that they're relieved because it means they've hidden the.... no, I'm not going there actually)
Round 12: S N T B C I E A U
C1: CABINETS (8)
C2: CABINETS (8)
DC: INCUBATES (18)
Score: 98–31 (max 114)
Round 13: T T B D A E O E N
C1: DETONATE (8)
C2: battoned
DC: BATTENED (8)
Score: 106–31 (max 122)
Harsh! The guy's 67 points behind and Susie denies him even maintaining this chasm by picking him up on a spelling error (he'll probably find it doubly harsh if he notices that Susie actually spells the far more exotic APOGEE herself when Charlie declared it earlier!) Susie should be congratulated really though I suppose for spotting the potential misspelling, and obviously she's utterly correct to disallow it. Plus I don't doubt for a nanosecond that Charlie would've misspelt APOGEE, so I'm not sure what point I'm actually trying to make here.
Round 14: 4, 10, 1, 7, 3, 5. Target: 311.
C1: 311. (7*5-4)*10+1 (10)
C2: -
Score: 116–31 (max 132)
Round 15: W E A R S B R A S
C1 buzzes on 3 seconds to say BRASSWARE which is correct.
Score: 126–31 (max 142)
Wow, a terrific conundrum spot gives Charlie a huge second win, and the highest score of the series so far! If the contestants buzz in before I've got the conundrum, I always pause the TV to try and get it before they give the answer (and then obviously attempt to explain that really I solved it first because my Sky+ plays things too quickly) but I gave up on this one after a good minute or so. I actually was genuinely trying to convince myself that somebody dropped all the cards as they were making the scramble, and had placed the M from EMBARRASS upside down at the front, and they decided to leave it in because Des made an hilarious quip about it being "embarrassing". Great stuff though, and Charlie did well to bash out a massive score after seeing a few difficult Darrens slip through his fingers early on. To be honest, there wouldn't be too much you'd look back on and think you should've got; a really great show.
Despite the fact that he's a Portsmouth fan, I did feel for Darren as he played pretty well and was unfortunate to come up against the GODLIKE FIGURE THAT IS REAMS. He's averaging 120 a show at this early stage, so who knows what records he might be on the verge of breaking when I'm doubtlessly recapping his seventh win in a weeks' time....?
Further summaries are at:
http://www.apterous.org/cdb/series.php?series=59
