C1: Champion Mark "The Newry Nutcracker " Finnerty (9 wins, 980 points.)
C2: Champion Michael "The Aberdeenshire Ace " Calder (9 wins, 820 points.)
DC: Susie Dent and Marcus Brigstocke.
RR: Rachel Riley.
OT: Other words or solutions.
R01: S R P U O I N G S
R02: M R S A E G L A M
R03: 75, 50, 100, 10, 8, 4, . Target: 930.
TTT: COMBCAKE - " Eddy sang about this quick retort."
R04: L N G E O A N T I
R05: N V L E O I T E U
R06: 9, 10, 9, 2, 2, 7. Target: 700.
R07: R F M A U E Q I S
R08: L T Y A E O U C M
R09: 100, 25, 50, 5, 8, 7. Target: 898.
TTT: LIFEIDOL - "Not quite Tubular Bells but plenty of drills."
R10: P R P E I E S A W
R11: G T D O E O B E K
R12: R D A I E C N O H
R13: D J S A E O H N R
R14: 25, 10, 6, 8, 9, 8. Target: 977.
R15: N E R V E D R O P (conundrum)
And now a brief interlude before our main feature:
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Enjoy the show.
Round 1: S R P U O I N G S
Mark: POURING (7)
Michael: POURING (7)
DC: SPOUSING (8)
OT: SPURIONS (8)
Score: 7–7 (max 8)
What a cracking start from our Semi-Finalist a 7 to kick off the days proceedings..........DC get to shine with their 8 Spousing.........you guessed I spotted this one
Round 2: M R S A E G L A M
Mark: REALMS (6)
Michael: SLAMMER (7)
DC: GAMMERS (7)
OT: ALMAGRES (8) ALMEMARS (8)
Score: 7–14 (max 16)
Our No 6 seed hits straight back with his 7.............but there were a couple 8s hidden away that nobody spotted
Round 3: 75, 50, 100, 10, 8, 4. Target: 930.
C1: 930. (100 + 10) × 8 + 50 (10)
C2: 929.
Score: 17–14 (max 26)
First blood to our second seed Mark.......the first lead could be the most important in this Semi-Final contest
Teatime teaser: COMBCAKE -> COMEBACK
Round 4: L N G E O A N T I
Mark: GELATION (8)
Michael: ELATION (7)
DC: LEGATION (8) NEGATION (8)
OT: GANTLINE (8) LATENING (8)
Score: 25–14 (max 34)
Michael must be kicking himself as he realises his error.............he has realised that he can stretch to an 8 with Gelation
Round 5: N V L E O I T E U
Mark: VIOLENT (7)
Michael: VIOLENT (7)
DC: INVOLUTE (8)
Score: 32–21 (max 42)
Nothing violent about this contest as our sem-finalist spot Violent as their 7.................one 8 that was spotted by DC and our Recap Writer with Involute ..........let's play nicely now
Round 6: 9, 10, 9, 2, 2, 7. Target: 700.
C1: 700. 10 × 7 × (2 ÷ 2 + 9) (10)
C2: 700. 10 × 7 × (2 ÷ 2 + 9) (10)
Score: 42–31 (max 52)
A piece of piss this numbers solve.......even my hubby solved this one !
Round 7: R F M A U E Q I S
Mark: MARQUIS (7)
Michael: FRAMES (6)
DC: AQUIFERS (8)
OT: MARQUISE (8)
Score: 49–31 (max 60)
Another fantastic round from our No 2 seed with Marquis...........I wonder if he was toying with Marquise which was the 8 I spotted.......Aquifers was the spot from DC
Round 8: L T Y A E O U C M
Mark: COMELY (6)
Michael: ACUTELY (7)
DC: CALUMET (7)
OT: ACOLYTE (7) LEUCOMA (7) OCULATE (7)
Score: 49–38 (max 67)
Is there another twist to this contest ?????? Michael's 7 puts him back in it and reduces the arrears to 11 points.......winning another round would certainly make this Semi Final interesting
One of the best snooker players of all time Steve " Interesting " Davis the nickname he adopted thanks to the 1980s satirical comedy show Spitting Image
Round 9: 100, 25, 50, 5, 8, 7. Target: 898.
C1: 900.
C2: 897. (50 ÷ 25 + 7) × 9 − (8 − 5) (7)
RR: 898. (100 + 25 − 5) × 7 + 50 + 8 (10)
Score: 49–45 (max 77)
A good 1 away solve from Michael that puts him back in the contest...............but Ms Riley shows shows us how it is done ! Our recap writer uses a completely different method.........and what you do is !
5+7=12
100+12=112
112*8=896
50/25=2
896+2=898
Otherwise known as the Omelette Method !
Teatime teaser: LIFEIDOL -> OILFIELD
One of the best albums from the 1970s Tubular Bells by Mike Oldfield............nothing to do with the teatime teaser
Round 10: P R P E I E S A W
Mark: waspier
Michael: SAPPIER (7)
DC: SWAPPER (7)
OT: PERIAPSE (8)
Score: 49–52 (max 85)
I did not see this coming !!!!!!!!!!!!!!could there be an another upset on the cards ??????? as Susie disallows Mark's 7 Waspier................Michael isn't feeling sappy as he takes the lead with his 7 Sappier..........but there was one rather interesting 8 hidden away with Peripase
Round 11: G T D O E O B E K
Mark: booteed
Michael: BOOTED (6)
OT: BETOOK (6) BOOKED (6) BOOTEE (6)
Score: 49–58 (max 91)
Could the nerves be getting to our No 2 seed as Susie Disallows his word..........our No 6 seed Michael takes full advantage of the situation with his 6 and takes the lead
Round 12: R D A I E C N O H
Mark: CHAINED (7)
Michael: ANCHORED (8)
DC: ACRIDONE (8)
OT: ORCHIDEAN (18)
Score: 49–66 (max 109)
More brilliance from our No 6 seed with his 8 Anchored.........but there was a 9 missed by all with Orchidean
Round 13: D J S A E O H N R
Mark: HANDERS (7)
Michael: HARDENS (7)
DC: HADRONS (7)
OT: ADHORNS (7) DEHORNS (7) HOARSEN (7) SENHORA (7)
Score: 56–73 (max 116)
7s all round let's move on shall we ! There is still everything to play for.............Mark needs maximum points in the numbers to force a crucial conundrum and possibly seal his place in the Series 89 Grand Final
Round 14: 25, 10, 6, 8, 9, 8. Target: 977.
C1: -
C2: 967. (8 × 6 − 10) × 25 + 9 + 8 (5)
RR: 977. (8 × 6 − 9) × 25 + (10 − 8) (10)
Score: 56–78 (max 126)
Shock Horror and High Drama as our no 2 Mark Blobs the numbers game..........this can mean only one thing that Michael aka Iceman is in the series 89 final !
Round 15: N E R V E D R O P
C1 buzzes on 26 seconds to say PREVENDOR which is incorrect.
C2 does not buzz.
The answer was PROVENDER.
Final Score: 56–78 (max 136)
A great contest by both Mark and Michael...............Our number 2 seed guesses the conundrum wrongly but it is left to Susie Dent to solve it, firstly congratulations to Michael for getting to the Series 89 grand final where he will face the No 1 seed Arthur Page, secondly take nothing away from Mark he had an amazing run and will be proud of what he has achieved in his Countdown career and getting to the Semi-Final is a big achivement in itself........join me again for the Series 89 Grand final in the meantime it is bye for now !
