On this day in 1985, the World Snooker Championship final, also known as the black-ball final, had us all on the edge of our seats. The final was contested by the red hot favourite Steve Davis and Dennis Taylor. This was Steve Davis' fourth appearance in the final having won it in the previous year in 1984 and the second one for Dennis Taylor. After the first session Steve Davis took a commanding lead of 9-0 but Dennis Taylor fought back in the second session by reducing the arrears by two frames and in the third session it was very much the same outcome. Until the match was over, Taylor was never ahead in frames but had tied the contest three times at 11–11, 15–15 and 17–17. The deciding frame culminated in a number of shots on the final black ball. After both players had failed to pot it several times, Taylor potted the black to win his only world championship, but became a victim of the Crucible Curse losing to Mike Hallett in the first round the following year. Media outlets reported this as a major shock: Davis had been widely predicted to win the match, having lifted three of the previous four world championship titles.
It was viewed by 18.5 million people in the United Kingdom, and was a record for BBC2.
C1: Challenger Tom Page.
C2: Challenger Peter Mitchell.
DC: Susie Dent and John Virgo .
RR: Rachel Riley.
OT: Other words or solutions.
R01: G N R U I A C E S
R02: G J W O A E F H I
R03: 25, 4, 5, 10, 4, 9. Target: 324.
TTT: OPENMASKS - "When it comes to wheels, he'll do all the talking."
R04: M R B E I E S T O
R05: H N M I A E P U T
R06: 100, 1, 9, 7, 5, 5, . Target: 843.
R07: N L G E A I N O D
R08: Q L M U E O R N A
R09: 6, 2, 7, 2, 4, 9. Target: 590.
TTT: URBANCOIL - "One I in the letters, but two in the answer"
R10: T Y D I E O C S A
R11: T L S O E O T U P
R12: T W B I E U G V A
R13: R L E A D N U I R
R14: 75, 50, 10, 3, 1, 2. Target: 268.
R15: P A Y T H E H E N (conundrum)
And now a brief interlude before our main feature:
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Enjoy the show.
Round 1: G N R U I A C E S
Tom: CREASING (8)
Peter: SECURING (8)
DC: RECUSING (8)
OT: RESCUING (8) SCUNGIER (8)
Score: 8–8 (max 8)
Round 2: G J W O A E F H I
Tom: WAGE (4)
Peter: WAGE (4)
DC: HOAGIE (6) FEIJOA (6)
OT: AWEIGH (6)
Score: 12–12 (max 14)
Round 3: 25, 4, 5, 10, 4, 9. Target: 324.
C1: 324. (9 + 4) × 25 − 5 + 4 (10)
C2: 324. (9 + 4) × 25 − 5 + 4 (10)
Score: 22–22 (max 24)
Teatime teaser: OPENMASKS -> SPOKESMAN
Round 4: M R B E I E S T O
Tom: MOISTER (7)
Peter: MOISTER (7)
DC: TIRESOME (8)
Score: 29–29 (max 32)
Round 5: H N M I A E P U T
Tom: IMPUTE (6)
Peter: minutae
DC: PETUNIA (7) PUTAMEN (7)
OT: PINETUM (7)
Score: 35–29 (max 39)
Round 6: 100, 1, 9, 7, 5, 5. Target: 843.
C1: 844. (7 + 1) × (100 + 5) + 9 − 5 (7)
C2: 840.
RR: 843. (100 − 7) × 9 + 5 + 1 (10)
Score: 42–29 (max 49)
Round 7: N L G E A I N O D
Tom: LOADING (7)
Peter: LEANING (7)
DC: ALIGNED (7)
OT: ANELING (7) ANNELID (7) DEALIGN (7) DEALING (7) ENDLONG (7) LANDING (7) LEADING (7) LENDING (7) LINDANE (7) LOANING (7)
Score: 49–36 (max 56)
Round 8: Q L M U E O R N A
Tom: UNREAL (6)
Peter: LOANER (6)
DC: NUMERAL (7) ALMONER (7) ENAMOUR (7)
OT: MORULAE (7) NEUROMA (7) UNMORAL (7)
Score: 55–42 (max 63)
Round 9: 6, 2, 7, 2, 4, 9. Target: 590.
C1: 580. (7 + 4) × 6 × 9 − 2 − 2 (5)
C2: -
RR: 590. (6 × 9 + 4) × 2 × (7 − 2) (10)
Score: 60–42 (max 73)
Teatime teaser: URBANCOIL -> BINOCULAR
Round 10: T Y D I E O C S A
Tom: COASTED (7)
Peter: SOCIETY (7)
DC: DYSTOCIA (8)
Score: 67–49 (max 81)
Round 11: T L S O E O T U P
Tom: POOTLES (7)
Peter: OUTPOST (7)
DC: TOOTLES (7) OUTLETS (7)
OT: OUTSOLE (7) OUTSTEP (7) POTTLES (7) TOOLSET (7) TUPELOS (7)
Score: 74–56 (max 88)
Round 12: T W B I E U G V A
Tom: WAGE (4)
Peter: VAGUE (5)
DC: AUGITE (6)
Score: 74–61 (max 94)
Round 13: R L E A D N U I R
Tom: LAUNDER (7)
Peter: DRAINER (7)
OT: DIURNAL (7) LARDIER (7) LURDANE (7) RANDIER (7) RUDERAL (7) UNAIRED (7) UNIDEAL (7)
Score: 81–68 (max 101)
Round 14: 75, 50, 10, 3, 1, 2. Target: 268.
C1: 268. 3 × 75 + 50 − (10 − (2 + 1)) (10)
C2: 268. 3 × 75 + 50 − (10 − (2 + 1)) (10)
Score: 91–78 (max 111)
Round 15: P A Y T H E H E N
No one buzzes. The answer was HYPHENATE.
Final Score: 91–78 (max 121)