Tuesday 9 June 2009 (Series 60, Prelim 88)

[Mike Brown]

Tuesday 9 June 2009 (Series 60, Prelim 88).

C1: Champion Jacqueline Baker (2 wins, 173 points.)
C2: Challenger Jasvir Singh (a menswear salesman from Sutton Coldfield.)
DC: Susie Dent and John Stapleton.
RR: Rachel Riley.
OT: Other words or solutions.

Can Jackie (or is that Jacqui, or perhaps even Jacky?) from Mansfield make it three wins in a row, or will the Beach Boys fan from the West Midlands spoil her chances? Let’s find out!

R01: R M P R O U E T A
R02: D N H I E T O C T
R03: T S Y T O A E N A
R04: R R E U B F D S E
R05: 75, 10, 2, 2, 6, 7. Target: 427.
TTT: DRIVENOW - "If you do this, you could be stuck for time."
R06: D O P N I G N P E
R07: J R G Z A E A D E
R08: M I Q A E A T R P
R09: N L L T E I O S A
R10: 50, 4, 8, 10, 7, 1. Target: 401.
TTT: AIMTRAPS - "Thinly-sliced beef of days gone by."
R11: S K N S I A E X I
R12: W T R O U E H C R
R13: L M G S O I O V E
R14: 50, 10, 7, 2, 6, 6. Target: 608.
R15: T I T A N S E G G (conundrum)

Blue Bics at the ready!

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Another entry to the limerick competition out of the way (and screwed into a ball by Jeff) and it’s time to make a start...

Round 1: R M P R O U E T A

C1: RAPTURE (7)
C2: POUTER (6)
DC: TEMPURA (7)
OT: ERRATUM (7) MATURER (7) PRAETOR (7) PRORATE (7) ROTAMER (7) TRAMPER (7) TROUPER (7)
Score: 7–0 (max 7)

Great start from JB, but a good Countdown word from Jasvir for six.

Round 2: D N H I E T O C T

C1: NOTCHED (7)
C2: HINTED (6)
DC: HOTTIE (6)
OT: CHITTED (7) CTENOID (7) DEONTIC (7) NOTICED (7) HEDONIC (7)
Score: 14–0 (max 14)

Jacqui’s (or could it even be Jacquie’s?) on fire and goes 14 points ahead with another good spot. John’s offering of HOTTIE leads to the inevitable shot of Rachel standing next to the word, although Susie does point out it also means a hot water bottle... in the Antipodes. CTENOID is an adjective describing fish scales that have an edge like the teeth on a comb; DEONTIC is a philosophy term relating to duty and obligation. Oh yes, and CHITTING (no sniggering at the back, please) means causing a potato to sprout by placing it in a cool, light place.

Round 3: T S Y T O A E N A

C1: anotates
C2: TOASTY (6)
DC: NOTATES (7)
OT: ANATTOS (7)
Score: 14–6 (max 21)

Jackie’s risk fails to pay off, allowing Jasvir to score for the first time. ANATTOS (also ANNATTOS) are tropical trees bearing fruit from which food colourings (E160b) are made.

Round 4: R R E U B F D S E

C1: REFUSED (7)
C2: DEFERS (6)
DC: REFUSED (7)
OT: BEFURRED (8)
Score: 21–6 (max 29)
I was rather pleased with REFUSER on this round; well done to Keith Bevins for DEBURRS; BEFURRED is what ladies wearing lots of furs are (as opposed to what cats are, apparently).

Round 5: 75, 10, 2, 2, 6, 7. Target: 427.

C1: 426. (6x75)-(2x7)-10 (7)
C2: 431.
RR: 427. ((75-(2/2))x6)-10-7 (10)
Score: 28–6 (max 39)

Nice work from Rachel for a virtual 10 points.

Before the break, John Stapleton explains why he has a record for possession of drugs.

Teatime teaser: DRIVENOW -> OVERWIND

Round 6: D O P N I G N P E

There are a few smiles and chuckles following John’s piece at the end of Part One. The accusations of a fix start here....

C1: DOPING (6)
C2: PENDING (7)
DC: PENDING (7) OPENING (7) DOPPIE (6)
OT: PONDING (7)
Score: 28–13 (max 46)

PONDING means to form a pond. I considered (and quickly dismissed) the idea, which shows how wrong you can be.

Round 7: J R G Z A E A D E

C1: GRAZED (6)
C2: GRAZED (6)
DC: GRAZED (6) AGREED (6)
OT: DRAGEE (6) GEARED (6) JAEGER (6)
Score: 34–19 (max 52)

A flat round; DRAGEES taste nice and JAEGER is who I work for.

Round 8: M I Q A E A T R P

C1: PRIMATE (7)
C2: PRIMATE (7)
DC: PRIMATE (7) PATRIA (6)
Score: 41–26 (max 59)

As Susie pointed out, PRIMATE is the only seven. Or as we at C4C say, it’s the darren.

Round 9: N L L T E I O S A

C1: STALLION (8)
C2: lonliest
DC: TOENAILS (8) SALIENT (7)
Score: 49–26 (max 67)

Jackie’s stallion is rampant: she’s now 23 points in the lead.

OoW: Susie discusses the origins of the words ‘hobby’ and ‘hobnob’. No, it isn’t just a biscuit.

Round 10: 50, 4, 8, 10, 7, 1. Target: 401.

C1: 401. (50x8)+1 (10)
C2: 401. (50x8)+1 (10)
Score: 59–36 (max 77)

Lemon squeezy.

Teatime teaser: AIMTRAPS -> PASTRAMI

Round 11: S K N S I A E X I

C1: SKINS (5)
C2: sexiEs
DC: SKINS (5) SKEINS (6) KINESIS (7)
OT: SIXAINS (7)
Score: 64–36 (max 84)

A nice word from Jasvir. Sadly, it doesn’t seem to exist (and needs an extra E), although it’s probably googleable (like googleable). A SIXAIN is a six-line poem, and therefore not technically eligible for the esteemed limerick compo.

Round 12: W T R O U E H C R

There’s lots of smirking from Rachel as she puts up the letters. Something was cut here, methinks.

C1: torcher
C2: ROUTER (6)
DC: RETOUCH (7) TOUCHER (7)
Jeff: THROWER (7)
OT: COUTHER (7) WOTCHER (7)
Score: 64–42 (max 91)

Yet another risky word disallowed. This time it’s Jackie’s turn to suffer as Susie has to say ‘no’. Or as Jeff put it, it’s ‘torture’ for her. Ouch.

Round 13: L M G S O I O V E

C1: gloomies
C2: GOOLIES (7)
DC: GOOLIES (7) MOVIES (6)
OT: OLOGIES (7)
Score: 64–49 (max 98)

Another disallowed word for the lady from Nottinghamshire. This is starting to look like a close game!

Round 14: 50, 10, 7, 2, 6, 6. Target: 608.

C1: 607.
C2: 608. (50x(10+2))+7+(6/6) (10)
Score: 64–59 (max 108)

With Jackie now failing to score since Round 10, it’s a crucial after all. Can Jasvir snatch the win? Without further ado, it’s time to reveal today’s Crucial Countdown Conundrum...

Round 15: T I T A N S E G G

C1 buzzes on 14 seconds to say GESTATING which is correct.
Score: 74–59 (max 118)

For some reason, I was distracted by the conundrum’s likeness to GANDISEEG for several seconds before managing to put it from my mind. A pregnant pause later and the win is Jackie’s. Can she make it four in the last prelim game of the series? Go to the recap now to find out!

Recap by Kid Mole, B.Sc. (Hons.)

Further summaries are at:
http://www.apterous.org/cdb/series.php?series=60

[Derek Hazell]

A beautifully written recap, and doubly impressive that so much effort is still put in when you were unable to send it until late.

[Eoin Monaghan]

Jasvir was on WORDPLAY once. He got to the final but didn't get the grand.

[Mike Brown]

A beautifully written recap, and doubly impressive that so much effort is still put in when you were unable to send it until late.

Thanks Derek, much appreciated.

[Dinos Sfyris]

For some reason, I was distracted by the conundrum’s likeness to GANDISEEG

Funny that...