Friday 26th June 2009 (Series 61, Prelim 5)

[Phil Reynolds]

Countdown recap for Friday 26 June 2009.

C1: Champion Innis Carson (1 win, 106 points.)
C2: Challenger Martyn Brewer.
DC: Susie Dent and Tim Vine.
RR: Rachel Riley.
OT: Other words or solutions.

Defending champion Innis, from Bearsden in East Dunbartonshire, notched up a comfortable century on his first appearance yesterday, and is a fan of renowned jazz trumpeter Wynton Marsalis. He also has seriously unusual eyebrows; rather than forming a distinct line (or spreading upward as sometimes happens to older men), they appear to spread downward to meet up with the tops of his eyes. Attempting to halt his progress in the heats is Martyn, from Bishops Nympton in Devon, who is clearly something of a polymath as he designs and makes furniture and jewellery boxes and is also developing a hydrogen booster for his car.

R01: K R A O T Y B U O
R02: N R M A I D F E Z
R03: U T M A E G M S W
R04: H H S R E U E P L
R05: 100, 50, 4, 8, 1, 10. Target: 114.
TTT: ENIDSCAT - "You might have to go some way to find this"
R06: E O E S T N U F G
R07: D L Q I E B A S L
R08: R T N O E I N R A
R09: G S O I E R J C R
R10: 100, 9, 3, 6, 7, 7. Target: 138.
TTT: STRIVEON - "He's hoping for many happy returns"
R11: N N E A O D R I S
R12: E A I A P T R N T
R13: D D O I E S S T A
R14: 25, 4, 10, 5, 1, 5. Target: 379.
R15: O I L I N G V A T (conundrum)


And now a brief interlude before our main feature:

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Enjoy the show.

Round 1: K R A O T Y B U O

C1: ABOUT (5)
C2: BROOK (5)
OT: RUBATO (6)
Score: 5–5 (max 6)

Always nice when both contestants notch up some points in the first round - though, as a musician, Innis might have been expected to spot RUBATO which refers to playing or singing in an expressive style rather than following strict tempo.

Round 2: N R M A I D F E Z

C1: REMAIN (6)
C2: FRAMED (6)
DC: FIREMAN (7)
OT: ZEMINDAR (8)
Score: 11–11 (max 14)

A ZEMINDAR is an agricultural landowner in India.

Round 3: U T M A E G M S W

C1: GUEST (5)
C2: MATES (5)
DC: GAMUTS (6) SUMMAT (6)
OT: GAMEST (6) GUMMAS (6) MEATUS (6) SMEGMA (6) STEMMA (6) SUMMAE (6)
Score: 16–16 (max 20)

The contestants are still level pegging, but the shrewd observer may feel that Innis hasn't yet got into his stride. Tim proudly informs us that he got GAMUTS all by himself; numerous other 6s were available, most of which seem to refer to unpleasant anatomical deficiencies, orifices or secretions so I'll spare you their definitions.

Round 4: H H S R E U E P L

C1: SPHERULE (8)
C2: PLUSHER (7)
DC: REPULSE (7)
Score: 24–16 (max 28)

The shrewd observer (remember him?) is proved right, as Innis modestly declares an 8 that he thinks he's made up. Not a bit of it: a SPHERULE is a small sphere (and also, somewhat ironically, a great spot).

Round 5: 100, 50, 4, 8, 1, 10. Target: 114.

C1: 114. 100 + 10 + 4 (10)
C2: 114. 100 + 10 + 4 (10)
Score: 34–26 (max 38)

An easy numbers round to end the first half.

Teatime teaser: ENIDSCAT -> DISTANCE

Round 6: E O E S T N U F G

C1: TONGUES (7)
C2: FOUNTS (6)
OT: FUNGOES (7)
Score: 41–26 (max 45)

Innis further extends his lead, and Tim proves his wit isn't confined simply to memorising pre-scripted one-liners with this brilliantly quick riposte:

Jeff: Anything more than TONGUES?
Tim: Not on a first date.

FUNGOES is the plural of FUNGO, a baseball term.

Round 7: D L Q I E B A S L

C1: DISABLE (7)
C2: DALLIES (7)
DC: BALDIES (7)
OT: SLIDABLE (8)
Score: 48–33 (max 53)

Nobody spots the darren 8 - though it could be considered risky as one might think it was spelled SLIDEABLE.

Round 8: R T N O E I N R A

C1: ANOINTER (8)
C2: TRAINER (7)
DC: ANTERIOR (8)
OT: INERRANT (8)
Score: 56–33 (max 61)

Innis pulls further ahead and Martyn looks more and more crestfallen.

Round 9: G S O I E R J C R

C1: CORRIES (7)
C2: -
DC: GROCERS (7)
OT: CROSIER (7) GRICERS (7)
Score: 63–33 (max 68)

Martyn declares 8 but then his crest falls even further as he realises he's used the E twice. A CORRIE is a Scottish term for a circular hollow in a hillside. A CROSIER is a ceremonial staff carried by high ranking clergy, while GRICERS are trainspotters (as Kirk would no doubt know).

Round 10: 100, 9, 3, 6, 7, 7. Target: 138.

C1: 138. 100 + 7 x 6 - (7 - 3) (10)
C2: 138. 100 + 7 x 7 - 9 - 6 / 3 (10)
Score: 73–43 (max 78)

Teatime teaser: STRIVEON -> INVESTOR

Round 11: N N E A O D R I S

C1: ANEROIDS (8)
C2: annodiser
DC: ANODISER (8)
OT: ANDIRONS (8)
Score: 81–43 (max 86)

Martyn thinks he has a 9 but unfortunately his spelling lets him down.

Round 12: E A I A P T R N T

C1: PAINTER (7)
C2: PATIENT (7)
DC: PATTERN (7) PARENT (6)
OT: PATRIATE (8) REATTAIN (8)
Score: 88–50 (max 94)

Round 13: D D O I E S S T A

C1: SADDEST (7)
C2: DOSIEST (7)
DC: TOADIES (7) TODDIES (7)
OT: ADIOSES (7) IODATES (7) SOSATIE (7) TOADIED (7)
Score: 95–57 (max 101)

A flat round in which, somewhat bizarrely, Martyn is allowed his 7 points despite declaring an invalid word. Luckily, however, major controversy is avoided as the game is now out of his reach and Innis's points total is unaffected.

Round 14: 25, 4, 10, 5, 1, 5. Target: 379.

C1: 379. 25 x (10 + 5) + 4 (10)
C2: 379. Mistake in working.
Score: 105–57 (max 111)

Round 15: O I L I N G V A T

C1 buzzes on 1 second to say VIOLATING which is correct.
Score: 115–57 (max 121)

And so Innis claims his second century, dropping only 6 points over the 15 rounds, and seems to be gaining in confidence with each appearance. We're only at the end of the first week, but it already looks likely that we're witnessing this series' first octochamp in action.

Further summaries are at:
http://www.apterous.org/cdb/series.php?series=61

[Kirk Bevins]

The shrewd observer (remember him?) is proved right, as Innis modestly declares an 8 that he thinks he's made up. Not a bit of it: a SPHERULE is a small sphere (and also, somewhat ironically, a great spot).

Brilliant, Phil.

Martyn declares 8 but then his crest falls even further as he realises he's used the E twice. A CORRIE is a Scottish term for a circular hollow in a hillside. A CROSIER is a ceremonial staff carried by high ranking clergy, while GRICERS are trainspotters (as Kirk would no doubt know).

I did indeed know GRICERS were trainspotters and I got that very word in this round.