C1: Champion Andrew Hulme (7 wins, 802 points.) He's the guy everybody loves, and everybody recognises his face - he is the guy on the verge of breaking Kirk Bevan's record octototal (925). Can he do it?
C2: Challenger Mike Olive. *gulp*
DC: Susie Dent and Anton du Beke.
RR: Rachel Riley.
SE: What Stuart Earl got.
So, Andrew is looking to pull off a superHulmean task and score 124 today; it's a Hulmeungous ask but can he do it? His current average is 115, so he may need to up his game (or get good letters) to do it. But I reckon Mike will put up a good fight - he doesn't want to be Hulmeiliated...
R01: R L M E O A R S O
R02: T L S A U E T M I
R03: S R Q E O E S K A
R04: F D S E I E T S W
R05: 25, 6, 2, 8, 5, 5. Target: 848.
TTT: NAMEITEM - "Solve this in the intervening period."
R06: L P R A E A O Z G
R07: P L C E I A D I E
R08: X F Y T U E I S A
R09: R T G O I O N H N
R10: 50, 3, 4, 6, 7, 5. Target: 152.
TTT: RIPEMUSH - "These potatoes are definitely not bitter."
R11: D N M E A I H T A
R12: S T O E C N A E R
R13: D N R O E I C B U
R14: 25, 7, 1, 5, 10, 8. Target: 482.
R15: A S K C R E T I N (conundrum)
And now a brief interlude before our main feature:
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Enjoy the show, cos it's gonna be a corker.
Round 1: R L M E O A R S O
C1: MORALE (6) (mass noun, well done there)
C2: MORALS (6)
DC: ROAMERS (7) ROOMERS (7)
SE: SALEROOM (8)
Score: 6–6 (max 8)
Andrew is off to a slightly shaky start, but apparently he had noted SALEROOM. (Yes, he did pick a vowel for MORALISER
Round 2: T L S A U E T M I
C1: MUTILATES (18)
C2: STALE (5)
DC: STIMULATE (18) ULTIMATES (18)
Score: 24–6 (max 26)
A great trio of 9s gives Hulme a decent lead and an even better chance at breaking the record.
Round 3: S R Q E O E S K A
C1: SOAKERS (7)
C2: SEEKS (5)
Score: 31–6 (max 33)
Andrew gets the darren here.
Round 4: F D S E I E T S W
C1: FEWEST (6)
C2: STEWED (6)
DC: DEWIEST (7)
Score: 37–12 (max 40)
He also hadn't risked DEWIEST, but he's still on for a good score. Let's cross our toes and find out...
Round 5: 25, 6, 2, 8, 5, 5. Target: 848.
C1: 848. (5 x 8 - 6) x 25 - 2 (10)
C2: -
Score: 47–12 (max 50)
Anton tells us about how rubbish he is at golf.
Teatime teaser: NAMEITEM -> MEANTIME
Round 6: L P R A E A O Z G
C1: PERGOLA (7)
C2: PERGOLA (7)
SE: AZAROLE (7)
Score: 54–19 (max 57)
Round 7: P L C E I A D I E
C1: PLACED (6)
C2: PLACID (6)
DC: PLICAE (6)
SE: EPICEDIA (8)
Score: 60–25 (max 65)
What a word, EPICEDIA. Nice one Stu.
Round 8: X F Y T U E I S A
C1: FIXATES (7)
C2: FUSTY (5)
Score: 67–25 (max 72)
Andrew spots the darren again, as he storms into a virtually unassailable lead. The only question that remains is can he get that 124?
Round 9: R T G O I O N H N
C1: NOTHING (7)
C2: HOOTING (7)
DC: THRONING (8)
SE: NORTHING (8)
Score: 74–32 (max 80)
Andrew proves that he isn't boring with that hilarious declaration of nothing.
OoW: Suzi talks about words from children's slang.
Round 10: 50, 3, 4, 6, 7, 5. Target: 152.
C1: 152. 3 x 50 + 6 - 4 (10)
C2: 152. 3 x 50 + 6 - 4 (10)
Score: 84–42 (max 90)
After a bit of a muck-up with the numbers selection, Andrew gets an easy 10 points; now he needs the final numbers, the conundrum and 20 points on the letters. Can he do it? Find out after the break...
Teatime teaser: RIPEMUSH -> MURPHIES
Round 11: D N M E A I H T A
C1: ANIMATED (8)
C2: MINTED (6)
DC: DIAMANTE (8)
SE: ANTHEMIA (8) HAEMATIN (8)
Score: 92–42 (max 98)
HAEMATIN, what a word.
Round 12: S T O E C N A E R
C1: CAROTENE (8)
C2: CORNEAS (7)
DC: RESONATE (8) ANCESTOR (8)
SE: ENACTORS (8) NOTECASE (8) SARCENET (8)
Score: 100–42 (max 106)
Andrew gets a thoroughly deserved cheer from the audience when Jeff announces that he has got 8 centuries from 8 games. Very well done Hulme.
Round 13: D N R O E I C B U
C1: BOUNCIER (8)
C2: BOUNDER (7)
SE: RUBICONED (18)
Score: 108–42 (max 124)
Ooh, he didn't risk RUBICONED either, but his tactical unriskage could still pay off...
Round 14: 25, 7, 1, 5, 10, 8. Target: 482.
C1: 482. (10 + 8 + 1) x 25 + 7 (10)
C2: 482. (10 + 8 + 1) x 25 + 7 (10)
Score: 118–52 (max 134)
Another easy numbers game and the tension is really on now - if he gets the conundrum, he'll have shattered Kirk's record...
Round 15: A S K C R E T I N
C1 buzzes on 1.5 seconds to say CRANKIEST which is correct.
Score: 128–52 (max 144)
HE'S DONE IT! He's beaten the record with a whopping 930! It's unbelievable Jeff! (What's even more unbelievable is that this unbelievable feat was unbelievably not mentioned on TV for those unbelieving public peeps.) He has done excellently throughout all 8 of his programmes, he has shown great charisma and enthusiasm, and he is easily my favourite octochamp (of this series) (who has been on before). Congratulations t'ya.
But Mike really didn't do too bad there, considering who he was up against, but Andrew was always gonna come out on top in this one. A great game all round, and everyone except Kirk is happy!
Statistics Corner
C1:
Total score - 128
Raw score - 128
Total % of max - 89
Raw % of max - 89
Total average score per round - 8.5
Raw average score per round - 8.5
Number of maxes - 10
C2:
Total score - 52
Raw score - 85
Total % of max - 36
Raw % of max - 59
Total average score per round - 2.4
Raw average score per round - 5.7
Number of maxes - 3
Sorry for the late recap, etc.
Recap brought to you by KAISQUEER and TIMETRIAL.
Further summaries are at:
http://www.apterous.org/cdb/series.php?series=61