But, hopefully, I'll squash out a very enjoyable recap for you all to enjoy.
Countdown recap for Wednesday 14 July 2010.
C1: Champion Richard Harris (1 win, 92 points.) From Cardiff, but is studying mathematics at Emannuel College, Cambridge. The most embarrassing thing he has ever done was go into a pond after a chess match, in the middle of Winter.
C2: Challenger Chloe Stone. From Dorking, Surrey. She's a part-time teacher. She enjoys running charity quizzes and working the till at her local Oxfam bookshop. The most daring thing she has ever done was walk across a frozen River Thames at Kingston in 1963.
DC: Susie Dent and the delayed starter (probably stuck in the tramlines) Andrew Castle.
RR: Rachel Riley.
OT: Other words or solutions.
R01: T V F U A I S G E
R02: B P Z R U E A E N
R03: L C R U A E M S A
R04: U O A D G S M S O
R05: 9, 2, 9, 6, 4, 3. Target: 537.
TTT: FOBRELIC - "Dedicated to Mrs. Fawlty, whether she likes it or not"
R06: E O E Q D L K T N
R07: C T R O A I D S E
R08: T I A O V R D L I
R09: G N B O I E P N S
R10: 75, 100, 25, 10, 4, 3. Target: 574.
TTT: HIRERAGS - "You can hire these from Mr. Barlow, if you need a ride"
R11: T N A E S C A T I
R12: N R T X H U E I P
R13: M P Y A E O R M F
R14: 75, 50, 5, 3, 9, 3. Target: 932.
R15: Z E R O D E N I M (conundrum)
And now a brief interlude before our main feature:
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Round 1: T V F U A I S G E
C1: VAGUEST (7)
C2: GATES (5)
DC: FAUVIST (7)
OT: FATIGUES (8)
Score: 7–0 (max 8)
Richard takes the early lead with that very VAGUE 7, but the darrenic 8 is missed by all, including me.
Round 2: B P Z R U E A E N
C1: PANZER (6)
C2: BRAZEN (6)
DC: BURPEE (6)
OT: PANEER (6) URBANE (6)
Score: 13–6 (max 14)
Round 3: L C R U A E M S A
C1: SCREAM (6)
C2: CLEARS (6)
DC: CAMERAS (7) CARAMELS (8)
OT: CAESURAL (8)
Score: 19–12 (max 22)
The contestants stick on 6 for the 2nd consecutive round. Too bad they didn't stick to the CARAMELS for 8.
CAESURAL relates to CAESURE, which is a pause, break or interruption of any kind.
Round 4: U O A D G S M S O
C1: MOODS (5)
C2: MOODS (5)
DC: DOGMAS (6) DUOMOS (6)
Score: 24–17 (max 28)
DC get both the available 6's in this one.
Round 5: 9, 2, 9, 6, 4, 3. Target: 537.
C1: 537. (((9 x 6) + 4 + 2) x 9) - 3 (10)
C2: 536.
Score: 34–17 (max 38)
A very good 6 small solve by Richard there. Not quite the Craig Chittenden level, but impressive nonetheless.
Andrew talks about his early tennis career, which led to him living in a trailer in Florida.
Teatime teaser: FOBRELIC -> FORCIBLE
Round 6: E O E Q D L K T N
C1: TONKED (6)
C2: DENOTE (6)
DC: LODE (4) TOED (4) KEEN (4) DOE (3)
OT: KETONE (6)
Score: 40–23 (max 44)
KETONE is any of a class of organic compounds containing a carbonyl group, CO, attached to two alkyl groups, as CH 3 COCH 3 or CH 3 COC 2 H 5.
Round 7: C T R O A I D S E
C1: ASTEROID (8)
C2: CARDIES (7)
DC: CAROTIDS (8)
OT: IDOCRASE (8) REDCOATS (8)
Score: 48–23 (max 52)
There's me thinking I was missing an obvious 9 there
Either way, Richard extends his lead to a quarter-ton.Round 8: T I A O V R D L I
C1: ADROIT (6)
C2: RADIO (5)
DC: VITRIOL (7) DILATOR (7) TRIVIAL (7)
OT: RAVIOLI (7)
Score: 54–23 (max 59)
Plenty of 7's around. Missed by both contestants, but Richard's Frenchy 6 beats Chloe's 5.
Round 9: G N B O I E P N S
C1: BONING (6)
C2: BONING (6)
DC: BOINGS (6) OPENINGS (8)
Score: 60–29 (max 67)
A DC darren there, but Richard still seems in control of this one at the moment.
Susie's Origin Of Words continues with the rock band theme, with the origins of Lynyrd Skynyrd, Pink Floyd and REO Speedwagon.
Round 10: 75, 100, 25, 10, 4, 3. Target: 574.
C1: 575. ((100 + 25) x 4) + 75 (7)
C2: 575. ((10 - 4) x 100) - 25 (7)
RR: 574. ((75 - 25 - 3) x 10) + 100 + 4 (10)
Score: 67–36 (max 77)
A rare 3 large appearance see both players get an easyish 7 points, leaving Rachel to clean it up.
Teatime teaser: HIRERAGS -> GHARRIES
Round 11: T N A E S C A T I
C1: ASCENT (6)
C2: CATTIES (7)
DC: SCENT (5) ATTAINS (7)
OT: ASTATINE (8) ESTANCIA (8)
Score: 67–43 (max 85)
Chloe seems surprised to here that her word was in, but those catapults have flung her back into contention.
ASTATINE (Chemical symbol: At, Number: 85) is a rare element of the halogen family.
An ESTANCIA is a landed estate or cattle ranch in Spanish America.
Round 12: N R T X H U E I P
C1: HUNTER (6)
C2: UNRIPE (6)
DC: TURNIP (6) PUNTER (6)
OT: PUNIER (6) PURINE (6) TRIUNE (6)
Score: 73–49 (max 91)
PURINE is a white, crystalline compound, C 5 H 4 N 4 , from which is derived a group of compounds including uric acid, xanthine, and caffeine.
TRIUNE means consisting of a trinity in unity.
Round 13: M P Y A E O R M F
C1: MAYOR (5)
C2: FARM (4)
DC: MEMORY (6)
OT: FEMORA (6) FORMAE (6) MOPERY (6) YAMMER (6)
Score: 78–49 (max 97)
Richard seals the game after finding a 5 from that rubbish selection. I believe there were 5 6's there, but my MEMORY is so poor that I've forgotten 4 of them.
YAMMER means to whine or complain.
Round 14: 75, 50, 5, 3, 9, 3. Target: 932.
C1: 931. ((9 + 3) x (75 + 3)) - 5 (7)
C2: 935.
RR: 931. (7)
Score: 85–49 (max 104)
An unsolvable numbers here, as Richard gets as close as possible.
Round 15: Z E R O D E N I M
C1 buzzes on 5 seconds to say MODERNIZE which is correct.
Score: 95–49 (max 114)
114 might be the lowest max of the series, but Richard pulled off a very good performance today, and definitely has the possibility of going far in this series.
I'll be back tomorrow for Richard's next performance.
Till then, bye bye.
Statistics Corner
Richard:
Total score - 95
Raw score - 101
Total % of max - 83
Raw % of max - 89
Total average score per round - 6.3
Raw average score per round - 6.7
Number of maxes - 7
Chloe:
Total score - 49
Raw score - 84
Total % of max - 43
Raw % of max - 74
Total average score per round - 3.3
Raw average score per round - 5.6
Number of maxes - 3
Further summaries are at:
http://www.apterous.org/cdb/series.php?series=63