Enjoy.
Countdown recap for Wednesday 5 February 2014.
C1: Champion Andy Gardner (5 wins, 416 points.) A trainee accountant from Reading, Berkshire.
C2: Challenger Michael Cullen. An Apteforumite and factory cleaner in a chocolate factory from Llanbrynmair, Powys. His favourite band is Muse, who he once saw at Wembley. He also writes quizzes.
DC: Susie Dent and Jon Culshaw.
RR: Rachel Riley.
OT: Other words or solutions.
R01: R M G I A E C D B
R02: O U N R T E G Q I
R03: 50, 25, 100, 9, 5, 1. Target: 192.
TTT: BEANMEAL - "Happy to cooperate without too much persuasion"
R04: A L G N R O I B A
R05: S F X O E D P U D
R06: 100, 1, 5, 4, 1, 8. Target: 806.
R07: T L O E A N S T E
R08: L V D I O S M T A
R09: 50, 75, 25, 3, 10, 4. Target: 279.
TTT: STARBELT - "They certainly won't give up without a damned good fight"
R10: U E N F D O L N P
R11: R G S A E O Z N T
R12: Y P I R C E A D T
R13: K M I E R S E P T
R14: 2, 4, 9, 5, 8, 6. Target: 903.
R15: T O M M I Y D O C (conundrum)
And now a brief interlude before our main feature:
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Enjoy the show.
Round 1: R M G I A E C D B
C1: GRIMACED (8)
C2: GRIMACED (8)
DC: BIRDCAGE (8)
OT: DECIGRAM (8)
Score: 8–8 (max 8)
Well, our contestants have both GRIMACED at the beginning, but they've GRIMACED in a good way, if that's even possible
A nice bonus to Conor too for spotting CAMBRIDGE in that lot.
A DECIGRAM is a unit of mass or weight equal to 1/10 (0.1) gram (1.543 grains).
Round 2: O U N R T E G Q I
C1: TOURING (7)
C2: ROUTEING (8)
DC: ROUTING (7)
OT: ROQUETING (18)
Score: 8–16 (max 26)
Another 8 for Michael, and with it he takes the first lead of the day, although there's a super impressive 9 hidden below
To ROQUET is to cause one's ball to strike another player's ball.
Round 3: 50, 25, 100, 9, 5, 1. Target: 192.
C1: 191.
C2: 192. ((50 / 25) x 100) - 9 + 1 (10)
Score: 8–26 (max 36)
An interesting change of tactics from Andy, as he goes 3 large, but it backfires badly, and Michael now has a commanding lead.
Teatime teaser: BEANMEAL -> AMENABLE
Round 4: A L G N R O I B A
C1: BARGAIN (7)
C2: BORING (6)
DC: GRANOLA (7)
OT: BARONIAL (8)
Score: 15–26 (max 44)
Andy gets back in with a BARGAIN of his own, while the darrenic 8 is missed by all..............
Round 5: S F X O E D P U D
C1: SOUPED (6)
C2: FOXED (5)
OT: DOUSED (6) EXODUS (6) PSEUDO (6)
Score: 21–26 (max 50)
And Andy is now within 5 points thanks to his SOUPED up 6.
Round 6: 100, 1, 5, 4, 1, 8. Target: 806.
C1: 806. (100 x 8) + 5 + 1 (10)
C2: 806. (100 x 8) + 5 + 1 (10)
Score: 31–36 (max 60)
Well, that was easy, wasn't it
NEXT 
Jon does a poem in the style of one of his heroes, the punk poet, John Cooper Clarke.
Round 7: T L O E A N S T E
C1: NOTATES (7)
C2: LOANEES (7)
DC: TALENTS (7) NOTELETS (8)
Score: 38–43 (max 68)
7's aplenty in this round, but DC find their little NOTELETS to find the darrenic 8.
Round 8: L V D I O S M T A
C1: VOMITS (6)
C2: altoids
DC: taoism VIOLAS (6) DIATOMS (7)
OT: MODALIST (8)
Score: 44–43 (max 76)
Oh dear, Michael seems to think that a brand of mints are in the dictionary (I must admit, I'd never even heard of Altoids), and with it, Andy takes the lead thanks to his VOMITS.................
In theology, a MODALIST is one who regards Father, Son, and Spirit as modes of being, and not as persons, thus denying personal distinction in the Trinity.
Round 9: 50, 75, 25, 3, 10, 4. Target: 279.
C1: 278.
C2: 279. (75 x 3) + 50 + 4 (10)
Score: 44–53 (max 86)
Note to Andy, if you mess up with 3 large once, DON'T DO IT AGAIN!! Unfortunately, I wasn't in the audience today, which is good for Michael, as he retakes the lead.
Teatime teaser: STARBELT -> BATTLERS
Round 10: U E N F D O L N P
C1: FUNNEL (6)
C2: FUNNEL (6)
DC: NODULE (6) UNFOLD (6) FONDUE (6)
OT: ENFOLD (6) FONDLE (6) FOULED (6) FUNNED (6) LOUDEN (6) LOUPED (6) PUNNED (6) UNDONE (6) UPFOLD (6)
Score: 50–59 (max 92)
A pair of FUNNELs here, and not too much more............., apart from some FONDUE at least.
Round 11: R G S A E O Z N T
C1: ORANGES (7)
C2: TANGOES (7)
DC: NEGATORS (8) RAGSTONE (8)
Score: 57–66 (max 100)
ORANGES and TANGOES, how appropriate.
There are a nice pair of 8's picked up by DC, but the game is still nip and tuck with only 9 points in it.............. Susie's Origins Of Words talks about the origins of "Catch 22".
Round 12: Y P I R C E A D T
C1: PIRATED (7)
C2: TRACED (6)
DC: DIETARY (7) PREDICT (7) PREDACITY (18)
Score: 64–66 (max 118)
The gap shrinks again thanks to Andy's PIRATED naswer, but DC have the last word with a fantastic NINE
Round 13: K M I E R S E P T
C1: IMPREST (7)
C2: PREMISE (7)
DC: PERKIEST (8)
Score: 71–73 (max 126)
The last letters don't change the situation much, and while DC are the PERKIEST, Michael now has a mini dilemma..................
..................What to do now (knowing that in the worst case scenario, he'll still be on for a crucial conundrum)
Round 14: 2, 4, 9, 5, 8, 6. Target: 903.
C1: 905. ((6 + 4) x (8 + 2) x 9) + 5 (7)
C2: 900.
RR: 904. (7)
OT: 903. (((8 x 5) - 2) x 4 x 6) - 9 (10)
Score: 78–73 (max 136)
Well, in this case, I'd have gone 3 large myself, following on from Andy's bad judgement earlier on, but Michael decides on 6 small, and it backfires, as Andy gets one closer than he does, returning the lead to him, as we head into what is now a CRUCIAL CONUNDRUM.................
Round 15: T O M M I Y D O C
C1 buzzes on 1 second to say COMMODITY which is correct.
Final Score: 88–73 (max 146)
WOW! WOW!! WOW!!! A super-fast reaction from Andy gives him the win, which is super harsh on Michael, who had been leading for most of the game, and probably deserved the win overall, despite the odd numbers choice and the Altoids confusion..............
So, Andy is now just 2 wins away from becoming the first octochamp of the series. But, will he do what Bobby Banerjee and Priscilla Munday have failed to do this series, and win the lucky 7th game.............
Join me tomorrow to find out.So, till then, bye bye.
Statistics Corner
Andy:
Total score - 88
Raw score - 109
Total % of max - 60
Raw % of max - 75
Total average score per round - 5.9
Raw average score per round - 7.3
Number of maxes - 5
Michael:
Total score - 73
Raw score - 97
Total % of max - 50
Raw % of max - 66
Total average score per round - 4.9
Raw average score per round - 6.5
Number of maxes - 5
Further summaries are at:
http://cdb.apterous.org/series.php?series=70