Enjoy.
Countdown recap for Thursday 27 November 2014.
C1: Champion Antoinette Ryan (1 win, 107 points.) An Apterite and full-time mum from Nenagh, County Tipperary, Republic of Ireland.
C2: Challenger Tom Jordan. A maths student from London, but originally from Jersey. He likes playing the guitar and recently broke his wrist while crowdsurfing at a heavy metal gig.
DC: Susie Dent and Len Goodman.
RR: Rachel Riley.
OT: Other words or solutions.
R01: S N F T E I A R S
R02: L M C D E U A P N
R03: 25, 1, 6, 3, 9, 7. Target: 393.
TTT: SMASHPIE - "There's no anxiety involved, but the answer is stress related"
R04: P W M R E I O S R
R05: G S N R E O A V C
R06: 100, 25, 75, 50, 10, 1. Target: 376.
R07: K S D H E U I T R
R08: Q G B L E A U T D
R09: 75, 50, 25, 100, 3, 8. Target: 135.
TTT: RINGARMY - "You ring an army of people to tell them you're doing this"
R10: R T S V E I E B N
R11: H L W O E T Y A D
R12: N J T S E O U C E
R13: P T S D O A I U O
R14: 100, 9, 6, 5, 7, 10. Target: 310.
R15: R I P T O M O O N (conundrum)
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Round 1: S N F T E I A R S
Antoinette: FAIRNESS (8)
Tom: RETAINS (7)
DC: SNIFTERS (8)
OT: ARTINESS (8) RETSINAS (8) SANSERIF (8) STAINERS (8)
Score: 8–0 (max 8)
In FAIRNESS, it was a great 8 from Antoinette to start things off. Amazingly, if Antoinette had picked a vowel at the end, we'd have had the exact same letters as the first round in yesterday's game
A RETSINA is a Greek white or rosé wine flavoured with resin.
Round 2: L M C D E U A P N
Antoinette: UNPLACED (8)
Tom: CLAMPED (7)
DC: UNCLAMPED (18)
Score: 16–0 (max 26)
Oh dear, oh dear, Tom hesitates about going for something, which becomes all too obvious when he reveals his 7, and if he had "UN"-ned his word, Antoinette's 8 would've been UNPLACED........... As it is, Antoinette doubles her lead and a certain formula is emerging again..........
Round 3: 25, 1, 6, 3, 9, 7. Target: 393.
Antoinette: 393. ((9 + 7) x 25) - 6 - 1 (10)
Tom: 393. ((9 + 1 + 6) x 25) - 7 (10)
Score: 26–10 (max 36)
Simple numbers game. NEXT
Teatime teaser: SMASHPIE -> EMPHASIS
Round 4: P W M R E I O S R
Antoinette: PRIMROSE (8)
Tom: WORRIES (7)
DC: PROMISER (8)
Score: 34–10 (max 44)
WORRIES are clearly on Tom's face as Antoinette picks a pretty PRIMROSE out of the selection.
Round 5: G S N R E O A V C
Antoinette: ORANGES (7)
Tom: GOVERNS (7)
DC: CONGA (5)
OT: OVERSCAN (8)
Score: 41–17 (max 52)
A couple of 7's from the contestants, and while Len goes on a CONGA, there is a great darrenic 8 missed by all.
An OVERSCAN is the facility on some computer screens or televisions to adjust the picture size so that the picture is bigger but the edges of the picture are lost.
Round 6: 100, 25, 75, 50, 10, 1. Target: 376.
Antoinette: 376. (50 x 10) - 100 - 25 + 1 (10)
Tom: 379.
Score: 51–17 (max 62)
Tom foolishly risks the wrath of Rachel by asking for the top 4 (where Manchester United weren't last season.......
), and pays the price, as he's only 3 away, while Antoinette is spot on. Len talks about his first experiences at trying to woo the tea lady at his first dance lesson.
Round 7: K S D H E U I T R
Antoinette: DUSTIER (7)
Tom: striked
DC: DUSKIER (7) SHIRKED (7) HUSKIER (7)
OT: DITHERS (7) DREKISH (7) DUIKERS (7) HIRSUTE (7) SHIRTED (7) SKIRTED (7)
Score: 58–17 (max 69)
Plenty of 7's, but Tom doesn't strike the right word, and finds himself further behind Antoinette.
A DUIKER is a small African antelope that typically has a tuft of hair between the horns, found mainly in forests.
Round 8: Q G B L E A U T D
Antoinette: TABLED (6)
Tom: BLEAT (5)
DC: BELUGA (6)
OT: BLAGUE (6) BLUDGE (6) BUDGET (6) BUGLED (6) BULGED (6) GABLED (6) GABLET (6) TEGULA (6)
Score: 64–17 (max 75)
6's aplenty in this round, but Tom can only BLEAT about it..........
A BLAGUE is a joke or piece of nonsense.
GABLED is an adjective deriving from GABLE, the triangular upper part of a wall at the end of a ridged roof.
A GABLET is a small ornamental gable over a buttress or similar feature.
A TEGULA is a small scale-like sclerite covering the base of the forewing in many insects.
Round 9: 75, 50, 25, 100, 3, 8. Target: 135.
Antoinette: 135. 100 + 25 + (50 / (8 - 3)) (10)
Tom: 136.
Score: 74–17 (max 85)
Antoinette decides to get back into the 4 large game again, and gets top marks again too.
Teatime teaser: RINGARMY -> MARRYING
Round 10: R T S V E I E B N
Antoinette: INVERTS (7)
Tom: -
DC: REINVEST (8)
OT: NERVIEST (8)
Score: 81–17 (max 93)
Tom realises that there is only 1 N in the selection, so declares nothing, meaning that Antoinette is just inches away from her 2nd win.........
Round 11: H L W O E T Y A D
Antoinette: WHALED (6)
Tom: HOWLED (6)
DC: DEATHLY (7) LOATHED (7) WEALTHY (7)
Score: 87–23 (max 100)
It is indeed game over for Tom, as Antoinette wins her 2nd game, and like yesterday's game, she is safe and sound with 4 rounds to go. Kudos too to DC for spotting all 3 7's there.
Susie's Origins of Words talks about the mystery of a "pair" of trousers.
Round 12: N J T S E O U C E
Antoinette: CONTUSE (7)
Tom: COUNTS (6)
DC: JOUNCES (7)
OT: CENOTES (7) JUNCOES (7)
Score: 94–23 (max 107)
Another great spot from Antoinette here, she's really on fire today
A CENOTE is a natural underground reservoir of water such as occurs in the limestone of Yucatán, Mexico.
A JUNCO is a North American songbird related to the buntings, with mainly grey and brown plumage. (Genus Junco, family Emberizidae, subfamily Emberizinae)
Round 13: P T S D O A I U O
Antoinette: ADOPTS (6)
Tom: outpaid
DC: PATIOS (6) AUDITS (6) STUDIO (6)
OT: APODOUS (7) UTOPIAS (7)
Score: 100–23 (max 114)
Tom tries for one last hurrah, but still not much joy for him today, but Antoinette has reached the 100 once again, but can she reach 120 this time, I wonder......
APODOUS is an adjective meaning without feet or having only rudimentary feet.
Round 14: 100, 9, 6, 5, 7, 10. Target: 310.
Antoinette: 310. ((9 - 6) x 100) + 10 (10)
Tom: 310. ((9 - 6) x 100) + 10 (10)
Score: 110–33 (max 124)
Well, she's got to the 110 in no trouble, can she get that 120..............
Round 15: R I P T O M O O N
Antoinette buzzes on 8.75 seconds to say PROMOTION which is correct.
Final Score: 120–33 (max 134)
OH YES, SHE CAN
And that "PROMOTION" sees Antoinette get another impressive win under her belt, and takes her total up to a very healthy 227 points from her 2 wins. 3 more wins will see her qualify for the finals, as we only have 8 heats to go before the finals start in just under 2 weeks time..............
I'll be back next Wednesday when we might have a clearer idea of the who the 8th finalist of this series will be.
So, till then, have a great weekend and see you in December.
Statistics Corner
Antoinette:
Total score - 120
Raw score - 120
Total % of max - 90
Raw % of max - 90
Total average score per round - 8.0
Raw average score per round - 8.0
Number of maxes - 10
Tom:
Total score - 33
Raw score - 79
Total % of max - 25
Raw % of max - 59
Total average score per round - 2.2
Raw average score per round - 5.3
Number of maxes - 2
Further summaries are at:
http://cdb.apterous.org/series.php?series=71