Time to enjoy this all-Apterite clash
Countdown recap for Tuesday 20 January 2015.
C1: Champion Neil Stephenson (2 wins, 171 points.) An Apterite and marketing director from London, but is of Scottish descent.
C2: Challenger Ben Hocking. An Apterite and business and management student from Mevagissey, Cornwall. He plaus badminton, golf and darts, and can also name every country of the world and their capital cities.
DC: Susie Dent and Tim Wonnacott.
RR: Rachel Riley.
OT: Other words or solutions.
R01: G V N P O I A E M
R02: T G K I E U S I E
R03: 100, 75, 50, 25, 6, 3. Target: 312.
TTT: NEARWORD - "You'll get near the word once you've scaled down the possibilities"
R04: C R F O E A D J O
R05: M D R E A E V P I
R06: 25, 6, 1, 3, 7, 7. Target: 970.
R07: D L S E A U L T E
R08: Z G N O A E T B A
R09: 100, 50, 25, 75, 3, 9. Target: 961.
TTT: LEOSQUIB - "Forget the guitars, these are about slash on the keyboards"
R10: S W T E I U H O A
R11: R F N E O I R Y A
R12: S D N E U A T S T
R13: N R S I E O T C A
R14: 6, 10, 9, 4, 8, 3. Target: 578.
R15: P A G A N H E R O (conundrum)
And now a brief interlude before our main feature:
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Round 1: G V N P O I A E M
Neil: VAMPING (7)
Ben: VAMPING (7)
DC: MOVING (6)
Score: 7–7 (max 7)
A perfect double darren start from the contestants today.
Round 2: T G K I E U S I E
Neil: SUITE (5)
Ben: KITES (5)
DC: GUEST (5) SKEET (5)
OT: EGEST (5) ETUIS (5) GEEKS (5) GITES (5) GUISE (5) KUSTI (5) SEGUE (5) SIEGE (5) SKITE (5) TEGUS (5) TIKES (5) TIKIS (5)
Score: 12–12 (max 12)
Just a mountain of 5's. Or rather, a flat mountain of 5's.
An ETUI is a small ornamental case for holding needles, cosmetics, and other articles.
A KUSTI is a cord worn round the waist by Parsees, consisting of seventy-two threads to represent the chapters of one of the portions of the Zend-Avesta, the Zoroastrian sacred writings, comprising the Avesta (the text) and Zend (the commentary).
In Australia and New Zealand, to SKITE is to boast.
A TEGU is a large stocky lizard that has dark skin with pale cross-bands of small spots, native to the tropical forests of South America.
In New Zealand, a TIKI is a large wooden or small greenstone image of a human figure.
Round 3: 100, 75, 50, 25, 6, 3. Target: 312.
Neil: 312. (3 x 100) + ((50 / 25) x 6) (10)
Ben: 312. (3 x 100) + ((50 / 25) x 6) (10)
Score: 22–22 (max 22)
Neil seems to be persevering with the 4 large, but he does get 10 points, as does Ben, making it a perfect half for both our contestants.
Teatime teaser: NEARWORD -> NARROWED
Round 4: C R F O E A D J O
Neil: FORCED (6)
Ben: FORCED (6)
DC: FEDORA (6)
OT: DOOFER (6) FOREDO (6) ROOFED (6)
Score: 28–28 (max 28)
FORCED into a 6 apiece here. Still a DOUBLE MAX game here.
Round 5: M D R E A E V P I
Neil: VAMPIRE (7)
Ben: VAMPIRE (7)
DC: REVAMPED (8)
Score: 35–35 (max 36)
After VAMPING earlier, it's now a VAMPIRE apiece for the contestants, but the MAX GAME hopes are ended, as DC are all REVAMPED.
Round 6: 25, 6, 1, 3, 7, 7. Target: 970.
Neil: 969. (((7 x 6) - 3) x 25) - 7 + 1 (7)
Ben: 969. (25 x 3 x (7 + 6)) - (7 - 1) (7)
Score: 42–42 (max 43)
A tricky 1 large appears, both players get one away with similar methods, but that's as good as it gets, as the target is impossible.
Tim talks about how he got given the presenting job on Bargain Hunt, thanks to an Italian-Scouse pottery maker.
Round 7: D L S E A U L T E
Neil: adulates
Ben: STALLED (7)
DC: SALUTED (7) LUSTED (6) DULLEST (7)
OT: ALLSEED (7) ALLUDES (7) ALUDELS (7) AULDEST (7) DELATES (7) ELUATES (7) SAUTEED (7) TELEDUS (7)
Score: 42–49 (max 50)
Are we about to have the first break in scores here
Yes, but not in the way that we expected, as Neil tries an 8, which would've been fine, has there been a 2nd A in the selection............ 
So, it is Ben who takes the first lead today. ALLSEED is any of a number of plants producing a large number of seeds for their size.
An ALUDEL is a pear-shaped earthenware or glass pot, open at both ends to enable a series to be fitted one above another, formerly used in sublimation and other chemical processes.
A TELEDU is a stink badger having brownish-black fur with a white stripe along the top of the head and back, native to Sumatra, Java, and Borneo. (Mydaus javanensis, family Mustelidae)
Round 8: Z G N O A E T B A
Neil: TAONGA (6)
Ben: BATON (5)
DC: GAZEBO (6)
OT: AGNATE (6) BEZANT (6) TEABAG (6)
Score: 48–49 (max 56)
But, Neil doesn't dwell on the past for long, as he comes up with a super-impressive 6 to cut the gap down to 1 instantly.
A BEZANT is a gold or silver coin originally minted at Byzantium, or in heraldry, is a roundel or (i.e. a solid gold circle).
Round 9: 100, 50, 25, 75, 3, 9. Target: 961.
Neil: 959. (9 x 100) + 50 + ((75 / 25) x 3) (7)
Ben: 956.
RR: 960. (7)
OT: 960. ((100 - (50 / 25)) x 9) + 75 + 3 (7)
Score: 55–49 (max 63)
Back to 4 large again, but Neil manages to get closer than Ben, and takes the lead for the first time today, but like the last one, this one is impossible too
Teatime teaser: LEOSQUIB -> OBLIQUES
Round 10: S W T E I U H O A
Neil: SWATHE (6)
Ben: WASTE (5)
DC: WASHOUT (7)
OT: OUTWASH (7)
Score: 61–49 (max 70)
That's now 3 rounds in a row without reply for Neil. Has he started to turn the screw here
Round 11: R F N E O I R Y A
Neil: FAIRER (6)
Ben: REFRAIN (7)
DC: FORERAN (7)
OT: FORAYER (7)
Score: 61–56 (max 77)
Maybe not, as Ben seems to want to REFRAIN Neil from doing just that thanks to his 7. A very tight game looks like it might be going down to the wire...........
Susie's Origins of Words talks about the origin of "Molotov cocktail".
Round 12: S D N E U A T S T
Neil: UNSTATED (8)
Ben: undates
DC: TAUNTED (7)
OT: STUDENTS (8) TAUTNESS (8) UNTASTED (8)
Score: 69–56 (max 85)
Ben decides to stick with a safe 7, that turns out not to be safe, and must make him regret not going for a presumably risky 8, as Neil's 8 gives him a double figure lead once more.
Round 13: N R S I E O T C A
Neil: REACTIONS (18)
Ben: REACTIONS (18)
DC: CREATIONS (18) NARCOTISE (18)
OT: ACTIONERS (18)
Score: 87–74 (max 103)
Nice and straightforward end to the day's letters games, but the match is not decided yet, so what will Ben try and do to turn it back into his favour
An ACTIONER is a film predominantly consisting of exciting action and adventure.
Round 14: 6, 10, 9, 4, 8, 3. Target: 578.
Neil: 578. (((9 x 6) + 3) x 10) + 8 (10)
Ben: 578. Mistake in working.
Score: 97–74 (max 113)
Well, 6 small seems the obvious choice for Ben, and indeed he chooses that option, but isn't sure of answer, and in mid-working, he realises that he's one away, which gives Neil the win, even though he did solve it anyway.
Can he get a century to make it a convincing win Round 15: P A G A N H E R O
Neil buzzes on 1.75 seconds to say ORPHANAGE which is correct.
Final Score: 107–74 (max 123)
OH YEAH
Another conundrum ticked off for Neil, who has got all 4 of them in his 3 games so far, and now has a century under his belt too. Ben put up a great fight, but Neil held it together when he needed to, to wrap up his hat-trick win. So, tomorrow, we have an eagerly-awaited match, as Neil takes on our very own Tracey Mills, back just over 13 years to the day of her previous appearance on the show, back in Series 47. She lost by just 4 points that day, you can actually relive that match here.
But, will it be second time lucky for our popular Apteforumite, or will Neil become a half-octochamp and ruin her second chance
Join me tomorrow to find out
Till then, bye for now.
Statistics Corner
Neil:
Total score - 107
Raw score - 113
Total % of max - 87
Raw % of max - 92
Total average score per round - 7.1
Raw average score per round - 7.5
Number of maxes - 11
Ben:
Total score - 74
Raw score - 91
Total % of max - 60
Raw % of max - 74
Total average score per round - 4.9
Raw average score per round - 6.1
Number of maxes - 8
Further summaries are at:
http://cdb.apterous.org/series.php?series=72