Countdown recap for Thursday 19 December 2019.
C1: #2 Seed Jamie "The Godalming Gunslinger" Wing (9 games, 9 wins, 1,020 (1,030) points.) A 6th Form student from Godalming, Surrey. He reached the semi-finals by beating #7 seed Tom Silverlock 121-78 in his quarter-final last Friday.
C2: #3 Seed Paul "The Surbiton Slayer" Nixon (9 games, 9 wins, 1,010 points.) An actuary from Surbiton, Surrey. He reached the semi-final by beating #6 seed John Osmond 117-102 in his quarter-final on Monday.
DC: Susie Dent and Tim Vine.
RR: Rachel Riley.
OT: Other words or solutions.
R01: D L S U A B L O I
R02: A E I C N S P S K
R03: 25, 7, 9, 1, 7, 6. Target: 729.
TTT: EMETICMAN - "You spoon this into the pastry cases and start your Christmas baking."
R04: O E O L R S F U N
R05: I E T Z S A I D T
R06: 1, 3, 7, 9, 6, 10. Target: 910.
R07: N S P O E O Y C I
R08: E A I D T F R S C
R09: 50, 3, 9, 8, 7, 10. Target: 378.
TTT: OPENATTEN - "We'll open this at 10am on Christmas morning and have some with a cup of tea."
R10: U O I A R N R T X
R11: O M L W E O N R U
R12: A E I H R H M G R
R13: P C G U E A N M E
R14: 9, 6, 7, 8, 3, 10. Target: 939.
R15: C O M E A F T E R (conundrum)
And now a brief interlude before our main feature:
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Enjoy the show.
Round 1: D L S U A B L O I
Jamie: LOADS (5)
Paul: AUDIO (5)
DC: dabuloi BUSLOAD (7)
OT: DIABOLUS (8)
Score: 5–5 (max 8)
Round 2: A E I C N S P S K
Jamie: paciness
Paul: PANSIES (7)
DC: SEASICK (7) PINCASES (8)
OT: CAPESKIN (8) INSCAPES (8) NICKASES (8)
Score: 5–12 (max 16)
Round 3: 25, 7, 9, 1, 7, 6. Target: 729.
Jamie: 728. (25 + 1) x (6 - (9 - 7)) x 7 (7)
Paul: 726.
RR: 729. (((7 + 1) x 7) + 25) x 9 (10)
Score: 12–12 (max 26)
Teatime teaser: EMETICMAN -> MINCEMEAT
Round 4: O E O L R S F U N
Jamie: FLOURS (6)
Paul: FLOURS (6)
DC: SNORE (5) SUNROOF (7) FLEURONS (8)
Score: 18–18 (max 34)
Round 5: I E T Z S A I D T
Jamie: TIDIEST (7)
Paul: TIDIEST (7)
DC: DITZIEST (8) DITZIES (7)
OT: STATIZED (8)
Score: 25–25 (max 42)
Round 6: 1, 3, 7, 9, 6, 10. Target: 910.
Jamie: 910. (9 + 3 + 1) x 7 x 10 (10)
Paul: 910. (9 + 3 + 1) x 7 x 10 (10)
Score: 35–35 (max 52)
Tim does his usual array of one-liners.
Round 7: N S P O E O Y C I
Jamie: PONCES (6)
Paul: PONIES (6)
DC: POISONY (7)
OT: OPSONIC (7) POCOSIN (7) SYNCOPE (7)
Score: 41–41 (max 59)
Round 8: E A I D T F R S C
Jamie: TIRADES (7)
Paul: FAIREST (7)
DC: CRAFTED (7)
OT: ASTRIDE (7) CARDIES (7) CREDITS (7) CRISTAE (7) DIRECTS (7) DISRATE (7) DRASTIC (7) FARSIDE (7) FIACRES (7) RACIEST (7) RADICES (7) REDACTS (7) SCARFED (7) SCARFIE (7) SIDECAR (7) STAIDER (7) STRAFED (7) TRADIES (7)
Score: 48–48 (max 66)
Round 9: 50, 3, 9, 8, 7, 10. Target: 378.
Jamie: 378. (3 + 9 - 8 + 50) x 7 (10)
Paul: 378. (50 x 8) - 10 - 9 - 3 (10)
Score: 58–58 (max 76)
Teatime teaser: OPENATTEN -> PANETTONE
Round 10: U O I A R N R T X
Jamie: RUINATOR (8)
Paul: RUINATOR (8)
OT: ORNATRIX (8)
Score: 66–66 (max 84)
Round 11: O M L W E O N R U
Jamie: MOURN (5)
Paul: WOMEN (5)
DC: MOONER (6) WOOLMEN (7)
Score: 71–71 (max 91)
Susie's Origins Of Words talks about the origins of "clutching at straws".
Round 12: A E I H R H M G R
Jamie: GAMIER (6)
Paul: HIGHER (6)
DC: ARMIGER (7)
Score: 77–77 (max 98)
Round 13: P C G U E A N M E
Jamie: PACEMEN (7)
Paul: MENAGE (6)
DC: MENACE (6) UNCAGE (6) MANEGE (6)
OT: UNPEACE (7)
Score: 84–77 (max 105)
Round 14: 9, 6, 7, 8, 3, 10. Target: 939.
Jamie: 938. (6 + 8) x ((7 x 10) - 3) (7)
Paul: -
RR: 939. ((6 + 7) x 8 x 9) + 3 (10)
Score: 91–77 (max 115)
Round 15: C O M E A F T E R
No one buzzes. The answer was FORCEMEAT.
Final Score: 91–77 (max 125)
So, neither player can solve this conundrum, which I remember being the final conundrum at the second ever CO-event I attended in Leicester in 2010!!
But, well done to Jamie, who had to bide his time before getting the knockout blows right at the end to knock out his opponent, and he now takes his place in tomorrow's finale.
So, join us tomorrow for the crescendo of the series as the top 2 seeds, James Haughton and Jamie Wing, compete in the SERIES 81 GRAND FINAL!!!
Statistics Corner
Jamie:
Total score - 91
Raw score - 91
Total % of max - 73
Raw % of max - 73
Total average score per round - 6.1
Raw average score per round - 6.1
Number of maxes - 5
Paul:
Total score - 77
Raw score - 90
Total % of max - 62
Raw % of max - 72
Total average score per round - 5.1
Raw average score per round - 6.0
Number of maxes - 4
Further summaries are at:
http://cdb.apterous.org/series.php?series=81