Just when you thought Channel 4 couldn't get weirder with a trailer about a year-end Prince Andrew musical airing before the start of the show, the episode mentions a hooker and people possibly thinking ASEXUAL is a rude word. I mean, what has this world come to?
Jeez, anyways, here's some holiday fun with Tom wearing a sweater with a "L" missing (How did Colin not realise it until nearly the end?). I initially thought it was someone going to take the "L" (in cultural meme sense) but we now know it stands for the "L" in Driver's License. Oh, did I not mention Tom was with us in the Daily Chat again?
Letters: If anything, this was what defined the show. Neck and neck for the first three rounds of this type. Then came a breakaway in R5 when jiggler was disallowed and what's even worse, Tom mentioned Joe had REJIGGER but did not risk it (which meant Joe could have caused Tom to lose his first round)
After the anecdote, a good spot of IMPASTO in R7 by Tom, but it was in the last third of the show that left me so impressed. Both of them scoring Maxes in all four rounds there especially with TIMEOUTS and AUTOMISE in R11 and not forgetting WINTEROUS in R12 by both (Tom stated he would not have gone for it if Colin had asked for his word first)! Well played and well done!
Numbers: Easy play all round surprisingly despite the selections. Tom goes for the 4 Large option early on in R3, but that didn't separate him from Joe as CECIL threw up a relatively easy target for the Finals. Afterwards, looks like Joe decides to go with a gamble in 3 Large in R6, and after both fail to reach the target, Rachel rubbed it in with an easy solution, pfft. Sensing how Joe hasn't been thrown off yet, Tom goes for the other extremity with 6 Small in R9. Unlucky, Joe misses it and the gap widens by ten points!
(Tom could not confirm if Joe misread the target as 168 but imo, that seems quite plausible when you're under pressure). Fortunately, R14 made up for that so not all was lost
Conundrum: Even though Joe had lost by this point, it's not over as Tom could potentially have a ten-game streak without losing a single round. You literally have to use your BRAIN to RACE your way to the finish line in that case! He buzzes in and is unsure about the pronunciation, but it doesn't matter, he's done it!!
Ten games in a row where he scores every single time!! I didn't even have time to start thinking about the answer, damn!
What a game that was! I predicted the margin to be around 50 points, but Joe proved to be so strong that the margin was slightly less than half of that at 24 points. Even though Joe discounted himself against facing Tom yesterday, look at where he ended up, that is amazing and he deserves a round of applause from all of us. Even though you were the #5 Seed, it didn't define your eventual performance, and I bet you went home feeling proud of how you fared against someone who has been so powerful thus far. All the best in your studies in University and perhaps you could say ending 10 games with 988 points in your name is something memorable and near perfect on the show! Cheer up, for you've done well (in fact, you're the best of Tom's opponents yet!)
The penultimate episode tomorrow with Edward and Quinn. Will Colin's predictions of a English and Irish finals happen or will it be the battle of the Englishmen instead? Let's see if this match will be as close and exciting as the one today!
Progress:
QF1 (15 December):
Tom Stevenson (#1) vs Lewis Castling-Morey (#8) (
121- 44)
QF2 (16 December):
Edward Byrne (#2) vs Steven Etherington (#7) (
105 - 34)
QF3 (19 December):
Quinn Bartlett (#3) vs Daren Barnes (#6) (
108 – 73)
QF4 (20 December): Alan Young (#4) vs
Joe Dobinson (#5) (83 -
99)
SF1 (21 December):
Tom Stevenson (QF1 Winner) vs Joe Dobinson (QF4 Winner) (
129 - 95)
SF2 (22 December): Edward Byrne (QF2 Winner) vs Quinn Bartlett (QF3 Winner)
GF (23 December): Tom Stevenson (SF1 Winner) vs (SF2 Winner)