Wednesday 25th June 2025 ( Series 91 1st Semi Final )

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Tracey Anne Mills
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Wednesday 25th June 2025 ( Series 91 1st Semi Final )

Post by Tracey Anne Mills »

Hello Countdowners and welcome to another midweek recap...............it is the first of our Semi-Finals................who will earn a spot in Friday's grand final of Series 91 and the bragging rights............tune into the show and see how they both go on


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C1: Champion Rhys "The Welsh Wordsmith " Jones (9 wins, 897 points.)
C2: Champion Amy "The Suffolk Slayer " Berry (9 wins, 851 points.)
DC: Susie Dent and Bob Harris .
RR: Rachel Riley.
OT: Other words or solutions.

R01: E A O W N T L S I
R02: C M Y P E A S V A
R03: 3, 1, 1, 5, 3, 2. Target: 752.
TTT: EARSTHIN - "If you work in the catering industry, these make your ears look thin"
R04: T N R T I O E P E
R05: I A E N H M G S O
R06: 75, 2, 1, 2, 3, 4. Target: 805.
R07: A O I T R K M N D
R08: P T F N A O D M A
R09: 4, 3, 9, 4, 2, 1. Target: 814.
TTT: WISEWARM - "You'd be wise to wear this on a warm day at the beach."
R10: P T R L D U O N E
R11: E A U W G R L O A
R12: H S D T E U R D A
R13: A O I B S N V R O
R14: 75, 25, 50, 100, 1, 3. Target: 418.
R15: R E S O L V E U S (conundrum)


And now a brief interlude before our main feature:

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Enjoy the show.

Round 1: E A O W N T L S I

Rhys: TOENAILS (8)
Amy: elations
DC: TOWLINES (8)
Score: 8–0 (max 8)

Eights all round but for Amy though as her word is disallowed by Susie................again nothing worth having a scrap about

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Round 2: C M Y P E A S V A

Rhys: SPACEY (6)
Amy: SPACEY (6)
DC: SPACEY (6) VAMPY (5)
OT: VACAYS (6) YAMPAS (6)
Score: 14–6 (max 14)

Sixes all round................can we jump to the next round please ?

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Round 3: 3, 1, 1, 5, 3, 2. Target: 752.

C1: 12.
C2: -
RR: 180. (0)
Score: 14–6 (max 14)

Not a cat in hell's chance with this six small............virtually impossible for our semi-finalists..........Rachel says that 180 is the best that you can do

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Teatime teaser: EARSTHIN -> HAIRNETS

Round 4: T N R T I O E P E

Rhys: PROTEIN (7)
Amy: POTTIER (7)
OT: ENTREPOT (8)
Score: 21–13 (max 22)

Sevens all round from our semi-finalists..................but there was one eight that was missed by all and spotted by our recap writer !

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Round 5: I A E N H M G S O

Rhys: AGONISE (7)
Amy: SHAMING (7)
OT: AGONIES (7) AGONISM (7) ENIGMAS (7) GAMINES (7) GEOSMIN (7) GNOMISH (7) HOAGIES (7) HOEINGS (7) HOMAGES (7) MANGOES (7) MASHING (7) MESHING (7) MOSHING (7) SEAMING (7) SHOEING (7)
Score: 28–20 (max 29)

More of the same...........nothing worth arguing over !

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Round 6: 75, 2, 1, 2, 3, 4. Target: 805.

C1: 805. (((4 × 3) − 1) × (75 − 2)) (10)
C2: -
Score: 38–20 (max 39)

Round 7: A O I T R K M N D

Rhys: RATION (6)
Amy: DORMANT (7)
DC: DORMANT (7)
OT: MORDANT (7)
Score: 38–27 (max 46)

Could this be the turning point that Amy Needs ? Her seven Dormant reduces the arrears to 11 points.............winning another round would make this contest interesting................but not only that it would blow it wide open.

Round 8: P T F N A O D M A

Rhys: TOPMAN (6)
Amy: FANTOD (6)
DC: FANTOD (6)
OT: DOPANT (6) FANDOM (6) MANDAP (6) POTMAN (6) TAMPON (6)
Score: 44–33 (max 52)

Okay next please...........let's jump ahead to the next round !


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Round 9: 4, 3, 9, 4, 2, 1. Target: 814.

C1: 810. ((4 × 4) − 1) × 2 × 3 × 9 (7)
C2: -
RR: 816. ((9 × 2) − 1) × 3 × (4 × 4) (7)
Score: 51–33 (max 59)

Another difficult 6S that cannot be solved perfectly but it is enough to bag our top seed Rhys another 7 points and extends his lead further, sadly our fourth seed doesn't get close..........but Rachel says that 2 away is as good as it gets

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Teatime teaser: WISEWARM -> SWIMWEAR

Round 10: P T R L D U O N E

Rhys: PLUNDER (7)
Amy: DROPLET (7)
DC: UNDERPLOT (18)
Score: 58–40 (max 77)

Sevens all round from our semi-finalists......but over in DC they get to show off with their 9 Underplot


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Round 11: E A U W G R L O A

Rhys: AGORAE (6)
Amy: GLOWER (6)
DC: GLOWER (6)
OT: AUREOLA (7)
Score: 64–46 (max 84)

Sixes all round.........but one interesting 7 missed by all with Aureola

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Round 12: H S D T E U R D A

Rhys: SHUDDER (7)
Amy: HARDEST (7)
DC: TRASHED (7) HARDEST (7) SHUDDER (7)
OT: DEARTHS (7) RADDEST (7) SHARTED (7) THREADS (7)
Score: 71–53 (max 91)

Sevens all round from Semi-finalists and DC............sadly no extra points for spotting most of them ! so let's move on people


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Round 13: A O I B S N V R O

Rhys: BONSAI (6)
Amy: BARONS (6)
DC: BORONIAS (8)
Score: 77–59 (max 99)

Sixes all round from Amy and Rhys.............I like Rhys' 6 Bonsai which is a lovely tree from Japan that needs a lot of looking after..........If you are fan of the Karate Kid franchise and Cobra Kai this is the logo from Miyagi-Do Karate..........Over in DC they have a badass eight with Boronias


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And here is the Miyagi-Do logo all in it's glory

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And here is Mr Miyagi teaching Daniel how to care for Bonsai Trees

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Round 14: 75, 25, 50, 100, 1, 3. Target: 418.

C1: 420. (((75 + 50) ÷ 25) + 100) × (3 + 1) (7)
C2: 420. (((75 + 50) ÷ 25) + 100) × (3 + 1) (7)
RR: 418. ((100 × 3 − 25) × (75 + 1)) ÷ 50 (10)
Score: 84–66 (max 109)

Not the easiest of 4Ls our semi-finalists do well to bag themselves 7 points............Ms Riley gets to shine and produces a perfect 10

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Round 15: R E S O L V E U S

No one buzzes. The answer was OURSELVES.
Final Score: 84–66 (max 119)

Neither finalist solves the conundrum, firstly congratulations to Rhys for advancing to the grand final of series 91 on Friday, secondly take nothing away from Amy she has been an absolute joy to watch and brightened up our TV screens ! Amy has been consistent throughout her run with a lot of excellent word play and superb number solves........today wasn't her day coming up against fellow semi-finalist Rhys wasn't gonna be easy. I reckon she could be a strong possibility for the next Champion of Champions if it goes ahead but sadly it is not my decision to make..............You can join me for the next recap the battle of the Tim's that are both seeded 2nd and 3rd ..........in the meantime it is bye for now

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Tracey 'Old Enough To Be My Mum' Mills aka Crazy Cat Lady and Cat Lover
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