Thursday 11th December 2025 ( Series 92 1st Quarter Final )
Posted: Fri Dec 12, 2025 2:31 pm
Hello and welcome to another recap...........it's that time again..........Countdown finals week............and here is the first of our quarter finals...........with Christmas just around the corner........let's tuck in to our mulled wine and our Stollen Cake as we get this show on the road
C1: Champion Jason Cullen (8 wins, 926 points.)
C2: Champion Shemina Kirby (7 wins, 615 points.)
DC: Susie Dent and Nisha Katona .
RR: Rachel Riley.
OT: Other words or solutions.
R01: C S T F O U E N B
R02: N R G I E A M L I
R03: 75, 50, 25, 4, 9, 2. Target: 557.
TTT: NOELAMISS - "Something's amiss if you serve these puddings at Christmas"
R04: T W N S A E I H E
R05: R G T L O E I A D
R06: 100, 5, 4, 3, 10, 5. Target: 999.
R07: S J N S O U E R G
R08: D S B I A O G L I
R09: 25, 5, 3, 10, 5, 4. Target: 130.
TTT: TREEDRIVE - "I took a drive and brought the Christmas tree home"
R10: H M F E A O D N I
R11: C P S G A E U L T
R12: L N X A I E P M O
R13: K D S N A I E R V
R14: 75, 5, 3, 1, 2, 4. Target: 887.
R15: L E X I C A L H D (conundrum)
And now a brief interlude before our main feature:
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Enjoy the show.
Round 1: C S T F O U E N B
Jason: BOUNCES (7)
Shemina: BOUNCES (7)
DC: CONFUTES (8)
Score: 7–7 (max 8)
Sevens all round from our quater finalists to kick off the days proceedings..........over in DC they get to shine with their eight Confutes as does our recap writer too !
Round 2: N R G I E A M L I
Jason: MIGRAINE (8)
Shemina: EMAILING (8)
DC: MALINGER (8)
OT: GERMINAL (8) IMAGINER (8) MALIGNER (8)
Score: 15–15 (max 16)
Eights all round.........nothing worth a catfight.........let's play nicely now !
Round 3: 75, 50, 25, 4, 9, 2. Target: 557.
C1: 557. (75 − 2) × 9 − 25 × 4 (10)
C2: -
Score: 25–15 (max 26)
Game changer and an early lead and First Blood to our top seed Jason as he has no trouble solving this bad boy !
Teatime teaser: NOELAMISS -> SEMOLINAS
Round 4: T W N S A E I H E
Jason: ENSWATHE (8)
Shemina: WHITENS (7)
DC: ENSWATHE (8)
Score: 33–15 (max 34)
Round 5: R G T L O E I A D
Jason: IDOLATER (8)
Shemina: LIGATED (7)
DC: TAILORED (8)
Score: 41–15 (max 42)
Round 6: 100, 5, 4, 3, 10, 5. Target: 999.
C1: 999. 10 × 100 − (5 − 4) (10)
C2: 999. 10 × 100 − (4 − 3) (10)
Score: 51–25 (max 52)
Round 7: S J N S O U E R G
Jason: SURGEONS (8)
Shemina: jongeurs
DC: SURGEONS (8)
Score: 59–25 (max 60)
Round 8: D S B I A O G L I
Jason: BIOGAS (6)
Shemina: daigios
DC: LIBIDOS (7)
OT: IDIGBOS (7)
Score: 65–25 (max 67)
Round 9: 25, 5, 3, 10, 5, 4. Target: 130.
C1: 130. 25 × 5 + 5 (10)
C2: 130. 25 × 5 + 5 (10)
Score: 75–35 (max 77)
Piss easy solve this numbers game...........but there is an LNAFP !
Large Numbers
Are for
Pussies
10+3=13
5+5=10
13*10=130
Teatime teaser: TREEDRIVE -> RETRIEVED
Round 10: H M F E A O D N I
Jason: DOMAINE (7)
Shemina: MOANED (6)
DC: DOMAINE (7)
Score: 82–35 (max 84)
Round 11: C P S G A E U L T
Jason: UPSTAGE (7)
Shemina: PETALS (6)
DC: CAPSULE (7) PULSATE (7) TEACUPS (7)
OT: CAPLETS (7) CUSPATE (7) GELCAPS (7) PLACETS (7) PLAGUES (7) SCUTAGE (7) SPECULA (7) SULCATE (7) UPSCALE (7)
Score: 89–35 (max 91)
Round 12: L N X A I E P M O
Jason: EXPLAIN (7)
Shemina: MOPANI (6)
DC: OPALINE (7)
OT: IMPANEL (7) MANIPLE (7)
Score: 96–35 (max 98)
Round 13: K D S N A I E R V
Jason: SANDIVER (8)
Shemina: INVADERS (8)
Score: 104–43 (max 106)
Eights all round.........lets move on shall we ?
Round 14: 75, 5, 3, 1, 2, 4. Target: 887.
C1: 888. (75 − 1) × 4 × 3 (7)
C2: 889.
RR: 887. (75 × 3 − 2) × 4 − 5 (10)
Score: 111–43 (max 116)
Round 15: L E X I C A L H D
C1 buzzes on 2.75 seconds to say CHILLAXED which is correct.
Final Score: 121–43 (max 126)
A rather speedy conundrum solve from our top seed Jason, firstly congratulations to Jase and Status for reaching the semi-final where Ciaran McCarthy or John Payne will await him, secondly take nothing away from Shemina she gave as good as she got, it was always going to be a tall order to beat Jason who was in really good form. Shemina can be proud of her achievement as a quarter finalist which is good in it's self........you can join me for the next quarter final recap where the second seeded Brett Davids takes on the seventh seeded Mark Allen...........in meantime folks it is bye for now.
C1: Champion Jason Cullen (8 wins, 926 points.)
C2: Champion Shemina Kirby (7 wins, 615 points.)
DC: Susie Dent and Nisha Katona .
RR: Rachel Riley.
OT: Other words or solutions.
R01: C S T F O U E N B
R02: N R G I E A M L I
R03: 75, 50, 25, 4, 9, 2. Target: 557.
TTT: NOELAMISS - "Something's amiss if you serve these puddings at Christmas"
R04: T W N S A E I H E
R05: R G T L O E I A D
R06: 100, 5, 4, 3, 10, 5. Target: 999.
R07: S J N S O U E R G
R08: D S B I A O G L I
R09: 25, 5, 3, 10, 5, 4. Target: 130.
TTT: TREEDRIVE - "I took a drive and brought the Christmas tree home"
R10: H M F E A O D N I
R11: C P S G A E U L T
R12: L N X A I E P M O
R13: K D S N A I E R V
R14: 75, 5, 3, 1, 2, 4. Target: 887.
R15: L E X I C A L H D (conundrum)
And now a brief interlude before our main feature:
SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER
SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER
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Enjoy the show.
Round 1: C S T F O U E N B
Jason: BOUNCES (7)
Shemina: BOUNCES (7)
DC: CONFUTES (8)
Score: 7–7 (max 8)
Sevens all round from our quater finalists to kick off the days proceedings..........over in DC they get to shine with their eight Confutes as does our recap writer too !
Round 2: N R G I E A M L I
Jason: MIGRAINE (8)
Shemina: EMAILING (8)
DC: MALINGER (8)
OT: GERMINAL (8) IMAGINER (8) MALIGNER (8)
Score: 15–15 (max 16)
Eights all round.........nothing worth a catfight.........let's play nicely now !
Round 3: 75, 50, 25, 4, 9, 2. Target: 557.
C1: 557. (75 − 2) × 9 − 25 × 4 (10)
C2: -
Score: 25–15 (max 26)
Game changer and an early lead and First Blood to our top seed Jason as he has no trouble solving this bad boy !
Teatime teaser: NOELAMISS -> SEMOLINAS
Round 4: T W N S A E I H E
Jason: ENSWATHE (8)
Shemina: WHITENS (7)
DC: ENSWATHE (8)
Score: 33–15 (max 34)
Round 5: R G T L O E I A D
Jason: IDOLATER (8)
Shemina: LIGATED (7)
DC: TAILORED (8)
Score: 41–15 (max 42)
Round 6: 100, 5, 4, 3, 10, 5. Target: 999.
C1: 999. 10 × 100 − (5 − 4) (10)
C2: 999. 10 × 100 − (4 − 3) (10)
Score: 51–25 (max 52)
Round 7: S J N S O U E R G
Jason: SURGEONS (8)
Shemina: jongeurs
DC: SURGEONS (8)
Score: 59–25 (max 60)
Round 8: D S B I A O G L I
Jason: BIOGAS (6)
Shemina: daigios
DC: LIBIDOS (7)
OT: IDIGBOS (7)
Score: 65–25 (max 67)
Round 9: 25, 5, 3, 10, 5, 4. Target: 130.
C1: 130. 25 × 5 + 5 (10)
C2: 130. 25 × 5 + 5 (10)
Score: 75–35 (max 77)
Piss easy solve this numbers game...........but there is an LNAFP !
Large Numbers
Are for
Pussies
10+3=13
5+5=10
13*10=130
Teatime teaser: TREEDRIVE -> RETRIEVED
Round 10: H M F E A O D N I
Jason: DOMAINE (7)
Shemina: MOANED (6)
DC: DOMAINE (7)
Score: 82–35 (max 84)
Round 11: C P S G A E U L T
Jason: UPSTAGE (7)
Shemina: PETALS (6)
DC: CAPSULE (7) PULSATE (7) TEACUPS (7)
OT: CAPLETS (7) CUSPATE (7) GELCAPS (7) PLACETS (7) PLAGUES (7) SCUTAGE (7) SPECULA (7) SULCATE (7) UPSCALE (7)
Score: 89–35 (max 91)
Round 12: L N X A I E P M O
Jason: EXPLAIN (7)
Shemina: MOPANI (6)
DC: OPALINE (7)
OT: IMPANEL (7) MANIPLE (7)
Score: 96–35 (max 98)
Round 13: K D S N A I E R V
Jason: SANDIVER (8)
Shemina: INVADERS (8)
Score: 104–43 (max 106)
Eights all round.........lets move on shall we ?
Round 14: 75, 5, 3, 1, 2, 4. Target: 887.
C1: 888. (75 − 1) × 4 × 3 (7)
C2: 889.
RR: 887. (75 × 3 − 2) × 4 − 5 (10)
Score: 111–43 (max 116)
Round 15: L E X I C A L H D
C1 buzzes on 2.75 seconds to say CHILLAXED which is correct.
Final Score: 121–43 (max 126)
A rather speedy conundrum solve from our top seed Jason, firstly congratulations to Jase and Status for reaching the semi-final where Ciaran McCarthy or John Payne will await him, secondly take nothing away from Shemina she gave as good as she got, it was always going to be a tall order to beat Jason who was in really good form. Shemina can be proud of her achievement as a quarter finalist which is good in it's self........you can join me for the next quarter final recap where the second seeded Brett Davids takes on the seventh seeded Mark Allen...........in meantime folks it is bye for now.