Countdown recap for Monday 31 December 2001.
C1: Champion Tom Hargreaves (3 wins, 331 points.)
C2: Challenger Lindy Moffatt.
DC: Richard Samson and Joan Bakewell.
CV: Carol Vorderman.
OT: Other words or solutions.
Round 1: V T L O U A D I E
C1: OVULATED (8)
C2: VIOLATED (8)
DC: OUTLIVED (8)
OT: DOVETAIL (8)
Score: 8–8 (max 8)
Round 2: S P R O E G M A I
C1: MIRAGES (7)
C2: PROMISE (7)
DC: MAGPIES (7)
OT: EPIGRAMS (8) GRAMPIES (8)
Score: 15–15 (max 16)
Round 3: N F C R E A I D T
C1: CERTAIN (7)
C2: FRANTIC (7)
DC: TRANCED (7)
OT: DICENTRA (8)
Score: 22–22 (max 24)
Round 4: B S H E O A L M E
C1: SHAMBLE (7)
C2: SHAMBLE (7)
OT: HALESOME (8)
Score: 29–29 (max 32)
Round 5: 50, 3, 1, 3, 8, 6. Target: 279.
C1: 279. 50-3=47, 47*6=282, 282-3=279 (10)
C2: 279. 50*6=300, 3*8-3=21, 300-21=279 (10)
Score: 39–39 (max 42)
Round 6: G Q N D I A E P T
C1: PAINTED (7)
C2: PAINTED (7)
Score: 46–46 (max 49)
Round 7: S R O I F E C L W
C1: RECOILS (7)
C2: FLOWERS (7)
OT: COWRIES (7) FOWLERS (7) FROLICS (7) SCOWLER (7)
Score: 53–53 (max 56)
Round 8: X D T B O U A R I
C1: ABORT (5)
C2: OUTBID (6)
DC: TURBID (6)
OT: AUDITOR (7)
Score: 53–59 (max 63)
Round 9: N S Y M E O A G U
C1: UNEASY (6)
C2: MANGOES (7)
DC: NOSEGAY (7)
OT: MAGUEYS (7)
Score: 53–66 (max 70)
Round 10: 25, 7, 5, 6, 6, 8. Target: 839.
C1: 839. 25*5*7=875, 6*6=36, 875-36=839 (10)
C2: 839. Mistake in working.
Score: 63–66 (max 80)
Round 11: D F E A R I L C T
C1: ARTICLED (8)
C2: flaired
OT: LACERTID (8)
Score: 71–66 (max 88)
Round 12: P S N O E A D G U
C1: SPONGED (7)
C2: SPONGED (7)
DC: POUNDAGES (18)
Score: 78–73 (max 106)
Round 13: R M L E O H I S A
C1: MORALISE (8)
C2: moralism
OT: ARMHOLES (8) HEMIOLAS (8)
Score: 86–73 (max 114)
Round 14: 75, 8, 7, 2, 10, 6. Target: 370.
C1: 370. 75*6=450, 10*8=80, 450-80=370 (10)
C2: 370. 10/2=5, 5*75=375, 6+7-8=5, 375-5=370 (10)
Score: 96–83 (max 124)
Round 15: S O Y A M I N I T
C1 buzzes on 21 seconds to say ANIMOSITY which is correct.
Score: 106–83 (max 134)
Where do I start? statistically, round 8 was where I was first beaten in 52 rounds. After I was 53-66 down I thought I was out and I always knew I had the ability to get to a series final.
Not that I am a nasty person, but Lindy was a blatant cheat - purposely taking up to 10 seconds to select a final letter and intentionally not showing paper to RW after declaring made it evident - if I'd declared 1st in round 13 then I swear blind she would have copied me and I reckon RW had picked up on this. She'd been on 15-1 before, came expecting to win and left the HQ the moment recording ceased. Lindy should be invited back for a special recording against Jeffrey Hansford.
A great game, and definitely my favourite win. Another win I reckoned at the time would have got me into the series finals. Lindy however before recording said that in her audition, she came across this guy called Chris who was amazing on the numbers and was just a great all round player and was sure he'd be appearing on the show. I guess I found out about "this guy called Chris" the hard way
