Monday 8th February 2010 (Series 62, Prelim 21)

[Kai Laddiman]

Countdown recap for Monday 8 February 2010.

C1: Champion Jay Lopian (3 wins, 267 points.)
C2: Challenger apterous' very own Craig Chittenden.
DC: Susie Dent and Mark Foster, for his first appearance in DC.
RR: Rachel Riley.
OT: Other words or solutions.

R01: Y D F O I V S A E
R02: R G I E I L N N E
R03: R D R S A I E P U
R04: X T M A E O F S I
R05: 50, 4, 4, 10, 2, 5. Target: 472.
TTT: LEFTSOCK - "They're not left socks, but they are close to shoes."
R06: R T R E O N B E A
R07: O U E L D C O M Y
R08: C B A O P W D A E
R09: M L N I A O S A I
R10: 10, 7, 8, 2, 5, 1. Target: 744.
TTT: SOFTYEAR - "The quartet remain in place with the rope."
R11: M L S U I R J A E
R12: N T P I O E N S O
R13: D S D U E A T G E
R14: 100, 1, 1, 3, 9, 5. Target: 148.
R15: U T U B E F A I L (conundrum)

I apologise for the hastiness of this recap, I had to make it in a rush.

And now a brief interlude before our main feature:

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Enjoy the show.

Round 1: Y D F O I V S A E

C1: VIDEOS (6)
C2: AVOIDS (6)
OT: ADVISE (6) FODIES (6) VADOSE (6)
Score: 6–6 (max 6)

Round 2: R G I E I L N N E

C1: RELINING (8)
C2: REELING (7)
DC: LINGERIE (8)
Score: 14–6 (max 14)

Jay edges forward.

Round 3: R D R S A I E P U

C1: PRAISED (7)
C2: PARRIED (7)
DC: UPRAISED (8)
Score: 21–13 (max 22)

Jay could have added a U onto the end of his word, but oh well.

Round 4: X T M A E O F S I

C1: FOAMIEST (8)
C2: FOAMIEST (8)
Score: 29–21 (max 30)

An easy darren spotted by both contestants.

Round 5: 50, 4, 4, 10, 2, 5. Target: 472.

C1: 472. (50 - 2) x 10 - 4 - 4 (10)
C2: 472. (50 + 5 + 4) x 4 x 2 (10)
Score: 39–31 (max 40)

Mark notes that he has held 8 world records, and talks about his motivation for swimming.

Teatime teaser: LEFTSOCK -> FETLOCKS

Round 6: R T R E O N B E A

C1: berreta
C2: BARONET (7)
OT: BANTERER (8)
Score: 39–38 (max 48)

A (slightly unusual) misspelling of BIRETTA gives Craig a chance to narrow the gap.

Round 7: O U E L D C O M Y

C1: CLOUDY (6)
C2: CLOUDY (6)
DC: COMEDY (6) MODULE (6) COMELY (6) MOULDY (6)
OT: CLOYED (6) COELOM (6) COMEDO (6) COOLED (6) LOOMED (6) MELODY (6) MODULO (6)
Score: 45–44 (max 54)

EPIC FLAT

Round 8: C B A O P W D A E

C1: PACED (5)
C2: PAWED (5)
DC: COWPEA (6)
Score: 50–49 (max 60)

Om nom nom cowpeas.

Round 9: M L N I A O S A I

C1: somalian
C2: ANIMALS (7)
DC: MAINSAIL (8)
Score: 50–56 (max 68)

Craig takes the lead with another disallowed word from Jay.

OoW: Susie talks about the origins of 'cheapskate'.

Round 10: 10, 7, 8, 2, 5, 1. Target: 744.

C1: 740.
C2: 744. (5 x 2 x 10 - 7) x 8 (10)
Score: 50–66 (max 78)

A tricky spot gives Craig a good advantage.

Teatime teaser: SOFTYEAR -> FORESTAY

Round 11: M L S U I R J A E

C1: JAILERS (7)
C2: JAILERS (7)
DC: MAULERS (7) REALISM (7)
OT: MAILERS (7) MISRULE (7)
Score: 57–73 (max 85)

Round 12: N T P I O E N S O

C1: pooniest
C2: PENSION (7)
DC: POTIONS (7) NOTIONS (7)
OT: INTONES (7) TENSION (7) ISOTOPE (7) OPSONIN (7) OPTIONS (7) POINTES (7) PONTINE (7) TENPINS (7)
Score: 57–80 (max 92)

Craig looks home and dry now, but the contest isn't over...

Round 13: D S D U E A T G E

C1: GUESTED (7)
C2: SEDATED (7)
DC: SAUTEED (7)
OT: DEGUSTED (8)
Score: 64–87 (max 100)

It is now!

Round 14: 100, 1, 1, 3, 9, 5. Target: 148.

C1: 148. 9 x 5 + 100 + 3 (10)
C2: 148. 9 x 5 + 100 + 3 (10)
Score: 74–97 (max 110)

Round 15: U T U B E F A I L

C1 buzzes on 1 second to say BEAUTIFUL which is correct.
Score: 84–97 (max 120)

A great performance from Craig brings Jay's winning spell to an end. A good game in terms of quality, wth both contestants performing well. We'll see how Craig gets on tomorrow with the recap from Ollie / Dinos (delete as appropiate).

Statistics Corner

Jay:
Total score - 84
Raw score - 91
Total % of max - 70
Raw % of max - 76
Total average score per round - 5.6
Raw average score per round - 6.1
Number of maxes - 8

Craig:
Total score - 97
Raw score - 104
Total % of max - 81
Raw % of max - 87
Total average score per round - 6.5
Raw average score per round - 7.0
Number of maxes - 8

Further summaries are at:
http://www.apterous.org/cdb/series.php?series=62

[Charlie Reams]

Round 9: M L N I A O S A I

C1: somalian
C2: ANIMALS (7)
DC: MAINSAIL (8)
Score: 50–56 (max 68)

Bizarre.

[Kai Laddiman]

Round 9: M L N I A O S A I

C1: somalian
C2: ANIMALS (7)
DC: MAINSAIL (8)
Score: 50–56 (max 68)

Bizarre.

Have I made a mistake?

[James Robinson]

Round 9: M L N I A O S A I

C1: somalian
C2: ANIMALS (7)
DC: MAINSAIL (8)
Score: 50–56 (max 68)

Bizarre.

Have I made a mistake?

I think it's supposed to be a reference to the Somalian pirates, who are obviously animals of sorts, and obviously had mainsails on their ships that they used to get to some big tankers.

[Chris Corby]

Round 9: M L N I A O S A I

C1: somalian
C2: ANIMALS (7)
DC: MAINSAIL (8)
Score: 50–56 (max 68)

Bizarre.

Have I made a mistake?

I think Charlie was expressing surprise at Jay's word. Bound to be capitalised.......
....... Jay was wearing a strange expression thoughout this game. I think he had decided/instructed to fall on his sword after Friday

[Charlie Reams]

I think Charlie was expressing surprise at Jay's word. Bound to be capitalised.......
....... Jay was wearing a strange expression thoughout this game. I think he had decided/instructed to fall on his sword after Friday

Yeah, exactly that. I can't imagine how anyone would think that SOMALIAN might be lower case. I know everyone makes mistakes under pressure so maybe he just had no 7 to offer, but it's a strange guess.

[Clive Brooker]

I remember once spotting Stavanger (a Norwegian town) early in a letters round, and thereafter finding it impossible to see anything else.

[Jon Corby]

I remember once spotting Stavanger (a Norwegian town) early in a letters round, and thereafter finding it impossible to see anything else.

I think Saints signed Egil Ostenstad from Viking Stavanger.

[Dinos Sfyris]

Round 9: M L N I A O S A I

C1: somalian
C2: ANIMALS (7)
DC: MAINSAIL (8)

I got accosted by a cheeky Somalian at the gym the other day. Glad to see he's been disallowed

[Gavin Chipper]

I think Charlie was expressing surprise at Jay's word. Bound to be capitalised.......
....... Jay was wearing a strange expression thoughout this game. I think he had decided/instructed to fall on his sword after Friday

Yeah, exactly that. I can't imagine how anyone would think that SOMALIAN might be lower case. I know everyone makes mistakes under pressure so maybe he just had no 7 to offer, but it's a strange guess.

There is "some alien" but that's the US spelling.