Countdown recap for Monday 10 May 2010.
C1: Champion Lee Graham (6 wins, 541 points.) From Highgate, London. He works as a magazine and book editor. His 2 main ambitions are to host the Top 40 show on Radio 1 and to pass his driving test, which he's failed miserably several times, including one time when one of the wheels was detached from the car.
C2: Challenger Gwen Robinson. From Faringdon, Oxfordshire. She's a retired teacher. She enjoys cooking, entertaining and socialising, as well as travelling, particularly across Southern Europe. Her favourite place being the Italian city of Florence. The person she'd most like to meet is lexicographer extraordinaire Susie Dent. Job done!
DC: Susie Dent and Dr. Hilary Jones.
RR: Rachel Riley, now with a perfect voice again.
OT: Other words or solutions.
R01: K R Y W E A O C H
R02: Z T M E A U D T S
R03: D R S A E A C S O
R04: L R T I E O N J P
R05: 50, 6, 1, 8, 1, 6. Target: 481.
TTT: CORNYSAM - "ASBO & CID are just 2 examples"
R06: N X N E U E G A N
R07: I E A V R L V U R
R08: N L M A O I L E R
R09: S T P S A E I R H
R10: 75, 5, 4, 7, 3, 1. Target: 282.
TTT: BUNGCHAP - "It's not a website, or a performer, but its had loads of hits"
R11: G N T E O E G S O
R12: D T L E O A S T E
R13: C W B A I A P I E
R14: 25, 6, 8, 5, 3, 1. Target: 177.
R15: V O I C E T R A P (conundrum)
And now a brief interlude before our main feature:
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Enjoy the show.
Round 1: K R Y W E A O C H
C1: WHACKER (7)
C2: CHOKER (6)
DC: CREAKY (6)
OT: HACKERY (7)
Score: 7–0 (max 7)
A HACKERY is a cart with wooden wheels, drawn by bullocks.
Round 2: Z T M E A U D T S
C1: MUTATED (7)
C2: MATTED (6)
OT: MUTATES (7) SMUTTED (7) STATUED (7)
Score: 14–0 (max 14)
A brilliant start by our champ with 2 maxes straight away.
Round 3: D R S A E A C S O
C1: CROSSED (7)
C2: CROSSED (7)
DC: ARCADES (7)
OT: CSARDAS (7) ROSACEA (7) ROSACES (7)
Score: 21–7 (max 21)
Gwen gets into the game, but our champ is still on a perfect start.
A CSARDA (or CZARDA) is a Hungarian national dance in two movements, one slow and the other fast.
ROSACEA is a chronic form of acne affecting the nose, forehead, and cheeks, characterized by red pustular lesions.
A ROSACE is another name for a ROSETTE, not the ribbon, but an architectural ornament resembling a rose or having a generally circular combination of parts.
Round 4: L R T I E O N J P
C1: POLITER (7)
C2: JOINTER (7)
DC: RETINOL (7) POINTER (7)
OT: JOLTIER (7) PROTEIN (7) REPOINT (7) PROLINE (7)
Score: 28–14 (max 28)
PROLINE is an alcohol-soluble amino acid, C4H9NHCOOH, occurring in high concentration in collagen.
Round 5: 50, 6, 1, 8, 1, 6. Target: 481.
C1: 488. ((8 + 1 + 1) x 50) - 6 - 6 (5)
C2: 488. ((8 + 1 + 1) x 50) - 6 - 6 (5)
JS: 480. (7)
RR: 481. ((50 / (6 - 1)) x 6 x 8) + 1 (10)
Score: 33–19 (max 38)
Lee's perfect game ends, as he and Gwen can only get 7 away on this one, but Rachel solves it expertly.
Dr. Hilary tells a story about the first eye contact person and how he got his female patients acclimatised with their contact lenses.
Teatime teaser: CORNYSAM -> ACRONYMS
Round 6: N X N E U E G A N
C1: ANNEXE (6)
C2: ANNEXE (6)
Score: 39–25 (max 44)
Round 7: I E A V R L V U R
C1: REVIVAL (7)
C2: REVIVAL (7)
DC: ARRIVE (6)
Score: 46–32 (max 51)
Double darrens for our contestants.
Round 8: N L M A O I L E R
C1: MINERAL (7)
C2: MILLER (6)
DC: RAILMEN (7) ALMONER (7)
OT: AILERON (7) ALIENOR (7) LLANERO (7) LOAMIER (7) MANLIER (7) MARLINE (7) MORAINE (7) ROMAINE (7)
Score: 53–32 (max 58)
Lee's lead goes over 20 with that 7.
A LLANERO is one of the inhabitants of the llanos of South America.
Round 9: S T P S A E I R H
C1: SHARPEST (8)
C2: PASTRIES (8)
DC: HARPISTS (8) STARSHIP (8)
OT: HIPSTERS (8) PARISHES (8) SHARPIES (8) PIASTRES (8) RASPIEST (8) TRAIPSES (8)
Score: 61–40 (max 66)
Lee has been impressive today. Still maxing in the letters rounds, so far.
The PIASTRE is or has been the monetary unit of Turkey, Egypt, Lebanon, Sudan, Syria, South Vietnam and Spain.
SHARPIES are very alert people.
Susie's Origins Of Words takes a nursery rhyme theme this week. First on the block is the origin of Oranges & Lemons.
Round 10: 75, 5, 4, 7, 3, 1. Target: 282.
C1: 282. ((75 - 3) x 4) - 5 - 1 (10)
C2: 282. (75 x 4) - ((5 + 1) x 3) (10)
Score: 71–50 (max 76)
Teatime teaser: BUNGCHAP -> PUNCHBAG
Round 11: G N T E O E G S O
C1: STOOGE (6)
C2: GENTOOS (7)
Score: 71–57 (max 83)
Woah
Lee's max letters game has gone as Gwen spots the popular darren there.Round 12: D T L E O A S T E
C1: TOASTED (7)
C2: DESOLATE (8)
DC: TOADLETS (8)
OT: LADETTES (8)
Score: 71–65 (max 91)
Woah
Woah Is this comeback for real 
Gwen has pulled a brilliant 8 out of the bag, and the gap has suddenly shrunk to 6 points.Round 13: C W B A I A P I E
C1: APACE (5)
C2: APACE (5)
OT: CEIBA (5)
Score: 76–70 (max 96)
A stinky set of letters there, as both players get the same 5.
CEIBA is the silk-cotton tree.
Round 14: 25, 6, 8, 5, 3, 1. Target: 177.
C1: 177. ((8 - (6 - 5)) x 25) + (3 - 1) (10)
C2: 177. ((8 - 1) x 25) + (5 - 3) (10)
Score: 86–80 (max 106)
So, from literally nowhere, this game is suddenly going to be decided by a crucial conundrum.
Round 15: V O I C E T R A P
C2 buzzes on 10.75 seconds to say PROACTIVE which is correct.
Score: 86–90 (max 116)
Well, would you believe it
Even Gwen seems surprised to have won But, won she has, meaning Lee remains on 6 wins, and is currently No.5 seed, but we will definitely see him in the finals next month. Ryan will be here tomorrow with the next installment of a very interesting, and certainly unpredictable Series 62.
So for now, bye bye.
Statistics Corner
Lee:
Total score - 86
Raw score - 99
Total % of max - 74
Raw % of max - 85
Total average score per round - 5.7
Raw average score per round - 6.6
Number of maxes - 11
Gwen:
Total score - 90
Raw score - 108
Total % of max - 78
Raw % of max - 93
Total average score per round - 6.0
Raw average score per round - 7.2
Number of maxes - 11
Further summaries are at:
http://www.apterous.org/cdb/series.php?series=62