48 days ago, it was Lee who ended Nicki's run on the show with a slender 3 point victory, will payback be served
Enjoy.
Countdown recap for Thursday 17 June 2010.
C1: No.6 Seed Lee Graham (7 wins, 706 points.) A book editor from Highgate, London. He beat No.3 Seed Dave Wilkinson 79-67 on Monday.
C2: No.7 Seed Nicki Sellars (7 wins, 656 points.) A trainee teacher from Swindon, Wiltshire. She beat No.2 Seed Danny Pledger 100-60 last Friday.
DC: Susie Dent and Paul Zenon.
RR: Rachel Riley.
OT: Other words or solutions.
R01: F X H T I U E S G
R02: M S R A O E S G L
R03: Z N P L A O E W N
R04: T R T U E A M V D
R05: 100, 8, 9, 9, 2, 4. Target: 556.
TTT: ITCAUSES - "It causes no end of problems, if it fails to show up"
R06: T D H E A E S B U
R07: C S P R E A I D L
R08: R G D O A I T E R
R09: C T N M O A O C N
R10: 100, 9, 8, 6, 9, 8. Target: 567.
TTT: AIRYKITE - "Mr. Waite is very talkative about Japanese food"
R11: L S B S A I E V L
R12: R T G O E U I E F
R13: N M T N A O U E I
R14: 25, 3, 10, 2, 6, 2. Target: 116.
R15: U R U L A G A I N (conundrum)
And now a brief interlude before our main feature:
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Enjoy the show.
Round 1: F X H T I U E S G
C1: FIGHTS (6)
C2: FIGHTS (6)
DC: HUGEST (6)
OT: EIGHTS (6) FETISH (6) SHUFTI (6)
Score: 6–6 (max 6)
A nice flat starter in today's second semi.
SHUFTI is military slang for a quick look around.
Round 2: M S R A O E S G L
C1: GAOLERS (7)
C2: GLOSSER (7)
DC: ARMLESS (7) MORSELS (7)
OT: GORMLESS (8) GOSSAMER (8)
Score: 13–13 (max 14)
Hmmm, DC miss the not too unobvious 8's on offer there.
Round 3: Z N P L A O E W N
C1: PENAL (5)
C2: WEAPON (6)
Score: 13–19 (max 20)
Amazingly, this is the exact same selection in round 11 during Peter & Craig's quarter-final on Tuesday.
Clearly Nicki has a good memory as she, like Craig on Tuesday, spots the darren.Round 4: T R T U E A M V D
C1: MATURED (7)
C2: MUTATED (7)
Score: 20–26 (max 27)
Round 5: 100, 8, 9, 9, 2, 4. Target: 556.
C1: -
C2: 556. ((9 - 4) x 100) + ((9 - 2) x 8) (10)
Score: 20–36 (max 37)
Not as tricky as it looks, this numbers, but it completely stumps Lee and Nicki takes full advantage.
Paul delights us with a magic trick where he manages to make a feathery flower disappear.
Teatime teaser: ITCAUSES -> SUITCASE
Round 6: T D H E A E S B U
C1: subheated
C2: subheated
DC: BEHEADS (7) HEADSET (7)
OT: DEBATES (7) SAUTEED (7) SUBHEAD (7)
Score: 20–36 (max 44)
Well, both players tried that dubious 9, and it is indeed just that.
Round 7: C S P R E A I D L
C1: CLASPED (7)
C2: DISPLACE (8)
DC: CALIPERS (8) PREDIALS (8)
OT: REPLICAS (8) SPIRACLE (8) RADICLES (8)
Score: 20–44 (max 52)
Nicki pulls away further with that 8.
Round 8: R G D O A I T E R
C1: adroiter
C2: TARRIED (7)
DC: GOITRED (7)
OT: GOATIER (7) GODETIA (7) TARDIER (7) TRIAGED (7)
Score: 20–51 (max 59)
Oh dear, it seems that Lee has picked up Chittendenitis, his 8 seemed definitely probable, but not where it matters, unfortunately.
Round 9: C T N M O A O C N
C1: CANTON (6)
C2: CANNOT (6)
OT: COONCAN (7)
Score: 26–57 (max 66)
COONCAN is a variety of rummy, the card game, for two players.
Susie's Origin Of Words tells of the origin of the phrase "pipe down".
Round 10: 100, 9, 8, 6, 9, 8. Target: 567.
C1: 568. Mistake in working.
C2: 574. (100 - 9 - 9) x ((8 / 8) + 6) (5)
RR: 567. ((8 / 8) + 6) x 9 x 9 (10)
Score: 26–62 (max 76)
And Lee's day is just going from bad to worse, as he messes up his numbers, with Nicki a good bit away.
Teatime teaser: AIRYKITE -> TERIYAKI
Round 11: L S B S A I E V L
C1: VIABLE (6)
C2: VALISES (7)
DC: SALVES (6) BIASES (6)
OT: ABSEILS (7) BALLSES (7) SALLIES (7)
Score: 26–69 (max 83)
Nicki's risk pays off as she puts herself one step into the final.
Round 12: R T G O E U I E F
C1: GOUTIER (7)
C2: GOITRE (6)
OT: FOREGUT (7)
Score: 33–69 (max 90)
Is there a fightback from Lee here
He needs a 9 in this next round to stand any chance.Round 13: N M T N A O U E I
C1: MOUNTAIN (8)
C2: ENATION (7)
OT: NOMINATE (8)
Score: 41–69 (max 98)
An impressive 8 by Lee, but it's too little, too late and Nicki becomes the first woman since Anita Freeland in Series 56 to reach the grand final.
Round 14: 25, 3, 10, 2, 6, 2. Target: 116.
C1: 116. ((2 + 2) x 25) + 10 + 6 (10)
C2: 116. ((6 - 2) x 25) + 10 + (3 x 2) (10)
Score: 51–79 (max 108)
At least there's a nice numbers to finish with today.
Round 15: U R U L A G A I N
C2 buzzes on 7.75 seconds to say INAUGURAL which is correct.
Score: 51–89 (max 118)
A very good spot by Nicki there, and she gets her revenge over her new best friend, and will take part in the grand final against our very own Oliver Garner tomorrow.
Commiserations to Lee, who performed brilliantly throughout the series, and was unlucky to be pipped at the post today.
Nicki also becomes the first No.7 seed since Steve Graston in Series 51, to reach the final.
So, get yourself dressed in your finest, and prepare the fireworks and champagne for the grand final of Series 62, between No.1 Seed Oliver Garner and No.7 Seed Nicki Sellars.
Join Mike for the final tomorrow, and I'll be back on Wednesday, when hopefully I'll be recapping on the first octochamp of Series 63.
Till then, bye bye.
Statistics Corner
Lee:
Total score - 51
Raw score - 69
Total % of max - 43
Raw % of max - 58
Total average score per round - 3.4
Raw average score per round - 4.6
Number of maxes - 5
Nicki:
Total score - 89
Raw score - 102
Total % of max - 75
Raw % of max - 86
Total average score per round - 5.9
Raw average score per round - 6.8
Number of maxes - 9
Further summaries are at:
http://www.apterous.org/cdb/series.php?series=62