The pace of this 68th series of Countdown just will not relent. Today's game saw the meeting of two masters: Innis Carson (Series 61 semi-finalist) and the "Kirkulator" Kirk Bevins (Series 60 champion). Both played magnificently, matching each other with maximum scores throughout the game, and it took a tie-break conundrum to separate them at the end. It wasn't the highest scoring game in the world – the lack of niners making the maximum possible a mere 120 – but was among the most riveting games one could hope to see.

I played along and here give you my scorecard followed by the word game rules and round-up of last week's beautiful entries from the twins Rosie and Lucy.

Rnd Selection Declaration Score
1 smudeutwt mutes 5
2 xdpaeitam tamped 11
3 uoepglnqh help 15
4 stdaoizdr radios 21
5 50 25 3 9 5 9 → 659 659
(25 − 9 − 3) × 50 + 9		 31
TTT roastleg gloaters1  
6 lsgaiemra mailers 38
7 srkoasero soakers 45
8 tvdeiaten vetted 51
9 uajtcfepu pact 55
10 2 7 8 1 5 3 → 623 — 55
TTT glenship helpings2  
11 stneuicoe counties 63
12 glvaiehsl vallies☓ 63
13 oenbwyirm bonier 69
14 75 10 1 9 4 7 → 725 725
75 × 10 − 9 − 7 + 1		 79
15 unileverc (_________)3 79
TB barrydick (brickyard) 79

1 Solved by Rosie and Lucy
2 Solved by Rosie and Lucy
3 This conundrum went unsolved by the masters. See if you can unscramble it.

Game

Words: mutes tamped help radios mailers soakers vetted pact counties bonier
Rules: Comment or write an article on your own blog, utilising all of the words
Hints: If you blog here on BCUK, use the trackback-URL when publishing your entry and a snippet of your entry will then appear here as a comment

Round-up of last week's entries

'Burglaries, Bananas, Beer and a Baby' by LucyMGreenfield
'The Lavender Gown' by Tearose