Rounds: Here.
Disclaimer: While I have not seen this episode before, I did play
through the blue book (episodes 1 to 50) around ten months ago when I
was scheduled to be a contestant on the show. Additionally, I did a
quick flick through it a few months back to collect words for my posts about word validity. After the fact, I recalled one of those turning up in this episode.
Richard asks if Sudesh's medical studies have taken him overseas, and Sudesh states that they have. The previous year in summer Sudesh and three of his mates went to the Caribbean for their medical elective. Sudesh claims that they primarily went there for the accent and and to work on their tan, but they also worked in the hospital in St Lucia and that was a great experience.
Tonight's challenger is Rob York, a technical officer who has been playing competitive Scrabble for three years. Rob used to sing comic opera; he was in two shows: H.M.S. Pinafore and Trial By Jury. He was in the chorus rather than playing a character, but always enjoyed being on the stage with the others.
The game started with a tough letters round, and then an unexpected ruling from David allowed Rob to get a lead in the second round. Sudesh followed up with two invalid answers, and then a series of flat rounds followed. Sudesh gained crucial points in the last numbers round to get back within range at the conundrum, but Rob solved it first to take the win, 52 to 34.
I had good results on the letters -- I was particularly pleased by my answer in the first round -- but I struggled on the numbers (I attribute part of that to playing this game at two in the morning). I completely froze on the first numbers round and ended up with nothing to declare there. I fell just short of the final numbers target also, but solved the conundrum in decent time to finish on a good note.
Showing posts with label Sudesh Piyatissa. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Sudesh Piyatissa. Show all posts
Friday, 27 July 2012
Ep 13: Sudesh Piyatissa, Tanya Ithier (July 25, 2012; originally aired August 18, 2010)
Rounds: Here.
Disclaimer: While I have not seen this episode before, I did play through the blue book (episodes 1 to 50) around ten months ago when I was scheduled to be a contestant on the show. Additionally, I did a quick flick through it a few months back to collect words for my posts about word validity.
Richard notes that Sudesh has been the host of a TV show before, so perhaps the studio environment is more familiar to him than to most contestants. Sudesh explains that a friend of his is in the film industry and has a show on community television called The Melbourne Update; Sudesh was offered and accepted the chance to co-host it a few years back. Richard suggests that this gives Sudesh a third string to his bow, if he decides against the comedy and neurosurgery careers.
Tonight's challenger is Tanya Ithier, a student in the first year of her social work and psychology degree. Tanya was once ranked third in Mauritius at table tennis; she explains that she started playing at the age of ten, just after school for fun. At some point she got noticed by a national trainer who took her under his wing and has trained her since, helping her get to that level.
Tanya started off with an early lead, but a phantom letter in the fourth round led to an invalid word from her and Sudesh narrowed the gap, then took the lead in a later numbers round. Two shared rounds followed, and Sudesh was ahead but vulnerable going into the conundrum. He solved it at the halfway mark to get his second win, 57 to 41.
I started off in reasonable shape, matching David and Lily for five rounds. Then I did somewhat poorly on the second numbers round, only just avoiding declaring an invalid answer. It was still good enough for points, but was a worrying lapse. The last numbers round also proved to be too tough for me to solve, but later checking revealed that it was genuinely unsolvable. I finished with a quick solution to the conundrum to poll another score in the seventies despite that wobbly period later on.
Disclaimer: While I have not seen this episode before, I did play through the blue book (episodes 1 to 50) around ten months ago when I was scheduled to be a contestant on the show. Additionally, I did a quick flick through it a few months back to collect words for my posts about word validity.
Richard notes that Sudesh has been the host of a TV show before, so perhaps the studio environment is more familiar to him than to most contestants. Sudesh explains that a friend of his is in the film industry and has a show on community television called The Melbourne Update; Sudesh was offered and accepted the chance to co-host it a few years back. Richard suggests that this gives Sudesh a third string to his bow, if he decides against the comedy and neurosurgery careers.
Tonight's challenger is Tanya Ithier, a student in the first year of her social work and psychology degree. Tanya was once ranked third in Mauritius at table tennis; she explains that she started playing at the age of ten, just after school for fun. At some point she got noticed by a national trainer who took her under his wing and has trained her since, helping her get to that level.
Tanya started off with an early lead, but a phantom letter in the fourth round led to an invalid word from her and Sudesh narrowed the gap, then took the lead in a later numbers round. Two shared rounds followed, and Sudesh was ahead but vulnerable going into the conundrum. He solved it at the halfway mark to get his second win, 57 to 41.
I started off in reasonable shape, matching David and Lily for five rounds. Then I did somewhat poorly on the second numbers round, only just avoiding declaring an invalid answer. It was still good enough for points, but was a worrying lapse. The last numbers round also proved to be too tough for me to solve, but later checking revealed that it was genuinely unsolvable. I finished with a quick solution to the conundrum to poll another score in the seventies despite that wobbly period later on.
Wednesday, 25 July 2012
Ep 12: Stephen Farrelly, Sudesh Piyatissa (July 24, 2012; originally aired August 17, 2010)
Rounds: Here.
Disclaimer: While I have not seen this episode before, I did play through the blue book (episodes 1 to 50) around ten months ago when I was scheduled to be a contestant on the show. Additionally, I did a quick flick through it a few months back to collect words for my posts about word validity.
Tonight Richard reveals that Stephen plays competitive lawn bowls. Stephen notes that he has been doing so for twenty-five years; he took it up after his AFL days. Richard asks what it is that appeals to him about the game, and Stephen responds that part of it is the way that the ball curves -- there are no straight lines.
Challenging Stephen is Sudesh Piyatissa, who is in his final year of studying medicine. Sudesh would like to star in a comedy, but if that does not work out he will return to his fallback position of being a neurosurgeon. His acting experience so far appears to be playing a superhero (with the power to see into the future) in a play for the Melbourne University Sri Lankan Students' Association.
Stephen got off to an unfortunate start with an invalid word, and Sudesh found good results in the next two rounds to take a twenty-three point lead at the first break. Stephen managed to get ground back in the remaining letters rounds, and was ten points behind at the final numbers game. His declared solution would have tied things up at the conundrum, but a careless error from him cost that chance and guaranteed Sudesh the win. Both contestants buzzed in at approximately the same time, with Sudesh just being a fraction faster. His answer was incorrect and so Stephen got the consolation prize of solving the conundrum, but Sudesh took the win 37 to 30.
I started out a little uncertain, but managed to find good answers just within time on the first three rounds. Thereafter I settled down and cruised through the rest of the game, culminating in a reasonably fast solution to the conundrum and a very satisfactory optimal game.
Disclaimer: While I have not seen this episode before, I did play through the blue book (episodes 1 to 50) around ten months ago when I was scheduled to be a contestant on the show. Additionally, I did a quick flick through it a few months back to collect words for my posts about word validity.
Tonight Richard reveals that Stephen plays competitive lawn bowls. Stephen notes that he has been doing so for twenty-five years; he took it up after his AFL days. Richard asks what it is that appeals to him about the game, and Stephen responds that part of it is the way that the ball curves -- there are no straight lines.
Challenging Stephen is Sudesh Piyatissa, who is in his final year of studying medicine. Sudesh would like to star in a comedy, but if that does not work out he will return to his fallback position of being a neurosurgeon. His acting experience so far appears to be playing a superhero (with the power to see into the future) in a play for the Melbourne University Sri Lankan Students' Association.
Stephen got off to an unfortunate start with an invalid word, and Sudesh found good results in the next two rounds to take a twenty-three point lead at the first break. Stephen managed to get ground back in the remaining letters rounds, and was ten points behind at the final numbers game. His declared solution would have tied things up at the conundrum, but a careless error from him cost that chance and guaranteed Sudesh the win. Both contestants buzzed in at approximately the same time, with Sudesh just being a fraction faster. His answer was incorrect and so Stephen got the consolation prize of solving the conundrum, but Sudesh took the win 37 to 30.
I started out a little uncertain, but managed to find good answers just within time on the first three rounds. Thereafter I settled down and cruised through the rest of the game, culminating in a reasonably fast solution to the conundrum and a very satisfactory optimal game.
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