Top Muddle: Minding Ps and Qs and other challenges

Issy is eliminated but departs the contest gracefully. Photo / Supplied

Landing back in New Zealand after a long flight from Abu Dhabi, the four remaining contestants have sleep on their minds - but of course that's not necessarily the reality of a jet-setting model's life. Instead, they're whisked to dine by Peter Gordon in central Auckland, where Colin Mathura-Jeffree has a question for them: "What does etiquette mean to you?"

Issy jumps right in: "Always being on your game... no swearing and stuff like that."

No swearing is probably a good start as the girls are booked in to have a degustation meal with actress Elizabeth Hawthorne.

It looks rather as if Rosanagh is about to have her own Pretty Woman restaurant moment when a seafood plate arrives.

"What would you do if you really don't like it at all?" she asks, looking warily at the bivalve in front of her. "I mean, I can eat mussels..."

"Well it's an oyster," interjects Hawthorne "but do taste it."

To her credit, after eyeing it suspiciously for a few more moments, Rosanagh does, earning her praise from her host.

"She isn't trying to be anything else. She says what she thinks," remarks Hawthorne.

"I think she's very respectful in her way."

The first challenge back on home soil turns out to be the long-expected 'go see', where the girls are required to meet with a number of designers in the hope of being booked.

The consensus is that Bianca, the only Aucklander remaining, will have an advantage as she knows her way around town, but in fact she's one of two girls who fail to make all their appointments.

It's an error which earns her a reprimand from Mathura-Jeffree - especially as she made it to the appointed rendevous spot at the end of the day with an hour and a half to spare: "Time is money and you've disrespected a client."

Despite that failing, Bianca is booked by three designers.

Issy, however, fails to get any work, largely due to ongoing trouble with her walk.

It's a development that appears to knock the 19-year-old's confidence and make her question her place in the competition.

"I'm in a funk because I got no bookings," she says after Rosanagh - with a 100 per cent booking rate - is announced winner of the go see challenge.

But there's still the weekly photo challenge to contest and this one's a doozy.

Photographer Garth Badger takes 3D images of the girls, requiring them to hold their poses and not blink for 12 seconds as the camera tracks in front of them snapping 130 frames.

Against the odds, it's energetic Issy who manages to "stay the stillest" for the shoot, while the usually poised Rosanagh struggles.

Come elimination time there's no clear winner, with all the girls having had a week of mixed results.

Issy tells the judges she feels she's gone as far as she can in the competition, "and the go sees just proved it to me".

Rosanagh and Brigette are safe, leaving Issy and Bianca vying for the remaining spot in next week's final.

Sara Tetro tells them they both have huge potential but it's Bianca who's handed the all-important photo - and a word of advice: "You deserve to be here - but next time, go to the castings."

After the tears at last week's elimination, Issy is gracious in her departure, saying the competition has made her realise "that there's so much out there in the world other than just working in Upper Hutt. I'm grateful for that".

Her etiquette teacher would be proud.