NG 70

New game 70 is now available.


Round 1: S T I A C H O A S

I had an uncertain ASTI (not valid), CAST, AITCH, CHAOS, an uncertain TACHOS (valid, TACHO being short for a TACHOMETER as expected), and COATIS.  After time I noted SCHIST (a class of rocks) as another six.

There's a few more common sixes, such as COASTS and HOISTS, but the seven in the mix is SCOTIAS (SCOTIA: "a concave moulding, as at the base of a column or the angle between the wall and the ceiling").

Update: Further checking turns up THOSAIS as a possible other seven (THOSAI being a variant spelling of DOSA: "(in South Indian cookery) a thin pancake made from bean flour, semolina, or rice, with various fillings").  The uncertainty comes because DOSAI is listed as a plural form of DOSA so THOSAI might also be considered the plural form.  Still, based on the Macquarie's presentation then THOSAIS is inferred to be valid.  Also, SCAITH is listed as a variant form of SCATHE in the sense of "hurt, harm, or injury" so SCAITHS may be another seven.

My selection: COATIS


Round 2: T R M M O I E U G

I had TRIM, MEMOIR, MORGUE, GOUTIER, and correctly rejected OUTGRIME.

Seven is the best to be done; the others are GOURMET, GUMMIER, GROMMET ("Machinery a ring or eyelet of metal, rubber, etc."), GRUMMET (variant form of GROMMET for that meaning), and GUMMITE ("a yellow to red alteration product of pitchblende, having a greasy lustre, and occurring in gum-like masses; a minor ore of uranium").

My selection: GOUTIER


Round 3: Target 911 from 100 75 25 50 7 1

One of the offsets for the standard method is 14, which is 2*7; that felt a little tempting, but not feasible to use.  I switched tacks to looking at my favourite 875, and found my way to one away with 910 = 7*(75 + 50 + 1 + 100/25).

It turns out that this is the best possible answer, and it's the only way to get as close as one away.

My selection: 910 = 7*(75 + 50 + 1 + 100/25)


Round 4: Z M B D I E O E S

I had BIDE, ZOMBIE (which I almost wrote down speculatively after the first three letters), ZOMBIES, and EMBODIES.

That's the only eight and seven listed.  The other sixes are ZOMBIS (ZOMBI being a variant spelling of ZOMBIE), SEIZED, BODIES, EMBEDS, IMBEDS (IMBED being a variant form of EMBED), BESIDE, DEMISE / DEMIES (plural of DEMY: "a size of printing paper, 22½ inches by 17½ inches, most commonly in use before metrification"), DEMOBS (DEMOB: "to discharge (a soldier) from the army"), and BIOMES (BIOME: "a major regional ecological community of plants and animals extending over large natural areas, as coral reef, tropical rainforest, etc.").

My selection: EMBODIES


Round 5: F G R E O A R N I

The -ING popped up at the last, making sevens likely but any longer seemed difficult.  I had FORGE, GROANER, FEARING, REFRAIN, ROARING, and FOREIGN.

Seven is the limit -- the Macquarie does not have FAIRGOER -- and the others are IGNORER, FORAGER, FORERAN, and ANGRIER / REARING / EARRING / GRAINER / RANGIER.

Update: Futher checking turns up ROGAINE as another seven, and ROGAINER for eight.  There's also the colloquial term FRANGER (meaning either a sausage or a condom).

My selection: FOREIGN


Round 6: Target 836 from 100 4 2 1 3 6

I started by getting close with 2*4*100, then saw how to tweak my way to the target.  A simpler way to view it is as simply extracting the factor of 4, but in any case it was 836 = 4*(2*100 + 6 + 3).  A little further experimentation which may not have finished in time produced the alternative solution 836 = (6 + 2)*(100 + 4) + 3 + 1.

My selection: 836 = 4*(2*100 + 6 + 3)


Round 7: L N A A D O R I D

I had ANAL, LAND, LARDON (forgetting that this is only valid in the plural form LARDONS, a variant spelling of LARDOONS: "strips of larding fat (pork or bacon) of varying lengths and thickness, threaded into meat, poultry and game"), and ANDROID.  ANDROIDAL was clearly dubious, so seven was where I stayed.

Seven is the best to be done; the others are ORDINAL and LANIARD (variant spelling of LANYARD: "a woven coloured cord worn around the shoulder of military (or some other) uniforms.  Colours denote the regiment, corps, etc.").

Update: Further checking turns up NAILROD ("an iron strip from which nails are cut") as another seven.

My selection: ANDROID


Round 8: Target 986 from 100 5 10 4 8 3

Getting close is pretty clear, but it took me a bit longer than I expected to get the right offset.  Still, I eventually got there with 986 = 10*(100 - (5 + 3)/8) - 4, then found the alternative 986 = (8 + 5 - 3)*100 - 10 - 4.

My selection: 986 = 10*(100 - (5 + 3)/8) - 4


Round 9: AGAINST IT

The -ING fragment proved handy, guiding me to SATIATING after a bit over three seconds.  I think I might have seen this conundrum before on Countdown.

My selection: SATIATING (3.4s)