Monday 4 May 2015

NG 588

New game 588 is now available.

The re-run is episode 316; its rounds are here and its writeup is here.


Round 1: N N I R W T A E S

I had WRIT, TRAIN, ENTRAIN, ENTRAINS, and WANNEST.

The other eights are TRANNIES and TARWINES (TARWINE being a variant spelling of TAWINE, a New Zealand name for a shrub also known as a cottonwood).  My Scrabble list also suggests TINWARES, but the Macquarie's definition for TINWARE is clearly plural, so I'm dubious about it.

It's a retsina mix, so there are lots of other sevens: TRANNIE, TINWARE / TAWNIER / TARWINE, TAWINES, WAITERS / WARIEST, INTERNS / TINNERS, WINTERS / TWINERS, WINNERS, WANTERS, TANNERS, INSNARE (variant form of ENSNARE), SWANNIE (variant form of SWANDRI: "NZ a woollen jacket, traditionally in a checked or tartan design and having a zip or buttons"), and RETSINA / RETAINS / RETINAS / STAINER / NASTIER / STEARIN (Chemistry any of the three clyceryl esters of stearic acid [...]") / RATINES (RATINE: "a rough woollen cloth, formerly in use chiefly for travelling coats") / ANTSIER*.

My selection: ENTRAINS


Round 2: A M R C I S O D R

I had CRAM, CRAMS, MOSAIC, SCORIA, wondered about MISCARD (not valid), and fortunately avoided having to think about that by finding CORRIDAS (CORRIDA: "a bullfighting event").

The Macquarie does not list MIRADOR (Chambers does: "a belvedere or watchtower"), so MIRADORS is not valid and CORRIDAS is the only eight.  The other sevens are CORRIDA, CORSAIR, CARROMS (CARROM being a variant spelling of CAROM), and RAMRODS.

My selection: CORRIDAS


Round 3: Target 358 from 25 8 2 9 2 1

Applying the standard method says to put the 8 aside and get to 350.  That is 25*14, and making 14 from the other small numbers is possible.  I went with 358 = 2*(9 - 2)*25 + 8, but also noticed (although I did not write it down) 358 = (9 + 1 + 2 + 2)*25 + 8.

My selection: 358 = 2*(9 - 2)*25 + 8


Round 4: L B E F C U K I O

I had CLEF, BLUE, wondered about CUBLIKE (not valid), FOLKIE (someone who likes folk music; this turned up just a few games ago in NG 584), and was dubious about BLOCKIE (valid: "the occupier of a small block of land for rural or agricultural purposes, especially a fruit block"), and FLOCKIE (not valid).

The other seven is somewhat safer: BIOFUEL.  The other sixes are BEFOUL, FICKLE, BUCKLE, FOIBLE, and BOUCLÉ ("yarn with loops, with produces a woven or knitted fabric with rough appearance").

My selection: FOLKIE
Best: BLOCKIE


Round 5: M E B A C H T I U

I had BEAM, BEACH, THUMB, wondered about MICATE (not in the Macquarie), and HEMATIC (variant spelling of HAEMATIC, a medicine that acts on the blood).

The other seven is HABITUÉ ("a habitual frequenter of a place").  The sixes are BETCHA, AMEBIC, HAEMIC (ariant form of HAEMATIC as an adjective), AECIUM, ACMITE (a mineral), and ACETUM ("a pharmaceutical preparation made with vinegar or dilute acetic acid as the solvent").

My selection: HEMATIC


Round 6: Target 117 from 25 6 2 6 10 10

I recognised the target as 9*13, but was pulled to investigate the option of 120 - 3 first.  I had thought to make 120 as 2*6*10, but then I realised that I wanted to make the 3 as 6/2; fortunately a little rearrangement produced 117 = 6*(10 + 10) - 6/2.  Then I turned back to the factorisation, eventually finding 117 = (25 - 10 - 6)*(10 + 6/2).  Seen while writing this up is the alternative 117 = (10 - 6/6)*(25 - 10 - 2).

My selection: 117 = (25 - 10 - 6)*(10 + 6/2)


Round 7: N P R D A O T L A

I had DARN, PARDON, rightly rejected PORTLAND, PANDORA (a musical instrument also called a BANDORE), and pondered but also rightly rejected PRONATAL.

The eights here are PATRONAL and PARLANDO ("(a musical direction) sung or played as though speaking or reciting").  The other sevens are ADAPTOR and PLANTAR ("of or relating to the sole of the foot").

My selection: PANDORA
Best: PATRONAL


Round 8: Target 305 from 75 2 9 5 7 2

The standard method clearly works, giving 305 = (2 + 2)*75 + 5.  Then I looked at the factorisation 5*61 and found a solution in small numbers alone: 305 = (9*7 - 2)*5.

My selection: 305 = (9*7 - 2)*5


Round 9: SHADOW RUT

After pulling out -WARD as a fragment, the rest was straightforward.  Fortunately I went to that fragment first instead of, say, OUT-.

My selection: SOUTHWARD (2.8s)

5 comments:

Anand said...

Took a few Scrabble risks, but here goes:
1. TRANNIES (8)
2. Saw CARROMS (7), but risked MIRADORS (8). Have seen it in Scrabble and Countdown, but have no idea whether it's good in the Macquarie.
3. 358 = (8*2)*(25-2)-(9+1)
4. FOIBLE (6)
5. HABITUE (7) - some memories from Sam's final in S4
6. 117 = 6*(25-6) + 2 + (10/10)
7. Saw ADAPTOR (7), but risked PORTLAND (8). Another Scrabble try :D
8. 305 = 75*(2+2)+5
9. SOUTHWARD (3.9 secs)

Geoff Bailey said...

A very strong start, Anand! The Macquarie was not kind to you, alas, as is frequently the case with strong Scrabble players.

CARROMS is allowed, but MIRADORS is not. Similarly, ADAPTOR was fine but PORTLAND is only listed with a capital. (My Chambers does list a lowercase sense of PORTLAND, but only as an incorrect usage where PORTLAST was meant.)

HABITUÉ was an excellent spot -- well done! Nice numberwork, too.

By the way, a couple of conventions on this blog whose meaning may not be obvious if you've not read it for a bit: I extended the acceptable words as described in this post; I indicate such answers with an asterisk (for example, ANTSIER* in round 1). Also, for the numbers rounds, the "standard method" refers to getting to the nearest multiple of 25 (or 50, 75, 100, as appropriate) and then adjusting with what is left over.

Mike Backhouse said...

Tough letters (for me anyway). And well done Anand.

NASTIER
DRAMS
Geoff's alternative way
BUCKLE
CHEAT
10/2*25-10+6/6=116 (1 off)
NODAL
(9-5)*75+7-2=305
x

Sam G said...

Hmm, HABITUE. Didn't know this was a word. ADAPTOR was in my first episode.

1. ENTRAINS. Ah, TARWHINES was the nearly-there nine I couldn't remember.
2. CARROMS
3. 358 = (9-2)*2*25 + 8
4. BUCKLE
5. x BETCHA
6. 117 = (6 - 10/10)*25 - 6 - 2
7. ADAPTOR
8. 305 = 2*2*75 + 5
9. SOUTHWARD - 15.7s. Was close early with OUTWARDS.

Geoff Bailey said...

BETCHA is listed and valid, Sam.