NG 640

New game 640 is now available.


Round 1: N O C E I T W E L

I had ONCE, ENTICE, ELECTION, LECTION, and TOWLINE.  There's a blast from the past.

ELECTION is the only eight.  The other seven is CINEOLE (variant spelling of CINEOL, a particular terpene ether).

My selection: ELECTION


Round 2: A D H I C X A Y M

I had ACID and ADMIX ("to mingle or add to").

Five is the limit on this uncooperative mix; the others are ACIDY and DACHA.

My selection: ADMIX


Round 3: Target 644 from 25 100 75 1 3 9

The obvious first starting point (to me) was 9*75 = 675.  The offset is 31, which is near 9*3 and suggests tweaking.  The remaining 4 is fortunately makeable, giving 644 = 9*(75 - 3) - 100/25.

While writing this up I looked at the standard method, to make it as 650 - 6.  The 6 is easy enough, and leaves a one for tweaking that makes it all work out handily: 644 = (9 - 3)*(100 - 1) + 75 - 25.

My selection: 644 = 9*(75 - 3) - 100/25


Round 4: O P K U T P E I O

I had POUT, PIPE, and just could not see anything longer.  I considered POOPIE, but was right to avoid it.  After time I checked up on POPOUT, and was relieved to discover I was right to avoid that too -- it is only given with a hyphen (POP-OUT: "a mass-produced surfboard").

The fives are POKIE and PIPET (variant spelling of PIPETTE).  But there is a six, even: KOPPIE (variant spelling of KOPJE: "South African a small kop"; a KOP is "an isolated hill").

My selection: PIPE
Best: KOPPIE


Round 5: G U F R E M A D S

I had FRUG ("a dance derived from the twist"), URGE, FRAME, FRAMED, was dubious about REMUDAS (not listed), FUDGES, rightly rejected FUDGERS, GUARDS, and SUGARED.

The other seven available here is DEFRAGS.

My selection: SUGARED


Round 6: Target 156 from 25 50 10 8 3 1

The target is 6*26, and that can lead easily enough to 156 = (10 - 8)*3*(25 + 1).  I did not go that way, though, instead opting for 3*52 with 156 = 3*(50 + 10 - 8).  Then I looked around for more interesting options, and realised that the target was near 1250/8.  That gave me an alternative solution of 156 = (25*50 - (3 - 1))/8.  Ridiculously indulgent, but I like it.

My selection: 156 = (25*50 - (3 - 1))/8


Round 7: I C A D G A E T N

I had ACID, ADAGE, and ANTACID.  The -ING fragment proved surprisingly difficult to utilise here, which I will put down in part to the fourth vowel.

The other seven is AGNATIC (adjective derived from AGNATE: "a kinsman whose connection is traceable exclusively through males").

My selection: ANTACID


Round 8: Target 104 from 25 2 8 7 4 3

The target is 8*13, and so I had 104 = 8*(2*3 + 7).

My selection: 104 = 8*(2*3 + 7)


Round 9: LASSIE IRE

Yet another chosen conundrum.  With so many vowels, the -ISE fragment is more tempting than usual, and it proves its worth here.

My selection: [N/A -- chosen]
Best: SERIALISE