NG 642

New game 642 is now available.


Round 1: D L O I S T G E N


I had IDOL, SOLID, STOLID, and got hung up on trying to use -ING.  When I abandoned that I found LENTOID ("having the shape of a biconvex lens"), GLISTEN / TINGLES, and TINGLED.  After time I noted other sevens of LENTIGO ("freckle"; the plural form is LENTIGINES, not LENTIGOS, incidentally, so it does not lead to an eight), LONGEST, and GOLDEST.

There were two eights to be had here: GODLIEST and SIDELONG.  I had even found GODLIEST in a recent mix, so I'm vexed at missing it this time.  Ah, well.

My selection: GLISTEN
Best: SIDELONG


Round 2: C M N I A T S H O

I had MANIC, MASTIC, was disappointed not to get a final I for MACHINIST, STOMACH, MANIOCS, and was inordinately pleased to find MACINTOSH.  I was thinking at first of the apple (not to be confused with the Apple), but then remembered the raincoat meaning as well.  The dictionary started by making me unhappy as there was no entry under MACINTOSH (and the apple is not listed at all, under either spelling), but fortunately the raincoat has an entry under MACKINTOSH that lists MACINTOSH as an acceptable alternative spelling.  Phew!

The eight in this mix is MONASTIC.  There's a decent spread of sevens, of which I shall just mention ACTIONS and CHAMOIS.

My selection: MACINTOSH


Round 3: Target 407 from 75 100 2 5 2 4

I went with the straightforward 407 = 4*100 + 5 + 2.  I'll note that 407 is the sum of the cubes of its digits, one of only four three-digit numbers with that property.

My selection: 407 = 4*100 + 5 + 2


Round 4: E R I U T L A W R

I had TRUE, LITRE, RITUAL, and WARTIER.

The other sevens are TRAILER / RETRIAL, TRAWLER, and TWIRLER.

My selection: WARTIER


Round 5: O U O D R T S C R

I had DOUR, DOORS, and DOCTORS.  After time I noted DOCTOR and COURTS as other sixes.

DOCTORS is the only seven, and the best to be done.

My selection: DOCTORS


Round 6: Target 597 from 50 75 25 4 9 10

The standard method says to get to 600 first, and that gave me one off with 596 = 10*50 + 75 + 25 - 4.  It did not seem very feasible to make the needed 3, so I looked for other options.  I found something satisfactory once I worked up from 590 instead, as the remaining numbers fortuitously yielded the necessary 7: 597 = 10*(50 + 9) + 4 + 75/25.

My selection: 597 = 10*(50 + 9) + 4 + 75/25


Round 7: B K L E S A C I V

I had BELS, SABLE, CABLES, a dubious LACKIES (of course, the right spelling is LACKEYS), an uncertain BLACKIES, ABSEIL, and CALVES.  I took a punt on BLACKIES having a non-derogatory meaning, and fortunately it does (BLACKIE: "a large, dark-coloured yabby").

The more show-friendly anagram of BLACKIES is SCABLIKE, the only other eight.  The sevens are SACLIKE and VESICAL ("of or relating to a vesica or bladder, especially the urinary bladder").

My selection: BLACKIES


Round 8: Target 341 from 2 9 4 3 10 7

I recognised the target as 11*31, and a little experimentation gave me 341 = (7*4 + 3)*(9 + 2).  Looking at other options I found another solution of 341 = (2*7 - 3)*(4*10 - 9).

While writing this up I noticed a more straightforward answer of 341 = 4*9*10 - 3*7 + 2.

My selection: 341 = (7*4 + 3)*(9 + 2)


Round 9: ECHO KARMA

A HACKAMORE is "a coil of rope which passes through a horse's mouth and about its neck, used to break the horse".

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