NG 643

New game 643 is now available.


Round 1: A R A S I F H A N

I had AIRS, FAIRS, SHARIA, and FARINAS (FARINA: "flour or meal made from cereal grains [...]").

FARINAS is the only seven.  The other sixes are FARINA, SAFARI, and NAIRAS (NAIRA: "the unit of currency of Nigeria").

My selection: FARINAS


Round 2: D O S A B L R E C

I had SODA, LOADS, BOARDS, LABORED, ORACLES, wondered about SCORABLE (not valid), BROCADES, BROCADE, and CORBELS (CORBEL: "a supporting projection of stone, wood, etc., on the face of a wall").

The other eight is BARCODES (BARCODE here being a verb, as the noun sense is given as two words only).  There's many other sevens; I'll just mention ORDEALS as one of them.

My selection: BROCADES


Round 3: Target 245 from 100 5 8 7 4 9

The target is 5*49, but I struggled to make that work.  7*35 would be a workable option (245 = 7*(5*8 - (9 - 4))), but I missed it at the time.  Instead, I considered the option of 250 - 5, and found my way there with 245 = (9 + 8 - 7)*100/4 - 5.  Then I realised that the 45 was easily formable, and so found the simpler 245 = (8/4)*100 + 9*5.

My selection: 245 = (9 + 8 - 7)*100/4 -


Round 4: T R S O O U E M T

I had SORT, ROOST, ROUTES, and MUTTERS.  As a university-dweller, I also observed TUTEROOMS, but that is not listed, of course.

The other sevens are MOOTEST / MOTTOES, MOOTERS, TOOTERS, TOUTERS / STOUTER / OUTSERT, OUTMOST, and OESTRUM (variant form of OESTRUS, in the sense of "a period of the oestrous cycle, usually lasting 1-2 days, during which ovulation occurs , and the animal can copulate; heat").

But there is one longer word to be had in this mix: The full monty of OUTERMOST.

My selection: MUTTERS
Best: OUTERMOST


Round 5: I L R A P E S N W

I had RAIL, PRAISE, PRALINES, WASPIER, and was rightly dubious about WARPLINES.  (I will note that an A instead of the I would allow WARPLANES, however -- that's WAR+PLANES, not WARP+LANES.)

PRALINES is the only eight, and the best to be done.

My selection: PRALINES


Round 6: Target 817 from 100 8 7 2 6 6

With a dearth of odd numbers some care is needed to reach the odd target.  Starting with 8*100 seems pretty clear, and somehow I overlooked the option of 8*100 + 6 + 6 + 7 - 2.  Whoops!  Instead I tweaked my way to an answer of 817 = 8*(100 + 2) + 6/6.  After time I noted another option of 817 = 8*100 + 2*(6 + 6) - 7.

My selection: 817 = 8*(100 + 2) + 6/6


Round 7: I D I T F A S T C

I had ADIT, ADITS / STAID, STATIC, and FISTIC.  I also amused myself with the idea of FACTITIS (a disease common among radio talk show hosts, I fear).

The other six is ATTICS, but the seven is FATIDIC ("prophetic").

My selection: STATIC
Best: FATIDIC


Round 8: Target 576 from 50 25 75 100 5 2

The target is the square of 24, but I was not able to directly use that.  (Seen just now is that 24*24 is also 12*48, leading to 576 = ((100 + 75)/25 + 5)*(50 - 2).  Oh, well.)  But a little flailing around produced an alternative option of 576 = 5*100 + 75 + 2*25/50.

My selection: 576 = 5*100 + 75 + 2*25/50


Round 9: THE ARCTIC

Yet another chosen conundrum.  There does not seem to be a useful "hook" on this one to guide to the answer; well done to any who solved it.

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