NG 685

New game 685 is now available.

The re-run is episode 388; its rounds are here and its writeup is here.


Round 1: V L M A R T E I M

I had MARL ("a soil or earthy deposit consisting of clay and calcium carbonate, used especially as a fertiliser"), ALTER, TRAVEL, TRAMMEL, and noted MARMITE ("a type of covered cooking pot") but was thinking of the spread and so thought it was not valid.  After time I noted MARVEL as another six, and MALTIER* as a seven under the revised rules.

The other seven is TRAMMIE (colloquial for "a tram driver or conductor").  Some sources would allow the amusing TRILEMMA (even worse than a dilemma), but it's not in the Macquarie.

The other sixes are RETAIL / TAILER, ARMLET, VARLET, MAIMER, MITRAL, MILTER ("a male fish in breeding time"), and IMARET ("(in Turkey) a hospice for pilgrims, etc.") / MATIER*.

My selection: TRAMMEL


Round 2: D A C I A T A G N

I had ACID, DATING, ACTING, and AGNATIC (adjective derived from AGNATE: "a kinsman whose connection is traceable exclusively through males").

The other seven is ANTACID.  The other sixes are CADAGI (a type of tree) and CADAGA (variant name for the CADAGI).

My selection: AGNATIC


Round 3: Target 125 from 50 100 7 3 5 4

Not likely to be a very challenging target with most mixes.  I started with a solution in the small numbers alon: 125 = 5*(3*7 + 4) and then saved a number with 125 = 5*100/4.

My selection: 125 = 5*(3*7 + 4)


Round 4: S C K S F P O I E

I had SOCKS, SPECKS, was dubious about POCKIES (not valid, although it turned up in the Scrabble list), and SCOPES.  After time I noted COPIES as another six.

The seven here is FOSSICK.  The other sixes are SPICES, SPIKES, SPOKES, COSIES / COSSIE, COPSES, POISES / POSSIE / POSIES, POKIES, SICKOS, SPICKS, and FICOES (plural of FICO: "the merest trifle").

My selection: SPECKS
Best: FOSSICK


Round 5: T A O C U L F T E

I had COAT / TACO, CLOUT, FAUCET, and LOCATE.  After time I noted other sixes of CATTLE and OUTLET, and checked up on OUTFACE.  It turned out to be valid, so I wish I'd been more confident in it.

The other sevens are TACTFUL, TOLUATE (a type of chemical), and CALOTTE ("Architecture a small dome in a low ceiling").

My selection: FAUCET
Best: TACTFUL


Round 6: Target 556 from 8 8 10 7 3 1

I noted that the offset from 500 was 7*8 = 56, but getting to 500 with the rest was not possible.  Then I realised that if I multiplied that 56 by 10 I would get very close, and the final adjustment was simple: 556 = 7*8*10 - 3 - 1.

My selection: 556 = 7*8*10 - 3 - 1


Round 7: A P R D I E R O L

I had PAIR, DIAPER, PARRIED, DARIOLE ("a type of small, cup-shaped mould"), and PLAIDER.  After time I noted PAROLED / LEOPARD as other sevens.

Seven is the limit, with the others being OEDIPAL, AIRDROP, EARDROP ("an earring with a pendant"), DIPOLAR (adjective derived from DIPOLE: "a pair of equal and opposite electric charges or magnetic poles, forces, etc."), PREORAL ("situated in front of or before the mouth"), PELORIA ("regularity of structure occurring abnormally in flowers normally irregular"), PREDIAL (alternative spelling of PRAEDIAL: "of, relating to, or consisting of land or its products; real; landed"), and LARDIER*.

My selection: PARRIED


Round 8: Target 241 from 50 100 4 8 3 3

Applying the standard method, the offset of 9 can be made as 3*3.  At first I went for the minor complication of 241 = (8/4)*100 + 50 - 3*3, but then I found the shorter tweaked options of 241 = 100 + 3*(50 - 3) and 241 = 3*(100 - 3) - 50.

My selection: 241 = 100 + 3*(50 - 3)


Round 9: SERF FUNGI

A pair of F's usually go together, and with the -ING helpfully at the end (although in a different order) there was not much rearrangement required to find SUFFERING.

My selection: SUFFERING (.7s)