NG 699

New game 699 is now available.

The re-run is episode 402; its rounds are here and its writeup is here.


Round 1: H E T C R A N L O

I had ETCH, RETCH, NECTAR, and hoped for a final O.  It arrived, and I had the eight of ANCHORET (variant form of ANCHORITE: "someone who has retired to a solitary place for a life of religious seclusion; hermit; recluse").  I added ETHANOL as another seven, and could not remember if CHELATOR was valid (it is not).

The other eights are CHLORATE / TROCHLEA ("a pulley-like structure or arrangement of parts affording a smooth surface upon which another part glides, as a tendon or bone").

My selection: ANCHORET


Round 2: I N T F N A R E U

I had FAINT, FAINTER, URINATE / TAURINE, and FUNNIER.

Seven is the limit, with the others being ENTRAIN / TRANNIE, INFANTE ("a son of the king of Spain or of Portugal, not heir to the throne"), and ANEURIN (vitamin B₁).

My selection: FAINTER


Round 3: Target 453 from 75 7 6 4 9 5

The standard method applies handily, giving 453 = 6*75 + 7 - 4.

My selection: 453 = 6*75 + 7 - 4


Round 4: R I K D O L R G I

I had DIRK, IDOL, GOLD, and RIGID.

Five is the limit in this unhelpful mix, with the other being RIGOR.

My selection: RIGID


Round 5: D Y P O I E S R N

I had DOPE, DOPEY, DROPSY, and PERIODS.  I knew from previous checking that PRISONED is not valid, and amused myself by noting the presence of PONY RIDES.

PYRENOIDS is not in the Macquarie, so seven is the best to be done.  The others are RESPOND / PONDERS / PERNODS, INDORSE / ROSINED, SPIDERY, SPINODE (another term for a cusp in the sense of "Mathematics a point at which the direction of a curve is abruptly reversed"), ORPINES (ORPINE being a type of plant), and PYRONES (certain chemicals).

My selection: PERIODS


Round 6: Target 458 from 25 9 4 1 10 5

The target is 18*25 + 8, and we can make the 18 as 2*9 and the 8 as 2*4.  Tweaking that together gives a solution 458 = (10/5)*(9*25 + 4).

My selection: 458 = (10/5)*(9*25 + 4)


Round 7: I T U E T A S B T

I had TUTE, TAUT, STATUE, BATTUES (BATTUE: "indiscriminate slaughter of defenceless or unresisting crowds"), BATTIEST, and TAUTEST / STATUTE.  After time I noted SITUATE as another seven.

Some sources would allow TITUBATES, but it is not in the Macquarie (although TITUBATION is: "a disturbance of body equilibrium in standing or walking, resulting in an uncertain gait and trembling, the result of a disease of the cerebellum").  That leaves sevens as the best to be done after BATTIEST; the others are BATISTE ("a fine, delicate fabric of plain weave"), BUTTIES*, and TUTTIES* (TUTTY: "an impure oxide of zinc [...]").

My selection: BATTIEST


Round 8: Target 925 from 50 100 75 5 3 10

Too easy: 925 = 10*100 - 75.

My selection: 925 = 10*100 - 75


Round 9: IDLE RATIO

I chose this conundrum, but looking back at it it seems difficult.  I saw IDOLATER / TAILORED while writing this up, but extending it to a nine requires a complete transformation.

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