NG 717

New game 717 is now available.

The re-run is episode 430; its rounds are here and its writeup is here.


Round 1: A L E B S U W E N

I had ABLE, SABLE, was unsure about USABLE (valid), UNABLE, tried to decide which of NEBULAS or NEBULAE would be the safer choice (both plural forms are listed, as it turns out), and so was relieved to avoid the issue by spotting ENABLES.

The other sevens are USEABLE and BALEENS.

My selection: ENABLES


Round 2: D A R C P O E L A

I had CARD, COPRA, CARPED, PALACE, wondered about CARLOAD (not valid), LEOPARD, and was dubious about PRELOAD (not listed).  After time I noted PLACARD as another seven.

The remaining sevens are PAROLED, CAROLED, CALDERA "a large crater formed by the explosion or subsidence of the cone of a volcano"), ACEROLA (a type of tree), CRAPOLA ("nonsense; rubbish") / CAPORAL ("a kind of tobacco"), CARPALE ("any of the bones of the wrist"), and PEDOCAL (a type of soil).

My selection: LEOPARD


Round 3: Target 963 from 100 6 7 9 1 7

The factorisation 9*107 stands out, giving 963 = 9*(100 + 7) easily enough.

My selection: 963 = 9*(100 + 7)


Round 4: T S S I F O O D A

I had SITS, FISTS, FOISTS, and rightly rejected FOODISTS.

Six is the limit here, with the others being SADIST and FATSOS.

My selection: FOISTS


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

I had CURT, CUTTER, CUTTERS, COTTERS, SECTOR, and STUCCO.  After time I noted CURTEST as another seven.

The other sevens are SCOUTER, STOUTER / TOUTERS / OUTSERT ("a supplement, usually containing advertising, which is wrapped around a magazine, newspaper, etc."), SCUTTER (listed as synonymous with SCURRY), and CROUTES (CROUTE: "a piece of fried or toasted bread on which meat dishes or small savouries may be served").

But there is an eight, which I was somewhat near: STUCCOER (STUCCO as a verb: "to cover or ornament with stucco").  I'd only thought of STUCCO as a noun, alas.

My selection: CUTTERS
Best: STUCCOER


Round 6: Target 940 from 75 50 10 9 3 8

I struggled with this one, far more than I should have.  I focused too much on tweaking, and that got me to one away with 941 = 8*(75 + 50 - 9) + 10 + 3.  If I hadn't tried to tweak that so much I might have found 940 = 8*(75 + 50) - 10*(9 - 3).  Careless!

After time I considered the option of 10*94 and found 940 =- (75 + 10 + 9)*50/(8 - 3).  Looking for simpler variations, I considered that it could also be made as 10*89 + 50 or 10*99 - 50; this latter immediately led me to see 940 = 10*(75 + 3*8) - 50.

My selection: 941 = 8*(75 + 50 - 9) + 10 + 3  [1 off]
Best: 940 = 8*(75 + 50) - 10*(9 - 3)


Round 7: I E G E N X T R A

I had GENE, TINGE, TEARING / INGRATE / GRANITE, was dubious about RETAXING (not valid), and EXERTING.

The other eight here is ENARGITE (a mineral).

My selection: EXERTING


Round 8: Target 986 from 25 75 100 3 1 5

I got hung up on making this as 936 + 50, since 936 is a very formable number and also near 25*75/2.  That got me to one away with 987 = (25*75 - 1 + 100)/(5 - 3), and that turned out to be the best that I could do within time.

Shortly after time I looked at tweaking down from 1000, and immediately saw 986 = 5*(100 + 75 + 25 - 3) + 1.  This turns out to be the only solution.

My selection: 987 = (25*75 - 1 + 100)/(5 - 3)  [1 off]
Best: 986 = 5*(100 + 75 + 25 - 3) + 1


Round 9: DESERVE OX

The OVER- fragment soon led to the right answer.

My selection: OVERSEXED (1.8s)