NG 751

New game 751 is now available.

The re-run is episode 14; its rounds are here and its writeup is here.


Round 1: S P O I M E L S C

I had MOPS, IMPOSE, IMPOSES, COMPILES / COMPLIES, and SOLECISM ("a use of language regarded as substandard or non-standard").  After time I noted another eight of POLEMICS.

That turns out to be all the eights.  The other sevens are COMPILE / POLEMIC, COMPELS, POLICES, SPLICES, LISSOME, SIMPLES (SIMPLE as a noun: "Archaic a herb or plant used for medicinal purposes"), and OSSICLE ("a small bone").

My selection: COMPILES


Round 2: F R T O N O A S E

I had FORT, FRONT, FRONTS, TREASON / SENATOR, and SEAFRONT.

SEAFRONT is the only eight.  The other sevens are FESTOON, ATONERS, FOOTERS / FOETORS, ENROOTS, and RATOONS (RATOON: "a sprout or shoot from the root of a plant (especially a sugar cane) after it has been cropped") / SANTOOR ("an Arab musical instrument similar to a dulcimer").

My selection: SEAFRONT


Round 3: Target 723 from 75 100 3 9 5 2

I started by working up from 675, tweaking my way to an answer of 723 = 9*(75 + 5) + 3.  Then I applied the standard method instead to get 723 = (5 + 3)*100 - 75 - 2.

My selection: 723 = 9*(75 + 5) + 3


Round 4: I R O T N P U K N

I had TRIO, NITRO, POINT, UNKNOT (not valid), and was rightly dubious about PUNKIN (also not valid) and INPOUR (not valid either).  After time I finally saw TURNIP as a safe six.  During time I had considered both UNKNOT and UNKNIT, but did not write the latter down since I was moderately confident in the former.  Unfortunately, as I checked afterward, UNKNOT is not listed and UNKNIT is.  Bother!

Six is the best to be done; the others are INTURN, UNTORN, and TROPIN (variant spelling of TROPINE, a certain chemical).

My selection: [invalid -- UNKNOT]


Round 5: L E I T E O L G C

I had TILE, ELITE, wondered about ÉTOILE (not listed), and COLLEGE.

COLLEGE is the only seven, but there is an eight: ECLOGITE, a type of rock.  The sixes are COLLIE / OCELLI (plural of OCELLUS: "an eye-like spot, as on a peacock feather"), CITOLE, COLLET ("a collar or enclosing band"), and ELEGIT ("a writ of execution against a judgement debitor's goods or property held by the judgement creditor until payment of the debt").

My selection: COLLEGE


Round 6: Target 523 from 25 75 2 8 10 5

The standard method led fairly quickly to 523 = (10 + 5 - 8)*75 - 2.

My selection: 523 = (10 + 5 - 8)*75 - 2


Round 7: E H I T A H S A N

I had HEAT, SHEATH, and TISANE.  I'd also considered ANTHEAS, which is not valid, but checking up on it led me to find the seven of ANTHIAS, a type of fish.

The other sevens are STHENIA ("Pathology strength; excessive vital force") and TAHINAS (TAHINA being a variant form of TAHINI)S.  But the eight is a modification of STHENIA: ASTHENIA ("Pathology lack or loss of strength; debility").  That's turned up before on this blog, but I missed it this time.

My selection: SHEATH


Round 8: Target 302 from 2 1 4 3 7 9

My first thought was to make this as 3*100 + 2, and it turned out that 100 could be made with the other four numbers.  The resulting solution was 302 = 3*(9*(7 + 4) + 1) + 2.  Then I considered the approach of dividing by the largest number: The target is near 9*34, and in fact is 9*34 - 4.  Similarly, the 34 is 7*5 - 1, and putting that all together gives 302 = (7*(3 + 2) - 1)*9 - 4.

After time I consider the option of 5*60 + 2, finding 302 = (4 + 1)*(7*9 - 3) + 2.

My selection: 302 = 3*(9*(7 + 4) + 1) + 2


Round 9: ALBUM TIME

The pair of M's often go together, and the -ABLE fragment is useful also.

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