NG 759

New game 759 is now available.

The re-run is episode 22; its rounds are here and its writeup is here.

I'm going to be busy for a bit, so writeups will be delayed until sometime next week.


Round 1: I F D B O U N H I

Another nasty start to the game, although a final E would have allowed BEDOUIN for seven.  (It does have an acceptable lowercase meaning.)  As it was, I had BOUND, noted HOUDINI (which is proper, of course), BIFID ("cleft into two parts or lobes"), FOUND, HOUND, and BINDI (acceptable form of BINDI-EYE).

There is one six here, and I was kind of close to it: BHINDI (another name for okra).

My selection: BOUND
Best: BHINDI


Round 2: O T D B I A I L R

I had OBIT, BIOTA, TIBIA, TAILOR / RIALTO, and ORBITAL

Seven is the best to be done here; the others are TABLOID, DILATOR, OILBIRD, and LABROID ("belonging to or resembling the Labridae, a family of thick-lipped marine fishes including the tautog, etc.").

My selection: ORBITAL


Round 3: Target 247 from 75 2 10 8 9 7

My first thought was to use the standard method for 10*25 - 3.  Obviously this had the small issue of not having either a 25 or a 3, but I realised that I could aim for (10*75 - 9)/3 instead, and that worked with 247 = (10*75 - 9) / (2 + 8 - 7).  Turning to other options, I noted an alternative of 247 = 2*75 + 9*10 + 7.

My selection: 247 = (10*75 - 9) / (2 + 8 - 7)


Round 4: P E O S H D E A X

I had POSE, HOPES, EPHODS (EPHOD: "a kind of Hebrew priestly vestment, especially that worn by the high priest"), SHAPED, EXPOSED, and HEXAPODS (HEXAPOD being another term for an insect).

The other seven here is HEXAPOD.

My selection: HEXAPODS


Round 5: E W G R E L S R E

I struggled with this, as is often the case where there is only one kind of vowel.  I had GREW and REGREW.  Somewhat after time I finally saw REELERS for seven.

The other sixes are REELER and LEGERS (LEGER: "an area or a stand in a racecourse some distance away from the winning post").

My selection: REGREW
Best: REELERS


Round 6: Target 827 from 100 50 75 25 3 6

I had a little difficulty with this, but then happily found that my approximation by working down from 900 led to an exact solution: 827 = (6 + 3)*100 - 75 + 50/25.

My selection: 827 = (6 + 3)*100 - 75 + 50/25


Round 7: C N R A T M C A O

I had RANT, was uncertain about CARTMAN (not valid), CARAT, ACTOR, and TARMAC.  After time I noted CANTOR as another six.  Unfortunately, I risked CARTMAN, and that was the wrong decision.

There are various other sixes, including CARTON and MATRON, but the valid seven here is MARCATO ("(a musical direction) in a marked manner").

My selection: [invalid -- CARTMAN]


Round 8: Target 534 from 100 25 4 3 5 5

The standard method works easily enough here: 534 = 5*100 + 25 + 5 + 4.

My selection: 534 = 5*100 + 25 + 5 + 4


Round 9: A VET VOICE

A pair of V's is unusual, but the -IVE ending is worth a look  It worked out here.

My selection: EVOCATIVE (1.6s)