NG 792

New game 792 is now available.

The re-run is episode 55; its rounds are here and its writeup is here.


Round 1: T E R F S I K L A

I had FRET, FRETS, STRIFE, FILTERS, an uncertain FLAKIEST (valid), STALKER, STALKIER*, and STARLIKE.  I recalled encountering STARLIKE a goodly while ago, so I was more confident in its validity than that of FLAKIEST.

The other eight here is FRAILEST.

My selection: STARLIKE


Round 2: T T T A H E S I P

Gah, three T's is not so good.  I had THAT, THETA, THETAS, ATHEIST, PATTIES, and wondered if PHATTEST would have made it into the Macquarie.  It turns out that PHAT is listed (as colloquial for "excellent"), but the superlative is not; since there is that spelling shift (the doubled T), that rules it out of consideration.

Seven is the limit here; the others are PETTISH ("peevish; petulant"), STAITHE ("a riverside berth or pier at which ships can load coal by gravity into their holds"), and APESHIT* (only listed as part of the phrase GO APESHIT).

My selection: ATHEIST


Round 3: Target 373 from 25 100 9 3 5 1

The target is near 5*75, and that observation quickly led to an answer of 373 = 5*(100 - 25) - (3 - 1).  Since 375 is also 3*125, I noted an alternative option of 373 = 3*(100 + 25 + 1) - 5.  Finally I looked at more usual options such as working down from 400, getting 373 = (9 - 5)*100 - 25 - (3 - 1).

My selection: 373 = 5*(100 - 25) - (3 - 1)


Round 4: O R D A F A S J M

I had ROAD, FORD, MAJORS, rightly (but a bit reluctantly) rejected RAJADOM, and wondered about MADRAS.  Later checking confirmed its validity; it is "a light cotton fabric with cords set at intervals or with woven stripes or figures, often of another colour, used for shirts, etc.".

Six is the best on offer from these letters.  The others are AROMAS, DRAMAS, FJORDS, and FARADS.

My selection: MAJORS


Round 5: C W T N D O E B O

I had TOWN, DOCENT ("a guide, as in a zoo, museum, etc., often a volunteer with some training"), and WOODEN.  After time I checked up on WEBTOON, but that is not listed.

The other sixes are BOOTED and WONTED.  There are no sevens, but there is an eight: BENTWOOD ("wood steamed and bent for use in furniture").  Huh.  I even looked at the -WOOD ending, but either overlooked BENTWOOD or decided it was too dubious.  Not sure which, since I did not write it down.

My selection: WOODEN
Best: BENTWOOD


Round 6: Target 479 from 75 4 2 3 9 4

Starting with 6*75 = 450 is clear, and the offset is 29.  It took me a little while to find how to make that 29, but I hit upon 6*4 + 9 - 4 and so found a solution: 479 = 2*3*(75 + 4) + 9 - 4.

There is only one other solution, which tweaks its way down from 525 with 479 = (4 + 3)*(75 - 4) - 2*9.

My selection: 479 = 2*3*(75 + 4) + 9 - 4


Round 7: T O M E N R E L B

I had MOTE, MENTOR, MERLON, MELTON ("a smooth heavy woollen cloth, used for coats, hunting jackets, etc."), ENTOMB, rightly rejected ENTOMBER, and TREMBLE.  After time I noted another seven of TEMBLOR ("a tremor; an earthquake").

The other seven is BELTMEN (plural of BELTMAN: "the member of a surf-lifesaving team who wears the belt attached to the surf-line and swims to the rescue of a person in difficulties").

My selection: TREMBLE


Round 8: Target 690 from 25 2 8 8 1 9

I struggled somewhat with this one; the obvious approach seems to be 10*69, but that does not work out.  Then I realised that 8*8 is near 69 and the offset from 8*8*10 is 50, which is very convenient.  Those observations led me to the solution 690 = 8*8*(9 + 1) + 2*25.

Again there is only one other solution: 690 = (9 + 2)*(8*8 + 1) - 2*9.

My selection: 690 = 8*8*(9 + 1) + 2*25


Round 9: TONIC GALL

Another easy conundrum for the -ING ending.

My selection: COLLATING (1.8s)