NG 366

New game 366 is now available.  I've switched to a new method for generating the letters rounds -- hopefully it will produce generally more helpful mixes.  Also, the MUMS Puzzle Hunt starts on May 3rd -- do check it out if you enjoy puzzles.


Round 1: P R C E I D A N O

A good start for the new generation method, anyway.  I had PRICE, PRICED, PRANCED, and CANOPIED.  I missed that four games ago, so it was good to see it this time.

The other eights are ENDOCARP (which takes me all the way back to episode 310: "the inner layer of a pericarp, as the stone of certain fruits") and PROCAINE (another term for the anaesthetic NOVOCAINE).

My selection: CANOPIED


Round 2: U S D O P E A R I

I had PODS, DUPES, AROUSED, PRAISED, and this time remembered that I could extend it to UPRAISED (I see it was back in NG 346 that I missed the option of UPRAISES; it feels more recent than that).

The other eights are PARODIES / DIASPORE ("a natural hydrated aluminium oxide [...]").

My selection: UPRAISED


Round 3: Target 764 from 75 3 4 7 10 6

Getting close with 75*10 seemed clear, and the adjustment of 14 always seemed likely to be feasible.  I went with 764 = 75*10 + 7 + 3 + 4.

My selection: 764 = 75*10 + 7 + 3 + 4


Round 4: T O L E R S K L I

I had ROLE, ROLES, wondered about TOKERS (not valid), SKILLET, KILLERS, TILLERS / TRELLIS, and wondered about TOLLERS (also not valid).

Seven turns out to be the best on offer, due to the Macquarie's format -- it does list TROLLY as an American form of TROLLEY, but not the explicit plural form of TROLLIES.  The other sevens are TOILERS / LOITERS / ESTRIOL (American spelling of OESTRIOL, a certain hormone), STILLER, and KIRTLES (KIRTLE: "a woman's gown or skirt").

My selection: SKILLET


Round 5: A H O A N C Z N M

Ah, well, the good run of letters comes to an end.  I had CANON, a slightly unsure AMAZON, a more dubious CONMAN (not valid -- CON MAN is listed as two words), and MACHO.  I felt that AMAZON would be listed capitalised, but that it had also become a generic term and so would have an acceptable lowercase form.  This reasoning was fortunately correct.

The other six is CHAZAN (variant spelling of CHAZZAN: "a cantor in a synagogue").  There should be another, but the Macquarie only lists the plural form CHOANAE ("Medicine the posterior nasal apertures, visible in the inferior view of the skull") and not the singular form CHOANA.  A strange decision.

My selection: AMAZON


Round 6: Target 758 from 5 8 6 3 10 3

Given the available small numbers, I wanted to make this as 750 + 8.  750 is 10*75, which is 10*5*15, and fortunately the remaining numbers could make the 15.  The resulting solution was 758 = (3*6 - 3)*5*10 + 8.

There is only one other solution, the similar 758 = (3*3 + 6)*5*10 + 8.

My selection: 758 = (3*6 - 3)*5*10 + 8


Round 7: E H D N I V O R A

I had HIND, an uncertain VINED (not valid), OVINE, HEROIN, wondered about AVOIDER (valid), ANEROID, rightly rejected IRONHEAD, and HANDIER.  Just as time ran out I considered the OVER fragment and found the eights of OVERHAND / HANDOVER.  Too late to get them down, alas.

Those are the only eights.  The other sevens are INVADER and NAEVOID (adjective derived from NAEVUS: "any congenital anomaly on the skin, including various types of birthmarks and all types of moles").

My selection: ANEROID
Best: OVERHAND


Round 8: Target 516 from 50 6 3 5 4 8

I applied the standard method, soon getting an answer of 516 = (6 + 4)*50 + 8 + 5 + 3.  I also looked at the option of descending from 550 and found another solution of 516 = (8 + 3)*50 - 6*5 - 4.

My selectin: 516 = (6 + 4)*50 + 8 + 5 + 3


Round 9: TEN SPADES

After not making much progress with the -ED fragment, I looked at -NESS and found the answer of ADEPTNESS.

My selection: ADEPTNESS (4.8s)