NG 415

New game 415 is now available.


Round 1: S R H O G S C I A

I had HOGS, GROSS, CHOIRS, ACROSS, and took a chance on SCORIAS (SCORIA: "the refuse, dross, or slag left after smelting or metling metals").  I was concerned about the issue of pluralisation, but what actually tripped me up here is that the correct plural form is SCORIAE.  Oh, well.

The single seven in the mix is CHORAGI (plural of CHORAGUS: "the sponsor of an ancient Greek dramatic production").

My selection: [invalid -- SCORIAS]
Best: CHORAGI


Round 2: J Y T E R D A R O

I had TREY, READY, JARRED, ROTARY, TRADER, and ORATED.  After time I noted ARTERY as another six.

Six does seem to be the limit; the others are ROARED, TARRED / RETARD / DARTER, ADORER, and DREARY / YARDER.

My selection: ROTARY


Round 3: Target 807 from 25 50 75 100 9 5

The offsets for the standard method are 7 and 18, and the latter is 9*2 which seemed provocative.  Starting with 9*100 seemed like a good first step, and fortunately it all worked out from that point with a small tweak: 807 = 9*(100 - 50/25) - 75.

There's only one other solution: 807 = (100 - 50/5)*9 - 75/25.

My selection: 807 = 9*(100 - 50/25) - 75


Round 4: A C I I M L B T T

I had an uncertain MALIC (I was aware of MALIC ACID, but not sure it could stand on its own; however, it is listed in isolation: "relating to or derived from apples") / CLAIM, CLIMB, and LIMBIC ("of or relating to the limbic system").

The other sixes are ITALIC, IAMBIC, TIBIAL, and TIMBAL (another name for a kettledrum).

My selection: LIMBIC


Round 5: O O N E F D T A S

I had FOND, FOOTED, could not remember if ODONATE was listed (it is not), FESTOON, DONATES, FONDEST, and was even more uncertain about ODONATES.  After time I noted a familiar FANTODS as another seven.  I was right to be wary of ODONATE; the Macquarie does not list it, although both ODONATE and ODONATES are legal in Scrabble.

The other seven is SEAFOOD.

My selection: FESTOON


Round 6: Target 433 from 50 100 4 7 7 2

The target is 17 away from 450, and I realised that the 17 could be made as 7*2 + 7 - 4.  That was compatible with the required tweak, giving 433 = 7*(50 - 2) + 100 - (7 - 4).

My selection: 433 = 7*(50 - 2) + 100 - (7 - 4)


Round 7: U E H M N G R F A

I had HUGE, HUNGER, and spotted HUMANER but knew from previous experience that the comparative form of HUMANE is not explicitly listed (as it would need to be).

That said, there is a seven to be had here, and it's one that has turned up a few times before: FRAENUM ("a small fold of membrane which checks or restrains the motion of a part, as the one which binds down the underside of the tongue").

My selection: HUNGER
Best: FRAENUM


Round 8: Target 108 from 100 25 8 6 2 9

A little too obvious; I wrote down the boring 108 = 100 + 8, then a solution in small numbers alone: 108 = 2*6*9.

My selection: 108 = 2*6*9


Round 9: QUEAN MOOK

QUEAN is archaic for "a old, impudent woman".  The letters don't seem the most promising, but when I pulled out a MOON fragment and found QUAKE left over, the answer was clear.

My selection: MOONQUAKE (2.7s)