NG 433

New game 433 is now available.


Round 1: I I R L S G A W I

I had IRIS, GIRLS, WAILS, knew to avoid GRAILS (although GRAIL was erroneously allowed in episode 332), SWIRL, and GLAIRS (GLAIR as a noun is "the white of an egg"; GLAIR as a verb is "to coat with glair").

The other six is ARGILS (ARGIL: "clay, especially potter's clay").

My selection: GLAIRS


Round 2: E B C O I N O G S

I had ONCE, BONCE, wondered about BOONIE (valid: "a person, generally from an outer suburb of a city or town and from a lower socioeconomic background, viewed as uncultured"), was a little more comfortable with BOONIES (as a colloquialisation of BOONDOCKS, was my thinking, but that sense is not listed; fortunately the plural of BOONIE applies), knew that EBONICS was not listed, wondered about GOONIES (valid, with GOONIE being a variant of GOON: "Colloquial cheap wine, as from a flagon or cask"), and COSINE.

The other sevens are NOOGIES, COIGNES (COIGNE being a variant spelling of QUOIN: "an external solid angle of a wall or the like") / COGNISE ("to perceive; become conscious of"), and BOOGIES.

My selection: BOONIES


Round 3: Target 406 from 100 75 8 3 10 7

I noticed the factorisation 7*58 early, but could not find a way to use it.  Getting close was more difficult than I expected, but a useful start was 7*75 - 100 = 425.  A bit of a tweak to get closer sorted things out satisfactorily: 406 = 7*(75 - 3) - 100 + 10 - 8.

There's several other solutions, including one of the form 7*58: 406 = (8*10 + 3 + 75 - 100)*7.

My selection: 406 = 7*(75 - 3) - 100 + 10 - 8


Round 4: H O E A T O S M Y

I had HEAT, OATH, OATHS, SOOTHE, wondered about HOMESTAY (valid), SMOOTH, and was dubious about SMOOTHY (expecting SMOOTHIE to be the right spelling; it is, but SMOOTHY is listed as an acceptable variant).  Alas, I convinced myself that HOMESTAY would be two words (and that SMOOTHY was invalid) and so settled for six.

HOMESTAY is the only eight; the other seven is MYOSOTE (variant form of MYOSOTIS, a type of plant better known as forget-me-not).

My selection: SOOTHE
Best: HOMESTAY


Round 5: U R D I E L L C U

I had RUDE, RILED, DULLER, CURLED / CURDLE, and wanted a final I for RIDICULE.  No luck, so six was the best I could do.

There is one seven: CULLIED (CULLY: "to trick; cheat; dupe").

My selection: DULLER
Best: CULLIED


Round 6: Target 705 from 100 50 75 10 6 7

Clearly 7*100 is close, but for some reason I veered to look at 630 + 75 as an option.  That could have led me to 705 = 7*(100 - 10) + 75, but I overlooked that and went instead for 705 = (50 + 7 + 6)*10 + 75.  After that, I looked at the standard method and found 705 = 7*100 + 50/10.

My selection: 705 = 7*100 + 50/10


Round 7: R C P E E O F B R

I had CREEP, FORCE, BEFORE, and PERFORCE.

PERFORCE is the only eight, and there do not appear to be any sevens.  The other sixes are FORCER, PROBER, PREFER, and REBORE.

My selection: PERFORCE


Round 8: Target 423 from 100 3 4 1 3 6

A classic case of getting close and then tweaking until a solution is reached: 423 = 4*(100 + 6) - 1.

My selection: 423 = 4*(100 + 6) - 1


Round 9: BARELY ILL

Alas, I jumped in early with the incorrect RELIABLY.

My selection: [invalid -- RELIABLY]
Best: LIBERALLY