NG 446

New game 446 is now available.


Round 1: A M O S E D C I G

I had SOMA ("the body of an organism, as contrasted with its germ cells"), SAME, DOMES, DOSAGE, MAGICS, and took a punt on MOSAICED (not valid, alas).  After time I noted CODEIAS as a seven (CODEIA being another name for CODEINE).

The other seven is MEDICOS.

My selection: [invalid -- MOSAICED]
Best: MEDICOS


Round 2: J A A S R O C D I

I had AJAR, RAJAS (RAJA being a variant spelling of RAJAH), CARDS, knew from previous experience that neither SARCOID nor CARDIOS are valid, and RADIOS.  A bit after time I finally remembered ACARIDS (ACARID: "any animal belonging to the Acari (or Acarina), an order of arachnids including the mites, ticks, etc.") / ASCARID (one of a family of nematode worms) for seven.

The other seven is ACAROID ("resembling an ACARID").  It also has a noun sense ("a yellow or reddish resin which exudes from the trunk of the Australian grass tree of the genus Xanthorrhoea, and which is used in varnishes, lacquers, and in the manufacture of paper"), so ACAROIDS is a possible eight (if ACAROID is not considered a mass noun).

My selection: RADIOS
Best: ACAROIDS


Round 3: Target 513 from 25 4 4 7 6 1

The offset of 13 is 7 + 6, which means that we want to make 20 from 4, 4, 1.  Put that way, it is easy enough, resulting in 513 = 4*(4 + 1)*25 + 7 + 6.  Then I noticed the factor of 9 with cofactor 57, which could be turned into 27*19.  I was able to make that work with 513 = (4*7 - 1)*(25 - 6), and decided that was my preferred answer.  Just as well, since I have just noticed that I accidentally wrote 5 + 1 instead of 4 + 1 in the earlier answer.  Phew!

My selection: 513 = (4*7 - 1)*(25 - 6)


Round 4: E A F T O H B F H

I had FATE, BATHE, and OFFBEAT.

OFFBEAT is the only seven, and there are no sixes.

My selection: OFFBEAT


Round 5: U I P E A S L U N

I had PIES, PILES, wondered about UPLINE (invalid), was similarly uncertain about UPLINES (also invalid), flirted with the idea of a UNIPULSE (not valid), and decided to try my luck with UNPAUSE (alas, also invalid).  After time I noted LUPINE as another six, which led me to LUPINS as yet another, and that prompted the memory that LUPINES was an acceptable variant spelling of it.  A bit annoying to see UPLINE and miss LUPINE.  (For that matter, I also missed LINE-UP, but that is hyphenated as expected.)

There is an either, though: NAUPLIUS ("(in many crustaceans) a larval form with three pairs of appendages and a single median eye, occurring (usually) as the first stage of development after leaving the egg").

The other sevens are SPANIEL and SPINULE ("a small spine or thorn").

My selection: [invalid -- UNPAUSE]
Best: NAUPLIUS


Round 6: Target 848 from 75 7 10 6 9 6

When there's a 10 around, it's usually worth trying using it as an approximate factor to start with, just because it's much easier to do the calculations.  In this case a bit of tweaking led to (75 + 9)*10 = 840, and the final adjustment of 8 was achievable, yielding 848 = (75 + 9)*10 + 7 + 6/6.  Then I turned to the factorisation 8*106 which is also 16*53, and that form was amenable to solution: 848 = (75 - 10 - 6 - 6)*(9 + 7).  (Note that 10 + 6 and 9 + 7 can be swapped.)

My selection: 848 = (75 - 10 - 6 - 6)*(9 + 7)


Round 7: L G D I N O S A N

I had LING, DOING, SANDING, LADINOS, LANDINGS, and LOADINGS

LANDINGS and LOADINGS are the only eights.  The other sevens are LOADING, LANDING, LOANING, SANDING, DIALOGS, LIGANDS (LIGAND: "a molecule, atom or ion bonded to the central metal atom or ion in a coordination compound"), LONGANS (LONGAN being a type of fruit), DOLINAS (DOLINA being a variant spelling of DOLINE: "a shallow depression, either funnel- or saucer-shaped, and having its floor covered by cultivated soil, formed by solution in mountain limestone country"), LINSANG ("a catlike, viverrine carnivore with retractile claws and a long tail [...]"), and GANOIDS (GANOID being a type of fish).  Other possibilities (questions of pluralisability arising) are INLANDS and LADINGS.

My selection: LANDINGS


Round 8: Target 120 from 25 50 75 100 9 1

I struggled surprisingly much with this before finding 120 = 100 + (9 + 1)*50/25.  A bit after that I found an alternative of 120 = 75 + 50 - 100/25 - 1.

My selection: 120 = 100 + (9 + 1)*50/25


Round 9: VISIT MICE

The -ISE fragment was attractive, and led reasonably easily to VICTIMISE.  Fortunately I did not get sidetracked by -IEST.

My selection: VICTIMISE (1.6s)