NG 475

New game 475 is now available.


Round 1: E D O F O C H M A

I had FOOD, COOED, and MOOCHED.

The other seven is CHOOFED (CHOOF: "to move (along, down, etc.) while emitting choofs: the train choofed along").  The Scrabble list suggests CHEFDOM as another option, but it is not in the Macquarie.

My selection: MOOCHED


Round 2: I T I S L D U K C

I had LIST, DUCKS, TICKS, and LUCID.

There are sixes here: DISTIL and KIDULT ("of or relating to books, films, etc., suitable for both children and adults").  Unfortunately it is only listed as an adjective, so KIDULTS is not valid.

My selection: DUCKS
Best: KIDULT


Round 3: Target 489 from 100 25 5 3 6 5

Applying the standard method led quickly to 489 = 5*100 - 6 - 5.  The other offset is 14, which is 6 + 5 + 3, leading me to the overcomplicated option of 489 = 5*100 - 25 + 6 + 5 + 3.

My selection: 489 = 5*100 - 6 - 5


Round 4: E P T I Y O E R S

I had PITY, TYPE, PIETY, PEYOTE (any of several types of cactus), POETISE ("to compose poetry"), flirted briefly with the extension to POETISER but rightly rejected it (since the word for that concept is obviously POET), noted that a T instead of the second E would lead to POSTERITY, OYSTER, and RESPITE.  After time I noted another seven of PYRITES (another name for the mineral PYRITE, also known as fool's gold) and the eight of POETRIES*, only valid under the revised rules that I am using.

There's another possible eight here: YPERITES (YPERITE being another name for mustard gas).  The other sevens are YPERITE, PEYOTES / EYESPOT ("an eye-like spot, as on the tail of a peacock"), ROPIEST / RIPOSTE / REPOSIT ("to put back; replace"), RETYPES, EROTISE ("to translate (emotion, etc.) into sexual feeling"), and ESOTERY (noun derived from ESOTERIC).

My selection: POETISE
Best: YPERITES


Round 5: B E R A M C F U E

I had BEAR, AMBER, CREAM, CUMBER, EMBRACE, and noted CUBE FARM but it is clearly not yet a single word (even if it were listed).

EMBRACE is the only seven; there's several other sixes, including BECAME and CAMBER.

My selection: EMBRACE


Round 6: Target 413 from 25 50 75 2 3 4

Making 13 seems difficult after getting to 400, but a 12 is rather easier.  I overcomplicated it at first with 413 = 4*(75 + 25 - 3) + 50/2, then simplified it to 413 = 4*(2*50 - 3) + 25.

My selection: 413 = 4*(2*50 - 3) + 25


Round 7: B L R N I A S L O

I had BAIRN, BAIRNS, BARONS, and amused myself by noting the presence of IRON BALLS.

Seven looks like the best to be done, with ALBINOS, BAILORS, and BILLONS (BILLON: "any coin struck from [an alloy of silver with copper]").

My selection: BARONS
Best: ALBINOS


Round 8: Target 208 from 100 2 6 1 3 1

I went with a simple 208 = 2*(100 + 1) + 6 and left it at that.

My selection: 208 = 2*(100 + 1) + 6


Round 9: CYGNET SIN

Pulling out the -ING is standard, but I did not think the rest of the letters made much sense in combination.  Alas, they did, but it was an unusual enough pattern that I missed it.

My selection: [no answer]
Best: ENCYSTING