NG 491

New game 491 is now available.


Round 1: E B E R P S O N I

I had BEER, BEEPS, PROBES, PERSON, and then recognised the presence of PIONEERS, thanks to its recent appearance in NG 487.

The other eight is ISOPRENE.  There are several sevens, of which I'll just mention PIONER, PEONIES, OPENERS / REOPENS, and EBONISE.

My selection: PIONEERS


Round 2: A M D D R D M E I

I had DRAM, DREAM, and ADMIRED.

The other seven is MERMAID.

My selection: ADMIRED


Round 3: Target 370 from 75 8 9 7 4 2

I looked at the standard method first, with the target being 5*75 - 5.  With two ways to make a 5 presenting themselves, this led directly to a solution of 370 = (9 - 4)*75 - (7 - 2).  Then I realised that the target was near one of the useful values for small numbers: 6*7*9 = 378.  That is particularly useful here, yielding the solution 370 = 9*7*(4 + 2) - 8.

My selection: 370 = 9*7*(4 + 2) - 8


Round 4: E A T S U H R A N

I had SATE, SAUTÉ, HASTE, NATURES, NAUSEA, and UNEARTHS.  After time I checked up on HAUNTERS and found that it was valid, as I'd probably discovered a few times in the past but the knowledge hadn't stuck.

There are many sevens, as one might expect.  The other eight is URETHANS (URETHAN being a variant form of URETHANE, any of certain types of ester).

My selection: UNEARTHS


Round 5: I S L H G A T E I

I had SIGH, LIGHTS, SLEIGH, wondered about LATEISH (not valid), SLEIGHT, and LIGATES (LIGATE: "to bind, as with a ligature").  I recall Toby Baldwin finding LIGATED from the audience in episode 329 (he was sitting beside me at the time).

Seven is the best on offer here; the others are ALIGHTS, HALITES (HALITE being another name for rock salt), AIGLETS (AIGLET is a variant spelling of AGLET: "a metal tag at the end of a lace"), LITHIAS (LITHIA: "a white oxide of lithium"), and LAITIES*.

My selection: SLEIGHT


Round 6: Target 544 from 75 50 8 4 10 7

I initially considered the standard method, but then realised that the offset from 600 was 56, which is 7*8.  That gave a nice short solution after a tweak: 544 = 8*(75 - 7).

My selection: 544 = 8*(75 - 7)


Round 7: W N E A E K N T S

I had WEAN, WAKEN, WEAKEN, WEAKENS, wondered about WANNEST (valid), and WEAKEST.

The other seven is NEATENS.

My selection: WEAKENS


Round 8: Target 287 from 75 100 9 6 4 3

This time I did use the standard method, going straight to 287 = 3*100 - 9 - 4.

My selection: 287 = 3*100 - 9 - 4


Round 9: NO GIMLETS

Yet another case where the -ING fragment is the way to go.

My selection: MOLESTING (1.9s)