NG 538

New game 538 is now available.


Round 1: D T U D E O C N D

I had DUET, OUTED, DECOCT (I only realised when checking answers that I'd invented a second C), and COUNTED.  A final C for CONDUCTED would have been nice, or an I for DEDUCTION.  Neither would have arrived, however.

COUNTED is the only seven.  The sixes are NODDED, DEDUCT / DUCTED, CODDED ("(of a house) extended in the style of a Cape Cod house"), DOCENT ("a guide, as in a zoo, museum, etc., often a volunteer with some training"), and ECONUT.

My selection: COUNTED


Round 2: O I A F T S E H M

I had SOFT, FETISH, ATOMISE, and FATHOMS.  After time I noted another seven of FOMITES (plural of FOMES: "a substance, as bedding or clothing (but not food), capable of transmitting infection").

The eight here is FOAMIEST.  The other sevens are ATHEISM, HOMIEST, and ATOMIES (plural of ATOMY, archaic for "an atom; a mote").

My selection: ATOMISE
Best: FOAMIEST


Round 3: Target 204 from 100 50 4 9 7 10

The target is 12*17, but I was not able to easily use that.  Instead I went for a straightforward 204 = 4*(50 + 10 - 9).

My selection: 204 = 4*(50 + 10 - 9)


Round 4: A R N E S I L R Y

I had NEAR, NEARS, ARISEN, wondered about RAINERS (not valid), took advantage of the revised rules for SNARLIER*, and noted SNARLER as a safe seven.

The other eight here is INLAYERS.  The other sevens are INLAYER and NAILERS / ALINERS (ALINE being a variant spelling of ALIGN).  The delightful ELYSIAN is proper, alas.

My selection: SNARLIER*
Best: INLAYERS (if rejecting SNARLIER*)


Round 5: O L E S N R P O M

I had SOLE, ROLES, ENROLS, PERSON, rightly rejected POOLMEN, and POMELOS.  After time I noted other sevens of SPOONER (South Australian colloquial for "a private school student") and LOOPERS.

The other sevens are SNOOPER, MERLONS, and OOSPERM ("Biology a fertilised egg").

My selection: POMELOS


Round 6: Target 363 from 50 1 5 4 3 9

The target is 3*121, which is 3*11*11.  The full decomposition was not notably helpful, but I found a solution using 33*11 via 363 = (9*4 - 3)*(50/5 + 1).  Then I looked for more standard solutions, finding 363 = (5 + 3 - 1)*50 + 9 + 4 and 363 = (50 - 5 - 4 - 1)*9 + 3.

My selection: 363 = (9*4 - 3)*(50/5 + 1)


Round 7: O G K I N O S T A

I had KING, KINGS, STAKING, was uncertain about AGONIST (valid: "an actively contracting muscle considered in relation to its opposing muscle (the antagonist)"), and TAKINGS / TASKING.

There are two eights in this mix: GOATSKIN and STOOKING (STOOK as a verb: "to make into stooks"; STOOK as a noun: "a group of sheaves of grain placed on end supporting one another in the field").  The other sevens are STOKING, SOAKING, SOOTING, SKATING, and KATIONS (KATION being a variant spelling of CATION).

My selection: STAKING
Best: GOATSKIN


Round 8: Target 822 from 75 7 8 10 2 10

I was first tempted by using 11*75 to get near, but could not make the final adjustment of 3.  Instead, I went for the alternative approach of 10*82 + 2 to give 822 = (75 + 7)*10 + 2.

My selection: 822 = (75 + 7)*10 + 2


Round 9: MAPS IVIES

The IMP- fragment is usually worth looking for, and it brought swift reward here.

My selection: IMPASSIVE (2.0s)