NG 841

New game 841 is now available.

The re-run is episode 198; its rounds are here and its writeup is here.


Round 1: L A M L A T I S W

I had MALL, LLAMA, LAMIA ("(in classical mythology) a vampire; a female demon who stole children"), LLAMAS, and AWAITS.

There is one seven in this mix: SAWMILL.  The other sixes are LAMIAS / SALAMI, TWILLS, WALLAS (WALLA being a variant spelling of WALLAH: "(Indian English) someone identified as being employed at or concerned with a specific place or activity: laundry wallah, cleaning wallah"), TAMALS (TAMAL being a variant spelling of TAMALE), and MATAIS (MATAI being a type of tree).

My selection: AWAITS
Best: SAWMILL


Round 2: B E N A I C O S R

I had BEAN, CABIN, BEACON, BEACONS, lamented (as I have often in the past) that BACONISE was not a word, SCENARIO, and BACONERS (BACONER being a pig suitable for being made into bacon).  After time I noted other eights of BARONIES and AEROBICS.

The other eights are CARBINES / BRISANCE ("the shattering power of high explosives").  But the nine that I missed is CARBONISE.

My selection: SCENARIO
Best: CARBONISE


Round 3: Target 197 from 6 5 6 8 3 9

The nearby 198 has several handy factors (it is eleven times eighteen), and soon I had 197 = (6 + 5)*3*6 - (9 - 8).

After time I investigated some alternatives, such as 189 + 8.  189 is 9*21, leading to several useful factorisations; I noted 197 = (6 + 6 - 5)*3*9 + 8 and 197 = (3*5 + 6)*9 + 8.  I also finally saw a way to get to 200 and so found 197 = (9*6 - 6 - 8)*5 - 3.

My selection: 197 = (6 + 5)*3*6 - (9 - 8)


Round 4: H U D A P F B I E

Yuck, an unhelpful set.  I had PAID and ABIDE.

Five is the best to be done here, with the others being ADIEU, APHID, BIPED, and DAUBE ("a meat stew with wines, spices or herbs, braised in a sealed earthenware casserole").

My selection: ABIDE


Round 5: R O I M T D G E E

Ah, much better.  I had TRIM, EDITOR, MERITED / DEMERIT / RETIMED, and then observation of the GEO- fragment brought a full monty in the shape of GEOMETRID (a type of moth).

The other sevens are DIMETER / MITERED.  There are no eights.

My selection: GEOMETRID


Round 6: Target 589 from 50 100 5 9 6 1

Applying the standard method, we want to get to 600 and subtract 11.  That is easier with a tweak for 589 = 6*(100 - 1) - 5, but it also works without a tweak: 589 = (9 + 1)*50 + 100 - 6 - 5.

After time I found an alternative of 589 = 5*(100 + 6) + 50 + 9.

My selection: 589 = 6*(100 - 1) - 5


Round 7: R S T I N P C U O

I had STIR, PRINTS, SCRIPTS, SUCTION, and RUCTIONS (RUCTION: "a disturbance, quarrel, or row").  After time I checked up on UNSCRIPT, which is not valid.

RUCTIONS is the only eight.  The other sevens are RUCTION, TURNIPS, TROPICS, INCRUST, NITROUS, CITRONS, CITROUS, and TROPINS (TROPIN being a variant spelling of TROPINE, a certain chemical).

My selection: RUCTIONS



Round 8: Target 747 from 50 75 25 6 6 9

The target is divisible by 9, but the standard method took priority.  Putting aside the 9 and 6 to make the final 3, the goal is to get to 750 with the rest; that is easy enough if you know your 125-times tables, giving 747 = 6*(75 + 50) - (9 - 6).  Then I went back to use the factorisation 9*83, getting 747 = 9*(75 + 6 + 50/25).

My selection: 747 = 6*(75 + 50) - (9 - 6)


Round 9: DUNE TOADS

A couple of useful fragments here in the form of -ED and -OUND, and combining them soon leads to the answer of ASTOUNDED.

My selection: [N/A -- chosen]
Best: ASTOUNDED