NG 693

New game 693 is now available.

The re-run is episode 396; its rounds are here and its writeup is here.


Round 1: O C R P A D E G S

I had CROP, COPRA, CARPED, SCRAPED, GRASPED, CODGERS, and was rightly dubious about SCOREPAD (not valid).

The eight here is CORDAGES; annoyingly, I had considered that but did not even write it down.  Laziness!  The other sevens are CORDAGE, CORSAGE / CARGOES, CADGERS, CORPSED (CORPSE as a verb is listed as colloquial for "to collapse or fall asleep from exhaustion, alcohol, drugs, etc."), PEASCOD (variant spelling of PEASECOD: "the pod of the pea"), SCARPED, and SPADGER (it sounds like one of those nicknames used by the British upper class, but it's actually colloquial for "a sparrow") / SPARGED (SPARGE: "to scatter or sprinkle").

My selection: SCRAPED


Round 2: O A I S B M S T L

I had BIAS, IAMBS, was unsure about SAMBOS (valid; SAMBO is colloquial for a sandwich), LISSOM, and SOMITAL (adjective derived from SOMITE: "any of the longitudinal series of segments or parts into which the body of certain animals is divided").

The other sevens are BIOMASS, OBLASTS (OBLAST: "an administrative division of the republic of Russia within the Russian Federation"), and TIMBALS (TIMBAL being another name for a kettle drum).

My selection: SOMITAL


Round 3: Target 629 from 3 10 5 7 4 2

Applying the technique of dividing by the largest available number and so forth soon leads to 7*10*(5 + 4) = 630, and it is then a short step to 629 = 7*10*(5 + 4) - (3 - 2).

My selection: 629 = 7*10*(5 + 4) - (3 - 2)


Round 4: N V A R A K W E T

I had RANK, TANKER, and AWAKEN.

TAVERNA is not listed, so six is the best to be done.  The others are TAVERN, WANKER, KARATE, WANTED, and KANTAR ("(in Muslim countries) a unit of weight corresponding to the hundredweight, but varying in different localities").

My selection: TANKER


Round 5: H G C D S A O A I

I had CASH, GOADS, ADAGIOS, and DACHAS.

The other seven is CADAGIS (CADAGI being a type of tree).  The other sixes are CADAGI and ADAGIO.

My selection: ADAGIOS


Round 6: Target 924 from 75 100 3 1 9 2

Starting with 9*100 makes sense, and I first went with 924 = 9*100 + 75/3 - 1.  Then I moved onto a tweaked option of 924 = 9*(100 + 3) - 2 - 1.  After time I looked at using the 75 instead, which led me to the factorisation 12*77 and thus 924 = (9 + 3)*(75 + 2).

My selection: 924 = 9*(100 + 3) - 2 - 1


Round 7: E T T M U C A E B

I had MUTE, MUTATE, and ACETUM ("a pharmaceutical preparation made with vinegar or dilute acetic acid as the solvent").  After time I noted BECAME as another six.

Six is the limit, with the others being TUBATE ("forming or having a tube or tubes") / BATTUE ("indiscriminate slaughter of defenceless or unresisting crowds").

My selection: MUTATE


Round 8: Target 658 from 50 100 1 10 2 8

The standard method is clearly tempting, and after putting aside the 8 it is easy enough to get to 650, resulting in 658 = (10 + 2 + 1)*50 + 8.

My selection: 658 = (10 + 2 + 1)*50 + 8


Round 9: ELECT PROM

The M and P often go well together, and combine well with CO to give COMP- and thus COMPLETER.  That's someone who completes (something), not more complete.

My selection: COMPLETER (3.7s)