Word Game (No cheats!)

Cerebral distractions of every kind, mostly but not exclusively Countdown-related.

Moderator: Michael Wallace

Post Reply
Dinos Sfyris
Series 80 Champion
Posts: 2707
Joined: Mon Jan 21, 2008 10:07 am
Location: Sheffield

Word Game (No cheats!)

Post by Dinos Sfyris »

A little puzzle for you: If you advance through the alphabet and use the letters you have already encountered to make words

eg ABC gives you CAB
ABCDEF gives you FACED and DECAF

how far must you progress until you can make a 9-letter word? NB you are only allowed to use each letter once.

What if you went backwards through the alphabet? How far would you have to go?
Paul Howe
Kiloposter
Posts: 1070
Joined: Tue Jan 22, 2008 2:25 pm

Re: Word Game (No cheats!)

Post by Paul Howe »

BLEACHING, and there must be a few other INGS as well. My guess is that the answer is L and the word ends in -ABLE.

I'm sure it's possible to do better, but I can't think of anything right now.
User avatar
Joseph Bolas
Fanatic
Posts: 2446
Joined: Mon Jan 21, 2008 9:19 am
Location: Liverpool, UK

Re: Word Game (No cheats!)

Post by Joseph Bolas »

I already know the first answer, so I wont say it, but could the second answer possibly be SPROUTING?
Dinos Sfyris
Series 80 Champion
Posts: 2707
Joined: Mon Jan 21, 2008 10:07 am
Location: Sheffield

Re: Word Game (No cheats!)

Post by Dinos Sfyris »

Paul Howe wrote:BLEACHING, and there must be a few other INGS as well. My guess is that the answer is L and the word ends in -ABLE.
Yes L is the letter you must reach to get a 9-letter word, alas it does not end in -ABLE. No more 9s by adding M but if you go as far as N, as well as BLEACHING you can have BECALMING, FLAMBEING and KNEIDLACH so well done Paul you're in the top 5 :)
Joseph Bolas wrote:I already know the first answer, so I wont say it, but could the second answer possibly be SPROUTING?
Good try Joseph but this one's a lot trickier so I'll just reveal the answer: When you get to "I" you can have MILKWORTS, MYXOVIRUS and PLUTONISM.
User avatar
Joseph Bolas
Fanatic
Posts: 2446
Joined: Mon Jan 21, 2008 9:19 am
Location: Liverpool, UK

Re: Word Game (No cheats!)

Post by Joseph Bolas »

dinos_the_chemist wrote:
Joseph Bolas wrote:I already know the first answer, so I wont say it, but could the second answer possibly be SPROUTING?
Good try Joseph but this one's a lot trickier so I'll just reveal the answer: When you get to "I" you can have MILKWORTS, MYXOVIRUS and PLUTONISM.
I was close though as I went to 'G' :D.
Post Reply