OT: Number word grid puzzle

QuikSand · 03-04-2003, 09:17 PM

No, I won't ask you to do a word search... what's the point in that? No, rather- we want you to make a word search. That's got to be tougher.

Here are the rules:

-Your grid of letters will be 6x6

-In the grid you will include the common complete English spelling of numbers (e.g. "six" and "forty") (and no hokey numbers like "googol" please)

-In your grid, no number's spelling may appear more than once

-In your grid, you must have at least one number word in each of the following directions: up, down, left, right, along the SW/NE diagonal (either way), along the NW/SE diagonal (either way)

Your score for the contest is the sum of the numbers that you fit into the 6x6 grid.

One note... be aware that when you spell out some numbers, there can be other numbers spelled within them. For example... "sixty" also contains "six" - and therefore, you cannot go elsewhere in the grid and make the number "six" as it's already been finished. In that example, you score for both 60 and 6 - but both of them are going to be in the same direction, and therefore you cannot use "six" in another direction to fulfill that requirement.

I don't necessarily claim to have the perfect score... but I had a couple of hours to kill today while waiting in a public hearing, and only had a notepad to keep me busy. This was among the products of my idle mind.

Enjoy...

primelord · 03-04-2003, 09:34 PM

Ok here is my first crack at it. Hopefully I understood everything.

Code:

E	L	E	V	E	N
I	A	S	O	I	I
G	B	N	I	W	N
H	F	E	E	X	T
T	W	E	N	T	Y
Y	R	U	O	F	C

In there you have

90 + 80 + 11 + 10 + 4 + 2 + 1 = 198

primelord · 03-04-2003, 09:41 PM

Ok here is a better second attempt

Code:

N	I	N	T	Y	A
I	B	E	T	T	E
N	N	X	W	H	V
E	I	C	O	G	I
S	Y	T	F	I	F
E	L	E	V	E	N

There we have

90 + 80 + 60 + 50 + 11 + 10 + 9+ 5 + 2 = 317

Maple Leafs · 03-04-2003, 10:11 PM

Stupid question, but: I thought it was spelled "ninety"?

primelord · 03-04-2003, 10:17 PM

*Sigh* I am an idiot.

primelord · 03-04-2003, 10:28 PM

Ok here is a try where I hopefully have spelled all the words correctly.

Code:

N	I	N	E	T	Y
E	Y	O	W	T	T
V	T	T	H	D	X
E	F	G	F	C	I
L	I	A	B	I	S
E	F	I	V	E	F

90 + 80 + 60 + 50 + 11 + 5 + 2 = 298

Maple Leafs · 03-04-2003, 10:31 PM

I'll give it a try...

Code:

Y T H G I E
T T / / E T
X W E N / /
I O O N / /
S Y T F I F
E L E V E N

(Where "/" is a character that doesn't matter.)

1+2+6+8+9+10+50+60+80+90=316

Maple Leafs · 03-04-2003, 10:32 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by primelord
90 + 80 + 60 + 50 + 11 + 5 + 2 = 298

Actually, it's 308. You'd get credit for a "ten" in the word "ninety".

primelord · 03-04-2003, 10:43 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Maple Leafs
Actually, it's 308. You'd get credit for a "ten" in the word "ninety".

I was wondering about that. But I wasn't sure if we could use words within the words.

tucker342 · 03-04-2003, 10:59 PM

It's alot tougher than I thought, I'm going to try to do it in the morning, cause I'm going to bed.

Daimyo · 03-04-2003, 11:22 PM

If one of those "/" is a p, you also spelled "pi"

Quote:

Originally posted by Maple Leafs
I'll give it a try...

Code:

Y T H G I E T T / / E T X W E N / / I O O N / / S Y T F I F E L E V E N

(Where "/" is a character that doesn't matter.)

1+2+6+8+9+10+50+60+80+90=316

primelord · 03-04-2003, 11:45 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Maple Leafs
1+2+6+8+9+10+50+60+80+90=316

Actually according to Quik's rules you can;t use the 9, 8, or 6 because they are in the ninety, eighty, and sixty names.

Craptacular · 03-04-2003, 11:48 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by QuikSand
For example... "sixty" also contains "six" - and therefore, you cannot go elsewhere in the grid and make the number "six" as it's already been finished. In that example, you score for both 60 and 6 - but both of them are going to be in the same direction, and therefore you cannot use "six" in another direction to fulfill that requirement.

Primelord, he said you DO score both.

primelord · 03-04-2003, 11:56 PM

Ok I think this is the best I can do.

Code:

S	I	X	T	Y	E
E	\	\	T	T	I
V	E	F	\	N	G
I	I	N	\	E	H
F	\	\	O	W	T
N	I	N	E	T	Y

90 + 80 + 60 + 50 + 20 + 10 + 5 + 2 + 1 = 318

321.14159265.... If you woiuld count Pi.

primelord · 03-04-2003, 11:57 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Craptacular
Primelord, he said you DO score both.

Hey look at that. I can't read or spell.

primelord · 03-04-2003, 11:58 PM

Ok now that I may have the rules down right I think the best I can do is.

Code:

S	I	X	T	Y	E
E	\	\	T	T	I
V	E	F	\	N	G
I	I	N	\	E	H
F	\	\	O	W	T
N	I	N	E	T	Y

90 + 80 + 60 + 50 + 20 + 10 + 9 + 8 + 6 + 5 + 2 + 1 = 341

Airhog · 03-05-2003, 12:05 AM

I got 331. I think I followed all the rules right

Code:

N I N E T Y
E F O W T T
V \ I X O F
E \ I V N I
L S \ \ E F
E I G H T Y

90+80+60+50+11+10+9+8+6+5+2+1

How about a twist on the puzzle, divide your final anwser by the number of letter on your board that dont form a number. 82.75

That looks right now

primelord · 03-05-2003, 12:48 AM

Airhog do you have any words in that one going from right to left?

Airhog · 03-05-2003, 12:54 AM

I didnt, but I was able to fix it.

EagleFan · 03-05-2003, 01:59 AM

Code:

N I N E T Y
E E R H T T
V E V H W X
E V G E O I
L I / / S S
E F I F T Y

90 + 80 + 60 + 50 + 11 + 10 + 9 + 8 + 7 + 6 + 5 + 3 + 2 = 341

If you throw the other twist in it is 341/2 = 170.5

Forgot about having the number 11.

QuikSand · 03-05-2003, 07:19 AM

I've been able to get to a score of 367... I'm now double-checking to make sure that it works with all the rules as stated.

Airhog, I see "ten" twice in your 331 point puzzle above, by the way. That's technically disallowed, even though I realize you didn't need the second appearance to get a word going upward.

Maple Leafs · 03-05-2003, 10:22 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by QuikSand
I've been able to get to a score of 367... I'm now double-checking to make sure that it works with all the rules as stated.

I just came up with a 367 as well. Want to bet it's the same?

QuikSand · 03-05-2003, 11:51 AM

I'm sure we have the same numbers... might be a slight difference in arrangement, I imagine. I have four blanks in my grid, for what that's worth.

QuikSand · 03-05-2003, 11:54 AM

Here’s my 367 point solution:

Code:

E L E V E N
I Y T F I F
G O E N * O
H W E N * R
T T * * O T
Y T X I S Y

From this I count:
90, 80, 60, 50, 40, 11, 10, 9, 8, 6, 2, 1 = 367

Again, no assurances that this is a “perfect” score, but it’s the best I could do. The key is, in my mind, first fitting in the five “big scores” (40+) and then working in what you can around them, rather than worrying about getting three or seven in there.

Maple Leafs · 03-05-2003, 12:07 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by QuikSand
Here’s my 367 point solution:

Here's mine... you were right, same numbers but a different arrangement:

Code:

E Y T F I F
L I E N O S
E # G R O I
V # T H W X
E Y # # T T
N I N E T Y

QuikSand · 03-05-2003, 12:14 PM

Okay, Leafs - now that you and I seem to have set the bar, we can sit back and see who can clear it. Watch Brillig come along and nail 450 or something.

Maple Leafs · 03-05-2003, 12:35 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by QuikSand
Okay, Leafs - now that you and I seem to have set the bar, we can sit back and see who can clear it. Watch Brillig come along and nail 450 or something.

I can see it now... "how the hell did he fit the number 684 in there?"

primelord · 03-05-2003, 12:37 PM

Lets try this one.

Code:

N	E	V	E	L	E
Y	I	V	*	Y	I
T	I	N	T	O	G
F	*	R	E	W	H
I	O	N	E	T	T
F	S	I	X	T	Y

From that I get.

90 + 80 + 60 + 50 + 40 + 11 + 10 + 9 + 8 + 6 + 5 + 2 + 1 = 372

Edit: Now I can sit back and wait for Brillig to top me.

Brillig · 03-05-2003, 12:58 PM

(deleted)

Brillig · 03-05-2003, 01:00 PM

ick, wait one...

QuikSand · 03-05-2003, 01:26 PM

primelord, I think your only number reading right to left is an illegal 10... you already got t-e-n within "ninety," so you cannot use it again, according to the rules.

digamma · 03-05-2003, 01:47 PM

In primelord's, "eleven" reads right to left, doesn't it?

primelord · 03-05-2003, 02:05 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by QuikSand
primelord, I think your only number reading right to left is an illegal 10... you already got t-e-n within "ninety," so you cannot use it again, according to the rules.

Quik,

The eleven also reads right to left. The right to left ten was actually an accident. I didn't even notice it there.

Now does the extra ten being present forfeit the entire solution?

Maple Leafs · 03-05-2003, 02:34 PM

Dammit... I came up with a 372 answer, only to find it was almost identical to Primelords...

Code:

N Y T F I F
E I I O O S
V V N R O I
E E T E W X
L Y # # T T
E I G H T Y

Doesn't have the extra "ten", though. Actually, come to think of it you could fill the two spaces to make an extra "ten" or "two" and use the entire grid:

Code:

N Y T F I F
E I I O O S
V V N R O I
E E T E W X
L Y N E T T
E I G H T Y

primelord · 03-05-2003, 02:46 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Maple Leafs
Dammit... I came up with a 372 answer, only to find it was almost identical to Primelords...

I'd say yours wins then for not having the invalid ten in it.

QuikSand · 03-05-2003, 02:50 PM

Splitting hairs... the real pooint of not repeating a number was to not allow you to add in extra twos or tens just to fill in a missing direction. Nicely done, both of you...

SplitPersonality1 · 03-05-2003, 02:53 PM

Great, I’ve been working on this off and on all day, get a 372 point solution, only to find out that it has already been done. Oh well. Here is my take on 372.

Code:

Y	T	E	N	I	N
Y	T	R	O	F	E
T	#	X	I	N	V
W	#	F	I	V	E
O	T	#	#	S	L
Y	T	H	G	I	E

90+10+9+40+5+80+8+2+11+50+60+6+1 = 372

Airhog · 03-05-2003, 03:05 PM

hmm my best is 367, couldnt figure out how to sqeeze five into it.

Code:

         
	NSIXTY
	II\\TT
	N VRWF
	ENOEOI
	TF\\LF
	YTHGIE

90+80+60+50+40+11+10+9+8+6+2

SplitPersonality1 · 03-05-2003, 03:29 PM

New solution

Code:

Y	T	H	G	I	E
T	H	I	R	T	Y
E	S	I	X	T	Y
N	N	#	R	#	#
I	F	O	U	R	#
N	F	I	F	T	Y

80+8+30+60+6+4+50+90+9+10+1+40=388

primelord · 03-05-2003, 04:10 PM

Split I might be missing it, but I don't see a word the runs from top to bottom in your solution.

SplitPersonality1 · 03-05-2003, 04:22 PM

the "ten" embedded within "ninety"

Airhog · 03-05-2003, 04:45 PM

hmm im still behind the pace.

Code:


ES#EFF
LI#EOF
EXGRUI
VTTHRF
EY#TTT
NINETY

90+80+60+50+40+11+10+9+8+3+4=371

primelord · 03-05-2003, 04:55 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by SplitPersonality1
the "ten" embedded within "ninety"

Very nice.

Brillig · 03-05-2003, 06:57 PM

SP, you're missing a NW-SE diagonal, I think.

Using the most stringent interpretation of QS's criteria, I think 372 is the best possible. However,

Code:


E	I	G	H	T	Y
T	H	I	R	T	Y
W			E		T
O		N		N	R
S	I	X	T	Y	O
N	Y	T	F	I	F

gives 90+80+60+50+40+30+10+9+8+6+2+1 = 386. The one flaw being that "ONE" isn't on the main diagonal.

SplitPersonality1 · 03-05-2003, 11:00 PM

Brillig. "one" is on the NW-SE diagonal. I don't think we need to have the diagonal words on the "main" diagonal, but I could be wrong.

I think we need an official ruling from the Puzzlemaster.

QuikSand · 03-06-2003, 04:55 AM

I hadn't imagined that the diagonals need to be on the "main" - just that they had to have that orientation. Brillig's looks good to me.

Alf · 03-06-2003, 07:00 AM

Some guys are anxious about your work over there

SplitPersonality1 · 03-06-2003, 09:40 AM

BTW, great puzzle QS, I had a lot of downtime at work yesterday and it gave me something to do. I'm surprised I was able to use 30,40,50, 60 ,80 & 90 in the same puzzle.

03-04-2003, 09:34 PM	#2
primelord Pro Rookie Join Date: Oct 2000	Ok here is my first crack at it. Hopefully I understood everything. Code: E L E V E N I A S O I I G B N I W N H F E E X T T W E N T Y Y R U O F C In there you have 90 + 80 + 11 + 10 + 4 + 2 + 1 = 198

03-04-2003, 09:41 PM	#3
primelord Pro Rookie Join Date: Oct 2000	Ok here is a better second attempt Code: N I N T Y A I B E T T E N N X W H V E I C O G I S Y T F I F E L E V E N There we have 90 + 80 + 60 + 50 + 11 + 10 + 9+ 5 + 2 = 317 __________________ .

03-04-2003, 10:17 PM	#5
primelord Pro Rookie Join Date: Oct 2000	Sigh I am an idiot. __________________ .

03-04-2003, 10:28 PM	#6
primelord Pro Rookie Join Date: Oct 2000	Ok here is a try where I hopefully have spelled all the words correctly. Code: N I N E T Y E Y O W T T V T T H D X E F G F C I L I A B I S E F I V E F 90 + 80 + 60 + 50 + 11 + 5 + 2 = 298 __________________ .

03-04-2003, 11:56 PM	#14
primelord Pro Rookie Join Date: Oct 2000	Ok I think this is the best I can do. Code: S I X T Y E E \ \ T T I V E F \ N G I I N \ E H F \ \ O W T N I N E T Y 90 + 80 + 60 + 50 + 20 + 10 + 5 + 2 + 1 = 318 321.14159265.... If you woiuld count Pi. __________________ .

03-04-2003, 10:11 PM	#4
Maple Leafs Coordinator Join Date: Jan 2002	Stupid question, but: I thought it was spelled "ninety"?

03-04-2003, 10:31 PM	#7
Maple Leafs Coordinator Join Date: Jan 2002	I'll give it a try... Code: Y T H G I E T T / / E T X W E N / / I O O N / / S Y T F I F E L E V E N (Where "/" is a character that doesn't matter.) 1+2+6+8+9+10+50+60+80+90=316

03-04-2003, 10:59 PM	#10
tucker342 Pro Starter Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Iowa City, IA	It's alot tougher than I thought, I'm going to try to do it in the morning, cause I'm going to bed.

03-04-2003, 11:58 PM	#16
primelord Pro Rookie Join Date: Oct 2000	Ok now that I may have the rules down right I think the best I can do is. Code: S I X T Y E E \ \ T T I V E F \ N G I I N \ E H F \ \ O W T N I N E T Y 90 + 80 + 60 + 50 + 20 + 10 + 9 + 8 + 6 + 5 + 2 + 1 = 341 __________________ .

03-05-2003, 12:05 AM	#17
Airhog Captain Obvious Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: Norman, Oklahoma	I got 331. I think I followed all the rules right Code: N I N E T Y E F O W T T V \ I X O F E \ I V N I L S \ \ E F E I G H T Y 90+80+60+50+11+10+9+8+6+5+2+1 How about a twist on the puzzle, divide your final anwser by the number of letter on your board that dont form a number. 82.75 That looks right now __________________ Thread Killer extraordinaire Yay! its football season once again! Last edited by Airhog : 03-05-2003 at 12:53 AM.

03-05-2003, 12:48 AM	#18
primelord Pro Rookie Join Date: Oct 2000	Airhog do you have any words in that one going from right to left? __________________ .

03-05-2003, 12:54 AM	#19
Airhog Captain Obvious Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: Norman, Oklahoma	I didnt, but I was able to fix it. __________________ Thread Killer extraordinaire Yay! its football season once again!

03-05-2003, 01:59 AM	#20
EagleFan Hall Of Famer Join Date: Nov 2000 Location: Mays Landing, NJ USA	Code: N I N E T Y E E R H T T V E V H W X E V G E O I L I / / S S E F I F T Y 90 + 80 + 60 + 50 + 11 + 10 + 9 + 8 + 7 + 6 + 5 + 3 + 2 = 341 If you throw the other twist in it is 341/2 = 170.5 Forgot about having the number 11. Last edited by EagleFan : 03-05-2003 at 02:01 AM.

03-05-2003, 07:19 AM	#21
QuikSand lolzcat Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: Annapolis, Md	I've been able to get to a score of 367... I'm now double-checking to make sure that it works with all the rules as stated. Airhog, I see "ten" twice in your 331 point puzzle above, by the way. That's technically disallowed, even though I realize you didn't need the second appearance to get a word going upward.

03-05-2003, 11:51 AM	#23
QuikSand lolzcat Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: Annapolis, Md	I'm sure we have the same numbers... might be a slight difference in arrangement, I imagine. I have four blanks in my grid, for what that's worth.

03-05-2003, 11:54 AM	#24
QuikSand lolzcat Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: Annapolis, Md	Here’s my 367 point solution: Code: E L E V E N I Y T F I F G O E N * O H W E N * R T T * * O T Y T X I S Y From this I count: 90, 80, 60, 50, 40, 11, 10, 9, 8, 6, 2, 1 = 367 Again, no assurances that this is a “perfect” score, but it’s the best I could do. The key is, in my mind, first fitting in the five “big scores” (40+) and then working in what you can around them, rather than worrying about getting three or seven in there.

03-05-2003, 12:14 PM	#26
QuikSand lolzcat Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: Annapolis, Md	Okay, Leafs - now that you and I seem to have set the bar, we can sit back and see who can clear it. Watch Brillig come along and nail 450 or something.

03-05-2003, 12:37 PM	#28
primelord Pro Rookie Join Date: Oct 2000	Lets try this one. Code: N E V E L E Y I V * Y I T I N T O G F * R E W H I O N E T T F S I X T Y From that I get. 90 + 80 + 60 + 50 + 40 + 11 + 10 + 9 + 8 + 6 + 5 + 2 + 1 = 372 Edit: Now I can sit back and wait for Brillig to top me. __________________ . Last edited by primelord : 03-05-2003 at 12:41 PM.

03-05-2003, 12:58 PM	#29
Brillig College Prospect Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: Mountain View, California	(deleted) Last edited by Brillig : 03-05-2003 at 01:00 PM.

03-05-2003, 01:00 PM	#30
Brillig College Prospect Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: Mountain View, California	ick, wait one...

03-05-2003, 01:26 PM	#31
QuikSand lolzcat Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: Annapolis, Md	primelord, I think your only number reading right to left is an illegal 10... you already got t-e-n within "ninety," so you cannot use it again, according to the rules. Last edited by QuikSand : 03-05-2003 at 01:28 PM.

03-05-2003, 01:47 PM	#32
digamma Torchbearer Join Date: Sep 2001 Location: On Lake Harriet	In primelord's, "eleven" reads right to left, doesn't it?

03-05-2003, 02:34 PM	#34
Maple Leafs Coordinator Join Date: Jan 2002	Dammit... I came up with a 372 answer, only to find it was almost identical to Primelords... Code: N Y T F I F E I I O O S V V N R O I E E T E W X L Y # # T T E I G H T Y Doesn't have the extra "ten", though. Actually, come to think of it you could fill the two spaces to make an extra "ten" or "two" and use the entire grid: Code: N Y T F I F E I I O O S V V N R O I E E T E W X L Y N E T T E I G H T Y

03-05-2003, 02:50 PM	#36
QuikSand lolzcat Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: Annapolis, Md	Splitting hairs... the real pooint of not repeating a number was to not allow you to add in extra twos or tens just to fill in a missing direction. Nicely done, both of you...

03-05-2003, 02:53 PM	#37
SplitPersonality1 College Benchwarmer Join Date: Jun 2001 Location: Grafton, WI	Great, I’ve been working on this off and on all day, get a 372 point solution, only to find out that it has already been done. Oh well. Here is my take on 372. Code: Y T E N I N Y T R O F E T # X I N V W # F I V E O T # # S L Y T H G I E 90+10+9+40+5+80+8+2+11+50+60+6+1 = 372 Last edited by SplitPersonality1 : 03-05-2003 at 02:55 PM.

03-05-2003, 03:05 PM	#38
Airhog Captain Obvious Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: Norman, Oklahoma	hmm my best is 367, couldnt figure out how to sqeeze five into it. Code: NSIXTY II\\TT N VRWF ENOEOI TF\\LF YTHGIE 90+80+60+50+40+11+10+9+8+6+2 __________________ Thread Killer extraordinaire Yay! its football season once again! Last edited by Airhog : 03-05-2003 at 04:28 PM.

03-05-2003, 03:29 PM	#39
SplitPersonality1 College Benchwarmer Join Date: Jun 2001 Location: Grafton, WI	New solution Code: Y T H G I E T H I R T Y E S I X T Y N N # R # # I F O U R # N F I F T Y 80+8+30+60+6+4+50+90+9+10+1+40=388

03-05-2003, 04:10 PM	#40
primelord Pro Rookie Join Date: Oct 2000	Split I might be missing it, but I don't see a word the runs from top to bottom in your solution. __________________ .

03-05-2003, 04:22 PM	#41
SplitPersonality1 College Benchwarmer Join Date: Jun 2001 Location: Grafton, WI	the "ten" embedded within "ninety"

03-05-2003, 04:45 PM	#42
Airhog Captain Obvious Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: Norman, Oklahoma	hmm im still behind the pace. Code: ES#EFF LI#EOF EXGRUI VTTHRF EY#TTT NINETY 90+80+60+50+40+11+10+9+8+3+4=371 __________________ Thread Killer extraordinaire Yay! its football season once again!

03-05-2003, 06:57 PM	#44
Brillig College Prospect Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: Mountain View, California	SP, you're missing a NW-SE diagonal, I think. Using the most stringent interpretation of QS's criteria, I think 372 is the best possible. However, Code: E I G H T Y T H I R T Y W E T O N N R S I X T Y O N Y T F I F gives 90+80+60+50+40+30+10+9+8+6+2+1 = 386. The one flaw being that "ONE" isn't on the main diagonal.

03-05-2003, 11:00 PM	#45
SplitPersonality1 College Benchwarmer Join Date: Jun 2001 Location: Grafton, WI	Brillig. "one" is on the NW-SE diagonal. I don't think we need to have the diagonal words on the "main" diagonal, but I could be wrong. I think we need an official ruling from the Puzzlemaster.

03-06-2003, 04:55 AM	#46
QuikSand lolzcat Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: Annapolis, Md	I hadn't imagined that the diagonals need to be on the "main" - just that they had to have that orientation. Brillig's looks good to me.

03-06-2003, 07:00 AM	#47
Alf Pro Starter Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: Rennes, France	primelord Some guys are anxious about your work over there __________________ FOFL - GML - IHOF - FranceStats

03-06-2003, 09:40 AM	#48
SplitPersonality1 College Benchwarmer Join Date: Jun 2001 Location: Grafton, WI	BTW, great puzzle QS, I had a lot of downtime at work yesterday and it gave me something to do. I'm surprised I was able to use 30,40,50, 60 ,80 & 90 in the same puzzle.