In the first numbers round, I saw Michael's solution and also had these: 75 / 3 = 25 6 + 5 = 11 25 x 11 = 275 275 + 2 = 277 6 x 3 = 18 75 + 18 = 93 93 x 3 = 279 279 - 2 = 277 75 / 5 = 15 15 x 6 = 90 90 + 3 = 93 93 x 3 = 279 279 - 2 = 277 In the second numbers round, I also ignored the big numbers with Colin and Rachel, but solutions with them were also possible: 75 - 25 - 9 - 1 = 40 40 x 8 = 320 25 - 1 = 24 9 + 4 = 13 24 x 13 = 312 312 + 8 = 320 25 - 8 = 17 75 x 17 = 1275 1275 + 9 = 1284 1284 / 4 = 321 321 - 1 = 320 In the third numbers round, I saw both contestants' solutions (but wasn't expecting him to give the second one!), and I also had these: 50 + 5 + 4 = 59 59 x 6 = 354 354 - 4 = 350 6 - 1 = 5 5 x 5 x 4 x 4 = 400 400 - 50 = 350 I only have two solutions this time because I was expecting Paul's to be my third. In the final numbers round, I saw Rachel's solution and also had this add 6 + 4 for 10 solution: 50 + 6 + 4 = 60 60 x 9 = 540 540 - 8 = 532 And this one based on factoring (19 x 7 x 2^2 = 532): 50 x 3 = 150 150 - 9 - 8 = 133 133 x 4 = 532 And then this one: 8 + 3 = 11 50 x 11 = 550 6 - 4 = 2 9 x 2 = 18 550 - 18 = 532
Easy to overthink it when the big ones look like they can get you there; 75*4 + 25 and 25*(9+4) both get within 5 immediately, so it feels like there ought to be a way to close the gap from there. But I'm pretty sure both of those are dead ends.
SPOILER SECOND CONUNDRUM Conundrum Two, what does "Billy's old games console" have anything to do with the answer? Figured I was about a letter short of ATARI or maybe a couple misspellings like "SATIRN" or "STASION", then seeing the answer I can't pick out anything console-wise
1. (6-2)x(75-5)-3=277 or (75+3x6)x3-2=277 2. LNAFP: 4x8x(1+9)=320 or (75+4)x9+1+8-25=320 or (75-25-1-9)x8=320 3. (1+6)x50=350 or (50+4x5)x(1+4)=350 4. (50-3-9)x(6+8)=532 or (50-6)x3+9-8=133x4=532 or (50+4+6)x9-8=532 5. ❌❌❌
In the first numbers round, I saw Michael's solution and also had these:
75 / 3 = 25
6 + 5 = 11
25 x 11 = 275
275 + 2 = 277
6 x 3 = 18
75 + 18 = 93
93 x 3 = 279
279 - 2 = 277
75 / 5 = 15
15 x 6 = 90
90 + 3 = 93
93 x 3 = 279
279 - 2 = 277
In the second numbers round, I also ignored the big numbers with Colin and Rachel, but solutions with them were also possible:
75 - 25 - 9 - 1 = 40
40 x 8 = 320
25 - 1 = 24
9 + 4 = 13
24 x 13 = 312
312 + 8 = 320
25 - 8 = 17
75 x 17 = 1275
1275 + 9 = 1284
1284 / 4 = 321
321 - 1 = 320
In the third numbers round, I saw both contestants' solutions (but wasn't expecting him to give the second one!), and I also had these:
50 + 5 + 4 = 59
59 x 6 = 354
354 - 4 = 350
6 - 1 = 5
5 x 5 x 4 x 4 = 400
400 - 50 = 350
I only have two solutions this time because I was expecting Paul's to be my third.
In the final numbers round, I saw Rachel's solution and also had this add 6 + 4 for 10 solution:
50 + 6 + 4 = 60
60 x 9 = 540
540 - 8 = 532
And this one based on factoring (19 x 7 x 2^2 = 532):
50 x 3 = 150
150 - 9 - 8 = 133
133 x 4 = 532
And then this one:
8 + 3 = 11
50 x 11 = 550
6 - 4 = 2
9 x 2 = 18
550 - 18 = 532
532
50 * 3 = 150
150 - (9 + 8) = 133
133 * 4 = 532
50*(8+3) -9*(6-4)
532 = (8+3) x 50 = 550
(6-4) × 9 = 18
550 - 18 = 532
I spotted the 9+1 & 8x4 in about 5 seconds and I was shocked when neither contestant saw that. It was right in front of them.
I confess I missed that too, but found 25-8-1=16, 75+9=84x4=336-16=320
I did (75-25-9-1)*8
Easy to overthink it when the big ones look like they can get you there; 75*4 + 25 and 25*(9+4) both get within 5 immediately, so it feels like there ought to be a way to close the gap from there. But I'm pretty sure both of those are dead ends.
@@danbaker300And you can easily hit 320 as well by first subtracting the 1 for 74*4 and then you get another 1 from 9-8.
That was the first conundrum that I've gotten in quite some time.
6*3=18
18+75=93
93*3=279
279-2=277
532:
50 + 8 =58
58 * 9 =522
522 + 6 + 4 =532
8 + 3 =11
50 * 11 =550
6 - 4 =2
9 * 2 =18
550 - 18 =532
50 + 6 + 4 =60
60 * 9 =540
540 - 8 =532
For 350:
4 + 4 = 8
8 - 1 = 7
50 × (6 - 5) = 50
50 × 7 = *_350_*
320 75+25 =100x4=400 9+1=10x8=80 400-80=320
320:
9 + 1 =10
10 * 8 * 4 =320
75 - 25 - 9 - 1 =40
40 * 8 =320
25 * 8 =200
4 + 1 =5
9 * 5 =45
200 + 75 + 45 =320
75÷3 = 25 6+5 = 11X25 = 275+2 = 277
6X3 = 18+75 = 93X3 = 279-2 = 277
75-1 = 74X4 = 296-9 = 287+8 = 295+25 = 320
4+1 = 5X9 = 45 25X8 = 200+45 = 245+75 = 320
6+1 = 7X4 = 28X50 = 1,400÷4 = 350
5X5 = 25 4X4 = 16X25 = 400-50 = 350
50+6+4 = 60X9 = 540-8 = 532
50-9-3 = 38 8+6 = 14X38 = 532
SPOILER SECOND CONUNDRUM
Conundrum Two, what does "Billy's old games console" have anything to do with the answer? Figured I was about a letter short of ATARI or maybe a couple misspellings like "SATIRN" or "STASION", then seeing the answer I can't pick out anything console-wise
Maybe Sony?
3x6=18+75=93x3=279-2=277
3:31 (6 + 1) x 7 = 350 #
Think this might have to go into the Countdown Bloopers series...
277:
(5+6)*75=825
2*3+825=831
831/3=277
532 = (50 + 8) x 9 + 6 + 4 or
50 × (8 + 3) - 9 x (6 - 4)
75+1=76
76*4=304
304+25-9=320
320 = (75 + 1) x 4 + 25 - 9
I didnt spot the easy way for 320 either haha
I did:
1 + 4 = 5
75 / 5 = 15
15 + 25 = 40
40 * 8 = 320
I did 25+75 for 100 multiply by 4 then 9+1 for 10 multiply by 8 then 400-80 =320
277=(75*6/5 +3)*3 -2
Today's conundrum has an etymology that only goes back 29 years.
6*4=24, +4=28; 5-1=4; 28/4=7, *50=350 😆
532=(8+3)×50-(6-4)×9
532=(8+6)×(50-9-3)
(50 -6) x (9+3) + 4
1. (6-2)x(75-5)-3=277 or (75+3x6)x3-2=277
2. LNAFP: 4x8x(1+9)=320 or (75+4)x9+1+8-25=320 or (75-25-1-9)x8=320
3. (1+6)x50=350 or (50+4x5)x(1+4)=350
4. (50-3-9)x(6+8)=532 or (50-6)x3+9-8=133x4=532 or (50+4+6)x9-8=532
5. ❌❌❌
320=4×(75-1)+25-9+8
320=4×8×(9+1)
277=(6-2)×(75-5)-3
350=(6+1)×50
350=(6+4)×(50-(4-1)×5)
350=(50/5+4)×(4×6+1)
350:
6 + 1 =7
50 * 7 =350
50 + 5 + 4 =59
59 * 6 =354
354 - 4 =350
4 + 1 =5
5 * 4 =20
50 + 20 =70
70 * 5 =350