[superprismatic]

A certain five-letter word is to be

determined as follows. A set of

five-letter words is to be

presented, the distances(less than

or equal to 13) between letters of

these words and the corresponding

letters of the unknown word

computed, and the product of these

distances announced. For example,

with JAUNT and the unknown word

UNCLE, the value of this product

would be 25168, since the

respective distances are 11, 13, 8,

2, and 11.

Consider the following test words

and their product with an unknown

word: EXIST--2772; JINGO--15360;

MONEY--79200; OPERA--16380; RIDGE

--46080; TODAY--41472. What is

the unknown word?

[bushindo]

A certain five-letter word is to be

determined as follows. A set of

five-letter words is to be

presented, the distances(less than

or equal to 13) between letters of

these words and the corresponding

letters of the unknown word

computed, and the product of these

distances announced. For example,

with JAUNT and the unknown word

UNCLE, the value of this product

would be 25168, since the

respective distances are 11, 13, 8,

2, and 11.

Consider the following test words

and their product with an unknown

word: EXIST--2772; JINGO--15360;

MONEY--79200; OPERA--16380; RIDGE

--46080; TODAY--41472. What is

the unknown word?

need time to rework answer

Edited September 1, 2009 by bushindo

[bushindo]

need time to rework answer

  3,   3, -21, -10,  -1

 10, -16, -10,   5,   3

 19,   5,   2,  -3,  -8

[Guest]

Since this is my first posting, I thought I would test out the use of the spoiler before adding what I think is the right answer.

Is this correct?

Now that I think I now what I am doing.....

I only found one word, but I would not concider it common. The word is in the following spoiler.

LUMMI

Edited September 1, 2009 by twhedge

[Guest]

what about <= 13? even though it's in parenthesis, is it a rule we need to follow?

Edited September 1, 2009 by ljb

[Guest]

Since this is my first posting, I thought I would test out the use of the spoiler before adding what I think is the right answer.

Is this correct?

yes

[Guest]

yes

Actually, the "Is this correct" question was to myself while testing that I knew how to use the spoilers. (an eyecatcher) But, it works as a question to you also.

[Guest]

I only found one word, but I would not concider it common. The word is in the following spoiler.

LUMMI

Retracting my answer. Even though it is the only word I found, it does not fit. I must have done something wrong.

[plainglazed]

Am having trouble with the distance being less than or equal to 13. Was that just for the example given or also a rule of the proposed problem? Cant seem to make it work. Looking at MONEY - 79200 there are only three sets of five factors less than or equal to 13 that I can see. None of which would allow the clue to work within the limits that the distance must be less than or equal to thirteen suggests (looking at the "lowest" and "highest" letter at each place holder of the five given words and adding and subtracting 13; respectively, to get the upper and lower limits of that position). Probably missing something here but hoping it's something you can address. Thanks.

[superprismatic]

Am having trouble with the distance being less than or equal to 13. Was that just for the example given or also a rule of the proposed problem? Cant seem to make it work. Looking at MONEY - 79200 there are only three sets of five factors less than or equal to 13 that I can see. None of which would allow the clue to work within the limits that the distance must be less than or equal to thirteen suggests (looking at the "lowest" and "highest" letter at each place holder of the five given words and adding and subtracting 13; respectively, to get the upper and lower limits of that position). Probably missing something here but hoping it's something you can address. Thanks.

Just think of the alphabet written around a circle. The distance between two letters is the shortest number of moves around the circle (either clockwise or counter-clockwise) to go from one letter to the other. This number is never greater than 13. I hope this makes things clearer to you. Oh, it is a rule of the proposed problem -- not just the example.

Edited September 1, 2009 by superprismatic

[plainglazed]

Much better thanks, couldn't get the circular logic at first.

BUXOM?

[Guest]

Much better thanks, couldn't get the circular logic at first.

BUXOM?

got the same. nice work

[Guest]

Once I realized the looped alphabet and the reason for <= 13, I found BUXOM

Edited September 2, 2009 by twhedge