MORE NICE N-ISOGRAMS
by Eric Chaikin
Word Ways, 1998
The list of record-tying 2, 3, 4, and 5-isogram sets (bisograms, trisograms, or more generally nIsograms) was augmented recently by a computer search of a database of isograms manually culled from Webster's Third. As with previous exercises, the words conform to Games Magazine criteria of acceptability. This particular database was weighted more heavily in favor of longer words, in an attempt to find the elusive 2x20 to go along with GUNPOWDERY BLACKSMITH. However, none was found! Though the database was large, it was by no means exhaustive; record-breaking specimens may yet exist.
The current results include minor variants on previous items, as well as a number of elegant new examples. Highlights include perhaps the most common 19-letter bisograms found so far (SYMPATHIZED WRONGFUL), a variety of interesting balanced 3x22s and 4x24s (such as PRONGBUCKS JAWSMITH FLEXY and WHIZBAND FROCKS VELDT JUMPY), as well as some near-miss attempts at the previously-unscaled heights of 2x21, 3x23, and 4x25. The list of 5x26s (that is, 5-word pangrams) has also been expanded. Known 2x19s now exist for all letter distributions from 15,4 (DERMATOGLYPHICS BUNK) to 10,9 (many examples). In the 3x22 list, all distri-butions are represented from 13,6,3 (THUMBSCREWING ALKOXY PDQ) to 8,7,7 (BACKVELD FROWSTY HUMPING) except for 13,5,4 and 12,5,5. 5x25s are shown leaving 9 different letters: B,F,G,J,M,Q,V,W,Z. Asterisked examples have been supplied by Jim Puder.
The challenge in presenting and making sense out of this "list of lists" has been to arrive at some reasonable conventions for grouping nIsograms and ordering the words within them. In order to show related entries grouped together, and separate more "satisfying" items from the crowd, various conventions have been used:
- Suffixes. Suffixes which can be moved from one word to another, or a group of suffixes whose locations can be switched (-ING with -ED) are shown after a slash (/). Suffixes are assigned by making the longest possible word (or appending to the first alphabetically in case of a tie) until all suffixes have been used.
- Word Ordering. Once suffixes have been assigned, words within a nIsogram are ordered by length, except that vowelless words are listed last. Ties are broken alphabetically. The primary word of a nIsogram is the root of its first word (i.e., without suffixes).
- NIsogram Ordering. NIsograms are ordered alphabetically, beginning with their primary word. If a word is primary in some cases but not in others, its group will only include nIsograms in which it is primary. (This is a change from the ordering in previous articles, which was by word length.) This method allows for easier location of a given nIsogram, since word lengths result from assigning suffixes according to an arbitrary convention.
- Quality. As with previous articles, high-quality (Games-compliant) items are separated from near-misses of various flavors (plausible coinages, words from other sources, etc.). Also, for aesthetic reasons, the lists of quadrisograms and quintisograms are separated into those which do not require vowelless words, and those that do.
- Leaves. Letters left over are shown in alphabetical order, though where a significant-length word can be made, it is shown before other letters.
The previously-unpublished record-tying nIsograms are as follows:
High-quality 2x19s bunchflowers japygid kmqtvxz 12,7 calyptrogen dumbfish jkqvwxz 11,8 campfight/s underblow jkqvxyz 10,9 carbethoxyls jumping dfkqvwz 12,7* gatchworks unmixedly bfjpqvz 10,9 gunpowdery backshift jlmqvxz 10,9 gunpowdery mahlstick bfjqvxz 10,9 khidmutgar/s benzoxyl pfc,jqvw 11,8 lumberjack downshift pyx,gqvz 10,9 overjumping flybacks dhqtwxz 11,8 patchworks unmixedly bfgjqvz 10,9 providently buckwash fgjmqxz 11,8 providently bushwack fgjmqxz 11,8 pterygodum blackfins hjqvwxz 10,9* sympathized wrongful bcjkqvx 11,8 throwbacks unmixedly fgjpqvz 10,9 thumpingly beadworks cfjqvxz 10,9 upthrowing backvelds fjmqxyz 10,9 zanthoxylum/s jewbird pfc,gkqv 12,7 High-quality 3x22s backlight/ed frown/s jumpy qvxz 11,6,5 backlight/s overjump wynd fqxz 10,8,4 backsight frowzl/ed jumpy nqvx 9,8,5 backveld frowst/y hump/ing jqxz 8,7,7 backveld frowst/y jump/ing hqxz 8,7,7 benzhydrol puckfist gawn jqvx 10,8,4 campfight/s benzoxyl dukw jqrv 10,8,4 fringepod/s thwack jumbly qvxz 10,6,6 frumpishly backdown vext jg,qz 10,8,4 humpback frowzly jesting vd,qx 8,7,7* humpback frowzly vesting djqx 8,7,7* humpbacks frowzly jinxed qt,gv 9,7,6* humpbacks frowzly vexing qt,jd 9,7,6* jackfruit/s bedgown lymph qvxz 10,7,5 lumberjack downshift pyx gqvz 10,9,3 nightcaps frowzled jumby kqvx 9,8,5 nightfowls vracked bumpy jqxz 10,7,5 nightfowls vracked jumpy bqxz 10,7,5 patchwork/ed jumbl/y zing/s fqvx 11,6,5 patchwork/s delving jumby fqxz 10,7,5 patchworks flexing jumby vd,qz 10,7,5 pitchforked jumbly vangs qwxz, 11,6,5 prongbuck jawsmith flexy vd,qz 10,7,5 prongbuck/s mitzvah flexy djqw 10,7,5 prongbuck/s mitzvah wyled fjqx 10,7,5 rockshaft jumbl/ing pyx/ed qvwz 9,8,5 sprightful backdown zyme jqvx 10,8,4 throwback/s delving jumpy fqxz 10,7,5 throwback/s dump/ing flex/y jqvz 10,7,5 throwbacks flex/ing jump/y vd,qz 10,7,5 throwbacks flumped zingy jqvx 10,7,5 throwbacks jinxed glumpy fqvz 10,6,6 throwbacks jumpingly xed fqvz 10,9,3 throwback/s vexingly jump dfqz 10,8,4 throwback/s vexingly dump fjqz 10,8,4 upgrowth/s flyback jinxed mqvz 9,7,6 High-quality 4x24s, all words with vowels backflow/s jump/ing dryth vex qz 9,7,5,3 backlight/s frowzy jump vend qx 10,6,4,4 backsight frowzled jynx ump qv 9,8,4,3 backsight frowzled jynx vum pq 9,8,4,3 blackfish judgment vrow pyx qz 9,8,4,3 boschvark widget flump jynx qz 9,6,5,4 campfight/s bulked jynx vrow qz 10,6,4,4 cymbling kvutza fjord sphex qw 8,6,5,5 cymbling/s kvutza fjord phew qx 8,7,5,4 jacklight/s frowzy bump vend qx 10,6,4,4 vexingly fjord/s thwack bump qz 8,6,6,4 patchworked gulf jynx zimb qv 11,4,4,4 strongback fjeld whump vizy qx 10,5,5,4 whizbang frock/s veldt jumpy qx 8,6,5,5 Vowelless words, 4x24s schmaltz jukebox fringy pdq vw 8,7,6,3 schmaltz jukebox frying pdq vw 8,7,6,3 sketching frowzly jambu pdq vx 9,7,5,3 sketching frowzy jambul pdq vx 9,6,6,3 skutching frowzly jambe pdq vx 9,7,5,3 throwback/s fuzing xylem pdq jv 10,6,5,3 throwbacks fumingly vex pdq jz 10,8,3,3 thumbscrew jok/ing flax/y pdq vz 10,6,5,3 thumbscrewing folky zax pdq jv 13,5,3,3 thwackers jumbling foxy pdq vz 9,8,4,3 vetchling sjambok furzy pdq wx 9,7,5,3 vetchling/s jambok furzy pdq wx 10,6,5,3 vetchworms fungibly zax pdq jk 10,8,3,3 vetchworms fungibly jak pdq xz 10,8,3,3 vetchworms fuzing balky pdq jx 10,6,5,3 blacksmith expugn frowzy vd jq 10,6,6,2 humpback frowzly jesting vd qx 9,7,7,2* jacketing/s frowzly bumph vd qx 10,7,5,2 patchwork/s flexing jumby vd qz 10,7,5,2 prongbuck jawsmith flexy vd qz 9,8,5,2 throwback/s flex/ing jump/y vd qz 10,7,5,2 High-quality 5x25s, all words with vowels backveld/s fritz whump jynx go q 9,5,5,4,2 droplight/s beck jynx waqf vum q 10,4,4,4,3 mitzvah/s fjeld grown buck pyx q 8,5,5,4,3 mitzvah/s fjeld wrong buck pyx q 8,5,5,4,3 mitzvah/s fjeld wrung bock pyx q 8,5,5,4,3 sawbuck fjord lymph zing vext q 7,5,5,4,4 Vowelless words, 5x25s kvutzah/s boring fjeld pyx cwm q 8,6,5,3,3 kvutzah boxing fjeld spry cwm q 7,6,5,4,3 kvutzah/s boxing fjeld pry cwm q 8,6,5,3,3 backflow/s zither jynx vum pdq g 9,6,4,3,3 backflow/s zither jynx guv,vug pdq m 9,6,4,3,3 backflow/s zither jynx mug,gum pdq v 9,6,4,3,3 backflow/s zythum ring,grin vex pdq j 9,6,4,3,3 backlight/s fuze jynx vrow pdq m 10,4,4,4,3 backlight/s vrouw jynx fem pdq z 10,5,4,3,3 blacksmith fuze jynx vrow pdq g 10,4,4,4,3 boxingly crwth/s kuvasz fem pdq j 8,6,6,3,3 bricklow/s zythum fang vex pdq j 9,6,4,3,3 flockmaster jynx whiz guv,vug pdq b 11,4,4,3,3 flockmaster jynx vugh biz pdq w 11,4,4,3,3 flockmaster jynx vugh wiz pdq b 11,4,4,3,3 gatchwork/s flexy zimb jun pdq v 10,5,4,3,3 gatchwork/s flue,fuel jynx zimb pdq v 10,4,4,4,3 jukebox crwths mazing fly pdq v 7,6,6,3,3 jukebox crwths fling mazy pdq v 7,6,5,4,3 jukebox crwths flavin gym pdq z 7,6,6,3,3 rockshaft zimbel jynx guv,vug pdq w 9,6,4,3,3 schmaltzy vibex fork gunj pdq w 9,5,4,4,3 schmaltzy vibex work gunj pdq f 9,5,4,4,3 throwback/s flex/y zing vum pdq j 10,5,4,3,3 throwback/s flexy gunj vim pdq z 10,5,4,3,3 throwback/s zymin flex guv,vug pdq j 10,5,4,3,3 throwback/s zymin gulf vex pdq j 10,5,4,3,3 thumbscrew flog,golf kiva jynx pdq z 10,4,4,4,3 thumbscrew folk jynx vagi,viga pdq z 10,4,4,4,3 vetchworm/s fix/y gunj balk,klab pdq z 10,4,4,4,3 vexingly schwarz bumf jot pdq k 8,7,4,3,3 whizbang flock/s jury vext pdq m 8,6,4,4,3 whizbang freckly jot/s vum pdq x 8,7,4,3,3 wingback/s thujyl form,from vex pdq z 9,6,4,3,3 backswing thujyl form,from vex pdq z 9,6,4,3,3 wingback/s zythum flor vex pdq j 9,6,4,3,3 backswing zythum flor vex pdq j 9,6,4,3,3 wrathful gemsbok jynx vic pdq z 8,7,4,3,3 xanthism frowzly beck guv,vug pdq j 8,7,4,3,3 zubrowka/s flitch,flicht jynx gem,meg pdq v 9,6,4,3,3 jacklight/s frowze numb pyx vd q 10,6,4,3,2 patchwork/s flexy gunj zimb vd q 10,5,4,4,2 patchwork/s zimbel jynx fug vd q 10,6,4,3,2 throwback/s flex/y jump zing vd q 10,5,4,4,2 Vowelless words, 5x26s blacksmith frowzy gunj vex pdq 10,6,4,3,3 humbling frowzy jacks vext pdq 8,6,5,4,3 jacklight/s frowzy numb vex pdq 10,6,4,3,3 jumbling frowzy hacks,shack vext pdq 8,6,5,4,3 skutch/ing frowzly jamb vex pdq 9,7,4,3,3Finally, here are some near-misses of various sizes.
2x21 bumperjacks (not in Web), downflight ('upflight' in Web) 2x20 bumperjacks (not in Web), downlight 2x20 bumperjacks (not in Web), nightfowl 2x20 thumbscrewing, poklady (Czech 'treasures') 2x20 cymographs, unblitxzed (like a well-protected quarterback?) 2x20 explicandums ('explicanda' in Web), growthy 2x20 flyspecking, badmouth (not in Web 3) 2x20 kymograph, unblitzed (see above) 3x23 cymbling/s, kvutzah, Wexford (usu cap in Web 3) 3x23 humpbacked, frowzly, vingts (French 'twenties') 3x23 humpbacks, veldting (just wishful thinking!), frowzy 3x22 kvetching (not in Web 3), frowzly, jambus 3x22 kvetching (see above), jambuls, frowzy 4x25 kvetching (see above), jambuls, frowzy, pdq 4x25 kvetching (see above), frowzly, jambus, pdq 5x25 zemstvo (in OSPD only), jingly, wharf, buck, pdq