We have a(3)=11, since among numbers 100 through 999, the smallest ones having 5, 6, 7, 8, 10, 11 embedded primes are respectively 107, 127, 113, 167, 179, 137 (the last of these being the first reaching the maximum number of 11 embedded primes, viz. 3, 7, 13, 17, 31, 37, 71, 73, 137, 173, 317).