Clever Clue Nominees

Please vote for the best clue from December (either by email or comments below). The Clever Clue of the Month will be announced on Saturday, January 4th.

Fryer seen at a cookout?...............BUGZAPPER

Spots for hot dates?...................OASES
"It's a Small World," for one (sorry)..EARWORM
What means the most at the end?........EST
Something wicked.......................CANDLE
Avon's calling, in part?...............MASCARA

The crossword puzzle celebrates its centennial

Clever Clue of the Month

November 2013

Clue: Take inventory .................................SHOPLIFT

Constructor: Barry C Silk; Editor: Rich Norris
LA Times, 11/2/13

Clever Clue Nominees

Please vote for the best clue from November (either by email or comments below). The Clever Clue of the Month will be announced on Wednesday, December 4th.

Take inventory ...................SHOPLIFT

Only one word anagram of a day 

of the week ......................DYNAMO

Great-smelling crime scene 

investigator? ....................POLICEDOG

Spread out in the kitchen? .......MAYO

Mountain climber’s strains .......YODELS
Unwelcome benchmark? .............WETPAINT

Clever Clue of the Month

October 2013
Clue: Person who pedals stolen goods? .................BIKETHIEF
Constructor/Editor: Matt Jones
Jonesin' puzzle, 10/15/13

Clever Clue Nominees

Please vote for the best clue from October (either by email or comments below). The Clever Clue of the Month will be announced Monday, November 4th.

Universal inquiry?................ WHERESTHEREMOTE
Private dining locale?............ MESS
Person who pedals stolen goods?... BIKETHIEF
Character in "Ben-Hur"?........... HYPHEN
Fifth element?.................... RYE
Shake a can vigorously?........... TWERK

Will Shortz on How a Crossword is Made

Clever Clue of the Month

September 2013

Clue: Overhang, in a sports bar? .................BEERGUT
Constructor: Ian Livengood/Editor: Mike Shenk
Wall Street Journal, 9/20/13

Clever Clue Nominees

Please vote for the best clue from September (either by email or comments below). The Clever Clue of the Month will be announced on Thursday, November 3rd.

Like each word from this clue .....................FOURLETTER
They're blue, because nothing rhymes with purple...VIOLETS
Inside job for Martha Stewart? ....................DECOR
Overhang, in a sports bar? ........................BEERGUT
Place where people tend to show up late? ..........MORGUE
Flight simulation? ................................DISAPPEARINGACT

David Steinberg's Pre-Shortzian Puzzle Project

Clever Clue of the Month

August 2013
Clue: Essential part of Caesar dressing? .....TOGA
Constructor/Editor: Merl Reagle
Merl Reagle's Sunday Crossword, 8/4/13

Clever Clue Nominees

Please vote for the best clue from August (either by email or comments below). The Clever Clue of the Month will be announced on Wednesday, September 4th.

Banana Republic defender, maybe ...................MALLCOP

Essential part of Caesar dressing? ................TOGA
Promising words from an eye doctor?  ..............YOULLSEE
One unlikely to have a cow ........................HINDU
Cynical remark from a cyclops? ....................MYEYE

One in doubt? .....................................SILENTB

Crossword Puzzle - Performed by Jennie McGuinness

Clever Clue of the Month

July 2013
Clue: Having no fear of commitment? ..........SANE
Constructor: Doug Peterson; Editor: Peter Gordon
The Post Puzzler No. 172, 7/21/13

Clever Clue Nominees

Please vote for the best clue from July (either by email or comments below). The Clever Clue of the Month will be announced on Monday, August 5th.

Guardians of sewers ...............................THIMBLES

Drew on a book cover? .............................NANCY
Band featuring Rush Limbaugh  .....................AMRADIO
Machines with reproductive systems ................COPIERS
One taking pot shots? .............................TOKER

Having no fear of commitment? .....................SANE

Amazing Crossword Puzzle Secrets

Clever Clue of the Month

June 2013
Clue: Org. with hookers? .............................PGA
Constructor/Editor: Patrick Blindauer
PatrickBlindauer.com, 6/1/13

Clever Clue Nominees

Please vote for the best clue from June(either by email or comments below). The Clever Clue of the Month will be announced sometime on Thursday, July 4th.

Org. with hookers? ................................PGA

Antes up for peanuts? .............................ANAGRAM
Figure in the high '60s?  .........................LEARY
Penguin's habitat .................................GOTHAMCITY
Making long-distance calls ........................HOLLERING

Further caught up in class? .......................SNOOTIER

Will Shortz on How a Crossword Is Made

Clever Clue of the Month

May 2013
Clue: Render powerless? .................UNPLUG
Constructor: Marti DuGuay-Carpenter; Editor: Rich Norris
LA Times, 5/8/13

Clever Clue Nominees

Please vote for the best clue from May (either by email or comments below). The Clever Clue of the Month will be announced sometime on Tuesday, June 4th.

Group whose name means "stupid" in Spanish ........MENSA

Old laptop instruments ............................LYRES
Render powerless?  ................................UNPLUG
Tender one? .......................................UNUM
Labor leader's cry? ...............................PUSH

Doctor who started a labor movement? ..............LAMAZE

Crosswords: a silent film

Clever Clue of the Month

April 2013
Clue: Try to see the present? ......................UNWRAP
Constructor: Loren Smith; Editor: Patrick Berry
The Chronicle of Higher Education, 4/19/13

Clever Clue Nominees

Please vote for the best clue from April(either by email or comments below). The Clever Clue of the Month will be announced sometime on Saturday, May 4th.

They get stuck in corners .........................STAMPS

One who fixes toys, e.g. ..........................VET
Beef, or a fish  ..................................CARP
Police action? ....................................TOUR
Evidencing change? ................................JANGLY

Try to see the present? ...........................UNWRAP

Clever Clue of the Month

March 2013

Clue: Pain in the rear? ..............BACKSEATDRIVER
Constructor/Editor: Peter Gordon
Fireball, 3/14/13

Clever Clue Nominees

Please vote for the best clue from March (either by email or comments below). The Clever Clue of the Month will be announced sometime on Thursday, April 4th.

Pain in the rear? .................................BACKSEATDRIVER 

Offensive lines ...................................TRASHTALK
Order liver  ......................................MONK
They wear down ....................................DUCKS
Means of transport when you're late? ..............HEARSE

Some produce centers? .............................PITS

Clever Clue of the Month

February 2013
Clue: Present-day personality? ...................SANTA
Constructor: Dan Schoenholz; Editor: Will Shortz
NY Times, 2/3/13

Clever Clue Nominees

Please vote for the best clue from February (either by email or comments below). The Clever Clue of the Month will be announced sometime on Monday, March 4th.

Common soap ingredient ............................MELODRAMA 

Volume of the Earth?   ............................ATLAS
Present-day personality?  .........................SANTA
Person who is saving the world? ...................PACKRAT
Take turns? .......................................STEER

Supercharger? .....................................SHOPAHOLIC

American Red Crosswords

American Red Crosswords is a collection of 24 never-before-published crossword puzzles donated by some of the best constructors in the business. The puzzles are free, but a donation would be appreciated for the Red Cross's fund for Disaster Relief. 

Video Crossword

The first crowdsourced video crossword puzzle, by Erik Agard.
Crowd Pleaser

Clever Clue of the Month

January 2013
Clue: One on the verge of croaking? ............TADPOLE
Constructor: Jeff Chen; Editor: Will Shortz
NY Times, 1/27/13

Clever Clue Nominees

Please vote for the best clue from January (either by email or comments below). The Clever Clue of the Month will be announced sometime on Monday, February 4th.

The impact energy of a small mosquito flying into

a wall, roughly ...................................ERG
Panhandler   ......................................OVENMITT
One on the verge of croaking?  ....................TADPOLE
Post production? ..................................RAISINBRAN
Smart adversary ...................................KAOS

Tower in the bay   ................................TUG

Clever Clue of the Month

December 2012

Clue: One that stands to prevent a strike ...PIN
Constructor: C.C. Burnikel; Editor: Rich Norris
LA Times, 12/6/12