Tuesday, December 31, 2019

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 Friday.

First or last ultra sound?..............SCHWA
Mental notes?...........................EARWORMS
Ring in one's ears?.....................CROPCIRCLE
Cold comfort?...........................HALLS
Place where one might hear "That's my 
cue!"...................................POOLHALL
Mideast peace talk?.....................SHALOM

Tuesday, December 3, 2019

Clever Clue of the Month



November 2019
Clue: Marine mollusk exoskeleton vendor,
in a tongue twister...........................SHE
Constructor: Robyn Weintraub; Editor: Will Shortz

NYT, Friday, November 1, 2019

Saturday, November 30, 2019

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 Tuesday.

Marine mollusk exoskeleton vendor, in a 
tongue twister?.........................SHE
Useful cryptography tool to have on 
hand?...................................DECODERRING
It's impressed when people lie?.........MEMORYFOAM
Some needlework.........................ACUPUNCTURE
Rattling adders.........................ABACI
What gives authors stress?..............ITALICS

Sunday, November 3, 2019

Clever Clue of the Month















October 2019
Clue: Lab assistant, maybe?........GUIDEDOG
Constructor: Andy Kravis; Editor: Will Shortz
NYT, Friday, October 11, 2019

Thursday, October 31, 2019

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 on Sunday.

Lab assistant, maybe?...................GUIDEDOG
Characters in "It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad 
World"..................................COMMAS
Sound around a cradle...................DIALTONE
Competitions in which batting is
forbidden...............................STARINGCONTESTS
What goes in a box......................HOUSECAT
Problematic opening on Broadway?........POTHOLE

Thursday, October 3, 2019

Clever Clue of the Month

















September 2019
Clue: Rock formation?..........FIST
Constructor/Editor: Evan Birnholz
Evan Birnholz's Washington Post Crossword, Sunday, September 8, 2019

Monday, September 30, 2019

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.

Reaction to seeing a crack on one's 
phone?..................................LOL
Rock formation?.........................FIST
Rotten tomatoes, for a tough crowd......AMMO
Short staff?............................ELVES
What a fork in the road might lead to?..FLATTIRE
Lugosi who sucked in many roles.........BELA

Tuesday, September 3, 2019

Clever Clue of the Month
















August 2019
Clue: Locks that might not be totally secure?........TOUPEE 
Constructor: Andrew Ries; Editor: Will Shortz
NYT, Friday, August 2, 2019

Sunday, September 1, 2019

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 Tuesday.

Locks that might not be totally 
secure?.................................TOUPEES
Famous print maker?.....................BIGFOOT
Threads of scientific research?.........LABCOATS
What those with no class engage in?.....RECESS
Beekeeper's lovey-dovey greeting?.......HIHONEY
S word?.................................PLURAL

Sunday, August 4, 2019

Clever Clue of the Month

























July 2019
Clue: Lose one's ability to get a part?........GOBALD 
Constructor: Evan Kalish; Editor: Mike Shenk
WSJ, Thursday, July 7, 2019

Thursday, August 1, 2019

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 Saturday.

Reward for being close?.................NOCIGAR
Lose one's ability to get a part?.......GOBALD
Audio feedback?.........................ILOVETHISSONG
Support after a bad break?..............CAST
Roll in the dirt?.......................SOD
Spring report...........................BOING

Wednesday, July 3, 2019

Clever Clue of the Month

























June 2019
Clue: Something relatively complicated?....FAMILYTREE 
Constructor: Robyn Weintraub; Editor: Will Shortz
NYT, Friday, June 21, 2019

Sunday, June 30, 2019

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

Stick in the dugout.....................OAR
Tongue depressor?.......................LACER
Like three of the letters of "aisle"....SILENT
Big shot?...............................GROUPPHOTO
Something relatively complicated?.......FAMILYTREE
What to say when you're ordering a
shake?..................................PUTITTHERE

Monday, June 3, 2019

Clever Clue of the Month


















May 2019
Clue: Invasive plant?....................ENEMYSPY
Constructor: Sam Ezersky; Editor: Will Shortz
NYT, Friday, May 31, 2019

Friday, May 31, 2019

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 on Monday.

Dead actor?.............................POSSUM
Act like a rude waiter?.................CUTINLINE
Manipulate digitally....................KNEAD
Top of a Pacific island chain...........HAWAIIANSHIRT
Screen guild?: Abbr. ...................TSA
Invasive plant?.........................ENEMYSPY

Friday, May 3, 2019

Clever Clue of the Month

























April 2019
Clue: Father figure?.......................DADBOD
Constructor: Will Nediger; Editor: Will Shortz
NYT, Sunday, April 14, 2019

Tuesday, April 30, 2019

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 on Friday.

Lotus positions?........................DEALERSHIPS
Babysitter's reading material?..........RIOTACT
Father figure?..........................DADBOD
Very tight group?.......................MISERS
Participants in a murder?...............CROWS
Place where beads are made..............SAUNA

Wednesday, April 3, 2019

Clever Clue of the Month



March 2019
Clue: Couple hanging out in hip joints?.....FEMURS 
Constructor: Alex Eaton-Salners; Editor: Peter Gordon
Fireball Crossword, Wednesday, March 6, 2019

Sunday, March 31, 2019

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 on Wednesday.

Dated women?............................DAMSELS
Test that lets you practice after you 
pass....................................BAREXAM
He has many hands and a prosthetic leg..AHAB
Couple hanging out in hip joints?.......FEMURS
Rear end in a British auto?.............ARSE
Discuss one's toilet habits, for 
example.................................OVERSHARE

Monday, March 4, 2019

Clever Clue of the Month



February 2019
Clue: Like a full-moon viewing?.................OBSCENE 
Constructor/Editor: Evan Birnholz
Evan Birnholz's Washington Post Crossword, Sunday, February 10, 2019

Thursday, February 28, 2019

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 on Monday.

Employing the secret service?...........ELOPING              
Lousy joints?...........................BADKNEES
Taking a stab at?.......................BAYONETING
Like a full-moon viewing?...............OBSCENE
Assumption during a life of crime?......ALIAS
String of churches?.....................ROSARY

Friday, February 15, 2019

How to Get Better at Crosswords

I'd like to welcome those of you who discovered my site because of the great article today at Lifehacker.com on how to get better at crosswords. The article, by A A Newton, has many excellent tips, like doing puzzles everyday, knowing when to cheat, and reading crossword blogs. The article also linked to this site, encouraging people to brush up on their crosswordese.

The one thing I would add to the article would be to encourage people to make crosswords a social activity. Get together with others and work on crosswords during a coffee break. It's a fun way to get to know your friends better as you interact over a puzzle. And you all learn from each other as you discuss the clues.

Monday, February 4, 2019

Clever Clue of the Month


January 2019
Clue: Times when people look their best...EYETESTS
Constructor/Editor: Brendan Emmett Quigley
Brendan Emmett Quigley Puzzles, Monday, January 21, 2019

Thursday, January 31, 2019

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 on Monday.

"Wanna play with the laser pointer?"....MEOW
Numbers that might end a series?........NIELSENS
Stilted performance, perhaps?...........CIRCUSACT
Deep space?.............................OCEAN
United way?.............................AISLE
Times when people look their best.......EYETESTS

Thursday, January 3, 2019

Clever Clue of the Month

























December 2018
Clue: Hoer?...............................................SANTA
Constructor: Jack Murtagh; Editor: Mike Shank
Wall Street Journal, Thursday, December 6, 2018