Clever Clue Nominees

Please vote for the best clue from December. The Clever Clue of the Month will be announced in a few days.

Launches toward Venus?..................SERVES

Shaped like this answer's second 

letter..................................ROUND

It's all relatives......................FAMILYPHOTO

Stress specialist?......................POET

Character who's striped and spotted?....WALDO

Focus on winning a contest?.............STARE

Clever Clue of the Month

November 2021
Clue: Duck call?...........................................LOOKOUT
Constructor: Jack Murtagh; Editor: Peter Gordon
Fireball, Thursday, November 4, 2021

Clever Clue Nominees

Please vote for the best clue from November. The Clever Clue of the Month will be announced in a few days.

Duck call?..............................LOOKOUT

Tweeting symbols?.......................STATEBIRDS

Tough bass part.........................FISHSCALE

It's said while shaking.................NICETOMEETYOU

Warmly attached?........................HOTGLUED

Consultant hired for a fortune?.........SEER

Clever Clue of the Month

 

October 2021 
Clue: It's worn while making doughnuts?........TIRETREAD
Constructor: Patrick Berry; Editor: Liz Maynes-Aminzade
The New Yorker, Monday, October 4, 2021

Clever Clue Nominees

Please vote for the best clue from October. The Clever Clue of the Month will be announced in a few days.

It's worn while making doughnuts?.......TIRETREAD

Bug collection?.........................INTEL

Cry heard at a shoe auction?............SOLED

Bond films?.............................WEDDINGVIDEOS

Business that offers body waxing........CARWASH

Digital color presentation?.............NAILPOLISH

Clever Clue of the Month

 

September 2021 
Clue: Chemistry test?......................DATE
Constructor: Pam Klawitter; Editor: David Steinberg
Universal Sunday, September 5, 2021

Clever Clue Nominees

Please vote for the best clue from September. The Clever Clue of the Month will be announced in a few days.

Chemistry test?.........................DATE

Travel authority?.......................NBAREFEREE

What may be considered worse when done 

well....................................STEAK

Present, for the verb "gift"............TENSE

Sticky home?............................NEST

One with interior motives?..............DECORATOR

Clever Clue of the Month

 

Clue: Suitable-sounding name for a kid on
Santa's naughty list?..........................COLE
Constructor: Ashish Vengsarkar; Editor: Will Shortz
NYT, Thursday, August 26, 2021

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 in a few days.

Apt name for a farmers market that sells 

only corn?..............................ALLEARS

Sound that might be off the wall?.......ECHO

Solution for people with poor vision?...SALINE

Stuck-up couples at weddings?...........CAKETOPPERS

Help wanteds?...........................ABET

Suitable-sounding name for a kid on 

Santa's naughty list?...................COLE

Clever Clue of the Month

July 2021
Clue: Aide in getting high?.............................SHERPA
Constructor: Malaika Handa; Editor: Matt Gaffney
MGWCC, Saturday, July 10, 2021

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 Tuesday.

Irrational thing to celebrate?..........PIDAY

Stuff that's hard to get off your

chest?..................................TATTOOINK

Content provider?.......................GOODMOOD

Outbreak of spots?......................ADCAMPAIGN

Beneficiary of a Sonic boom?............SEGA

Aide in getting high?...................SHERPA

Clever Clue of the Month

 

June 2021
Clue: Bad spot for a date?.............................PIMPLE
Constructor: Peter Wentz; Editor: Will Shortz
NYT, Saturday, June 5, 2021

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 on Saturday.

Bad spot for a date?....................PIMPLE

Get-together with Mr. Spock?............MINDMELD

A child who's lying might make one......SNOWANGEL

Poetic licenses?........................VANITYPLATES

Ones who are likely to go in to labor 

early...................................WORKAHOLICS

Workers you wouldn't want to see in the 

office?.................................ANTS

Clever Clue of the Month

 

May 2021
Clue: Time travelers of a sort.........................MINUTEHANDS
Constructor: Greg Johnson; Editor: Stanley Newman
Newsday, Saturday, May 1, 2021

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.

Time travelers of a sort................MINUTEHANDS

Person well over 70, probably?..........SPEEDER

Persian word that can have many 

meanings?...............................MEOW

Crummy joint............................BUMKNEE

Name in hard rock ratings...............MOHS

Cubs' place to play home games..........DEN

Clever Clue of the Month

 

April 2021
Clue: Appropriate name for that woman's husband?....HERMAN
Constructor: Kate Hawkins; Editor: Will Shortz
NYT, Friday, April 30, 2021

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 Monday.

"Look at this Duncan toy over here!"....YOAYOYO       

Key to advancing one's writing?.........TAB

Items spotted in a casino?..............DICE

Expert in crown molding?................DENTIST

Singer in the family?...................RAT

Appropriate name for a woman's husband? HERMAN

Clever Clue of the Month

 

March 2021
Clue: Safe kind of job?.................................HEIST
Constructor: Caitlin Reid; Editor: Liz Maynes-Aminzade
The New Yorker, Friday, March 12, 2021

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 Saturday.

Professionals who conduct lab 

inspections?............................VETS

Safe kind of job?.......................HEIST

Angled piece............................OPED

RN's body piercings?....................IVS

Follower of a farm team?................PLOW

Underground metal band?.................ORE

Clever Clue of the Month

 

February 2021
Clue: One who won't take just any cab........WINESNOB
Constructor: Wyna Liu; Editor: Liz Maynes-Aminzade
The New Yorker, Wednesday, February 10, 2021

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 Wednesday.

Pop up a lot, perhaps?..................NEWDAD

Revolutionary figure in space?..........MOON

One who won't take just any cab?........WINESNOB

Star Bucks, say?........................NBAMVPS

Without it, the mnemonic acronym for 

the Great Lakes might be MOSH...........ERIE

Act of throwing money around to resolve 

an issue?...............................COINTOSS

Clever Clue of the Month

January 2021
Clue: Some “M*A*S*H” characters...............ASTERISKS
Constructor: Joe Deeney; Editor: Will Shortz
NYT, Saturday, January 2, 2021

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 Wednesday.

Some "M*A*S*H" characters...............ASTERISKS

Remains to be seen......................MUSEUMEXHIBIT

One known for their teaching chops?.....SENSEI

Retiring workers?.......................PITCREW

It's not exactly humerus (but it's

close)..................................ULNA

Cut to the cloth?.......................TITHE

Clever Clue of the Month

 

December 2020
Clue: Center of a circle or square, maybe......STATUE 
Constructor: Damon Gulczynski; Editor: Will Shortz 
NYT, Friday, December 18, 2020