Clever Clue of the Month

November 2024
Clue: Particle accelerator?.......................................SNEEZE
Constructor: Matthew Sewell; Editor: Stanley Newman
Newsday, Saturday, November 23, 2024

Clever Clue Nominees

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

Bakers' inner circles?....................DONUTHOLES
Food processor?...........................MOLAR

Steps in for a limited time?..............DANCECRAZE

Understudy opportunities?.................EASYAS

Particle accelerator?.....................SNEEZE

Check for a flat?.........................RENT

Clever Clue of the Month

 

October 2024
Clue: Do some sole searching.........................PLAYFOOTSIE
Constructor: David P Williams; Editor: Patti Varol
LAT, Saturday, October 5, 2024

Clever Clue Nominees

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

Do some sole searching....................PLAYFOOTSIE
Speaker of the house?.....................AMAZONECHO
Terminal transports?......................HEARSES
Ones suspended for playing blacktop 
games?....................................TETHERBALLS
Like geese, e.g.?.........................PALINDROMIC
Trashy TV character?......................OSCAR

Clever Clue of the Month

September 2024
Clue: Obstacles to bar admission?.................BOUNCERS
Constructor: Caitlin Reid; Editor: Liz Maynes-Aminzade
New Yorker, Wednesday, September 11, 2024

Clever Clue Nominees

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

Slips of paper?...........................MISPRINT
Drop-dead gorges?.........................CHASMS
Last part of this club....................TYPO
Obstacles to bar admission?...............BOUNCERS
Trailer homes?............................THEATERS
Uh, it's a vowel sound....................SCHWA

Clever Clue of the Month

August 2024
Clue: Rap duo............................................KNOCKKNOCK
Constructor: Will Nediger; Editor: Liz Maynes-Aminzade
New Yorker, Monday, August 26, 2024

Clever Clue Nominees

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

King with a touching story?...............MIDAS

Outstanding academic outcome?.............STUDENTDEBT 
Deep state?...............................SOUNDSLEEP
Sour grapes drink?........................HATERADE
Undeserved notoriety (or how one might
describe Vanilla Ice's discography).......BADRAP
Rap duo...................................KNOCKKNOCK

 

July 2024
Clue: What it would be a mistake to write twice?...BOO
Constructors: Jackson Matz & Ben Matz; Editor: Joel Fagliano
NYT, Wednesday, July 31, 2024

Clever Clue Nominees

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

One interested in bull-dozing?............COWTIPPER

Site of a baseball merger?................SEAM

Risk factor?..............................ARMY

Where one might go out on top?............BUNKBED

Opening on Broadway?......................MANHOLE

What it would be a mistake to write

twice?....................................BOO 

Clever Clue of the Month

June 2024
Clue: Starry overlook?............................................OSCARSNUB
Constructor: Rich Proulx; Editor: Mike Shenk
WSJ, Saturday, June 8, 2024

Clever Clue Nominees

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

Feeling after doing squat?................ACHE   

Starry overlooks?.........................OCSARSNUBS    

An icy winter?............................SEASONWITHSALT    

Public works program?.....................ARTEXHIBIT    

Relatively helpful path to success?.......NEPOTISM   

Criminal record?..........................BOOTLEGCD    

Clever Clue of the Month

May 2024
Clue: One who can't handle their moonshine
well?...............................................WEREWOLF
Constructor: Jesse Cohn; Editor: Joel Fagliano
NYT, Friday, May 10, 2024

Clever Clue Nominees

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

Sponsor of the Rolling Stones' 2024 "Hackney 

Diamonds" tour....................................AARP

Down clue answer, often...........................EIDER

One who can't handle their moonshine well?........WEREWOLF

Nun's habit?......................................CELIBACY

Aged beef?........................................EGADS

Someone you might be reluctant to give a hand 

to?...............................................CANNIBAL

Clever Clue of the Month

April 2024
Clue: Prepare to go out again?.............................HITSNOOZE
Constructor: Enrique Henestroza Anguiano; Editor: Patti Varol
LAT, Saturday, April 13, 2024

Clever Clue Nominees

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

What Scott Joplin might yell after a spill?.......RAGTIME

Considering retirement?...........................SLEEPY

Prepare to go out again?..........................HITSNOOZE

Class rife with division?.........................MATH

Wicked stuff?.....................................WAX

Sound generated by a noisy fan?...................RAH

Clever Clue of the Month

March 2024
Clue: Still getting a bum wrap?............................INDIAPERS
Constructor: Liz Gorski; Editor: Liz Maynes-Aminzade
The New Yorker, Monday, March 4, 2024

Clever Clue Nominees

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

Snooty creatures?.................................ANTEATERS

Still getting a bum wrap?.........................INDIAPERS

Bit of deductive reasoning?.......................TAXTIP

Units of mass?....................................PRAYERS

Short stop at Wrigley Field, e.g. ................RAINDELAY

Hunks of plastic?.................................KENS

Clever Clue of the Month

February 2024
Clue: Answers after two rings?....................IDOS
Constructor/Editor: Mike Shenk
WSJ, Saturday, February 3, 2024

Clever Clue Nominees

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

Answers after two rings?..........................IDO

Get high while on vacation, maybe.................PARASAIL

Country found inside Romania?.....................OMAN

Light run?........................................SOLARPOWERED

One streaking at night?...........................COMET

Bass output.......................................ROE

Clever Clue of the Month

 

January 2024
Clue: Choose a running mate?...................ELOPE
Constructor: Kyle Dolan; Editor: Patti Varol
LAT, Saturday, January 13, 2024

Clever Clue Nominees

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

Unlikely heroines in operas, typically.......ALTOS

Choose a running mate?.......................ELOPE

People with cans in their vans...............RVERS

Root words?..................................CHANT

Spare moment?................................TIRECHANGE

Persian diversion?...........................CATTOY

Clever Clue of the Month

December 2023
Clue: Dating guide for woodsy types?..............TREERINGS
Constructor: Paul Coulter; Editor: David Steinberg
Universal (Sunday), Sunday, December 10, 2023