Clever Clue of the Month

July 2026
Clue: Slice of Life or nick of Time?................PAPERCUT
Constructors: Gus Bloxham & Bharati Hemaddy
Editor: Will Shortz
NYT, Tuesday, July 14, 2026 

Clever Clue Nominees

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

Crash specialist...........................TECH
Takes a hand in Vegas, perhaps.............ELOPES
Delights?..................................DIMS
Org. for successful female club owners?....LPGA
Slice of Life or nick of Time?.............PAPERCUT
Card on which age is literally just a
number.....................................FAKEID

 

Clever Clue of the Month

June 2026
Clue: Streaming device................FIREHOSE
Constructor: David P. Williams; Editor: Stanley Newman
Newsday, Saturday, June 27, 2026

Clever Clue Nominees

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

House hunter?..............................MOUSER
He’s had 40+ jobs since the ’60s (surfer,
boxer, barista…)...........................KEN
Exercise that may wind up in a
playground?................................FIREDRILL
One concerned with transparency in the
workplace?.................................GLASSBLOWER
Maker of sole music?.......................TAPSHOE
Streaming device...........................FIREHOSE

Clever Clue of the Month

May 2026
Clue: Navel brass?....................................................BELLYBUTTONRING
Constructor: Karen Steinberg; Editor: Patti Varol
LAT, Saturday, May 16, 2026

Clever Clue Nominees

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

Headspring?................................RINGLET
"Watch this ill-advised thing I'm gonna
do"........................................HOLDMYBEER
Don't start with me!.......................SECONDSTRINGER
Navel brass?...............................BELLYBUTTONRING
Places to train for a few rounds?..........BARCARS
Silent film figure?........................EXTRA

Clever Clue of the Month

 

April 2026
Clue: Pop up on screens?.........................................TVDAD
Constructor/Editor: Brendan Emmett Quigley
Brendan Emmett Quigley Crossword, Monday, April 6, 2026 

Clever Clue Nominees

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

Distraction at home?.......................HEYBATTERBATTER

Pop up on screens?.........................TVDAD
Primitive flatulence simulators............ARMPITS
Request that might get a canned response?..BEERME
Trashy TV star?............................OSCAR
Wear a cape, for example?..................ERODE

Clever Clue of the Month

March 2026
Clue: Lab entrances?............................PETDOORS
Constructor: John Dunn; Editor: Mike Shenk
WSJ, Monday, March 9, 2026

Clever Clue Nominees

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

Lab entrances?.............................PETDOORS

Locales for the late news?.................OBITPAGES
Parts of a story structure?................IBEAMS
Predator with a mask, e.g. ................GOALIE
Key that's hard to reach?..................DESERTISLE

Bill passer?...............................JOSHALLEN

Clever Clue of the Month

February 2026
Clue: Reason to cover a lot of ground quickly?.....RAINDELAY
Constructor: Amanda Cook; Editor: Patti Varol
LAT, Saturday, February 14, 2026

Clever Clue Nominees

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

Hit close to home?.........................BUNT

Spend money gratuitously?..................LEAVEATIP
Reason to cover a lot of ground quickly?...RAINDELAY
Boot out of Europe?........................ITALY
Bad spot for a date?.......................PIMPLE
Item with decreasing usefulness?...........STEAMIRON

January 2026
Clue: Spoiler alerts?...................SELLBYDATES
Constructor: Emily Biegas; Editor: Patti Varol
LAT, Saturday, January 17, 2026

Clever Clue Nominees

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

Scenario just before a board takeover?.......MATEINTWO

Have no reception, say.......................ELOPE
Coming-out party?............................BABYSHOWER
Spoiler alerts?..............................SELLBYDATES
Demonstrated sound judgment?.................TSKED
They may trick or treat?.....................PLACEBOS

Clever Clue of the Month

December 2025
Clue: Key to some character assasinations?.......DEL
Constructor/Editor: Brendan Emmet Quigley
Brendan Emmet Quigley's Crossword, Monday, December 29, 2025