# Crossword Puzzle Words **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [May 2, 2001, 2:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crossword-puzzle-words/64029 "2001-05-02T02:58:56Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![cmkeller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cmkeller/32/118_2.png) [@cmkeller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cmkeller)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2001, 2:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crossword-puzzle-words/64029/1 "2001-05-02T02:58:56Z")
I do my local newspaper’s crossword every day, and one thing that drives me nuts are “crossword puzzle words”…words that do, technically, exist, but you never see them used outside a crossword puzzle, but in a crossword, they’ll pop up three out of five times. Let’s see how many we can think of. OLEO…is there really anyone who doesn’t just call the stuff “margarine”? OLIO. IRAE (the clue is _always_ “Dies \_\_\_\_”.) SEPAL ---
**Author:** ![aseymayo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a88e57/32.png) [@aseymayo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aseymayo)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2001, 4:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crossword-puzzle-words/64029/2 "2001-05-02T04:04:28Z")
AYAH and AMAH - both usually defined as “Eastern nurse.” ---
**Author:** ![Flutterby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/6f9a4e/32.png) [@Flutterby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Flutterby)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2001, 4:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crossword-puzzle-words/64029/3 "2001-05-02T04:08:44Z")
That _OLEO_ clue screwed with my mind for ages till I got the nerve up to cheat and look at the back of the book! (I never get to the paper crosswords before Grandpa so they are almost always completely done by the time I get home. I have to hoard my books too because he’ll snag mine and do the puzzles leaving none for me.) ---
**Author:** ![Tamex](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ccd318/32.png) [@Tamex](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tamex)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2001, 5:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crossword-puzzle-words/64029/4 "2001-05-02T05:34:30Z")
ORONO-a college town in Maine EDINA-a Minneapolis suburb (_or_ a character on “Absolutely Fabulous”) Strangely enough, though, Orono is also the name of a Minneapolis suburb! (West of the city, on the north shore of Lake Minnetonka…and at least one Doper went to high school there ;)) I keep waiting for a puzzle where the clue “Minneapolis suburb” actually refers to Orono instead of Edina. I can just imagine the frustration of all the smug people out there who would think “Aha! Five-letter Minneapolis suburb…I know that one!” and then confidently fill in “EDINA”, using a pen, of course. Hee hee hee! And then the indignation when they find out that the answer is indeed “ORONO”–“That can’t be right! Orono is a college town in Maine! I bet that there is no Orono, Minneso…oops, there it is!” I have a feeling that if I ever want to see that clue, I’ll have to make up my own puzzle. One Across has a [Crossword Puzzle Purity Test](http://www.oneacross.com/crosswords/purity.html) where you can test yourself on all the common “crossword” words and their clues. ---
**Author:** ![MEBuckner](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mebuckner/32/2896_2.png) [@MEBuckner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MEBuckner)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2001, 6:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crossword-puzzle-words/64029/5 "2001-05-02T06:02:21Z")
How about “Irani” meaning “person from Iran”. Now, sure, you’ve got Iraqis and Omanis and Kuwaitis and even Yemenis. But in English, people from Iran are referred to as “Iranians”–except in crossword-speak. ---
**Author:** ![Zenster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/cdc98d/32.png) [@Zenster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zenster)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2001, 7:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crossword-puzzle-words/64029/6 "2001-05-02T07:22:00Z")
Let us not forget: **Iter** = Roman road **Ani** = blackbird **Moa** = extinct bird **Adit** = mine enterance **Chit** = marker or IOU **Quern** = grain grinding mortar **Quire** = quantity of paper **Aper** = imitator **Nee** = once known as **Stele** = stone obelisk **Poa** = bluegrass …and all of the endless others. Remember, real crossword addicts do their puzzles in **INK**! ---
**Author:** ![Andy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/aeb1de/32.png) [@Andy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Andy)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2001, 7:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crossword-puzzle-words/64029/7 "2001-05-02T07:54:57Z")
_Con_…I’ve never seen it used anywhere else (obsolete, to study?) ---
**Author:** ![gadgetgirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c5a1d2/32.png) [@gadgetgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gadgetgirl)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2001, 7:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crossword-puzzle-words/64029/8 "2001-05-02T07:57:50Z")
I somehow always use “epee” and “fjord”. Fjord is the only word I have used in real life. ---
**Author:** ![Dave\_Plankton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a6a055/32.png) [@Dave\_Plankton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dave_Plankton)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2001, 9:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crossword-puzzle-words/64029/9 "2001-05-02T09:11:30Z")
whenever there is a clue about fish it is nearly always ‘EEl’ ---
**Author:** ![Biotop](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biotop/32/321_2.png) [@Biotop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biotop)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2001, 12:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crossword-puzzle-words/64029/10 "2001-05-02T12:49:18Z")
Has anone ever really used the arrow poison **inee**? ---
**Author:** ![Rockwell](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c0e974/32.png) [@Rockwell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rockwell)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2001, 1:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crossword-puzzle-words/64029/11 "2001-05-02T13:04:49Z")
Some other ones that come to mind: ecru = tan portent = omen pram = baby buggy ---
**Author:** ![Ukulele\_Ike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/df788c/32.png) [@Ukulele\_Ike](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ukulele_Ike)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2001, 1:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crossword-puzzle-words/64029/12 "2001-05-02T13:41:41Z")
How about “nene,” the state bird of Hawaii? Yeah, there’s one I use every day. ---
**Author:** ![vix](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/a88e4f/32.png) [@vix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vix)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2001, 1:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crossword-puzzle-words/64029/13 "2001-05-02T13:46:44Z")
A four letter word for “curved molding”? Why **ogee** , of course! ---
**Author:** ![screech-owl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/82dd89/32.png) [@screech-owl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/screech-owl)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2001, 1:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crossword-puzzle-words/64029/14 "2001-05-02T13:53:26Z")
I’ve found the “Florida City” 5-letter clue usually ends up to be **OCALA** , rarely **TAMPA** or **MIAMI**. Only once have I seen **OPALOCKA** (obviously without a hyphen). **Uke** - I use ‘nene’ more often than you do. ---
**Author:** ![Spoons](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spoons/32/3141_2.png) [@Spoons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoons)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2001, 2:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crossword-puzzle-words/64029/15 "2001-05-02T14:16:59Z")
I’ve encountered all the words given so far, but one that isn’t in the list yet is **erne**. Sometimes the variant **ern** is used in the puzzle, but the meaning is always the same: sea eagle. ---
**Author:** ![OxyMoron](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/e9a140/32.png) [@OxyMoron](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OxyMoron)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2001, 2:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crossword-puzzle-words/64029/16 "2001-05-02T14:44:23Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by cmkeller \* > \*\*OLEO…is there really anyone who doesn’t just call the stuff “margarine”? > \*\* Oh, my late grandmother (from North Dakota) always called it “oleo,” especially on recipe cards where it takes less space than “margarine.” I’m not sure if it reflected her age or region. Other crosswords I love: Eft (clue:newt) Ural (clue: Russian _river_, never mountain) Adat, or, very occasionally, Av (clue: Hebrew month) Loved the list, Tamax - one of the answers I’m looking for (and may have encountered) is a _five_ letter word for “Architect Saarinen,” for the answer is Eliel, Eero’s father. ---
**Author:** ![sdimbert](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sdimbert/32/20204_2.png) [@sdimbert](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sdimbert)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2001, 3:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crossword-puzzle-words/64029/17 "2001-05-02T15:02:19Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by xtnjohnson \* > \*\*Other crosswords I love: > > Eft (clue:newt) > Ural (clue: Russian _river_, never mountain) > Adat, or, very occasionally, Av (clue: Hebrew month) > \*\* Umm… I believe that the Hebrew month is _Adar_ not “Adat.” ;j ---
**Author:** ![Jack\_Batty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jack_batty/32/3201_2.png) [@Jack\_Batty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jack_Batty)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2001, 3:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crossword-puzzle-words/64029/18 "2001-05-02T15:13:27Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Tamex \* > \*\*ORONO-a college town in Maine > \*\* I’ll have you know I attended The University of Maine at Orono for two full semesters [sub]before they politely asked me not to return[/sub] My words: **ADIT** - Mine entrance. **ADZE** - Type of saw. **ANA** - Book collection. **AWL** - Hole punch. **ODA** - Harem room. **OBI** - Kimono sash. I’m sure there are many more, but it should be said that mastery of these freaky little words is the key to crossword puzzle solving proficiency. ---
**Author:** ![Humble\_Servant](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/47e85d/32.png) [@Humble\_Servant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Humble_Servant)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2001, 3:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crossword-puzzle-words/64029/19 "2001-05-02T15:19:15Z")
If it’s a Melville novel, it must be **Omoo**. ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2001, 3:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crossword-puzzle-words/64029/20 "2001-05-02T15:26:58Z")
Then there are the “famous” people who would have been forgotten long ago if their names weren’t so crosswordable: (William) Inge, (James) Agee, Oona (Chaplin), (Bobby) Orr, Elia (Kazan)… [100% crossword impure–I am so ashamed…] [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crossword-puzzle-words/64029.md?page=2)