# What are some stock crossword puzzle clues? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [February 22, 2006, 1:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-some-stock-crossword-puzzle-clues/345618 "2006-02-22T13:37:55Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![TellMeI\_mNotCrazy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tellmei_mnotcrazy/32/3419_2.png) [@TellMeI\_mNotCrazy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TellMeI_mNotCrazy)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2006, 1:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-some-stock-crossword-puzzle-clues/345618/1 "2006-02-22T13:37:55Z")
Prompted by (and borrowing from) a post in another thread, what are some stock crossword puzzle clues often employed by lazier or unimaginative puzzle writers? As mentioned in the other thread, there’s Formerly Persia (or, Persia Today) for Iran Then there’s Miner’s Entrance (Adit) Sea fowl (Tern) Eagle’s home (Aerie) Any others? ---
**Author:** ![MsRobyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/90ced4/32.png) [@MsRobyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MsRobyn)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2006, 1:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-some-stock-crossword-puzzle-clues/345618/2 "2006-02-22T13:49:14Z")
Paging **twickster** … Robin ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2006, 1:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-some-stock-crossword-puzzle-clues/345618/3 "2006-02-22T13:51:19Z")
Composer Ned – Rorem (also given as US composer). It’s a good word to fill in the blanks. ---
**Author:** ![Trunk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/87869e/32.png) [@Trunk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trunk)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2006, 2:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-some-stock-crossword-puzzle-clues/345618/4 "2006-02-22T14:01:50Z")
1997 Peter Fonda role – ULEE. (this is sort of a private joke. My wife saw that movie, and whenever it shows up, I go, “hmmm. 1997 Peter Fonda role. . .” like I’m thinking.) You gotta watch out with sea fowl. Sometimes it’s ERNE, and sometimes it’s ERNS. Also, EIRE shows up a lot as an answer (Yeats home, for example) ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2006, 2:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-some-stock-crossword-puzzle-clues/345618/5 "2006-02-22T14:05:19Z")
I came in to say **erne** , which has already been given (although I always see the clue “Sea Eagle” for it) “Tolkien creature” - ENT “Spanish Gold” – ORO “Art Supporter” – EASEL and the ever popular “direction opposite to \_\_\_” for ENE, ESE. etc. ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2006, 2:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-some-stock-crossword-puzzle-clues/345618/6 "2006-02-22T14:22:48Z")
When I’m training a new editor, the first exercise is, “Write me 50 – yes, 50 – clues for ‘star’ and sort them into easy, medium, and hard.” Any takers? 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Honey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/honey/32/5074_2.png) [@Honey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Honey)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2006, 2:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-some-stock-crossword-puzzle-clues/345618/7 "2006-02-22T14:26:32Z")
“Likely” - Apt ---
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2006, 2:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-some-stock-crossword-puzzle-clues/345618/8 "2006-02-22T14:30:22Z")
I wonder if they could use: ESAI – before Morales ENYA – before the singer eBay – before ARON – before Elvis IPOD – before New words are popping up with great regularity in the puzzles I work. ---
**Author:** ![Beware\_of\_Doug](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/278dde/32.png) [@Beware\_of\_Doug](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beware_of_Doug)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2006, 2:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-some-stock-crossword-puzzle-clues/345618/9 "2006-02-22T14:41:22Z")
> [@twickster](#): > > When I’m training a new editor, the first exercise is, “Write me 50 – yes, 50 – clues for ‘star’ and sort them into easy, medium, and hard.” > > Any takers? 😉 :rolleyes: Well gee, you don’t have to snap so. This isn’t the city desk. But yeah, here’s 9, count 'em, 9. **EASY** : Little twinkler. Celeb. Sheriff’s shield. **MEDIUM** : Lead. Navigator’s aid. You might hitch your wagon to it. **HARD** : Mark as special. Kind of chamber. Writer Darren. While we’re submittin’ stuff, I’ll submit that short, E-intensive words are not used solely by lazy puzzlers, but are really the Tinkertoy disks of crosswordom: handy connectors for words that otherwise might not connect at all. My hometown happens to be one: **Iowa college town \_ \_ \_ \_** AMES ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2006, 2:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-some-stock-crossword-puzzle-clues/345618/10 "2006-02-22T14:43:12Z")
**Zeldar** – nope, of course not. Which is why we are so giddy when a new word becomes common enough to use in a puzzle – I’ve thrown “blog” and “glurge” into grids. And despite my hardcore liberal credentials, I wasn’t entirely pissed when Alito was confirmed – there’s a damned useful crossword word. ---
**Author:** ![TellMeI\_mNotCrazy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tellmei_mnotcrazy/32/3419_2.png) [@TellMeI\_mNotCrazy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TellMeI_mNotCrazy)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2006, 2:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-some-stock-crossword-puzzle-clues/345618/11 "2006-02-22T14:47:38Z")
I don’t mean to imply the use of the words themselves are so much an indicator of laziness, more that the recycled clue is. I can’t count the number of times I’ve seen “Formerly Persia” or “Miner’s Entrance” as the clue, when, IMHO, there are surely more creative ways to clue them than to use the old standbys. (Sure, if I’m so smart, why don’t _I_ come up with some? Cause I’m not a crossword puzzle constructor :p) ---
**Author:** ![August\_West](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/august_west/32/18069_2.png) [@August\_West](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/August_West)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2006, 2:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-some-stock-crossword-puzzle-clues/345618/12 "2006-02-22T14:56:59Z")
Some common ones I’ve noticed: ‘Lemieux’s mileau’ for “ice” ‘Chew the scenery’ for “emote” And about 100 different clues for “lea” ---
**Author:** ![dasgupta](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e56c9b/32.png) [@dasgupta](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dasgupta)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2006, 3:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-some-stock-crossword-puzzle-clues/345618/13 "2006-02-22T15:02:23Z")
I tend to see ‘Butter substitute’, ‘Spreadable butter’, ‘Dieter’s spread’, etc… OLEO. Mmmm… vowels. ---
**Author:** ![Eonwe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eonwe/32/240_2.png) [@Eonwe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eonwe)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2006, 3:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-some-stock-crossword-puzzle-clues/345618/14 "2006-02-22T15:31:36Z")
I can’t think of how many different clues I’ve seen for ‘epee.’ They’re all painfully obvious, though. Once I learned the word, I don’t think I’ve seen a clue pointing to that word that I didn’t get right away. Similarly, ‘alb’ is alway the obvious answer to any clue I’ve seen. ---
**Author:** ![bup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/6bbea6/32.png) [@bup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bup)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2006, 3:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-some-stock-crossword-puzzle-clues/345618/15 "2006-02-22T15:45:51Z")
Nick and Nora’s dog **Asta** - I used to think it was a rule to have that in a crossword puzzle. sewing case **ETUI** End of ROAD? **STER** formerly, formerly **ERST** former Italian currency **LIRE** winglike **ALAR** Melville novel **OMOO** writer James **AGEE** old hotrod **REO** L-Q connection (and many other variations) **MNOP** and, of course, compass direction **NNE** or **ENE** or **ESE** or **SSE** or… ---
**Author:** ![Plynck](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/3e96dc/32.png) [@Plynck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Plynck)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2006, 4:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-some-stock-crossword-puzzle-clues/345618/16 "2006-02-22T16:01:34Z")
I once read a rather barbed comment in an article about crossword puzzles. It said that a seasoned puzzle constructor has struck bottom when they are forced to use **ANOA** (_Celebes Ox_) in one of their creations. As one who struggled for far too long to create even one puzzle, I am impressed with anyone who can create any puzzle at all. ---
**Author:** ![Zsofia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/7bcc69/32.png) [@Zsofia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zsofia)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2006, 4:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-some-stock-crossword-puzzle-clues/345618/17 "2006-02-22T16:22:13Z")
Charlie Chaplin’s wife - Oona Hawaiian goose - nene ---
**Author:** ![samm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/858c86/32.png) [@samm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samm)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2006, 4:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-some-stock-crossword-puzzle-clues/345618/18 "2006-02-22T16:26:19Z")
I see these a lot: “french summer” - ETE “curvy letter” - ESS “exclamation of understanding” - AHA “woodwind” - OBOE “opera solo” - ARIA ---
**Author:** ![UrbanChic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/9dc877/32.png) [@UrbanChic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UrbanChic)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2006, 4:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-some-stock-crossword-puzzle-clues/345618/19 "2006-02-22T16:36:07Z")
Active volcano / European Volcano / Volcano in Italy: ETNA Useful Plant / Lotion base, maybe: ALOE All het up: AGOG A ship’s side/ Away from the wind: ALEE When I start today’s xword puzzle, I’m sure I’ll come up with some more. ---
**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:** [February 22, 2006, 4:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-some-stock-crossword-puzzle-clues/345618/20 "2006-02-22T16:46:43Z")
One that really pisses me off: “Teenage ailment”: ACNE I wish all the zits I’ve had since turning 20 on the next crossword maker who clues it thusly. :mad: [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-some-stock-crossword-puzzle-clues/345618.md?page=2)