# 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:** 2
**Author:** ![12\_buzz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/1/4491bb/32.png) [@12\_buzz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/12_buzz)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2006, 4:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-some-stock-crossword-puzzle-clues/345618/21 "2006-02-22T16:47:05Z")
There are about a dozen ways to ask for Erie - Penna. port canal terminus northern Indian tribe battle site for Perry shallowest Great Lake ---
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2006, 4:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-some-stock-crossword-puzzle-clues/345618/22 "2006-02-22T16:48:50Z")
I have done like…thousands of crossword puzzles. But I usually do them in tandem with my dad (I do it while I eat dinner, he does it when he eats dinner later, I finish when I eat breakfast). There’s one I always see: “Seed coating” or “seed cover” And…I don’t…know…whatitis…cuziletmydadfillitin ☹ ---
**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, 4:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-some-stock-crossword-puzzle-clues/345618/23 "2006-02-22T16:58:58Z")
Aril. ---
**Author:** ![Askia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/96bed5/32.png) [@Askia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Askia)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2006, 5:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-some-stock-crossword-puzzle-clues/345618/24 "2006-02-22T17:29:44Z")
EASY 1 A night sky light 2 Twinkle, twinkle, little \_\_\_\_\_ 3 \_\_\_\_ light, \_\_\_\_\_ bright 4 The sun is one 5 “\_\_\_\_\_ Trek” (TV series) 6 “\_\_\_\_\_ Wars” (TV series) 7 “\_\_\_\_\_ Search” (TV series) 8 " When You Wish Upon A **" (song) 9 Garland’s “A \_\_\_\_\_\_ Is Born” (movie) 10 "Battle** Galactica" (TV series) 11 Texas is the Lone \_\_\_\_ state 12 Super\_\_\_\_! (Molly Shannon movie) 13 Jesus Christ, Super\_\_\_\_\_ (musical) 14 the north \_\_\_\_\_ (astronomy) 15 very famous 17 highly celebrated 18 a self-luminous body 19 singular of stars 20 symbol on dressing room door MEDIUM 1 -board and -fish 2 -struck and super- 3 88 form a constellation 4 Abolitionist newspaper, “North \_\_\_\_\_\_” 5 telephone key 6 Metropolis’ Scientific Technology And Research Labs (abbr.) 7 Common vari. of SWAT 8 Standard Terminal Arrival Route 9 Toronto’s largest daily 10 asterisk 11 Sol 12 Proxima Centauri 13 Alpha Centari A or B 13 Wolf 359 14 Barnard’s is one 15 Either Sirius A or B (I presume in these cases the scientific names of stars constitute a medium level of familiarality and difficulty.) HARD 1 Cordwainer Bird series, “The \_\_\_\_ Lost” 2 1991 Jan Garbarek album 3 Merged with Minneapolis Tribute 4 Latin, “aster” 5 1952 Bette Davis film 6 Racing keelboat class 7 Xerox graphic interface 8 follows day- and super- 9 Nairobi’s Day\_\_\_\_ University 10 Tarot XVII 11 North Carolina town 12 Groombride 34 13 Banard’s or Kapteyn’s 14 TAU Ceti 15 Van Mehaan Let me know if I have a future as an editor, **Twickster.** ---
**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:** [February 22, 2006, 5:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-some-stock-crossword-puzzle-clues/345618/25 "2006-02-22T17:44:58Z")
It may be a slight hijack, but I’m intrigued by clues for “star.” Let’s see how many I can manage: Easy: –Polaris or Alpha Centauri. –Twinkler in a children’s rhyme. –Item on a US flag. –With “board,” side of a ship. –Take the lead role. Medium: –With “On,” car equipment. –Hollywood sidewalk feature. –Before “struck” or “shell.” –Gary Coleman, once. –Sapphire type. –Student’s golden reward. –Reviewer’s rating tool. –Tabloid. –Moroccan flag feature. Hard: –One of three in a hockey game. –Continuous nuclear reaction. –Lab animals that walk backwards. –St. Basil’s topper, once. –Drummer Ingo. Well, if I can think of any more, I’ll post them (and on preview, I see **Askia** has posted a pile of them as well). **Twickster** , you are a constructor? For whom, if I may ask? ---
**Author:** ![gotpasswords](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c57346/32.png) [@gotpasswords](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gotpasswords)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2006, 5:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-some-stock-crossword-puzzle-clues/345618/26 "2006-02-22T17:55:30Z")
Inter (ALIA) pops up a lot One that just seemed odd was Face hole (PORE) Take the B Train (CDEF…) STAR (and what else, but stars showing toughness) Toronto Daily (and a gaggle of other newpapers) \* Galaxy Item \* ATM Network \*\* Asterisk \* Twinkler \* Acting Lead \* Wildcard \*\* Stelliform Object \* Erstwhile PC \*\*\* Lisa’s Inspiration \*\*\* Constellation Denizen \* Red Dwarf \*\* Restaurant Rater \* Eight Shifted \* - Crossed \* Bell-LaPadula property \*\*\* Rock Follower \* Gazer Introduction \* ---
**Author:** ![ivylass](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/9de053/32.png) [@ivylass](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ivylass)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2006, 5:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-some-stock-crossword-puzzle-clues/345618/27 "2006-02-22T17:56:46Z")
I’ve seen Hockey Great Bobby — used a bit. Must be something about ORR that helps pull the puzzle together. Likewise EWER and EIRE and ERIE. ---
**Author:** ![garygnu](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/garygnu/32/2924_2.png) [@garygnu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/garygnu)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2006, 6:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-some-stock-crossword-puzzle-clues/345618/28 "2006-02-22T18:04:20Z")
Kimono sash Country siner McIntire ---
**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, 6:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-some-stock-crossword-puzzle-clues/345618/29 "2006-02-22T18:06:00Z")
Some of the shorties fall into a category I call “dicwords”: yeah, they’re in the dictionary, but you’d have to be kind of a dic (or a word weenie) to know them. Like **ASEA** , meaning seaward or to the ocean. That guy who used to do the _Times_ puzzle, Mollusca, Maledicta, whatsisname, he was big on dicwords. ---
**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:** [February 22, 2006, 6:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-some-stock-crossword-puzzle-clues/345618/30 "2006-02-22T18:14:54Z")
> [@Beware of Doug](#): > > That guy who used to do the _Times_ puzzle, Mollusca, Maledicta, whatsisname, he was big on dicwords. Eugene T. Maleska, and yes he was. I’ll quote from the brief bio on the back of one of my _New York Times_ Sunday puzzle collections: > [@](#): > > Befitting his [Maleska’s] background as a poet, educator, classicist, and opera buff, Maleska brought a scholarly tone to the _Times_ crosswords while still maintaining as good sense of fun. I dunno about that “good sense of fun” part. A few of Maleska’s puzzles ended up being more frustrating than fun. ---
**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, 7:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-some-stock-crossword-puzzle-clues/345618/31 "2006-02-22T19:06:10Z")
> [@Spoons](#): > > **Twickster** , you are a constructor? For whom, if I may ask? Editor, for a major magazine publisher. I’ve done some constructing, but mostly (for crosswords at least) I write clues. I’ll critique everyone’s “star” clues later, but they deserve actual thought and consideration, and, um, right now I’ve got a crossword magazine to edit. 😃 ---
**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, 8:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-some-stock-crossword-puzzle-clues/345618/32 "2006-02-22T20:25:18Z")
> [@Spoons](#): > > A few of Maleska’s puzzles ended up being more frustrating than fun. I agree. I have a book of his Sundays and I’ve gotten to the point where if I can get one done with only 2 or 3 blank letterboxes, I consider it a good show. The puzzles where 4 or 5 utterly obscure clues intersect, leaving a huge blank area, remind me of the contemptuous professor addressing first-year law or med students in old movies, holding up some giant tome and saying: “You will memorize everything in this book, and when you are through with that, you will know exactly nothing, because you will _never_ know enough.” ---
**Author:** ![Llama\_Llogophile](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/49beb7/32.png) [@Llama\_Llogophile](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Llama_Llogophile)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2006, 9:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-some-stock-crossword-puzzle-clues/345618/33 "2006-02-22T21:09:36Z")
I’d say I come across “aloe” in about 1/3 of the puzzles I do. Also seen “opt” a lot lately. ---
**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, 9:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-some-stock-crossword-puzzle-clues/345618/34 "2006-02-22T21:13:08Z")
I wonder how much of a challenge it would be to construct a puzzle based solely on such clues? Obviously it would be much of a hard solve, but it seems it could be challenging to actually create. ---
**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, 9:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-some-stock-crossword-puzzle-clues/345618/35 "2006-02-22T21:13:09Z")
jai \_\_\_\_ **ALAI** ---
**Author:** ![amarinth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3be4f8/32.png) [@amarinth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/amarinth)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2006, 9:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-some-stock-crossword-puzzle-clues/345618/36 "2006-02-22T21:30:15Z")
> [@dasgupta](#): > > I tend to see ‘Butter substitute’, ‘Spreadable butter’, ‘Dieter’s spread’, etc… > > OLEO. Mmmm… vowels. If I had a dollar for every time I’ve seen “Jai \_\_\_\_” I, um, could buy more crossword books. At least OLEO has several possible (if easily solved) clues. ---
**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, 9:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-some-stock-crossword-puzzle-clues/345618/37 "2006-02-22T21:33:13Z")
Don’t forget the other one – OLIO is “a jumble” or “mix”. ---
**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, 11:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-some-stock-crossword-puzzle-clues/345618/38 "2006-02-22T23:10:54Z")
Definitely not a stock one, but truly amusing when you run across it: This – CLUE ---
**Author:** ![N9IWP](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/n9iwp/32/3154_2.png) [@N9IWP](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/N9IWP)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2006, 11:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-some-stock-crossword-puzzle-clues/345618/39 "2006-02-22T23:20:19Z")
“Star Wars Planet” is almost always ENDOR Asian Nurse - AMAH I hate it when there are instersecting “name” clues. e.g. “film editor Gonzales” intesecting with “Ukrainian author Szervk” (made up names) Brian ---
**Author:** ![12\_buzz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/1/4491bb/32.png) [@12\_buzz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/12_buzz)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2006, 1:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-some-stock-crossword-puzzle-clues/345618/40 "2006-02-23T01:55:51Z")
Ents and orcs are animals in that Trilogy of the Rings movie, apparently. Not exactly on the same level as the Roc, the giant bird in 1001 Arabian Nights. Egyptian gods Isis and Osiris and Aton Many clues about asps, like deadly creature of the nile, Cleo’s bane apse is the curved side room of a cathedral albs are priests garb [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-some-stock-crossword-puzzle-clues/345618.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-some-stock-crossword-puzzle-clues/345618.md?page=3)