This page is just for fun. It's a random collection of rare crossword answers; so rare that each appears only in a single Modern Era puzzle. Bogus entries (thematic words that make sense only in that crossword) are excluded.
There are 50,336 unique Modern Era answer words in the database.
Click any word to see it in the context of its puzzle. Words in this color did appear in pre-Shortz crosswords.
| Word | Date | Clue | Author |
|---|---|---|---|
| ATOMICAL | Mon Dec 16, 2002 | Consisting of tiny bits | Jim Hyres |
| ATTHEALTAR | Fri May 17, 2019 | Bad way to be left | Adam Fromm |
| BANDBOXES | Thu May 31, 2012 | Cylindrical cardboard containers apropos for this puzzle? | Elizabeth C. Gorski |
| BANYANS | Sun Apr 28, 2024 | Trees that can grow multiple acres wide | Mike Ellison |
| BESTPALS | Sun Aug 8, 2021 | Bosom buddies | Christina Iverson and Jeff Chen |
| BOOKSONTAPE | Fri Dec 21, 2018 | Entertainment for a long ride, perhaps | Peter A. Collins |
| BUYSTIME | Wed May 2, 2012 | Stalls | Paula Gamache |
| BYALENGTH | Sun Jun 7, 2015 | "But the winner is ... Inseam ___!" | Samuel A. Donaldson |
| CIGARSHOP | Sat Dec 15, 2018 | Locale for Cubans | Erik Agard |
| COWBOYHAT | Sun Aug 29, 1999 | Top of a range? | Lou and Fran Sabin |
| CREDITSCORE | Sat Jun 8, 2013 | Lending figure | David Quarfoot |
| DEFLATOR | Fri Mar 6, 1998 | Parking lot prankster, perhaps | Brendan Emmett Quigley |
| EAGLEOWL | Sat Jan 15, 2022 | Old World bird with distinctive ear tufts | Sam Ezersky |
| EPICDEFEAT | Thu Dec 5, 2002 | Loss on a grand scale? | Joe DiPietro |
| ETHICISTS | Wed Mar 28, 2001 | They have morals | Elizabeth C. Gorski |
| FELTHAT | Fri Jun 24, 1994 | Homburg | Mark Diehl |
| FLATTERY | Sun Feb 2, 2025 | Excessive praise | Derrick Niederman |
| HARDSHELL | Thu Mar 16, 1995 | Kind of crab | A.J. Santora |
| HYBRIDENGINES | Mon Dec 24, 2018 | Features of some eco-friendly vehicles | Brendan Emmett Quigley |
| IFITIS | Fri Nov 5, 2004 | "So what ___?!" | Manny Nosowsky |
| MEXICANFLAG | Mon Mar 15, 2021 | Where you can find a 17-Across perched on an 11-Down devouring a 25-Down | Philip K. Chow |
| MISSUGANDA | Sat Jan 28, 2006 | African beauty | Dana Motley |
| MIXOLOGIST | Thu Sep 4, 2014 | Bartender | Samuel A. Donaldson |
| NEARDISASTERS | Fri Jul 17, 2020 | Close ones | Rich Proulx |
| NETYIELD | Sat Sep 3, 2022 | Return on an investment | David Distenfeld |
| OCEANOGRAPHER | Sun Feb 18, 2001 | UNDERLINE | David J. Kahn |
| PARCHED | Tue Apr 30, 2002 | More than thirsty | John F. Hughes |
| PETERPAULANDMARY | Sun Jun 17, 2018 | Folk trio | Amanda Chung, Karl Ni and Erik Agard |
| PHONELINES | Tue May 24, 2016 | "Open" things for a call-in show | Jonathan Gersch |
| PINUPGIRL | Tue Sep 8, 2015 | Figure on a soldier's poster in W.W. II | Jacob Stulberg |
| REBUFFS | Sun Nov 30, 2003 | Snubs | Manny Nosowsky |
| REDSMITH | Thu Apr 27, 1995 | Author of the Stepquote | Lois Sidway |
| SALMIS | Fri Oct 13, 1995 | Pheasant ragouts | Charles E. Gersch |
| STRANGEBIRD | Sat Sep 29, 2012 | Odd one | Joe DiPietro |
| TAKESAPHOTO | Sat Mar 15, 2025 | Captures the moment, say | Ryan McCarty |
| THELEGIONOFDOOM | Fri Dec 22, 2017 | DC Comics supervillain group | Sam Trabucco |
| TURNUPTHEHEAT | Wed Feb 14, 2007 | Put more pressure (on) or a title for this puzzle? | Paula Gamache |
| UNIONSHOP | Sat Nov 7, 2009 | Local operation? | Bob Klahn |
| USOUR | Sun Mar 20, 2005 | "Forgive ___ trespasses " | Patrick Berry |
| WESTPOINTNY | Tue Jun 19, 2007 | Home of the U.S. Military Academy | John Underwood |