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 50,385 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| ASKFORTROUBLE | Mon Nov 17, 2008 | Take unnecessary risks | Paula Gamache |
| BAGGIES | Sun Mar 7, 1999 | Sandwich holders | Randolph Ross |
| BASKETCASES | Tue Dec 13, 2016 | Court precedents involving games of hoops? | David Alfred Bywaters |
| BILLYJOE | Tue Apr 8, 2008 | Subject of a 1976 film "ode" | Dave Mackey |
| BITEYOURTONGUE | Mon Oct 13, 1997 | "Hush!" | Gregory E. Paul |
| BOBSLEDTEAMS | Thu Oct 4, 2001 | Some Winter Olympians | David J. Kahn |
| BUMMINGAROUND | Fri Sep 26, 2014 | Spending time unprofitably | Patrick Berry |
| BUSTINON | Fri Apr 19, 2024 | Surprise, F.B.I.-style | Kate Hawkins |
| CLEMATISES | Sat Feb 19, 2000 | Virgin's-bowers, e.g. | Rich Norris |
| COURTCASE | Wed May 17, 2017 | ... seconds to clear / Successful detective's ... | Paul Hunsberger |
| CUTTLEFISH | Tue Jan 2, 2001 | Squid's cousin | Sarah Keller |
| DISCREET | Sun Feb 8, 2004 | Circumspect | Randolph Ross |
| DOORBELLS | Wed Mar 31, 1999 | See 36-Across | Patrick Jordan |
| DRILLRIG | Tue Apr 27, 2004 | Oil company structure | Janet R. Bender |
| EASTBAY | Mon Nov 23, 2020 | Locale of Oakland and Alameda | Stanley Newman |
| EMPIREWAIST | Fri Oct 2, 2009 | Dress style that appears to lengthen the body | Brad Wilber |
| FALSERETURN | Sat Feb 26, 2011 | Red flag for the I.R.S. | Bob Peoples |
| FRAFILIPPOLIPPI | Sat Apr 6, 2019 | Renaissance artist who's famous for his "Coronation of the Virgin" | Ned White |
| GUNBORE | Fri Dec 16, 2022 | Channel through a barrel | Kameron Austin Collins |
| HEMMER | Sun Jul 1, 2001 | Dress finisher | Manny Nosowsky |
| IBANKERS | Fri Nov 20, 2020 | Many workers on Wall Street, informally | Kameron Austin Collins |
| IRISHPUBS | Wed Mar 10, 2021 | They're usually packed on St. Patrick's Day | Nancy Stark and Will Nediger |
| MARXISM | Fri Oct 10, 2008 | School concerned with classes? | Kyle Mahowald |
| MENDELEYEV | Fri Sep 13, 2002 | Periodic table developer | Mel Rosen |
| NICEGUYS | Sun Oct 22, 1995 | Proverbial last-place finishers | Matt Gaffney |
| ONEEIGHTIES | Thu Jan 18, 2024 | Complete reversals | Jon Michnovicz and Carl Michnovicz |
| PATENTEE | Thu Jun 26, 2025 | Bell for the telephone, for one | Simeon Seigel |
| RAGSTORICHES | Thu Mar 19, 2015 | Encyclopedia volume on wealth accumulation? | Todd Gross |
| REQUIRESOF | Sat Sep 29, 2012 | Needs from | Joe DiPietro |
| RIPTOPIECES | Thu Dec 18, 2014 | *Ashtray | Timothy Polin |
| RUNSONEMPTY | Thu Oct 22, 2020 | Keeps going despite fatigue ... or a hint to three features of this puzzle | Sid Sivakumar |
| SCOTCHANDSODA | Thu Aug 8, 2024 | Mixed drink with an alliterative name | Christopher Youngs |
| SHUTSOFF | Mon Aug 26, 2002 | Stops, as electricity | Charles E. Gersch |
| SIGHSOFRELIEF | Mon Dec 16, 2002 | "Ahhh" and "Whew, that was close!" | Jim Hyres |
| SISTERSINLAW | Fri Jan 15, 2016 | Women who might share the same surname | Patrick Berry |
| STINTON | Sun Dec 13, 2009 | Hold back | Mike Shenk |
| TICKLEMONSTER | Wed Jun 4, 2025 | "Creature" that might "attack" a small child | Danna Rosenberg |
| TUGSAT | Sun Jan 22, 2017 | Pulls on, as heartstrings | Dan Schoenholz |
| VASLAVNIJINSKY | Tue Oct 8, 1996 | Noted Ballet Russe dancer | E. C. Gorski |
| WARPER | Fri Jan 7, 2005 | Water, vis-à-vis wood | Stella Daily and Bruce Venzke |