This page is just for fun. It's a random collection of rare crossword answers — so rare that each appears only in a single Shortz-era puzzle. Not all these words make sense. Some of them are unique because they're part of some wacky theme. Some are errors that don't fit the standard Across Lite format. There are 48,381 unique Shortz-era answer words in the database.
Click any word to see it in the context of its puzzle. Click here to see a new list. Words in this color did appear in pre-Shortz crosswords.
| Word | Date | Clue | Author |
|---|---|---|---|
| ABANDSHIP | Sun 7/7/2002 | Musical group's regatta entry? | Lloyd E. Pollet |
| ACEDIT | Sun 2/3/2013 | Confident test-taker's cry | Dan Schoenholz |
| ACTSSORE | Mon 1/24/2000 | Shows peevishness | Randall J. Hartman |
| AMATEURASTRONOMER | Sun 12/19/2010 | Many an avid observer of a 125-Across | Kevin G. Der |
| CARBO | Fri 6/2/2006 | ___-loading | Jim Page |
| COMEONEILEEN | Sun 11/24/2013 | "Hurry up, Ms. Brennan!" | Gary Cee |
| DRSPOCK | Tue 9/30/2003 | Parental adviser | Kevan Choset |
| FASCINATING | Sat 11/18/2006 | Able to draw | Victor Fleming |
| FAXPRINTER | Thu 10/30/2003 | Dual-purpose office device | Patrick Berry |
| FISTIC | Sat 4/19/2008 | Boxing-related | Bob Klahn |
| FORTLEE | Mon 4/1/2013 | New Jersey city on the west side of the George Washington Bridge | Gary J. Whitehead |
| FREETRANSLATION | Fri 10/25/2013 | It's not word-for-word | Martin Ashwood-Smith |
| HALFSEEN | Tue 1/20/2009 | Not fully noticed | Tim Wescott |
| INDISCERNIBLE | Fri 6/16/1995 | Not clear | Thomas W. Schier |
| INTERMIXES | Wed 10/19/1994 | Blends | D.J. Listort |
| KILLIAN | Sun 5/2/2004 | Classic name in Irish ales | Derrick Niederman |
| MAINLANDER | Sat 6/7/2008 | Many a Hawaiian tourist | Karen M. Tracey |
| MISLANDDRESSING | Sun 1/4/2009 | Salad bar option | Daniel A. Finan |
| MOUSEKETEERS | Sun 7/17/2005 | Group that made their first TV appearance at the opening of 75-Down | David J. Kahn |
| MRSMCTHING | Tue 10/10/2000 | Play starring 62-Across, 1952 | Frances Hansen |
| NUMBERONEDRAFTPICKS | Sun 10/31/2004 | Most popular beer brands at the concession stands? | Patrick Merrell |
| OPENDOORMANPOLICY | Sun 12/26/2010 | Hotel's ask-your-greeter-anything approach? | Darin McDaniel |
| ROCKTHEVOTE | Sat 7/27/2013 | Election-related nonprofit since 1990 | John Lieb and David Quarfoot |
| SHERMANSMARCH | Sun 3/12/1995 | Headline of #4,110 (Nov. 25, 1864) | Charles M. Deber |
| SHIRLEYMACLAINE | Sun 2/24/2008 | Actress (1983), supporting actor (1999) | Nancy Nicholson Joline |
| SHUTINS | Fri 8/6/2010 | They're home 24/7 | Patrick Berry |
| SKINNYKID | Thu 2/2/2006 | Little squirt | Byron Walden |
| SMOKESIGNAL | Wed 11/21/2007 | Means of visual communication | Kelsey Blakley |
| SOCIALIST | Sat 4/15/1995 | Bolshevik | Bob Klahn |
| STOCKTON | Fri 5/30/2003 | California gold rush town | Patrick Berry |
| TAMPERS | Mon 8/31/1998 | Fools (with) | Brendan Emmett Quigley |
| TELETAPE | Sun 6/18/1995 | Coded wire transmission | Rich Norris |
| TENABLY | Sun 7/21/2002 | In a defensible manner | Trip Payne |
| THEFAERIEQUEENE | Wed 4/8/1998 | Spenser opus | Nancy S. Ross |
| TOSSESIN | Sat 9/4/2010 | Adds | Mark Diehl |
| TRINIDADIANS | Sun 6/16/1996 | *West Indies residents | N. N. Joline |
| WALTHER | Sat 5/5/2001 | Major handgun manufacturer | Randolph Ross |
| WARANDPEACE | Wed 2/1/2012 | Classic novel of 1,000+ pages ... or a hint to the word ladder formed by the answers to the starred clues | Elizabeth C. Gorski |
| WHITESTAR | Thu 10/14/2010 | Owner of the Titanic | Jim Hilger |
| ZIPPER | Tue 3/1/2005 | Sleeping bag closer | Gilbert H. Ludwig |