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 50,409 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| ABUL | Thu May 26, 1994 | Arabic name starter | Cathy Millhauser |
| ACCOUNTING | Wed Nov 16, 2005 | With 21-Across, there's no | Philip Thomson |
| BIGSHOESTOFILL | Sun Jul 2, 2023 | High standards established by a predecessor ... or what you are presented with in this puzzle? | Rebecca Goldstein and Rafael Musa |
| BRERBEAR | Thu Oct 30, 2003 | Uncle Remus character | Patrick Berry |
| BUILDSBRIDGES | Sun Dec 17, 2023 | Practices diplomacy | Jeremy Newton |
| BUMMINGAROUND | Fri Sep 26, 2014 | Spending time unprofitably | Patrick Berry |
| CETOLOGY | Wed Mar 4, 2015 | Study of whales | Jeff Stillman |
| CLOWNWHITE | Sun Nov 6, 1994 | Emmett Kelly makeup | A.J. Santora |
| DJSETS | Tue Jul 5, 2016 | Music mixes at a nightclub | Jules Markey |
| DUNLIN | Thu Jan 19, 1995 | Sandpiper | Bryant White |
| ETONCAP | Fri Nov 3, 2017 | English headwear with a short visor | Kameron Austin Collins and Brendan Emmett Quigley |
| FANTASTS | Sat May 7, 2005 | Visionaries | Patrick Berry |
| FUELUP | Sat Oct 23, 2021 | Go from E to F | Sam Ezersky |
| GOBLINMODE | Sat Sep 2, 2023 | Oxford English Dictionary's Word of the Year in 2022, describing an unapologetically self-indulgent state | Rebecca Goldstein |
| HEARTRENDING | Tue Nov 19, 2002 | Extremely sad | Alan Arbesfeld |
| HOWHIGHTHEMOON | Sun Apr 23, 2017 | Signature tune of 68-/70-Across | Olivia Mitra Framke |
| IDIDNTHEARTHAT | Mon Jan 26, 2009 | "Bad idea!" | Timothy Powell and Nancy Salomon |
| JUDICIOUS | Sun Feb 18, 2024 | Prudent | Sid Sivakumar |
| KNOUTS | Sat Aug 27, 1994 | Russian whips | Joy L. Wouk |
| LACERS | Mon Jun 12, 2000 | Ones stringing up shoes | Andrea C. Michaels |
| LAYTOWASTE | Mon May 29, 2023 | Completely destroy | Katie Hale and Zachary David Levy |
| MONKEYBREAD | Sat Jan 1, 2022 | Pastry that gets pulled apart | Peter Wentz |
| NATURALS | Sun Nov 15, 2020 | Quick studies | Caitlin Reid |
| ONEWAYSTREET | Wed Dec 13, 1995 | It's marked with an arrow | Ernie Furtado |
| OYEZOYEZ | Thu Nov 25, 2010 | Courtroom cry | Bill Thompson |
| PEOPLESELBOW | Sat Nov 1, 2025 | The Rock's signature W.W.E. move | Michael Lieberman |
| PRIZEDRAWING | Sun Nov 20, 2022 | Imagophiles ... | Joe Deeney |
| PROTOTYPES | Sat Oct 12, 2013 | Some mock-ups | John Farmer |
| ROUNDHOLE | Sat Oct 7, 2006 | See 17-Across | David Quarfoot |
| STARAPPLE | Sun Oct 5, 2025 | Purple fruit with a distinctive inner shape | John Kugelman |
| STEEPLECHASE | Fri Aug 1, 2025 | Olympic track event in which Kenya dominates | Abigail Martin |
| TAXSCAM | Tue Jul 9, 2019 | Subject of an I.R.S. consumer warning | Bruce Haight |
| TEAEGGS | Sun Sep 12, 2021 | Savory Chinese snacks | Alex Rosen |
| THECAST | Sat Sep 6, 2003 | Movie credits caption | David J. Kahn |
| THEROUNDSONME | Tue Oct 25, 2016 | Offer at a pub ... as suggested by this puzzle's shaded squares | John E. Bennett |
| THISA | Sun Jun 6, 2010 | "Is ___ joke?" | Daniel A. Finan |
| TOPPLING | Wed Jun 16, 2004 | Overthrowing | Paula Gamache |
| UNIRONED | Tue Jan 23, 2001 | Having a pressing need? | Nancy Salomon |
| WELLMAN | Thu Feb 29, 1996 | See 39-Across | Peter Gordon |
| WINGMEN | Sat Aug 21, 2021 | Certain sidekicks | Joseph Greenbaum |