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 50,944 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| AIMFORTHESTARS | Wed Jun 2, 1999 | Toothpaste sold in Hollywood? | Nancy Salomon |
| BATTINGCOACH | Tue Mar 10, 2015 | Expert on swings | Allan E. Parrish |
| BOXINGCHAMPION | Wed Mar 27, 2002 | Winner of a belt | Sarah Keller |
| BRIBERY | Sun Dec 3, 1995 | Abscam crime | Martin Schneider |
| COLORFUL | Sat Jun 7, 2003 | Not at all dull | Sherry O. Blackard |
| DECEIVE | Sun Jul 12, 1998 | Gull | Henry Hook |
| DONTINTERRUPTME | Sat Oct 21, 2023 | Reprimand to one who spoke too soon | Kelly Morenus |
| DOWNSIDE | Wed Aug 27, 2025 | One aspect to consider in making a decision | Zhou Zhang |
| ENGIRDS | Tue Nov 21, 1995 | Surrounds | Thomas W. Schier |
| FOXTAIL | Sun Aug 1, 2021 | Meadow grass with brushlike spikes | Matthew Stock |
| FUNNYBONE | Mon Jan 25, 2016 | *Inaptly named part of the elbow | Ian Livengood |
| GHOSTFACEKILLAH | Mon May 7, 2012 | Rapper who came to prominence as a member of the Wu-Tang Clan | Guy Tabachnick |
| HOOKMEUP | Sat Jan 31, 2015 | "I'd like some of that, bro" | Tim Croce |
| IBLAMEMYSELF | Fri Feb 7, 2020 | "The fault lies here" | Mary Lou Guizzo and Erik Agard |
| INDIEBAND | Sat Dec 4, 2021 | They don't have a major-label contract | Nam Jin Yoon |
| INKYCAPS | Thu Apr 29, 1999 | Choice mushrooms | Adam Cohen |
| KALING | Tue Nov 28, 2023 | Mindy of "The Mindy Project" | Gia Bosko |
| LEANRIGHT | Fri Dec 10, 2021 | Skew conservative | Joe DiPietro |
| MACEDON | Sun Apr 14, 2024 | Philip II of ___, father of Alexander the Great | John Rippe and Jeff Chen |
| MACLEOD | Thu Aug 31, 2017 | Gavin of "The Love Boat" | Zachary Spitz |
| NITROUSACID | Thu Apr 16, 2009 | HNO2 | Oliver Hill |
| NOYOUDIDNT | Sun Nov 5, 2017 | Expression of shock at someone's actions | Natan Last |
| PARTYGIRLS | Mon Jul 8, 2019 | *Sorority types who go out a lot | Ned White |
| PILLBOXHAT | Wed Jul 28, 2004 | Topper made popular by 17- and 36-Across | Mark Elliot Skolsky |
| PIZZASTONES | Fri Feb 17, 2023 | What some pies may be baked on | Jem Burch |
| PRELOAD | Sat Jan 21, 2017 | Install, as software before shipping | James Mulhern |
| PRESTIGIOUS | Sat Oct 28, 1995 | Distinguished | Chuck Deodene |
| RETRACTIONS | Sat May 12, 2018 | Embarrassments for news agencies | Alex Eylar |
| RIBJOINT | Mon May 24, 2021 | Place to get some barbecue | Adrienne Atkins |
| RIDICULES | Sat Nov 25, 1995 | Ribs | Joe DiPietro |
| RIGHTOH | Sat Jan 26, 2013 | "Indeed, mate" | Raymond C. Young |
| STOPA | Sun Aug 18, 1996 | "His face could ___ clock" | F. and L. Sabin |
| TAAL | Sun Aug 11, 1996 | Active Philippine volcano | M. Schneider |
| TRADELAWS | Sat Nov 13, 2010 | Import/export business concern | Mark Diehl |
| TRUEDAILYDOUBLE | Fri Apr 30, 2010 | Risky thing to try for on "Jeopardy!" | Natan Last |
| ULTIMAS | Fri May 25, 2012 | Concluding syllables | Brendan Emmett Quigley |
| VEGENAISE | Fri Jan 2, 2026 | Eggless bread spread | Adam Wagner and Rafael Musa |
| WEINSTEIN | Sun May 18, 2014 | Harvey of Hollywood | Joe DiPietro |
| WHEREAREYA | Sat Dec 16, 2017 | Informal question to someone who's late | Sam Ezersky |
| YOURSONG | Thu Jun 23, 1994 | Elton John's first hit | Trip Payne |