103 - Word Centipede (w/ Ali Wentworth)

Summary

SmartLess Presents ClueLess: Episode 103 - "Word Centipede" (w/ Ali Wentworth) Summary

Release Date: November 21, 2024
Host: Elliott Kalan
Contestants: Sean Hayes, Ali Wentworth
Duration: 10-12 minutes

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Introduction and Recap

The episode kicks off with Elliott Kalan humorously referencing a personal anecdote before diving into the podcast's core premise. He introduces the recurring guest, Sean Hayes, affectionately dubbing him "the funniest man in Hollywood we could afford." Elliott also welcomes Ali Wentworth, adding a playful dynamic to the show.

Notable Quote:

• Elliott Kalan [01:00]: "I'm your host, Elliott Kalan, and if you don't like that, you can take it up with my parents."

Cliffhanger Reveal

Elliott builds anticipation by revisiting the previous episode's cliffhanger puzzle: "What is 3/7 chicken, 2 thirds cat, and two fourths goat?" Sean immediately deciphers it as "Chicago" by breaking down each fraction into parts of the words, showcasing his puzzle-solving prowess.

Notable Quote:

• Sean Hayes [03:07]: "You spell Chicago exactly right. Sean, you did it. Wonderful. Beautiful."

Main Game: Word Centipede

The core segment of the episode introduces the game "Word Centipede," a word association puzzle where contestants add a fourth word to three given words to form new compound words. Elliott explains the rules clearly, setting the stage for five challenging rounds, each culminating in a mega clue pointing to a famous person.

Notable Quote:

• Elliott Kalan [05:30]: "The game is Word Centipede. Word Centipede is the game where I give you three words..."

Gameplay and Rounds

1. Round One:

   • Words: Dream, Fry, Break
   • Solution: Day (Daydream, Friday, Daybreak)
   • Notable Quote:
     • Elliott Kalan [07:12]: "What word can you add to dream, Fry and break."
     • Sean Hayes [07:25]: "It's day."

2. Round Two:

   • Words: Box, Man, Mal
   • Solution: Ice (Icebox, Iceman, Malice)
   • Notable Quote:
     • Ali Wentworth [08:28]: "I was overthinking it, actually."

3. Round Three:

   • Words: Box, Heart, Off
   • Solution: Beat (Beatbox, Heartbeat, Offbeat)
   • Notable Quote:
     • Sean Hayes [09:03]: "It's beat."

4. Round Four:

   • Words: Barber, Sweat, Lifter
   • Solution: Shop (Barbershop, Sweatshop, Shoplifter)
   • Notable Quote:
     • Ali Wentworth [09:55]: "Got it."

5. Round Five:

   • Words: Butt, Comp, Plank
   • Solution: Compton (Butt + Compton, Plankton)
   • Notable Quote:
     • Elliott Kalan [10:46]: "The answer is Compton."

Mega Clue and Final Answer

After successfully navigating the five rounds, the contestants piece together the mega clue words: Friday, Iceman, Beatbox, Barbershop, and Compton. These clues collectively point to the iconic figure Ice Cube, known for his multifaceted career in acting, rapping, and production.

Notable Quotes:

• Elliott Kalan [11:42]: "The answer is Ice Cube."
• Sean Hayes [12:03]: "He can do it all."

Cliffhanger Puzzle

Elliott leaves listeners eagerly anticipating the next episode by presenting a mysterious story: "8-year-old messy Maddie was upstairs hitting a hammer over and over and over again. You'd think her mother would be mad, but no, she thought it was magnificent." The answer to this puzzle will be revealed in the subsequent episode, encouraging audience engagement and return.

Notable Quote:

• Elliott Kalan [13:10]: "Why? We'll find out the answer at the top of our next episode."

Conclusion and Credits

Elliott humorously demotes Sean to a special guest role while lauding Ali's performance. The episode wraps up with acknowledgments to the production team and a reminder for listeners to subscribe, rate, and review the podcast.

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Key Takeaways:

• Engaging Gameplay: "Word Centipede" effectively combines wordplay with pop culture references, making the puzzles both challenging and entertaining.

• Dynamic Interactions: The chemistry between Elliott, Sean, and Ali adds humor and relatability, enhancing the listener's experience.

• Audience Engagement: Cliffhanger puzzles and the mega clue maintain listener interest and encourage active participation.

Overall, Episode 103 of SmartLess Presents ClueLess delivers a lively and intellectually stimulating experience, balancing humor with brain-teasing challenges. Whether you're a puzzle enthusiast or simply enjoy witty banter, this episode offers something for everyone.

Transcript

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[Elliot Kalin]

You know, a funny thing happened on the way to the recording studio today, but it was kind of personal and I don't really feel like going into it right now. This is clueless. Clueless.

[Sean Hayes]

Clueless. I'm clueless.

[Elliot Kalin]

Welcome to Smart List presents Clueless, the puzzle podcast. That's a mystery wrapped inside a riddle, wrapped inside an enigma wrapped inside of. Sean Hayes, I'm your host, Elliot Kalin, and if you don't like that, you can take it up with my parents. Joining me today, as always, is the funniest man in Hollywood that we could afford, Sean Hayes. Sean, are you ready to do some puzzling today?

[Sean Hayes]

These are really good. These are really good intros. I love. I am. I'm super excited. I'm super excited. I'm super excited.

[Elliot Kalin]

I love that excitement. It's super. It's great. And today, Sean is joined once again by. By the wonderful Ali Wentworth. Allie, have you been rejuvenating the puzzle part of your brain since the last episode?

[Ali Wentworth]

I've been rejuvenating my whole body getting ready for this show.

[Sean Hayes]

Isn't there something rejuvenate? Isn't that like a prescription? Something rejuvenate for your eyes?

[Ali Wentworth]

It's for your vagina, actually.

[Sean Hayes]

Oh, sorry. Hold on. That's. Then I have to send a whole package back because it's useless.

[Ali Wentworth]

Oh, no, you ordered the wrong thing.

[Elliot Kalin]

That's why you gotta read the fine print. You can't just go by the slogan. You gotta read the fine print.

[Sean Hayes]

Yep, that's interesting. Okay, great. Wonderful.

[Elliot Kalin]

Now, we ended last episode with a cliffhanger puzzle, the answer of which I have cruelly refused to reveal until this episode. I'm sure the audience is on the edge of their seats. They cannot wait to find out the answer. You just got it. So. You know what? Usually I would ask Sean and Allie a really ridiculous question right now, but Sean has such a look of intense excitement about this cliffhanger puzzle on his face that I just want to get straight to it. Let's remind the audience of what the cliffhanger was, and then, Sean, I want you to blow us away with your puzzle. Pounding power.

[Sean Hayes]

Watch this, watch this.

[Elliot Kalin]

Last episode's cliffhanger went like this. What is 3/7 chicken, 2 thirds cat, and two fourths goat? Sean, Allie, can you tell me what that very weird sounding thing is?

[Sean Hayes]

Allie, do you know it?

[Ali Wentworth]

Well, you're really putting me on the spot. I don't have time to Google. I'm going to say it has something to do with four one, one.

[Sean Hayes]

No, I'm sorry.

[Ali Wentworth]

Can we. Can we do that take again? Except gentler and nicer.

[Elliot Kalin]

All right, guys, we're going out live. There's no way to retake it. Apologies, apologies.

[Ali Wentworth]

Sean, you're chomping at the bit. So go ahead. What's the answer?

[Sean Hayes]

3/7 chicken means 3 of the letters out of chicken out of the 7 letters of chicken, 2 of the 3 letters out of cat, and 2 of the 4 letters out of goat. If you take the 3 first. 3 first letters of chicken, 2 first letters of cat, and 2 first letters of goat.

[Elliot Kalin]

You spell Chicago exactly right. Sean, you did it. Wonderful. Beautiful. That is how they made the beautiful city of Chicago. Now we know what's in deep dish pizza. It is three sevenths chicken, two thirds cat, and two fourths goat. That was fantastic, Sean. That was great. You're on the top of your game.

[Sean Hayes]

How about that?

[Ali Wentworth]

Obviously, Sean has played this before. Allie hasn't.

[Sean Hayes]

It's a cliffhanger. I haven't played the cliffhanger before.

[Ali Wentworth]

Oh, but you've played cliffhangers on the show before.

[Sean Hayes]

Yeah. Yeah, yeah.

[Ali Wentworth]

Okay. That's called a leg up, my friend. In this world.

[Elliot Kalin]

Allie, don't feel too bad. That was.

[Ali Wentworth]

I don't. I don't. I can't wait to get to the American revolution question.

[Elliot Kalin]

It's better over here.

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[Jim Gaffigan]

A hilarious new standup special from comedy legend Jim Gaffigan, the Skinny is coming to Hulu November 22nd. This Thanksgiving, see Jim in a whole new light as he gives you the inside scoop on everything from parenting teenagers to weight loss and gaslighting family members. For everyone in need of a happy hour, the new hilarious standup special, Jim Gaffigan, The Skinny premieres November 22, streaming on Hulu.

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[Elliot Kalin]

I hope you haven't used up the words part of your brain, Sean, because today's main puzzle also has words in it. In fact, a whole centipede of words. This game is Word Centipede. Word Centipede.

[Sean Hayes]

I like that. I like that one.

[Ali Wentworth]

Was that Taylor Swift?

[Sean Hayes]

It was. Can you believe she gave it to us for free?

[Ali Wentworth]

She's so great.

[Elliot Kalin]

Big fan of the show. Big fan of the show.

[Ali Wentworth]

Yep.

[Elliot Kalin]

Word Centipede is the game where I give you three words. You will then tell me what fourth word can be added to each of those three words to make three new compound words. For instance, if the clue was paddle, basket, and rooms, the answer would be. The answer would be Ball. Paddle. Ball. Basketball. Rooms. Oh, that's right. So I'm going to give you three words, and then you'll think of the fourth word that if I added it to each of them, either the front or the back, it would make a new word.

[Sean Hayes]

Got it.

[Elliot Kalin]

I'm going to ask you five rounds of words. But that's not all. There's also the ominous and frightening mega clue.

[Sean Hayes]

Wonderful.

[Elliot Kalin]

In each round of words, one of the newly created compound words will be a hint to the identity of a famous person. But I will remind you of those at the end.

[Sean Hayes]

Okay, great.

[Elliot Kalin]

If you're confused, that's okay. So am I. We're gonna get through this together as a family. Are you ready for the game?

[Ali Wentworth]

Yes, dad.

[Sean Hayes]

Yes.

[Elliot Kalin]

Here's the first round. Your first three words are Dream, Fry, Break. And I'll give you a little hint just to start off. Fry is not spelled the regular way. You would spell the word Fry. What word can you add to dream, Fry and break.

[Sean Hayes]

Oh, Fry's F. R. I. You mean.

[Elliot Kalin]

Yes.

[Sean Hayes]

Okay. Dream. Fry. Day. Dream Day. Friday. Daybreak. Break. Day. Daybreak. Wait. Daydream. Day. It's day.

[Elliot Kalin]

It is day. You did it. You worked through perfectly. Daydream Friday. Daybreak. The first word is.

[Sean Hayes]

Hang on, let me just check in. Allie, are you still there?

[Ali Wentworth]

Uh, no, this is her mother. Now that Sean, I got to hear his inner monologue about how to play this game. Now I get it.

[Sean Hayes]

Okay, great. Yes.

[Elliot Kalin]

Be one with the word centipede. Okay, this is round two. The words are box, man, and mal. Box, man, Mal.

[Ali Wentworth]

A box. A box. I put the thing in the man in the mall. I go to the mall. Sean goes to the mall. Sean is a man.

[Sean Hayes]

Mal. Mal.

[Elliot Kalin]

Mal.

[Devin Tory Bryant]

I know.

[Ali Wentworth]

I'm joking.

[Sean Hayes]

Oh. Oh. Sean goes to the mall. Sean likes man.

[Elliot Kalin]

You can fit Sean in a box.

[Ali Wentworth]

I still don't understand. Oh, malice. Mm, menace. Right. I keep. Okay, Malice. Iceman. Ice box.

[Elliot Kalin]

You got it. The answer is ice. You got it. By the end of this, you'll be a professional word centipeder, which doesn't pay. Great.

[Sean Hayes]

That's kind of a hard one, though.

[Elliot Kalin]

That is.

[Ali Wentworth]

I was overthinking it, actually. I was doing the masterclass of Centipede. So let me just dumb down for a second.

[Sean Hayes]

Yeah. Thank you.

[Elliot Kalin]

Get back to beginner level. Yeah. Get back to beginner level.

[Sean Hayes]

It's clueless. Yeah.

[Elliot Kalin]

Round three. The words are box, heart, and off. What word could you add to box, heart, and off?

[Sean Hayes]

Ah, I already know it.

[Elliot Kalin]

Okay, Sean, tell us what it is.

[Sean Hayes]

It's beat. Beatbox, Heartbeat, offbeat.

[Elliot Kalin]

You got it. It's beat. Sean, you cannot be beat at this game.

[Ali Wentworth]

Ah, that's really good.

[Elliot Kalin]

Round four. The words are barber, sweat, lifter.

[Sean Hayes]

So I would think of weightlifter, but let me see.

[Elliot Kalin]

Barber, barber, Sweat, Lifter.

[Sean Hayes]

Sweat.

[Elliot Kalin]

Yes.

[Sean Hayes]

Sweat, Lifter.

[Elliot Kalin]

Barber. Not a sweat. Lifter. Sweat and lifter are two different words, so audience at home don't think it has to be added to sweat. Lifter, which is not a word.

[Sean Hayes]

So sweat. Like, what's a word?

[Elliot Kalin]

What's a word that goes with barber? And see?

[Ali Wentworth]

Barber.

[Elliot Kalin]

Shh.

[Sean Hayes]

Sweatshop. Sweatshop. Barbershop. Shoplifter.

[Elliot Kalin]

Shoplifter.

[Ali Wentworth]

Shoplifter.

[Elliot Kalin]

You got it. Great job. The answer is shop. Barbershop. Sweatshop. Shoplifter.

[Ali Wentworth]

Got it.

[Elliot Kalin]

Great. It's clicking. It's all clicking.

[Ali Wentworth]

It's starting to happen. Yep.

[Elliot Kalin]

Yeah. Just in time for the last one. Round five, the words are But B U t. Please, everyone, keep your minds out of the gutter. But B U T comp and plank. Butt. Comp and plank.

[Sean Hayes]

Buttwood. I'm kidding. Wood, plank, butt. But butter or no, butt, comp. Pewter, uter. Uter. Plank, plank, Uter.

[Ali Wentworth]

Plank is the hard One.

[Sean Hayes]

Yeah. Plank. Like what? You walked a plank or a plank.

[Elliot Kalin]

Think about. I would say if I was giving you a clue, which I would never do, that would be very unethical of me is to think about. But. And plank. What is perhaps a suffix that is a word that you could attach to those?

[Sean Hayes]

Butter. Plankter. Plankton. Button. Button. Plankton. Compton.

[Elliot Kalin]

Yes, that's the Gloria. The answer is tunkton. Got it.

[Ali Wentworth]

Plankton. Oh, yeah, look at that.

[Elliot Kalin]

I'm going to say working together as a team, you got every single one of them. Right. We don't need to divide up who was responsible for anything.

[Ali Wentworth]

Oh, let's not, Elliot.

[Sean Hayes]

We don't want to. Yeah. This isn't Clueless isn't about embarrassing people.

[Elliot Kalin]

No, no, not at all. Not at all.

[Ali Wentworth]

We don't want to recognize that would be Smartless.

[Elliot Kalin]

So let's move on to the mega clue for this game.

[Walmart Announcer]

Mega clue question.

[Elliot Kalin]

So the mega clue words from those rounds were Friday, Iceman, Beatbox, Barbershop, and Compton. What? Famous person.

[Ali Wentworth]

Oh, oh, oh.

[Elliot Kalin]

Are those clues to, uh, Iced tea?

[Sean Hayes]

Friday, Iced tea, is it.

[Ali Wentworth]

No.

[Elliot Kalin]

Very close.

[Sean Hayes]

Is there a rapper?

[Elliot Kalin]

It is.

[Sean Hayes]

I'm not gonna know who that is only because I'm an idiot and I don't really listen to rap. Although I look like I do.

[Elliot Kalin]

I mean, this is my mistake, Sean. I did think that you were a real hardcore fan. The answer is it's very close to Ice D. The answer is Ice Cube.

[Ali Wentworth]

Yes.

[Sean Hayes]

Ice Cube with a snack.

[Elliot Kalin]

Ice Cube. He is a quadruple threat. Actor, rapper, producer, keeps drinks cold. He's amazing. He can do it all.

[Ali Wentworth]

Yep.

[Sean Hayes]

Wait, what's Friday have to do with him?

[Elliot Kalin]

He was in the movie Friday.

[Sean Hayes]

Oh, yes.

[Ali Wentworth]

And he was in the Iceman Cometh.

[Sean Hayes]

Yes.

[Elliot Kalin]

He was in the original production of.

[Ali Wentworth]

The Iceman at Lincoln Center.

[Elliot Kalin]

Oh, yes. Yes.

[Ali Wentworth]

Good to know.

[Elliot Kalin]

Listeners at home, did you do better than the professional puzzle people on this show? If so, talk to your lawyer. You may have grounds to sue. Looking over, looking over to the side, it seems there's not a lot of sand left in the old hourglass. Which tells me Smartless needs to update its time telling equipment. It also means we are nearing the end of the show. But you know what? I don't care what anyone else says. I refuse to let you fine people go without a cliffhanger puzzle. The cliffhanger puzzle is just our free gift to you. You can keep it even if you decide to cancel your subscription. But you'll have to come back if you want the answer and this cliffhanger puzzle. It's sort of a mystery story and it goes like this. 8 year old messy Maddie was upstairs hitting a hammer over and over and over again. You'd think her mother would be mad, but no, she thought it was magnificent. Why, Sean, Allie, how many special moments with your loved ones are you going to miss? Because you're busy figuring this one out. Until the next episode.

[Sean Hayes]

As many as last week, so quite a few. Yeah. Can you repeat it?

[Elliot Kalin]

Yes. Eight year old messy Maddie was upstairs hitting a hammer over and over and over again. You'd think her mother would be mad, but no, she thought it was magnificent. Why? We'll find out the answer at the top of our next episode. Until then, Allie, you've been wonderful. Allie, I'm officially naming you the star of the show. Thank you. And Sean, I'm demoting you to Allie's special guest.

[Sean Hayes]

Oh, high school. Yeah.

[Elliot Kalin]

To all our listeners, thank you so much for being with us today. You are the greatest Sean Hayes puzzle podcast audience in the world. I've been your host, Elliot Kalin, saying goodbye for and if this podcast lasts more than four hours, please consult your physician. Thank you.

[Devin Tory Bryant]

Clueless, you have been listening to Smartless presents Clueless, a Smartless Media production in association with SiriusXM. Your host is Elliot Kalin, who also writes our scripts. Your constant contestant is Sean Hayes, who does like candy. Your producer, editor and engineer is Devin Tory Bryant, who is me. I also write all the music and sound effects assistant engineer, Kyle McGraw. Today's puzzles were written by Kevin Lehman, talent producer Ann Harris, Associate Producer Maddie McCann, Social Media Producer Tommy Galgano. Executive producers are Elliot Kalin, Sean Hayes, Will Arnett and Jason Bateman. Executive producers for Smartless Media are Richard Corson and Bernie Kaminsky. Remember to follow, subscribe, rate and review the show. It really helps. That's all for now. We will see you again for more.

[Elliot Kalin]

Smart.

[Devin Tory Bryant]

Bless me.

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