114 - Word Centipede (w/ Scotty Icenogle)

Summary

SmartLess Presents ClueLess – Episode 114: "Word Centipede" (w/ Scotty Icenogle)
Release Date: December 31, 2024

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Introduction

In the vibrant season finale of SmartLess Presents ClueLess, host Elliott Kaelin welcomes back the charismatic Sean Hayes, alongside his insightful husband, Scotty Icenogle. The episode kicks off with Elliott presenting a playful yet challenging puzzle, setting the stage for an engaging interplay of wit and intellect.

Recap of Previous Episode's Cliffhanger

Elliott revisits the suspense from the last episode with the riddle:
“If Prancer had seven, Dasher had six, and Vixen had five, how many did Rudolph have?”
Sean humorously deliberates before uncovering the solution:

Sean Hayes (04:03): "That's the number of letters in their names. Rudolph has seven."

Elliott commends Sean for cracking the puzzle, highlighting his quick thinking:

Elliott Kaelin (04:18): "John, you got it exactly right. I'm so impressed."

Main Puzzle: Word Centipede – New Year's Edition

Elliott introduces the episode's centerpiece, Word Centipede, tailored for the New Year's celebration season. The game challenges Sean and Scotty to form compound words by adding a common word either before or after a given set of three words.

Rules Overview:
Elliott explains:

Elliott Kaelin (06:47): "In this game, I will give you three words and you must tell me what other word can be added to each of those words either before or after it to make a whole new compound word."

Round 1: Our, Sun, Fiber

Clue Word: Glass

• Hourglass
• Sunglasses
• Fiberglass

Scotty swiftly identifies the connecting word:

Scotty Icenogle (08:10): "Glass."

Round 2: Sub, Rots, Aid

Clue Word: Parade

• Subpar
• Parade
• Aid

After some deliberation, Scotty nails the answer:

Sean Hayes (08:57): "Parade."

Round 3: Gaunt, Gob, Ting

Clue Word: Let

• Gauntlet
• Goblet
• Letting

Elliott commends their progress:

Elliott Kaelin (09:35): "You got it. Let is the word."

Round 4: Count, Touch, Grade

Clue Word: Down

• Countdown
• Touchdown
• Downgrade

Scotty seamlessly connects the dots:

Scotty Icenogle (10:18): "Countdown, touchdown, downgrade."

Round 5: Fly, Works, Wild

Clue Word: Fire

• Firefly
• Fireworks
• Wildfire

With a hint from Elliott about ancient Greek philosophers, Scotty arrives at the solution:

Sean Hayes (11:41): "Fire."

Mega Clue: Connecting the Rounds

Elliott elevates the game with a Mega Clue, prompting Sean and Scotty to discern the common theme linking all the clue words from each round:

• Hourglass
• Parade
• Goblet
• Countdown
• Fireworks

After thoughtful consideration, Scotty identifies the theme:

Scotty Icenogle (12:38): "New Year's."

Elliott affirms the correct association, tying the puzzle neatly to New Year's celebrations:

Elliott Kaelin (12:44): "They're all things you could use to celebrate New Year's."

Cliffhanger Puzzle

Before wrapping up, Elliott teases the next episode with a thought-provoking cliffhanger puzzle:
“My small business has had a lot of ups and downs. It did incredibly well from 2000 to 2009, then completely fell off during the 2010s. The 2020s have been okay, but I really can't wait for 2060. That's gonna be my year again. Can you guess what product I sell?”
He leaves listeners pondering the riddle, promising to reveal the answer in the future:

Elliott Kaelin (13:57): "We'll find out the answer next time, folks."

Conclusion

Elliott wraps up the episode with heartfelt thanks to Scotty and Sean for their participation and to the listeners for their continued support. The episode concludes with a playful countdown, seamlessly blending humor and intrigue, leaving the audience eagerly anticipating the next installment.

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Notable Quotes:

• Elliott Kaelin (01:26): “I always feel like it's a special surprise, a special wonderful gift when you're here.”
• Sean Hayes (04:03): “That's the number of letters in their names. Rudolph has seven.”
• Elliott Kaelin (06:47): “You can work together on it.”
• Scotty Icenogle (08:10): “Glass.”
• Sean Hayes (11:41): “Fire.”
• Scotty Icenogle (12:38): “New Year's.”

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SmartLess Presents ClueLess continues to blend humor, wit, and intellectual challenges, making it a must-listen for puzzle enthusiasts and fans of engaging conversational podcasts alike. Tune in biweekly for more brainteasers and delightful banter.

Transcript

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[Elliot Kaelin]

Here'S a puzzle for you. Can you draw 16 boxes, use only 4 lines without lifting your pencil from the paper once? No, you can't. This is Clueless. Clueless.

[Sean Hayes]

Clueless.

I'm cl.

[Elliot Kaelin]

Welcome to Smartless presents Clueless, the only puzzle podcast legally authorized to keep a wild Sean Hayes in captivity. I'm your host, Elliot Kaelin, and I don't care who knows it. And now here he is, emerging from his cage. Everyone, please stay behind the safety glass. It's for your protection, not his. Sean Hayes. How are you, Sean?

[Sean Hayes]

Ah, Elliot, thank you for having me today. Is it required that I'm here or not?

[Elliot Kaelin]

I mean, it is technically your show, but I always feel like it's a special surprise, a special wonderful gift when you're here.

[Sean Hayes]

I feel like it's your. And I'm glad it's your show because you're so much better at it than I am.

[Elliot Kaelin]

Oh, stop. Thank you. We'll let the philosophers decide that. Who's better at that? And I hear we have a great philosopher with us today. Who's your special guest?

[Sean Hayes]

You took your words right out of my mouth. The philosopher of all things, right, true and correct and good, is my husband, Scotty Eisenhougle, everybody. Scotty.

[Scotty Eisenhougle]

Oh, my gosh. Hello, Elliot. Hello, Sean.

[Sean Hayes]

Everybody's clapping on the inside.

[Scotty Eisenhougle]

Sure. Yeah, I can hear it. It's deafening.

[Elliot Kaelin]

Their lungs are clapping. Yeah.

[Sean Hayes]

Yes, my lungs are clapping. Scotty, how are you today?

[Scotty Eisenhougle]

I'm doing well, thank you, Sean.

[Sean Hayes]

And how is the music studio in the back there? Do you feel alone?

[Scotty Eisenhougle]

Well, sometimes when I'm working back here, alone is good. I need a little isolation, concentration.

[Sean Hayes]

Tell me about it.

[Elliot Kaelin]

That's a comment that speaks volumes. Wow. Says a lot more than I think you intended it to say.

[Sean Hayes]

Works both ways. Works both ways.

[Scotty Eisenhougle]

Both ways. Works both ways.

[Elliot Kaelin]

You know what they say, the secret to a happy marriage is? Don't see Each other too much.

[Sean Hayes]

Yes.

[Scotty Eisenhougle]

And here we are looking at each other.

[Sean Hayes]

Yeah, exactly. Here we are playing a game on a podcast. Yeah.

[Elliot Kaelin]

Now, listeners, I know some of you might think to yourselves that Elliot Kaelyn thinks he's so great, but surely the day will come when he'll slip up and forget to reveal the answer to the last episode's cliffhanger puzzle. Well, I'm here to say not today, my friend. Not today.

[Sean Hayes]

Oh, God.

[Elliot Kaelin]

As I'm sure you remember, last episode's cliffhanger puzzle was a riddle that went like this. If Prancer had seven, Dasher had six, and Vixen had five, how many did Rudolph have?

[Sean Hayes]

Well, we have to figure out, Scotty, what it is. What did they have?

[Elliot Kaelin]

Yes, right.

[Scotty Eisenhougle]

But also the numbers went 76554 with a lot of race number.

[Sean Hayes]

Right, but I think that's too easy. Yeah, but then last time the clue was the answer was Christmas songs.

[Scotty Eisenhougle]

That's true.

[Sean Hayes]

A couple episodes ago. So I don't know if it's a trick question. Is it four? Is it that easy?

[Elliot Kaelin]

It is not four. It's not that easy.

[Sean Hayes]

So prance are at seven antlers or something? Is that.

[Elliot Kaelin]

That's a lot of antlers. Some would say too many.

[Sean Hayes]

Does it have to do with hooves or bells or something?

[Elliot Kaelin]

No, it has nothing to do with the physical properties of the individual.

[Sean Hayes]

I know what it is.

[Elliot Kaelin]

Oh, yes.

[Sean Hayes]

Rudolph has seven.

[Elliot Kaelin]

Yes, you got it right. Rudolph has seven. Sean, walk us through it. What's the answer? How do you do it?

[Sean Hayes]

That's the number of letters and their names.

[Elliot Kaelin]

You got that exact exactly right. Granster has seven letters, Dasher has six letters, Vixen has five letters, and Rudolph, that trickster, has seven letters. John, you got it exactly right. I'm so impressed. Takes me a while, but I mean, it took you days since the last episode, but still. Yeah, yeah, that's okay.

[Sean Hayes]

Absolutely. Days. I could have tossing and turning all night.

[Elliot Kaelin]

Yeah.

[Sean Hayes]

It'S better.

[Elliot Kaelin]

Over here.

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[Elliot Kaelin]

Let's go.

[Sean Hayes]

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[Elliot Kaelin]

Listeners at home. Did you get the answer? If so, I request you make a New Year's resolution to be done or else you might think Sean right out of his game show contestant job. We don't want that to happen.

[Sean Hayes]

That's so true.

[Elliot Kaelin]

As for me, my New Year's resolution is to keep the show going. So without further ado, let's get to our main puzzle word Centipede. New Year's edition.

[Sean Hayes]

Oh, nice. What's with by the way, in the opening and there's Devin's pouring himself a glass of 7Up or something.

[Elliot Kaelin]

Yeah, yeah. Very co. Refreshing beverage time of year. And you know, centipedes love it too, so it makes a lot of sense.

[Sean Hayes]

Yeah.

[Elliot Kaelin]

Full disclosure, word Centipede has more to do with words than with centipedes. Apologies to all the entomologists who are listening right now. In this game, I will give you three words and you must tell me what other word can be added to each of those words either before or after it to make a whole new compound word. So for example, if I gave you the three words talk, lift and sweat.

[Sean Hayes]

It would be talk, lift or sweat.

[Elliot Kaelin]

The answer would be shop talk becomes shop talk and sweat becomes sweat shop. So you'll add it to either the beginning or the end of each of those words that. That final word. Hey, do you understand the rules or did I suffer a massive brain injury and spend the last minute just babbling gibberish?

[Sean Hayes]

I. I understood the word the. The rules weeks ago when we started. Still can't get it.

[Elliot Kaelin]

Okay, good. And this is a collaborative game. You can work together on it.

[Sean Hayes]

Great.

[Elliot Kaelin]

Round one. The words are our. Sun. Fiber.

[Sean Hayes]

F I B. Fiber.

[Elliot Kaelin]

Yes.

[Sean Hayes]

So our is H O U R. Yeah, like the time, hour, and sun is s o n or u n. S u n o s u n. Our sun and fiber.

[Elliot Kaelin]

My apologies for all the homonyms. This episode is brought to you by the Homonym Council. Sometimes words sound like other words.

[Scotty Eisenhougle]

I got it.

[Sean Hayes]

Oh, what is it?

[Scotty Eisenhougle]

Glass.

[Elliot Kaelin]

You got that right. It's glass. Hourglass. Sunglass. Fiberglass.

[Sean Hayes]

That's great, Scotty.

[Elliot Kaelin]

Good job. Good job.

[Sean Hayes]

Really good.

[Scotty Eisenhougle]

It helps to write it down.

[Elliot Kaelin]

It does help to write it down. If you're listening to this while driving, just get a pen and paper out and steer with your knees. Let's go to round two. The words are sub, rots, R O T S and aid, ade. And this one is. It's a.

[Sean Hayes]

It's a.

[Elliot Kaelin]

This one's a little tricky, but I think you'll get it.

[Sean Hayes]

Rots, r O t S. Yes. Sub. Rots and aid. Sub.

[Elliot Kaelin]

Par.

[Sean Hayes]

Parad. Rots par.

[Scotty Eisenhougle]

Ade.

[Sean Hayes]

You said parade.

[Elliot Kaelin]

Yep.

[Sean Hayes]

Sub. Subpar. Parat.

[Scotty Eisenhougle]

Parrots.

[Sean Hayes]

Parrots. Parrots.

[Devin Tory Bryant]

Parade.

[Elliot Kaelin]

You got it. Right. Good job. Yeah, that was. That was a tough one. But I like the new pronunciation of parrots. Which is. Which sounds more sophisticated than parrots, you know?

[Sean Hayes]

Right.

[Elliot Kaelin]

Now let's go to round three. You guys are doing great. Round three. The words are gaunt, gob, and ting. T I n G. Gaunt.

[Sean Hayes]

Gaunt, gob, G, O, B.

[Elliot Kaelin]

And what? T I n G. Like ting.

[Sean Hayes]

Okay, great. So gauntlet, let, Goblet, Glet. Gauntlet, goblet, let. Letting.

[Elliot Kaelin]

You got it. Let Is the word. Gauntlet, goblet, letting. You're doing great. For a game whose instructions are almost incomprehensible. You guys are taken to it so amazingly fast.

[Scotty Eisenhougle]

Yeah.

[Elliot Kaelin]

Let's go to round four. The words are count, touch, and grade. Count, touch, and grade.

[Sean Hayes]

Grade. Grading. Great.

[Scotty Eisenhougle]

Touch.

[Sean Hayes]

Dracula. Dracula. I'm kidding.

[Scotty Eisenhougle]

Yeah.

[Elliot Kaelin]

Dracula. Touch. Gradula. Yeah.

[Scotty Eisenhougle]

Touch. Like down.

[Elliot Kaelin]

You got it. What are the words that it means?

[Scotty Eisenhougle]

Countdown, touchdown, Downgrade.

[Elliot Kaelin]

You got it. Wonderful.

[Sean Hayes]

That's a good one.

[Scotty Eisenhougle]

How about that?

[Elliot Kaelin]

Excellent job.

[Scotty Eisenhougle]

Take that.

[Sean Hayes]

Wordle.

[Scotty Eisenhougle]

Take that.

[Elliot Kaelin]

Just take that. Words in general. Round five. This is the last round. This is the end of the game. Here are the words.

[Scotty Eisenhougle]

New page. New piece of paper. Hold on. Okay, ready?

[Elliot Kaelin]

Okay. The words are fly, works and wild. Fly works. Like give them the works. And wild.

[Sean Hayes]

And fly. Like a fly. Like a fly.

[Elliot Kaelin]

Yes.

[Sean Hayes]

Fly. Wheel. Wheel. Works. Wheel. Wild. Wild wheel. No.

[Scotty Eisenhougle]

Fly Work works. Hard for the money.

[Elliot Kaelin]

Oh, it would be very funny if hard for the money was the answer. Fly. Hard for the money. Wild. Hard for the money.

[Sean Hayes]

Waterfly. Waterworks. Water. Wild. Wild Waterfly.

[Elliot Kaelin]

No, that's not it. But you know what? You know what? If you were an ancient Greek philosopher, then water might lead you to the correct answer. Oh, that's a hint. That's either very useful or completely not useful at all.

[Scotty Eisenhougle]

Yeah, or derails. I keep thinking a horse, but it's.

[Sean Hayes]

Like, think about, like fly ball.

[Elliot Kaelin]

No.

[Sean Hayes]

Fire. Firefly. Fireworks.

[Scotty Eisenhougle]

Fireworks.

[Elliot Kaelin]

Fire.

[Sean Hayes]

Yes.

[Elliot Kaelin]

You got it. It's fire. You did it. Fireworks. Firefly. Wildfire. You did it. Great job. You know what? You did it without any help from anybody. Like a good parent. I let you do it on your own. I didn't tell you the answer. And you got there. Yeah.

[Sean Hayes]

Yeah.

[Elliot Kaelin]

Sean, Scotty, how do you feel about this game?

[Scotty Eisenhougle]

Feel great. I actually feel really, really good about it.

[Elliot Kaelin]

Good. That's great. Because he handled those normal sized clues pretty well. But I wonder how you'd handle a clue that's a little more mega. That's right. It's time for the puzzles. Mega clue.

[T-Mobile Advertiser]

Mega clue question.

[Elliot Kaelin]

In each of those rounds, one of the new words you created is a clue pointing toward a common theme. I'm gonna make a deal with you. I'll tell you the clues and you tell me what connects them. Can we shake on that?

[Sean Hayes]

Okay, sure.

[Elliot Kaelin]

Okay, so the words that are clues in that game are hourglass, parade, goblet countdown, and fireworks. What do those point to?

[Sean Hayes]

Hourglass Press.

[Scotty Eisenhougle]

New Year's.

[Elliot Kaelin]

Get right, buddy. It's New Year's. They're all things you could use to celebrate New Year's.

[Sean Hayes]

Because isn't that fun?

[Elliot Kaelin]

As Socrates once said, time keeps on slipping, slippin, slippin into the future. He said that when he. There was a short time when Socrates was the lead singer of the Steve Miller Band. That's when he said that. Yeah. Listeners at home, do you feel that same sense of serene peacefulness that comes with victory? Just like Sean and Scotty. If not, we still want you to stick around even if you didn't get it. And they did. Because as Socrates also said, it ain't fiction, just a natural effect. We come together because opposites attract. That was from the short. That was when Socrates was a cartoon cat dating Paul Abdul. That's right.

[Sean Hayes]

Yeah, I remember that.

[Elliot Kaelin]

Yeah. Besides, everybody, you've got another chance to test your mental mettle. There's today's cliffhanger puzzle. The cliffhanger puzzle is a little something you can think about when you're forced to make small talk at your cousin's New Year's Eve party. And it goes My small business has had a lot of ups and downs. It did incredibly well from 2000 to 2009, then completely fell off during the 2010s. The 2020s have been okay, but I really can't wait for 2060. That's gonna be my year again. Can you guess what product I sell?

[Sean Hayes]

Oh.

[Elliot Kaelin]

Oh, Sean. Scotty, how much would you pay me to tell you the answer right now?

[Scotty Eisenhougle]

I'll give you a holiday cheer.

[Sean Hayes]

Yeah, wait.

[Elliot Kaelin]

It's a trick question. I'm just too honest to do it. We'll find out the answer next time, folks, because we're finally at that time, grab someone you can kiss without getting slapped. We're about to count down to the end of the episode. But first, I want to thank Scotty for being an old acquaintance who should not be forgot. I want to thank Sean Hayes for never letting failure or common sense get in his way. And I want to thank you, the listeners, for putting up with this. This has been Clueless. I think I'll continue to be Elliot Kaelin for at least another year. And here comes the countdown. 3, 2, 1. At the end of the episode, you.

[Devin Tory Bryant]

Have been listening to Smartless presents Clueless, a Smartless Media production in association with SiriusXM. Your host is Elliot Kaelin, who also writes our scripts. Your constant contestant is Sean Hayes with those blue, blue eyes. 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 Josh Richmond and Kevin Lehman. Talent producer is Anne Harris. Associate producer Matty McCann. Social media producer, Tommy Galgano. Executive producers are Elliot Kaelin, 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 Kaelin]

Smart, less.

[Sean Hayes]

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[Elliot Kaelin]

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[Devin Tory Bryant]

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[Sean Hayes]

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