115 - Tone Note (w/ Ali Wentworth)

Summary

SmartLess Presents ClueLess – Episode 115: "Tone Note" Featuring Ali Wentworth

Release Date: January 2, 2025

In the 115th episode of SmartLess Presents ClueLess, host Elliott Kalan teams up with his usual contestant Sean Hayes and introduces a special guest, the vibrant actress Ali Wentworth. This episode, aptly titled "Tone Note," dives deep into a series of engaging puzzles and anagram challenges centered around a New Year's Party theme. Here's a detailed breakdown of the episode's key moments, discussions, and conclusions.

---

1. Warm Welcome and Guest Introduction

[00:57] Elliott Kalan kicks off the episode with his signature humor, stating, “Welcome to SmartLess presents Clueless, the podcast that makes you feel smart by making Sean Hayes feel dumb.” He warmly introduces Sean Hayes and welcomes Ali Wentworth to the show.

[01:12] Sean Hayes humorously shares his experience with a family tree, saying, “I did that family tree and it just came up me. I just. It was like alien. I just gave birth to myself. It was wild.”

[01:21] Sean continues with playful compliments towards Ali: “I have the very gorgeous, the very beautiful inside and out. I love her face. I love her body. I love her hair. I love the way she treats me. I could marry her if I wasn't gay and already married.”

[01:35] The playful banter continues as Elliott gently teases Ali about her unexpected revelations, setting a light-hearted and engaging tone for the episode.

---

2. Small Business Guessing Game

[02:19] Elliott recalls the previous episode's cliffhanger: “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?”

The trio engages in a lively guessing game, with Sean initially mistaking Elliott's business for selling champagne:

[02:55] Sean guesses, “Champagne.”

[03:00] Allie chimes in, “Is it a champagne?”

[03:02] Elliott reveals the correct answer: “New Year's Eve novelty glasses shaped like the New Year, where the two middle digits go over your eyes like you see people wearing on New Year's.”

[03:58] Elliott commends Sean for his effort, emphasizing the visual aspect of the puzzle: “That was a tough one. It involved a lot of thinking visually with words, which is not the easiest thing to do.”

This segment not only showcases their problem-solving skills but also highlights the camaraderie and humor among the hosts and guests.

---

3. "Tone Note" Anagram Puzzles

[05:22] Transitioning smoothly, Elliott introduces the main segment: “Tone Note New Year's Party Edition.” He explains that Tone Note is a game of anagrams, where players must decipher two-word phrases containing the same letters rearranged differently.

[06:02] The first puzzle is presented: “An alcoholic fruit drink that was brought to tears.”

• [06:22] Sean struggles initially but, with Allie's assistance, arrives at the correct answer: “Cider Cried” ([07:00]).

[07:23] The second challenge: “Delicately colored flat dishes for eating.”

• [07:33] Allie swiftly identifies the answer: “Pastel Plates” ([07:45]).

[08:38] The third puzzle: “Wizard sport.”

• [09:57] After some deliberation and hints, Sean successfully solves it as “Mage Game” ([09:57]).

[10:13] The fourth puzzle: “Long decorative party strips, now with improved sound quality.”

• [10:35] The answer emerges as “Streamers Remasters” ([10:35]).

[11:05] The fifth and final puzzle before the mega clue: “Besties locator.”

• [11:27] Allie triumphantly answers, “Find Her” ([11:27]).

Throughout the segment, the interplay between Elliott, Sean, and Allie is both entertaining and insightful, demonstrating their collective problem-solving prowess and maintaining an engaging pace.

---

4. Mega Clue and Final Cliffhanger Puzzle

[11:39] Elliott introduces the Mega Clue, a more complex puzzle that ties all previous clues together: “Manages what things will be hung up to beautify the party.”

• [12:38] After thoughtful discussion, the trio deciphers the anagram as “Coordinates Decorations” ([13:00]).

[13:21] As the episode nears its end, Elliott presents the final cliffhanger puzzle: “Sir Anthony Hopkins invited you to his combination New Year's Eve birthday party. He was born on December 31 and asks you to bring a circular cake. He wants to give his eight guests each a piece of cake, exactly the same size, using only three cuts. Can you achieve this?”

• [14:30] Sean hints at the solution with a playful nudge: “Yes. By the way, I bet you that's one of the hints. I bet you that's a good hint, the bunt.” This suggests strategic cutting techniques to solve the puzzle.

Elliott leaves listeners with a tantalizing challenge to ponder until the next episode, fostering anticipation and engagement.

---

5. Closing Remarks and Credits

[15:29] The episode concludes with producer Devin Tory Bryant delivering the credits, acknowledging the team behind the scenes and encouraging listeners to follow, subscribe, and review the podcast.

Elliott wraps up with a humorous note about forgetting to mention something important, ensuring the episode ends on a light-hearted and memorable tone.

---

Notable Quotes

• Elliott Kalan [02:19]: “But I really can't wait for 2060. That's gonna be my year again.”

• Sean Hayes [01:21]: “I could marry her if I wasn't gay and already married.”

• Elliott Kalan [03:58]: “That was a tough one. It involved a lot of thinking visually with words, which is not the easiest thing to do.”

• Allie Wentworth [11:27]: “Find Her.”

• Sean Hayes [14:30]: “Yes. By the way, I bet you that's one of the hints. I bet you that's a good hint, the bunt.”

---

Episode 115 of "SmartLess Presents ClueLess" successfully blends humor, camaraderie, and intellectual challenge, making it a standout episode for fans of quick-witted puzzles and engaging conversations. Whether you're a seasoned listener or tuning in for the first time, this episode offers a delightful mix of entertainment and mental stimulation.

Transcript

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[Elliot Kaelin]

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[Sean Hayes]

Nice. Clueless. Clueless. I'm Glass. Ow.

[Elliot Kaelin]

Welcome to Smartless presents Clueless, the podcast that makes you feel smart by making Sean Hayes feel dumb. I'm your host, Elliot Kaelin. And don't worry, I've had all my shots. And now, please join me in welcoming a direct descendant of Sean Hayes ancestors, Sean Hayes. How are you, Sean?

[Sean Hayes]

I'm good. I did that family tree and it just came up me. I just. It was like alien. I just gave birth to myself. It was wild.

[Elliot Kaelin]

That's beautiful. That's beautiful. Wonderful. And I love you image.

[Sean Hayes]

Thank you. Thank. Thank you. Today I have the very gorgeous, the very beautiful inside and out. I love her face. I love her body. I love her hair. I love the way she treats me. I could marry her if I wasn't gay and already married.

[Allie Wentworth]

Wait, what?

[Sean Hayes]

It's Allie Wentworth.

[Elliot Kaelin]

Allie, this isn't how we want you to find out either of those things.

[Sean Hayes]

Yeah, we changed the theme to the show today. Yeah. Wait, Ally, when you got up on a Sunday this morning, you thought, I can't wait to blank. What was that first thought that came to your mind?

[Allie Wentworth]

Well, pee, because I'm old. And then I couldn't wait to get outside because I was walking my dog in the park. And it's a beautiful day.

[Sean Hayes]

Nothing to do with what we're doing right now.

[Allie Wentworth]

And play Clueless.

[Sean Hayes]

Oh, wonderful.

[Allie Wentworth]

With Elliot and Chai.

[Elliot Kaelin]

I made it into the top three. I'm just glad to be in contention.

[Allie Wentworth]

Yes.

[Sean Hayes]

P Dog games, which I could do.

[Allie Wentworth]

All at the same time, by the way, if you wanted me to.

[Elliot Kaelin]

So just to remind you, like last episode's cliffhanger went, 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]

Okay. I had to write it down. 9, 10, 20, 60, 0.

[Allie Wentworth]

If we say the numbers out loud, does it seem like we're smart?

[Elliot Kaelin]

It definitely. It feels like you're processing it. Take a look at those numbers. What, the numbers from 2000 to 2009?

[Sean Hayes]

Yeah.

[Elliot Kaelin]

And then numbers from 2010 to 2020.

[Allie Wentworth]

The champagne.

[Sean Hayes]

Is it a champagne?

[Allie Wentworth]

Is it a champagne?

[Sean Hayes]

Yeah. Oh, it's like a wine or something.

[Allie Wentworth]

Yes. Yes. It gets better in age 26.

[Sean Hayes]

Something like that.

[Elliot Kaelin]

Yeah. I love your confidence. That's completely wrong, but I love the confidence that you're feeling.

[Allie Wentworth]

We don't need to say it completely, Elliot. We can just say that's wrong.

[Elliot Kaelin]

On the scale from right to wrong, it's closer towards the other end. Yeah. What's something you see around New Year's that involves the shape of the number of the year?

[Sean Hayes]

I don't know.

[Elliot Kaelin]

All right. Should I just give you the answer? Yeah, that's okay. This is a tough one. The answer is, my small business sells New Year's Eve novelty glasses shaped like the New Year, where the two middle digits go over your eyes like you see people wearing on New Year's.

[Allie Wentworth]

Oh, I see. For your eyes. Oh.

[Elliot Kaelin]

From 2000 to 2009, it was great. You had those two middle numbers, those two round numbers that your eyes go through. But the 2010s just don't work as well.

[Sean Hayes]

The 2020s don't work well either.

[Elliot Kaelin]

They work okay. They don't work great. But the 2000s, you got another round number.

[Sean Hayes]

Excellent.

[Elliot Kaelin]

That was a tough one. It involved a lot of thinking visually with words, which is not the easiest thing to do.

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[Elliot Kaelin]

Listeners at home, did you get the answer? If so, would you want to buy my novelty New Year's glasses business? I would be happy to sell, but I'd be even happier to keep things moving to this episode's main puzzle. Tone Note New Year's Party Edition.

[Sean Hayes]

Oh, nice. Tone Note.

[Elliot Kaelin]

The name Tone Note makes you think this is be about music, but you'd be wrong. Tone Note is a game of anagrams. I'll describe a two word phrase in which both of the words contain the exact same letters in different arrangements. For example, Tone Note, the name of this game. Tone and note are anagrams. Over here.

[Sean Hayes]

Oh, got it, got it, got it, got it, got it, got it. I'm so excited. Let's start. Watch this.

[Elliot Kaelin]

Sean has a place to be. He needs to get through this game.

[Sean Hayes]

We're so excited about this.

[Elliot Kaelin]

But while you're using your brain on those, hold back a little bit of thinking power because at the end there's a mega clue which really ties the whole room together.

[Sean Hayes]

Can't wait.

[Elliot Kaelin]

Time. Time Note. So our first question is an alcoholic fruit drink that was brought to tears.

[Sean Hayes]

An alcoholic fruit drink brought to tears. So do the n first like the brought to tears. Cry cry or tear. Brought to tears.

[Allie Wentworth]

Cry cry. Sad. Oh, eggnog.

[Sean Hayes]

Yeah, eggnog. Are we close?

[Elliot Kaelin]

Not yet, but you're getting there. You're getting there.

[Allie Wentworth]

Mint julep.

[Sean Hayes]

Mint julep.

[Elliot Kaelin]

Think maybe a shorter, maybe a shorter named seasonal alcoholic fruit drink.

[Sean Hayes]

Yeah, like a cider. Cider. Nice.

[Allie Wentworth]

Cider cried.

[Elliot Kaelin]

Mm. Put em together.

[Allie Wentworth]

Cider cried.

[Elliot Kaelin]

Yes. Cider cried. That's exactly what it is.

[Sean Hayes]

Oh, cried.

[Elliot Kaelin]

You got over the stumbling blocks of it being. You know, we don't think about cider crying.

[Sean Hayes]

No, not. Well, no, not too often.

[Elliot Kaelin]

No.

[Allie Wentworth]

But that's all I can think about now.

[Elliot Kaelin]

Yeah. Now what made it cry? What's going on?

[Allie Wentworth]

Bad apple.

[Sean Hayes]

That's right. Made it cry.

[Allie Wentworth]

Ally, drink your milk.

[Elliot Kaelin]

Let's go on to question number two.

[Sean Hayes]

Wonderful.

[Elliot Kaelin]

Okay. Delicately colored flat dishes for eating delicately colored flat dishes.

[Sean Hayes]

But something that's delicately colored.

[Allie Wentworth]

Pastel.

[Sean Hayes]

Yes, that's it. It's called pastel and it's. And then the other part is you.

[Elliot Kaelin]

Encounter these probably every day.

[Sean Hayes]

Tastal. Plates. Plates.

[Allie Wentworth]

Plates.

[Elliot Kaelin]

You got it. Pastel plates. Of course.

[Allie Wentworth]

Pastel plates. Okay.

[Elliot Kaelin]

The most delicious color to eat off of pastel, by the way.

[Allie Wentworth]

Now I'm gonna.

[Sean Hayes]

Great job with the pastel.

[Allie Wentworth]

Thank you.

[Elliot Kaelin]

Yeah. That was great. That was fantastic.

[Sean Hayes]

You know, when I think of the wor word pastel, I think of your bedroom wallpaper. I think of. Remember those Precious Moments figurines? My mom used to collect those. Next one. Next question.

[Elliot Kaelin]

I don't know. I want to hear more about. I want to hear more about this collection. But we'll talk about it.

[Sean Hayes]

You're all caught up. That was it.

[Elliot Kaelin]

So, okay, now this one might be a little bit harder, but we'll see. The clue is wizard sport.

[Sean Hayes]

Wizard sport.

[Elliot Kaelin]

Wizard sport. And I'm looking for two words that are anagrams of each other. They use the same letters in a different arrangement for wizard sport.

[Sean Hayes]

So Gandalf might be the first one.

[Allie Wentworth]

Oz.

[Elliot Kaelin]

Let's. I'm going to redirect you so it's not a specific wizard.

[Sean Hayes]

Okay, fine.

[Elliot Kaelin]

Think of another word for wizard.

[Sean Hayes]

Yeah, like witch. Witch.

[Allie Wentworth]

If you say it louder, it will be.

[Sean Hayes]

So wait, what's another wizard? Wizard. Witch. Sorcerer.

[Allie Wentworth]

Magician.

[Sean Hayes]

Magician.

[Elliot Kaelin]

Magician. Or magic. Or is there a word that is kind of similar to that? All right, let's think about some other words for sport.

[Allie Wentworth]

A game.

[Sean Hayes]

Game. Okay, that.

[Elliot Kaelin]

Great.

[Sean Hayes]

Oh, mag. That's right. Game. That's magic. That's mag. M, A G, E. Match.

[Elliot Kaelin]

That's not how you pronounce it. But that's the word mage. Yeah, that's a mage game.

[Sean Hayes]

Let me ask you something right now. Out of the 335 million people in this country, who in the world knows the word mage?

[Elliot Kaelin]

Well, you need to read a little bit more dungeons and instructional manuals.

[Sean Hayes]

Okay. I used to play as a kid. Mage and game. Okay, got it.

[Elliot Kaelin]

Mage game. You got it. Let's go to question four. This one. Well, we'll see. I don't even know whether how to judge the difficulty or non difficulty questions anymore. This one is long decorative party strips, now with improved sound quality.

[Allie Wentworth]

Streamers.

[Sean Hayes]

Yes.

[Elliot Kaelin]

Now with improved sound quality.

[Allie Wentworth]

Dobie.

[Elliot Kaelin]

Streamers.

[Sean Hayes]

No, I think streamers is right.

[Elliot Kaelin]

Streamers is right. Yes. So what's an anagram of streamers that means now with improved sound quality.

[Sean Hayes]

Streamers. Remastered remasters.

[Elliot Kaelin]

Yes, you got it. Streamers. Remasters.

[Sean Hayes]

Remasters.

[Elliot Kaelin]

That was a fast one.

[Allie Wentworth]

That was very collaborative.

[Elliot Kaelin]

Yes.

[Sean Hayes]

Yes, it was.

[Elliot Kaelin]

You set up the Ball. And then he knocked it over the net. If this is volleyball, well, that would be a mage.

[Sean Hayes]

I mean a game.

[Elliot Kaelin]

We have one more question left in the game. This one. A besties locator. Besties locator. Let's say friends.

[Sean Hayes]

Friends and locator.

[Elliot Kaelin]

Okay.

[Sean Hayes]

F, R I E N. Locator. DS and a locator.

[Elliot Kaelin]

I'm going to give you a small hint that this is an alliterative phrase so both words will start.

[Sean Hayes]

Oh, okay. Okay. I thought so. Find her. Find her.

[Elliot Kaelin]

You got it, friend. Find her. You did it.

[Allie Wentworth]

Find her. Find her. Find her.

[Elliot Kaelin]

And I'm giving the point to Ally. She was slightly louder at the end.

[Sean Hayes]

Nice tone.

[Elliot Kaelin]

No, no. Now, of course, we've got a different kind of mega clue today.

[Allie Wentworth]

Mega clue question.

[Elliot Kaelin]

There is no need to remember the previous clues.

[Sean Hayes]

Oh.

[Elliot Kaelin]

Today's mega clue is just a tone note question involving two very long words. The words are long.

[Allie Wentworth]

Okay.

[Elliot Kaelin]

And the clue is manages what things will be hung up to beautify the party.

[Sean Hayes]

No, no, I wrote down Allie. I have planner. Like a party planner. So manages what?

[Elliot Kaelin]

Manages what? Things will be hung up to beautify the party.

[Sean Hayes]

To beautify the party.

[Elliot Kaelin]

So what do you hang up to make a party look nice?

[Allie Wentworth]

Streamers.

[Sean Hayes]

Streamer. No, we already had that, so it's probably something else.

[Elliot Kaelin]

What's the more general term?

[Allie Wentworth]

A banner.

[Elliot Kaelin]

Streamers. Balloons. Banners.

[Sean Hayes]

Banner.

[Elliot Kaelin]

What would you call those things?

[Allie Wentworth]

Decorations.

[Sean Hayes]

Decorative. Decoration.

[Allie Wentworth]

Just. He's repeating my word.

[Elliot Kaelin]

I love it.

[Allie Wentworth]

Decorations.

[Sean Hayes]

Decorations.

[Elliot Kaelin]

And so that's the stuff to beautify the party. Now, what's the word for to manages. All those things?

[Sean Hayes]

All of it. Well, it's going to be. It's going to be someone who is managing.

[Allie Wentworth]

It has to come out of decorations, right?

[Elliot Kaelin]

Yes. It has to be all the same letters. All of those letters.

[Allie Wentworth]

Right.

[Sean Hayes]

Carot. Car. Coordinate. Coordinations. Coordinates.

[Elliot Kaelin]

Yes, Coordinates. So it's. The answer is coordinates. Decorations. Great job.

[Allie Wentworth]

That's amazing.

[Elliot Kaelin]

That was a hard one. And you got it.

[Sean Hayes]

That was really hard. I'm not great with words, but.

[Allie Wentworth]

But if somebody fights with you, out they'll come.

[Elliot Kaelin]

Our episode is almost over. But before we lose the holiday cheer and trudge into the dreaded regular months of the year. I mean, July. Give me a break. What are we talking about? We have one final New Year's cliffhanger puzzle.

[Sean Hayes]

Hey.

[Elliot Kaelin]

The cliffhanger puzzle is the puzzle equivalent of a letter from a secret admirer. If the admirer revealed their identity a couple days later on the next episode of the podcast. And today's Goes Thusly Sir Anthony Hopkins invited you to his combination New Year's Eve birthday party. That's right. He was born on December 31 and he asked you to bring a circular cake. He wants to give his eight guests each a piece of cake. However, he wants each of those pieces to be exactly the same size. And since it's his birthday, he doesn't want to have to do the cutting. He'd like you to do the cake cutting and he wants you to do it in three cuts or less. So the question is, can you take a circular cake and cut it into eight equal pieces with only three cuts? If so, how? Sean, Allie, how many cakes are you gonna absolutely wreck trying out solutions for this one?

[Allie Wentworth]

Well, first of all, it's called a bunt, Elliot.

[Sean Hayes]

Yes. By the way, I bet you that's one of the hints. I bet you that's a good hint, the bunt. Yeah. Cause he didn't specify which cake. All right, listen, we're gonna work on it.

[Elliot Kaelin]

Work on it. It's a round cake. That's the only thing that you need to know. And also you've gotta get equal size pieces, three cuts to get eight pieces. But you don't have to figure it out right now.

[Allie Wentworth]

Well, how much time do we have? Cause we've got a flight to Antigua and we can work on it. There's.

[Elliot Kaelin]

Well, folks, the end is nigh. In fact, it's not just nigh, it's right now. So I'd like to thank our special guest, Ali Wentworth for being the absolute best guest we've had in all of 2025. It's just no competition, just the best guest we've had all year. I'd like to thank our constant contestant, Sean Hayes, for staying true to himself even when his answers are false. And I want to thank you, the listeners, for pretending you didn't think of the answers until after Sean did. He's very sensitive about that. This has been Smartless presents Clueless. I've been your host, Elliot Kaelin, and I just remembered I had something really important to tell you. We'll have to figure it out next time. I'll try to remember. Bye.

[Devin Tory Bryant]

Clueless, you 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, 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 and myself. 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.

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