SmartLess Presents ClueLess: Episode 135 - "State Of Confusion" Featuring Carrie Aizley

Release Date: March 13, 2025
Host: Elliott Kalan
Guest: Carrie Aizley
Constant Contestant: Sean Hayes

1. Introduction and Guest Presentation

Timestamp: 00:23 - 01:32

Elliott Kalan opens the episode with a thought-provoking question: "Why is it considered totally acceptable to walk up and pet somebody's dog, but if you walk up and pet somebody's luggage, they act like you're a weirdo?" This sets the stage for the episode's engaging and quirky tone.

Elliott warmly welcomes the episode's guest, Carrie Aizley, introducing her with playful banter:

Elliott Kalan (00:43): "She's looking smart. She's feeling smart. She is smart. She's ready to go."

Carrie responds enthusiastically, expressing her delight to join the show:

Carrie Aizley (00:58): "Thank you for having me, Elliott. This is so lovely to see you and to be here and to play games."

2. Recap of the Cliffhanger Puzzle

Timestamp: 01:32 - 02:30

Elliott revisits the previous episode's unresolved cliffhanger puzzle:

Elliott Kalan (01:37): "You know when you have people over and your one friend just will not leave. This is awkward. The cliffhanger puzzle from last episode is still here."

The puzzle posed was:

Elliott Kalan (02:30): "What do these five words have in common? Barry, Field, Taylor, Stone, and Hunter."

3. Solving the Cliffhanger Puzzle

Timestamp: 02:30 - 04:26

Carrie, alongside Sean Hayes and Will Arnett, delves into solving the puzzle. Initial guesses touch on themes like last names and outdoor elements. The breakthrough comes when they identify the commonality:

Elliott Kalan (03:49): "They are all best actress winners."

The group confirms that Barry (Halle Berry), Field (Sally Field), Taylor (Elizabeth Taylor), Stone (Emma Stone), and Hunter (Holly Hunter) have all won Oscars for Best Actress.

Carrie Aizley (04:05): "I was thinking of Stone Phillips. Remember that guy?"

Elliott praises Carrie's reasoning process:

Elliott Kalan (04:12): "Very nice job, Carrie. I did like the brief Stone Rock confusion."

4. Main Game: State of Confusion

Timestamp: 06:55 - 12:27

Elliott introduces the episode's main game, "State of Confusion," a word puzzle involving U.S. state abbreviations. The objective is to combine postal abbreviations with an added letter to form a word related to Elliott's trip descriptions.

Example Provided:

Elliott Kalan (07:11): "For example, if I said my trip from Seattle to Lexington was totally absurd, you would tell me that that trip was wacko."

Carrie Aizley (08:03): "Wacky."

Questions and Answers:

1. Montgomery to Omaha

   • Clue: "All by myself."
   • Answer: "Alone" (AL + NE + O)

   Elliott Kalan (08:55): "Alone. Yes. The AL from Alabama, the NE from Nebraska, and an O in the middle."

2. Boston to Topeka with Ruffalo, Twain, and Hamill

   • Clue: Associating with "marks."
   • Answer: "Marx" (MA + KS + R)

   Elliott Kalan (09:25): "Marx."

3. Providence to Lexington

   • Clue: "Pretty dangerous."
   • Answer: "Risky" (RI + KY + S)

   Carrie Aizley (09:18): "Risky."

4. Charleston to Jackson

   • Clue: "Huge ripoff."
   • Answer: "Scams" (SC + MS + A)

   Elliott Kalan (10:19): "Scams."

5. Denver to Bend

   • Clue: "Bright and vivid."
   • Answer: "Color" (CO + OR + L)

   Carrie Aizley (10:36): "Color."

6. Orlando to Chicago

   • Clue: "Just thrashing around."
   • Answer: "Flail" (FL + IL + A)

   Elliott Kalan (10:55): "Flail."

7. St. Louis to Fargo

   • Clue: "Things just piled up."
   • Answer: "Mound" (MO + ND + U)

   Carrie Aizley (11:13): "Mound."

5. Mega Clue

Timestamp: 11:12 - 12:27

With the answers from the six questions—"Alone," "Marx," "Risky," "Scams," "Color," "Flail," and "Mound"—the added letters are O, R, S, A, L, A, and U. Elliott challenges the contestants to unscramble these letters to reveal a different kind of state:

Elliott Kalan (11:31): "Mega clue... about a different kind of state... perhaps when you're around a special someone."

The solution is unveiled by Carrie and Sean:

Carrie Aizley (12:17): "Arousal."

Elliott acknowledges their correct answer:

Elliott Kalan (12:28): "A state that you might experience, perhaps when you're around a special someone."

6. Closing Remarks and Cliffhanger Puzzle

Timestamp: 12:27 - 14:00

Elliott introduces the cliffhanger puzzle for the next episode:

Elliott Kalan (14:00): "Could call me Bob or Rachel, I'll answer to Caesar or even Buzz, but do not call me Jason. Why?"

He encourages listeners to ponder the riddle and hints at the next episode's reveal:

Elliott Kalan (14:00): "We'll find the answer at the beginning of the next episode."

Carrie and Sean exchange playful remarks, leaving the audience eager for the next installment.

Notable Quotes with Timestamps

• Elliott Kalan (02:30): "What do these five words have in common? Barry, Field, Taylor, Stone, and Hunter."

• Carrie Aizley (04:05): "I was thinking of Stone Phillips. Remember that guy?"

• Elliott Kalan (07:11): "So in this game, I'm going to tell you about some of my recent trips around these United States."

• Keri Aisley (10:37): "Flail."

• Keri Aisley (11:13): "Mound."

• Elliott Kalan (12:17): "Scramble them up to provide the name of a different kind of state that you might experience."

• Carrie Aizley (12:18): "Arousal."

Conclusion

Episode 135 of SmartLess Presents ClueLess masterfully blends entertaining puzzles with witty banter and insightful discussions. Host Elliott Kalan, alongside guest Carrie Aizley and regulars Sean Hayes and Will Arnett, engage listeners in challenging yet enjoyable word games. The episode not only resolves the previous cliffhanger puzzle but also introduces an engaging new game that tests the contestants' knowledge of U.S. state abbreviations in a creative manner. The concluding mega clue and the new cliffhanger puzzle set the stage for continued excitement in future episodes.

For those who haven't tuned in, this episode offers a perfect mix of humor, intellectual challenge, and camaraderie, encapsulating the essence of SmartLess Presents ClueLess.