137 - Word Workout (w/ Jeff Max)

Summary

SmartLess Presents ClueLess: Episode 137 - Word Workout (w/ Jeff Max) Summary

Release Date: March 20, 2025

---

Introduction

In Episode 137 of SmartLess Presents ClueLess, host Elliott Kaelin, alongside recurring contestant Sean Hayes and special guest Jeff Max, dives into a brain-teasing session filled with puzzles, brainteasers, and engaging discussions. The episode, titled "Word Workout", promises listeners a dynamic interplay of wit and wordplay, all under the guidance of Emmy-winning writer Elliott Kaelin.

---

Resolving the Previous Cliffhanger Puzzle (00:44 - 03:04)

Elliott Kaelin opens the episode by addressing the unresolved puzzle from the previous episode, setting the stage for a continuity that rewards returning listeners.

Puzzle Recap: "Which word does not belong? Drove, Never, Murder, School, or Unkindness."

Sean Hayes’ Approach and Solution: Sean Hayes approaches the puzzle methodically, leveraging his knowledge of collective nouns for animals:

• Sean Hayes (02:21): “But an unkindness. I don't know what that is. And a never. I don't know. Like a group of animals. That's a never.”

Through his reasoning, Sean deduces that "Never" does not fit with the others, which are all collective nouns:

• Elliott Kaelin (02:55): “Here's what I love about what you did... You're using your logic to narrow it down... You're exactly right.”

Jeff Max’s Contribution: Jeff Max adds to the discussion by highlighting unfamiliar terms:

• Jeff Max (02:56): “I would have never known. There's a group of animals called a murder. I've never heard of that.”

This collaborative effort not only solves the puzzle but also reinforces the show's theme of teamwork and intellectual challenge.

---

Word Workout Game (07:11 - 12:38)

The heart of the episode lies in the "Word Workout" segment, a game designed to test the contestants' abilities to manipulate words by removing letters and rearranging them to form new words based on given clues.

Game Mechanics: Elliott Kaelin explains the rules:

• Elliott Kaelin (07:54): “For each clue, I'm gonna give you the starting word and ask you to remove one letter and then rearrange the remaining letters to create a new sentence.”

Round Highlights:

1. Candle to Dance (08:06 - 08:17)

   • Clue: Remove a letter from "candle" to get a series of rhythmic movements.
   • Sean Hayes (08:06): “Dance.”
   • Elliott Kaelin (08:11): “I removed the letter L.”

2. Basket to Steak (08:23 - 08:44)

   • Clue: Remove a letter from "basket" to get a prime cut.
   • Sean Hayes (08:27): “Steak.”
   • Elliott Kaelin (08:37): “You take out the B... and you just get the steak.”

3. Course to Score (08:48 - 09:02)

   • Clue: Remove a letter from "course" to get the sports results.
   • Sean Hayes (09:01): “Score.”
   • Elliott Kaelin (09:02): “You remove the A.”

4. Serial to Rails (09:14 - 09:25)

   • Clue: Remove a letter from "serial" to get some long tracks.
   • Sean Hayes (09:21): “Rails.”

5. Barber to Barre (09:52 - 10:32)

   • Clue: Remove a letter from "barber" to get a kind of fitness activity.
   • Hint Provided by Elliott Kaelin (10:15): “This is a ballet-based fitness activity.”
   • Sean Hayes (10:28): “Barre.”

6. Ringer to Rain (11:20 - 11:36)

   • Clue: Remove a letter from "ringer" to get the span of a monarchy.
   • Sean Hayes (11:21): “Rain.”

7. Sellout to Tussle (11:33 - 11:37)

   • Clue: Remove a letter from "sellout" to get a way to mess up someone's hair.
   • Sean Hayes (11:34): “Tussle.”

Throughout the game, the contestants exhibit sharp thinking and quick problem-solving skills, with Elliott providing timely hints to keep the momentum.

---

Mega Clue Challenge (11:56 - 12:38)

After successfully completing the Word Workout, Elliott introduces the Mega Clue, a higher-level puzzle that requires synthesizing the removed letters from the previous answers.

Mega Clue Instructions:

• Elliott Kaelin (11:56): “Take the letters you removed from those words... and rearrange them to reveal a piece of workout equipment you could buy a drink from.”

Removed Letters:

• L, B, A, E, B, R, L

Contestants’ Attempts:

• Sean Hayes (12:25): “Barbecue” (Incorrect)

Solution:

• Elliott Kaelin (12:38): “It was a piece of workout equipment you could buy a drink from. And the answer was barbell.”

Though there was a slight misstep in Sean's guess, the correct answer neatly ties back to the workout theme, reinforcing the episode's focus on mental agility and wordplay.

---

Cliffhanger Puzzle for Next Episode (12:44 - 14:15)

To maintain engagement and intrigue, Elliott presents a Cliffhanger Puzzle for listeners to ponder until the next episode.

Cliffhanger Puzzle: Replace five parts of the following sentence with five uses of the same word while keeping the meaning the same:

"After watching a concert and part of a tennis match on my TV, I put dishes on the table, then turned my clock back for daylight saving time."

Elliott Kaelin (13:37): “I'll read you that sentence one more time.”

Objective: Listeners are challenged to identify a single word that can replace five distinct parts of the sentence without altering its overall meaning.

---

Conclusion and Credits (14:17 - 16:32)

As the episode wraps up, Elliott acknowledges the contributions of Jeff Max and Sean Hayes, highlighting their unique approaches to solving puzzles. The closing remarks emphasize gratitude towards the listeners and encourage them to stay tuned for future challenges.

Key Quotes:

• Elliott Kaelin (14:30): “Thank you to Jeff Max for finding the quickest path to our hearts.”
• Sean Hayes (14:31): “He's still on the road.”

The episode concludes with production credits, recognizing the efforts of the entire SmartLess Media team, including producers, engineers, and executive producers.

---

Notable Quotes with Timestamps

• Elliott Kaelin (00:23): “Due to inflation, a bird in the hand is now worth four in the bush. Please adjust your proverbs accordingly.”

• Sean Hayes (01:35): “That's it.”

• Elliott Kaelin (02:55): “You're using your logic to narrow it down to two. And then at the last two, you're like, I don't know which one. So I'm gonna take a gamble.”

• Jeff Max (08:09): “I would have never gotten that.”

• Elliott Kaelin (10:15): “This is a ballet-based fitness activity.”

• Sean Hayes (12:25): “Yay.”

---

Final Thoughts

Episode 137 of SmartLess Presents ClueLess masterfully blends entertainment with intellectual stimulation, offering listeners a series of engaging puzzles and games that challenge the mind while fostering a sense of camaraderie among participants. With Elliott Kaelin's witty hosting, Sean Hayes' quick thinking, and Jeff Max's supportive presence, the episode stands out as a testament to the show's commitment to delivering quality, bite-sized content that is both fun and mentally invigorating.

For those seeking a short yet enriching podcast experience, ClueLess continues to be a top choice, delivering fresh twists and interactive challenges every two weeks.

---

Transcript

[Sean Hayes]

Today's episode of Clueless is sponsored by Monopoly, and their three brand new expansions get faster gameplay and fresh twists with free parking. Jackpot. Go to jail and buy everything available now. Monopoly is a trademark of Hasbro.

[Jeff Max]

Smart Bless media.

[Elliot Kaelin]

I'd like to open this episode with a quick financial update. Due to inflation, a bird in the hand is now worth four in the bush. Please adjust your proverbs accordingly. This is Clueless.

[Jeff Max]

Clueless.

[Sean Hayes]

Clueless. I'm Clueless.

[Elliot Kaelin]

Welcome to Smartless presents Clueless, the only puzzle podcast, period. I refuse to recognize any others. I'm your host, Elliot Kaelin, and I come from the future with a warning for all mankind. But first, please welcome the man who's got entertainment in his bl. But don't worry, he's taking something for it. Sean Hayes. Thanks for being here, Sean.

[Sean Hayes]

Yeah, I can't get off it.

[Elliot Kaelin]

That's the problem.

[Sean Hayes]

Today we are joined by an old friend of mine. His name is Jeff. Max. We grew up in the theater together. If you heard the previous episode, you would know what I'm talking about. He needs a little slapping around sometimes because we gotta keep him real. Ladies and gentlemen, it's Jeff. Or Jeffrey, depending on how gay he is that day.

[Elliot Kaelin]

Max.

[Jeff Max]

Hello.

[Sean Hayes]

And he's gonna sing a little something for us.

[Jeff Max]

That's it.

[Sean Hayes]

All right.

[Jeff Max]

Wow.

[Sean Hayes]

That's it.

[Elliot Kaelin]

That was a very little something.

[Jeff Max]

That's it.

[Elliot Kaelin]

They say patience is a virtue, but having too much patience is just being lazy. So let's stop waiting around and reveal the answer to last episode's cliffhanger puzzle, shall we?

[Sean Hayes]

Yeah.

[Elliot Kaelin]

You may remember, it was an odd one out that went thusly. Which word does not belong? Drove. Never murder, school, or unkindness.

[Sean Hayes]

I mean, well, the first thing, Jeff, I was thinking was, there's like, a group of crows can be a murder. A group of fish can be a school. Oh, but am I on the right track?

[Elliot Kaelin]

You are very much on the right track, yes.

[Jeff Max]

Because you have a drove of something. You do have a drove of something.

[Sean Hayes]

But an unkindness. I don't know what that is. And a never. I don't know. Like a group of animals. That's a never.

[Jeff Max]

Yeah, you're right. I don't know.

[Sean Hayes]

But I don't know. A group of animals, that's an unkindness. I mean, that's weird, but that does sound like one. I'm gonna say never. I'm just gonna go for it.

[Elliot Kaelin]

You're exactly right, Sean. Here's what I love about what you did. This is classic. Professional puzzle playing. You're like, I have a sense of it. I know what some of these things are. I'm narrowing in. I'm getting closer. I'm using my logic to narrow it down to two. And then at the last two, you're like, I don't know which one. So I'm gonna take a gamble. Cause every game player at heart is a gambler. You're exactly right.

[Sean Hayes]

How about that?

[Jeff Max]

I would have never known. There's a group of animals called a murder. I've never heard of that.

[Sean Hayes]

Oh, yeah. Murder of crows.

[Jeff Max]

Murder of crows.

[Elliot Kaelin]

And it's an unkindness of ravens. Really?

[Sean Hayes]

Is that really? Really. By the way, Just so you know, and everybody works on this show, Jeff's signature is. Oh, really? Really? What's a drove?

[Elliot Kaelin]

A drove of donkeys. Donkeys come in droves.

[Sean Hayes]

Okay. Murders. Crows drove as donkeys, school as fish. Unkindness is ravens, which is very close to crows. And a never is nothing.

[Elliot Kaelin]

Yeah. And an oh really of Jeff's, I guess, is the oh really of Jeff.

[Sean Hayes]

Really?

[Elliot Kaelin]

This is what we've missing is we've never had a guest with a catchphrase before. And I'm very excited about that.

[Sean Hayes]

And by the way, a catchphrase that caught on in literally 10 seconds.

[Jeff Max]

Well, you also have to follow up. Follow it up with I never knew.

[Sean Hayes]

Also get a couple drinks in them. And that, oh really is about two octaves higher and about longer. 20 decibels louder.

[Jeff Max]

What drinks?

[Sean Hayes]

Yeah. Thank you to Monopoly for supporting today's episode.

[Elliot Kaelin]

Clueless listeners. Monopoly has created three new ways to play with expansions. You add on to your classic Monopoly set.

[Sean Hayes]

If you want to own the whole board, the buy everything expansion lets you do just that. That's right. Every space on the board is up for grabs.

[Elliot Kaelin]

Go to jail. Buy it. Free parking. Yep, that too. And with the buy die, you get even more ways to win fast.

[Sean Hayes]

If you're the kind of person who likes to press their luck like Elliot, the free parking jackpot expansion is your jam. Land on free parking. Spin the wheel and boom. Cash in big. But don't get too comfortable because it's risky. One spin could have you rolling in money or losing it all. It's high stakes, fast, and definitely for the competitive.

[Elliot Kaelin]

And if you're a mastermind who loves little chaos like Sean, the go to jail expansion is a game changer. Jail isn't a punishment. It's strategic. Bribe, steal and collect corruption cards to mess with your opponents. Turns out crime does pay, at least in Monopoly.

[Sean Hayes]

So Whether you're a risk taker, rule breaker or money maker, Monopoly has three new expansion packs for you to explore. Pick your pack or grab all three and let the game get a whole lot more exciting.

[Elliot Kaelin]

Available now on Amazon. All is fair in Monopoly expansions.

[Sean Hayes]

Monopoly is a trademark of Hasbro.

[Elliot Kaelin]

Is your child struggling with a specific subject or need help with homework? IXL Learning is an online learning program for kids. It covers math, language arts, science and social studies. If your child is struggling, this is the smartest investment you can make. A single hour of tutoring costs more than a month of IXL. And IXL is used in 96 of the top 100 school districts in the United States. I don't know what's with those other four school districts. They gotta get with the program. Look, as a parent of children, I know that some subjects they pick up right away and others they really struggle with. Sometimes they need extra help outside of the classroom, and IXL is the kind of help that can get them to where they need to be. If your child's having trouble the same way, then IXL Learning might be that extra boost they need to excel in the subject that they're currently not excelling in. While they're excelling in all the other subjects make an impact on your child's learning. Get IXL now and Smartless presents. Clueless listeners can get an exclusive 20% off IXL membership when they sign up today at ixl.com visit ixl.com clueless to get the most effective learning program out there at the best price.

[Sean Hayes]

Netcredit is here to say yes to a personal loan or line of credit. When other lenders say no, apply in minutes and get a decision as soon as the same day. Loans offered by Netcredit or lending partner banks and serviced by Netcredit application subject.

[Elliot Kaelin]

To review and approval.

[Sean Hayes]

Learn [e-mail] partner NetCredit credit and the.

[Elliot Kaelin]

People Listeners at home, did you get the answer? If not, that's okay. Postmodern theory tells us all truth is relative. But let's pretend there's such a thing as objective reality for just a couple more minutes so we can play today's main game and it's called Word Workout.

[Jeff Max]

Yeah, Word Workout. We're working on words out Word Workout going okay, like for share. Good. It's really good.

[Sean Hayes]

Isn't that good?

[Jeff Max]

Yeah, it's really good.

[Elliot Kaelin]

These are great songs. I can't wait for the album to come out now. Okay, we've got seven words for you. Each of them wants to slim down and lose some weight. And we're gonna help get them into shape. For each clue, I'm gonna give you the starting word and ask you to remove one letter and then rearrange the remaining letters to create a new sentence. I love this.

[Sean Hayes]

I love this. I love this.

[Elliot Kaelin]

Let's have an example. If the clue was remove a letter from cinema to get a type of Japanese animation, what would you do?

[Sean Hayes]

Anime.

[Elliot Kaelin]

Yep, exactly. You take out the C, rearrange them, you get anime. Are you ready to send these words to the gym?

[Jeff Max]

Sure.

[Elliot Kaelin]

Excellent word workout. Let's start with question number one. Remove a letter from candle to get a series of rhythmic movements. Rhythmic movements.

[Sean Hayes]

Dance.

[Elliot Kaelin]

Yes. Very good.

[Jeff Max]

Damn, I would have never gotten that.

[Elliot Kaelin]

Tell me, which letter did you remove out of there?

[Sean Hayes]

I removed. Well, if you speak the English language, I removed the letter L.

[Elliot Kaelin]

Question number two. Remove a letter from basket to get a prime cut.

[Sean Hayes]

Oh, I was gonna say brisket. But wait. To get a prime cut.

[Elliot Kaelin]

Take a look at those letters and see which ones you might be able to rearrange to me. Oh, you got it. Yes. Steak. You take out the B, which is the part of the cow you don't use anyway. And you just get the steak.

[Sean Hayes]

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.

[Elliot Kaelin]

Wow, that's.

[Sean Hayes]

You know, I'm gonna go ahead and put the L from candle in steak. No, I'm kidding.

[Elliot Kaelin]

And get steel.

[Sean Hayes]

Get ste.

[Elliot Kaelin]

Question number three. Remove a letter from coarse spelled C O, A, R, S, E. So course is in rough. Remove a letter from course to get the sports results.

[Sean Hayes]

To get the sports results.

[Jeff Max]

Score.

[Sean Hayes]

Score.

[Elliot Kaelin]

Yes. Very good. You remove the A and you get score number four. Remove a letter from serial. As in things in order. S E, R, I, A, L. To get some long tracks.

[Sean Hayes]

Long tracks. Long tracks.

[Elliot Kaelin]

Long tracks.

[Jeff Max]

Long tracks.

[Elliot Kaelin]

I was hoping you would also say long tracks, Jay, so we'd all say it.

[Sean Hayes]

Rails.

[Elliot Kaelin]

Yes, rails. Exactly. You move the E and you get rails. Number five.

[Jeff Max]

Kicking my.

[Sean Hayes]

Come on, you got score, right?

[Jeff Max]

I think I said that with you.

[Sean Hayes]

Yeah.

[Elliot Kaelin]

Question number five. Remove a letter from barber to get a kind of fitness activity. Remove a letter from barber to get a kind of fitness activity.

[Sean Hayes]

Huh?

[Elliot Kaelin]

Barber.

[Sean Hayes]

B, A, R. B, A, R. Right? Or is it E R?

[Elliot Kaelin]

B, A, R, B, E, R. Yeah.

[Sean Hayes]

Not the elephant.

[Elliot Kaelin]

Barber. The elephant is a different story. He holds the scissors in his trunk. It's pretty cute.

[Sean Hayes]

Wait, Ab.

[Jeff Max]

No.

[Elliot Kaelin]

Would you like a hint or a clue?

[Jeff Max]

Sure.

[Sean Hayes]

A hint.

[Elliot Kaelin]

Okay. The hint is this is a ballet based fitness activity. That's the hint. If you want a clue I'll tell you what letter to remove.

[Sean Hayes]

Oh, it's a ballet related activity that's.

[Elliot Kaelin]

Also ballet based fitness barre.

[Sean Hayes]

Oh, yeah.

[Elliot Kaelin]

Yes, Barre. Exactly right.

[Sean Hayes]

B, A, R, R, E. Yes.

[Elliot Kaelin]

You remove the B to get barre. That was good. But that's a hard one.

[Jeff Max]

That was a really hard one.

[Sean Hayes]

Really hard one.

[Elliot Kaelin]

I hope you walk away from this knowing that you got a really hard one and it just gives. Gives you confidence for whatever you're doing next.

[Sean Hayes]

Yeah. Wait, a fitness what activity? So what do you do there? You just hang out on the bar?

[Jeff Max]

The bar? No, when you do barre, you do.

[Sean Hayes]

Like a bunch of. But I would think it's more dance related and not. I don't know. Anybody that goes to the gym and rushes to the bar does bar.

[Elliot Kaelin]

Well, they do. Well, they've started doing. It's a. You know, they can turn anything into fitness. They turn ballet exercise into fitness.

[Sean Hayes]

Oh, is that new? Okay, great.

[Elliot Kaelin]

Just like how Pilates used to be. Just plates.

[Sean Hayes]

Right? Very good.

[Jeff Max]

Sure.

[Elliot Kaelin]

Question number 6. Remove a letter from ringer to get the span of a monarchy. Remove a letter from ringer.

[Sean Hayes]

Rain.

[Elliot Kaelin]

Yes, rain. Very good. And now finally, our last one for this game. Remove a letter from sellout to get a way to mess up someone's hair.

[Sean Hayes]

Tussle.

[Elliot Kaelin]

Yes.

[Sean Hayes]

That was good.

[Elliot Kaelin]

Very good. That's. I thought that was gonna be the hardest of them, but instead, if anything, it was the easiest of them.

[Sean Hayes]

Probably.

[Jeff Max]

That was good.

[Sean Hayes]

How about that? No pain, no gain.

[Elliot Kaelin]

Excellent work. But now that we've sweated off all those unsightly extra letters, we've got to find some way to dispose of them. How about we recycle them as today's mega clue.

[Jeff Max]

Mega clue Question.

[Elliot Kaelin]

To solve the mega clue, I want you to take the letters you removed from those words and I'll remind you what they are. And I want you to rearrange them to reveal a piece of workout equipment you could buy a drink from. And the letters are L, B, A, E, B, R and L. And what's the clue? And the clue is a piece of barbell. Well, you don't even get the clue anymore. It's too late. That's the right answer.

[Sean Hayes]

Yay.

[Elliot Kaelin]

It was a piece of workout equipment you could buy a drink from. And the answer was barbecue.

[Sean Hayes]

And it's not a bar. Again. B, A, R, R, E. No. Okay.

[Elliot Kaelin]

No. This time it's just the. It's just the other kind of bar.

[Jeff Max]

Let's not lose our pleasing disposition.

[Sean Hayes]

Hi. Then it's not an elephant. It's Not a French elephant. Okay.

[Elliot Kaelin]

Yeah, we've narrowed it down. Nice work. Great work, guys. Well, listeners, did you do as well as Sean and Jeff? If so, your steak is free. But before you chow down, make sure you keep a little room for today's cliffhanger puzzle. Ah, the haunting cliffhanger puzzle. The cliffhanger puzzle is like if a genie let you wish for more wishes, except you only get one more wish, and it's a puzzle. And today's cliffhanger goes. I'm going to read a sentence to you. Can you replace five parts of this sentence with five uses of the same one word while keeping the meaning of the sentence the same? So again, I'm going to read the sentence to you. I want you to replace five parts of it with the same word while keeping the meaning the same. And that sentence is.

[Sean Hayes]

Got it.

[Elliot Kaelin]

After watching a concert and part of a tennis match on my tv, I put dishes on the table, then turned my clock back for daylight saving time. Again. I'll read you that sentence one more time.

[Sean Hayes]

Yeah, act slower.

[Elliot Kaelin]

After all, after watching a concert and part of a tennis match on my tv, I put dishes on the table, then turned my clock back for daylight saving time. So for next episode, can you replace five of the parts of that sentence with the same single word and keep the meaning of the sentence the same?

[Sean Hayes]

Yeah. Yeah. Okay, very good.

[Elliot Kaelin]

Well, the feds are here, and this time they've got a warrant, so we better bring this episode to a close. But first, I'd like to thank Jeff Max for finding the quickest path to. To our hearts. And I'd like to thank Sean Hayes for taking a more roundabout route to the heart. But he's getting there.

[Sean Hayes]

He's still on the road.

[Elliot Kaelin]

Exactly. And I'd like to thank you, the listeners, for accepting these sound waves into your head right now. Until next time, this has been Smartless presents Clueless. And I've been your host, Elliot Kaelin, saying that by the power vested in me by the universal life church and the state of Montana, I now pronounce you married to whoever you're sitting next to right now. Mazel tov.

[Sean Hayes]

Very good.

[Jeff Max]

Clueless. You have been listening to Smartless presents Clueless, a smartless media production in association with Sirius xm. Your host is Elliot Kaelin, who also writes our scripts. Your constant contestant is Sean Hayes, dreamer, adventurer. 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, 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 Kaminski. 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]

Thank you to our partner Monopoly for supporting today's episode. Just like Clueless is a shorter, faster show from Smartless Media, Monopoly is introducing three new expansion packs that you add on to classic Monopoly for fresh twists, faster gameplay and a modern take on the game you love. I'm talking about Monopoly. Look out for the all new buy everything, go to jail or free parking jackpot expansions to spice up your next game night, pick your expansion and level up your game. Available now on Amazon. Monopoly is a trademark of Hasbro Smart Glass Media.

[Sean Hayes]

The Quarter Pounder with Cheese had many great things. Maple flavored griddle cakes isn't one of them. McDonald's breakfast comes first.