
On this episode of ClueLess, Elliott presents SmartLess Presents ClueLess presents This Is Your Game: It’s A Numbers Game Edition, an episode that’s as long on memories as it is words in its title. Each iteration of the game concerns a different category, but the rules are always the same: we will give you two famous titles with their numbers missing, your job is to fill in the blanks, complete the equation, and answer in the form of a title featuring the solution. In this episode you’ll hear clips featuring Jason Bateman, Will Arnett, Ali Wentworth, Scotty Icenogle, Jeff Max, and Jon Gabrus! New episodes every Monday (for the next few weeks) Puzzles in this episode are by Matthew Broussard, Josh Richmond, and Devon Torrey Bryant. Script by Elliott Kalan. Music and sound effects by Devon Torrey Bryant.
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Zoe Saldana
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Sean Hayes
Smart Less medium.
Elliot Kaelin
Before we begin, I have two announcements. Today's podcast is a special best of episode. Also, there's a man eating tiger loose in your neighborhood. In retrospect, the second announcement is probably the more important one. This is Clueless.
Scotty Eisenogle
Clueless.
Elliot Kaelin
Clueless. Welcome to Smartless presents. Clueless, the only puzzle podcast that still remembers what we used to mean to each other. I'm your host, Elliot Kaelin, and this is my ide. A good time. Today I'll be hosting a very special best of episode of the podcast entitled this Is yous Game. We'll be back with a regular episode next Monday, but today we'll be taking a walk down memory lane. Specifically, memories of our first ever game. It's a Numbers Game. Aww. You always remember your first. Of course. It's a numbers game. Likes to keep the spice alive in our relationship by always bringing a different category with it. And today we'll hear some of those categories as the game is played by It's a Numbers Game all stars like Ali Wentworth, Jeff Max, John Gabris, and Scotty Eisenogle. But first, we'll be starting with a clip from our very first episode where we were joined by two friends of Sean's who you may have heard of. Cue the theme song. TV Show Edition.
Ali Wentworth
I keep forgetting this. I keep forgetting there's a band right behind me because I saw them load in and I smell the weed. Yeah, you did.
Scotty Eisenogle
It's a numbers game.
Ali Wentworth
It's so good.
Scotty Eisenogle
All right, let's begin.
Elliot Kaelin
This game is built around TV shows with numbers in their titles. You are going to be tested on your very useful knowledge of television shows and also your very useless knowledge of basic elementary school math.
Ali Wentworth
227.
Scotty Eisenogle
227.
Elliot Kaelin
I like that you were so ready with a number right off the bat.
Ali Wentworth
It will be a winner in one of these questions.
Elliot Kaelin
Each question will take the form of a simple math equation or only instead of numbers, I'm gonna tell you a TV show title that has had the number removed from it.
Sean Hayes
Oh, shit.
Elliot Kaelin
You're gonna have to recognize the show, understand the number, and then solve the equation using the missing numbers. And you can get a bonus point as a group for responding with an answer in the form of a TV show title. So I'm gonna give you an example. This is just a practice one. This doesn't count to your score. Let's try this out. If I said day fiance, minus for 30, what would the answer be? And you can talk it out, too. Work it out between yourselves.
Ali Wentworth
90 day fiance, 30 for 30.
Scotty Eisenogle
So it'd be 60.
Elliot Kaelin
Yep, you got that right. And if you wanted that extra point, what? Is there a show title with 60 Minutes. 60 Minutes. You got it. 60 Minutes. Great.
Ali Wentworth
That's great.
Elliot Kaelin
You could have also said Studio 60 or any of the millions of TV shows that have 60 in their titles. Okay, then let's play It's a numbers game TV show edition. The first question is Million Dollar man divided by stooges.
Scotty Eisenogle
$6 million man. Yep. Divided by three stooges. Three stooges. Six divided by three is two. Oh, two. And then you got to do a show with two in it.
Ali Wentworth
227.
Scotty Eisenogle
Nice.
Elliot Kaelin
You got it. Perfect.
Ali Wentworth
Two and a half men. Fuck. You use it. You use it right away.
Elliot Kaelin
I feel like I should give you double extra points because there's two twos in that name.
Ali Wentworth
I would like it. I'll take it.
Elliot Kaelin
Okay, so that's three points total for that first question. That's. You're getting more points than you're supposed to. Question two is Reno nine. Plus and a half men.
Ali Wentworth
14. Reno 911. Three and a half men. Oh, two and a half men, dummy, is 13. Hang on, hang on.
Scotty Eisenogle
Reno 911. Could be 11. Or one. Or two. Two ones.
Ali Wentworth
I think we gotta go with 11. I think we have to go with 11.
Scotty Eisenogle
Okay, 11. And then what is it?
Ali Wentworth
I think plus. Plus two and a half is 13. And 13 reasons why.
Elliot Kaelin
Yep, you got it. That's great.
Ali Wentworth
What's 13 reasons why? Oh, it's a ya vehicle on netflix.
Scotty Eisenogle
It can be seen massively successful.
Elliot Kaelin
Young people love it. Young people love it.
Ali Wentworth
Sucks. And I could give you 14 reasons why.
Elliot Kaelin
The next time we played It's a Numbers Game was with Sean's good friend, Allie Wentworth. The category this time was books with numbers in their title. Let's flashback to how they did. You ace that one. Let's go on to number two.
Scotty Eisenogle
Okay.
Elliot Kaelin
The Dalmatians minus. Ready, player one.
Scotty Eisenogle
That's 100. 101 Dalmatians. Ready, player one. 100. So what's 100?
Jeff Max
100,000Ft under the Sea. See, did we say that at the same time?
Elliot Kaelin
You somehow did both say a title that doesn't exist at the same exact time.
Jeff Max
All the 100 presidents met. Oh, there's got to be a historical.
Scotty Eisenogle
Yeah.
Jeff Max
100 days. The first hundred days. That's a book. Yeah, that's a book.
Scotty Eisenogle
That's a book.
Elliot Kaelin
Okay, I'll give it. That's great. For some of these, I also would have accepted 100 Years of Solitude. A beautiful book. Beautiful book.
Jeff Max
Beautiful.
Elliot Kaelin
You're doing great. That's fantastic. So this is number three. The Six wives of Henry. The Times.
Scotty Eisenogle
Times, Times, Times.
Elliot Kaelin
Apples up on top.
Scotty Eisenogle
I don't know. Apples up on top. I don't know. Apples up on top.
Jeff Max
Wait, Henry viii. Apples up on top.
Elliot Kaelin
This is a children's book. I don't know if that's gonna help.
Jeff Max
Apples up on top.
Scotty Eisenogle
Well, I figured. Apples up on top.
Jeff Max
I thought it was about plastic surgery. Apples up on top.
Scotty Eisenogle
On top. Wait, is it 12? Is it 12? Apples up on top.
Elliot Kaelin
I'll give you a hint. It's a number somewhere between eight and 12. You're narrowing out 10 apples. Yes, 10 apples up on top. And so let's do that math.
Scotty Eisenogle
80. 80.
Jeff Max
So that's.
Scotty Eisenogle
Oh, 80 for Brady.
Elliot Kaelin
I don't think that's a movie, but maybe they novelized it.
Scotty Eisenogle
Maybe it was a book. Yeah, 80 for Brady.
Elliot Kaelin
I'm not sure if it was a book or not, but I'll give it to you. I'll give it to you.
Scotty Eisenogle
All right, great.
Jeff Max
What did you have, Elliot?
Elliot Kaelin
I would have accepted say, around The World in 80 Days is one that I would have gotten, but you know me, I love the classics.
Scotty Eisenogle
Yeah, there's nothing more classic than 10 apples up on top or 80 for Brady. Yeah.
Elliot Kaelin
Well, they tried their best. Bless their dear little hearts. We need to take a short break, but we'll have more pop culture math for you right after this.
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Scotty Eisenogle
Thanks.
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Zoe Saldana
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Zoe Saldana
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Zoe Saldana
I don't really have much in my purse. Oh, let's see. Hand sanitizer. It's lavender.
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Zoe Saldana
Let me check this pocket. Oh, mints.
T Mobile Representative
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Zoe Saldana
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Elliot Kaelin
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Elliot Kaelin
Welcome back to Smartless Presents. Clueless Presents. This is your game. It's a Numbers Game edition, the podcast that's as long on memories as it is on words in its title. The next time we played It's a Numbers Game was around the holiday times when we had Sean and his husband Scotty play a version concerning the numbers in the song the 12 Days of Christmas. The twist this time is that we asked them to answer in the form of the corresponding day of Christmas, and as Shawn quickly found out, the answers were all contrived to get a very specific response from him. Number one, the first question is drummers drumming minus swans a swimming equals and you can work together on this Talk it out.
Scotty Eisenogle
Wait, what's the first one? Blank.
Elliot Kaelin
Drummers drumming.
Scotty Eisenogle
Drummers. Okay, Scotty, let's sing the song really quick. 11 pipers piping 10 lords of leaping 9 ladies dancing. 8 maids in mills 7 swans of swimming 6 gieselang 5 golden ring, 4 color. So, drummers drumming. I miss drummers. So wait, 12. 12, isn't it 1212 drummers drumming.
Elliot Kaelin
Okay. Minus swans, a swimming 5. You got that right. And do you remember what part of the song that is?
Scotty Eisenogle
Five golden rings.
Ali Wentworth
That's right.
Elliot Kaelin
Five golden rings. Beautiful. Beautifully done. Wow. Nice question. Three ladies dancing minus calling birds. Ladies dancing minus calling birds.
Scotty Eisenogle
Four are calling birds. Four is calling birds. Four. Four ladies dancing is a. Nine ladies dancing. Nine minus four is five.
Sean Hayes
Jesus.
Elliot Kaelin
You got it. That's right. Five golden rings. Let's move on to question number four. Lords a leaping minus golden rings equals.
Scotty Eisenogle
Ten lords a leaping five. Five golden R.
Elliot Kaelin
Exactly right. You're doing great. There's just one question left. You're doing fantastic. The next few months saw it's a numbers game. Take some time off for a much needed rest and recovery after all that singing from Sean. But it came back in fine fettle during the first appearance by Sean's hilarious friend, Jeff Max. This time the category was Songs with numbers in their title. So let's begin. The first question is Love Potion Number blank. Minus blank Princes.
Scotty Eisenogle
Well, isn't it love potion 1 9? Oh, yes.
Elliot Kaelin
What I like is that. That is true. It is Love Potion Number Nine. But it also was like you were answering him in German because as if that was answer nine. Love Potion Number one nine.
Scotty Eisenogle
How many princes remember that song? Just go ahead now. A princess died with two before you just go ahead now. Go ahead now. Marry me. Marry him. I'm the one that loved it. Baby, can't you see I ain't got no sweet.
Sean Hayes
But you're missing the important part.
Elliot Kaelin
No, what's important to know is that Sean knows all the lyrics to the song title.
Scotty Eisenogle
Two Princes. It's gotta be.
Sean Hayes
I was gonna say two princess. So seven.
Scotty Eisenogle
Well, there's. What's the song, Jeff, from Seven Brides or Seven Brothers?
Elliot Kaelin
Well, we're seven brothers and we need seven brides.
Scotty Eisenogle
That's it. Yeah. Oh, gosh, I'm gonna hate myself. I know there's a song with seven in it.
Elliot Kaelin
All right. I think we should move on. I think we should move on. But for instance, you could say Seven Nation army by the White Stripes. Who showed up in a previous episode.
Sean Hayes
Sure did.
Scotty Eisenogle
How about this? Seven swans of Swimming six geese a lang five.
Sean Hayes
Oh, that would have been good.
Elliot Kaelin
Would have been good. Again, not the title of the song.
Scotty Eisenogle
No, no.
Elliot Kaelin
Such a great memory for lyrics, Sean, not for the titles. Question number two. I would die you times blank candles.
Scotty Eisenogle
Oh, 16 times 4 is 64. Yeah, 16 times 4 times 16. That's what I just said. 20 times.
Sean Hayes
So 64.
Scotty Eisenogle
No, no, 16 times 4 is.
Elliot Kaelin
It is 64.
Sean Hayes
Are you insane?
Scotty Eisenogle
Yeah. Are you? Yeah, yeah, that's right. That's right. That's right. 64.
Elliot Kaelin
And can you think of any 64 songs?
Scotty Eisenogle
One on 64.
Elliot Kaelin
Very good. One on 64. Very nice.
Sean Hayes
But originated by Ethel Merman.
Elliot Kaelin
When I'm 64. Finally, our most recent. It's a Numbers Game was just a few months ago when Sean was joined by comedian and action movie aficionado John Gabris. This time, the category was what else? Action movies with numbers in their title. And as you'll hear, Gabri sometimes knew the answer before I was even done asking the question. He's just that good.
John Gabris
So I'm wearing my Pod My Action Movie Podcast T shirt, so it feels.
Scotty Eisenogle
What is it?
John Gabris
It's called the Action Boys. It's a Patreon podcast I host, but I'm awful at math, so maybe together, Sean and I, we can.
Scotty Eisenogle
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Wait, I love that you love action movies. So do I. I'm obsessed with them. Yeah, same, same.
John Gabris
Oh, we. Sean, we have a lot to talk about.
Scotty Eisenogle
This is gonna.
Elliot Kaelin
Oh, understood. Understood. Excellent work. Let's move on to question number two. Assault on precinct minus district.
Scotty Eisenogle
Well, 12th district. I don't know the first one.
John Gabris
The first one is assault on precinct 13. John Carpenter. The second one is district nine. Neil.
Scotty Eisenogle
Oh, district nine, that's right.
John Gabris
So that puts us at four. Four weddings and a funeral.
Jeff Max
Sure.
Elliot Kaelin
Action classic. Four weddings and a Funeral.
Scotty Eisenogle
That's so fast. That is so fast.
Elliot Kaelin
It was great. I mean, the things that.
John Gabris
We have four brothers if we want to go. Action.
Elliot Kaelin
Okay, there.
John Gabris
Yeah.
Elliot Kaelin
I also would have accepted lethal weapon 4. When in doubt, just throw the number.
Scotty Eisenogle
At the end of the table. Yeah, yeah. Pick any movie and just say, yeah.
Elliot Kaelin
Question number three. Blank, Fast, Blank. Furious. Plus Star Wars Episode Blank. A New Hope.
Scotty Eisenogle
So Star Wars Episode 4, what was the first one?
John Gabris
Too Fast. Too Furious. Now, is that 22 or is that 4?
Elliot Kaelin
Yeah, yeah. Add them together. Yeah. So we're getting 4.4.
John Gabris
Puts us at 8. Hateful 8.
Elliot Kaelin
Great. You got it. God.
Scotty Eisenogle
How do you know that? So fast.
John Gabris
This is my version of Neurodivergence. Like, that's it. Like, it's only helpful here. It ruins every conversation at a party. But this is like where I can't.
Scotty Eisenogle
I can't think of one movie with eight in it. Even though we already did it. We got it.
John Gabris
Eight man out. The White Sox movie. Right. Which I have.
Scotty Eisenogle
Yeah. I have the VHS. Yeah.
Elliot Kaelin
You could also say 8 mile. That's a movie with 8.
Scotty Eisenogle
Oh, 8 mile. That's good.
Elliot Kaelin
And Lethal Weapon 8. They didn't make it, but you can still say it.
Scotty Eisenogle
Yeah.
Elliot Kaelin
So many games, so many memories. We've come a long way. It's a numbers game. From that very first episode all the way to now. And who knows what the future holds for you. More episodes of Clueless, I guess. I hope you at home have enjoyed this best of journey through Clueless number filled past. I know I sure did. We'll be back next Monday with an all new episode. Until then, I'm your host, Ellie Kaelin, reminding you not to forget to remember Clueless.
Sean Hayes
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, who is five'11. 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 Matthew Broussard, Josh Richmond 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, less me.
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Podcast Summary: SmartLess Presents ClueLess
Episode: 159 - The Best Of It’s A Numbers Game
Release Date: June 9, 2025
Episode Overview
In this special "Best Of" episode of SmartLess Presents ClueLess, host Elliott Kaelin revisits one of the podcast's most beloved segments: "It's a Numbers Game." This edition takes listeners on a nostalgic journey through memorable episodes, featuring standout moments, beloved contestants, and the unique blend of puzzles and pop culture that define the show. With celebrity guests like Ali Wentworth, Jeff Max, John Gabris, and the constant contestant Sean Hayes, this episode is a delightful compilation for both longtime fans and newcomers alike.
A Walk Down Memory Lane: The First Numbers Game Timestamp: [00:43] - [07:04]
Elliott Kaelin kicks off the episode by reminiscing about the inaugural "It's a Numbers Game," reflecting on its impact and the chemistry among the original participants. The first segment primarily features Ali Wentworth and Scotty Eisenogle as they navigate the challenge centered around TV shows with numbers in their titles.
Notable Moments:
The segment showcases the contestants' quick thinking and deep knowledge of television trivia intertwined with basic math, setting a lively and engaging tone for the episode.
Holiday Edition: Numbers in “The 12 Days of Christmas” Timestamp: [09:42] - [13:59]
After a brief interlude of advertisements, Elliott resumes the game with a festive twist, focusing on the numbers embedded within the classic holiday song "The 12 Days of Christmas." This installment features Sean Hayes alongside Scotty Eisenogle, exploring their ability to decode and compute within a seasonal context.
Notable Moments:
This segment not only tests the participants' mathematical skills but also their familiarity with holiday lore, resulting in both amusing and impressive problem-solving instances.
Action Movie Extravaganza: Numbers in Titles Timestamp: [14:07] - [17:11]
The final round elevates the excitement by diving into action movies with numerical titles. Joined by comedian John Gabris, the contestants face a series of challenging questions that blend high-octane film references with numerical puzzles.
Notable Moments:
This round not only celebrates the contestants' knowledge of action cinema but also emphasizes the entertaining dynamics among the participants, making it a highlight of the episode.
Conclusion and Final Thoughts Timestamp: [16:43] - [17:11]
Elliott Kaelin wraps up the episode by reflecting on the enduring popularity of "It's a Numbers Game" and expressing gratitude towards the contestants and listeners. He hints at the future of ClueLess, ensuring fans that more engaging content is on the horizon.
Notable Quote:
The episode ends on a high note, leaving listeners eagerly anticipating the next installment of the podcast.
Key Takeaways
Notable Quotes:
Final Remarks
Episode 159 of SmartLess Presents ClueLess stands out as a testament to the podcast's ability to create compelling, memory-rich content that resonates with its audience. By celebrating "It's a Numbers Game" through a curated best-of format, Elliott Kaelin not only honors the show's legacy but also sets the stage for future engaging episodes. Whether you're a dedicated listener or new to the podcast, this episode offers a perfect blend of nostalgia, challenge, and entertainment.