SmartLess Presents ClueLess
Episode 165: Odd One Out (featuring Ali Wentworth)
Release Date: July 21, 2025

Introduction

In Episode 165 of SmartLess Presents ClueLess, host Elliott Kalan teams up with regular contestant Sean Hayes and special guest Ali Wentworth to tackle a series of intriguing puzzles and brainteasers. The episode, titled "Odd One Out," delves into categorization challenges centered around iconic brands and pop culture references, all within a fun and engaging 12-minute runtime.

Welcome and Banter [00:39 - 01:22]

Elliott Kalan opens the episode with playful banter, announcing a "shoes off podcast" due to recently updated floors. This lighthearted start sets a casual and friendly tone for the episode.

Elliott Kalan [00:58]:
"Call me Ishmael, but I'm actually your host, Elliott Kalan."

Sean Hayes introduces himself humorously, referencing his "PhD in puzzle solving from a very reputable Tijuana mail order university," which adds a comedic flair to the introduction.

Sean Hayes [01:16]:
"That's me. I picked up a couple things in Tijuana, but we can talk about that later maybe."

Discussion of Previous Cliffhanger Puzzle [02:35 - 04:31]

Elliott revisits the cliffhanger puzzle from the last episode, where listeners were tasked with determining the judges' rating of Sean's smile based on given scores for his face, height, and chest.

Cliffhanger Puzzle Recap:
"I was a contestant on that old game show, Are You Hot? The judges gave my face a four, my height a two, my chest a three. Based on these very disappointing scores, what would they rate my smile?" [02:32]

After a brief deliberation, Ali Wentworth correctly identifies the answer as "five," reasoning that "smile" has five letters.

Ali Wentworth [04:04]:
"Five."

Elliott then reveals the underlying logic: the scores correspond to the position of the letter 'E' in each word.

Elliott Kalan [04:36]:
"E is the fourth letter in face, the second letter in height, the third in chest, and the fifth in smile." [04:42]

Sean humorously laments not arriving at the correct reasoning sooner.

Main Game: Odd One Out [07:20 - 15:35]

Game Introduction [07:20 - 08:10]

Elliott introduces the main game segment, "Odd One Out," where participants must identify which item doesn't belong in a given set based on a specific category.

Elliott Kalan [07:21]:
"Which one's the Odd one Out? Get out."

The game involves scenarios where members of the Spice Girls must choose items to leave behind before entering a haunted mansion, with each item potentially being a clue to solving the subsequent mystery.

Question 1: Victoria's Items [08:11 - 08:34]

Items: Cocoa, Garlic, Jelly, Kidney

Solution:
Sean identifies "Garlic" as the odd one out because the other items are types of beans.

Sean Hayes [08:34]:
"Garlic, because it is not a bean."

Question 2: Emma's Items [08:34 - 09:23]

Items: Saw, Drill, Sander, Stake

Solution:
Ali correctly points out that "Stake" doesn't belong since the other three are power tools requiring electricity.

Ali Wentworth [09:19]:
"So the other three are power tools, whereas a stake does not use electricity."

Question 3: Mel B's Items [09:39 - 11:17]

Items: Walker, Turkey, Cross, Beam

Initial Guesses:
Ali suggests "Turkey" as the odd one out, thinking the other items are associated with a church.

Elliott Kalan [11:07]:
"The answer we're looking for is cross. The other three. Walker, Turkey, and Beam. They're all parts of whiskey brand names."

Correct Answer:
"Cross" is the odd one out as the others represent whiskey brands: Johnnie Walker, Jim Beam, and Wild Turkey.

Question 4: Mel C's Items [11:28 - 13:32]

Items: Sunlight, Ice, Thunder, Nitro

Attempts:
Sean initially connects the items to superheroes, while Ali explores the idea of gases.

Elliott Kalan [13:18]:
"The answer we were looking for was sunlight. Because the other three, Ice, Thunder, and Nitro. Those are all American Gladiators, which are like real-life superheroes."

Question 5: Jerry's Items [13:35 - 14:36]

Items: Lion, Globe, Mountain, Doorway

Solution:
Ali identifies "Doorway" as the odd one out because the other three are iconic logos of major movie studios: MGM lion, Universal globe, and Paramount mountain.

Ali Wentworth [14:23]:
"Because the other three are symbols of motion picture companies."

Mega Clue: The Vampire Attack [14:50 - 16:19]

Elliott introduces a Mega Clue related to the Spice Girls' haunted mansion scenario, where a creature attacked them. The task is to identify the creature based on the items left behind.

Mega Clue:
"They were attacked by a creature in the middle of the night. They had to run away. Some kind of strange, scary, haunted creature... What was this creature?" [15:06]

Sean and Ali quickly deduce that the creature is a vampire, correlating it with the items: garlic, stake, cross, sunlight, and doorway.

Ali Wentworth [15:35]:
"A vampire." [15:36]

Elliott confirms the correct answer, praising their quick thinking.

Elliott Kalan [15:35]:
"That's exactly right."

Cliffhanger Puzzle for Next Episode [16:21 - 17:31]

Elliott presents a new cliffhanger puzzle for listeners to solve:

Puzzle:
"I heard they're making a new movie called Three Women and an Adult Baby. The women are played by Sydney Sweeney, Keira Knightley, and Cindy Crawford. Who could play the adult baby and why?" [16:22]

Sean hints at withholding the answer until the next episode, while Ali teases having figured it out.

Final Segment: Clueless in the Kitchen [17:31 - 18:08]

The episode concludes with a humorous cooking segment hosted by Elliott, titled "Clueless in the Kitchen," sponsored by Ali Wentworth's new kitchen.

Elliott Kalan [17:31]:
"First and take a great guest like the fabulous Ally Wentworth. Then add just a pinch of Sean Hayes... and serve directly to your ears."

This segment serves as a playful metaphor for creating an engaging podcast episode.

Notable Quotes

• Elliott Kalan [00:58]:
  "Call me Ishmael, but I'm actually your host, Elliott Kalan."

• Ali Wentworth [04:04]:
  "Five."

• Sean Hayes [03:58]:
  "There's five."

• Elliott Kalan [04:36]:
  "E is the fourth letter in face, the second letter in height, the third in chest, and the fifth in smile."

• Ali Wentworth [09:19]:
  "So the other three are power tools, whereas a stake does not use electricity."

• Elliott Kalan [11:07]:
  "The answer we're looking for is cross."

• Ali Wentworth [15:35]:
  "A vampire."

Conclusion

Episode 165 of SmartLess Presents ClueLess offers a captivating blend of humor, collaboration, and mental challenges. Elliott Kalan effectively engages listeners with his witty hosting, while Sean Hayes and Ali Wentworth showcase their puzzle-solving prowess. The "Odd One Out" game not only entertains but also highlights the trio's chemistry and quick thinking. The unresolved cliffhanger promises excitement for the next episode, ensuring listeners remain eager for more brain-teasing fun.

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