Podcast Summary

SmartLess Presents ClueLess

Episode 202 — “Word Workout” (w/ Max Silvestri & Gabe Liedman)
Host: Elliott Kalan
Date: November 17, 2025
Length: ~11 minutes, skipping ads/outros

Overview

In this fast-paced, playful installment of ClueLess, host Elliott Kalan welcomes comedians and co-hosts of "I Need You Guys" Gabe Liedman and Max Silvestri for a pun-laden journey mixing space trivia, Oscar history, and a challenging “Word Workout” puzzle round. The episode is brimming with banter, wordplay, and the kind of clever back-and-forth that fans of puzzle and comedy podcasts love.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

Opening Banter & Icebreaker (01:40–02:25)

Favorite smells: Elliott opens with an unusual question about smells.
- Gabe Liedman: “Toast.” (02:16)
- Max Silvestri: “Fireplace.” (02:18)
- They joke, “We’re going burns.” (02:20)
Elliott then segues into the first trivia question, maintaining a whimsical tone.

Space & Oscars Trivia Game (02:25–09:32)

1. Moon Sports – What Game Did Alan Shepard Play on the Moon? (02:21–03:14)

Guest guesses (incorrect):
- Gabe: Basketball (“If I was him I would do basketball and I would dunk.” 02:51)
Elliott (answer): “The answer is golf.” (03:14)
- Elicits riffing on golf’s astronaut-friendly qualities—“I assume it's really easy to get a hole in one on the moon because it looks like there's holes all over that thing.” (03:36)

2. Academy Awards for Astronaut/NASA Roles: Name the Films by Year (03:44–07:14)

Prompt: Name the four most recent films (2016, 2015, 2014, 1995) where someone was Oscar-nominated for playing an astronaut/NASA employee.
- Guest guesses:
  - Max: Apollo 13 (1995) (04:50)
  - Gabe: Hidden Figures (2016) (04:53)
  - Both: Gravity (2013) and variously consider First Man, Ad Astra, Interstellar.
- After clues from Elliott, Max guesses The Martian for 2015 (06:54).
Correct answers: Apollo 13, Hidden Figures, Gravity, The Martian. (07:02)
Notable quote:
- Elliott: “In all of those movies, someone was nominated for an Academy Award for playing an astronaut or a NASA employee. Excellent job.” (07:02)

3. Who Actually Won an Oscar for Playing an Astronaut? (07:31–09:13)

Prompt: Only one actor ever won an Oscar for such a role—who and in what movie?
- Wrong guesses: Tommy Lee Jones/Space Cowboys, Arnold Schwarzenegger/Total Recall.
- Max lands it: Jack Nicholson, Terms of Endearment. (08:49)
Elliott: “We’re going to give the Academy Award to someone playing an astronaut, but not in a space movie.” (09:13)
Memorable riff:
- Max (as the astronaut character): “Like, I go to parties.” (08:52)

Main Puzzle: Word Workout Game (12:22–17:54)

Rules ([12:22])

Elliott: “I’ve got seven words that want to slim down and lose some weight… remove one letter and then rearrange the remaining letters to create a new word… There will be hints for each.”

1. “Remove a letter from ‘cartels’ to find a type of fortress.” ([13:10])

Answer: Castle
Max: “Drop the R and create the word castle.” (13:15)

2. “Remove a letter from ‘painter’ to find a type of legal guardian.” ([13:52])

Answer: Parent
Gabe: “Take out the I, and it’s parent.” (13:57)
Elliott (joking): “The extreme smugness of the answer. It was very well done.” (14:01)

3. “Remove a letter from ‘creased’ to find another word for holy.” ([14:13])

Answer: Sacred
Max: “Remove the E and make the word sacred.” (14:30)

4. “Remove a letter from ‘carbon’ to find a type of lesser nobility.” ([14:35])

Answer: Baron
Max/Gabe (in unison): “Baron.” (14:58/14:59)
Gabe (jokes): “Which is what I am, and that’s why I don’t have kids.” (15:00)

5. “Remove a letter from ‘stories’ to find the proper address of a nun.” ([15:06])

Answer: Sister
Gabe: “Get rid of that O, and it’s going to be sister.” (15:17)

6. “Remove a letter from ‘action’ to find an excellent mixer.” ([15:32])

Answer: Tonic
Gabe: “Take away the A, and it’s gonna be a tonic.” (15:52)

7. “Remove a letter from ‘lantern’ to find what you get when you spend all day at the beach.” ([16:00])

Answer: Tanner
Max: “Remove the L and you’re going to get tanner.” (16:18)

Elliott: “You got all of them—seven out of seven!” (16:40)

Mega Clue (16:40–17:54)

Task: Rearrange the removed letters (R, I, C, O, A, L) to form a word for something you lose with brain exercise.
Max: “Calorie!” (17:47)
Elliott: “Exactly. You may have burnt exactly one calorie. Just one. Thinking is not great exercise.” (17:54)

Notable Quotes & Moments

“None of the movies we mentioned so far won that acting Academy Award... Only one person has ever actually won an Academy Award for playing an astronaut or NASA employee.” — Elliott (07:31)
“Like, I go to parties... and I was like, you know, I’ve been in space.” — Max (08:52)
“[Parent]. The extreme smugness of the answer. It was very well done.” — Elliott (14:01)
“Which is what I am, and that’s why I don’t have kids.” — Gabe, after ‘Baron’ (15:00)
“You’re doing great. You are blazing through these.” — Elliott (15:58)
“Calorie… we may have burnt one calorie.” — Gabe (17:52)
Elliott: “Pretty soon you’ll just be able to have an AI do these puzzles for you anyway. I’m Clueless.” (17:54)

Timestamps for Important Segments

01:40 – Introduction of guests & favorite smells
02:21 – Space trivia: sport played on the moon
03:44 – Oscar nominations game
07:31 – Who actually won Oscar for astronaut role?
12:22 – Word Workout puzzle game begins
16:40 – Word Workout mega clue

Tone and Style

Playful, witty, quick—Elliott’s deadpan hosts Gabe and Max’s more “game” comedic improvisation.
Collaborative and inclusive—the show’s puzzles give the guests room to puzzle out clues aloud.
Punny and light-hearted—a relaxed, joking rapport, with asides riffing on pop culture.

Conclusion

This episode of ClueLess delivers a rapid-fire blend of trivia and word puzzles, with stand-out comedic chemistry between host and guests. Even if you haven’t listened, you’ll get both the answers and enough of the fun, irreverent flavor that makes ClueLess a unique “puzzle podcast that knows when you’re sleeping” (00:57).

Quick Reference List: Puzzle Answers

Oscar Movies:

Apollo 13 (1995)
Gravity (2013)
The Martian (2015)
Hidden Figures (2016)
Winner: Jack Nicholson, Terms of Endearment (1983)

Word Workout:

cartels → castle
painter → parent
creased → sacred
carbon → baron
stories → sister
action → tonic
lantern → tanner

Mega clue: CALORIE

Recommended For: Fans of puzzles, comedy, wordplay, or anyone who enjoys breezy banter among smart, funny friends.

Podcast Summary

SmartLess Presents ClueLess

Episode 202 — “Word Workout” (w/ Max Silvestri & Gabe Liedman)
Host: Elliott Kalan
Date: November 17, 2025
Length: ~11 minutes, skipping ads/outros

Overview

Key Discussion Points and Insights

Opening Banter & Icebreaker (01:40–02:25)

Favorite smells: Elliott opens with an unusual question about smells.
- Gabe Liedman: “Toast.” (02:16)
- Max Silvestri: “Fireplace.” (02:18)
- They joke, “We’re going burns.” (02:20)
Elliott then segues into the first trivia question, maintaining a whimsical tone.

Space & Oscars Trivia Game (02:25–09:32)

1. Moon Sports – What Game Did Alan Shepard Play on the Moon? (02:21–03:14)

Guest guesses (incorrect):
- Gabe: Basketball (“If I was him I would do basketball and I would dunk.” 02:51)
Elliott (answer): “The answer is golf.” (03:14)
- Elicits riffing on golf’s astronaut-friendly qualities—“I assume it's really easy to get a hole in one on the moon because it looks like there's holes all over that thing.” (03:36)

2. Academy Awards for Astronaut/NASA Roles: Name the Films by Year (03:44–07:14)

Prompt: Name the four most recent films (2016, 2015, 2014, 1995) where someone was Oscar-nominated for playing an astronaut/NASA employee.
- Guest guesses:
  - Max: Apollo 13 (1995) (04:50)
  - Gabe: Hidden Figures (2016) (04:53)
  - Both: Gravity (2013) and variously consider First Man, Ad Astra, Interstellar.
- After clues from Elliott, Max guesses The Martian for 2015 (06:54).
Correct answers: Apollo 13, Hidden Figures, Gravity, The Martian. (07:02)
Notable quote:
- Elliott: “In all of those movies, someone was nominated for an Academy Award for playing an astronaut or a NASA employee. Excellent job.” (07:02)

3. Who Actually Won an Oscar for Playing an Astronaut? (07:31–09:13)

Prompt: Only one actor ever won an Oscar for such a role—who and in what movie?
- Wrong guesses: Tommy Lee Jones/Space Cowboys, Arnold Schwarzenegger/Total Recall.
- Max lands it: Jack Nicholson, Terms of Endearment. (08:49)
Elliott: “We’re going to give the Academy Award to someone playing an astronaut, but not in a space movie.” (09:13)
Memorable riff:
- Max (as the astronaut character): “Like, I go to parties.” (08:52)

Main Puzzle: Word Workout Game (12:22–17:54)

Rules ([12:22])

Elliott: “I’ve got seven words that want to slim down and lose some weight… remove one letter and then rearrange the remaining letters to create a new word… There will be hints for each.”

1. “Remove a letter from ‘cartels’ to find a type of fortress.” ([13:10])

Answer: Castle
Max: “Drop the R and create the word castle.” (13:15)

2. “Remove a letter from ‘painter’ to find a type of legal guardian.” ([13:52])

Answer: Parent
Gabe: “Take out the I, and it’s parent.” (13:57)
Elliott (joking): “The extreme smugness of the answer. It was very well done.” (14:01)

3. “Remove a letter from ‘creased’ to find another word for holy.” ([14:13])

Answer: Sacred
Max: “Remove the E and make the word sacred.” (14:30)

4. “Remove a letter from ‘carbon’ to find a type of lesser nobility.” ([14:35])

Answer: Baron
Max/Gabe (in unison): “Baron.” (14:58/14:59)
Gabe (jokes): “Which is what I am, and that’s why I don’t have kids.” (15:00)

5. “Remove a letter from ‘stories’ to find the proper address of a nun.” ([15:06])

Answer: Sister
Gabe: “Get rid of that O, and it’s going to be sister.” (15:17)

6. “Remove a letter from ‘action’ to find an excellent mixer.” ([15:32])

Answer: Tonic
Gabe: “Take away the A, and it’s gonna be a tonic.” (15:52)

7. “Remove a letter from ‘lantern’ to find what you get when you spend all day at the beach.” ([16:00])

Answer: Tanner
Max: “Remove the L and you’re going to get tanner.” (16:18)

Elliott: “You got all of them—seven out of seven!” (16:40)

Mega Clue (16:40–17:54)

Task: Rearrange the removed letters (R, I, C, O, A, L) to form a word for something you lose with brain exercise.
Max: “Calorie!” (17:47)
Elliott: “Exactly. You may have burnt exactly one calorie. Just one. Thinking is not great exercise.” (17:54)

Notable Quotes & Moments

“None of the movies we mentioned so far won that acting Academy Award... Only one person has ever actually won an Academy Award for playing an astronaut or NASA employee.” — Elliott (07:31)
“Like, I go to parties... and I was like, you know, I’ve been in space.” — Max (08:52)
“[Parent]. The extreme smugness of the answer. It was very well done.” — Elliott (14:01)
“Which is what I am, and that’s why I don’t have kids.” — Gabe, after ‘Baron’ (15:00)
“You’re doing great. You are blazing through these.” — Elliott (15:58)
“Calorie… we may have burnt one calorie.” — Gabe (17:52)
Elliott: “Pretty soon you’ll just be able to have an AI do these puzzles for you anyway. I’m Clueless.” (17:54)

Timestamps for Important Segments

01:40 – Introduction of guests & favorite smells
02:21 – Space trivia: sport played on the moon
03:44 – Oscar nominations game
07:31 – Who actually won Oscar for astronaut role?
12:22 – Word Workout puzzle game begins
16:40 – Word Workout mega clue

Tone and Style

Playful, witty, quick—Elliott’s deadpan hosts Gabe and Max’s more “game” comedic improvisation.
Collaborative and inclusive—the show’s puzzles give the guests room to puzzle out clues aloud.
Punny and light-hearted—a relaxed, joking rapport, with asides riffing on pop culture.

Conclusion

Quick Reference List: Puzzle Answers

Oscar Movies:

Apollo 13 (1995)
Gravity (2013)
The Martian (2015)
Hidden Figures (2016)
Winner: Jack Nicholson, Terms of Endearment (1983)

Word Workout:

cartels → castle
painter → parent
creased → sacred
carbon → baron
stories → sister
action → tonic
lantern → tanner

Mega clue: CALORIE

Recommended For: Fans of puzzles, comedy, wordplay, or anyone who enjoys breezy banter among smart, funny friends.

202 - Word Workout (w/ Max Silvestri and Gabe Liedman)

Summary

Podcast Summary

SmartLess Presents ClueLess

Overview

Key Discussion Points and Insights

Opening Banter & Icebreaker (01:40–02:25)

Space & Oscars Trivia Game (02:25–09:32)

1. Moon Sports – What Game Did Alan Shepard Play on the Moon? (02:21–03:14)

2. Academy Awards for Astronaut/NASA Roles: Name the Films by Year (03:44–07:14)

3. Who Actually Won an Oscar for Playing an Astronaut? (07:31–09:13)

Main Puzzle: Word Workout Game (12:22–17:54)

Rules ([12:22])

1. “Remove a letter from ‘cartels’ to find a type of fortress.” ([13:10])

2. “Remove a letter from ‘painter’ to find a type of legal guardian.” ([13:52])

3. “Remove a letter from ‘creased’ to find another word for holy.” ([14:13])

4. “Remove a letter from ‘carbon’ to find a type of lesser nobility.” ([14:35])

5. “Remove a letter from ‘stories’ to find the proper address of a nun.” ([15:06])

6. “Remove a letter from ‘action’ to find an excellent mixer.” ([15:32])

7. “Remove a letter from ‘lantern’ to find what you get when you spend all day at the beach.” ([16:00])

Elliott: “You got all of them—seven out of seven!” (16:40)

Mega Clue (16:40–17:54)

Notable Quotes & Moments

Timestamps for Important Segments

Tone and Style

Conclusion

Quick Reference List: Puzzle Answers

Oscar Movies:

Word Workout:

Transcript

Summary

Podcast Summary

SmartLess Presents ClueLess

Overview

Key Discussion Points and Insights

Opening Banter & Icebreaker (01:40–02:25)

Space & Oscars Trivia Game (02:25–09:32)

1. Moon Sports – What Game Did Alan Shepard Play on the Moon? (02:21–03:14)

2. Academy Awards for Astronaut/NASA Roles: Name the Films by Year (03:44–07:14)

3. Who Actually Won an Oscar for Playing an Astronaut? (07:31–09:13)

Main Puzzle: Word Workout Game (12:22–17:54)

Rules ([12:22])

1. “Remove a letter from ‘cartels’ to find a type of fortress.” ([13:10])

2. “Remove a letter from ‘painter’ to find a type of legal guardian.” ([13:52])

3. “Remove a letter from ‘creased’ to find another word for holy.” ([14:13])

4. “Remove a letter from ‘carbon’ to find a type of lesser nobility.” ([14:35])

5. “Remove a letter from ‘stories’ to find the proper address of a nun.” ([15:06])

6. “Remove a letter from ‘action’ to find an excellent mixer.” ([15:32])

7. “Remove a letter from ‘lantern’ to find what you get when you spend all day at the beach.” ([16:00])

Elliott: “You got all of them—seven out of seven!” (16:40)

Mega Clue (16:40–17:54)

Notable Quotes & Moments

Timestamps for Important Segments

Tone and Style

Conclusion

Quick Reference List: Puzzle Answers

Oscar Movies:

Word Workout: