SmartLess Presents ClueLess: Episode 109 - "Odd One Out" (w/ Reyna Larson)
Release Date: December 12, 2024

Introduction

In Episode 109 of SmartLess Presents ClueLess, host Elliott Kalan teams up with celebrity contestant Sean Hayes and special guest Reyna Larson for an engaging session of puzzles and brainteasers. The episode, titled "Odd One Out," challenges the trio to identify items that don't fit within specific categories, testing their deductive skills and teamwork.

Meet the Contestants

Elliott Kalan kicks off the episode by highlighting the intellectual prowess required for puzzle-solving, humorously pondering if dolphins could host a podcast given their recognized intelligence among animals.

Sean Hayes introduces himself with a playful admission:

"I'm clueless." [01:03]

Reyna Larson, Sean's longtime friend since they were teenagers, joins as the special guest. Affectionately nicknamed "Poochie," Reyna brings a sharp mind to the game despite joking about being "in her bedtime" during recording.

Warm-Up: Would You Rather

Elliott begins with a light-hearted "Would You Rather" question to warm up the contestants:

"Sean, Raina, would you rather be 50ft tall or 5 inches tall?" [02:20]

Sean opts for being 5 inches tall, emphasizing the practicality in tasks like vacuuming miniature spaces:

"You could vacuum certain areas of carpets and stuff at 5 inches." [03:00]

Reyna counters by valuing the utility of being 50ft tall:

"I feel like you could get more work at 50ft." [02:50]

Elliott humorously disagrees:

"A 50 foot vacuum, that's a weather problem. That's a natural disaster." [03:14]

Main Game: Odd One Out

The heart of the episode revolves around the "Odd One Out" game, where Elliott presents scenarios involving members of NSYNC packing items for a cruise. The contestants must identify which item doesn't belong based on a common theme.

Round 1: Justin's Packing List

Items: mask, cup of coffee, sheep, pillow
Initial Guess: Sean and Reyna suggest "mask" and "cup of coffee."
Correct Answer: "Pillow"

"Pillow reminds me of things you used for sleep." – Reyna Larson [08:27]

Round 2: JC's Packing List

Items: smoke, fog, steam, rain
Sean identifies "rain" as the odd one out since it is a liquid while the others are gases.

"Rain is a liquid." [09:05]
Elliott confirms:
"Rain does not fit with smoke, fog, and steam as it is the only liquid." [09:23]

Round 3: Lance's Packing List

Items: Amazon, gnome, hobbit, pixie
Reyna correctly points out "Amazon" as the odd one, distinguishing it from the smaller mythical creatures.

"Amazons are tall, the others are short." [09:57]
"Like 50 foot Sean would not have fit with that group." [10:17]

Round 4: Chris's Packing List

Items: needle, hook, net, spear
Reyna accurately chooses "needle," noting it isn't a conventional fishing implement.

"You can't catch a fish with a needle." – Reyna Larson [10:42]

Round 5: Joey's Packing List

Items: balloon, dragon, rock, time
Sean selects "rock," recognizing that the rest can "fly" metaphorically or literally.

"Balloon, dragon, and time can all fly. A rock can't fly on its own." [12:04]

Mega Clue Question

After successfully navigating the five rounds, Elliott presents a final challenge that ties all previous answers together:

"Each answer in this game has been a clue to where the NSYNC cruise is going to. And those answers were coffee, rain, Amazon, needle, rock. What place do those have in common?" [12:50]

Sean immediately deduces:

"Seattle." [13:12]

Elliott confirms:

"You got it. Seattle." [13:13]

Cliffhanger Puzzle

As the episode nears its end, Elliott introduces a tantalizing cliffhanger puzzle related to NSYNC's name origin and invites listeners to solve it before the next episode:

"If you did decide to remove one of the n's from the name NSync and you rearrange the remaining letters, you could get the initials of another vocal supergroup, only this time, that group is using the first letters of each member's last name. What is this supergroup?" [14:07]

Both Sean and Reyna express eagerness to unravel the mystery:

Sean: "No, we'll wait because we want to... build the tension." [15:15]

Conclusion

Elliott wraps up the episode by congratulating the contestants on their teamwork and puzzle-solving capabilities. He encourages listeners to engage with the final cliffhanger puzzle and teases more brainteasers in upcoming episodes.

"Thank you so much for listening... This has been Clueless. I've been your host, Elliott Kalan..." [15:20]

Key Takeaways

• Engaging Puzzles: The "Odd One Out" game showcased the contestants' analytical skills and ability to think outside the box.
• Teamwork: Sean and Reyna's collaborative efforts highlighted the importance of diverse perspectives in problem-solving.
• Interactive Cliffhanger: The season-ending puzzle fosters listener engagement and anticipation for future episodes.

Notable Quotes

• Sean Hayes:

  "I'm clueless." [01:03]
  "Because every word is associated with a color." [04:15]
  "You must be very busy." [04:43]

• Reyna Larson:

  "Hi, Poochie. Thanks for having me." [02:04]
  "I'm gonna say Amazon." [10:04]
  "Good one, Poochie." [13:17]

• Elliott Kalan:

  "Humans aren't the only animals that can solve puzzles." [00:31]
  "This is the impressionist rainbow." [04:03]
  "You need to eat more ice cream." [13:23]

Episode Duration: Approximately 17 minutes
Listeners: Whether you're a puzzle enthusiast or just looking for some entertaining brainteasers, Episode 109 of "SmartLess Presents ClueLess" offers a delightful mix of humor, challenge, and camaraderie. Tune in to see if you can solve the same puzzles as Sean and Reyna!