| Clarifying phrase |
LA Times Daily |
26 Jul 2026 |
| Speller's phrase |
LA Times Daily |
15 Jul 2026 |
| X __ "xylophone" |
Newsday |
31 May 2026 |
| B-boy link |
Wall Street Journal |
09 May 2026 |
| B-boy connection |
Newsday |
12 Mar 2026 |
| B-ball connection? |
The Atlantic |
08 Mar 2026 |
| "B -- boy" |
Thomas Joseph |
27 Feb 2026 |
| A ___ "apple" |
Wall Street Journal |
11 Feb 2026 |
| A __ "apple" |
Newsday |
09 Feb 2026 |
| Z __ __ zebra |
USA Today Quick |
05 Feb 2026 |
| Z __ "zebra" |
Newsday |
03 Feb 2026 |
| B-boy connection |
Wall Street Journal |
29 Jan 2026 |
| X __ xylophone |
LA Times Daily |
13 Jan 2026 |
| Spelling-out phrase |
Eugene Sheffer |
09 Jan 2026 |
| A __ apple: 2 wds. |
Commuter |
03 Dec 2025 |
| Specificity leader |
Newsday |
29 Nov 2025 |
| Words of clarification |
LA Times Daily |
20 Nov 2025 |
| B-boy connection |
Newsday |
30 Oct 2025 |
| Clarifying phrase |
LA Times Daily |
17 Oct 2025 |
| B ___ "boy" |
Wall Street Journal |
06 Oct 2025 |
| P ___ Peppa Pig |
Universal |
03 Oct 2025 |
| Spelling-out phrase |
Eugene Sheffer |
23 Sep 2025 |
| Exemplar lead-in |
Newsday |
20 Sep 2025 |
| "B -- boy" |
Thomas Joseph |
09 Sep 2025 |
| X ___ xylophone |
New York Times |
01 Sep 2025 |
| Spelling-assistance phrase |
Newsday |
26 Jun 2025 |
| D-dog link |
Wall Street Journal |
17 Jun 2025 |
| Phrase of contextualization |
|
|
| B ___ "Bob" |
|
|
| Clarifying words |
New York Times |
08 May 2025 |
| "F ___ Frank" |
|
|
| Gluttony - bangers? (2,2) |
|
|
| Like it is depicted ? (2.2) |
|
|
| "B -- boy" |
Thomas Joseph |
19 Apr 2025 |
| One never wants to commit one (1,3) |
|
|
| Reminiscent of |
Newsday |
12 Apr 2025 |
| "B - boy" |
Thomas Joseph |
03 Mar 2025 |
| "Q ___ queen" |
New York Times |
03 Feb 2025 |
| B ___ banana |
|
|
| Ghajini actress |
|
|
| By which I mean an offence (2,2) |
|
|
| Words clarifying a spelling |
Premier Sunday |
24 Nov 2024 |
| "C" __ cookie (2 wds.) |
|
|
| SIAN (2 words) |
|
|
| "It's __ to tell a lie" (2 wds.) |
|
|
| A __ apple: 2 wds. |
Commuter |
05 Nov 2024 |
| The Pet Shop Boys' "It's ___" |
|
|
| C ___ "cat" |
|
|
| B __ "boy" |
Newsday |
08 Oct 2024 |
| S ___ Sam |
|
|
| "Q ___ queen" |
Wall Street Journal |
24 Sep 2024 |
| Words that follow It's to give the title of a 2021 Russell T Davies drama miniseries (1,3) |
|
|
| Speller's clarification |
New York Times |
25 Jul 2024 |
| "B - boy" |
Thomas Joseph |
19 Jul 2024 |
| "Z" __ zebra (2 wds.) |
|
|
| Q __ Quebec |
LA Times Daily |
19 Jun 2024 |
| "B - boy" |
Thomas Joseph |
18 Jun 2024 |
| "B" __ boy (2 wds.) |
|
|
| Speller's clarifying words |
Premier Sunday |
09 Jun 2024 |
| "A" __ Abel (2 wds.) |
|
|
| Spelling-out phrase |
Eugene Sheffer |
17 May 2024 |
| Alphabet book phrase, 2 words |
|
|
| Speller's clarification |
Premier Sunday |
28 Apr 2024 |
| E ___ elephant |
|
|
| E __ elephant |
LA Times Daily |
16 Apr 2024 |
| "P ___ Phoebe, H ___ hoebe, O ___ oebe, E ___ ebe, B ___ b-be, and E ___ 'ello there, mate!" |
|
|
| V ___ Victor |
|
|
| Part of an emulation clarification |
Newsday |
09 Mar 2024 |
| "O ___ Oscar" |
|
|
| It's ___ (1987 Pet Shop Boys song): 2 wds. |
|
|
| 'Specifically' is an alternative? (2,2) |
|
|
| M __ 'mastodon' |
|
|
| D __ "down" |
Newsday |
14 Jan 2024 |
| Z __ zebra |
Commuter |
23 Dec 2023 |
| Q ___ queen: 2 wds. |
|
|
| B — boy |
Thomas Joseph |
27 Oct 2023 |
| C __ Charlie |
LA Times Daily |
31 Aug 2023 |
| Clarifying words |
New York Times |
27 Jul 2023 |
| P __ 'pheasant' |
Newsday |
11 Jun 2023 |
| B-boy link |
Wall Street Journal |
09 Jun 2023 |
| Phrase of clarification |
New York Times |
24 May 2023 |
| A __ 'answer' |
Newsday |
30 Apr 2023 |
| Spelling clarification phrase |
LA Times Daily |
22 Feb 2023 |
| It's ___ to tell a lie |
|
|
| Clarification words for a speller |
New York Times |
02 Feb 2023 |
| 'It is ___ to be silent when it is your duty to protest' (quote attributed to Abraham Lincoln) |
USA Today |
01 Jan 2023 |
| B __ 'boy' |
Newsday |
13 Dec 2022 |
| C ___ Charlie |
Universal |
28 Nov 2022 |
| “...which is the first letter of...” |
Wall Street Journal |
29 Oct 2022 |
| P ___ puzzle |
Universal |
21 Oct 2022 |
| Example overture |
Newsday |
23 Jul 2022 |
| Words that clarify spelling |
LA Times Daily |
05 Jul 2022 |
| M __ ''mnemonic'' |
Newsday |
16 Jun 2022 |
| “B ___ boy” |
Wall Street Journal |
13 Jun 2022 |
| Z __ ''zebra'' |
Newsday |
26 Apr 2022 |
| B __ ''boy'' |
Newsday |
12 Apr 2022 |
| "A ___ apple": 2 wds. |
|
|
| B-boy connector |
LA Times Daily |
13 Mar 2022 |
| B-boy connector |
|
|
| Speller's clarifying phrase: 2 wds. |
|
|
| 'Z ___ zebra' |
USA Today |
25 Dec 2021 |
| Z ___ zebra |
Wall Street Journal |
27 Nov 2021 |
| Phrase of clarification when spelling |
USA Today |
21 Nov 2021 |
| “B ___ boy” |
Wall Street Journal |
15 Nov 2021 |
| T __ ''tango'' |
Newsday |
05 Oct 2021 |
| A __ ''apple'' |
Newsday |
14 Sep 2021 |
| B-boy connector |
Newsday |
30 Jul 2021 |
| Words that clarify spelling |
LA Times Daily |
19 May 2021 |
| Words that clarify spelling |
|
|
| X __ ''xylophone'' |
Newsday |
16 May 2021 |
| Alphabet book phrase |
Wall Street Journal |
08 May 2021 |
| Speller's clarification |
Premier Sunday |
02 May 2021 |
| A — "apple" |
Thomas Joseph |
14 Apr 2021 |
| Z __ ''zebra'' |
Newsday |
06 Apr 2021 |
| Z __ zebra |
|
|
| Z __ zebra |
LA Times Daily |
01 Mar 2021 |
| Words clarifying a spelling |
Premier Sunday |
28 Feb 2021 |
| Part of a pronunciation explanation |
Newsday |
13 Feb 2021 |
| B-boy connector |
Wall Street Journal |
26 Jan 2021 |
| B-bravo link |
LA Times Daily |
12 Dec 2020 |
| B-bravo link |
|
|
| Z ___ 'zebra' |
USA Today |
03 Nov 2020 |
| Z ___ zebra |
New York Times |
02 Nov 2020 |
| Spelling clarification |
New York Times |
01 Nov 2020 |
| Speller's clarifying words |
Premier Sunday |
11 Oct 2020 |
| B — boy |
Eugene Sheffer |
09 Oct 2020 |
| Spelling-clarifying phrase |
USA Today |
26 Sep 2020 |
| 'Z ___ zebra' (spelling clarification) |
USA Today |
17 Sep 2020 |
| Start of a spelling clarification |
Newsday |
04 Sep 2020 |
| Words of clarification when spelling |
New York Times |
30 Aug 2020 |
| A-apple link |
|
|
| A-apple link |
LA Times Daily |
03 May 2020 |
| Clarifying phrase when spelling |
USA Today |
01 May 2020 |
| B-boy connection |
Newsday |
07 Mar 2020 |
| Spelling-out phrase |
Eugene Sheffer |
04 Mar 2020 |
| "Y ___ yellow" (clarifying a spelling): 2 wds. |
|
|
| Z — zebra |
Eugene Sheffer |
20 Dec 2019 |
| B — boy |
Thomas Joseph |
10 Oct 2019 |
| B-boy connection |
Wall Street Journal |
21 Sep 2019 |
| "Y ___ yellow" (clarifying a spelling): 2 wds. |
|
|
| It's _ ___ |
|
|
| X ___ xylophone |
New York Times |
12 Aug 2019 |
| It's ___to tell a lie |
|
|
| M __ ''mnemonic'' |
Newsday |
28 Jul 2019 |
| A-apple connector |
Universal |
09 Jul 2019 |
| 'It's ___' (Pet Shop Boys hit) |
|
|
| “‘gh’ ____ ‘cough’” begins a creative respelling of “fish” often attributed to George Bernard Shaw |
The Times Specialist Sunday |
14 Apr 2019 |
| A wrong meaning |
The Telegraph Toughie |
03 Apr 2019 |
| A ___ apple (same way z is linked to zebra): 2 wds. |
|
|
| A ___ apple |
Universal |
05 Feb 2019 |
| B-boy connection |
|
|
| B-boy joiner |
|
|
| A-apple connector |
|
|
| A ___ apple |
|
|
| X ___ xylophone |
|
|
| "U ___ umbrella" |
Universal |
06 Oct 2018 |
| Its ____ |
|
|
| Spelling-out phrase |
Newsday |
30 Aug 2018 |
| Clarifying words |
|
|
| Clarifying words |
LA Times Daily |
06 Aug 2018 |
| 'B -- boy' |
Thomas Joseph |
29 Jun 2018 |
| F-foxtrot link |
LA Times Daily |
26 Jun 2018 |
| F-foxtrot link |
|
|
| Clarifying words |
|
|
| Words of explanation |
New York Times |
24 Feb 2018 |
| B-boy connector |
Newsday |
28 Jan 2018 |
| B-boy link |
|
|
| Words of explanation |
|
|
| "U ___ umbrella" |
|
|
| F-foxtrot link |
|
|
| Clarifying words |
|
|
| 'It's --!' ('That's evil!') |
Premier Sunday |
10 Dec 2017 |
| P ___ psychology (unhelpful spelling clarification) |
New York Times |
14 Nov 2017 |
| ''A __ apple'' |
Newsday |
17 Oct 2017 |
| B -- boy |
Thomas Joseph |
14 Oct 2017 |
| B __ bravo |
LA Times Daily |
04 Sep 2017 |
| B __ bravo |
|
|
| 'Can you give an example ...?' |
New York Times |
21 Aug 2017 |
| Z-zebra connection |
Newsday |
06 Aug 2017 |
| B boy |
Eugene Sheffer |
20 Jun 2017 |
| B-boy link |
Wall Street Journal |
13 Jun 2017 |
| Words used for a spell? |
|
|
| Words used for a spell? |
LA Times Daily |
28 Apr 2017 |
| 'T ___ Thomas' |
Wall Street Journal |
21 Mar 2017 |
| ''Z __ zebra'' |
Newsday |
04 Jan 2017 |
| Words used for a spell? |
|
|
| "Can you give an example ...?" |
|
|
| B __ bravo |
|
|
| P ___ psychology (unhelpful spelling clarification) |
|
|
| A ___ apple |
New York Times |
09 Oct 2016 |
| Z, __ ''zebra'' |
Newsday |
28 Sep 2016 |
| Z, ___ "zebra" |
USA Today |
09 Sep 2016 |
| Z zebra |
Eugene Sheffer |
31 Aug 2016 |
| Spelling-out phrase |
Wall Street Journal |
25 Aug 2016 |
| 'It's to Tell A Lie' |
Eugene Sheffer |
19 Aug 2016 |
| It's____ to tell a lie |
|
|
| 'It's --!' ('That's just wrong!') |
Premier Sunday |
07 Aug 2016 |
| Z, ___ zebra |
USA Today |
03 Jul 2016 |
| A, __ "apple" |
Universal |
21 May 2016 |
| Speller's clarifying words |
Universal |
19 May 2016 |
| X ___ xylophone |
|
|
| Speller's clarifying words |
USA Today |
28 Apr 2016 |
| Explanatory words |
New York Times |
03 Mar 2016 |
| Z, ___ "zebra" |
|
|
| Z, ___ zebra |
|
|
| A ___ apple |
|
|
| Z ___ zebra |
|
|
| A apple |
Eugene Sheffer |
16 Oct 2015 |
| "It's __ to tell ..." |
LA Times Daily |
26 Jun 2015 |
| Spelling-out words |
Wall Street Journal |
08 May 2015 |
| "It's ___ to Tell a Lie" |
Universal |
06 Apr 2015 |
| Z-zebra link |
LA Times Daily |
23 Jan 2015 |
| "It's ___ to Tell a Lie" |
|
|
| B-boy connector |
|
|
| Spelling-out words |
|
|
| "It's __ to tell ..." |
|
|
| Z-zebra link |
|
|
| Z ___ zebra |
|
|
| Explanatory words |
|
|
| Clarifying words |
|
|
| "B __ boy" |
|
|
| "Z __ zebra" |
|
|
| "B ___ boy" |
|
|
| Alphabet book phrase |
|
|
| V __ Victor |
|
|
| Spelling-out phrase |
|
|
| Phrase of clarification |
|
|
| Clarifying words |
|
|
| Words clarifying a spelling |
|
|
| M __ "mnemonic" |
|
|
| "It's ___" (Pet Shop Boys hit) |
|
|
| T __ "Tom" |
|
|
| Z ___ zebra |
|
|
| Words before an example |
|
|
| Alphabet book phrase |
|
|
| Z __ "zebra" |
|
|
| "It's __ to Tell a Lie" |
|
|
| B-boy link |
|
|
| B-boy link |
|
|
| "Q ___ Queen" |
|
|
| V __ Victor |
|
|
| L __ "leeway" |
|
|
| Speller's words of clarification |
|
|
| D-day divider? |
|
|
| P -- 'Peter' |
|
|
| Words explaining a spelling |
|
|
| Speller's phrase |
|
|
| Speller's clarification |
|
|
| "It's __ to tell ..." |
|
|
| A __ alfa |
|
|
| D-delta connection |
|
|
| F -- 'Frank' |
|
|
| Speller's clarification |
|
|
| Speller's clarification |
|
|
| Z-zebra link |
|
|
| 'Here we are olden days ...' -- |
|
|
| D-delta connection |
|
|
| M __ "mastodon" |
|
|
| A __ alfa |
|
|
| S -- 'Sam' |
|
|
| Spelling words |
|
|
| Clarifying words |
|
|
| X ___ xylophone |
|
|
| B-bravo link |
|
|
| T -- 'Tom' |
|
|
| B ___ boy |
|
|
| J __ Juliet |
|
|
| Spelling-help phrase |
|
|
| B-boy connection |
|
|
| A __ "apple" |
|
|
| B-book connection |
|
|
| B-boy connection |
|
|
| J __ Juliet |
|
|
| Speller's words of clarification |
|
|
| Words of clarification |
|
|
| Speller's link words |
|
|
| A-alfa link |
|
|
| X, __ "xylophone" |
|
|
| "It's ___ to tell ..." |
|
|
| Clarifying link |
|
|
| Q-Quebec connector |
|
|
| Z-zebra link |
|
|
| A-alfa link |
|
|
| Q ___ queen |
|
|
| B-bravo link |
|
|
| S ___ sugar |
|
|
| A-apple link |
|
|
| B-bravo link |
|
|
| T __ tango |
|
|
| Speller's words of clarification |
|
|
| A -- 'apple' |
|
|
| Z ___ zebra |
|
|
| B ___ boy |
|
|
| T __ tango |
|
|
| Spelling clarification |
|
|
| A __ apple |
|
|
| Speller's words |
|
|
| "It's ___" (Pet Shop Boys hit) |
|
|
| Z ___ zebra |
|
|
| Speller's phrase |
|
|
| Speller's words of clarification |
|
|
| V-Victor connection |
|
|
| Speller's clarifying words |
|
|
| Z -- 'zebra' |
|
|
| P __ papa |
|
|
| Speller's words |
|
|
| P __ papa |
|
|
| "It's ___ to Tell a Lie" |
|
|
| D-day connection |
|
|
| Z ___ zebra |
|
|
| "It's __ to Tell a Lie" |
|
|
| A ___ apple |
|
|
| Speller's phrase |
|
|
| Speller's phrase |
|
|
| S ___ sugar |
|
|
| Hammerstein and Romberg's "Softly, ___ a Morning Sunrise" |
|
|
| Clarifying phrase |
|
|
| Alphabet book phrase |
|
|
| Words of explanation, to a speller |
|
|
| N __ Nancy |
|
|
| Z-zebra link |
|
|
| S __ "sforzando" |
|
|
| Abecedarium phrase |
|
|
| N __ Nancy |
|
|
| Alphabet book phrase |
|
|
| P ___ puzzle |
|
|
| A ___ "apple": 2 wds. |
|
|
| Part of a speller's clarification |
|
|
| J ___ judge |
|
|
| P __ "Phony" |
|
|
| B battery filler? |
|
|
| Z __ zebra |
|
|
| Speller's clarifying phrase |
|
|
| B ___ boy |
|
|
| "It's __ to tell..." |
|
|
| Z __ zebra |
|
|
| A __ "across" |
|
|
| B-ball filler? |
|
|
| T ___ tiger |
|
|
| 'B' -- boy |
|
|
| C ___ Charles |
|
|
| B-boy link |
|
|
| Z __ "zebra" |
|
|
| P ___ pneumonia |
|
|
| Clarifying phrase |
|
|
| "Q ___ queen" |
|
|
| Z __ zebra |
|
|
| "It's __ to tell..." |
|
|
| "... __ neighbor and weigh" |
|
|
| C-Charlie connection |
|
|
| "It's ___ to Tell..." |
|
|
| "It's ___ to tell a lie" |
|
|
| B __ "boy" |
|
|
| Words of clarification |
|
|
| "Z" ___ "zebra" |
|
|
| B-ball connection? |
|
|
| T __ "Tom" |
|
|
| D-day connection |
|
|
| A-apple link |
|
|
| Z ____ zebra |
|
|
| C-Charlie connection |
|
|
| Start of an example |
|
|
| Z ___ zebra |
|
|
| V __ "volume" |
|
|
| B-ball center? |
|
|
| Z ___ zebra |
|
|
| Start of an example |
|
|
| M __ mnemonic |
|
|
| "A _____ apple" |
|
|
| Z -- zebra |
|
|
| "It's __ to Tell a Lie" |
|
|
| Speller's phrase |
|
|
| P __ "pheasant" |
|
|
| Z _____ zebra |
|
|
| "It's _____ to Tell a Lie" |
|
|
| Speller's words |
|
|
| A ___ apple |
|
|
| A ___ apple |
|
|
| Z ___ zebra |
|
|
| B ___ bravo |
|
|
| D-day link |
|
|
| K-Katy connection |
|
|
| Abecedarian phrase |
|
|
| X _____ xylophone |
|
|
| M, ___ "mnemonic" |
|
|
| B ___ bravo |
|
|
| A ___ apple |
|
|
| Abecedary link |
|
|
| "Q ___ queen" |
|
|
| P-Peter link |
|
|
| Z _____ zebra |
|
|
| Z ___ "zebra" |
|
|
| Hammerstein and Romberg's "Softly, ___ a Morning Sunrise" |
|
|
| "It's ___ to tell..." |
|
|
| Relationship words |
|
|
| "B ___ boy" |
|
|
| Comparative words |
|
|
| Abecedarian phrase |
|
|
| A ___ in apple |
|
|
| Abecedary link |
|
|
| Exemplary phrase |
|
|
| Comparative phrase |
|
|
| M ___ "mnemonic" |
|
|
| Softly ___ a Morning Sunrise |
|
|
| "But if it be to covet honor . . .": "Henry V" |
|
|
| D __ "day" |
|
|
| R __ "Regis" |
|
|
| X __ "xylophone" |
|
|
| M, ___ "mnemonic" |
|
|
| Q ___ quince |
|
|
| B-ball connection |
|
|
| "It's ___ to Tell a Lie" |
|
|
| Q ___ Queens |
|
|
| . . . ____ To Tell a Lie |
|
|
| B _____ boy |
|
|
| Hindu month |
|
|
| "B ____ boy" |
|
|
| D-day link |
|
|
| Speller's phrase |
|
|
| A ____ apple |
|
|
| C-cat connection |
|
|
| It's ____ to Tell a Lie |
|
|
| Z ____ zebra |
|
|
| B ___ baby |
|
|
| But if it be ____ to covet honor . . . ( Henry V ) |
|
|
| "There is ___ unto death": 1 John |
|
|
| "It's ___" (Pet Shop Boys #1 hit of 1987) |
|
|
| It's ____ to tell a lie |
|
|
| "B"___butterfly |
|
|
| . . . ____ a morning sunrise |
|
|
| A ____ alfa |
|
|
| Words of explanation in spelling |
|
|
| A-apple connection |
|
|
| A ____ apple |
|
|
| "It's - to tell a lie." |
|
|
| "It's___to Tell A Lie" |
|
|
| Z-zebra link |
|
|
| Q-queen connector |
|
|
| Abecedary phrase |
|
|
| A-apple link |
|
|
| "B___bug" |
|
|
| "Z _____ zebra" |
|
|
| "S ____ sugar" |
|
|
| "It's _____ to tell a lie" |
|
|
| Z _____ zebra |
|
|
| M _____ Mary |
|
|
| "Pleasure's ___ . . . ": Byron |
|
|
| A ___ Able |
|
|
| "It's ___ to Tell a Lie" |
|
|
| A ___ aardvark |
|
|
| B ___ boy |
|
|
| M ___ Mary |
|
|
| "It's ___ to tell . . . " |
|
|
| "A ___ Able" |
|
|
| "___ neighbor and weigh" |
|
|
| D ___ dog |
|
|
| "___ confessed is half forgiven": John Ray |
|
|
| "B __ Baker" |
|
|
| " . . . ___ to covet honor": Shak. |
|
|
| D ___ David |
|
|
| C ___ Charlie |
|
|
| A ___ able |
|
|
| P ___ Peter |
|
|
| Hindu month |
|
|
| A ___ Abie |
|
|
| "It's ___ to Tell . . . " |
|
|
| B ___ Baker |
|
|
| T ___ Thomas |
|
|
| "I sometimes hold it half ___ . . . " |
|
|
| ___ a dream |
|
|
| D ___ Dennis |
|
|
| It's ___ to tell a lie |
|
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| Spelling clarifying words |
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| Clarifying phrase |
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| Clarifying words when spelling a name over the phone |
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| Autumn month of Hindu calendar. |
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| "A ___ Able." |
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| "It's ___ to Tell a Lie." |
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| "B" ___ Boston. |
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| A ___ in apple. |
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| "___ of omission." |
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| A ___ Able. |
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| G ___ George. |
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| Hindu month. |
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| ___ a dream. |
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| E ___ Easter |
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| Hindu month, Sept.–Oct. |
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| V ___ victory. |
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| Clarification phrase |
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| Clarification words |
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