ClueNotation is our daily puzzle that appears on the main page of DailyCues. Each day a person's name, an object, or a common phrase will be written in cue notation. Cue notation is a way of writing out how to cue words where the handshapes are represented by numbers (e.g., 5 for handshape 5) and vowel placements are represented by letters (e.g., c for chin placement). This system was originally intended to give beginners a way to take notes on how to cue.
Cue notation, however, was not intended to be read on its own. Without the benefit of the mouth, the symbols of cue notation can be ambiguous. In early writings on Cued Speech, reading the hand alone was deemed "impossible." In reality, patterns emerge for people who cue English. They see through the ambiguity – filling-in the missing information.
ClueNotation provides a fun, low-pressure way to practice seeing the patterns of English through Cued Speech. The lack of mouthshapes re-introduces ambiguity and this can be a good way for novice cue readers to practice without a partner.
There are more than 1,400 puzzles in 75 categories. A new puzzle appears each day.
Hints
Before you put your cursor into the ClueNotation response box, you will see a clue (e.g., Hint, check your math). These clues help narrow the options and allow you to use some top-down information (i.e., context). The hints are explained in more detail below:
- 2nd in Command: U.S. Vice Presidents
- 5-day Forecast: Weather terms
- Academy Award™ Winner: People who've won Oscars
- Animal: Common and some less common animals
- Baseball Team: Major League Baseball (MLB) Teams
- Borrowed Word: English words taken from other languages
- Box-Office Bomb: Movies that are known because they tanked with audiences
- Catch Phrase: Famous one-liners
- Celebrity: Well-known individuals
- Celebrity(-ish): People who are famous, but probably shouldn't be
- Check Your Math: Mathematical terms
- Classic Hollywood: Stars from the 40s, 50s and 60s
- Classic T.V.: Hit television programs from the 50s, 60s, 70s, and 80s
- Cocktail: names of alcoholic beverages
- Common Fear: Things that scare people
- Criminal: People who are known because for their crimes
- Fictional Character: Famous characters from film, TV, and books.
- First Lady: Women married to U.S. Presidents
- Game: Famous games that people play
- Board Game: Commercial board game
- Garden Variety: Plants grown in gardens
- Get Happy: Synonyms for the word "happy"
- Girl's Name: Common American proper names for girls
- Gridiron Team: NFL Football Teams
- Kind of H20: Words associated with water including brand names for bottled water
- Historical Figure: People who made contributions throughout history
- Hobby: Activities people do to have fun and pass time
- How to Spot a Tourist: Stereotypical items associated with Americans on vacation
- In the Fridge: Items found in a refrigerator
- In the Kitchen: Items found in a kitchen
- In the Medicine Cabinet: Items found in a medicine cabinet
- In the Morning: Terms associated with morning activities and rituals
- In the Office: Items associated with a place of business
- In the Tool Box: Common hand tools
- It's a Living: Common and uncommon occupations
- Just Relax: Techniques/strategies for reducing stress
- Love...: The clue follows the word Love ________.
- Meryl Streep Film: Title of a film starring Meryl Streep
- Movie Title: Titles of well-known feature films
- Mythical Creature: Legendary beasts from mythology and literature
- Natural Disaster: Geologic and weather-related disasters
- Off Your Rocker: Terms that are synonymous with mental illness
- On the Calendar: Terms related to the calendar
- On the Map: Proper names for actual locations.
- On the Side: Foods that typically accompany entrees
- On the Newsstand: Proper names of magazines
- On Your Wrist: Words associated with items worm on one's wrist
- Outer Space: Terms associated with the heavens
- Oxymoronic: Terms that comprise two seemingly opposing words
- Paint Color: Common and creative names of colors
- Precious Stone: Names of gemstones
- Reality T.V.: Titles of reality television shows
- Reason for Being Late: Common excuses for not getting somewhere on time
- Regurgitating Words: Words that are synonymous with throwing up
- Retail Therapy: Proper names of stores commonly found in a shopping mall
- Sitcom Character: Fictional characters from T.V. situation comedies
- Sitcom Star: Proper names of actors who star on T.V. situation comedies
- Sites to See: Common visitor destinations around the world
- Something to Wear: Common and less common items that can be worn
- State Capital: Cities that serve as a U.S. State Capital
- Summertime: Terms associated with summer
- Sweet Treat: Foods eaten as a dessert
- Term of Endearment: Nicknames for a loved one
- T.V. Show: Recent television programs
- Under the Weather: Illnesses
- Way to Get Around: Common, uncommon, and even fictional modes of transportation
- Wintertime: Items and activities associated with winter
Submitting an Answer
When you put your cursor in the box, the hint will disappear. Type your answer and hit the submit button. You will be told if you are correct or not. Capitalization and punctuation is ignored. So if your answer is incorrect, check your spelling. Answers to the daily puzzle are revealed the following day.