Clever Endeavor calls itself "The game of clever clues".  I call it "The game of clues that are sometimes clever, and sometimes just dumb". 

This game is simple enough to play.  Up to 8 people (or teams) try to figure out the hidden word or phrase that's being described by 6 "clever clues".  Often filled with puns, jokes, and double meanings, the clues are meant more to baffle than to actually describe the hidden phrase.  Each team earns points by being the first to correctly guess the hidden phrase.  The fewer of the 6 clues that need to be read before you offer the correct answer, the more points you earn.  (Solve the puzzle in only one clue and you earn 6 points.  For each additional clue you need to hear, subtract one point.  If you solve it on the 6th clue, you earn 1 point).  As you earn points you get to move your marker along the board's track from start to finish.

I like that any number of people can play this game.  There are 8 markers, and 8 individual tracks along the board.  But you can have any number of people on the teams.  So, really, a whole roomful of people can play at once. 

Either use a designated "host", or have the teams take turns being the host.  The host takes the next Clever Clue card from the box and reads it to himself.  The card contains a category (thing, person, place, event, or mystery) which is read aloud, 6 "clever clues", and the word or phrase that's being described.  One by one, the clues will be read aloud and players given an opportunity to guess after each clue is read.  The 6 clues can be read in any order.  Since the host hopes it takes the other players a long time to get the correct answer, it behooves the host to read the vaguest clues first. 

Want to see some examples of the clues?

Here's one from the "thing" category.
1. This is the end of the line.
2. I'm a-lure-ing.
3. I'm made of barbed wire.
4. There's supposed to be a catch here.
5. Better bring me in for a re-bait.
6. I'm tied with the leader.

Here's a "place".
1. My occupants give welcome advice.
2. I saw some steamy productions at the drive-in movies.
3. It's a good thing I can't talk.
4. These days, I'm for the kids.
5. Real sports cars wouldn't want me.
6. I'm behind the driver all the way.

Here's a "mystery".
1. I'm constantly in pane.
2. Nobody does me.
3. I collect fingerprints.
4. It's curtains for me.
5. If I am stained for life, I find solace in a church.
6. I'm a hole in the wall.

Did you figure them all out?  Check the comments section for the answers.

You can see that some of the clues are cute.  Some are way out there.  And some rely on mis-spellings and jokes (such as the words "a-lure-ing" and "re-bait" in the first example, and the word "pane" in the third example) but remember that only the host sees the card.  So if there's a deliberate mis-spelling designed to be "punny", the true meaning of the clue is frequently lost on the players until the correct answer is revealed.  I suppose you could enforce a "nice guy" rule, so that the host has to reveal the secrets such as deliberate mis-spellings, but the actual rules do not specify to do so.

Other than correctly solving the clues, the only other way to move your marker is by landing on some of the special spaces along the board's track.  Some of the spaces cause you to take a "venture" card.  Venture cards can tell you to skip ahead a few spaces, or move back a few spaces.  And sometimes you get to move another player's marker back a few spaces.  Also, teams are penalized for wrong guesses, so you may find yourself moving backwards faster than you move forward.  Eventually, one team gets their marker all the way to the end of the track, and is declared the winner.

The plastic-coated cards, themselves, are of pretty high quality.   None of mine show any wear after several years, and several playings.  They are easy to read, with a fairly large, bold font.  The folding board is also of high quality, with brightly colored spaces.  There are 475 cards, and they have clues on their fronts and their backs.  So you can play 950 rounds before you ever repeat a clue.  The markers are nothing exciting - they're plastic triangles.  And maybe it's just my old eyes, but the pink one and the red one are nearly indistinguishable.  The instructions are clear.

Interesting tidbit: Where did they come up with the clues?  They advertised in various locales seeking submissions.  7200 people from all over the world mailed in suggestions.  Contributors whose clues were chosen for the game were paid $30, and receive credit for their clues by having their name and location printed on the clue card.

Overall, this is an "ok" game.  It's not one of my favorites, mostly because some of the clues are really lame.  The reliance on puns and mis-spellings gets tiresome after a while.  It says it's meant for kids 12+ but I can't picture anyone under 16 really "getting" the hidden jokes and double meanings.  Still, for an occasional diversion for the 16+ crowd, this game is ok.

Recommended: No

Amount Paid (US$): 20
Type of Toy: Board Game