Memorize these and you could recognize 60.9% of all U.S. States clues.
| # | Answer | Appearances | Sample Clue |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Alaska | 41 | State with highest average wage, $9,000 higher than 2nd-highest state |
| 2 | California | 25 | It makes sense that the state with the most area codes is this state with the most people |
| 3 | Michigan | 25 | The only U.S. state that borders 4 Great Lakes |
| 4 | Louisiana | 24 | The bald cypress, which grows in the swamps & bayous, is this state's official tree |
| 5 | Florida | 23 | State with the highest percentage of population age 65 or older |
| 6 | Hawaii | 22 | The only state in which caucasians are a minority |
| 7 | Rhode Island | 22 | Ironically, this little state's official name is the longest of any U.S. state |
| 8 | Colorado | 21 | "C" is for both "Continental Divide" & the name of this state with a red "C" on its flag, home to part of the Continental Divide |
| 9 | New Mexico | 21 | It's the only state whose name & capital city both consist of 2 words |
| 10 | New York | 20 | Only state bordering directly on both the Atlantic Ocean & the Great Lakes |
| 11 | Maryland | 20 | Francis Scott Key didn't have to leave this, his home state, to spend the night near Ft. McHenry |
| 12 | Wyoming | 20 | 1 of the 2 states bordered by both Idaho and South Dakota |
| 13 | Texas | 20 | 3 of the top 10 U.S. cities in population are in this state |
| 14 | Maine | 19 | It leads the world in producing sardine cans, but it's called the Pine Tree State |
| 15 | Kansas | 17 | Called "America's breadbasket", it leads the nation in wheat production |
| 16 | Utah | 16 | Of all the states named after Indian tribes, this one is the farthest west |
| 17 | Delaware | 16 | Just over ½ the size of L.A. county, it's the 2nd smallest state in the U.S. |
| 18 | Alabama | 16 | State usually called 1st at presidential conventions because it's 1st in alphabetical order |
| 19 | Wisconsin | 16 | 1 of the 2 states whose official song titles begin with the word "On" |
| 20 | Montana | 15 | In area, this state with fewer than 1 million people is the 4th largest in the U.S. |
| 21 | Minnesota | 15 | TV's "Little House on the Prairie" is set in Walnut Grove, in this state |
| 22 | Oklahoma | 14 | Among its 77 counties are Creek, Cherokee, Choctaw, Seminole & Osage |
| 23 | New Jersey | 14 | With NYC & Philadelphia in mind, Ben Franklin called this state "a rum keg tapped at both ends" |
| 24 | Virginia | 14 | 1 of 4 states that's officially a commonwealth |
| 25 | Vermont | 13 | This New England state has no cities at all with over 40,000 people |
| 26 | Oregon | 13 | This western state has the highest coastal sand dunes & the deepest lake in the U.S. |
| 27 | New Hampshire | 13 | Mount Adams, Mount Jefferson & Mount Madison are in this New England state |
| 28 | Pennsylvania | 12 | World's largest chocolate factory is in this state |
| 29 | North Carolina | 12 | Part of the Black Mountains, Mt. Mitchell in this state is highest point in U.S. east of the Mississippi |
| 30 | Massachusetts | 12 | While many states have bays, only this one is "The Bay State" |
| 31 | Ohio | 12 | Its 3 largest cities all begin with the letter "C" |
| 32 | Kentucky | 12 | Of the 4 states officially known as commonwealths, it lies the farthest west |
| 33 | Nevada | 11 | Spanish for "snow clad", this state is best known for its desert gambling resort |
| 34 | Indiana | 11 | Its motto is "The Crossroads of America", & its song, "On The Banks Of The Wabash" |
| 35 | Georgia | 11 | While New York is the Empire State of the north, this is "The Empire State of the South" |
| 36 | Washington | 11 | New York's nickname "The Empire State" was suggested before 1800 by this general |
| 37 | Iowa | 10 | In "Field of Dreams" a question is asked, "Is this heaven?"--No, it's this Midwestern state also known as "the Corn State" |
| 38 | Idaho | 10 | Hells Canyon & Snake River sound daunting, but Sun Valley & its ski lodges in this state offer respite |
| 39 | Arkansas | 10 | While Memphis is in Tennessee, West Memphis lies across the Mississippi in this state |
| 40 | Arizona | 9 | Most say its name is Papago Indian for “little spring”, others say it's Spanish for “arid zone” |
| 41 | Tennessee | 8 | The World Book lists 5 state songs for it, including, "Rocky Top" |
| 42 | South Dakota | 8 | Years after the Okla. landrush of 1889, a similar one occurred on Sioux Indian holdings in this state |
| 43 | South Carolina | 8 | In 1670 the 1st lasting English settlement in this state was established & named Charles Towne |
| 44 | Missouri | 8 | Mark Twain said he was born in this state because "it was an unknown new state & needed attractions" |
| 45 | Connecticut | 8 | This state's geographic center is located within the limits of Hartford County, near its capital |
| 46 | West Virginia | 8 | 1 of 3 states which border Virginia & share its state bird, the Cardinal |
| 47 | Illinois | 7 | Created to serve the former Northwest Territory, Northwestern University is in Evanston in this state |
| 48 | Nebraska | 6 | The Knights of Ak-Sar-Ben are a civic organization sponsoring an annual rodeo in this state |
| 49 | Mississippi | 6 | 1 of 2 Gulf states containing the area of black clay soils known as the "Black Belt" |
| 50 | the palmetto | 5 | South Carolina's flag depicts a crescent over this state tree |