I'm thinking of a word that rhymes with "juice."

Sorry, I can't concentrate well enough today to give you a cute but hidden clue in the first message.

I just finished dinner and how I wish I had a fluffy chocolate dessert to go with my coffee.

I'm sorry, that's just hard to understand!

If it walks like a duck and it quacks like a duck, it might not be a duck.

#2, Mousse sounds good. I've got some surprisingly good instant at home.
#3, You understand, Rodney, that confusing you is my goal. Sometimes, though, I do it to myself. BTW, Crambo's word ends with a "soft" S sound, not a Z.
#4, Bet I can run around the circle and beat you back to your spot.

not: mousse, confuse, goose

alpha not: confuse, goose, mousse

#5 I was thinking of something more recondite or esoteric

Ah, good one. I settled for the first word I thought of, rather than trying to find the best one you might have meant. Not Crambo's word, though.

not: mousse, confuse, goose, abstruse,

alpha not: abstruse, confuse, goose, mousse

"Come into my parlor," said the spider to the fly as she batted her long silky eyelashes.

Very intriguing proposition, but not Crambo's word.

not: mousse, confuse, goose, abstruse, seduce,

alpha not: abstruse, confuse, goose, mousse, seduce,

I would come up with something better, but I keep having to tighten my belt.

Welcome to LT and Crambo, Diane! I wish my belt were a little looser.

not: mousse, confuse, goose, abstruse, seduce, loose,

alpha not: abstruse, confuse, goose, loose, mousse, seduce,

As Pynchon and Salinger learned,
A fame that's been rightfully earned
Won't dwindle or cease
(And might even increase)
When the public and limelight are spurned.

I've been feeling like one while my wife is away hiking.

not: mousse, confuse, goose, abstruse, seduce, loose, recluse

alpha not: abstruse, confuse, goose, loose, mousse, recluse, seduce,

Let me think a bit more, perhaps I can solve this puzzle by reasoning it out.

No - I think it is between 90 and 180 degrees!

Now Rodney, I know you didn't mean to call Joyce obtuse ;-) I don't see any reason why she couldn't deduce the correct answer. Nobody has yet, though.

not: mousse, confuse, goose, abstruse, seduce, loose, recluse, deduce, obtuse

alpha not: abstruse, confuse, deduce, goose, loose, mousse, obtuse, recluse, seduce,

Like many of the guesses, Crambo's word has two syllables.

Often little, sometimes red,
Railway carriage; crew are fed?

Not The Little Red Caboose.

not: mousse, confuse, goose, abstruse, seduce, loose, recluse, deduce, obtuse, caboose,

alpha not: abstruse, caboose, confuse, deduce, goose, loose, mousse, obtuse, recluse, seduce,

It's surprising that Dickens and Twain
Share a synonym; let me explain.
Knowing "twain" just means "two"
Gives us one sense to clue.
(What the dickens?! What sense could remain?)

Perhaps the two of them could ride away with the Beach Boys.

not: mousse, confuse, goose, abstruse, seduce, loose, recluse, deduce, obtuse, caboose, deuce,

alpha not: abstruse, caboose, confuse, deduce, deuce, goose, loose, mousse, obtuse, recluse, seduce,

I think I'll take my equipment to that crick over thar and mine me a little gold this way.

Is it too early for an aromatic greenish-yellow liqueur flavoured with orange peel, hyssop and peppermint?

A little chartreuse would be welcome this morning. I'm trying to think of a cute way to describe imbibing it through a sluice, but my brain is too disorganized right now.

not: mousse, confuse, goose, abstruse, seduce, loose, recluse, deduce, obtuse, caboose, deuce, sluice, chartreuse

alpha not: abstruse, caboose, chartreuse, confuse, deduce, deuce, goose, loose, mousse, obtuse, recluse, seduce, sluice,

A backpack used for carrying a baby?

My kids have a Baby Bjorn, but that doesn't rhyme very well.

not: mousse, confuse, goose, abstruse, seduce, loose, recluse, deduce, obtuse, caboose, deuce, sluice, chartreuse, papoose,

alpha not: abstruse, caboose, chartreuse, confuse, deduce, deuce, goose, loose, mousse, obtuse, papoose, recluse, seduce, sluice,

I’m feeling very antisocial today so I’m going wrap up in my selham, pull the hood down over my face and pretend the rest of the world doesn’t exist.

I've been trying to think of a synonym for "recluse," which we've already had, but I've struck out. Please emerge from your cocoon and tell us more.

I went to the farmer's market today and got lots of yummy stuff from which I could make juice, if I so desired. Right now, though, I'm using the tomatoes and basil to make pasta, (which is not a guess).

The pasta is not a guess, but the produce is not only a guess, it's the winning guess. Well done, Joyce, and over to you.

Congrats Joyce!

Re #26: The clue in my guess was "selham" aka burnoose.

I wasn't expecting that. New word is here: http://www.librarything.com/topic/141051