RUSTS

Set to 9 different clues across 12 published puzzles, most often “Oxidizes” — The New York Times, Wednesday, 10 February 2010.

5 letters

Every clue on record, most used first

Oxidizes2 times
The New York Times — Wednesday, 10 February 2010
Fall colors2 times
The New York Times — Wednesday, 24 October 2007
Corrodes2 times
The New York Times — Tuesday, 29 June 2004
Becomes inoperable, maybe, as an old machineonce
The New York Times — Monday, 15 November 2010
Gets corrodedonce
The New York Times — Monday, 8 October 2007
Corrosionsonce
The New York Times — Monday, 23 August 2004
Dirty films?once
The New York Times — Friday, 6 June 2003
Loses limbernessonce
The New York Times — Tuesday, 24 October 1995
Sits too longonce
The New York Times — Sunday, 5 March 1995