Here are the possible solutions for hancock or doe clue
Answer
Clue
Relevancy
john
Clue
Hancock or Doe
Definition
a toilet
aetna
Clue
John Hancock rival
John Hancock competitor
beforehand
Clue
... Hancock ...
Definition
before a particular time
colony
Clue
Each circled pair is an abbreviation for one; all 13 are arranged in the roughly north-to-south order in which their representatives (except for John Hancock) signed the Declaration of Independence
