The first step is to decode everything using Atbash (A=Z, B=Y, etc.). Each decoded line has a term, a member of a well-known ordered set, that must be “atbashed” to form a familiar phrase. Indexing into the correct terms using the parenthetical numbers yields the final cluephrase.
Summarizing below:
| Decoded phrase | Correct word | Ordered set | Index | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| KING VENTURA: PET DETECTIVE | ACE | playing card ranks | 1 | A |
| HALLOWS TEMPLE PILOTS | STONE | objects in harry potter book titles | 4 | N |
| PISCES SPEARS | ARIES | signs of the zodiac | 5 | S |
| THE HIEROPHANT OF BABEL | TOWER | tarot card major arcana | 3 | W |
| PENCIL RUBIDIUM | LEAD | elements | 2 | E |
| OCTOBER MADNESS | MARCH | months | 3 | R |
| JUPITER ROVER | MARS | planets | 4 | S |
| ACCEPTANCE OF SERVICE ATTACK | DENIAL | the five stages of grief | 6 | L |
| HANNAH VIRGINIA | MONTANA | US states | 1 | M |
| SHRINKING RED | VIOLET | rainbow colors | 1 | V |
| BY THE ZEPHANIAH | NUMBERS | books of the old testament | 4 | B |
The indexed letters spell "ANSWER SLMVB". Atbashing SLMVB yields the answer HONEY.