The crossword solution for the term 'stale, as jokes' is 'HOARY, ' which is a five-letter word. HOARY is an adjective that means 'old and no longer fresh or new; dull or uninteresting.' It is often used to describe something that has been around for a long time and has become outdated or overused. In this context, it is used to describe jokes that have been told so many times that they are no longer funny.