Clone or Crone

A few years ago, actually more than 10, I received a card from someone I worked with. It said Happy Birthday on it. Inside it said, You're now one year closer to the crone! I didn't know what to think. I asked another coworker. She said, you see, this is a compliment.

Crone means wise woman.

So does witch, but I wouldn't send a birthday card saying Happy Birthday to you, Witch!

Oh well.

Crone rhymes with Clone. A clone is a duplicate made from the same DNA, reproduced by artificial means, not naturally.

Crone must be a very old word. Clone is relatively new.