NYT Spelling Bee Answers for September 27, 2018
Game Summary
| Center Letter | L |
|---|---|
| Outer Letters | a, c, f, i, t, y |
| # of Pangrams | 1 (Perfect: none) |
| Total Words | 68 words |
| Total Points | 331 points |
| Genius Level | 232 points |
| Bingo? | No |
Table of Contents
As you scroll down this page, the clues get progressively more revealing. So scroll slowly!
- Spelling Bee Grid
- Two-Letter List (2LL) Hints
- Three-Letter List (3LL) Hints
- Extra Letter Hints (Incrementally Revealing) 🤯
- Today's Complete Solution
- Answer Definitions
If you're just here for a list of NYT Spelling Bee answers, Jump down to the answers ↓ (Spoiler Alert!).
Spelling Bee Grid
The following table shows the standard Spelling Bee summary grid, which lists word lengths across the top and letters down the left-hand side. The cell where the word lengths and letters intersect displays the number of words in today's puzzle with the corresponding first letter and word length.
| 4</th><th>5</th><th>6</th><th>7</th><th>8</th><th>9</th><th>10</th><th>11</th><th>12</th><th>13 | Σ | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A | 2 | 2 | - | 3 | - | - | - | - | - | - | 7 |
| C | 3 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | - | - | 1 | 14 |
| F | 6 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 4 | - | - | - | - | - | 19 |
| I | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | - | 1 | - | - | - | - | 6 |
| L | 5 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 | - | - | - | - | - | 12 |
| T | 6 | 1 | - | 1 | 1 | - | 1 | - | - | - | 10 |
| Y | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | Σ | 23 | 15 | 7 | 11 | 7 | 2 | 2 | - | - | 1 | 68 |
Two-Letter List (2LL) Hints
The following list shows the number of solution words that begin with the corresponding two letters.
| A | AC×1 AF×1 AL×4 AT×1 |
|---|---|
| C | CA×8 CI×1 CL×2 CY×3 |
| F | FA×9 FI×5 FL×5 |
| I | IC×1 IL×4 IT×1 |
| L | LA×6 LI×6 |
| T | TA×8 TI×2 |
| Y |
Three-Letter List (3LL) Hints
The following list shows the number of solution words that begin with the corresponding three letters.
| A | ACY×1 AFF×1 ALF×1 ALI×1 ALL×2 ATI×1 |
|---|---|
| C | CAL×4 CAT×4 CIL×1 CLA×1 CLI×1 CYC×3 |
| F | FAC×3 FAI×1 FAL×2 FAT×3 FIL×4 FIT×1 FLA×4 FLI×1 |
| I | ICI×1 ILI×1 ILL×3 ITA×1 |
| L | LAC×2 LAI×4 LIC×2 LIF×1 LIL×3 |
| T | TAC×3 TAI×1 TAL×4 TIL×2 |
| Y |
Extra Letter Hints (Incrementally Revealing)
The table below lists all of the solutions to today's puzzle, but they're concealed. You can click the plus button (+) to reveal additional letters, one-by-one.
Concealed definitions are provided as additional clues. You can toggle concealment of the definitions by clicking on the concealer bar or the text that appears when the definition is visible.
Pangrams are marked with a dagger symbol (†).
| Word | 2L Ref | Definition (click to reveal) |
|---|---|---|
| ac..... | AC7 | Not cyclic; having an open chain structure. |
| af..... | AF7 | To cause (someone) pain, suffering or distress. |
| al..... | AL7 | A plant, principally of Medicago sativa, grown as a pasture crop. |
| al.. | AL4 | simple past tense and past participle of alight |
| al... | AL5 | To make quiet or put at rest; to pacify or appease; to quell; to calm. |
| al.. | AL4 | To unite or form a connection between (people or things), as between families by marriage, or between states by confederacy, league, or treaty. |
| at... | AT5 | At an angle from the vertical or horizontal. |
| ca..... | CA7 | To make something hard and stony by impregnating with calcium salts. |
| ca.. | CA4 | A young cow or bull. |
| ca.. | CA4 | A telephone conversation; a phone call. |
| ca... | CA5 | A marsh plant native to cooler areas throughout the northern hemisphere, Calla palustris, having pale green flowers in a white spathe. |
| ca....... | CA9 | Of or relating to a catalyst; having properties facilitating chemical reaction or change. |
| ca........... | CA13 | In terms of, or by means of, catalysis. |
| ca..... | CA7 | A shout or whistle expressing dislike, especially from a crowd or audience; a jeer, a boo. |
| ca..... | CA7 | Any of several perennial herbs, of the genus Typha, that have long flat leaves, and grow in marshy places. |
| ci... | CI5 | plural of cilium |
| cl.. | CL4 | A mineral substance made up of small crystals of silica and alumina, that is ductile when moist; the material of pre-fired ceramics. |
| cl... | CL5 | A vertical (or nearly vertical) rock face. |
| cy.... | CY6 | Characterized by, or moving in cycles, or happening at regular intervals. |
| cy...... | CY8 | recurring at regular intervals |
| cy........ | CY10 | In a cyclic manner; in cycles; periodically. |
| fa.... | FA6 | Of or affecting the face. |
| fa...... | FA8 | Using or involving the face. |
| fa...... † | FA8 | The fact of being easy, or easily done; absence of difficulty, simplicity. |
| fa.. | FA4 | To be unsuccessful. |
| fa.. | FA4 | To be moved downwards. To move to a lower position under the effect of gravity. |
| fa..... | FA7 | Deceptive or false appearance; that which misleads the eye or the mind. |
| fa... | FA5 | Proceeding from, or appointed by, fate or destiny. |
| fa...... | FA8 | The state proceeding from destiny; invincible necessity, superior to, and independent of, free and rational control. |
| fa..... | FA7 | In a fatal manner; lethally. |
| fi.... | FI6 | Pertaining to or befitting a son or daughter. |
| fi...... | FI8 | In a filial manner. |
| fi.. | FI4 | To occupy fully, to take up all of. |
| fi... | FI5 | A young female horse. |
| fi... | FI5 | In a fit manner |
| fl... | FL5 | A tool used for threshing, consisting of a long handle with a shorter stick attached with a short piece of chain, thong or similar material. |
| fl.. | FL4 | Having no variations in height. |
| fl.... | FL6 | In a physically flat or level manner. |
| fl.. | FL4 | To cause to fly; put to flight; drive off (by frightening). |
| fl.. | FL4 | A fluttering or darting movement. |
| ic... | IC5 | In the manner of ice; with a cold or chilling effect. |
| il... | IL5 | Relating to the ilium. |
| il..... | IL7 | Not approved by law, but not invalid. |
| il....... | IL9 | In an illicit manner; illegally, immorally or inappropriately. |
| il.. | IL4 | Badly; poorly. |
| it.... | IT6 | Designed to resemble a handwriting style developed in Italy in the 16th century. |
| la.... | LA6 | Of, relating to, or derived from milk. |
| la.. | LA4 | Made of lace or decorated with it. |
| la.. | LA4 | A layperson, as opposed to a member of the clergy. |
| la.... | LA6 | Of or pertaining to a layperson, layman, laywoman, or laypeople (laity). |
| la...... | LA8 | As a layman. |
| la... | LA5 | People of a church who are not ordained clergy or clerics. |
| li... | LI5 | Not forbidden by formal or informal rules. |
| li..... | LI7 | In a licit manner, legally, in a manner compatible with law. |
| li.. | LI4 | To raise or rise. |
| li... | LI5 | A large shrub of the genus Syringa, especially Syringa vulgaris, bearing white, pale-pink, or purple flowers. |
| li.. | LI4 | To do something rhythmically, with animation and quickness, usually of music. |
| li.. | LI4 | Any of several flowers in the genus Lilium of the family Liliaceae, which includes a great many ornamental species. |
| ta..... | TA7 | In a tacit manner; done in silence or implied. |
| ta...... | TA8 | of or relating to tactics |
| ta........ | TA10 | in a tactical manner; in a manner calculated to achieve some end. |
| ta.. | TA4 | The caudal appendage of an animal that is attached to its posterior and near the anus. |
| ta.. | TA4 | Originally a large range of transparent or glistening foliated minerals. Examples include mica, selenite and the hydrated magnesium silicate that the term talc generally has referred to in modern times (see below). Also an item made of such a mineral and depending for its function on the special nature of the mineral (see next). Mediaeval writers adopted the term from the Arabic. |
| ta.. | TA4 | plural of talus |
| ta.. | TA4 | Having a vertical extent greater than the average. For example, somebody with a height of over 6 feet would generally be considered to be tall. |
| ta... | TA5 | Target sighted. |
| ti.. | TI4 | Until; to, up to; as late as (a given time). |
| ti.. | TI4 | To slope or incline (something); to slant. |
Today's Complete Solution
The words that follow are a complete listing of all acceptable words in today's New York Time Spelling Bee puzzle.
Next to the answer word you'll see the two-letter reference (2L Ref) in parentheses. We added that 2L Ref for easier translation of the spoiler-avoidant language you see on the Spelling Bee Forum and Twitter. The 2L Ref signifies a word's two start letters followed by the total number of letters in the word.
- acyclic (AC7)
- afflict (AF7)
- alfalfa (AL7)
- alit (AL4)
- allay (AL5)
- ally (AL4)
- atilt (AT5)
- calcify (CA7)
- calf (CA4)
- call (CA4)
- calla (CA5)
- catalytic (CA9)
- catalytically (CA13)
- catcall (CA7)
- cattail (CA7)
- cilia (CI5)
- clay (CL4)
- cliff (CL5)
- cyclic (CY6)
- cyclical (CY8)
- cyclically (CY10)
- facial (FA6)
- facially (FA8)
- facility† (FA8)
- fail (FA4)
- fall (FA4)
- fallacy (FA7)
- fatal (FA5)
- fatality (FA8)
- fatally (FA7)
- filial (FI6)
- filially (FI8)
- fill (FI4)
- filly (FI5)
- fitly (FI5)
- flail (FL5)
- flat (FL4)
- flatly (FL6)
- flay (FL4)
- flit (FL4)
- icily (IC5)
- iliac (IL5)
- illicit (IL7)
- illicitly (IL9)
- illy (IL4)
- italic (IT6)
- lactic (LA6)
- lacy (LA4)
- laic (LA4)
- laical (LA6)
- laically (LA8)
- laity (LA5)
- licit (LI5)
- licitly (LI7)
- lift (LI4)
- lilac (LI5)
- lilt (LI4)
- lily (LI4)
- tacitly (TA7)
- tactical (TA8)
- tactically (TA10)
- tail (TA4)
- talc (TA4)
- tali (TA4)
- tall (TA4)
- tally (TA5)
- till (TI4)
- tilt (TI4)
Answer Definitions
- acyclic (adjective): Not cyclic; having an open chain structure.
- afflict (verb): To cause (someone) pain, suffering or distress.
- alfalfa (noun): A plant, principally of Medicago sativa, grown as a pasture crop.
- alit (verb): simple past tense and past participle of alight
- allay (verb): To make quiet or put at rest; to pacify or appease; to quell; to calm.
- ally (verb): To unite or form a connection between (people or things), as between families by marriage, or between states by confederacy, league, or treaty.
- atilt (adjective): At an angle from the vertical or horizontal.
- calcify (verb): To make something hard and stony by impregnating with calcium salts.
- calf (noun): A young cow or bull.
- call (noun): A telephone conversation; a phone call.
- calla (noun): A marsh plant native to cooler areas throughout the northern hemisphere, Calla palustris, having pale green flowers in a white spathe.
- catalytic (adjective): Of or relating to a catalyst; having properties facilitating chemical reaction or change.
- catalytically (adverb): In terms of, or by means of, catalysis.
- catcall (noun): A shout or whistle expressing dislike, especially from a crowd or audience; a jeer, a boo.
- cattail (noun): Any of several perennial herbs, of the genus Typha, that have long flat leaves, and grow in marshy places.
- cilia (noun): plural of cilium
- clay (noun): A mineral substance made up of small crystals of silica and alumina, that is ductile when moist; the material of pre-fired ceramics.
- cliff (noun): A vertical (or nearly vertical) rock face.
- cyclic (adjective): Characterized by, or moving in cycles, or happening at regular intervals.
- cyclical (adjective): recurring at regular intervals
- cyclically (adverb): In a cyclic manner; in cycles; periodically.
- facial (adjective): Of or affecting the face.
- facially (adverb): Using or involving the face.
- facility† (noun): The fact of being easy, or easily done; absence of difficulty, simplicity.
- fail (verb): To be unsuccessful.
- fall (verb): To be moved downwards. To move to a lower position under the effect of gravity.
- fallacy (noun): Deceptive or false appearance; that which misleads the eye or the mind.
- fatal (adjective): Proceeding from, or appointed by, fate or destiny.
- fatality (noun): The state proceeding from destiny; invincible necessity, superior to, and independent of, free and rational control.
- fatally (adverb): In a fatal manner; lethally.
- filial (adjective): Pertaining to or befitting a son or daughter.
- filially (adverb): In a filial manner.
- fill (verb): To occupy fully, to take up all of.
- filly (noun): A young female horse.
- fitly (adverb): In a fit manner
- flail (noun): A tool used for threshing, consisting of a long handle with a shorter stick attached with a short piece of chain, thong or similar material.
- flat (adjective): Having no variations in height.
- flatly (adverb): In a physically flat or level manner.
- flay (verb): To cause to fly; put to flight; drive off (by frightening).
- flit (noun): A fluttering or darting movement.
- icily (adverb): In the manner of ice; with a cold or chilling effect.
- iliac (adjective): Relating to the ilium.
- illicit (adjective): Not approved by law, but not invalid.
- illicitly (adverb): In an illicit manner; illegally, immorally or inappropriately.
- illy (adverb): Badly; poorly.
- italic (adjective): Designed to resemble a handwriting style developed in Italy in the 16th century.
- lactic (adjective): Of, relating to, or derived from milk.
- lacy (adjective): Made of lace or decorated with it.
- laic (noun): A layperson, as opposed to a member of the clergy.
- laical (adjective): Of or pertaining to a layperson, layman, laywoman, or laypeople (laity).
- laically (adverb): As a layman.
- laity (noun): People of a church who are not ordained clergy or clerics.
- licit (adjective): Not forbidden by formal or informal rules.
- licitly (adverb): In a licit manner, legally, in a manner compatible with law.
- lift (verb): To raise or rise.
- lilac (noun): A large shrub of the genus Syringa, especially Syringa vulgaris, bearing white, pale-pink, or purple flowers.
- lilt (verb): To do something rhythmically, with animation and quickness, usually of music.
- lily (noun): Any of several flowers in the genus Lilium of the family Liliaceae, which includes a great many ornamental species.
- tacitly (adverb): In a tacit manner; done in silence or implied.
- tactical (adjective): of or relating to tactics
- tactically (adverb): in a tactical manner; in a manner calculated to achieve some end.
- tail (noun): The caudal appendage of an animal that is attached to its posterior and near the anus.
- talc (noun): Originally a large range of transparent or glistening foliated minerals. Examples include mica, selenite and the hydrated magnesium silicate that the term talc generally has referred to in modern times (see below). Also an item made of such a mineral and depending for its function on the special nature of the mineral (see next). Mediaeval writers adopted the term from the Arabic.
- tali (noun): plural of talus
- tall (adjective): Having a vertical extent greater than the average. For example, somebody with a height of over 6 feet would generally be considered to be tall.
- tally (interjection): Target sighted.
- till (preposition): Until; to, up to; as late as (a given time).
- tilt (verb): To slope or incline (something); to slant.