NYT Spelling Bee Answers for December 9, 2018
Game Summary
| Center Letter | M |
|---|---|
| Outer Letters | a, c, i, l, t, y |
| # of Pangrams | 3 (Perfect: none) |
| Total Words | 33 words |
| Total Points | 167 points |
| Genius Level | 117 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 | 1 | 1 | - | 1 | - | - | - | - | - | - | 3 |
| C | 2 | 1 | 2 | - | 2 | 1 | - | - | 1 | 1 | 10 |
| I | 1 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 1 |
| L | 1 | 2 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 3 |
| M | 8 | 5 | 1 | 1 | - | - | - | - | - | - | 15 |
| T | - | - | 1 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 1 |
| Y | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | Σ | 13 | 9 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 1 | - | - | 1 | 1 | 33 |
Two-Letter List (2LL) Hints
The following list shows the number of solution words that begin with the corresponding two letters.
| A | AC×1 AM×2 |
|---|---|
| C | CA×3 CL×7 |
| I | IM×1 |
| L | LA×1 LI×1 LL×1 |
| M | MA×10 MI×5 |
| T | TA×1 |
| Y |
Three-Letter List (3LL) Hints
The following list shows the number of solution words that begin with the corresponding three letters.
| A | ACC×1 AMI×1 AMY×1 |
|---|---|
| C | CAL×3 CLA×3 CLI×4 |
| I | IMA×1 |
| L | LAM×1 LIM×1 LLA×1 |
| M | MAI×2 MAL×4 MAM×4 MIC×1 MIL×2 MIM×1 MIT×1 |
| T | TAT×1 |
| 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 | To shout; to call out. |
| am... | AM5 | Friendship. The cooperative and supportive relationship between people, or animals. In this sense, the term connotes a relationship which involves mutual knowledge, esteem, affection, and respect along with a degree of rendering service to friends in times of need or crisis. |
| am.. | AM4 | Synonym of pentyl |
| ca...... † | CA8 | An event resulting in great loss. |
| ca.. | CA4 | Peaceful, quiet, especially free from anger and anxiety. |
| ca.... | CA6 | In a calm manner. |
| cl... | CL5 | A demand of ownership made for something. |
| cl.. | CL4 | A bivalve mollusk of many kinds, especially those that are edible; for example the soft-shell clam (Mya arenaria), the hard clam (Mercenaria mercenaria), the sea clam or hen clam (Spisula solidissima), and other species. The name is said to have been given originally to the Tridacna gigas, a huge East Indian bivalve. |
| cl.... | CL6 | Cold and damp, usually referring to hands or palms. |
| cl....... | CL9 | Of, pertaining to, or constituting a climax; reaching a decisive moment or point of greatest excitement. |
| cl........... † | CL13 | In a climactic fashion; like, or as, a climax. |
| cl...... | CL8 | Of, relating to, or influenced by climate. |
| cl.......... † | CL12 | In a climatic manner; regarding the climate. |
| im.. | IM4 | One who leads the salat prayers in a mosque. |
| la.. | LA4 | A master of Tibetan Buddhism. |
| li... | LI5 | A restriction; a bound beyond which one may not go. |
| ll... | LL5 | A South American mammal of the camel family, Lama glama, used as a domestic beast of burden and a source of wool and meat. |
| ma.. | MA4 | A bag or wallet. |
| ma.. | MA4 | To wound seriously; to cause permanent loss of function of a limb or part of the body. |
| ma... | MA5 | Pertaining to apples. |
| ma.. | MA4 | A pedestrianised street, especially a shopping precinct. |
| ma.. | MA4 | Malted grain (sprouted grain) (usually barley), used in brewing and otherwise. |
| ma... | MA5 | Of, pertaining to, containing, or characteristic of malt |
| ma.. | MA4 | Mother, female parent. |
| ma... | MA5 | The milk-secreting organ of female humans and other mammals which includes the mammary gland and the nipple or teat; a breast; an udder. |
| ma.... | MA6 | An animal of the class Mammalia, characterized by being warm-blooded, having hair and producing milk with which to feed its young. |
| ma... | MA5 | mamma; mother |
| mi.. | MI4 | Any of a group of hydrous aluminosilicate minerals characterized by highly perfect cleavage, so that they readily separate into very thin leaves, more or less elastic. |
| mi..... | MI7 | An army of trained civilians, which may be an official reserve army, called upon in time of need, the entire able-bodied population of a state which may also be called upon, or a private force not under government control. |
| mi.. | MI4 | A grinding apparatus for substances such as grains, seeds, etc. |
| mi... | MI5 | To imitate, especially in order to ridicule. |
| mi.. | MI4 | A mitten |
| ta.... | TA6 | Straw matting, in a standard size, used as a floor covering in Japanese houses. |
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.
- acclaim (AC7)
- amity (AM5)
- amyl (AM4)
- calamity† (CA8)
- calm (CA4)
- calmly (CA6)
- claim (CL5)
- clam (CL4)
- clammy (CL6)
- climactic (CL9)
- climactically† (CL13)
- climatic (CL8)
- climatically† (CL12)
- imam (IM4)
- lama (LA4)
- limit (LI5)
- llama (LL5)
- mail (MA4)
- maim (MA4)
- malic (MA5)
- mall (MA4)
- malt (MA4)
- malty (MA5)
- mama (MA4)
- mamma (MA5)
- mammal (MA6)
- mammy (MA5)
- mica (MI4)
- militia (MI7)
- mill (MI4)
- mimic (MI5)
- mitt (MI4)
- tatami (TA6)
Answer Definitions
- acclaim (verb): To shout; to call out.
- amity (noun): Friendship. The cooperative and supportive relationship between people, or animals. In this sense, the term connotes a relationship which involves mutual knowledge, esteem, affection, and respect along with a degree of rendering service to friends in times of need or crisis.
- amyl (noun): Synonym of pentyl
- calamity† (noun): An event resulting in great loss.
- calm (adjective): Peaceful, quiet, especially free from anger and anxiety.
- calmly (adverb): In a calm manner.
- claim (noun): A demand of ownership made for something.
- clam (noun): A bivalve mollusk of many kinds, especially those that are edible; for example the soft-shell clam (Mya arenaria), the hard clam (Mercenaria mercenaria), the sea clam or hen clam (Spisula solidissima), and other species. The name is said to have been given originally to the Tridacna gigas, a huge East Indian bivalve.
- clammy (adjective): Cold and damp, usually referring to hands or palms.
- climactic (adjective): Of, pertaining to, or constituting a climax; reaching a decisive moment or point of greatest excitement.
- climactically† (adverb): In a climactic fashion; like, or as, a climax.
- climatic (adjective): Of, relating to, or influenced by climate.
- climatically† (adverb): In a climatic manner; regarding the climate.
- imam (noun): One who leads the salat prayers in a mosque.
- lama (noun): A master of Tibetan Buddhism.
- limit (noun): A restriction; a bound beyond which one may not go.
- llama (noun): A South American mammal of the camel family, Lama glama, used as a domestic beast of burden and a source of wool and meat.
- mail (noun): A bag or wallet.
- maim (verb): To wound seriously; to cause permanent loss of function of a limb or part of the body.
- malic (adjective): Pertaining to apples.
- mall (noun): A pedestrianised street, especially a shopping precinct.
- malt (noun): Malted grain (sprouted grain) (usually barley), used in brewing and otherwise.
- malty (adjective): Of, pertaining to, containing, or characteristic of malt
- mama (noun): Mother, female parent.
- mamma (noun): The milk-secreting organ of female humans and other mammals which includes the mammary gland and the nipple or teat; a breast; an udder.
- mammal (noun): An animal of the class Mammalia, characterized by being warm-blooded, having hair and producing milk with which to feed its young.
- mammy (noun): mamma; mother
- mica (noun): Any of a group of hydrous aluminosilicate minerals characterized by highly perfect cleavage, so that they readily separate into very thin leaves, more or less elastic.
- militia (noun): An army of trained civilians, which may be an official reserve army, called upon in time of need, the entire able-bodied population of a state which may also be called upon, or a private force not under government control.
- mill (noun): A grinding apparatus for substances such as grains, seeds, etc.
- mimic (verb): To imitate, especially in order to ridicule.
- mitt (noun): A mitten
- tatami (noun): Straw matting, in a standard size, used as a floor covering in Japanese houses.