NYT Spelling Bee Answers for December 23, 2018

Spelling Bee "Hive" Board for December 23, 2018

Game Summary

Spelling Bee "Hive" Board for December 23, 2018
Center LetterA
Outer Lettersb, c, i, k, l, m
# of Pangrams1 (Perfect: none)
Total Words62 words
Total Points251 points
Genius Level176 points
Bingo?Yes

Table of Contents

As you scroll down this page, the clues get progressively more revealing. So scroll slowly!

  1. Spelling Bee Grid
  2. Two-Letter List (2LL) Hints
  3. Three-Letter List (3LL) Hints
  4. Extra Letter Hints (Incrementally Revealing) 🤯
  5. Today's Complete Solution
  6. Answer Definitions

If you're just here for a list of NYT Spelling Bee answers, Jump down to the answers ↓ (Spoiler Alert!).

Spelling Bee "Hive" Board for December 23, 2018

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>9Σ
A1421--8
B82-12316
C451-1-11
I221---5
K----2-2
L432---9
M731---11
Σ2619725362

Two-Letter List (2LL) Hints

The following list shows the number of solution words that begin with the corresponding two letters.

A
AB×2
AC×3
AL×3
B
BA×9
BI×2
BL×5
C
CA×7
CI×1
CL×3
I
IA×3
IL×1
IM×1
K
KI×2
L
LA×7
LI×1
LL×1
M
MA×10
MI×1

Three-Letter List (3LL) Hints

The following list shows the number of solution words that begin with the corresponding three letters.

A
ABA×2
ACA×2
ACC×1
ALA×1
ALI×1
ALK×1
B
BAB×2
BAC×2
BAI×1
BAL×4
BIB×1
BIL×1
BLA×5
C
CAB×2
CAL×4
CAM×1
CIL×1
CLA×3
I
IAM×3
ILI×1
IMA×1
K
KIC×2
L
LAB×2
LAC×1
LAI×2
LAM×2
LIL×1
LLA×1
M
MAC×1
MAI×2
MAK×1
MAL×2
MAM×4
MIC×1

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 ().

Word2L RefDefinition (click to reveal)
ab...AB5plural form of an ancient bead calculator.
ab...AB5Toward the rear; Phrase: 'to be taken ____', meaning 'surprised'.
ac....AC6A shrub or tree of the tribe Acacieae.
ac..AC4Any of several South American palms, of the genus Euterpe, having a dark purple drupe.
ac.....AC7To shout; to call out.
al...AL5An expression of sorrow or mourning.
al...AL5The plea or mode of defense under which a person on trial for a crime proves or attempts to prove being in another place when the alleged act was committed.
al....AL6One of a class of caustic bases, such as soda, soda ash, caustic soda, potash, ammonia, and lithia, whose distinguishing peculiarities are solubility in alcohol and water, uniting with oils and fats to form soap, neutralizing and forming salts with acids, turning to brown several vegetable yellows, and changing reddened litmus to blue.
ba..BA4A kind of sponge cake soaked in rum-flavoured syrup.
ba...BA5A Central and Eastern European coffee cake flavored with orange rind, rum, almonds, and raisins.
ba.....BA7plural of bacillus
ba..BA4At or near the rear.
ba..BA4Security, usually a sum of money, exchanged for the release of an arrested person as a guarantee of that person's appearance for trial.
ba.......BA9A plucked stringed instrument with a triangular body, short neck and three strings, of Russian origin.
ba..BA4An uncultivated ridge formed in the open field system, caused by the action of ploughing.
ba..BA4A solid or hollow sphere, or roughly spherical mass.
ba..BA4Any of various aromatic resins exuded from certain plants, especially trees of the genus Commiphora of Africa, Arabia and India and Myroxylon of South America.
bi......BI8Of or relating to the Bible.
bi......BI8Articulated with both lips.
bl..BL4To tell tales; to gossip without reserve or discretion.
bl...BL5Absorbing all light and reflecting none; dark and hueless.
bl.......BL9A rejection; a vote against admitting someone.
bl....... BL9The extortion of money or favours by threats of public accusation, exposure, or censure.
bl..BL4A sudden, explosive sound, such as is made by a gunshot
ca...CA5A secret political clique or faction.
ca....CA6Alternative spelling of Kabballah
ca..CA4A telephone conversation; a phone call.
ca...CA5A marsh plant native to cooler areas throughout the northern hemisphere, Calla palustris, having pale green flowers in a white spathe.
ca......CA8The return of a situation to a previous position or state.
ca..CA4Peaceful, quiet, especially free from anger and anxiety.
ca..CA4A camisole.
ci...CI5plural of cilium
cl...CL5An abrupt, sharp sound, especially one made by two hard objects colliding repetitively; a sound midway between a click and a clunk.
cl...CL5A demand of ownership made for something.
cl..CL4A 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.
ia..IA4A metrical foot in verse consisting of an unstressed syllable followed by a stressed syllable.
ia...IA5plural of iambus
ia....IA6Consisting of iambs (metrical feet with an unstressed-stressed pattern) or characterized by their predominance.
il...IL5Relating to the ilium.
im..IM4One who leads the salat prayers in a mosque.
ki......KI8A backward kick, a retrograde movement of an extremity.
ki......KI8A sport similar to baseball, where a ball is kicked rather than hit.
la...LA5The folds of tissue at the opening of the vulva, at either side of the vagina.
la....LA6Of or pertaining to the lips or labia.
la..LA4A deficiency or need (of something desirable or necessary); an absence, want.
la..LA4A layperson, as opposed to a member of the clergy.
la....LA6Of or pertaining to a layperson, layman, laywoman, or laypeople (laity).
la..LA4A master of Tibetan Buddhism.
la..LA4A young sheep.
li...LI5A large shrub of the genus Syringa, especially Syringa vulgaris, bearing white, pale-pink, or purple flowers.
ll...LL5A South American mammal of the camel family, Lama glama, used as a domestic beast of burden and a source of wool and meat.
ma..MA4An individual skilled in the art of seduction using verbal skills.
ma..MA4A bag or wallet.
ma..MA4To wound seriously; to cause permanent loss of function of a limb or part of the body.
ma..MA4A ring-tailed lemur.
ma...MA5Pertaining to apples.
ma..MA4A pedestrianised street, especially a shopping precinct.
ma..MA4Mother, female parent.
ma...MA5Any of various venomous snakes of the genus Dendroaspis, native to Africa, that live in trees.
ma...MA5The milk-secreting organ of female humans and other mammals which includes the mammary gland and the nipple or teat; a breast; an udder.
ma....MA6An animal of the class Mammalia, characterized by being warm-blooded, having hair and producing milk with which to feed its young.
mi..MI4Any 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.

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.

  • abaci  (AB5)
  • aback  (AB5)
  • acacia  (AC6)
  • acai  (AC4)
  • acclaim  (AC7)
  • alack  (AL5)
  • alibi  (AL5)
  • alkali  (AL6)
  • baba  (BA4)
  • babka  (BA5)
  • bacilli  (BA7)
  • back  (BA4)
  • bail  (BA4)
  • balalaika  (BA9)
  • balk  (BA4)
  • ball  (BA4)
  • balm  (BA4)
  • biblical  (BI8)
  • bilabial  (BI8)
  • blab  (BL4)
  • black  (BL5)
  • blackball  (BL9)
  • blackmail  (BL9)
  • blam  (BL4)
  • cabal  (CA5)
  • cabala  (CA6)
  • call  (CA4)
  • calla  (CA5)
  • callback  (CA8)
  • calm  (CA4)
  • cami  (CA4)
  • cilia  (CI5)
  • clack  (CL5)
  • claim  (CL5)
  • clam  (CL4)
  • iamb  (IA4)
  • iambi  (IA5)
  • iambic  (IA6)
  • iliac  (IL5)
  • imam  (IM4)
  • kickback  (KI8)
  • kickball  (KI8)
  • labia  (LA5)
  • labial  (LA6)
  • lack  (LA4)
  • laic  (LA4)
  • laical  (LA6)
  • lama  (LA4)
  • lamb  (LA4)
  • lilac  (LI5)
  • llama  (LL5)
  • mack  (MA4)
  • mail  (MA4)
  • maim  (MA4)
  • maki  (MA4)
  • malic  (MA5)
  • mall  (MA4)
  • mama  (MA4)
  • mamba  (MA5)
  • mamma  (MA5)
  • mammal  (MA6)
  • mica  (MI4)

Answer Definitions

  • abaci (noun): plural form of an ancient bead calculator.
  • aback (adverb): Toward the rear; Phrase: 'to be taken ____', meaning 'surprised'.
  • acacia (noun): A shrub or tree of the tribe Acacieae.
  • acai (noun): Any of several South American palms, of the genus Euterpe, having a dark purple drupe.
  • acclaim (verb): To shout; to call out.
  • alack (interjection): An expression of sorrow or mourning.
  • alibi (noun): The plea or mode of defense under which a person on trial for a crime proves or attempts to prove being in another place when the alleged act was committed.
  • alkali (noun): One of a class of caustic bases, such as soda, soda ash, caustic soda, potash, ammonia, and lithia, whose distinguishing peculiarities are solubility in alcohol and water, uniting with oils and fats to form soap, neutralizing and forming salts with acids, turning to brown several vegetable yellows, and changing reddened litmus to blue.
  • baba (noun): A kind of sponge cake soaked in rum-flavoured syrup.
  • babka (noun): A Central and Eastern European coffee cake flavored with orange rind, rum, almonds, and raisins.
  • bacilli (noun): plural of bacillus
  • back (adjective): At or near the rear.
  • bail (noun): Security, usually a sum of money, exchanged for the release of an arrested person as a guarantee of that person's appearance for trial.
  • balalaika (noun): A plucked stringed instrument with a triangular body, short neck and three strings, of Russian origin.
  • balk (noun): An uncultivated ridge formed in the open field system, caused by the action of ploughing.
  • ball (noun): A solid or hollow sphere, or roughly spherical mass.
  • balm (noun): Any of various aromatic resins exuded from certain plants, especially trees of the genus Commiphora of Africa, Arabia and India and Myroxylon of South America.
  • biblical (adjective): Of or relating to the Bible.
  • bilabial (adjective): Articulated with both lips.
  • blab (verb): To tell tales; to gossip without reserve or discretion.
  • black (adjective): Absorbing all light and reflecting none; dark and hueless.
  • blackball (noun): A rejection; a vote against admitting someone.
  • blackmail (noun): The extortion of money or favours by threats of public accusation, exposure, or censure.
  • blam (noun): A sudden, explosive sound, such as is made by a gunshot
  • cabal (noun): A secret political clique or faction.
  • cabala (proper noun): Alternative spelling of Kabballah
  • 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.
  • callback (noun): The return of a situation to a previous position or state.
  • calm (adjective): Peaceful, quiet, especially free from anger and anxiety.
  • cami (noun): A camisole.
  • cilia (noun): plural of cilium
  • clack (noun): An abrupt, sharp sound, especially one made by two hard objects colliding repetitively; a sound midway between a click and a clunk.
  • 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.
  • iamb (noun): A metrical foot in verse consisting of an unstressed syllable followed by a stressed syllable.
  • iambi (noun): plural of iambus
  • iambic (adjective): Consisting of iambs (metrical feet with an unstressed-stressed pattern) or characterized by their predominance.
  • iliac (adjective): Relating to the ilium.
  • imam (noun): One who leads the salat prayers in a mosque.
  • kickback (noun): A backward kick, a retrograde movement of an extremity.
  • kickball (noun): A sport similar to baseball, where a ball is kicked rather than hit.
  • labia (noun): The folds of tissue at the opening of the vulva, at either side of the vagina.
  • labial (adjective): Of or pertaining to the lips or labia.
  • lack (noun): A deficiency or need (of something desirable or necessary); an absence, want.
  • 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).
  • lama (noun): A master of Tibetan Buddhism.
  • lamb (noun): A young sheep.
  • lilac (noun): A large shrub of the genus Syringa, especially Syringa vulgaris, bearing white, pale-pink, or purple flowers.
  • 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.
  • mack (noun): An individual skilled in the art of seduction using verbal skills.
  • 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.
  • maki (noun): A ring-tailed lemur.
  • malic (adjective): Pertaining to apples.
  • mall (noun): A pedestrianised street, especially a shopping precinct.
  • mama (noun): Mother, female parent.
  • mamba (noun): Any of various venomous snakes of the genus Dendroaspis, native to Africa, that live in trees.
  • 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.
  • 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.