NYT Spelling Bee Answers for January 25, 2019

Spelling Bee "Hive" Board for January 25, 2019

Game Summary

Spelling Bee "Hive" Board for January 25, 2019
Center LetterA
Outer Lettersb, c, h, i, l, n
# of Pangrams2 (Perfect: none)
Total Words57 words
Total Points278 points
Genius Level195 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 January 25, 2019

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>12Σ
A221------5
B612221-1116
C4831211--20
H21-1-----4
I-1-------1
L232------7
N3-1------4
Σ1916944211157

Two-Letter List (2LL) Hints

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

A
AB×1
AC×2
AL×1
AN×1
B
BA×11
BI×2
BL×3
C
CA×9
CH×7
CI×1
CL×3
H
HA×3
HI×1
I
IL×1
L
LA×6
LI×1
N
NA×3
NI×1

Three-Letter List (3LL) Hints

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

A
ABA×1
ACA×2
ALI×1
ANA×1
B
BAB×1
BAC×5
BAI×1
BAL×1
BAN×3
BIB×1
BIL×1
BLA×3
C
CAB×4
CAL×2
CAN×3
CHA×3
CHI×4
CIL×1
CLA×1
CLI×2
H
HAI×1
HAL×2
HIB×1
I
ILI×1
L
LAB×2
LAI×3
LAN×1
LIL×1
N
NAA×1
NAI×1
NAN×1
NIA×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.
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.
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.
an..AN4of, related to, intended for or involving the anus.
ba..BA4A kind of sponge cake soaked in rum-flavoured syrup.
ba.......BA9Relating to Bacchus or his festival.
ba......... BA11Any wild, orgiastic party or celebration.
ba.......... BA12Alternative letter-case form of Bacchanalian
ba.....BA7Of or relating to Bacchus; hence, jovial, or riotous, with intoxication; bacchanalian.
ba.....BA7plural of bacillus
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..BA4A solid or hollow sphere, or roughly spherical mass.
ba...BA5Common in a boring way, to the point of being predictable; containing nothing new or fresh.
ba....BA6An elongated curved tropical fruit of a banana plant, which grows in bunches and has a creamy flesh and a smooth skin. In particular, the sweet, yellow fruit of the Cavendish banana cultivar, which may be eaten raw, as distinct from e.g. a plantain for cooking.
ba..BA4A bench; a high seat, or seat of distinction or judgment.
bi......BI8Of or relating to the Bible.
bi......BI8Articulated with both lips.
bl..BL4To tell tales; to gossip without reserve or discretion.
bl..BL4Nonsense; drivel; idle, meaningless talk.
bl....BL6To grow or become white
ca...CA5A secret political clique or faction.
ca....CA6Alternative spelling of Kabballah
ca....CA6A cabin or hut for relaxing.
ca...CA5A small dwelling characteristic of the frontier, especially when built from logs with simple tools and not constructed by professional builders, but by those who meant to live in it.
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...CA5An artificial waterway or artificially improved river used for travel, shipping, or irrigation.
ca....CA6A high-kicking chorus line dance originating in France.
ca......CA8An organism which eats others of its own species or kind, especially a human who eats human flesh.
ch..CH4A female gypsy.
ch...CH5A series of interconnected rings or links usually made of metal.
ch.....CH7A traditional bread eaten by Ashkenazi Jews, usually braided for the Sabbath and round for a yom tov.
ch..CH4A Mexican sage grown for its edible seeds, Salvia hispanica.
ch...CH5A Latin-American girl; a Latina.
ch...CH5Synonym of porcelain, a hard white translucent ceramic made from kaolin, now sometimes distinguished in reference to tableware as fine or good china.
ch........CH10Either of two small, crepuscular rodents of the genus Chinchilla, native to the Andes, prized for their very soft fur and often kept as pets.
ci...CI5plural of cilium
cl..CL4A group of people all descended from a common ancestor, in fact or belief, especially when the exact genealogies are not known.
cl......CL8Dealing with the practical management of patients, in practice at the point of care; as contrasted with other health care venues (see clinical medicine for more explanation).
cl.......CL9Any healthcare practitioner working at the point of care, in clinical practice (e.g., physicians in clinical medicine, nurses in nursing practice, or allied health providers in practice).
ha..HA4Balls or pieces of ice falling as precipitation, often in connection with a thunderstorm.
ha...HA5Permissible, according to Muslim religious customs, to have or do.
ha..HA4A corridor; a hallway.
hi.....HI7A portable brazier, powered by charcoal, used for cooking.
il...IL5Relating to the ilium.
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 layperson, as opposed to a member of the clergy.
la....LA6Of or pertaining to a layperson, layman, laywoman, or laypeople (laity).
la..LA4past participle of lie (“to be oriented in a horizontal position, situated”)
la...LA5A Hawaiian-style roofed patio.
li...LI5A large shrub of the genus Syringa, especially Syringa vulgaris, bearing white, pale-pink, or purple flowers.
na..NA4A type of round, flat bread baked in a tandoor popular in South and Central Asian cuisine.
na..NA4The thin, horny plate at the ends of fingers and toes on humans and some other animals.
na..NA4A banana.
ni....NI6A water-soluble vitamin, a component of vitamin B complex, found in meat, yeast, and dairy products; it is essential to metabolism.

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)
  • acacia  (AC6)
  • acai  (AC4)
  • alibi  (AL5)
  • anal  (AN4)
  • baba  (BA4)
  • bacchanal  (BA9)
  • bacchanalia  (BA11)
  • bacchanalian  (BA12)
  • bacchic  (BA7)
  • bacilli  (BA7)
  • bail  (BA4)
  • ball  (BA4)
  • banal  (BA5)
  • banana  (BA6)
  • banc  (BA4)
  • biblical  (BI8)
  • bilabial  (BI8)
  • blab  (BL4)
  • blah  (BL4)
  • blanch  (BL6)
  • cabal  (CA5)
  • cabala  (CA6)
  • cabana  (CA6)
  • cabin  (CA5)
  • call  (CA4)
  • calla  (CA5)
  • canal  (CA5)
  • cancan  (CA6)
  • cannibal  (CA8)
  • chai  (CH4)
  • chain  (CH5)
  • challah  (CH7)
  • chia  (CH4)
  • chica  (CH5)
  • china  (CH5)
  • chinchilla  (CH10)
  • cilia  (CI5)
  • clan  (CL4)
  • clinical  (CL8)
  • clinician  (CL9)
  • hail  (HA4)
  • halal  (HA5)
  • hall  (HA4)
  • hibachi  (HI7)
  • iliac  (IL5)
  • labia  (LA5)
  • labial  (LA6)
  • laic  (LA4)
  • laical  (LA6)
  • lain  (LA4)
  • lanai  (LA5)
  • lilac  (LI5)
  • naan  (NA4)
  • nail  (NA4)
  • nana  (NA4)
  • niacin  (NI6)

Answer Definitions

  • abaci (noun): plural form of an ancient bead calculator.
  • 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.
  • 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.
  • anal (adjective): of, related to, intended for or involving the anus.
  • baba (noun): A kind of sponge cake soaked in rum-flavoured syrup.
  • bacchanal (adjective): Relating to Bacchus or his festival.
  • bacchanalia (noun): Any wild, orgiastic party or celebration.
  • bacchanalian (adjective): Alternative letter-case form of Bacchanalian
  • bacchic (adjective): Of or relating to Bacchus; hence, jovial, or riotous, with intoxication; bacchanalian.
  • bacilli (noun): plural of bacillus
  • 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.
  • ball (noun): A solid or hollow sphere, or roughly spherical mass.
  • banal (adjective): Common in a boring way, to the point of being predictable; containing nothing new or fresh.
  • banana (noun): An elongated curved tropical fruit of a banana plant, which grows in bunches and has a creamy flesh and a smooth skin. In particular, the sweet, yellow fruit of the Cavendish banana cultivar, which may be eaten raw, as distinct from e.g. a plantain for cooking.
  • banc (noun): A bench; a high seat, or seat of distinction or judgment.
  • 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.
  • blah (noun): Nonsense; drivel; idle, meaningless talk.
  • blanch (verb): To grow or become white
  • cabal (noun): A secret political clique or faction.
  • cabala (proper noun): Alternative spelling of Kabballah
  • cabana (noun): A cabin or hut for relaxing.
  • cabin (noun): A small dwelling characteristic of the frontier, especially when built from logs with simple tools and not constructed by professional builders, but by those who meant to live in it.
  • 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.
  • canal (noun): An artificial waterway or artificially improved river used for travel, shipping, or irrigation.
  • cancan (noun): A high-kicking chorus line dance originating in France.
  • cannibal (noun): An organism which eats others of its own species or kind, especially a human who eats human flesh.
  • chai (noun): A female gypsy.
  • chain (noun): A series of interconnected rings or links usually made of metal.
  • challah (noun): A traditional bread eaten by Ashkenazi Jews, usually braided for the Sabbath and round for a yom tov.
  • chia (noun): A Mexican sage grown for its edible seeds, Salvia hispanica.
  • chica (noun): A Latin-American girl; a Latina.
  • china (noun): Synonym of porcelain, a hard white translucent ceramic made from kaolin, now sometimes distinguished in reference to tableware as fine or good china.
  • chinchilla (noun): Either of two small, crepuscular rodents of the genus Chinchilla, native to the Andes, prized for their very soft fur and often kept as pets.
  • cilia (noun): plural of cilium
  • clan (noun): A group of people all descended from a common ancestor, in fact or belief, especially when the exact genealogies are not known.
  • clinical (adjective): Dealing with the practical management of patients, in practice at the point of care; as contrasted with other health care venues (see clinical medicine for more explanation).
  • clinician (noun): Any healthcare practitioner working at the point of care, in clinical practice (e.g., physicians in clinical medicine, nurses in nursing practice, or allied health providers in practice).
  • hail (noun): Balls or pieces of ice falling as precipitation, often in connection with a thunderstorm.
  • halal (adjective): Permissible, according to Muslim religious customs, to have or do.
  • hall (noun): A corridor; a hallway.
  • hibachi (noun): A portable brazier, powered by charcoal, used for cooking.
  • iliac (adjective): Relating to the ilium.
  • 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.
  • 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).
  • lain (verb): past participle of lie (“to be oriented in a horizontal position, situated”)
  • lanai (noun): A Hawaiian-style roofed patio.
  • lilac (noun): A large shrub of the genus Syringa, especially Syringa vulgaris, bearing white, pale-pink, or purple flowers.
  • naan (noun): A type of round, flat bread baked in a tandoor popular in South and Central Asian cuisine.
  • nail (noun): The thin, horny plate at the ends of fingers and toes on humans and some other animals.
  • nana (noun): A banana.
  • niacin (noun): A water-soluble vitamin, a component of vitamin B complex, found in meat, yeast, and dairy products; it is essential to metabolism.