NYT Spelling Bee Answers for March 21, 2020
Game Summary
| Center Letter | I |
|---|---|
| Outer Letters | c, l, m, p, t, y |
| # of Pangrams | 1 (Perfect: none) |
| Total Words | 30 words |
| Total Points | 120 points |
| Genius Level | 84 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 | Σ | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| C | 2 | - | 1 | - | - | - | - | 3 |
| I | 2 | 2 | - | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 8 |
| L | 3 | 3 | 1 | 1 | - | - | - | 8 |
| M | 2 | 1 | - | - | - | - | - | 3 |
| P | 3 | 1 | 1 | - | - | - | - | 5 |
| T | 2 | 1 | - | - | - | - | - | 3 |
| Y | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | Σ | 14 | 8 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 30 |
Two-Letter List (2LL) Hints
The following list shows the number of solution words that begin with the corresponding two letters.
| C | CI×1 CL×1 CY×1 |
|---|---|
| I | IC×1 IL×3 IM×3 IT×1 |
| L | LI×8 |
| M | MI×3 |
| P | PI×5 |
| T | TI×3 |
| Y |
Three-Letter List (3LL) Hints
The following list shows the number of solution words that begin with the corresponding three letters.
| C | CIT×1 CLI×1 CYC×1 |
|---|---|
| I | ICI×1 ILL×3 IMP×3 ITT×1 |
| L | LIC×2 LIL×2 LIM×3 LIP×1 |
| M | MIL×1 MIM×1 MIT×1 |
| P | PIL×1 PIM×2 PIP×1 PIT×1 |
| T | TIL×2 TIP×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) |
|---|---|---|
| ci.. | CI4 | A large settlement, bigger than a town; sometimes with a specific legal definition, depending on the place. |
| cl.. | CL4 | To grip tightly. |
| cy.... | CY6 | Characterized by, or moving in cycles, or happening at regular intervals. |
| ic... | IC5 | In the manner of ice; with a cold or chilling effect. |
| il..... | IL7 | Not approved by law, but not invalid. |
| il....... | IL9 | In an illicit manner; illegally, immorally or inappropriately. |
| il.. | IL4 | Badly; poorly. |
| im...... | IM8 | Implied indirectly, without being directly expressed |
| im........ † | IM10 | In an implicit or implied manner. |
| im... | IM5 | to have as a necessary consequence |
| it.. | IT4 | Extremely small. |
| 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 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. |
| li... | LI5 | A restriction; a bound beyond which one may not go. |
| li.. | LI4 | To walk lamely, as if favouring one leg. |
| li.... | LI6 | In a limp manner, without support or resistance. |
| li... | LI5 | Having prominent lips. |
| 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 |
| pi.. | PI4 | A small, usually round or cylindrical object designed for easy swallowing, usually containing some sort of medication. |
| pi.. | PI4 | Someone who solicits customers for prostitution and acts as manager for a group of prostitutes; a pander. |
| pi.... | PI6 | Having pimples; pimpled. |
| pi... | PI5 | Any of various small passerine birds, mainly from the genus Anthus, that are often drab, ground feeding insectivores of open country. |
| pi.. | PI4 | A feeling of sympathy at the misfortune or suffering of someone or something. |
| ti.. | TI4 | Until; to, up to; as late as (a given time). |
| ti.. | TI4 | To slope or incline (something); to slant. |
| ti... | TI5 | Fashionable, tip-top. |
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.
- city (CI4)
- clip (CL4)
- cyclic (CY6)
- icily (IC5)
- illicit (IL7)
- illicitly (IL9)
- illy (IL4)
- implicit (IM8)
- implicitly† (IM10)
- imply (IM5)
- itty (IT4)
- licit (LI5)
- licitly (LI7)
- lilt (LI4)
- lily (LI4)
- limit (LI5)
- limp (LI4)
- limply (LI6)
- lippy (LI5)
- mill (MI4)
- mimic (MI5)
- mitt (MI4)
- pill (PI4)
- pimp (PI4)
- pimply (PI6)
- pipit (PI5)
- pity (PI4)
- till (TI4)
- tilt (TI4)
- tippy (TI5)
Answer Definitions
- city (noun): A large settlement, bigger than a town; sometimes with a specific legal definition, depending on the place.
- clip (verb): To grip tightly.
- cyclic (adjective): Characterized by, or moving in cycles, or happening at regular intervals.
- icily (adverb): In the manner of ice; with a cold or chilling effect.
- illicit (adjective): Not approved by law, but not invalid.
- illicitly (adverb): In an illicit manner; illegally, immorally or inappropriately.
- illy (adverb): Badly; poorly.
- implicit (adjective): Implied indirectly, without being directly expressed
- implicitly† (adverb): In an implicit or implied manner.
- imply (verb): to have as a necessary consequence
- itty (adjective): Extremely small.
- licit (adjective): Not forbidden by formal or informal rules.
- licitly (adverb): In a licit manner, legally, in a manner compatible with law.
- 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.
- limit (noun): A restriction; a bound beyond which one may not go.
- limp (verb): To walk lamely, as if favouring one leg.
- limply (adverb): In a limp manner, without support or resistance.
- lippy (adjective): Having prominent lips.
- 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
- pill (noun): A small, usually round or cylindrical object designed for easy swallowing, usually containing some sort of medication.
- pimp (noun): Someone who solicits customers for prostitution and acts as manager for a group of prostitutes; a pander.
- pimply (adjective): Having pimples; pimpled.
- pipit (noun): Any of various small passerine birds, mainly from the genus Anthus, that are often drab, ground feeding insectivores of open country.
- pity (noun): A feeling of sympathy at the misfortune or suffering of someone or something.
- till (preposition): Until; to, up to; as late as (a given time).
- tilt (verb): To slope or incline (something); to slant.
- tippy (adjective): Fashionable, tip-top.