NYT Spelling Bee Answers for March 22, 2020
Game Summary
| Center Letter | R |
|---|---|
| Outer Letters | a, f, m, n, o, t |
| # of Pangrams | 2 (Perfect: 1) |
| Total Words | 65 words |
| Total Points | 260 points |
| Genius Level | 182 points |
| Bingo? | Yes |
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 | Σ | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A | 2 | 4 | 1 | 1 | - | 1 | 9 |
| F | 7 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | - | 12 |
| M | 4 | 3 | 5 | - | 2 | - | 14 |
| N | 1 | - | 1 | 1 | 1 | - | 4 |
| O | - | - | 1 | - | - | - | 1 |
| R | 9 | 1 | 1 | 2 | - | - | 13 |
| T | 7 | 1 | 3 | 1 | - | - | 12 | Σ | 30 | 11 | 13 | 6 | 4 | 1 | 65 |
Two-Letter List (2LL) Hints
The following list shows the number of solution words that begin with the corresponding two letters.
| A | AF×3 AN×1 AO×1 AR×3 AT×1 |
|---|---|
| F | FA×3 FO×5 FR×4 |
| M | MA×7 MO×7 |
| N | NA×1 NO×3 |
| O | OR×1 |
| R | RA×4 RO×9 |
| T | TA×7 TO×3 TR×2 |
Three-Letter List (3LL) Hints
The following list shows the number of solution words that begin with the corresponding three letters.
| A | AFA×1 AFF×1 AFR×1 ANN×1 AOR×1 ARM×1 ARO×1 ARR×1 ATT×1 |
|---|---|
| F | FAR×3 FOR×5 FRA×1 FRO×3 |
| M | MAN×2 MAR×4 MAT×1 MOO×2 MOR×3 MOT×2 |
| N | NAR×1 NON×1 NOR×1 NOT×1 |
| O | ORA×1 |
| R | RAF×1 RAN×1 RAT×2 ROA×3 ROO×3 ROT×3 |
| T | TAN×2 TAR×5 TOR×3 TRA×1 TRO×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 (†).
| Word | 2L Ref | Definition (click to reveal) |
|---|---|---|
| af.. | AF4 | At, to, or from a great distance; far away. |
| af..... | AF7 | To insult intentionally, especially openly. |
| af.. | AF4 | hairstyle characterized by tightly curled locks and a rounded shape. |
| an....... | AN9 | One who annotates. |
| ao... | AO5 | The great artery which carries the blood from the heart to all parts of the body except the lungs; the main trunk of the arterial system. |
| ar... | AR5 | A protective layer over a body, vehicle, or other object intended to deflect or diffuse damaging forces. |
| ar... | AR5 | A smell; especially a pleasant spicy or fragrant one. |
| ar.... | AR6 | Complete; downright; utter. |
| at... | AT5 | An essential oil extracted from flowers. |
| fa.. | FA4 | A place where agricultural and similar activities take place, especially the growing of crops or the raising of livestock. |
| fa... | FA5 | Emmer wheat (Triticum turgidum). |
| fa.. | FA4 | To emit digestive gases from the anus; to flatulate. |
| fo.. | FO4 | plural of forum (alternative form of forums). |
| fo.. | FO4 | To do with shape. The shape or visible structure of a thing or person. A thing that gives shape to other things as in a mold. Regularity, beauty, or elegance. The inherent nature of an object; that which the mind itself contributes as the condition of knowing; that in which the essence of a thing consists. Characteristics not involving atomic components. (Can we add an example for this sense?) A long bench with no back. The boundary line of a material object. In painting, more generally, the human body. The combination of planes included under a general crystallographic symbol. It is not necessarily a closed solid. |
| fo..... † | FO7 | A band of frequencies, in a sound spectrum, that have a greater intensity; they determine the quality of a sound; especially the characteristic sounds of the consonants. |
| fo.... | FO6 | The layout of a publication or document. |
| fo.. | FO4 | A fortified defensive structure stationed with troops. |
| fr.. | FR4 | Shortened form of fraternity, college organization. |
| fr.. | FR4 | Used to indicate source or provenance. |
| fr... | FR5 | The foremost side of something or the end that faces the direction it normally moves. |
| fr...... † | FR8 | A person acting as the public face of an organization; often when lacking actual authority, or representing a covert group. |
| ma... | MA5 | A landed estate. |
| ma.... | MA6 | The hymn portions of the Vedas; any passage of these used as a prayer. |
| ma.. | MA4 | madam; a polite term of address for a lady. |
| ma.... | MA6 | Any of several large ground-dwelling rodents of the genera Marmota and Cynomys in the squirrel family. |
| ma.... | MA6 | An escaped negro of the Caribbean and the Americas or a descendant of such a person. |
| ma.. | MA4 | A shop, store. |
| ma.... | MA6 | A mature or elderly woman. |
| mo...... | MO8 | A sunroof that has a clear glass panel, rather than being opaque, so that light can enter the vehicle even when the roof is closed. |
| mo.. | MO4 | An extensive waste covered with patches of heath, and having a poor, light soil, but sometimes marshy, and abounding in peat; a heath |
| mo.. | MO4 | Morning. |
| mo... | MO5 | A stupid person; an idiot; a fool. |
| mo.... | MO6 | A mixture of lime or cement, sand and water used for bonding building blocks. |
| mo... | MO5 | A machine or device that converts other energy forms into mechanical energy, or imparts motion. |
| mo...... | MO8 | A man who controls a motor. |
| na...... | NA8 | One who narrates or tells stories. |
| no.... | NO6 | That which is not art |
| no.. | NO4 | That which is normal or typical. |
| no..... | NO7 | One who notates; a writer of notation. |
| or.... | OR6 | Someone who orates or delivers an oration. |
| ra.. | RA4 | A flat-bottomed craft able to float and drift on water, used for transport or as a waterborne platform. |
| ra.. | RA4 | To speak or shout at length in uncontrollable anger. |
| ra..... | RA7 | A swiftly repeated knocking sound. |
| ra.... | RA6 | Any of several species of climbing palm of the genus Calamus. |
| ro.. | RO4 | To wander or travel freely and with no specific destination. |
| ro.. | RO4 | Especially of a horse, having a coat of a dark base color with individual white hairs mixed in |
| ro.. | RO4 | To make a loud, deep cry, especially from pain, anger, or other strong emotion. |
| ro.. | RO4 | The external covering at the top of a building. |
| ro.. | RO4 | Opportunity or scope (to do something). |
| ro.. | RO4 | The part of a plant, generally underground, that anchors and supports the plant body, absorbs and stores water and nutrients, and in some plants is able to perform vegetative reproduction. |
| ro..... | RO7 | One who or that which rotates. |
| ro.. | RO4 | Clipping of rotogravure. |
| ro... | RO5 | A rotating part of a mechanical device; for example, in an electric motor, generator, alternator, or pump. |
| ta..... | TA7 | a flourish on a trumpet |
| ta.... | TA6 | A Hindu or Buddhist religious or esoteric text. |
| ta.. | TA4 | Colocasia esculenta, raised as a food primarily for its corm, which distantly resembles potato. |
| ta... | TA5 | A card game played in various different variations. |
| ta.. | TA4 | Sharp to the taste; acid; sour. |
| ta.... | TA6 | A kind of woven woollen cloth with a distinctive pattern of coloured stripes intersecting at right angles, associated with Scottish Highlanders, different clans and some Scottish families and institutions having their own distinctive patterns. |
| ta.... | TA6 | A red compound deposited during wine making; mostly potassium hydrogen tartrate — a source of cream of tartar. |
| to.. | TO4 | past participle of tear (rip, rend, speed). |
| to.. | TO4 | A traditional Japanese lantern. |
| to.. | TO4 | An injury or wrong. |
| tr.. | TR4 | A passenger vehicle for public use that runs on tracks in the road (called a streetcar or trolley in North America). |
| tr.. | TR4 | An ugly old woman, a hag. |
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.
- afar (AF4)
- affront (AF7)
- afro (AF4)
- annotator (AN9)
- aorta (AO5)
- armor (AR5)
- aroma (AR5)
- arrant (AR6)
- attar (AT5)
- farm (FA4)
- farro (FA5)
- fart (FA4)
- fora (FO4)
- form (FO4)
- formant† (FO7)
- format (FO6)
- fort (FO4)
- frat (FR4)
- from (FR4)
- front (FR5)
- frontman† (FR8)
- manor (MA5)
- mantra (MA6)
- marm (MA4)
- marmot (MA6)
- maroon (MA6)
- mart (MA4)
- matron (MA6)
- moonroof (MO8)
- moor (MO4)
- morn (MO4)
- moron (MO5)
- mortar (MO6)
- motor (MO5)
- motorman (MO8)
- narrator (NA8)
- nonart (NO6)
- norm (NO4)
- notator (NO7)
- orator (OR6)
- raft (RA4)
- rant (RA4)
- ratatat (RA7)
- rattan (RA6)
- roam (RO4)
- roan (RO4)
- roar (RO4)
- roof (RO4)
- room (RO4)
- root (RO4)
- rotator (RO7)
- roto (RO4)
- rotor (RO5)
- tantara (TA7)
- tantra (TA6)
- taro (TA4)
- tarot (TA5)
- tart (TA4)
- tartan (TA6)
- tartar (TA6)
- torn (TO4)
- toro (TO4)
- tort (TO4)
- tram (TR4)
- trot (TR4)
Answer Definitions
- afar (adverb): At, to, or from a great distance; far away.
- affront (verb): To insult intentionally, especially openly.
- afro (noun): hairstyle characterized by tightly curled locks and a rounded shape.
- annotator (noun): One who annotates.
- aorta (noun): The great artery which carries the blood from the heart to all parts of the body except the lungs; the main trunk of the arterial system.
- armor (noun): A protective layer over a body, vehicle, or other object intended to deflect or diffuse damaging forces.
- aroma (noun): A smell; especially a pleasant spicy or fragrant one.
- arrant (adjective): Complete; downright; utter.
- attar (noun): An essential oil extracted from flowers.
- farm (noun): A place where agricultural and similar activities take place, especially the growing of crops or the raising of livestock.
- farro (noun): Emmer wheat (Triticum turgidum).
- fart (verb): To emit digestive gases from the anus; to flatulate.
- fora (noun): plural of forum (alternative form of forums).
- form (noun): To do with shape. The shape or visible structure of a thing or person. A thing that gives shape to other things as in a mold. Regularity, beauty, or elegance. The inherent nature of an object; that which the mind itself contributes as the condition of knowing; that in which the essence of a thing consists. Characteristics not involving atomic components. (Can we add an example for this sense?) A long bench with no back. The boundary line of a material object. In painting, more generally, the human body. The combination of planes included under a general crystallographic symbol. It is not necessarily a closed solid.
- formant† (noun): A band of frequencies, in a sound spectrum, that have a greater intensity; they determine the quality of a sound; especially the characteristic sounds of the consonants.
- format (noun): The layout of a publication or document.
- fort (noun): A fortified defensive structure stationed with troops.
- frat (noun): Shortened form of fraternity, college organization.
- from (preposition): Used to indicate source or provenance.
- front (noun): The foremost side of something or the end that faces the direction it normally moves.
- frontman† (noun): A person acting as the public face of an organization; often when lacking actual authority, or representing a covert group.
- manor (noun): A landed estate.
- mantra (noun): The hymn portions of the Vedas; any passage of these used as a prayer.
- marm (noun): madam; a polite term of address for a lady.
- marmot (noun): Any of several large ground-dwelling rodents of the genera Marmota and Cynomys in the squirrel family.
- maroon (noun): An escaped negro of the Caribbean and the Americas or a descendant of such a person.
- mart (noun): A shop, store.
- matron (noun): A mature or elderly woman.
- moonroof (noun): A sunroof that has a clear glass panel, rather than being opaque, so that light can enter the vehicle even when the roof is closed.
- moor (noun): An extensive waste covered with patches of heath, and having a poor, light soil, but sometimes marshy, and abounding in peat; a heath
- morn (noun): Morning.
- moron (noun): A stupid person; an idiot; a fool.
- mortar (noun): A mixture of lime or cement, sand and water used for bonding building blocks.
- motor (noun): A machine or device that converts other energy forms into mechanical energy, or imparts motion.
- motorman (noun): A man who controls a motor.
- narrator (noun): One who narrates or tells stories.
- nonart (noun): That which is not art
- norm (noun): That which is normal or typical.
- notator (noun): One who notates; a writer of notation.
- orator (noun): Someone who orates or delivers an oration.
- raft (noun): A flat-bottomed craft able to float and drift on water, used for transport or as a waterborne platform.
- rant (verb): To speak or shout at length in uncontrollable anger.
- ratatat (noun): A swiftly repeated knocking sound.
- rattan (noun): Any of several species of climbing palm of the genus Calamus.
- roam (verb): To wander or travel freely and with no specific destination.
- roan (adjective): Especially of a horse, having a coat of a dark base color with individual white hairs mixed in
- roar (verb): To make a loud, deep cry, especially from pain, anger, or other strong emotion.
- roof (noun): The external covering at the top of a building.
- room (noun): Opportunity or scope (to do something).
- root (noun): The part of a plant, generally underground, that anchors and supports the plant body, absorbs and stores water and nutrients, and in some plants is able to perform vegetative reproduction.
- rotator (noun): One who or that which rotates.
- roto (noun): Clipping of rotogravure.
- rotor (noun): A rotating part of a mechanical device; for example, in an electric motor, generator, alternator, or pump.
- tantara (noun): a flourish on a trumpet
- tantra (noun): A Hindu or Buddhist religious or esoteric text.
- taro (noun): Colocasia esculenta, raised as a food primarily for its corm, which distantly resembles potato.
- tarot (noun): A card game played in various different variations.
- tart (adjective): Sharp to the taste; acid; sour.
- tartan (noun): A kind of woven woollen cloth with a distinctive pattern of coloured stripes intersecting at right angles, associated with Scottish Highlanders, different clans and some Scottish families and institutions having their own distinctive patterns.
- tartar (noun): A red compound deposited during wine making; mostly potassium hydrogen tartrate — a source of cream of tartar.
- torn (verb): past participle of tear (rip, rend, speed).
- toro (noun): A traditional Japanese lantern.
- tort (noun): An injury or wrong.
- tram (noun): A passenger vehicle for public use that runs on tracks in the road (called a streetcar or trolley in North America).
- trot (noun): An ugly old woman, a hag.