NYT Spelling Bee Answers for July 9, 2020
Game Summary
| Center Letter | L |
|---|---|
| Outer Letters | c, d, f, i, t, u |
| # of Pangrams | 1 (Perfect: none) |
| Total Words | 24 words |
| Total Points | 87 points |
| Genius Level | 61 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 | Σ | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| C | 2 | 1 | 1 | - | - | - | 4 |
| D | 2 | - | - | 1 | - | 1 | 4 |
| F | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 | - | - | 7 |
| I | - | - | - | 1 | - | - | 1 |
| L | 4 | 2 | - | - | - | - | 6 |
| T | 2 | - | - | - | - | - | 2 |
| U | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | Σ | 13 | 5 | 2 | 3 | - | 1 | 24 |
Two-Letter List (2LL) Hints
The following list shows the number of solution words that begin with the corresponding two letters.
| C | CL×1 CU×3 |
|---|---|
| D | DI×2 DU×2 |
| F | FI×2 FL×3 FU×2 |
| I | IL×1 |
| L | LI×3 LU×3 |
| T | TI×2 |
| U |
Three-Letter List (3LL) Hints
The following list shows the number of solution words that begin with the corresponding three letters.
| C | CLI×1 CUL×3 |
|---|---|
| D | DIF×1 DIL×1 DUL×1 DUT×1 |
| F | FIL×1 FIT×1 FLI×1 FLU×2 FUL×2 |
| I | ILL×1 |
| L | LIC×1 LIF×1 LIL×1 LUC×1 LUL×2 |
| T | TIL×2 |
| U |
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) |
|---|---|---|
| cl... | CL5 | A vertical (or nearly vertical) rock face. |
| cu.. | CU4 | To pick or take someone or something (from a larger group). |
| cu.. | CU4 | A group, sect or movement following an unorthodox religious or philosophical system of beliefs, especially one in which members remove and exclude themselves from greater society, including family members not part of the cult, and show extreme devotion to a charismatic leader. |
| cu.... | CU6 | Of or relating to a cult or the methods of cults. |
| di....... † | DI9 | Hard, not easy, requiring much effort. |
| di.. | DI4 | Anethum graveolens (the type species of the genus Anethum), a herb, the seeds of which are moderately warming, pungent, and aromatic, formerly used as a soothing medicine for children; also known as dillseed. |
| du.. | DU4 | Lacking the ability to cut easily; not sharp. |
| du..... | DU7 | Accepting of one's legal or moral obligations and willing to do them well, and without complaint. |
| fi.. | FI4 | To occupy fully, to take up all of. |
| fi.... | FI6 | Characterized by fits (convulsions or seizures). |
| fl.. | FL4 | A fluttering or darting movement. |
| fl... | FL5 | Anything light, soft or fuzzy, especially fur, hair, feathers. |
| fl... | FL5 | Any substance which can flow with relative ease, tends to assume the shape of its container, and obeys Bernoulli's principle; a liquid, gas or plasma. |
| fu..... | FU7 | To satisfy, carry out, bring to completion (an obligation, a requirement, etc.). |
| fu.. | FU4 | Containing the maximum possible amount that can fit in the space available. |
| il..... | IL7 | Not approved by law, but not invalid. |
| li... | LI5 | Not forbidden by formal or informal rules. |
| li.. | LI4 | To raise or rise. |
| li.. | LI4 | To do something rhythmically, with animation and quickness, usually of music. |
| lu... | LU5 | clear; easily understood |
| lu.. | LU4 | A period of rest or soothing. |
| lu.. | LU4 | A remarkable person, object or idea. |
| ti.. | TI4 | Until; to, up to; as late as (a given time). |
| ti.. | TI4 | To slope or incline (something); to slant. |
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.
- cliff (CL5)
- cull (CU4)
- cult (CU4)
- cultic (CU6)
- difficult† (DI9)
- dill (DI4)
- dull (DU4)
- dutiful (DU7)
- fill (FI4)
- fitful (FI6)
- flit (FL4)
- fluff (FL5)
- fluid (FL5)
- fulfill (FU7)
- full (FU4)
- illicit (IL7)
- licit (LI5)
- lift (LI4)
- lilt (LI4)
- lucid (LU5)
- lull (LU4)
- lulu (LU4)
- till (TI4)
- tilt (TI4)
Answer Definitions
- cliff (noun): A vertical (or nearly vertical) rock face.
- cull (verb): To pick or take someone or something (from a larger group).
- cult (noun): A group, sect or movement following an unorthodox religious or philosophical system of beliefs, especially one in which members remove and exclude themselves from greater society, including family members not part of the cult, and show extreme devotion to a charismatic leader.
- cultic (adjective): Of or relating to a cult or the methods of cults.
- difficult† (adjective): Hard, not easy, requiring much effort.
- dill (noun): Anethum graveolens (the type species of the genus Anethum), a herb, the seeds of which are moderately warming, pungent, and aromatic, formerly used as a soothing medicine for children; also known as dillseed.
- dull (adjective): Lacking the ability to cut easily; not sharp.
- dutiful (adjective): Accepting of one's legal or moral obligations and willing to do them well, and without complaint.
- fill (verb): To occupy fully, to take up all of.
- fitful (adjective): Characterized by fits (convulsions or seizures).
- flit (noun): A fluttering or darting movement.
- fluff (noun): Anything light, soft or fuzzy, especially fur, hair, feathers.
- fluid (noun): Any substance which can flow with relative ease, tends to assume the shape of its container, and obeys Bernoulli's principle; a liquid, gas or plasma.
- fulfill (verb): To satisfy, carry out, bring to completion (an obligation, a requirement, etc.).
- full (adjective): Containing the maximum possible amount that can fit in the space available.
- illicit (adjective): Not approved by law, but not invalid.
- licit (adjective): Not forbidden by formal or informal rules.
- lift (verb): To raise or rise.
- lilt (verb): To do something rhythmically, with animation and quickness, usually of music.
- lucid (adjective): clear; easily understood
- lull (noun): A period of rest or soothing.
- lulu (noun): A remarkable person, object or idea.
- till (preposition): Until; to, up to; as late as (a given time).
- tilt (verb): To slope or incline (something); to slant.