NYT Spelling Bee Answers for July 28, 2020

Spelling Bee "Hive" Board for July 28, 2020

Game Summary

Spelling Bee "Hive" Board for July 28, 2020
Center LetterO
Outer Lettersa, d, g, n, r, u
# of Pangrams1 (Perfect: 1)
Total Words50 words
Total Points198 points
Genius Level139 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 July 28, 2020

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
A2431--10
D4331--11
G552---12
N2--1--3
O12----3
R43---18
U2---1-3
Σ2017831150

Two-Letter List (2LL) Hints

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

A
AD×1
AG×3
AN×2
AR×3
AU×1
D
DO×7
DR×2
DU×2
G
GO×8
GR×3
GU×1
N
NO×3
O
OD×1
OR×2
R
RA×1
RO×6
RU×1
U
UD×1
UN×2

Three-Letter List (3LL) Hints

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

A
ADO×1
AGO×2
AGR×1
ANG×1
ANO×1
ARD×1
ARG×1
ARO×1
AUR×1
D
DOD×1
DOG×1
DON×2
DOO×2
DOU×1
DRA×2
DUG×1
DUN×1
G
GOA×1
GON×3
GOO×2
GOR×1
GOU×1
GRO×3
GUA×1
N
NON×1
NOO×1
NOU×1
O
ODO×1
ORA×1
ORG×1
R
RAD×1
ROA×3
RON×1
ROO×1
ROU×1
RUN×1
U
UDO×1
UND×1
UNG×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)
ad...AD5To make more beautiful and attractive; to decorate.
ag..AG4In eager desire, eager, astir.
ag...AG5A place for gathering.
ag..... AG7Resting on the bottom.
an....AN6An angora cat.
an..AN4Straight away; at once.
ar...AR5Great warmth of feeling; fervor; passion.
ar...AR5The chemical element (symbol Ar) with an atomic number of 18. The third most abundant gas in the Earth's atmosphere, it is a colourless, odourless, inert noble gas.
ar....AR6Forming a circle or closed curve containing (something).
au....AU6An atmospheric phenomenon created by charged particles from the sun striking the upper atmosphere, creating coloured lights in the sky. It is usually named australis or borealis based on whether it is in the Southern or Northern Hemisphere respectively.
do..DO4A large, flightless bird, †Raphus cucullatus, related to the pigeon, that is now extinct (since the 1600s) and was native to Mauritius.
do...DO5Only used in lie doggo.
do..DO4The currency of Vietnam, 100 xus. Symbol: ₫
do...DO5One who makes a donation.
do....DO6Used to refer to something whose name one cannot recall: an unspecified device, gadget, part, or thing.
do..DO4A portal of entry into a building, room, or vehicle, consisting of a rigid plane movable on a hinge. Doors are frequently made of wood or metal. May have a handle to help open and close, a latch to hold the door closed, and a lock that ensures the door cannot be opened without the key.
do..DO4Stern, harsh and forbidding.
dr....DR6A legendary serpentine or reptilian creature. In Western mythology, a gigantic beast, typically reptilian with leathery bat-like wings, lion-like claws, scaly skin and a serpent-like body, often a monster with fiery breath. In Eastern mythology, a large, snake-like monster with the eyes of a hare, the horns of a stag and the claws of a tiger, usually beneficent.
dr.....DR7A horse soldier; a cavalryman, who uses a horse for mobility, but fights dismounted.
du....DU6A plant-eating aquatic marine mammal, of the genus Dugong, found in tropical regions.
du...DU5Pronunciation spelling of do not know; pronunciation spelling of does not know.
go..GO4A long, pointed stick used to prod animals.
go...GO5A sex organ that produces gametes; specifically, a testicle or ovary. A testicle.
go..GO4A percussion instrument consisting of a metal disk that emits a sonorous sound when struck with a soft hammer.
go...GO5Contraction of going to when followed by an infinitive verb: used to express a future action.
go..GO4Acting in the interest of what is beneficial, ethical, or moral.
go..GO4A thug; a usually muscular henchman with little intelligence (also known as a 'hired goon').
go....GO6A vicious female monster from Greek mythology with sharp fangs and hair of living, venomous snakes. One of the three sisters: Medusa, Stheno and Euryale
go...GO5Any of the trailing or climbing vines producing fruit with a hard rind or shell, from the genera Lagenaria and Cucurbita (in Cucurbitaceae).
gr...GR5A low, mournful sound uttered in pain or grief.
gr..GR4An alcoholic beverage made with rum and water, especially that once issued to sailors of the Royal Navy.
gr....GR6The surface of the Earth, as opposed to the sky or water or underground.
gu...GU5Dung from a sea bird or from a bat.
no.....NO7A polygon with nine sides and nine angles; an enneagon.
no..NO4The time of day when the sun is in its zenith; twelve o'clock in the day, midday.
no..NO4A word that functions as the name of a specific object or set of objects, such as person, animal, place, thing, phenomenon, substance, quality, or idea; one of the basic parts of speech in many languages, including English.
od..OD4Any smell, whether fragrant or offensive.
or...OR5An orangutan.
or...OR5The larger part of an organism, composed of tissues that perform similar functions.
ra...RA5The chemical element (symbol Rn, formerly Ro) with atomic number 86. It is an odorless, colorless, chemically inert but radioactive noble gas.
ro..RO4A way used for travelling between places, originally one wide enough to allow foot passengers and horses to travel, now (US) usually one surfaced with asphalt or concrete and designed to accommodate many vehicles travelling in both directions. In the UK both senses are heard: a country road is the same as a country lane.
ro..RO4Especially of a horse, having a coat of a dark base color with individual white hairs mixed in
ro..RO4To make a loud, deep cry, especially from pain, anger, or other strong emotion.
ro...RO5A musical composition, commonly of a lively, cheerful character, in which the first strain recurs after each of the other strains.
ro..RO4A crucifix, cross, especially in a church.
ro...RO5Of shape: Circular or cylindrical; having a circular cross-section in one direction.
ru.......RU9An evasive explanation in the form of multiple excuses.
ud..UD4a Japanese wheat noodle
un..UN4To reverse the effects of an action.
un......UN8Not having been ground; unpulverized.

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.

  • adorn  (AD5)
  • agog  (AG4)
  • agora  (AG5)
  • aground  (AG7)
  • angora  (AN6)
  • anon  (AN4)
  • ardor  (AR5)
  • argon  (AR5)
  • around  (AR6)
  • aurora  (AU6)
  • dodo  (DO4)
  • doggo  (DO5)
  • dong  (DO4)
  • donor  (DO5)
  • doodad  (DO6)
  • door  (DO4)
  • dour  (DO4)
  • dragon  (DR6)
  • dragoon  (DR7)
  • dugong  (DU6)
  • dunno  (DU5)
  • goad  (GO4)
  • gonad  (GO5)
  • gong  (GO4)
  • gonna  (GO5)
  • good  (GO4)
  • goon  (GO4)
  • gorgon  (GO6)
  • gourd  (GO5)
  • groan  (GR5)
  • grog  (GR4)
  • ground  (GR6)
  • guano  (GU5)
  • nonagon  (NO7)
  • noon  (NO4)
  • noun  (NO4)
  • odor  (OD4)
  • orang  (OR5)
  • organ  (OR5)
  • radon  (RA5)
  • road  (RO4)
  • roan  (RO4)
  • roar  (RO4)
  • rondo  (RO5)
  • rood  (RO4)
  • round  (RO5)
  • runaround  (RU9)
  • udon  (UD4)
  • undo  (UN4)
  • unground  (UN8)

Answer Definitions

  • adorn (verb): To make more beautiful and attractive; to decorate.
  • agog (adjective): In eager desire, eager, astir.
  • agora (noun): A place for gathering.
  • aground (adjective): Resting on the bottom.
  • angora (noun): An angora cat.
  • anon (adverb): Straight away; at once.
  • ardor (noun): Great warmth of feeling; fervor; passion.
  • argon (noun): The chemical element (symbol Ar) with an atomic number of 18. The third most abundant gas in the Earth's atmosphere, it is a colourless, odourless, inert noble gas.
  • around (preposition): Forming a circle or closed curve containing (something).
  • aurora (noun): An atmospheric phenomenon created by charged particles from the sun striking the upper atmosphere, creating coloured lights in the sky. It is usually named australis or borealis based on whether it is in the Southern or Northern Hemisphere respectively.
  • dodo (noun): A large, flightless bird, †Raphus cucullatus, related to the pigeon, that is now extinct (since the 1600s) and was native to Mauritius.
  • doggo (adverb): Only used in lie doggo.
  • dong (noun): The currency of Vietnam, 100 xus. Symbol: ₫
  • donor (noun): One who makes a donation.
  • doodad (noun): Used to refer to something whose name one cannot recall: an unspecified device, gadget, part, or thing.
  • door (noun): A portal of entry into a building, room, or vehicle, consisting of a rigid plane movable on a hinge. Doors are frequently made of wood or metal. May have a handle to help open and close, a latch to hold the door closed, and a lock that ensures the door cannot be opened without the key.
  • dour (adjective): Stern, harsh and forbidding.
  • dragon (noun): A legendary serpentine or reptilian creature. In Western mythology, a gigantic beast, typically reptilian with leathery bat-like wings, lion-like claws, scaly skin and a serpent-like body, often a monster with fiery breath. In Eastern mythology, a large, snake-like monster with the eyes of a hare, the horns of a stag and the claws of a tiger, usually beneficent.
  • dragoon (noun): A horse soldier; a cavalryman, who uses a horse for mobility, but fights dismounted.
  • dugong (noun): A plant-eating aquatic marine mammal, of the genus Dugong, found in tropical regions.
  • dunno (contraction): Pronunciation spelling of do not know; pronunciation spelling of does not know.
  • goad (noun): A long, pointed stick used to prod animals.
  • gonad (noun): A sex organ that produces gametes; specifically, a testicle or ovary. A testicle.
  • gong (noun): A percussion instrument consisting of a metal disk that emits a sonorous sound when struck with a soft hammer.
  • gonna (contraction): Contraction of going to when followed by an infinitive verb: used to express a future action.
  • good (adjective): Acting in the interest of what is beneficial, ethical, or moral.
  • goon (noun): A thug; a usually muscular henchman with little intelligence (also known as a 'hired goon').
  • gorgon (noun): A vicious female monster from Greek mythology with sharp fangs and hair of living, venomous snakes. One of the three sisters: Medusa, Stheno and Euryale
  • gourd (noun): Any of the trailing or climbing vines producing fruit with a hard rind or shell, from the genera Lagenaria and Cucurbita (in Cucurbitaceae).
  • groan (noun): A low, mournful sound uttered in pain or grief.
  • grog (noun): An alcoholic beverage made with rum and water, especially that once issued to sailors of the Royal Navy.
  • ground (noun): The surface of the Earth, as opposed to the sky or water or underground.
  • guano (noun): Dung from a sea bird or from a bat.
  • nonagon (noun): A polygon with nine sides and nine angles; an enneagon.
  • noon (noun): The time of day when the sun is in its zenith; twelve o'clock in the day, midday.
  • noun (noun): A word that functions as the name of a specific object or set of objects, such as person, animal, place, thing, phenomenon, substance, quality, or idea; one of the basic parts of speech in many languages, including English.
  • odor (noun): Any smell, whether fragrant or offensive.
  • orang (noun): An orangutan.
  • organ (noun): The larger part of an organism, composed of tissues that perform similar functions.
  • radon (noun): The chemical element (symbol Rn, formerly Ro) with atomic number 86. It is an odorless, colorless, chemically inert but radioactive noble gas.
  • road (noun): A way used for travelling between places, originally one wide enough to allow foot passengers and horses to travel, now (US) usually one surfaced with asphalt or concrete and designed to accommodate many vehicles travelling in both directions. In the UK both senses are heard: a country road is the same as a country lane.
  • 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.
  • rondo (noun): A musical composition, commonly of a lively, cheerful character, in which the first strain recurs after each of the other strains.
  • rood (noun): A crucifix, cross, especially in a church.
  • round (adjective): Of shape: Circular or cylindrical; having a circular cross-section in one direction.
  • runaround (noun): An evasive explanation in the form of multiple excuses.
  • udon (noun): a Japanese wheat noodle
  • undo (verb): To reverse the effects of an action.
  • unground (adjective): Not having been ground; unpulverized.