NYT Spelling Bee Answers for August 20, 2020
Game Summary
| Center Letter | L |
|---|---|
| Outer Letters | b, d, e, h, m, u |
| # of Pangrams | 1 (Perfect: 1) |
| Total Words | 55 words |
| Total Points | 252 points |
| Genius Level | 176 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 | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| B | 5 | 2 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 15 |
| D | 3 | - | 3 | 1 | 1 | - | 8 |
| E | - | 1 | 2 | - | - | - | 3 |
| H | 5 | - | 5 | 2 | - | - | 12 |
| L | 3 | 1 | 1 | - | - | - | 5 |
| M | 3 | 1 | 5 | 3 | - | - | 12 |
| U | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | Σ | 19 | 5 | 20 | 8 | 2 | 1 | 55 |
Two-Letter List (2LL) Hints
The following list shows the number of solution words that begin with the corresponding two letters.
| B | BE×4 BL×4 BU×7 |
|---|---|
| D | DE×3 DU×5 |
| E | EL×2 EM×1 |
| H | HE×6 HU×6 |
| L | LU×5 |
| M | ME×5 MU×7 |
| U |
Three-Letter List (3LL) Hints
The following list shows the number of solution words that begin with the corresponding three letters.
| B | BEH×1 BEL×3 BLE×2 BLU×2 BUB×2 BUL×2 BUM×3 |
|---|---|
| D | DEL×3 DUE×2 DUL×2 DUM×1 |
| E | ELU×2 EMB×1 |
| H | HEE×2 HEL×4 HUD×2 HUL×2 HUM×2 |
| L | LUB×2 LUL×3 |
| M | MED×2 MEL×3 MUD×2 MUL×3 MUM×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) |
|---|---|---|
| be.... | BE6 | simple past tense and past participle of behold |
| be.. | BE4 | A percussive instrument made of metal or other hard material, typically but not always in the shape of an inverted cup with a flared rim, which resonates when struck. |
| be... | BE5 | An attractive woman. |
| be.... | BE6 | Having a bell attached. |
| bl.. | BL4 | simple past tense and past participle of bleed |
| bl... | BL5 | To lose blood through an injured blood vessel. |
| bl.. | BL4 | Having blue as its color. |
| bl...... | BL8 | Various flowering plants with blue, usually pendulous, flowers. In genus Hyacinthoides common bluebell (Hyacinthoides non-scripta) Spanish bluebell (Hyacinthoides hispanica) Italian bluebell (Hyacinthoides italica) In other genera genus Muscari, the grape hyacinth) Virginia bluebell (Mertensia virginica) Scottish bluebell (harebell) (Campanula rotundifolia) Australian royal bluebell (Wahlenbergia gloriosa) Texas bluebell (Eustoma russellianum) desert bluebell or California bluebell (Phacelia campanularia) |
| bu.... | BU6 | A spherically contained volume of air or other gas, especially one made from soapy liquid. |
| bu..... | BU7 | simple past tense and past participle of bubble |
| bu.. | BU4 | Any solid object rounded at one end and tapering on the other, possibly attached to a larger object at the tapered end. |
| bu.. | BU4 | An adult male of domesticated cattle or oxen. Specifically, one that is uncastrated. |
| bu.... | BU6 | A confusion; a jumble. |
| bu....... | BU9 | Any of several species of large bee in the genus Bombus |
| bu..... | BU7 | simple past tense and past participle of bumble |
| de.. | DE4 | A valley, especially in the form of a natural hollow, small and deep. |
| de.... | DE6 | To deceive into believing something which is false; to lead into error; to dupe. |
| de..... | DE7 | Being affected by delusions. |
| du.. | DU4 | Arranged, regular combat between two private persons, often over a matter of honor. |
| du.... | DU6 | simple past tense and past participle of duel |
| du.. | DU4 | Lacking the ability to cut easily; not sharp. |
| du.... | DU6 | simple past tense and past participle of dull |
| du...... | DU8 | A weight training implement consisting of a short bar with weight counterpoised on each end. |
| el... | EL5 | To evade or escape from (someone or something), especially by using cunning or skill. |
| el.... | EL6 | simple past tense and past participle of elude |
| em.... | EM6 | A representative symbol, such as a trademark or logo. |
| he.. | HE4 | The rear part of the foot, where it joins the leg. |
| he.... | HE6 | simple past tense and past participle of heel |
| he.. | HE4 | simple past tense and past participle of hold |
| he.. | HE4 | A place of torment where some or all sinners and evil spirits are believed to go after death. |
| he.. | HE4 | The steering apparatus of a ship, especially the tiller or wheel. |
| he.... | HE6 | simple past tense and past participle of helm |
| hu.... | HU6 | A dense and disorderly crowd. |
| hu..... | HU7 | simple past tense and past participle of huddle |
| hu.. | HU4 | The outer covering of a fruit or seed. |
| hu.... | HU6 | Deprived of the hulls. |
| hu.... | HU6 | Not pretentious or magnificent; unpretending; unassuming. |
| hu..... † | HU7 | (usually qualifying a first-person pronoun) Grateful for the support of others, touched; honored, flattered. |
| lu.. | LU4 | Lubricant. |
| lu... | LU5 | simple past tense and past participle of lube |
| lu.. | LU4 | A period of rest or soothing. |
| lu.... | LU6 | simple past tense and past participle of lull |
| lu.. | LU4 | A remarkable person, object or idea. |
| me.... | ME6 | To interfere in or with; to concern oneself with unduly. |
| me..... | ME7 | simple past tense and past participle of meddle |
| me.. | ME4 | to combine multiple similar objects into one. |
| me.... | ME6 | simple past tense and past participle of meld |
| me... | ME5 | A battle fought at close range; hand-to-hand combat; brawling. |
| mu.... | MU6 | To mix together, to mix up; to confuse. |
| mu..... | MU7 | Confused, disorganised, in disarray. |
| mu.. | MU4 | The generally sterile male or female hybrid offspring of a male donkey and a female horse. |
| mu.. | MU4 | (usually with over) To work (over) mentally; to cogitate; to ruminate. |
| mu.... | MU6 | simple past tense and past participle of mull |
| mu.... | MU6 | To speak unintelligibly or inaudibly; to fail to articulate. |
| mu..... | MU7 | simple past tense and past participle of mumble |
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.
- beheld (BE6)
- bell (BE4)
- belle (BE5)
- belled (BE6)
- bled (BL4)
- bleed (BL5)
- blue (BL4)
- bluebell (BL8)
- bubble (BU6)
- bubbled (BU7)
- bulb (BU4)
- bull (BU4)
- bumble (BU6)
- bumblebee (BU9)
- bumbled (BU7)
- dell (DE4)
- delude (DE6)
- deluded (DE7)
- duel (DU4)
- dueled (DU6)
- dull (DU4)
- dulled (DU6)
- dumbbell (DU8)
- elude (EL5)
- eluded (EL6)
- emblem (EM6)
- heel (HE4)
- heeled (HE6)
- held (HE4)
- hell (HE4)
- helm (HE4)
- helmed (HE6)
- huddle (HU6)
- huddled (HU7)
- hull (HU4)
- hulled (HU6)
- humble (HU6)
- humbled† (HU7)
- lube (LU4)
- lubed (LU5)
- lull (LU4)
- lulled (LU6)
- lulu (LU4)
- meddle (ME6)
- meddled (ME7)
- meld (ME4)
- melded (ME6)
- melee (ME5)
- muddle (MU6)
- muddled (MU7)
- mule (MU4)
- mull (MU4)
- mulled (MU6)
- mumble (MU6)
- mumbled (MU7)
Answer Definitions
- beheld (verb): simple past tense and past participle of behold
- bell (noun): A percussive instrument made of metal or other hard material, typically but not always in the shape of an inverted cup with a flared rim, which resonates when struck.
- belle (noun): An attractive woman.
- belled (adjective): Having a bell attached.
- bled (verb): simple past tense and past participle of bleed
- bleed (verb): To lose blood through an injured blood vessel.
- blue (adjective): Having blue as its color.
- bluebell (noun): Various flowering plants with blue, usually pendulous, flowers. In genus Hyacinthoides common bluebell (Hyacinthoides non-scripta) Spanish bluebell (Hyacinthoides hispanica) Italian bluebell (Hyacinthoides italica) In other genera genus Muscari, the grape hyacinth) Virginia bluebell (Mertensia virginica) Scottish bluebell (harebell) (Campanula rotundifolia) Australian royal bluebell (Wahlenbergia gloriosa) Texas bluebell (Eustoma russellianum) desert bluebell or California bluebell (Phacelia campanularia)
- bubble (noun): A spherically contained volume of air or other gas, especially one made from soapy liquid.
- bubbled (verb): simple past tense and past participle of bubble
- bulb (noun): Any solid object rounded at one end and tapering on the other, possibly attached to a larger object at the tapered end.
- bull (noun): An adult male of domesticated cattle or oxen. Specifically, one that is uncastrated.
- bumble (noun): A confusion; a jumble.
- bumblebee (noun): Any of several species of large bee in the genus Bombus
- bumbled (verb): simple past tense and past participle of bumble
- dell (noun): A valley, especially in the form of a natural hollow, small and deep.
- delude (verb): To deceive into believing something which is false; to lead into error; to dupe.
- deluded (adjective): Being affected by delusions.
- duel (noun): Arranged, regular combat between two private persons, often over a matter of honor.
- dueled (verb): simple past tense and past participle of duel
- dull (adjective): Lacking the ability to cut easily; not sharp.
- dulled (verb): simple past tense and past participle of dull
- dumbbell (noun): A weight training implement consisting of a short bar with weight counterpoised on each end.
- elude (verb): To evade or escape from (someone or something), especially by using cunning or skill.
- eluded (verb): simple past tense and past participle of elude
- emblem (noun): A representative symbol, such as a trademark or logo.
- heel (noun): The rear part of the foot, where it joins the leg.
- heeled (verb): simple past tense and past participle of heel
- held (verb): simple past tense and past participle of hold
- hell (proper noun): A place of torment where some or all sinners and evil spirits are believed to go after death.
- helm (noun): The steering apparatus of a ship, especially the tiller or wheel.
- helmed (verb): simple past tense and past participle of helm
- huddle (noun): A dense and disorderly crowd.
- huddled (verb): simple past tense and past participle of huddle
- hull (noun): The outer covering of a fruit or seed.
- hulled (adjective): Deprived of the hulls.
- humble (adjective): Not pretentious or magnificent; unpretending; unassuming.
- humbled† (adjective): (usually qualifying a first-person pronoun) Grateful for the support of others, touched; honored, flattered.
- lube (noun): Lubricant.
- lubed (verb): simple past tense and past participle of lube
- lull (noun): A period of rest or soothing.
- lulled (verb): simple past tense and past participle of lull
- lulu (noun): A remarkable person, object or idea.
- meddle (verb): To interfere in or with; to concern oneself with unduly.
- meddled (verb): simple past tense and past participle of meddle
- meld (verb): to combine multiple similar objects into one.
- melded (verb): simple past tense and past participle of meld
- melee (noun): A battle fought at close range; hand-to-hand combat; brawling.
- muddle (verb): To mix together, to mix up; to confuse.
- muddled (adjective): Confused, disorganised, in disarray.
- mule (noun): The generally sterile male or female hybrid offspring of a male donkey and a female horse.
- mull (verb): (usually with over) To work (over) mentally; to cogitate; to ruminate.
- mulled (verb): simple past tense and past participle of mull
- mumble (verb): To speak unintelligibly or inaudibly; to fail to articulate.
- mumbled (verb): simple past tense and past participle of mumble