NYT Spelling Bee Answers for August 31, 2020
Game Summary
| Center Letter | O |
|---|---|
| Outer Letters | a, b, c, k, t, u |
| # of Pangrams | 1 (Perfect: 1) |
| Total Words | 41 words |
| Total Points | 160 points |
| Genius Level | 112 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 | Σ | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A | 1 | 2 | - | - | - | 3 |
| B | 7 | 1 | 3 | 1 | - | 12 |
| C | 5 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 14 |
| K | 1 | 1 | - | - | - | 2 |
| O | - | - | - | 1 | - | 1 |
| T | 5 | 1 | 1 | 2 | - | 9 |
| U | - | - | - | - | - | - | Σ | 19 | 8 | 6 | 6 | 2 | 41 |
Two-Letter List (2LL) Hints
The following list shows the number of solution words that begin with the corresponding two letters.
| A | AB×2 AU×1 |
|---|---|
| B | BA×1 BO×9 BU×2 |
| C | CA×2 CO×10 CU×2 |
| K | KA×1 KO×1 |
| O | OU×1 |
| T | TA×3 TO×6 |
| U |
Three-Letter List (3LL) Hints
The following list shows the number of solution words that begin with the corresponding three letters.
| A | ABB×1 ABO×1 AUT×1 |
|---|---|
| B | BAO×1 BOA×1 BOB×2 BOC×1 BOO×4 BOU×1 BUC×1 BUT×1 |
| C | CAC×1 CAT×1 COA×2 COC×4 COO×4 CUC×1 CUT×1 |
| K | KAB×1 KOO×1 |
| O | OUT×1 |
| T | TAB×1 TAC×1 TAT×1 TOB×1 TOC×2 TOO×2 TOU×1 |
| 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) |
|---|---|---|
| ab... | AB5 | The superior or head of an abbey or monastery. |
| ab... | AB5 | In a circle around; all round; on every side of; on the outside of. |
| au.. | AU4 | Clipping of automatic. |
| ba.... | BA6 | A tree, Adansonia digitata (and similar species), native to tropical Africa, having a broad swollen trunk and edible gourd-like hanging fruits. |
| bo.. | BO4 | A craft used for transportation of goods, fishing, racing, recreational cruising, or military use on or in the water, propelled by oars or outboard motor or inboard motor or by wind. |
| bo.. | BO4 | Synonym of tapioca pearl. |
| bo.... | BO6 | A North American wild cat, Lynx rufus, having tufted ears and a short tail. |
| bo.. | BO4 | A strong dark beer brewed in the fall and aged through the winter for spring consumption. |
| bo.. | BO4 | An idiot; a fool. |
| bo.... | BO6 | Alternative spelling of boo-boo |
| bo.. | BO4 | A collection of sheets of paper bound together to hinge at one edge, containing printed or written material, pictures, etc. |
| bo.. | BO4 | A heavy shoe that covers part of the leg. A kind of sports shoe worn by players of certain games such as cricket and football. |
| bo.. | BO4 | A period of something, especially one painful or unpleasant. |
| bu... | BU5 | Buckaroo. |
| bu..... | BU7 | Each of the two large fleshy halves of the posterior part of the body between the base of the back, the perineum and the top of the legs. |
| ca... | CA5 | A tree, Theobroma cacao, whose seed is used to make chocolate. |
| ca..... | CA7 | A sailing boat with a single sail, usually rigged on a gaff spar, used for fishing in New England and later adapted for racing and cruising. It has a single mast set near to the bow and a long boom which may extend over the stern. |
| co... | CO5 | To compel, constrain, force. |
| co.. | CO4 | An outer garment covering the upper torso and arms. |
| co.. | CO4 | Any of the four cultivated plants which belong to the family Erythroxylaceae, native to western South America. |
| co.. | CO4 | A male bird, especially: A rooster: a male gallinaceous bird, especially a male domestic chicken (Gallus gallus domesticus). A cock pigeon. |
| co...... | CO8 | A bird of the family Cacatuidae with a curved beak and a zygodactyl foot. |
| co... | CO5 | The dried and partially fermented fatty seeds of the cacao tree from which chocolate is made. |
| co.. | CO4 | A person who prepares food. |
| co...... | CO8 | A book or an encyclopedia of recipes and cookery tips. |
| co..... | CO7 | A gathering for a meal that is cooked and eaten outside; either a domestic barbecue or a larger social event. |
| co.. | CO4 | Any of various aquatic birds of the genus Fulica that are mainly black with a prominent frontal shield on the forehead. |
| cu.... | CU6 | Any of various birds, of the family Cuculidae, famous for laying its eggs in the nests of other species; but especially a common cuckoo (Cuculus canorus), that has a characteristic two-note call. |
| cu.... | CU6 | Alternative form of cut-out |
| ka... | KA5 | US spelling of kebab |
| ko.. | KO4 | An eccentric, strange or crazy person. |
| ou..... † | OU7 | The most remote and desolate areas of Australia; the desert and areas too arid for growing crops. |
| ta... | TA5 | An inhibition or ban that results from social custom or emotional aversion. |
| ta.. | TA4 | A Mexican snack food made of a small tortilla (soft or hard shelled) filled with ingredients such as meat, rice, beans, cheese, diced vegetables and salsa. |
| ta.... | TA6 | An image made in the skin with ink and a needle. |
| to..... | TO7 | Any plant of the genus Nicotiana. |
| to..... | TO7 | A piece of music (usually for a keyboard instrument) designed to emphasise the dexterity of the performer. |
| to.. | TO4 | A clicking sound similar to one made by the hands of a clock. |
| to.. | TO4 | simple past tense of take |
| to.. | TO4 | The noise of a horn or whistle. |
| to.. | TO4 | Someone advertising for customers in an aggressive way. |
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.
- abbot (AB5)
- about (AB5)
- auto (AU4)
- baobab (BA6)
- boat (BO4)
- boba (BO4)
- bobcat (BO6)
- bock (BO4)
- boob (BO4)
- booboo (BO6)
- book (BO4)
- boot (BO4)
- bout (BO4)
- bucko (BU5)
- buttock (BU7)
- cacao (CA5)
- catboat (CA7)
- coact (CO5)
- coat (CO4)
- coca (CO4)
- cock (CO4)
- cockatoo (CO8)
- cocoa (CO5)
- cook (CO4)
- cookbook (CO8)
- cookout (CO7)
- coot (CO4)
- cuckoo (CU6)
- cutout (CU6)
- kabob (KA5)
- kook (KO4)
- outback† (OU7)
- taboo (TA5)
- taco (TA4)
- tattoo (TA6)
- tobacco (TO7)
- toccata (TO7)
- tock (TO4)
- took (TO4)
- toot (TO4)
- tout (TO4)
Answer Definitions
- abbot (noun): The superior or head of an abbey or monastery.
- about (preposition): In a circle around; all round; on every side of; on the outside of.
- auto (adjective): Clipping of automatic.
- baobab (noun): A tree, Adansonia digitata (and similar species), native to tropical Africa, having a broad swollen trunk and edible gourd-like hanging fruits.
- boat (noun): A craft used for transportation of goods, fishing, racing, recreational cruising, or military use on or in the water, propelled by oars or outboard motor or inboard motor or by wind.
- boba (noun): Synonym of tapioca pearl.
- bobcat (noun): A North American wild cat, Lynx rufus, having tufted ears and a short tail.
- bock (noun): A strong dark beer brewed in the fall and aged through the winter for spring consumption.
- boob (noun): An idiot; a fool.
- booboo (noun): Alternative spelling of boo-boo
- book (noun): A collection of sheets of paper bound together to hinge at one edge, containing printed or written material, pictures, etc.
- boot (noun): A heavy shoe that covers part of the leg. A kind of sports shoe worn by players of certain games such as cricket and football.
- bout (noun): A period of something, especially one painful or unpleasant.
- bucko (noun): Buckaroo.
- buttock (noun): Each of the two large fleshy halves of the posterior part of the body between the base of the back, the perineum and the top of the legs.
- cacao (noun): A tree, Theobroma cacao, whose seed is used to make chocolate.
- catboat (noun): A sailing boat with a single sail, usually rigged on a gaff spar, used for fishing in New England and later adapted for racing and cruising. It has a single mast set near to the bow and a long boom which may extend over the stern.
- coact (verb): To compel, constrain, force.
- coat (noun): An outer garment covering the upper torso and arms.
- coca (noun): Any of the four cultivated plants which belong to the family Erythroxylaceae, native to western South America.
- cock (noun): A male bird, especially: A rooster: a male gallinaceous bird, especially a male domestic chicken (Gallus gallus domesticus). A cock pigeon.
- cockatoo (noun): A bird of the family Cacatuidae with a curved beak and a zygodactyl foot.
- cocoa (noun): The dried and partially fermented fatty seeds of the cacao tree from which chocolate is made.
- cook (noun): A person who prepares food.
- cookbook (noun): A book or an encyclopedia of recipes and cookery tips.
- cookout (noun): A gathering for a meal that is cooked and eaten outside; either a domestic barbecue or a larger social event.
- coot (noun): Any of various aquatic birds of the genus Fulica that are mainly black with a prominent frontal shield on the forehead.
- cuckoo (noun): Any of various birds, of the family Cuculidae, famous for laying its eggs in the nests of other species; but especially a common cuckoo (Cuculus canorus), that has a characteristic two-note call.
- cutout (noun): Alternative form of cut-out
- kabob (noun): US spelling of kebab
- kook (noun): An eccentric, strange or crazy person.
- outback† (noun): The most remote and desolate areas of Australia; the desert and areas too arid for growing crops.
- taboo (noun): An inhibition or ban that results from social custom or emotional aversion.
- taco (noun): A Mexican snack food made of a small tortilla (soft or hard shelled) filled with ingredients such as meat, rice, beans, cheese, diced vegetables and salsa.
- tattoo (noun): An image made in the skin with ink and a needle.
- tobacco (noun): Any plant of the genus Nicotiana.
- toccata (noun): A piece of music (usually for a keyboard instrument) designed to emphasise the dexterity of the performer.
- tock (noun): A clicking sound similar to one made by the hands of a clock.
- took (verb): simple past tense of take
- toot (noun): The noise of a horn or whistle.
- tout (noun): Someone advertising for customers in an aggressive way.