NYT Spelling Bee Answers for September 13, 2020
Game Summary
| Center Letter | T |
|---|---|
| Outer Letters | a, i, l, r, u, v |
| # of Pangrams | 1 (Perfect: 1) |
| Total Words | 36 words |
| Total Points | 165 points |
| Genius Level | 115 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 | Σ | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A | 1 | 4 | 2 | - | 7 |
| I | - | - | - | - | - |
| L | 1 | - | 1 | - | 2 |
| R | - | 1 | 1 | 2 | 4 |
| T | 8 | 6 | 2 | 3 | 19 |
| U | - | 1 | - | - | 1 |
| V | - | 2 | - | 1 | 3 | Σ | 10 | 14 | 6 | 6 | 36 |
Two-Letter List (2LL) Hints
The following list shows the number of solution words that begin with the corresponding two letters.
| A | AL×2 AT×4 AV×1 |
|---|---|
| I | |
| L | LA×1 LI×1 |
| R | RA×3 RI×1 |
| T | TA×6 TI×4 TR×7 TU×2 |
| U | UL×1 |
| V | VA×1 VI×2 |
Three-Letter List (3LL) Hints
The following list shows the number of solution words that begin with the corresponding three letters.
| A | ALI×1 ALT×1 ATI×1 ATR×2 ATT×1 AVA×1 |
|---|---|
| I | |
| L | LAR×1 LIL×1 |
| R | RAI×1 RAT×2 RIT×1 |
| T | TAI×1 TAL×2 TAR×2 TAU×1 TIA×1 TIL×2 TIT×1 TRA×3 TRI×4 TUT×2 |
| U | ULT×1 |
| V | VAU×1 VIR×1 VIT×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) |
|---|---|---|
| al.. | AL4 | simple past tense and past participle of alight |
| al... | AL5 | A table or similar flat-topped structure used for religious rites. |
| at... | AT5 | At an angle from the vertical or horizontal. |
| at... | AT5 | plural of atrium |
| at.... | AT6 | Of or pertaining to an atrium, especially the atrium of the heart. |
| at... | AT5 | An essential oil extracted from flowers. |
| av.... | AV6 | An incarnation of a deity, particularly Vishnu. |
| la.... | LA6 | A lasso. |
| li.. | LI4 | To do something rhythmically, with animation and quickness, usually of music. |
| ra... | RA5 | A condiment used as a dip or sauce in the cuisine of southern Asia, made from seasoned yogurt. |
| ra..... | RA7 | A swiftly repeated knocking sound. |
| ra..... | RA7 | Any of the large dark-colored deep-sea fish of the Macrouridae family of ray-finned fish. |
| ri.... | RI6 | Related to a rite or repeated set of actions. |
| ta.. | TA4 | The caudal appendage of an animal that is attached to its posterior and near the anus. |
| ta.. | TA4 | plural of talus |
| ta.. | TA4 | Having a vertical extent greater than the average. For example, somebody with a height of over 6 feet would generally be considered to be tall. |
| ta.. | TA4 | Sharp to the taste; acid; sour. |
| ta.... | TA6 | A red compound deposited during wine making; mostly potassium hydrogen tartrate — a source of cream of tartar. |
| ta.. | TA4 | Under tension, like a stretched bowstring, rope, or sail; tight. |
| ti... | TI5 | The papal crown. |
| ti.. | TI4 | Until; to, up to; as late as (a given time). |
| ti.. | TI4 | To slope or incline (something); to slant. |
| ti..... | TI7 | Of, relating to, being, derived from, or having a title. |
| tr... | TR5 | To follow behind (someone or something); to tail (someone or something). |
| tr... | TR5 | An identifying characteristic, habit or trend. |
| tr..... | TR7 | Arduous or painful exertion; excessive labor, suffering, hardship. |
| tr... | TR5 | An opportunity to test something out; a test. |
| tr... | TR5 | A rapid alternation between an indicated note and the one above it, in musical notation usually indicated with the letters tr written above the staff. |
| tr.... | TR6 | Insignificant trifles of little importance, especially items of unimportant information. |
| tr..... | TR7 | Ignorable; of little significance or value. |
| tu... | TU5 | All together. Indicates that the remainder of a group should join in playing after a solo or other passage with a reduced number of voices. |
| tu.. | TU4 | A ballet skirt made of layered stiff but light netting. |
| ul... | UL5 | Extreme; far beyond the norm; fanatical; uncompromising. |
| va... | VA5 | An arched masonry structure supporting and forming a ceiling, whether freestanding or forming part of a larger building. |
| vi..... † | VI7 | In effect or essence, if not in fact or reality; imitated, simulated. |
| vi... | VI5 | Relating to, or characteristic of life. |
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.
- alit (AL4)
- altar (AL5)
- atilt (AT5)
- atria (AT5)
- atrial (AT6)
- attar (AT5)
- avatar (AV6)
- lariat (LA6)
- lilt (LI4)
- raita (RA5)
- ratatat (RA7)
- rattail (RA7)
- ritual (RI6)
- tail (TA4)
- tali (TA4)
- tall (TA4)
- tart (TA4)
- tartar (TA6)
- taut (TA4)
- tiara (TI5)
- till (TI4)
- tilt (TI4)
- titular (TI7)
- trail (TR5)
- trait (TR5)
- travail (TR7)
- trial (TR5)
- trill (TR5)
- trivia (TR6)
- trivial (TR7)
- tutti (TU5)
- tutu (TU4)
- ultra (UL5)
- vault (VA5)
- virtual† (VI7)
- vital (VI5)
Answer Definitions
- alit (verb): simple past tense and past participle of alight
- altar (noun): A table or similar flat-topped structure used for religious rites.
- atilt (adjective): At an angle from the vertical or horizontal.
- atria (noun): plural of atrium
- atrial (adjective): Of or pertaining to an atrium, especially the atrium of the heart.
- attar (noun): An essential oil extracted from flowers.
- avatar (noun): An incarnation of a deity, particularly Vishnu.
- lariat (noun): A lasso.
- lilt (verb): To do something rhythmically, with animation and quickness, usually of music.
- raita (noun): A condiment used as a dip or sauce in the cuisine of southern Asia, made from seasoned yogurt.
- ratatat (noun): A swiftly repeated knocking sound.
- rattail (noun): Any of the large dark-colored deep-sea fish of the Macrouridae family of ray-finned fish.
- ritual (adjective): Related to a rite or repeated set of actions.
- tail (noun): The caudal appendage of an animal that is attached to its posterior and near the anus.
- tali (noun): plural of talus
- tall (adjective): Having a vertical extent greater than the average. For example, somebody with a height of over 6 feet would generally be considered to be tall.
- tart (adjective): Sharp to the taste; acid; sour.
- tartar (noun): A red compound deposited during wine making; mostly potassium hydrogen tartrate — a source of cream of tartar.
- taut (adjective): Under tension, like a stretched bowstring, rope, or sail; tight.
- tiara (noun): The papal crown.
- till (preposition): Until; to, up to; as late as (a given time).
- tilt (verb): To slope or incline (something); to slant.
- titular (adjective): Of, relating to, being, derived from, or having a title.
- trail (verb): To follow behind (someone or something); to tail (someone or something).
- trait (noun): An identifying characteristic, habit or trend.
- travail (noun): Arduous or painful exertion; excessive labor, suffering, hardship.
- trial (noun): An opportunity to test something out; a test.
- trill (noun): A rapid alternation between an indicated note and the one above it, in musical notation usually indicated with the letters tr written above the staff.
- trivia (noun): Insignificant trifles of little importance, especially items of unimportant information.
- trivial (adjective): Ignorable; of little significance or value.
- tutti (adverb): All together. Indicates that the remainder of a group should join in playing after a solo or other passage with a reduced number of voices.
- tutu (noun): A ballet skirt made of layered stiff but light netting.
- ultra (adjective): Extreme; far beyond the norm; fanatical; uncompromising.
- vault (noun): An arched masonry structure supporting and forming a ceiling, whether freestanding or forming part of a larger building.
- virtual† (adjective): In effect or essence, if not in fact or reality; imitated, simulated.
- vital (adjective): Relating to, or characteristic of life.