NYT Spelling Bee Answers for October 21, 2020
Game Summary
| Center Letter | C |
|---|---|
| Outer Letters | d, e, i, l, m, o |
| # of Pangrams | 3 (Perfect: 1) |
| Total Words | 57 words |
| Total Points | 286 points |
| Genius Level | 200 points |
| Bingo? | Yes |
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 | 9 | 9 | 5 | 6 | 1 | - | 30 |
| D | 2 | 2 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 13 |
| E | - | 1 | 1 | 1 | - | - | 3 |
| I | 1 | - | 1 | - | - | - | 2 |
| L | 3 | - | - | - | - | - | 3 |
| M | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | - | - | 5 |
| O | - | 1 | - | - | - | - | 1 | Σ | 16 | 15 | 12 | 11 | 2 | 1 | 57 |
Two-Letter List (2LL) Hints
The following list shows the number of solution words that begin with the corresponding two letters.
| C | CE×6 CL×2 CO×22 |
|---|---|
| D | DE×8 DI×2 DO×3 |
| E | EC×1 EM×2 |
| I | IC×2 |
| L | LI×1 LO×2 |
| M | ME×3 MI×2 |
| O | OL×1 |
Three-Letter List (3LL) Hints
The following list shows the number of solution words that begin with the corresponding three letters.
| C | CED×2 CEL×4 CLI×1 CLO×1 COC×1 COD×5 COE×1 COI×2 COL×6 COM×4 COO×3 |
|---|---|
| D | DEC×5 DEI×3 DIC×2 DOC×1 DOM×2 |
| E | ECO×1 EMC×2 |
| I | ICE×1 ICI×1 |
| L | LIC×1 LOC×2 |
| M | MED×2 MEL×1 MIC×1 MIM×1 |
| O | OLE×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) |
|---|---|---|
| ce.. | CE4 | To give up; yield to another. |
| ce... | CE5 | simple past tense and past participle of cede |
| ce.. | CE4 | A single-room dwelling for a hermit. |
| ce.... | CE6 | Containing cells; cellular. |
| ce... | CE5 | plural of cello |
| ce... | CE5 | A large unfretted stringed instrument of the violin family with four strings tuned (lowest to highest) C-G-D-A and an endpin to support its weight, usually played with a bow. |
| cl... | CL5 | A particular region defined by its weather or climate. |
| cl.. | CL4 | A lump of something, especially of earth or clay. |
| co... | CO5 | plural of coccus |
| co.... | CO6 | To treat gently or with great care. |
| co..... | CO7 | simple past tense and past participle of coddle |
| co.. | CO4 | A short symbol, often with little relation to the item it represents. |
| co... | CO5 | Encoded; written in code or cipher. |
| co..... | CO7 | An addition or supplement that explains, modifies, or revokes a will or part of one. |
| co.. | CO4 | Alternative form of co-ed |
| co.. | CO4 | Something wound in the form of a helix or spiral. |
| co.... | CO6 | simple past tense and past participle of coil |
| co.. | CO4 | Having a low temperature. |
| co... | CO5 | Severe pains that grip the abdomen or the disease that causes such pains (due to intestinal or bowel-related problems). |
| co..... | CO7 | To impact directly, especially if violent. |
| co...... | CO8 | simple past tense and past participle of collide |
| co.... | CO6 | Any of various breeds of dog originating in Scotland and England as sheepdogs |
| co..... | CO7 | Glue-like; gelatinous. |
| co.. | CO4 | To move from further away to nearer to. |
| co..... | CO7 | Relating to comedy. |
| co... | CO5 | Pertaining to comedy, as a literary genre. |
| co..... | CO7 | A low chest of drawers on short legs. |
| co... | CO5 | simple past tense and past participle of coo |
| co.. | CO4 | Having a slightly low temperature; mildly or pleasantly cold. |
| co.... | CO6 | simple past tense and past participle of cool |
| de.... | DE6 | to resolve (a contest, problem, dispute, etc.); to choose, determine, or settle |
| de..... | DE7 | simple past tense and past participle of decide |
| de.. | DE4 | Decompression. |
| de.... | DE6 | To convert from an encrypted form to plain text. |
| de..... | DE7 | simple past tense and past participle of decode |
| de... | DE5 | To remove the ice from something. |
| de.... | DE6 | simple past tense and past participle of deice |
| de..... | DE7 | The killing of a god or goddess; godslaughter. |
| di.. | DI4 | Gaming with one or more dice. |
| di... | DI5 | simple past tense and past participle of dice |
| do.... | DO6 | Ready to accept instruction or direction; obedient; subservient. |
| do...... † | DO8 | A home or residence. |
| do....... † | DO9 | simple past tense and past participle of domicile |
| ec..... | EC7 | The complete destruction of an ecosystem due to human activities, such as due to exploitation of resources, nuclear warfare, or the dumping of harmful chemicals. |
| em... | EM5 | Alternative form of MC in its senses as Master of ceremonies. A rapper. |
| em.... | EM6 | simple past tense and past participle of emcee |
| ic.. | IC4 | With ice added. |
| ic.... | IC6 | A drooping, tapering shape of ice. |
| li.. | LI4 | plural of louse |
| lo.. | LO4 | plural of locus |
| lo.. | LO4 | A direction in written or printed music to be returning to the proper pitch after having played an octave higher or lower. |
| me... | ME5 | Of or pertaining to medicines; medical. |
| me.... | ME6 | A physician or medical doctor; sometimes also a medical student. |
| me..... † | ME7 | Of, relating to, or having melody. |
| mi.. | MI4 | plural of mouse |
| mi... | MI5 | To imitate, especially in order to ridicule. |
| ol... | OL5 | Of or pertaining to oil, especially to vegetable oil |
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.
- cede (CE4)
- ceded (CE5)
- cell (CE4)
- celled (CE6)
- celli (CE5)
- cello (CE5)
- clime (CL5)
- clod (CL4)
- cocci (CO5)
- coddle (CO6)
- coddled (CO7)
- code (CO4)
- coded (CO5)
- codicil (CO7)
- coed (CO4)
- coil (CO4)
- coiled (CO6)
- cold (CO4)
- colic (CO5)
- collide (CO7)
- collided (CO8)
- collie (CO6)
- colloid (CO7)
- come (CO4)
- comedic (CO7)
- comic (CO5)
- commode (CO7)
- cooed (CO5)
- cool (CO4)
- cooled (CO6)
- decide (DE6)
- decided (DE7)
- deco (DE4)
- decode (DE6)
- decoded (DE7)
- deice (DE5)
- deiced (DE6)
- deicide (DE7)
- dice (DI4)
- diced (DI5)
- docile (DO6)
- domicile† (DO8)
- domiciled† (DO9)
- ecocide (EC7)
- emcee (EM5)
- emceed (EM6)
- iced (IC4)
- icicle (IC6)
- lice (LI4)
- loci (LO4)
- loco (LO4)
- medic (ME5)
- medico (ME6)
- melodic† (ME7)
- mice (MI4)
- mimic (MI5)
- oleic (OL5)
Answer Definitions
- cede (verb): To give up; yield to another.
- ceded (verb): simple past tense and past participle of cede
- cell (noun): A single-room dwelling for a hermit.
- celled (adjective): Containing cells; cellular.
- celli (noun): plural of cello
- cello (noun): A large unfretted stringed instrument of the violin family with four strings tuned (lowest to highest) C-G-D-A and an endpin to support its weight, usually played with a bow.
- clime (noun): A particular region defined by its weather or climate.
- clod (noun): A lump of something, especially of earth or clay.
- cocci (noun): plural of coccus
- coddle (verb): To treat gently or with great care.
- coddled (verb): simple past tense and past participle of coddle
- code (noun): A short symbol, often with little relation to the item it represents.
- coded (adjective): Encoded; written in code or cipher.
- codicil (noun): An addition or supplement that explains, modifies, or revokes a will or part of one.
- coed (adjective): Alternative form of co-ed
- coil (noun): Something wound in the form of a helix or spiral.
- coiled (verb): simple past tense and past participle of coil
- cold (adjective): Having a low temperature.
- colic (noun): Severe pains that grip the abdomen or the disease that causes such pains (due to intestinal or bowel-related problems).
- collide (verb): To impact directly, especially if violent.
- collided (verb): simple past tense and past participle of collide
- collie (noun): Any of various breeds of dog originating in Scotland and England as sheepdogs
- colloid (adjective): Glue-like; gelatinous.
- come (verb): To move from further away to nearer to.
- comedic (adjective): Relating to comedy.
- comic (adjective): Pertaining to comedy, as a literary genre.
- commode (noun): A low chest of drawers on short legs.
- cooed (verb): simple past tense and past participle of coo
- cool (adjective): Having a slightly low temperature; mildly or pleasantly cold.
- cooled (verb): simple past tense and past participle of cool
- decide (verb): to resolve (a contest, problem, dispute, etc.); to choose, determine, or settle
- decided (verb): simple past tense and past participle of decide
- deco (noun): Decompression.
- decode (verb): To convert from an encrypted form to plain text.
- decoded (verb): simple past tense and past participle of decode
- deice (verb): To remove the ice from something.
- deiced (verb): simple past tense and past participle of deice
- deicide (noun): The killing of a god or goddess; godslaughter.
- dice (noun): Gaming with one or more dice.
- diced (verb): simple past tense and past participle of dice
- docile (adjective): Ready to accept instruction or direction; obedient; subservient.
- domicile† (noun): A home or residence.
- domiciled† (verb): simple past tense and past participle of domicile
- ecocide (noun): The complete destruction of an ecosystem due to human activities, such as due to exploitation of resources, nuclear warfare, or the dumping of harmful chemicals.
- emcee (noun): Alternative form of MC in its senses as Master of ceremonies. A rapper.
- emceed (verb): simple past tense and past participle of emcee
- iced (adjective): With ice added.
- icicle (noun): A drooping, tapering shape of ice.
- lice (noun): plural of louse
- loci (noun): plural of locus
- loco (adverb): A direction in written or printed music to be returning to the proper pitch after having played an octave higher or lower.
- medic (adjective): Of or pertaining to medicines; medical.
- medico (noun): A physician or medical doctor; sometimes also a medical student.
- melodic† (adjective): Of, relating to, or having melody.
- mice (noun): plural of mouse
- mimic (verb): To imitate, especially in order to ridicule.
- oleic (adjective): Of or pertaining to oil, especially to vegetable oil