NYT Spelling Bee Answers for November 12, 2020
Game Summary
| Center Letter | L |
|---|---|
| Outer Letters | a, c, d, i, t, w |
| # of Pangrams | 1 (Perfect: 1) |
| Total Words | 38 words |
| Total Points | 132 points |
| Genius Level | 92 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 | Σ | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A | 1 | 1 | - | - | - | 2 |
| C | 3 | 2 | - | 2 | - | 7 |
| D | 2 | - | - | - | - | 2 |
| I | - | 2 | 1 | 1 | - | 4 |
| L | 3 | 2 | 2 | - | - | 7 |
| T | 6 | 2 | 1 | - | 1 | 10 |
| W | 5 | - | - | 1 | - | 6 | Σ | 20 | 9 | 4 | 4 | 1 | 38 |
Two-Letter List (2LL) Hints
The following list shows the number of solution words that begin with the corresponding two letters.
| A | AL×1 AT×1 |
|---|---|
| C | CA×4 CI×1 CL×2 |
| D | DI×2 |
| I | IL×3 IT×1 |
| L | LA×4 LI×3 |
| T | TA×5 TI×3 TW×2 |
| W | WA×2 WI×4 |
Three-Letter List (3LL) Hints
The following list shows the number of solution words that begin with the corresponding three letters.
| A | ALI×1 ATI×1 |
|---|---|
| C | CAL×2 CAT×2 CIL×1 CLA×2 |
| D | DIA×1 DIL×1 |
| I | ILI×2 ILL×1 ITA×1 |
| L | LAC×1 LAI×3 LIC×1 LIL×2 |
| T | TAC×1 TAI×1 TAL×3 TID×1 TIL×2 TWI×2 |
| W | WAI×1 WAL×1 WIL×4 |
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 |
| at... | AT5 | At an angle from the vertical or horizontal. |
| ca.. | CA4 | A telephone conversation; a phone call. |
| ca... | CA5 | A marsh plant native to cooler areas throughout the northern hemisphere, Calla palustris, having pale green flowers in a white spathe. |
| ca..... | CA7 | A shout or whistle expressing dislike, especially from a crowd or audience; a jeer, a boo. |
| ca..... | CA7 | Any of several perennial herbs, of the genus Typha, that have long flat leaves, and grow in marshy places. |
| ci... | CI5 | plural of cilium |
| cl.. | CL4 | simple past tense and past participle of clothe |
| cl.. | CL4 | A curved, pointed horny nail on each digit of the foot of a mammal, reptile, or bird. |
| di.. | DI4 | A graduated, circular scale over which a needle moves to show a measurement (such as speed). |
| di.. | DI4 | Anethum graveolens (the type species of the genus Anethum), a herb, the seeds of which are moderately warming, pungent, and aromatic, formerly used as a soothing medicine for children; also known as dillseed. |
| il... | IL5 | Relating to the ilium. |
| il... | IL5 | a series of exploits regarded as suitable for an epic |
| il..... | IL7 | Not approved by law, but not invalid. |
| it.... | IT6 | Designed to resemble a handwriting style developed in Italy in the 16th century. |
| la.... | LA6 | Of, relating to, or derived from milk. |
| la.. | LA4 | A layperson, as opposed to a member of the clergy. |
| la.... | LA6 | Of or pertaining to a layperson, layman, laywoman, or laypeople (laity). |
| la.. | LA4 | simple past tense and past participle of lay |
| li... | LI5 | Not forbidden by formal or informal rules. |
| li... | LI5 | A large shrub of the genus Syringa, especially Syringa vulgaris, bearing white, pale-pink, or purple flowers. |
| li.. | LI4 | To do something rhythmically, with animation and quickness, usually of music. |
| ta...... | TA8 | of or relating to tactics |
| ta.. | TA4 | The caudal appendage of an animal that is attached to its posterior and near the anus. |
| ta.. | TA4 | Originally a large range of transparent or glistening foliated minerals. Examples include mica, selenite and the hydrated magnesium silicate that the term talc generally has referred to in modern times (see below). Also an item made of such a mineral and depending for its function on the special nature of the mineral (see next). Mediaeval writers adopted the term from the Arabic. |
| 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. |
| ti... | TI5 | Relating to tides. |
| ti.. | TI4 | Until; to, up to; as late as (a given time). |
| ti.. | TI4 | To slope or incline (something); to slant. |
| tw.... | TW6 | simple past tense and past participle of twilight |
| tw... | TW5 | A pattern, characterised by diagonal ridges, created by the regular interlacing of threads of the warp and weft during weaving. |
| wa.. | WA4 | To cry out, as in sorrow or anguish. |
| wa.. | WA4 | A rampart of earth, stones etc. built up for defensive purposes. |
| wi.. | WI4 | Untamed; not domesticated; specifically, in an unbroken line of undomesticated animals (as opposed to feral, referring to undomesticated animals whose ancestors were domesticated). |
| wi..... † | WI7 | A cat that lives in the wilderness, specifically Felis silvestris, a common small Old World wild cat somewhat larger than a house cat. A bobcat (Lynx rufus) or other similar New World species of lynx. Any feral cat. Alternative spelling of wild cat, any undomesticated felid, as tigers or lions. |
| wi.. | WI4 | Used to express the future tense, sometimes with some implication of volition when used in the first person. Compare shall. |
| wi.. | WI4 | To droop or become limp and flaccid (as a dying leaf or flower). |
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)
- atilt (AT5)
- call (CA4)
- calla (CA5)
- catcall (CA7)
- cattail (CA7)
- cilia (CI5)
- clad (CL4)
- claw (CL4)
- dial (DI4)
- dill (DI4)
- iliac (IL5)
- iliad (IL5)
- illicit (IL7)
- italic (IT6)
- lactic (LA6)
- laic (LA4)
- laical (LA6)
- laid (LA4)
- licit (LI5)
- lilac (LI5)
- lilt (LI4)
- tactical (TA8)
- tail (TA4)
- talc (TA4)
- tali (TA4)
- tall (TA4)
- tidal (TI5)
- till (TI4)
- tilt (TI4)
- twilit (TW6)
- twill (TW5)
- wail (WA4)
- wall (WA4)
- wild (WI4)
- wildcat† (WI7)
- will (WI4)
- wilt (WI4)
Answer Definitions
- alit (verb): simple past tense and past participle of alight
- atilt (adjective): At an angle from the vertical or horizontal.
- call (noun): A telephone conversation; a phone call.
- calla (noun): A marsh plant native to cooler areas throughout the northern hemisphere, Calla palustris, having pale green flowers in a white spathe.
- catcall (noun): A shout or whistle expressing dislike, especially from a crowd or audience; a jeer, a boo.
- cattail (noun): Any of several perennial herbs, of the genus Typha, that have long flat leaves, and grow in marshy places.
- cilia (noun): plural of cilium
- clad (verb): simple past tense and past participle of clothe
- claw (noun): A curved, pointed horny nail on each digit of the foot of a mammal, reptile, or bird.
- dial (noun): A graduated, circular scale over which a needle moves to show a measurement (such as speed).
- dill (noun): Anethum graveolens (the type species of the genus Anethum), a herb, the seeds of which are moderately warming, pungent, and aromatic, formerly used as a soothing medicine for children; also known as dillseed.
- iliac (adjective): Relating to the ilium.
- iliad (noun): a series of exploits regarded as suitable for an epic
- illicit (adjective): Not approved by law, but not invalid.
- italic (adjective): Designed to resemble a handwriting style developed in Italy in the 16th century.
- lactic (adjective): Of, relating to, or derived from milk.
- laic (noun): A layperson, as opposed to a member of the clergy.
- laical (adjective): Of or pertaining to a layperson, layman, laywoman, or laypeople (laity).
- laid (verb): simple past tense and past participle of lay
- licit (adjective): Not forbidden by formal or informal rules.
- lilac (noun): A large shrub of the genus Syringa, especially Syringa vulgaris, bearing white, pale-pink, or purple flowers.
- lilt (verb): To do something rhythmically, with animation and quickness, usually of music.
- tactical (adjective): of or relating to tactics
- tail (noun): The caudal appendage of an animal that is attached to its posterior and near the anus.
- talc (noun): Originally a large range of transparent or glistening foliated minerals. Examples include mica, selenite and the hydrated magnesium silicate that the term talc generally has referred to in modern times (see below). Also an item made of such a mineral and depending for its function on the special nature of the mineral (see next). Mediaeval writers adopted the term from the Arabic.
- 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.
- tidal (adjective): Relating to tides.
- till (preposition): Until; to, up to; as late as (a given time).
- tilt (verb): To slope or incline (something); to slant.
- twilit (verb): simple past tense and past participle of twilight
- twill (noun): A pattern, characterised by diagonal ridges, created by the regular interlacing of threads of the warp and weft during weaving.
- wail (verb): To cry out, as in sorrow or anguish.
- wall (noun): A rampart of earth, stones etc. built up for defensive purposes.
- wild (adjective): Untamed; not domesticated; specifically, in an unbroken line of undomesticated animals (as opposed to feral, referring to undomesticated animals whose ancestors were domesticated).
- wildcat† (noun): A cat that lives in the wilderness, specifically Felis silvestris, a common small Old World wild cat somewhat larger than a house cat. A bobcat (Lynx rufus) or other similar New World species of lynx. Any feral cat. Alternative spelling of wild cat, any undomesticated felid, as tigers or lions.
- will (verb): Used to express the future tense, sometimes with some implication of volition when used in the first person. Compare shall.
- wilt (verb): To droop or become limp and flaccid (as a dying leaf or flower).