NYT Spelling Bee Answers for December 16, 2020
Game Summary
| Center Letter | Y |
|---|---|
| Outer Letters | a, d, e, h, l, t |
| # of Pangrams | 2 (Perfect: 1) |
| Total Words | 36 words |
| Total Points | 186 points |
| Genius Level | 130 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 | 2 | - | 1 | 1 | 5 |
| D | 2 | 3 | 1 | 3 | - | 9 |
| E | 3 | 1 | 1 | - | 2 | 7 |
| H | - | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 4 |
| L | 1 | - | 1 | 1 | 1 | 4 |
| T | 1 | 3 | - | - | - | 4 |
| Y | 2 | - | 1 | - | - | 3 | Σ | 10 | 10 | 5 | 6 | 5 | 36 |
Two-Letter List (2LL) Hints
The following list shows the number of solution words that begin with the corresponding two letters.
| A | AL×5 |
|---|---|
| D | DA×2 DE×5 DY×2 |
| E | ED×1 EE×1 EL×1 ET×1 EY×3 |
| H | HE×4 |
| L | LA×3 LE×1 |
| T | TA×2 TE×1 TH×1 |
| Y | YE×3 |
Three-Letter List (3LL) Hints
The following list shows the number of solution words that begin with the corresponding three letters.
| A | ALD×1 ALL×4 |
|---|---|
| D | DAD×1 DAL×1 DEA×3 DEL×2 DYA×1 DYE×1 |
| E | EDD×1 EEL×1 ELA×1 ETH×1 EYE×3 |
| H | HEA×3 HEY×1 |
| L | LAD×1 LAT×1 LAY×1 LET×1 |
| T | TAL×1 TAT×1 TED×1 THE×1 |
| Y | YEA×1 YEL×2 |
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...... | AL8 | Any of a large class of reactive organic compounds (R·CHO) having a carbonyl functional group attached to one hydrocarbon radical and a hydrogen atom. |
| al... | AL5 | To make quiet or put at rest; to pacify or appease; to quell; to calm. |
| al..... | AL7 | simple past tense and past participle of allay |
| al... | AL5 | A narrow street or passageway, especially one through the middle of a block giving access to the rear of lots or buildings. |
| al.. | AL4 | To unite or form a connection between (people or things), as between families by marriage, or between states by confederacy, league, or treaty. |
| da... | DA5 | Father. |
| da... | DA5 | To waste time in trivial activities, or in idleness; to trifle. |
| de..... | DE7 | Very accurate in shooting or throwing. |
| de.... | DE6 | Subject to death; mortal. |
| de..... † | DE7 | Appearing as though dead, or on the verge of death. |
| de... | DE5 | A period of time before an event occurs; the act of delaying; procrastination; lingering inactivity. |
| de..... | DE7 | simple past tense and past participle of delay |
| dy.. | DY4 | A set of two elements treated as one; a pair. |
| dy.. | DY4 | simple past tense and past participle of dye |
| ed.. | ED4 | A current of air or water running back, or in an opposite direction to the main current. |
| ee.. | EE4 | Resembling an eel: long, thin and slippery. |
| el...... | EL8 | In an elated manner |
| et... | ET5 | The univalent hydrocarbon radical, C2H5, formally derived from ethane by the loss of a hydrogen atom. |
| ey.. | EY4 | Having eyes. |
| ey.... | EY6 | An object that consists of a rim and small hole or perforation to receive a cord or fastener, as in garments, sails, etc. |
| ey...... | EY8 | plural of eyetooth |
| he... | HE5 | Intoxicating or stupefying. |
| he..... | HE7 | Enjoying good health; well; free from disease or disorder. |
| he...... † | HE8 | In a heated manner. |
| he.... | HE6 | A period of success, popularity, or power; prime. |
| la.. | LA4 | The mistress of a household. |
| la.... | LA6 | Recently; not long ago. |
| la..... | LA7 | A complete set of clothing, bedding and toilet articles for a new baby. |
| le...... | LE8 | In a lethal manner, in manner which is or will be fatal. |
| ta... | TA5 | Target sighted. |
| ta... | TA5 | worn and shabby; in poor condition. |
| te... | TE5 | Abbreviation of teddy bear. |
| th.. | TH4 | A group of entities previously mentioned. |
| ye.. | YE4 | yes. |
| ye.. | YE4 | shout; holler; make a loud sound with the voice. |
| ye.... | YE6 | simple past tense and past participle of yell |
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.
- aldehyde (AL8)
- allay (AL5)
- allayed (AL7)
- alley (AL5)
- ally (AL4)
- daddy (DA5)
- dally (DA5)
- deadeye (DE7)
- deadly (DE6)
- deathly† (DE7)
- delay (DE5)
- delayed (DE7)
- dyad (DY4)
- dyed (DY4)
- eddy (ED4)
- eely (EE4)
- elatedly (EL8)
- ethyl (ET5)
- eyed (EY4)
- eyelet (EY6)
- eyeteeth (EY8)
- heady (HE5)
- healthy (HE7)
- heatedly† (HE8)
- heyday (HE6)
- lady (LA4)
- lately (LA6)
- layette (LA7)
- lethally (LE8)
- tally (TA5)
- tatty (TA5)
- teddy (TE5)
- they (TH4)
- yeah (YE4)
- yell (YE4)
- yelled (YE6)
Answer Definitions
- aldehyde (noun): Any of a large class of reactive organic compounds (R·CHO) having a carbonyl functional group attached to one hydrocarbon radical and a hydrogen atom.
- allay (verb): To make quiet or put at rest; to pacify or appease; to quell; to calm.
- allayed (verb): simple past tense and past participle of allay
- alley (noun): A narrow street or passageway, especially one through the middle of a block giving access to the rear of lots or buildings.
- ally (verb): To unite or form a connection between (people or things), as between families by marriage, or between states by confederacy, league, or treaty.
- daddy (noun): Father.
- dally (verb): To waste time in trivial activities, or in idleness; to trifle.
- deadeye (adjective): Very accurate in shooting or throwing.
- deadly (adjective): Subject to death; mortal.
- deathly† (adjective): Appearing as though dead, or on the verge of death.
- delay (noun): A period of time before an event occurs; the act of delaying; procrastination; lingering inactivity.
- delayed (verb): simple past tense and past participle of delay
- dyad (noun): A set of two elements treated as one; a pair.
- dyed (verb): simple past tense and past participle of dye
- eddy (noun): A current of air or water running back, or in an opposite direction to the main current.
- eely (adjective): Resembling an eel: long, thin and slippery.
- elatedly (adverb): In an elated manner
- ethyl (noun): The univalent hydrocarbon radical, C2H5, formally derived from ethane by the loss of a hydrogen atom.
- eyed (adjective): Having eyes.
- eyelet (noun): An object that consists of a rim and small hole or perforation to receive a cord or fastener, as in garments, sails, etc.
- eyeteeth (noun): plural of eyetooth
- heady (adjective): Intoxicating or stupefying.
- healthy (adjective): Enjoying good health; well; free from disease or disorder.
- heatedly† (adverb): In a heated manner.
- heyday (noun): A period of success, popularity, or power; prime.
- lady (noun): The mistress of a household.
- lately (adverb): Recently; not long ago.
- layette (noun): A complete set of clothing, bedding and toilet articles for a new baby.
- lethally (adverb): In a lethal manner, in manner which is or will be fatal.
- tally (interjection): Target sighted.
- tatty (noun): worn and shabby; in poor condition.
- teddy (noun): Abbreviation of teddy bear.
- they (pronoun): A group of entities previously mentioned.
- yeah (particle): yes.
- yell (verb): shout; holler; make a loud sound with the voice.
- yelled (verb): simple past tense and past participle of yell