NYT Spelling Bee Answers for December 23, 2020
Game Summary
| Center Letter | M |
|---|---|
| Outer Letters | a, h, n, o, p, t |
| # of Pangrams | 1 (Perfect: 1) |
| Total Words | 33 words |
| Total Points | 147 points |
| Genius Level | 103 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</th><th>9 | Σ | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A | 2 | - | - | - | - | - | 2 |
| H | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| M | 8 | 6 | 1 | 2 | - | 1 | 18 |
| N | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| O | - | 1 | 1 | 1 | - | - | 3 |
| P | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 1 | - | 7 |
| T | 1 | - | 2 | - | - | - | 3 | Σ | 12 | 8 | 6 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 33 |
Two-Letter List (2LL) Hints
The following list shows the number of solution words that begin with the corresponding two letters.
| A | AM×1 AT×1 |
|---|---|
| H | |
| M | MA×9 MO×9 |
| N | |
| O | OO×2 OT×1 |
| P | PA×2 PH×2 PO×3 |
| T | TA×2 TO×1 |
Three-Letter List (3LL) Hints
The following list shows the number of solution words that begin with the corresponding three letters.
| A | AMM×1 ATO×1 |
|---|---|
| H | |
| M | MAH×1 MAM×4 MAN×3 MAT×1 MOA×2 MOM×1 MON×2 MOO×2 MOT×2 |
| N | |
| O | OOM×2 OTT×1 |
| P | PAM×1 PAN×1 PHA×1 PHO×1 POM×3 |
| T | TAM×2 TOM×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) |
|---|---|---|
| am.. | AM4 | Ammunition. |
| at.. | AT4 | The smallest possible amount of matter which still retains its identity as a chemical element, now known to consist of a nucleus surrounded by electrons. |
| ma..... | MA7 | An epithet granted in India and Tibet to people thought to have great knowledge and love of humanity |
| ma.. | MA4 | Mother, female parent. |
| ma... | MA5 | The milk-secreting organ of female humans and other mammals which includes the mammary gland and the nipple or teat; a breast; an udder. |
| ma.... | MA6 | Alternative letter-case form of Mammon (wealth, material avarice). |
| ma..... | MA7 | Any species of the extinct genus Mammuthus, of large, usually hairy, elephant-like mammals with long curved tusks and an inclined back, which became extinct with the last retreat of ice age glaciers during the late Pleistocene period, and are known from fossils, frozen carcasses, and Paleolithic cave paintings found in North America and Eurasia. |
| ma....... | MA9 | Alternative spelling of Manhattan (“cocktail”). |
| ma... | MA5 | Food miraculously produced for the Israelites in the desert in the book of Exodus. |
| ma... | MA5 | A kind of fabric or blanket used in Latin America and southwestern United States. |
| ma.. | MA4 | Clipping of mathematics. |
| mo.. | MO4 | a low, mournful cry of pain, sorrow or pleasure |
| mo.. | MO4 | A deep, wide defensive ditch, normally filled with water, surrounding a fortified habitation. |
| mo... | MO5 | mother |
| mo.. | MO4 | Clipping of mononucleosis. |
| mo... | MO5 | A period into which a year is divided, historically based on the phases of the moon. |
| mo.. | MO4 | Alternative letter-case form of Moon (“the Earth's only permanent natural satellite”). |
| mo.. | MO4 | Subject to discussion (originally at a moot); arguable, debatable, unsolved or impossible to solve. |
| mo.. | MO4 | A usually nocturnal insect of the order Lepidoptera, distinguished from butterflies by feather-like antennae. |
| mo... | MO5 | A sentence, phrase, or word, forming part of an heraldic achievement. |
| oo.... | OO6 | Alternative spelling of oom-pah |
| oo... | OO5 | Strength, power, passion or effectiveness; clout. |
| ot..... | OT7 | An upholstered sofa, without arms or a back, sometimes with a compartment for storing linen etc. |
| pa... | PA5 | singular of pampas |
| pa.... | PA6 | a lightweight hat of natural-colored straw hand-plaited of narrow strips from the young leaves of the jipijapa |
| ph..... † | PH7 | A ghost or apparition. |
| ph...... | PH8 | a map made by the superimposition of aerial photographs onto grid lines, contours and other normal map features |
| po.. | PO4 | Show of magnificence; parade; display; power. |
| po..... | PO7 | Any of various carangid fish, of the genus Trachinotus or species Alectis ciliaris, the African pompano, from coastal parts of the North Atlantic. |
| po.... | PO6 | A decorative ball made of pieces of soft fabric bound at the centre, most notably used in cheerleading. |
| ta.. | TA4 | To plug up with clay, earth, dry sand, sod, or other material, as a hole bored in a rock. |
| ta.... | TA6 | A plug of cotton or other absorbent material inserted into a body cavity or wound to absorb fluid, especially one inserted in the vagina during menstruation. |
| to.... | TO6 | A widely cultivated plant, Solanum lycopersicum, having edible fruit. |
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.
- ammo (AM4)
- atom (AT4)
- mahatma (MA7)
- mama (MA4)
- mamma (MA5)
- mammon (MA6)
- mammoth (MA7)
- manhattan (MA9)
- manna (MA5)
- manta (MA5)
- math (MA4)
- moan (MO4)
- moat (MO4)
- momma (MO5)
- mono (MO4)
- month (MO5)
- moon (MO4)
- moot (MO4)
- moth (MO4)
- motto (MO5)
- oompah (OO6)
- oomph (OO5)
- ottoman (OT7)
- pampa (PA5)
- panama (PA6)
- phantom† (PH7)
- photomap (PH8)
- pomp (PO4)
- pompano (PO7)
- pompom (PO6)
- tamp (TA4)
- tampon (TA6)
- tomato (TO6)
Answer Definitions
- ammo (noun): Ammunition.
- atom (noun): The smallest possible amount of matter which still retains its identity as a chemical element, now known to consist of a nucleus surrounded by electrons.
- mahatma (noun): An epithet granted in India and Tibet to people thought to have great knowledge and love of humanity
- mama (noun): Mother, female parent.
- mamma (noun): The milk-secreting organ of female humans and other mammals which includes the mammary gland and the nipple or teat; a breast; an udder.
- mammon (proper noun): Alternative letter-case form of Mammon (wealth, material avarice).
- mammoth (noun): Any species of the extinct genus Mammuthus, of large, usually hairy, elephant-like mammals with long curved tusks and an inclined back, which became extinct with the last retreat of ice age glaciers during the late Pleistocene period, and are known from fossils, frozen carcasses, and Paleolithic cave paintings found in North America and Eurasia.
- manhattan (noun): Alternative spelling of Manhattan (“cocktail”).
- manna (noun): Food miraculously produced for the Israelites in the desert in the book of Exodus.
- manta (noun): A kind of fabric or blanket used in Latin America and southwestern United States.
- math (noun): Clipping of mathematics.
- moan (noun): a low, mournful cry of pain, sorrow or pleasure
- moat (noun): A deep, wide defensive ditch, normally filled with water, surrounding a fortified habitation.
- momma (noun): mother
- mono (noun): Clipping of mononucleosis.
- month (noun): A period into which a year is divided, historically based on the phases of the moon.
- moon (proper noun): Alternative letter-case form of Moon (“the Earth's only permanent natural satellite”).
- moot (adjective): Subject to discussion (originally at a moot); arguable, debatable, unsolved or impossible to solve.
- moth (noun): A usually nocturnal insect of the order Lepidoptera, distinguished from butterflies by feather-like antennae.
- motto (noun): A sentence, phrase, or word, forming part of an heraldic achievement.
- oompah (noun): Alternative spelling of oom-pah
- oomph (noun): Strength, power, passion or effectiveness; clout.
- ottoman (noun): An upholstered sofa, without arms or a back, sometimes with a compartment for storing linen etc.
- pampa (noun): singular of pampas
- panama (noun): a lightweight hat of natural-colored straw hand-plaited of narrow strips from the young leaves of the jipijapa
- phantom† (noun): A ghost or apparition.
- photomap (noun): a map made by the superimposition of aerial photographs onto grid lines, contours and other normal map features
- pomp (noun): Show of magnificence; parade; display; power.
- pompano (noun): Any of various carangid fish, of the genus Trachinotus or species Alectis ciliaris, the African pompano, from coastal parts of the North Atlantic.
- pompom (noun): A decorative ball made of pieces of soft fabric bound at the centre, most notably used in cheerleading.
- tamp (verb): To plug up with clay, earth, dry sand, sod, or other material, as a hole bored in a rock.
- tampon (noun): A plug of cotton or other absorbent material inserted into a body cavity or wound to absorb fluid, especially one inserted in the vagina during menstruation.
- tomato (noun): A widely cultivated plant, Solanum lycopersicum, having edible fruit.