NYT Spelling Bee Answers for December 28, 2020

calendar Dec 28, 2020 · 12 min read · spelling bee  ·
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Spelling Bee "Hive" Board for December 28, 2020
Spelling Bee "Hive" Board for December 28, 2020

Game Summary

Spelling Bee "Hive" Board for December 28, 2020
Center LetterE
Outer Lettersa, c, g, h, l, n
# of Pangrams1 (Perfect: none)
Total Words58 words
Total Points238 points
Genius Level167 points
Bingo?Yes

Table of Contents

As you scroll down this page, the clues get progressively more revealing. So scroll slowly!

  1. Spelling Bee Grid
  2. Two-Letter List (2LL) Hints
  3. Three-Letter List (3LL) Hints
  4. Extra Letter Hints (Incrementally Revealing) 🤯
  5. Today's Complete Solution
  6. Answer Definitions

If you're just here for a list of NYT Spelling Bee answers, Jump down to the answers ↓ (Spoiler Alert!).

Spelling Bee "Hive" Board for December 28, 2020

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>9Σ
A233---8
C3242-112
E21311-8
G6331--13
H431---8
L44----8
N1-----1
Σ22161441158

Two-Letter List (2LL) Hints

The following list shows the number of solution words that begin with the corresponding two letters.

A
AC×2
AL×3
AN×3
C
CA×4
CE×1
CH×5
CL×2
E
EA×2
EL×2
EN×4
G
GA×5
GE×2
GH×1
GL×5
H
HA×2
HE×6
L
LA×3
LE×5
N
NE×1

Three-Letter List (3LL) Hints

The following list shows the number of solution words that begin with the corresponding three letters.

A
ACH×1
ACN×1
ALG×1
ALL×2
ANG×2
ANN×1
C
CAC×1
CAG×1
CAN×2
CEL×1
CHA×5
CLE×2
E
EAC×1
EAG×1
ELA×1
ELE×1
ENC×1
ENG×1
ENH×1
ENL×1
G
GAG×2
GAL×2
GAN×1
GEL×1
GEN×1
GHE×1
GLA×2
GLE×3
H
HAG×1
HAL×1
HEA×1
HEE×1
HEL×1
HEN×3
L
LAC×1
LAN×2
LEA×2
LEC×1
LEE×1
LEG×1
N
NEN×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 (†).

Word2L RefDefinition (click to reveal)
ac..AC4To suffer pain; to be the source of, or be in, pain, especially continued dull pain; to be distressed.
ac..AC4A skin condition, usually of the face, that is common in adolescents. It is characterised by red pimples, and is caused by the inflammation of sebaceous glands through bacterial infection.
al...AL5plural of alga
al....AL6To state under oath, to plead.
al....AL6One of a number of alternative forms of the same gene occupying a given position, or locus, on a chromosome.
an...AN5An incorporeal and sometimes divine messenger from a deity, or other divine entity, often depicted in art as a youthful winged figure in flowing robes.
an...AN5A figure formed by two rays which start from a common point (a plane angle) or by three planes that intersect (a solid angle).
an....AN6To subject to great heat and then (often slow) cooling, and sometimes reheating and further cooling, for the purpose of rendering less brittle; to temper; to toughen.
ca...CA5A store of things that may be required in the future, which can be retrieved rapidly, protected or hidden in some way.
ca..CA4An enclosure made of bars, normally to hold animals.
ca....CA6To cross out something with lines etc.
ca..CA4A plant with simple stems, like bamboo or sugar cane, or the stem thereof The slender, flexible main stem of a plant such as bamboo, including many species in the grass family Gramineae
ce..CE4A single-room dwelling for a hermit.
ch....... †CH9A confrontation; a dare. An antagonization or instigation intended to convince a person to perform an action they otherwise would not. A bid to overcome something.
ch....CH6An opportunity or possibility.
ch.....CH7The space around the altar in a church, often enclosed, for use by the clergy and the choir. In medieval cathedrals the chancel was usually enclosed or blocked off from the nave by an altar screen.
ch....CH6To become something different.
ch.....CH7The physical confine of a river or slough, consisting of a bed and banks.
cl...CL5Free of dirt or impurities or protruberances. Not dirty.
cl....CL6To grip or hold fast.
ea..EA4All; every; qualifying a singular noun, indicating all examples of the thing so named seen as individual or separate items (compare every).
ea...EA5Any of several large carnivorous and carrion-eating birds in the family Accipitridae, having a powerful hooked bill and keen vision.
el..EL4Uncommon spelling of élan.
el......EL8Grace, refinement, and beauty in movement, appearance, or manners.
en....EN6To lock inside a cage; to imprison.
en....EN6To interact socially. To engross or hold the attention of; to keep busy or occupied. To draw into conversation. To attract, to please; to fascinate or win over (someone).
en.....EN7To lift, raise up.
en....EN6To bind or encircle with lace, or as with lace
ga..GA4To bind by pledge, or security; to engage.
ga....GA6A group of geese when they are on the ground or on the water.
ga..GA4To sing; charm; enchant.
ga....GA6A mineral, lead sulphide (PbS), mined as an ore for lead.
ga.....GA7A rich sauce, made of chocolate and cream, used also as the filling of truffles, and as a glaze.
ge...GE5Any gelled suspension made for culinary purposes.
ge..GE4A theoretical unit of heredity of living organisms; a gene may take several values and in principle predetermines a precise trait of an organism's form (phenotype), such as hair color.
gh..GH4A type of clarified butter used in South Asian cooking; usli ghee.
gl...GL5made or finished so as to have a smooth glossy surface
gl....GL6To look briefly (at something).
gl...GL5To collect (grain, grapes, etc.) left behind after the main harvest or gathering.
gl..GL4Joy; happiness great delight, especially from one's own good fortune or from another's misfortune.
gl..GL4A secluded and narrow valley, especially one with a river running through it; a dale; a depression between hills.
ha....HA6To argue for a better deal, especially over prices with a seller.
ha..HA4Sound, entire, healthy; robust, not impaired.
he..HE4To make better from a disease, wound, etc.; to revive or cure.
he..HE4The rear part of the foot, where it joins the leg.
he..HE4A place of torment where some or all sinners and evil spirits are believed to go after death.
he...HE5from here, from this place, away
he...HE5A prehistoric enclosure in the form of a circle or circular arc defined by a raised circular bank and a circular ditch usually running inside the bank, with one or more entrances leading into the enclosed open space.
he...HE5A shrub, Lawsonia inermis, having fragrant reddish flowers
la..LA4A light fabric containing patterns of holes, usually built up from a single thread.
la...LA5A weapon of war, consisting of a long shaft or handle and a steel blade or head; a spear carried by horsemen.
la..LA4A road, street, or similar thoroughfare.
le...LE5A quantity of wood ashes, through which water passes, and thus imbibes the alkali.
le..LE4To incline, deviate, or bend, from a vertical position; to be in a position thus inclining or deviating.
le..LE4A strong, lecherous desire or craving.
le...LE5An aquatic blood-sucking annelid of class Hirudinea, especially Hirudo medicinalis.
le...LE5Relating to the law or to lawyers.
ne..NE4The Hawaiian goose, Branta sandvicensis, which was designated the state bird of Hawaii in 1957.

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.

  • ache  (AC4)
  • acne  (AC4)
  • algae  (AL5)
  • allege  (AL6)
  • allele  (AL6)
  • angel  (AN5)
  • angle  (AN5)
  • anneal  (AN6)
  • cache  (CA5)
  • cage  (CA4)
  • cancel  (CA6)
  • cane  (CA4)
  • cell  (CE4)
  • challenge†  (CH9)
  • chance  (CH6)
  • chancel  (CH7)
  • change  (CH6)
  • channel  (CH7)
  • clean  (CL5)
  • clench  (CL6)
  • each  (EA4)
  • eagle  (EA5)
  • elan  (EL4)
  • elegance  (EL8)
  • encage  (EN6)
  • engage  (EN6)
  • enhance  (EN7)
  • enlace  (EN6)
  • gage  (GA4)
  • gaggle  (GA6)
  • gale  (GA4)
  • galena  (GA6)
  • ganache  (GA7)
  • gelee  (GE5)
  • gene  (GE4)
  • ghee  (GH4)
  • glace  (GL5)
  • glance  (GL6)
  • glean  (GL5)
  • glee  (GL4)
  • glen  (GL4)
  • haggle  (HA6)
  • hale  (HA4)
  • heal  (HE4)
  • heel  (HE4)
  • hell  (HE4)
  • hence  (HE5)
  • henge  (HE5)
  • henna  (HE5)
  • lace  (LA4)
  • lance  (LA5)
  • lane  (LA4)
  • leach  (LE5)
  • lean  (LE4)
  • lech  (LE4)
  • leech  (LE5)
  • legal  (LE5)
  • nene  (NE4)

Answer Definitions

  • ache (verb): To suffer pain; to be the source of, or be in, pain, especially continued dull pain; to be distressed.
  • acne (noun): A skin condition, usually of the face, that is common in adolescents. It is characterised by red pimples, and is caused by the inflammation of sebaceous glands through bacterial infection.
  • algae (noun): plural of alga
  • allege (verb): To state under oath, to plead.
  • allele (noun): One of a number of alternative forms of the same gene occupying a given position, or locus, on a chromosome.
  • angel (noun): An incorporeal and sometimes divine messenger from a deity, or other divine entity, often depicted in art as a youthful winged figure in flowing robes.
  • angle (noun): A figure formed by two rays which start from a common point (a plane angle) or by three planes that intersect (a solid angle).
  • anneal (verb): To subject to great heat and then (often slow) cooling, and sometimes reheating and further cooling, for the purpose of rendering less brittle; to temper; to toughen.
  • cache (noun): A store of things that may be required in the future, which can be retrieved rapidly, protected or hidden in some way.
  • cage (noun): An enclosure made of bars, normally to hold animals.
  • cancel (verb): To cross out something with lines etc.
  • cane (noun): A plant with simple stems, like bamboo or sugar cane, or the stem thereof The slender, flexible main stem of a plant such as bamboo, including many species in the grass family Gramineae
  • cell (noun): A single-room dwelling for a hermit.
  • challenge† (noun): A confrontation; a dare. An antagonization or instigation intended to convince a person to perform an action they otherwise would not. A bid to overcome something.
  • chance (noun): An opportunity or possibility.
  • chancel (noun): The space around the altar in a church, often enclosed, for use by the clergy and the choir. In medieval cathedrals the chancel was usually enclosed or blocked off from the nave by an altar screen.
  • change (verb): To become something different.
  • channel (noun): The physical confine of a river or slough, consisting of a bed and banks.
  • clean (adjective): Free of dirt or impurities or protruberances. Not dirty.
  • clench (verb): To grip or hold fast.
  • each (determiner): All; every; qualifying a singular noun, indicating all examples of the thing so named seen as individual or separate items (compare every).
  • eagle (noun): Any of several large carnivorous and carrion-eating birds in the family Accipitridae, having a powerful hooked bill and keen vision.
  • elan (noun): Uncommon spelling of élan.
  • elegance (noun): Grace, refinement, and beauty in movement, appearance, or manners.
  • encage (verb): To lock inside a cage; to imprison.
  • engage (verb): To interact socially. To engross or hold the attention of; to keep busy or occupied. To draw into conversation. To attract, to please; to fascinate or win over (someone).
  • enhance (verb): To lift, raise up.
  • enlace (verb): To bind or encircle with lace, or as with lace
  • gage (verb): To bind by pledge, or security; to engage.
  • gaggle (noun): A group of geese when they are on the ground or on the water.
  • gale (verb): To sing; charm; enchant.
  • galena (noun): A mineral, lead sulphide (PbS), mined as an ore for lead.
  • ganache (noun): A rich sauce, made of chocolate and cream, used also as the filling of truffles, and as a glaze.
  • gelee (noun): Any gelled suspension made for culinary purposes.
  • gene (noun): A theoretical unit of heredity of living organisms; a gene may take several values and in principle predetermines a precise trait of an organism's form (phenotype), such as hair color.
  • ghee (noun): A type of clarified butter used in South Asian cooking; usli ghee.
  • glace (adjective): made or finished so as to have a smooth glossy surface
  • glance (verb): To look briefly (at something).
  • glean (verb): To collect (grain, grapes, etc.) left behind after the main harvest or gathering.
  • glee (noun): Joy; happiness great delight, especially from one's own good fortune or from another's misfortune.
  • glen (noun): A secluded and narrow valley, especially one with a river running through it; a dale; a depression between hills.
  • haggle (verb): To argue for a better deal, especially over prices with a seller.
  • hale (adjective): Sound, entire, healthy; robust, not impaired.
  • heal (verb): To make better from a disease, wound, etc.; to revive or cure.
  • heel (noun): The rear part of the foot, where it joins the leg.
  • hell (proper noun): A place of torment where some or all sinners and evil spirits are believed to go after death.
  • hence (adverb): from here, from this place, away
  • henge (noun): A prehistoric enclosure in the form of a circle or circular arc defined by a raised circular bank and a circular ditch usually running inside the bank, with one or more entrances leading into the enclosed open space.
  • henna (noun): A shrub, Lawsonia inermis, having fragrant reddish flowers
  • lace (noun): A light fabric containing patterns of holes, usually built up from a single thread.
  • lance (noun): A weapon of war, consisting of a long shaft or handle and a steel blade or head; a spear carried by horsemen.
  • lane (noun): A road, street, or similar thoroughfare.
  • leach (noun): A quantity of wood ashes, through which water passes, and thus imbibes the alkali.
  • lean (verb): To incline, deviate, or bend, from a vertical position; to be in a position thus inclining or deviating.
  • lech (noun): A strong, lecherous desire or craving.
  • leech (noun): An aquatic blood-sucking annelid of class Hirudinea, especially Hirudo medicinalis.
  • legal (adjective): Relating to the law or to lawyers.
  • nene (noun): The Hawaiian goose, Branta sandvicensis, which was designated the state bird of Hawaii in 1957.