NYT Spelling Bee Answers for January 10, 2021

calendar Jan 10, 2021 · 12 min read · spelling bee  ·
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Spelling Bee "Hive" Board for January 10, 2021
Spelling Bee "Hive" Board for January 10, 2021

Game Summary

Spelling Bee "Hive" Board for January 10, 2021
Center LetterT
Outer Lettersa, c, d, l, o, r
# of Pangrams2 (Perfect: none)
Total Words64 words
Total Points262 points
Genius Level183 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 January 10, 2021

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
A1611-211
C52122-12
D4-2-1-7
L11-1--3
O-21---3
R21-2--5
T15422--23
Σ2816783264

Two-Letter List (2LL) Hints

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

A
AC×1
AL×4
AO×2
AT×4
C
CA×6
CL×1
CO×5
D
DA×2
DO×4
DR×1
L
LO×3
O
OC×2
OR×1
R
RA×1
RO×4
T
TA×9
TO×9
TR×5

Three-Letter List (3LL) Hints

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

A
ACT×1
ALL×2
ALT×2
AOR×2
ATO×1
ATT×3
C
CAR×4
CAT×2
CLO×1
COA×3
COL×1
COO×1
D
DAR×1
DAT×1
DOC×2
DOL×1
DOT×1
DRA×1
L
LOC×1
LOO×1
LOT×1
O
OCT×2
ORA×1
R
RAT×1
ROO×1
ROT×3
T
TAC×2
TAL×2
TAR×4
TAT×1
TOA×1
TOC×1
TOL×2
TOO×2
TOR×2
TOT×1
TRA×2
TRO×3

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...AC5Someone who institutes a legal suit; a plaintiff or complainant.
al.......AL9One who, or that which, allocates.
al...AL5To distribute or apportion by (or as if by) lot.
al...AL5A table or similar flat-topped structure used for religious rites.
al..AL4A musical part or section higher than tenor and lower than soprano, formerly the part that performed a countermelody above the tenor or main melody.
ao...AO5The great artery which carries the blood from the heart to all parts of the body except the lungs; the main trunk of the arterial system.
ao....AO6Of or relating to the aorta.
at...AT5a type of island consisting of a ribbon reef that nearly or entirely surrounds a lagoon and supports, in most cases, one to many islets on the reef platform. Atolls have a unique geology, so not all islands with a reef and a lagoon are atolls
at...AT5An essential oil extracted from flowers.
at.....AT7To pull toward without touching.
at.......AT9Something which attracts.
ca...CA5A unit of weight for precious stones and pearls, equivalent to 200 milligrams.
ca....CA6A vegetable with a nutritious, juicy, sweet root that is often orange in colour, Daucus carota, especially the subspecies sativus in the family Apiaceae.
ca..CA4A small, open, wheeled vehicle, drawn or pushed by a person or animal, more often used for transporting goods than passengers.
ca...... †CA8The amount that a cart can carry.
ca......CA8A waterspout.
ca.....CA7A shout or whistle expressing dislike, especially from a crowd or audience; a jeer, a boo.
cl..CL4A thrombus, solidified mass of blood.
co...CO5To compel, constrain, force.
co.....CO7An organism that participates in coaction
co..CO4An outer garment covering the upper torso and arms.
co..CO4A young male horse.
co..CO4Any of various aquatic birds of the genus Fulica that are mainly black with a prominent frontal shield on the forehead.
da..DA4A pointed missile weapon, intended to be thrown by the hand; for example, a short lance or javelin.
da..DA4plural of datum
do....DO6A physician; a member of the medical profession; one who is trained and licensed to heal the sick or injured. The final examination and qualification may award a doctor degree in which case the post-nominal letters are D.O., DPM, M.D., DMD, DDS, in the US or MBBS in the UK.
do...... †DO8Relating to a doctorate.
do..DO4A stupid person; a blockhead or dullard.
do....DO6An old person with impaired intellect; one in his or her dotage.
dr..DR4To damn or curse.
lo.....LO7One who, or that which, locates.
lo..LO4A scoop used to remove scum from brine pans in saltworks.
lo...LO5a game of chance similar to bingo
oc...OC5A group of eight things.
oc...OC5The number system that uses the eight digits 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7.
or....OR6Someone who orates or delivers an oration.
ra.....RA7A swiftly repeated knocking sound.
ro..RO4The part of a plant, generally underground, that anchors and supports the plant body, absorbs and stores water and nutrients, and in some plants is able to perform vegetative reproduction.
ro.....RO7One who or that which rotates.
ro..RO4Clipping of rotogravure.
ro...RO5A rotating part of a mechanical device; for example, in an electric motor, generator, alternator, or pump.
ta..TA4A Mexican snack food made of a small tortilla (soft or hard shelled) filled with ingredients such as meat, rice, beans, cheese, diced vegetables and salsa.
ta..TA4The sense of touch; feeling.
ta..TA4Originally 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..TA4Having a vertical extent greater than the average. For example, somebody with a height of over 6 feet would generally be considered to be tall.
ta..TA4Colocasia esculenta, raised as a food primarily for its corm, which distantly resembles potato.
ta...TA5A card game played in various different variations.
ta..TA4Sharp to the taste; acid; sour.
ta....TA6A red compound deposited during wine making; mostly potassium hydrogen tartrate — a source of cream of tartar.
ta....TA6An image made in the skin with ink and a needle.
to..TO4An amphibian, a kind of frog (order Anura) with shorter hindlegs and a drier, wartier skin, many in family Bufonidae.
to.....TO7A piece of music (usually for a keyboard instrument) designed to emphasise the dexterity of the performer.
to..TO4simple past tense and past participle of tell
to..TO4Loss or damage incurred through a disaster.
to..TO4A mechanical device intended to make a task easier.
to..TO4The noise of a horn or whistle.
to..TO4A traditional Japanese lantern.
to..TO4An injury or wrong.
to...TO5An amount obtained by the addition of smaller amounts.
tr...TR5An area or expanse.
tr.....TR7A vehicle used in farms e.g. for pulling farm equipment and preparing the fields.
tr..TR4simple past tense of tread
tr...TR5A supernatural being of varying size, now especially a grotesque humanoid creature living in caves or hills or under bridges.
tr..TR4An ugly old woman, a hag.

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.

  • actor  (AC5)
  • allocator  (AL9)
  • allot  (AL5)
  • altar  (AL5)
  • alto  (AL4)
  • aorta  (AO5)
  • aortal  (AO6)
  • atoll  (AT5)
  • attar  (AT5)
  • attract  (AT7)
  • attractor  (AT9)
  • carat  (CA5)
  • carrot  (CA6)
  • cart  (CA4)
  • cartload†  (CA8)
  • cataract  (CA8)
  • catcall  (CA7)
  • clot  (CL4)
  • coact  (CO5)
  • coactor  (CO7)
  • coat  (CO4)
  • colt  (CO4)
  • coot  (CO4)
  • dart  (DA4)
  • data  (DA4)
  • doctor  (DO6)
  • doctoral†  (DO8)
  • dolt  (DO4)
  • dotard  (DO6)
  • drat  (DR4)
  • locator  (LO7)
  • loot  (LO4)
  • lotto  (LO5)
  • octad  (OC5)
  • octal  (OC5)
  • orator  (OR6)
  • ratatat  (RA7)
  • root  (RO4)
  • rotator  (RO7)
  • roto  (RO4)
  • rotor  (RO5)
  • taco  (TA4)
  • tact  (TA4)
  • talc  (TA4)
  • tall  (TA4)
  • taro  (TA4)
  • tarot  (TA5)
  • tart  (TA4)
  • tartar  (TA6)
  • tattoo  (TA6)
  • toad  (TO4)
  • toccata  (TO7)
  • told  (TO4)
  • toll  (TO4)
  • tool  (TO4)
  • toot  (TO4)
  • toro  (TO4)
  • tort  (TO4)
  • total  (TO5)
  • tract  (TR5)
  • tractor  (TR7)
  • trod  (TR4)
  • troll  (TR5)
  • trot  (TR4)

Answer Definitions

  • actor (noun): Someone who institutes a legal suit; a plaintiff or complainant.
  • allocator (noun): One who, or that which, allocates.
  • allot (verb): To distribute or apportion by (or as if by) lot.
  • altar (noun): A table or similar flat-topped structure used for religious rites.
  • alto (noun): A musical part or section higher than tenor and lower than soprano, formerly the part that performed a countermelody above the tenor or main melody.
  • aorta (noun): The great artery which carries the blood from the heart to all parts of the body except the lungs; the main trunk of the arterial system.
  • aortal (adjective): Of or relating to the aorta.
  • atoll (noun): a type of island consisting of a ribbon reef that nearly or entirely surrounds a lagoon and supports, in most cases, one to many islets on the reef platform. Atolls have a unique geology, so not all islands with a reef and a lagoon are atolls
  • attar (noun): An essential oil extracted from flowers.
  • attract (verb): To pull toward without touching.
  • attractor (noun): Something which attracts.
  • carat (noun): A unit of weight for precious stones and pearls, equivalent to 200 milligrams.
  • carrot (noun): A vegetable with a nutritious, juicy, sweet root that is often orange in colour, Daucus carota, especially the subspecies sativus in the family Apiaceae.
  • cart (noun): A small, open, wheeled vehicle, drawn or pushed by a person or animal, more often used for transporting goods than passengers.
  • cartload† (noun): The amount that a cart can carry.
  • cataract (noun): A waterspout.
  • catcall (noun): A shout or whistle expressing dislike, especially from a crowd or audience; a jeer, a boo.
  • clot (noun): A thrombus, solidified mass of blood.
  • coact (verb): To compel, constrain, force.
  • coactor (noun): An organism that participates in coaction
  • coat (noun): An outer garment covering the upper torso and arms.
  • colt (noun): A young male horse.
  • coot (noun): Any of various aquatic birds of the genus Fulica that are mainly black with a prominent frontal shield on the forehead.
  • dart (noun): A pointed missile weapon, intended to be thrown by the hand; for example, a short lance or javelin.
  • data (noun): plural of datum
  • doctor (noun): A physician; a member of the medical profession; one who is trained and licensed to heal the sick or injured. The final examination and qualification may award a doctor degree in which case the post-nominal letters are D.O., DPM, M.D., DMD, DDS, in the US or MBBS in the UK.
  • doctoral† (adjective): Relating to a doctorate.
  • dolt (noun): A stupid person; a blockhead or dullard.
  • dotard (noun): An old person with impaired intellect; one in his or her dotage.
  • drat (verb): To damn or curse.
  • locator (noun): One who, or that which, locates.
  • loot (noun): A scoop used to remove scum from brine pans in saltworks.
  • lotto (noun): a game of chance similar to bingo
  • octad (noun): A group of eight things.
  • octal (noun): The number system that uses the eight digits 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7.
  • orator (noun): Someone who orates or delivers an oration.
  • ratatat (noun): A swiftly repeated knocking sound.
  • root (noun): The part of a plant, generally underground, that anchors and supports the plant body, absorbs and stores water and nutrients, and in some plants is able to perform vegetative reproduction.
  • rotator (noun): One who or that which rotates.
  • roto (noun): Clipping of rotogravure.
  • rotor (noun): A rotating part of a mechanical device; for example, in an electric motor, generator, alternator, or pump.
  • taco (noun): A Mexican snack food made of a small tortilla (soft or hard shelled) filled with ingredients such as meat, rice, beans, cheese, diced vegetables and salsa.
  • tact (noun): The sense of touch; feeling.
  • 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.
  • 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.
  • taro (noun): Colocasia esculenta, raised as a food primarily for its corm, which distantly resembles potato.
  • tarot (noun): A card game played in various different variations.
  • tart (adjective): Sharp to the taste; acid; sour.
  • tartar (noun): A red compound deposited during wine making; mostly potassium hydrogen tartrate — a source of cream of tartar.
  • tattoo (noun): An image made in the skin with ink and a needle.
  • toad (noun): An amphibian, a kind of frog (order Anura) with shorter hindlegs and a drier, wartier skin, many in family Bufonidae.
  • toccata (noun): A piece of music (usually for a keyboard instrument) designed to emphasise the dexterity of the performer.
  • told (verb): simple past tense and past participle of tell
  • toll (noun): Loss or damage incurred through a disaster.
  • tool (noun): A mechanical device intended to make a task easier.
  • toot (noun): The noise of a horn or whistle.
  • toro (noun): A traditional Japanese lantern.
  • tort (noun): An injury or wrong.
  • total (noun): An amount obtained by the addition of smaller amounts.
  • tract (noun): An area or expanse.
  • tractor (noun): A vehicle used in farms e.g. for pulling farm equipment and preparing the fields.
  • trod (verb): simple past tense of tread
  • troll (noun): A supernatural being of varying size, now especially a grotesque humanoid creature living in caves or hills or under bridges.
  • trot (noun): An ugly old woman, a hag.