NYT Spelling Bee Answers for January 16, 2021
Game Summary
| Center Letter | K |
|---|---|
| Outer Letters | a, e, g, i, n, p |
| # of Pangrams | 1 (Perfect: 1) |
| Total Words | 30 words |
| Total Points | 130 points |
| Genius Level | 91 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 | Σ | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A | 1 | - | - | - | 1 |
| E | - | 1 | - | - | 1 |
| G | 1 | - | - | 1 | 2 |
| I | - | - | 1 | - | 1 |
| K | 6 | 2 | - | 6 | 14 |
| N | - | - | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| P | 5 | - | 1 | 3 | 9 | Σ | 13 | 3 | 3 | 11 | 30 |
Two-Letter List (2LL) Hints
The following list shows the number of solution words that begin with the corresponding two letters.
| A | AK×1 |
|---|---|
| E | EK×1 |
| G | GE×2 |
| I | IN×1 |
| K | KA×1 KE×5 KI×6 KN×2 |
| N | NA×2 |
| P | PE×5 PI×4 |
Three-Letter List (3LL) Hints
The following list shows the number of solution words that begin with the corresponding three letters.
| A | AKI×1 |
|---|---|
| E | EKI×1 |
| G | GEE×2 |
| I | INK×1 |
| K | KAP×1 KEE×4 KEP×1 KIN×5 KIP×1 KNE×2 |
| N | NAN×1 NAP×1 |
| P | PEA×2 PEE×2 PEK×1 PIK×1 PIN×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 (†).
| Word | 2L Ref | Definition (click to reveal) |
|---|---|---|
| ak.. | AK4 | Of the same kin; related by blood. |
| ek... | EK5 | The act or process of adding. |
| ge.. | GE4 | A carnival performer specializing in bizarre and unappetizing behavior. |
| ge..... | GE7 | present participle of geek |
| in.... | IN6 | present participle of ink |
| ka... | KA5 | The tenth letter of the Greek alphabet. |
| ke.. | KE4 | Often with a prepositional phrase, or with to and an infinitive: showing a quick and ardent responsiveness or willingness; eager, enthusiastic, interested. |
| ke..... | KE7 | Sharp, shrill, especially of a sound. |
| ke.. | KE4 | To continue in (a course or mode of action); not to intermit or fall from; to uphold or maintain. |
| ke..... | KE7 | conformity or harmony. |
| ke.. | KE4 | A cap with a flat circular top and a visor, particularly associated with French uniforms. |
| ki.. | KI4 | A male monarch; a man who heads a monarchy. If it is an absolute monarchy, then he is the supreme ruler of his nation. |
| ki..... | KI7 | present participle of king |
| ki..... | KI7 | The axis around which steered wheels pivot; a bolt that holds the axis in place—a kingbolt. |
| ki.. | KI4 | To laugh loudly. |
| ki..... | KI7 | present participle of kink |
| ki... | KI5 | Alternative spelling of kippah |
| kn.. | KN4 | In humans, the joint or the region of the joint in the middle part of the leg between the thigh and the shank. |
| kn..... | KN7 | present participle of knee |
| na..... | NA7 | A type of cotton cloth originally from Nanking in China. |
| na.... | NA6 | A serviette; a (usually rectangular) piece of cloth or paper used at the table for wiping the mouth and hands for cleanliness while eating. |
| pe.. | PE4 | A point; the sharp end or top of anything that terminates in a point; as, the peak, or front, of a cap. |
| pe..... † | PE7 | present participle of peak |
| pe.. | PE4 | To look slyly, or with the eyes half closed, or through a crevice; to peep. |
| pe..... | PE7 | present participle of peek |
| pe.. | PE4 | Alternative letter-case form of Peke (“Pekinese dog”) |
| pi.. | PI4 | A very long spear used two-handed by infantry soldiers for thrusting (not throwing), both for attacks on enemy foot soldiers and as a countermeasure against cavalry assaults. |
| pi.. | PI4 | The common minnow, Phoxinus phoxinus. |
| pi.... | PI6 | A little finger, the finger furthest on a hand from the thumb. |
| pi..... | PI7 | present participle of pink |
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.
- akin (AK4)
- eking (EK5)
- geek (GE4)
- geeking (GE7)
- inking (IN6)
- kappa (KA5)
- keen (KE4)
- keening (KE7)
- keep (KE4)
- keeping (KE7)
- kepi (KE4)
- king (KI4)
- kinging (KI7)
- kingpin (KI7)
- kink (KI4)
- kinking (KI7)
- kippa (KI5)
- knee (KN4)
- kneeing (KN7)
- nankeen (NA7)
- napkin (NA6)
- peak (PE4)
- peaking† (PE7)
- peek (PE4)
- peeking (PE7)
- peke (PE4)
- pike (PI4)
- pink (PI4)
- pinkie (PI6)
- pinking (PI7)
Answer Definitions
- akin (adjective): Of the same kin; related by blood.
- eking (noun): The act or process of adding.
- geek (noun): A carnival performer specializing in bizarre and unappetizing behavior.
- geeking (verb): present participle of geek
- inking (verb): present participle of ink
- kappa (noun): The tenth letter of the Greek alphabet.
- keen (adjective): Often with a prepositional phrase, or with to and an infinitive: showing a quick and ardent responsiveness or willingness; eager, enthusiastic, interested.
- keening (adjective): Sharp, shrill, especially of a sound.
- keep (verb): To continue in (a course or mode of action); not to intermit or fall from; to uphold or maintain.
- keeping (noun): conformity or harmony.
- kepi (noun): A cap with a flat circular top and a visor, particularly associated with French uniforms.
- king (noun): A male monarch; a man who heads a monarchy. If it is an absolute monarchy, then he is the supreme ruler of his nation.
- kinging (verb): present participle of king
- kingpin (noun): The axis around which steered wheels pivot; a bolt that holds the axis in place—a kingbolt.
- kink (verb): To laugh loudly.
- kinking (verb): present participle of kink
- kippa (noun): Alternative spelling of kippah
- knee (noun): In humans, the joint or the region of the joint in the middle part of the leg between the thigh and the shank.
- kneeing (verb): present participle of knee
- nankeen (noun): A type of cotton cloth originally from Nanking in China.
- napkin (noun): A serviette; a (usually rectangular) piece of cloth or paper used at the table for wiping the mouth and hands for cleanliness while eating.
- peak (noun): A point; the sharp end or top of anything that terminates in a point; as, the peak, or front, of a cap.
- peaking† (verb): present participle of peak
- peek (verb): To look slyly, or with the eyes half closed, or through a crevice; to peep.
- peeking (verb): present participle of peek
- peke (noun): Alternative letter-case form of Peke (“Pekinese dog”)
- pike (noun): A very long spear used two-handed by infantry soldiers for thrusting (not throwing), both for attacks on enemy foot soldiers and as a countermeasure against cavalry assaults.
- pink (noun): The common minnow, Phoxinus phoxinus.
- pinkie (noun): A little finger, the finger furthest on a hand from the thumb.
- pinking (verb): present participle of pink