NYT Spelling Bee Answers for January 18, 2021
Game Summary
| Center Letter | T |
|---|---|
| Outer Letters | b, c, e, i, l, o |
| # of Pangrams | 1 (Perfect: none) |
| Total Words | 55 words |
| Total Points | 227 points |
| Genius Level | 159 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</th><th>9</th><th>10</th><th>11 | Σ | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| B | 6 | - | 7 | 1 | 1 | - | - | - | 15 |
| C | 5 | - | 2 | 1 | - | - | - | 1 | 9 |
| E | - | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | - | - | - | 5 |
| I | - | - | - | 1 | - | - | - | - | 1 |
| L | 3 | 2 | 1 | - | - | - | - | - | 6 |
| O | 1 | 1 | 1 | - | 1 | - | - | - | 4 |
| T | 9 | 2 | 3 | - | 1 | - | - | - | 15 | Σ | 24 | 7 | 15 | 4 | 4 | - | - | 1 | 55 |
Two-Letter List (2LL) Hints
The following list shows the number of solution words that begin with the corresponding two letters.
| B | BE×4 BI×4 BL×2 BO×5 |
|---|---|
| C | CI×1 CL×1 CO×7 |
| E | EC×1 EL×4 |
| I | IL×1 |
| L | LI×4 LO×2 |
| O | OB×1 OC×3 |
| T | TE×1 TI×5 TO×9 |
Three-Letter List (3LL) Hints
The following list shows the number of solution words that begin with the corresponding three letters.
| B | BEE×2 BEL×2 BIB×1 BIL×1 BIO×1 BIT×1 BLO×2 BOL×1 BOO×3 BOT×1 |
|---|---|
| C | CIT×1 CLO×1 COL×4 COO×2 COT×1 |
| E | ECL×1 ELE×2 ELI×2 |
| I | ILL×1 |
| L | LIC×1 LIL×1 LIT×2 LOO×1 LOT×1 |
| O | OBI×1 OCE×1 OCO×1 OCT×1 |
| T | TEL×1 TIL×3 TIT×2 TOI×4 TOL×1 TOO×3 TOT×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) |
|---|---|---|
| be.. | BE4 | Beta vulgaris, a plant with a swollen root which is eaten or used to make sugar. |
| be.... | BE6 | Any of numerous species of insect in the order Coleoptera characterized by a pair of hard, shell-like front wings which cover and protect a pair of rear wings when at rest. |
| be...... | BE8 | To knowingly say that something is smaller or less important than it actually is, especially as a way of showing contempt or deprecation. |
| be.. | BE4 | A band worn around the waist to hold clothing to one's body (usually pants), hold weapons (such as a gun or sword), or serve as a decorative piece of clothing. |
| bi..... | BI7 | A bauble, knickknack or trinket. |
| bi.... | BI6 | A short informal letter. |
| bi.... | BI6 | Of, pertaining to, or produced by life or living organisms |
| bi.. | BI4 | To cut into something by clamping the teeth. |
| bl.. | BL4 | A blemish, spot or stain made by a coloured substance. |
| bl.... | BL6 | (Very) drunk or intoxicated. |
| bo.. | BO4 | A (usually) metal fastener consisting of a cylindrical body that is threaded, with a larger head on one end. It can be inserted into an unthreaded hole up to the head, with a nut then threaded on the other end; a heavy machine screw. |
| bo.. | BO4 | A heavy shoe that covers part of the leg. A kind of sports shoe worn by players of certain games such as cricket and football. |
| bo.... | BO6 | A soft, woolen shoe, usually knitted, for a baby or small pet. |
| bo.... | BO6 | Alternative spelling of bootee |
| bo.... | BO6 | A container, typically made of glass or plastic and having a tapered neck, used primarily for holding liquids. |
| ci.. | CI4 | to quote; to repeat, as a passage from a book, or the words of another. |
| cl.. | CL4 | A thrombus, solidified mass of blood. |
| co..... | CO7 | To gather together; amass. |
| co......... † | CO11 | Worthy or suitable for collecting on historical/financial grounds, or for meeting a personal aesthetic. |
| co.... | CO6 | A band, flange, ferrule, or collar, designed to grip and hold a tool or a workpiece under proper control, and usually to release it under control thereafter; such a collet usually is made of a hard, springy material, especially a metal. |
| co.. | CO4 | A young male horse. |
| co.. | CO4 | Any of various aquatic birds of the genus Fulica that are mainly black with a prominent frontal shield on the forehead. |
| co.... | CO6 | A louse (Pediculus humanus). |
| co.. | CO4 | A cottage or hut. |
| ec...... | EC8 | Selecting a mixture of what appears to be best of various doctrines, methods or styles. |
| el... | EL5 | One chosen or set apart. |
| el..... | EL7 | Someone who is elected. |
| el.... | EL6 | To evoke, educe (emotions, feelings, responses, etc.); to generate, obtain, or provoke as a response or answer. |
| el... | EL5 | Of high birth or social position; aristocratic or patrician. |
| il..... | IL7 | Not approved by law, but not invalid. |
| li... | LI5 | Not forbidden by formal or informal rules. |
| li.. | LI4 | To do something rhythmically, with animation and quickness, usually of music. |
| li.. | LI4 | Abridged; refers to a simpler or unpaid version of a product. |
| li.... | LI6 | Small in size. |
| lo.. | LO4 | A scoop used to remove scum from brine pans in saltworks. |
| lo... | LO5 | a game of chance similar to bingo |
| ob.. | OB4 | Death of a person. |
| oc.... | OC6 | An American feline carnivore (Leopardus pardalis, syn. Felis pardalis) covered with blackish ocellated spots and blotches which are variously arranged. |
| oc...... | OC8 | Any of various succulent plants, unrelated to the cactus, in genus Fouquieria, especially Fouquieria splendens, living in Central America or the southwest United States. |
| oc... | OC5 | A group or set of eight of something. |
| te.. | TE4 | To count, reckon, or enumerate. |
| ti.. | TI4 | A regularly-shaped slab of clay or other material, affixed to cover or decorate a surface, as in a roof-tile, glazed tile, stove tile, carpet tile etc. |
| ti.. | TI4 | Until; to, up to; as late as (a given time). |
| ti.. | TI4 | To slope or incline (something); to slant. |
| ti... | TI5 | An appellation given to a person or family to signify either veneration, official position, social rank, the possession of assets or properties, or a professional or academic qualification. See also Category:Titles |
| ti.... | TI6 | Any small dot, stroke, or diacritical mark, especially if part of a letter, or if a letter-like abbreviation; in particular, the dots over the Latin letters i and j. |
| to.. | TO4 | Labour, work, especially of a grueling nature. |
| to... | TO5 | plain or simple twilled fabric |
| to.... | TO6 | A covering of linen, silk, or tapestry, spread over a dressing table in a chamber or dressing room. |
| to...... | TO8 | Archaic form of toilet. (in all senses related to dressing and personal grooming, but not a water closet) |
| to.. | TO4 | Loss or damage incurred through a disaster. |
| to.. | TO4 | A mechanical device intended to make a task easier. |
| to.. | TO4 | The noise of a horn or whistle. |
| to.... | TO6 | To make a soft toot sound. |
| to.. | TO4 | A tote bag. |
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.
- beet (BE4)
- beetle (BE6)
- belittle (BE8)
- belt (BE4)
- bibelot (BI7)
- billet (BI6)
- biotic (BI6)
- bite (BI4)
- blot (BL4)
- blotto (BL6)
- bolt (BO4)
- boot (BO4)
- bootee (BO6)
- bootie (BO6)
- bottle (BO6)
- cite (CI4)
- clot (CL4)
- collect (CO7)
- collectible† (CO11)
- collet (CO6)
- colt (CO4)
- coot (CO4)
- cootie (CO6)
- cote (CO4)
- eclectic (EC8)
- elect (EL5)
- electee (EL7)
- elicit (EL6)
- elite (EL5)
- illicit (IL7)
- licit (LI5)
- lilt (LI4)
- lite (LI4)
- little (LI6)
- loot (LO4)
- lotto (LO5)
- obit (OB4)
- ocelot (OC6)
- ocotillo (OC8)
- octet (OC5)
- tell (TE4)
- tile (TI4)
- till (TI4)
- tilt (TI4)
- title (TI5)
- tittle (TI6)
- toil (TO4)
- toile (TO5)
- toilet (TO6)
- toilette (TO8)
- toll (TO4)
- tool (TO4)
- toot (TO4)
- tootle (TO6)
- tote (TO4)
Answer Definitions
- beet (noun): Beta vulgaris, a plant with a swollen root which is eaten or used to make sugar.
- beetle (noun): Any of numerous species of insect in the order Coleoptera characterized by a pair of hard, shell-like front wings which cover and protect a pair of rear wings when at rest.
- belittle (verb): To knowingly say that something is smaller or less important than it actually is, especially as a way of showing contempt or deprecation.
- belt (noun): A band worn around the waist to hold clothing to one's body (usually pants), hold weapons (such as a gun or sword), or serve as a decorative piece of clothing.
- bibelot (noun): A bauble, knickknack or trinket.
- billet (noun): A short informal letter.
- biotic (adjective): Of, pertaining to, or produced by life or living organisms
- bite (verb): To cut into something by clamping the teeth.
- blot (noun): A blemish, spot or stain made by a coloured substance.
- blotto (adjective): (Very) drunk or intoxicated.
- bolt (noun): A (usually) metal fastener consisting of a cylindrical body that is threaded, with a larger head on one end. It can be inserted into an unthreaded hole up to the head, with a nut then threaded on the other end; a heavy machine screw.
- boot (noun): A heavy shoe that covers part of the leg. A kind of sports shoe worn by players of certain games such as cricket and football.
- bootee (noun): A soft, woolen shoe, usually knitted, for a baby or small pet.
- bootie (noun): Alternative spelling of bootee
- bottle (noun): A container, typically made of glass or plastic and having a tapered neck, used primarily for holding liquids.
- cite (verb): to quote; to repeat, as a passage from a book, or the words of another.
- clot (noun): A thrombus, solidified mass of blood.
- collect (verb): To gather together; amass.
- collectible† (adjective): Worthy or suitable for collecting on historical/financial grounds, or for meeting a personal aesthetic.
- collet (noun): A band, flange, ferrule, or collar, designed to grip and hold a tool or a workpiece under proper control, and usually to release it under control thereafter; such a collet usually is made of a hard, springy material, especially a metal.
- 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.
- cootie (noun): A louse (Pediculus humanus).
- cote (noun): A cottage or hut.
- eclectic (adjective): Selecting a mixture of what appears to be best of various doctrines, methods or styles.
- elect (noun): One chosen or set apart.
- electee (noun): Someone who is elected.
- elicit (verb): To evoke, educe (emotions, feelings, responses, etc.); to generate, obtain, or provoke as a response or answer.
- elite (adjective): Of high birth or social position; aristocratic or patrician.
- illicit (adjective): Not approved by law, but not invalid.
- licit (adjective): Not forbidden by formal or informal rules.
- lilt (verb): To do something rhythmically, with animation and quickness, usually of music.
- lite (adjective): Abridged; refers to a simpler or unpaid version of a product.
- little (adjective): Small in size.
- loot (noun): A scoop used to remove scum from brine pans in saltworks.
- lotto (noun): a game of chance similar to bingo
- obit (noun): Death of a person.
- ocelot (noun): An American feline carnivore (Leopardus pardalis, syn. Felis pardalis) covered with blackish ocellated spots and blotches which are variously arranged.
- ocotillo (noun): Any of various succulent plants, unrelated to the cactus, in genus Fouquieria, especially Fouquieria splendens, living in Central America or the southwest United States.
- octet (noun): A group or set of eight of something.
- tell (verb): To count, reckon, or enumerate.
- tile (noun): A regularly-shaped slab of clay or other material, affixed to cover or decorate a surface, as in a roof-tile, glazed tile, stove tile, carpet tile etc.
- till (preposition): Until; to, up to; as late as (a given time).
- tilt (verb): To slope or incline (something); to slant.
- title (noun): An appellation given to a person or family to signify either veneration, official position, social rank, the possession of assets or properties, or a professional or academic qualification. See also Category:Titles
- tittle (noun): Any small dot, stroke, or diacritical mark, especially if part of a letter, or if a letter-like abbreviation; in particular, the dots over the Latin letters i and j.
- toil (noun): Labour, work, especially of a grueling nature.
- toile (noun): plain or simple twilled fabric
- toilet (noun): A covering of linen, silk, or tapestry, spread over a dressing table in a chamber or dressing room.
- toilette (noun): Archaic form of toilet. (in all senses related to dressing and personal grooming, but not a water closet)
- 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.
- tootle (verb): To make a soft toot sound.
- tote (noun): A tote bag.