NYT Spelling Bee Answers for January 20, 2021
Game Summary
| Center Letter | M |
|---|---|
| Outer Letters | i, l, p, t, u, y |
| # of Pangrams | 1 (Perfect: none) |
| Total Words | 24 words |
| Total Points | 101 points |
| Genius Level | 71 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 | Σ | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| I | - | 2 | - | - | - | 2 |
| L | 2 | 2 | 1 | - | - | 5 |
| M | 4 | 1 | 1 | - | 1 | 7 |
| P | 3 | 1 | 2 | 1 | - | 7 |
| T | - | 1 | 1 | - | - | 2 |
| U | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Y | - | 1 | - | - | - | 1 | Σ | 9 | 8 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 24 |
Two-Letter List (2LL) Hints
The following list shows the number of solution words that begin with the corresponding two letters.
| I | IL×1 IM×1 |
|---|---|
| L | LI×3 LU×2 |
| M | MI×2 MU×5 |
| P | PI×2 PL×4 PU×1 |
| T | TU×2 |
| U | |
| Y | YU×1 |
Three-Letter List (3LL) Hints
The following list shows the number of solution words that begin with the corresponding three letters.
| I | ILI×1 IMP×1 |
|---|---|
| L | LIM×3 LUM×2 |
| M | MIL×1 MIT×1 MUL×2 MUM×1 MUT×1 MUU×1 |
| P | PIM×2 PLU×4 PUM×1 |
| T | TUM×2 |
| U | |
| Y | YUM×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) |
|---|---|---|
| il... | IL5 | The upper and widest of the three bones that make up each side of the hipbone and pelvis. |
| im... | IM5 | to have as a necessary consequence |
| li... | LI5 | A restriction; a bound beyond which one may not go. |
| li.. | LI4 | To walk lamely, as if favouring one leg. |
| li.... | LI6 | In a limp manner, without support or resistance. |
| lu.. | LU4 | Something that protrudes, sticks out, or sticks together; a cluster or blob; a mound or mass of no particular shape. |
| lu... | LU5 | Full of lumps, not smooth. |
| mi.. | MI4 | A grinding apparatus for substances such as grains, seeds, etc. |
| mi.. | MI4 | A mitten |
| mu.. | MU4 | (usually with over) To work (over) mentally; to cogitate; to ruminate. |
| mu...... † | MU8 | To increase the amount, degree or number of (something). |
| mu... | MU5 | An embalmed human or animal corpse wrapped in linen bandages for burial, especially as practised by the ancient Egyptians and some Native American tribes. |
| mu.. | MU4 | A mongrel dog (or sometimes cat); an animal of mixed breed or uncertain origin. |
| mu.... | MU6 | A long loose-fitting dress made of lightweight fabric printed with bright, stylized Hawaiian themes (such as flowers and palm branches). |
| pi.. | PI4 | Someone who solicits customers for prostitution and acts as manager for a group of prostitutes; a pander. |
| pi.... | PI6 | Having pimples; pimpled. |
| pl.. | PL4 | The fruit and its tree. The edible, fleshy stone fruit of Prunus domestica, often of a dark red or purple colour. The stone-fruit tree which bears this fruit, Prunus domestica. The edible, fleshy stone fruit of several species resembling the plum, or the tree from which they grow. Prunus sect. Prunus Prunus cerasifera, the cherry plum or myrobalan Prunus salicina the Chinese plum or Japanese plum Prunus spinosa, the sloe Prunus ursina the bear's plum Prunus sect. Prunocerasus North American plums Prunus americana, the American plum Prunus angustifolia, the Chickasaw plum or sand plum Prunus hortulana, the hortulan plum Prunus nigra, the Canadian plum or black plum Prunus rivularis, the creek plum or hog plum Prunus subcordata, the Klamath plum or Oregon plum Prunus sect. Armeniaca (better known as apricots) Prunus mume, an Asian fruit more closely related to the apricot than the plum, usually consumed pickled, dried, or as a juice or wine; ume. A dried grape or raisin, as used in a pudding or cake. |
| pl... | PL5 | Having a full and rounded shape; chubby, somewhat overweight. |
| pl..... | PL7 | Without reserve; fully |
| pl.... | PL6 | Plump; fat; sleek. |
| pu.. | PU4 | A device for moving or compressing a liquid or gas. |
| tu... | TU5 | Stomach or belly. |
| tu.... | TU6 | Confused, agitated noise as made by a crowd. |
| yu... | YU5 | Delicious. |
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.
- ilium (IL5)
- imply (IM5)
- limit (LI5)
- limp (LI4)
- limply (LI6)
- lump (LU4)
- lumpy (LU5)
- mill (MI4)
- mitt (MI4)
- mull (MU4)
- multiply† (MU8)
- mummy (MU5)
- mutt (MU4)
- muumuu (MU6)
- pimp (PI4)
- pimply (PI6)
- plum (PL4)
- plump (PL5)
- plumply (PL7)
- plumpy (PL6)
- pump (PU4)
- tummy (TU5)
- tumult (TU6)
- yummy (YU5)
Answer Definitions
- ilium (noun): The upper and widest of the three bones that make up each side of the hipbone and pelvis.
- imply (verb): to have as a necessary consequence
- limit (noun): A restriction; a bound beyond which one may not go.
- limp (verb): To walk lamely, as if favouring one leg.
- limply (adverb): In a limp manner, without support or resistance.
- lump (noun): Something that protrudes, sticks out, or sticks together; a cluster or blob; a mound or mass of no particular shape.
- lumpy (adjective): Full of lumps, not smooth.
- mill (noun): A grinding apparatus for substances such as grains, seeds, etc.
- mitt (noun): A mitten
- mull (verb): (usually with over) To work (over) mentally; to cogitate; to ruminate.
- multiply† (verb): To increase the amount, degree or number of (something).
- mummy (noun): An embalmed human or animal corpse wrapped in linen bandages for burial, especially as practised by the ancient Egyptians and some Native American tribes.
- mutt (noun): A mongrel dog (or sometimes cat); an animal of mixed breed or uncertain origin.
- muumuu (noun): A long loose-fitting dress made of lightweight fabric printed with bright, stylized Hawaiian themes (such as flowers and palm branches).
- pimp (noun): Someone who solicits customers for prostitution and acts as manager for a group of prostitutes; a pander.
- pimply (adjective): Having pimples; pimpled.
- plum (noun): The fruit and its tree. The edible, fleshy stone fruit of Prunus domestica, often of a dark red or purple colour. The stone-fruit tree which bears this fruit, Prunus domestica. The edible, fleshy stone fruit of several species resembling the plum, or the tree from which they grow. Prunus sect. Prunus Prunus cerasifera, the cherry plum or myrobalan Prunus salicina the Chinese plum or Japanese plum Prunus spinosa, the sloe Prunus ursina the bear's plum Prunus sect. Prunocerasus North American plums Prunus americana, the American plum Prunus angustifolia, the Chickasaw plum or sand plum Prunus hortulana, the hortulan plum Prunus nigra, the Canadian plum or black plum Prunus rivularis, the creek plum or hog plum Prunus subcordata, the Klamath plum or Oregon plum Prunus sect. Armeniaca (better known as apricots) Prunus mume, an Asian fruit more closely related to the apricot than the plum, usually consumed pickled, dried, or as a juice or wine; ume. A dried grape or raisin, as used in a pudding or cake.
- plump (adjective): Having a full and rounded shape; chubby, somewhat overweight.
- plumply (adverb): Without reserve; fully
- plumpy (adjective): Plump; fat; sleek.
- pump (noun): A device for moving or compressing a liquid or gas.
- tummy (noun): Stomach or belly.
- tumult (noun): Confused, agitated noise as made by a crowd.
- yummy (adjective): Delicious.