NYT Spelling Bee Answers for February 20, 2021
Game Summary
| Center Letter | O |
|---|---|
| Outer Letters | a, d, e, l, n, w |
| # of Pangrams | 1 (Perfect: none) |
| Total Words | 64 words |
| Total Points | 270 points |
| Genius Level | 189 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 | Σ | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A | 3 | 3 | - | 1 | - | - | - | 7 |
| D | 5 | 3 | 5 | 1 | 2 | - | 1 | 17 |
| E | 1 | 1 | - | 1 | - | - | - | 3 |
| L | 6 | 2 | 3 | 2 | - | - | - | 13 |
| N | 5 | - | 2 | 1 | - | - | - | 8 |
| O | 3 | 3 | - | - | - | - | - | 6 |
| W | 2 | 2 | 4 | - | 2 | - | - | 10 | Σ | 25 | 14 | 14 | 6 | 4 | - | 1 | 64 |
Two-Letter List (2LL) Hints
The following list shows the number of solution words that begin with the corresponding two letters.
| A | AE×1 AL×4 AN×2 |
|---|---|
| D | DE×1 DO×16 |
| E | EN×3 |
| L | LL×1 LO×12 |
| N | NE×1 NO×7 |
| O | OD×2 OL×2 OW×2 |
| W | WA×2 WO×8 |
Three-Letter List (3LL) Hints
The following list shows the number of solution words that begin with the corresponding three letters.
| A | AEO×1 ALL×2 ALO×2 ANO×2 |
|---|---|
| D | DEA×1 DOD×1 DOL×4 DON×3 DOO×3 DOW×5 |
| E | END×2 ENO×1 |
| L | LLA×1 LOA×4 LOD×1 LOL×2 LON×1 LOO×1 LOW×3 |
| N | NEO×1 NOD×2 NOE×1 NON×1 NOO×3 |
| O | ODE×2 OLD×1 OLE×1 OWE×1 OWN×1 |
| W | WAL×2 WOO×7 WOW×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) |
|---|---|---|
| ae.. | AE4 | Alternative spelling of eon |
| al... | AL5 | To grant, give, admit, accord, afford, or yield; to let one have. |
| al..... | AL7 | simple past tense and past participle of allow |
| al.. | AL4 | The resins of the tree Aquilaria malaccensis (syn. Aquilaria agallocha), known for their fragrant aroma, produced after infection by the fungus Phialophora parasitica. |
| al... | AL5 | By oneself, solitary. |
| an... | AN5 | An electrode, of a cell or other electrically polarized device, through which a positive current of electricity flows inwards (and thus, electrons flow outwards). It can have either a negative or a positive voltage. |
| an.. | AN4 | Straight away; at once. |
| de...... | DE8 | Dead branches or wood on a tree, or coarse woody debris. |
| do.. | DO4 | A large, flightless bird, †Raphus cucullatus, related to the pigeon, that is now extinct (since the 1600s) and was native to Mauritius. |
| do.. | DO4 | To distribute in small amounts; to share out small portions of a meager resource. |
| do... | DO5 | simple past tense and past participle of dole |
| do.. | DO4 | A toy in the form of a human. |
| do.... | DO6 | simple past tense and past participle of doll |
| do.. | DO4 | Having completed or finished an activity. |
| do... | DO5 | Someone who receives a gift from a donor. |
| do.... | DO6 | simple past tense and past participle of don |
| do.... | DO6 | Used to refer to something whose name one cannot recall: an unspecified device, gadget, part, or thing. |
| do.... | DO6 | A fool, a simpleton, a mindless person. |
| do..... | DO7 | simple past tense and past participle of doodle |
| do... | DO5 | A pin, or block, of wood or metal, fitting into holes in the abutting portions of two pieces, and being partly in one piece and partly in the other, to keep them in their proper relative position. |
| do.. | DO4 | From a higher position to a lower one; downwards. |
| do.... | DO6 | simple past tense and past participle of down |
| do...... | DO8 | A file transfer to a given computer or device from a remote one through a network connection. |
| do........ † | DO10 | simple past tense and past participle of download |
| en... | EN5 | To provide with a dower (“the portion that a widow receives from her deceased husband's property”) or a dowry (“property given to a bride”). |
| en..... | EN7 | simple past tense and past participle of endow |
| en.. | EN4 | Archaic form of enough. |
| ll... | LL5 | A plain or steppe in parts of Latin America. |
| lo.. | LO4 | A burden; a weight to be carried. |
| lo.... | LO6 | simple past tense and past participle of load |
| lo.. | LO4 | An act or instance of lending, an act or instance of granting something for temporary use. |
| lo.... | LO6 | simple past tense and past participle of loan |
| lo.. | LO4 | A way or path; a road. |
| lo.. | LO4 | To act lazily or indolently while reclining; to lean; to lie at ease. |
| lo.... | LO6 | simple past tense and past participle of loll. |
| lo.. | LO4 | Solitary; having no companion. |
| lo.. | LO4 | An idler, a lout. |
| lo..... | LO7 | inside information, the story or truth. |
| lo... | LO5 | simple past tense and past participle of low |
| lo..... | LO7 | An area which is considered particularly low or lower than surrounding areas. |
| ne.. | NE4 | The chemical element (symbol Ne) with an atomic number of 10. The second of the noble gases, it is a colourless, odorless inert gas. |
| no.... | NO6 | simple past tense and past participle of nod |
| no.. | NO4 | A knot, knob, protuberance or swelling. |
| no.. | NO4 | A kind of hymn, or canticle, of mediaeval origin, sung in honor of the birth of Christ; a Christmas carol. |
| no.. | NO4 | Not any of a given number or group. |
| no.... | NO6 | a string or strip of pasta |
| no..... | NO7 | simple past tense and past participle of noodle |
| no.. | NO4 | The time of day when the sun is in its zenith; twelve o'clock in the day, midday. |
| od.. | OD4 | plural of odeum |
| od... | OD5 | An ancient Greek or Roman building used for performances of music and poetry. |
| ol... | OL5 | From or relating to a previous era. |
| ol.. | OL4 | A type of energy-absorbing landing gear strut in which sudden compression or extension of the strut causes a gas-filled chamber to push or pull a piston which forces oil through a small orifice, resulting in absorption of energy through viscous effects. |
| ow.. | OW4 | simple past tense and past participle of owe |
| ow... | OW5 | simple past tense and past participle of own |
| wa.... | WA6 | To roll oneself about in something dirty, for example in mud. |
| wa...... | WA8 | simple past tense and past participle of wallow |
| wo.. | WO4 | The substance making up the central part of the trunk and branches of a tree. Used as a material for construction, to manufacture various items, etc. or as fuel. |
| wo.... | WO6 | Covered with trees. |
| wo.... | WO6 | Made of wood. |
| wo...... | WO8 | Of a creature or object: growing, living, or existing in a woodland. |
| wo... | WO5 | simple past tense and past participle of woo |
| wo.. | WO4 | The hair of the sheep, llama and some other ruminants. |
| wo.... | WO6 | Made of wool. |
| wo... | WO5 | simple past tense and past participle of wow |
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.
- aeon (AE4)
- allow (AL5)
- allowed (AL7)
- aloe (AL4)
- alone (AL5)
- anode (AN5)
- anon (AN4)
- deadwood (DE8)
- dodo (DO4)
- dole (DO4)
- doled (DO5)
- doll (DO4)
- dolled (DO6)
- done (DO4)
- donee (DO5)
- donned (DO6)
- doodad (DO6)
- doodle (DO6)
- doodled (DO7)
- dowel (DO5)
- down (DO4)
- downed (DO6)
- download (DO8)
- downloaded† (DO10)
- endow (EN5)
- endowed (EN7)
- enow (EN4)
- llano (LL5)
- load (LO4)
- loaded (LO6)
- loan (LO4)
- loaned (LO6)
- lode (LO4)
- loll (LO4)
- lolled (LO6)
- lone (LO4)
- loon (LO4)
- lowdown (LO7)
- lowed (LO5)
- lowland (LO7)
- neon (NE4)
- nodded (NO6)
- node (NO4)
- noel (NO4)
- none (NO4)
- noodle (NO6)
- noodled (NO7)
- noon (NO4)
- odea (OD4)
- odeon (OD5)
- olden (OL5)
- oleo (OL4)
- owed (OW4)
- owned (OW5)
- wallow (WA6)
- wallowed (WA8)
- wood (WO4)
- wooded (WO6)
- wooden (WO6)
- woodland (WO8)
- wooed (WO5)
- wool (WO4)
- woolen (WO6)
- wowed (WO5)
Answer Definitions
- aeon (noun): Alternative spelling of eon
- allow (verb): To grant, give, admit, accord, afford, or yield; to let one have.
- allowed (verb): simple past tense and past participle of allow
- aloe (noun): The resins of the tree Aquilaria malaccensis (syn. Aquilaria agallocha), known for their fragrant aroma, produced after infection by the fungus Phialophora parasitica.
- alone (adjective): By oneself, solitary.
- anode (noun): An electrode, of a cell or other electrically polarized device, through which a positive current of electricity flows inwards (and thus, electrons flow outwards). It can have either a negative or a positive voltage.
- anon (adverb): Straight away; at once.
- deadwood (noun): Dead branches or wood on a tree, or coarse woody debris.
- dodo (noun): A large, flightless bird, †Raphus cucullatus, related to the pigeon, that is now extinct (since the 1600s) and was native to Mauritius.
- dole (verb): To distribute in small amounts; to share out small portions of a meager resource.
- doled (verb): simple past tense and past participle of dole
- doll (noun): A toy in the form of a human.
- dolled (verb): simple past tense and past participle of doll
- done (adjective): Having completed or finished an activity.
- donee (noun): Someone who receives a gift from a donor.
- donned (verb): simple past tense and past participle of don
- doodad (noun): Used to refer to something whose name one cannot recall: an unspecified device, gadget, part, or thing.
- doodle (noun): A fool, a simpleton, a mindless person.
- doodled (verb): simple past tense and past participle of doodle
- dowel (noun): A pin, or block, of wood or metal, fitting into holes in the abutting portions of two pieces, and being partly in one piece and partly in the other, to keep them in their proper relative position.
- down (adverb): From a higher position to a lower one; downwards.
- downed (verb): simple past tense and past participle of down
- download (noun): A file transfer to a given computer or device from a remote one through a network connection.
- downloaded† (verb): simple past tense and past participle of download
- endow (verb): To provide with a dower (“the portion that a widow receives from her deceased husband's property”) or a dowry (“property given to a bride”).
- endowed (verb): simple past tense and past participle of endow
- enow (determiner): Archaic form of enough.
- llano (noun): A plain or steppe in parts of Latin America.
- load (noun): A burden; a weight to be carried.
- loaded (verb): simple past tense and past participle of load
- loan (noun): An act or instance of lending, an act or instance of granting something for temporary use.
- loaned (verb): simple past tense and past participle of loan
- lode (noun): A way or path; a road.
- loll (verb): To act lazily or indolently while reclining; to lean; to lie at ease.
- lolled (verb): simple past tense and past participle of loll.
- lone (adjective): Solitary; having no companion.
- loon (noun): An idler, a lout.
- lowdown (noun): inside information, the story or truth.
- lowed (verb): simple past tense and past participle of low
- lowland (noun): An area which is considered particularly low or lower than surrounding areas.
- neon (noun): The chemical element (symbol Ne) with an atomic number of 10. The second of the noble gases, it is a colourless, odorless inert gas.
- nodded (verb): simple past tense and past participle of nod
- node (noun): A knot, knob, protuberance or swelling.
- noel (noun): A kind of hymn, or canticle, of mediaeval origin, sung in honor of the birth of Christ; a Christmas carol.
- none (pronoun): Not any of a given number or group.
- noodle (noun): a string or strip of pasta
- noodled (verb): simple past tense and past participle of noodle
- noon (noun): The time of day when the sun is in its zenith; twelve o'clock in the day, midday.
- odea (noun): plural of odeum
- odeon (noun): An ancient Greek or Roman building used for performances of music and poetry.
- olden (adjective): From or relating to a previous era.
- oleo (noun): A type of energy-absorbing landing gear strut in which sudden compression or extension of the strut causes a gas-filled chamber to push or pull a piston which forces oil through a small orifice, resulting in absorption of energy through viscous effects.
- owed (verb): simple past tense and past participle of owe
- owned (verb): simple past tense and past participle of own
- wallow (verb): To roll oneself about in something dirty, for example in mud.
- wallowed (verb): simple past tense and past participle of wallow
- wood (noun): The substance making up the central part of the trunk and branches of a tree. Used as a material for construction, to manufacture various items, etc. or as fuel.
- wooded (adjective): Covered with trees.
- wooden (adjective): Made of wood.
- woodland (adjective): Of a creature or object: growing, living, or existing in a woodland.
- wooed (verb): simple past tense and past participle of woo
- wool (noun): The hair of the sheep, llama and some other ruminants.
- woolen (adjective): Made of wool.
- wowed (verb): simple past tense and past participle of wow