NYT Spelling Bee Answers for February 21, 2021
Game Summary
| Center Letter | L |
|---|---|
| Outer Letters | a, b, i, m, o, x |
| # of Pangrams | 1 (Perfect: 1) |
| Total Words | 45 words |
| Total Points | 144 points |
| Genius Level | 101 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 | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A | - | 4 | 2 | - | - | 6 |
| B | 11 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 15 |
| I | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| L | 9 | 3 | 1 | - | - | 13 |
| M | 5 | 1 | 1 | 3 | - | 10 |
| O | 1 | - | - | - | - | 1 |
| X | - | - | - | - | - | - | Σ | 26 | 9 | 5 | 4 | 1 | 45 |
Two-Letter List (2LL) Hints
The following list shows the number of solution words that begin with the corresponding two letters.
| A | AB×2 AI×1 AL×1 AX×2 |
|---|---|
| B | BA×3 BI×3 BL×4 BO×5 |
| I | |
| L | LA×4 LI×4 LL×1 LO×4 |
| M | MA×6 MI×1 MO×3 |
| O | OL×1 |
| X |
Three-Letter List (3LL) Hints
The following list shows the number of solution words that begin with the corresponding three letters.
| A | ABL×1 ABO×1 AIO×1 ALI×1 AXI×2 |
|---|---|
| B | BAI×1 BAL×2 BIA×1 BIL×2 BLA×2 BLO×2 BOI×1 BOL×4 |
| I | |
| L | LAB×2 LAM×2 LIM×4 LLA×1 LOA×1 LOB×1 LOL×1 LOO×1 |
| M | MAI×2 MAL×1 MAM×1 MAX×2 MIL×1 MOI×1 MOL×1 MOO×1 |
| O | OLI×1 |
| X |
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) |
|---|---|---|
| ab.... | AB6 | In or into bloom; in a blooming state; having flower blooms unfolding. |
| ab... | AB5 | In a boil; boiling. |
| ai... | AI5 | A type of sauce, similar to mayonnaise, made from garlic, egg, lemon juice and olive oil. |
| al... | AL5 | The plea or mode of defense under which a person on trial for a crime proves or attempts to prove being in another place when the alleged act was committed. |
| ax... | AX5 | Relating to, resembling, or situated on an axis |
| ax.... | AX6 | The armpit, or the cavity beneath the junction of the arm and shoulder. |
| ba.. | BA4 | Security, usually a sum of money, exchanged for the release of an arrested person as a guarantee of that person's appearance for trial. |
| ba.. | BA4 | A solid or hollow sphere, or roughly spherical mass. |
| ba.. | BA4 | Any of various aromatic resins exuded from certain plants, especially trees of the genus Commiphora of Africa, Arabia and India and Myroxylon of South America. |
| bi..... | BI7 | Having two axes |
| bi...... | BI8 | Articulated with both lips. |
| bi.. | BI4 | Any of various bladed or pointed hand weapons, originally designating an Anglo-Saxon sword, and later a weapon of infantry, especially in the 14th and 15th centuries, commonly consisting of a broad, heavy, double-edged, hook-shaped blade, with a short pike at the back and another at the top, attached to the end of a long staff. |
| bl.. | BL4 | To tell tales; to gossip without reserve or discretion. |
| bl.. | BL4 | A sudden, explosive sound, such as is made by a gunshot |
| bl.. | BL4 | A shapeless or amorphous mass; a vague shape or amount, especially of a liquid or semisolid substance; a clump, group or collection that lacks definite shape. |
| bl... | BL5 | A blossom; the flower of a plant; an expanded bud. |
| bo.. | BO4 | A localized accumulation of pus in the skin, resulting from infection. |
| bo.. | BO4 | A throwing weapon made of weights on the ends of a cord. |
| bo.. | BO4 | The rounded seed-bearing capsule of a cotton or flax plant. |
| bo.... | BO6 | To confuse. |
| bo.. | BO4 | A long, heavy, single-edged machete. |
| la... | LA5 | The folds of tissue at the opening of the vulva, at either side of the vagina. |
| la.... | LA6 | Of or pertaining to the lips or labia. |
| la.. | LA4 | A master of Tibetan Buddhism. |
| la.. | LA4 | A young sheep. |
| li.. | LI4 | lima bean |
| li.. | LI4 | A major appendage of human or animal, used for locomotion (such as an arm, leg or wing). |
| li... | LI5 | The place where innocent souls exist temporarily until they can enter heaven, notably those of the saints who died before the advent of Christ (limbus patruum) and those of unbaptized but innocent children (limbus infantum). |
| li.. | LI4 | Clipping of limousine. |
| ll... | LL5 | A South American mammal of the camel family, Lama glama, used as a domestic beast of burden and a source of wool and meat. |
| lo.. | LO4 | A type of soil; an earthy mixture of sand, silt and clay, with organic matter to which its fertility is chiefly due. |
| lo.. | LO4 | A wolf. |
| lo.. | LO4 | To act lazily or indolently while reclining; to lean; to lie at ease. |
| lo.. | LO4 | A utensil; tool; a weapon; an article in general. |
| ma.. | MA4 | A bag or wallet. |
| ma..... † | MA7 | A box into which mail is put. A collection point for mail intended for onward delivery, a secure box or receptacle for this purpose. |
| ma.. | MA4 | A pedestrianised street, especially a shopping precinct. |
| ma.... | MA6 | An animal of the class Mammalia, characterized by being warm-blooded, having hair and producing milk with which to feed its young. |
| ma..... | MA7 | Synonym of jaw. |
| ma..... | MA7 | Largest, greatest (in magnitude), highest, most. |
| mi.. | MI4 | A grinding apparatus for substances such as grains, seeds, etc. |
| mo.. | MO4 | To toil, to work hard. |
| mo.. | MO4 | A female companion of a gangster, especially a former or current prostitute. |
| mo... | MO5 | Money, cash. |
| ol.. | OL4 | A rich, thick, Spanish stew consisting of meat and vegetables. |
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.
- abloom (AB6)
- aboil (AB5)
- aioli (AI5)
- alibi (AL5)
- axial (AX5)
- axilla (AX6)
- bail (BA4)
- ball (BA4)
- balm (BA4)
- biaxial (BI7)
- bilabial (BI8)
- bill (BI4)
- blab (BL4)
- blam (BL4)
- blob (BL4)
- bloom (BL5)
- boil (BO4)
- bola (BO4)
- boll (BO4)
- bollix (BO6)
- bolo (BO4)
- labia (LA5)
- labial (LA6)
- lama (LA4)
- lamb (LA4)
- lima (LI4)
- limb (LI4)
- limbo (LI5)
- limo (LI4)
- llama (LL5)
- loam (LO4)
- lobo (LO4)
- loll (LO4)
- loom (LO4)
- mail (MA4)
- mailbox† (MA7)
- mall (MA4)
- mammal (MA6)
- maxilla (MA7)
- maximal (MA7)
- mill (MI4)
- moil (MO4)
- moll (MO4)
- moola (MO5)
- olio (OL4)
Answer Definitions
- abloom (adverb): In or into bloom; in a blooming state; having flower blooms unfolding.
- aboil (adjective): In a boil; boiling.
- aioli (noun): A type of sauce, similar to mayonnaise, made from garlic, egg, lemon juice and olive oil.
- alibi (noun): The plea or mode of defense under which a person on trial for a crime proves or attempts to prove being in another place when the alleged act was committed.
- axial (adjective): Relating to, resembling, or situated on an axis
- axilla (noun): The armpit, or the cavity beneath the junction of the arm and shoulder.
- bail (noun): Security, usually a sum of money, exchanged for the release of an arrested person as a guarantee of that person's appearance for trial.
- ball (noun): A solid or hollow sphere, or roughly spherical mass.
- balm (noun): Any of various aromatic resins exuded from certain plants, especially trees of the genus Commiphora of Africa, Arabia and India and Myroxylon of South America.
- biaxial (adjective): Having two axes
- bilabial (adjective): Articulated with both lips.
- bill (noun): Any of various bladed or pointed hand weapons, originally designating an Anglo-Saxon sword, and later a weapon of infantry, especially in the 14th and 15th centuries, commonly consisting of a broad, heavy, double-edged, hook-shaped blade, with a short pike at the back and another at the top, attached to the end of a long staff.
- blab (verb): To tell tales; to gossip without reserve or discretion.
- blam (noun): A sudden, explosive sound, such as is made by a gunshot
- blob (noun): A shapeless or amorphous mass; a vague shape or amount, especially of a liquid or semisolid substance; a clump, group or collection that lacks definite shape.
- bloom (noun): A blossom; the flower of a plant; an expanded bud.
- boil (noun): A localized accumulation of pus in the skin, resulting from infection.
- bola (noun): A throwing weapon made of weights on the ends of a cord.
- boll (noun): The rounded seed-bearing capsule of a cotton or flax plant.
- bollix (verb): To confuse.
- bolo (noun): A long, heavy, single-edged machete.
- labia (noun): The folds of tissue at the opening of the vulva, at either side of the vagina.
- labial (adjective): Of or pertaining to the lips or labia.
- lama (noun): A master of Tibetan Buddhism.
- lamb (noun): A young sheep.
- lima (noun): lima bean
- limb (noun): A major appendage of human or animal, used for locomotion (such as an arm, leg or wing).
- limbo (noun): The place where innocent souls exist temporarily until they can enter heaven, notably those of the saints who died before the advent of Christ (limbus patruum) and those of unbaptized but innocent children (limbus infantum).
- limo (noun): Clipping of limousine.
- llama (noun): A South American mammal of the camel family, Lama glama, used as a domestic beast of burden and a source of wool and meat.
- loam (noun): A type of soil; an earthy mixture of sand, silt and clay, with organic matter to which its fertility is chiefly due.
- lobo (noun): A wolf.
- loll (verb): To act lazily or indolently while reclining; to lean; to lie at ease.
- loom (noun): A utensil; tool; a weapon; an article in general.
- mail (noun): A bag or wallet.
- mailbox† (noun): A box into which mail is put. A collection point for mail intended for onward delivery, a secure box or receptacle for this purpose.
- mall (noun): A pedestrianised street, especially a shopping precinct.
- mammal (noun): An animal of the class Mammalia, characterized by being warm-blooded, having hair and producing milk with which to feed its young.
- maxilla (noun): Synonym of jaw.
- maximal (adjective): Largest, greatest (in magnitude), highest, most.
- mill (noun): A grinding apparatus for substances such as grains, seeds, etc.
- moil (verb): To toil, to work hard.
- moll (noun): A female companion of a gangster, especially a former or current prostitute.
- moola (noun): Money, cash.
- olio (noun): A rich, thick, Spanish stew consisting of meat and vegetables.