NYT Spelling Bee Answers for March 23, 2021
Game Summary
| Center Letter | C |
|---|---|
| Outer Letters | a, b, e, i, l, t |
| # of Pangrams | 3 (Perfect: 1) |
| Total Words | 59 words |
| Total Points | 342 points |
| Genius Level | 239 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 | Σ | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A | 1 | 2 | 3 | 1 | - | - | 7 |
| B | - | - | - | 1 | 2 | - | 3 |
| C | 3 | 8 | 4 | 4 | 3 | - | 22 |
| E | - | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 6 |
| I | - | 1 | 2 | 1 | - | - | 4 |
| L | 3 | 2 | 2 | 3 | - | - | 10 |
| T | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | - | 7 | Σ | 9 | 17 | 13 | 12 | 7 | 1 | 59 |
Two-Letter List (2LL) Hints
The following list shows the number of solution words that begin with the corresponding two letters.
| A | AB×1 AC×5 AT×1 |
|---|---|
| B | BA×2 BI×1 |
| C | CA×12 CE×5 CI×4 CL×1 |
| E | EC×2 EL×4 |
| I | IC×1 IL×2 IT×1 |
| L | LA×7 LI×3 |
| T | TA×7 |
Three-Letter List (3LL) Hints
The following list shows the number of solution words that begin with the corresponding three letters.
| A | ABA×1 ACA×2 ACE×3 ATT×1 |
|---|---|
| B | BAC×1 BAL×1 BIB×1 |
| C | CAB×4 CAC×1 CAL×4 CAT×3 CEL×5 CIA×1 CIL×1 CIT×2 CLE×1 |
| E | ECL×2 ELE×3 ELI×1 |
| I | ICI×1 ILI×1 ILL×1 ITA×1 |
| L | LAC×4 LAI×2 LAT×1 LIC×2 LIL×1 |
| T | TAC×6 TAL×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) |
|---|---|---|
| ab... | AB5 | plural form of an ancient bead calculator. |
| ac.... | AC6 | A shrub or tree of the tribe Acacieae. |
| ac.. | AC4 | Any of several South American palms, of the genus Euterpe, having a dark purple drupe. |
| ac.... | AC6 | Any diether of a geminal diol, R2C(OR')2 (where R' is not H). |
| ac..... | AC7 | Any salt or ester of acetic acid. |
| ac.... | AC6 | Of, pertaining to, or producing vinegar |
| at... | AT5 | The space, often unfinished and with sloped walls, directly below the roof in the uppermost part of a house or other building, generally used for storage or habitation. |
| ba..... | BA7 | plural of bacillus |
| ba...... † | BA8 | Pertaining to or suitable for ballet. |
| bi...... | BI8 | Of or relating to the Bible. |
| ca... | CA5 | A secret political clique or faction. |
| ca.... | CA6 | Alternative spelling of Kabballah |
| ca.... | CA6 | A cabdriver, someone who drives a taxi. |
| ca... | CA5 | A long object used to make a physical connection. A strong, large-diameter wire or rope, or something resembling such a rope. An assembly of two or more cable-laid ropes. An assembly of two or more wires, used for electrical power or data circuits; one or more and/or the whole may be insulated. A strong rope or chain used to moor or anchor a ship. |
| ca... | CA5 | plural of cactus |
| ca..... | CA7 | a very widely distributed crystalline form of calcium carbonate, CaCO3, found as limestone, chalk and marble |
| ca.. | CA4 | A telephone conversation; a phone call. |
| ca... | CA5 | A marsh plant native to cooler areas throughout the northern hemisphere, Calla palustris, having pale green flowers in a white spathe. |
| ca...... | CA8 | That can be called. |
| ca..... | CA7 | A shout or whistle expressing dislike, especially from a crowd or audience; a jeer, a boo. |
| ca..... | CA7 | Any of several perennial herbs, of the genus Typha, that have long flat leaves, and grow in marshy places. |
| ca.... | CA6 | Domesticated bovine animals (cows, bulls, steers etc). |
| ce... | CE5 | A celebrity; a famous person. |
| ce.... | CE6 | Of, pertaining to or located within the abdomen or abdominal cavity. |
| ce...... † | CE8 | Not married. |
| ce.. | CE4 | A single-room dwelling for a hermit. |
| ce... | CE5 | plural of cello |
| ci...... | CI8 | A broad, flat, white Italian bread. |
| ci... | CI5 | plural of cilium |
| ci..... † | CI7 | Capable of being, or appropriate to be, cited. |
| ci.. | CI4 | to quote; to repeat, as a passage from a book, or the words of another. |
| cl... | CL5 | A strip of wood or iron fastened on transversely to something in order to give strength, prevent warping, hold position, etc. |
| ec... | EC5 | Alternative spelling of éclat |
| 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....... | EL9 | able to be elected to office |
| 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. |
| ic.... | IC6 | A drooping, tapering shape of ice. |
| il... | IL5 | Relating to the ilium. |
| il..... | IL7 | Not approved by law, but not invalid. |
| it.... | IT6 | Designed to resemble a handwriting style developed in Italy in the 16th century. |
| la.. | LA4 | A light fabric containing patterns of holes, usually built up from a single thread. |
| la..... | LA7 | To secrete or produce milk |
| la..... | LA7 | Relating to milk. |
| la.... | LA6 | Of, relating to, or derived from milk. |
| la.. | LA4 | A layperson, as opposed to a member of the clergy. |
| la.... | LA6 | Of or pertaining to a layperson, layman, laywoman, or laypeople (laity). |
| la..... | LA7 | A flat panel constructed with widely-spaced crossed thin strips of wood or other material, commonly used as a garden trellis. |
| li.. | LI4 | plural of louse |
| li... | LI5 | Not forbidden by formal or informal rules. |
| li... | LI5 | A large shrub of the genus Syringa, especially Syringa vulgaris, bearing white, pale-pink, or purple flowers. |
| ta... | TA5 | An instruction indicating silence on the part of the performers of a piece. |
| ta... | TA5 | Implied, but not made explicit, especially through silence. |
| ta.. | TA4 | The sense of touch; feeling. |
| ta.... | TA6 | A maneuver, or action calculated to achieve some end. |
| ta...... | TA8 | of or relating to tactics |
| ta..... | TA7 | Tangible; perceptible to the sense of touch. |
| ta.. | TA4 | Originally a large range of transparent or glistening foliated minerals. Examples include mica, selenite and the hydrated magnesium silicate that the term talc generally has referred to in modern times (see below). Also an item made of such a mineral and depending for its function on the special nature of the mineral (see next). Mediaeval writers adopted the term from the Arabic. |
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.
- abaci (AB5)
- acacia (AC6)
- acai (AC4)
- acetal (AC6)
- acetate (AC7)
- acetic (AC6)
- attic (AT5)
- bacilli (BA7)
- balletic† (BA8)
- biblical (BI8)
- cabal (CA5)
- cabala (CA6)
- cabbie (CA6)
- cable (CA5)
- cacti (CA5)
- calcite (CA7)
- call (CA4)
- calla (CA5)
- callable (CA8)
- catcall (CA7)
- cattail (CA7)
- cattle (CA6)
- celeb (CE5)
- celiac (CE6)
- celibate† (CE8)
- cell (CE4)
- celli (CE5)
- ciabatta (CI8)
- cilia (CI5)
- citable† (CI7)
- cite (CI4)
- cleat (CL5)
- eclat (EC5)
- eclectic (EC8)
- elect (EL5)
- electable (EL9)
- electee (EL7)
- elicit (EL6)
- icicle (IC6)
- iliac (IL5)
- illicit (IL7)
- italic (IT6)
- lace (LA4)
- lactate (LA7)
- lacteal (LA7)
- lactic (LA6)
- laic (LA4)
- laical (LA6)
- lattice (LA7)
- lice (LI4)
- licit (LI5)
- lilac (LI5)
- tacet (TA5)
- tacit (TA5)
- tact (TA4)
- tactic (TA6)
- tactical (TA8)
- tactile (TA7)
- talc (TA4)
Answer Definitions
- abaci (noun): plural form of an ancient bead calculator.
- acacia (noun): A shrub or tree of the tribe Acacieae.
- acai (noun): Any of several South American palms, of the genus Euterpe, having a dark purple drupe.
- acetal (noun): Any diether of a geminal diol, R2C(OR')2 (where R' is not H).
- acetate (noun): Any salt or ester of acetic acid.
- acetic (adjective): Of, pertaining to, or producing vinegar
- attic (noun): The space, often unfinished and with sloped walls, directly below the roof in the uppermost part of a house or other building, generally used for storage or habitation.
- bacilli (noun): plural of bacillus
- balletic† (adjective): Pertaining to or suitable for ballet.
- biblical (adjective): Of or relating to the Bible.
- cabal (noun): A secret political clique or faction.
- cabala (proper noun): Alternative spelling of Kabballah
- cabbie (noun): A cabdriver, someone who drives a taxi.
- cable (noun): A long object used to make a physical connection. A strong, large-diameter wire or rope, or something resembling such a rope. An assembly of two or more cable-laid ropes. An assembly of two or more wires, used for electrical power or data circuits; one or more and/or the whole may be insulated. A strong rope or chain used to moor or anchor a ship.
- cacti (noun): plural of cactus
- calcite (noun): a very widely distributed crystalline form of calcium carbonate, CaCO3, found as limestone, chalk and marble
- call (noun): A telephone conversation; a phone call.
- calla (noun): A marsh plant native to cooler areas throughout the northern hemisphere, Calla palustris, having pale green flowers in a white spathe.
- callable (adjective): That can be called.
- catcall (noun): A shout or whistle expressing dislike, especially from a crowd or audience; a jeer, a boo.
- cattail (noun): Any of several perennial herbs, of the genus Typha, that have long flat leaves, and grow in marshy places.
- cattle (noun): Domesticated bovine animals (cows, bulls, steers etc).
- celeb (noun): A celebrity; a famous person.
- celiac (adjective): Of, pertaining to or located within the abdomen or abdominal cavity.
- celibate† (adjective): Not married.
- cell (noun): A single-room dwelling for a hermit.
- celli (noun): plural of cello
- ciabatta (noun): A broad, flat, white Italian bread.
- cilia (noun): plural of cilium
- citable† (adjective): Capable of being, or appropriate to be, cited.
- cite (verb): to quote; to repeat, as a passage from a book, or the words of another.
- cleat (noun): A strip of wood or iron fastened on transversely to something in order to give strength, prevent warping, hold position, etc.
- eclat (noun): Alternative spelling of éclat
- eclectic (adjective): Selecting a mixture of what appears to be best of various doctrines, methods or styles.
- elect (noun): One chosen or set apart.
- electable (adjective): able to be elected to office
- 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.
- icicle (noun): A drooping, tapering shape of ice.
- iliac (adjective): Relating to the ilium.
- illicit (adjective): Not approved by law, but not invalid.
- italic (adjective): Designed to resemble a handwriting style developed in Italy in the 16th century.
- lace (noun): A light fabric containing patterns of holes, usually built up from a single thread.
- lactate (verb): To secrete or produce milk
- lacteal (adjective): Relating to milk.
- lactic (adjective): Of, relating to, or derived from milk.
- laic (noun): A layperson, as opposed to a member of the clergy.
- laical (adjective): Of or pertaining to a layperson, layman, laywoman, or laypeople (laity).
- lattice (noun): A flat panel constructed with widely-spaced crossed thin strips of wood or other material, commonly used as a garden trellis.
- lice (noun): plural of louse
- licit (adjective): Not forbidden by formal or informal rules.
- lilac (noun): A large shrub of the genus Syringa, especially Syringa vulgaris, bearing white, pale-pink, or purple flowers.
- tacet (verb): An instruction indicating silence on the part of the performers of a piece.
- tacit (adjective): Implied, but not made explicit, especially through silence.
- tact (noun): The sense of touch; feeling.
- tactic (noun): A maneuver, or action calculated to achieve some end.
- tactical (adjective): of or relating to tactics
- tactile (adjective): Tangible; perceptible to the sense of touch.
- talc (noun): Originally a large range of transparent or glistening foliated minerals. Examples include mica, selenite and the hydrated magnesium silicate that the term talc generally has referred to in modern times (see below). Also an item made of such a mineral and depending for its function on the special nature of the mineral (see next). Mediaeval writers adopted the term from the Arabic.