NYT Spelling Bee Answers for May 25, 2021

Spelling Bee "Hive" Board for May 25, 2021

Game Summary

Spelling Bee "Hive" Board for May 25, 2021
Center LetterT
Outer Lettersa, c, h, i, r, u
# of Pangrams1 (Perfect: 1)
Total Words51 words
Total Points238 points
Genius Level167 points
Bingo?No

Table of Contents

As you scroll down this page, the clues get progressively more revealing. So scroll slowly!

  1. Spelling Bee Grid
  2. Two-Letter List (2LL) Hints
  3. Three-Letter List (3LL) Hints
  4. Extra Letter Hints (Incrementally Revealing) 🤯
  5. Today's Complete Solution
  6. Answer Definitions

If you're just here for a list of NYT Spelling Bee answers, Jump down to the answers ↓ (Spoiler Alert!).

Spelling Bee "Hive" Board for May 25, 2021

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>9Σ
A-521-19
C44322116
H34-1--8
I1-----1
R-1-1--2
T663---15
U-------
Σ1420852251

Two-Letter List (2LL) Hints

The following list shows the number of solution words that begin with the corresponding two letters.

A
AI×1
AR×3
AT×5
C
CA×7
CH×4
CI×2
CR×2
CU×1
H
HA×5
HI×1
HU×2
I
IT×1
R
RA×2
T
TA×7
TH×2
TI×1
TR×3
TU×2
U

Three-Letter List (3LL) Hints

The following list shows the number of solution words that begin with the corresponding three letters.

A
AIT×1
ARC×1
ARH×1
ART×1
ATR×1
ATT×4
C
CAC×1
CAR×2
CAT×4
CHA×2
CHI×2
CIR×1
CIT×1
CRI×1
CRU×1
CUR×1
H
HAI×1
HAR×1
HAT×3
HIT×1
HUR×1
HUT×1
I
ITC×1
R
RAI×1
RAT×1
T
TAC×4
TAR×2
TAU×1
THA×2
TIA×1
TRA×2
TRU×1
TUT×2
U

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 ().

Word2L RefDefinition (click to reveal)
ai...AI5The name of the Latin-script letter H.
ar....AR6Alternative letter-case form of Arctic
ar...AR5One who has attained enlightenment; a Buddhist saint.
ar.......AR9Of, or affected by arthritis.
at...AT5plural of atrium
at....AT6To fasten, to join to (literally and figuratively).
at...AT5An essential oil extracted from flowers.
at...AT5The 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.
at.....AT7To pull toward without touching.
ca...CA5plural of cactus
ca...CA5A unit of weight for precious stones and pearls, equivalent to 200 milligrams.
ca..CA4A small, open, wheeled vehicle, drawn or pushed by a person or animal, more often used for transporting goods than passengers.
ca......CA8A waterspout.
ca.....CA7Inflammation of the mucous membranes of the nose and throat.
ca...CA5The act of seizing or capturing.
ca.......CA9Purgative; inducing mental or physical catharsis.
ch...CH5A map. A map illustrating the geography of a specific phenomenon. A navigator's map.
ch..CH4To be engaged in informal conversation.
ch..CH4A child or babe; a young, small, or insignificant person or animal.
ch......CH8Alternative spelling of chit-chat
ci.....CI7The act of moving or revolving around, or as in a circle or orbit; a revolution
ci....CI6Of, pertaining to, or derived from, citrus fruit.
cr....CR6A person who appraises the works of others.
cr....CR6A device to assist in motion as a cane, especially one that provides support under the arm to reduce weight on a leg.
cu..CU4Brief or terse, especially to the point of being rude.
ha..... HA7The act of cutting of the hair, often done professionally by a barber, hair stylist, or beautician.
ha..HA4A male deer, especially the male of the red deer after his fifth year.
ha...HA5A horizontal door in a floor or ceiling.
ha..HA4third-person singular simple present indicative form of have
ha...HA5The fundamental form of yoga that focuses on asanas
hi...HI5A sudden pull.
hu..HU4To cause (a person or animal) physical pain and/or injury.
hu...HU5A box, chest, crate, case or cabinet.
it..IT4A sensation felt on an area of the skin that causes a person or animal to want to scratch said area.
ra...RA5A condiment used as a dip or sauce in the cuisine of southern Asia, made from seasoned yogurt.
ra.....RA7A swiftly repeated knocking sound.
ta..TA4Clipping of tachometer.
ta...TA5Implied, but not made explicit, especially through silence.
ta..TA4The sense of touch; feeling.
ta....TA6A maneuver, or action calculated to achieve some end.
ta..TA4Sharp to the taste; acid; sour.
ta....TA6A red compound deposited during wine making; mostly potassium hydrogen tartrate — a source of cream of tartar.
ta..TA4Under tension, like a stretched bowstring, rope, or sail; tight.
th..TH4Introducing a clause which is the subject or object of a verb (such as one involving reported speech), or which is a complement to a previous statement.
th....TH6Straw, rushes, or similar, used for making or covering the roofs of buildings, or of stacks of hay or grain.
ti...TI5The papal crown.
tr...TR5An area or expanse.
tr...TR5An identifying characteristic, habit or trend.
tr...TR5True facts, genuine depiction or statements of reality.
tu...TU5All together. Indicates that the remainder of a group should join in playing after a solo or other passage with a reduced number of voices.
tu..TU4A ballet skirt made of layered stiff but light netting.

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.

  • aitch  (AI5)
  • arctic  (AR6)
  • arhat  (AR5)
  • arthritic  (AR9)
  • atria  (AT5)
  • attach  (AT6)
  • attar  (AT5)
  • attic  (AT5)
  • attract  (AT7)
  • cacti  (CA5)
  • carat  (CA5)
  • cart  (CA4)
  • cataract  (CA8)
  • catarrh  (CA7)
  • catch  (CA5)
  • cathartic  (CA9)
  • chart  (CH5)
  • chat  (CH4)
  • chit  (CH4)
  • chitchat  (CH8)
  • circuit  (CI7)
  • citric  (CI6)
  • critic  (CR6)
  • crutch  (CR6)
  • curt  (CU4)
  • haircut  (HA7)
  • hart  (HA4)
  • hatch  (HA5)
  • hath  (HA4)
  • hatha  (HA5)
  • hitch  (HI5)
  • hurt  (HU4)
  • hutch  (HU5)
  • itch  (IT4)
  • raita  (RA5)
  • ratatat  (RA7)
  • tach  (TA4)
  • tacit  (TA5)
  • tact  (TA4)
  • tactic  (TA6)
  • tart  (TA4)
  • tartar  (TA6)
  • taut  (TA4)
  • that  (TH4)
  • thatch  (TH6)
  • tiara  (TI5)
  • tract  (TR5)
  • trait  (TR5)
  • truth  (TR5)
  • tutti  (TU5)
  • tutu  (TU4)

Answer Definitions

  • aitch (noun): The name of the Latin-script letter H.
  • arctic (adjective): Alternative letter-case form of Arctic
  • arhat (noun): One who has attained enlightenment; a Buddhist saint.
  • arthritic (adjective): Of, or affected by arthritis.
  • atria (noun): plural of atrium
  • attach (verb): To fasten, to join to (literally and figuratively).
  • attar (noun): An essential oil extracted from flowers.
  • 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.
  • attract (verb): To pull toward without touching.
  • cacti (noun): plural of cactus
  • carat (noun): A unit of weight for precious stones and pearls, equivalent to 200 milligrams.
  • cart (noun): A small, open, wheeled vehicle, drawn or pushed by a person or animal, more often used for transporting goods than passengers.
  • cataract (noun): A waterspout.
  • catarrh (noun): Inflammation of the mucous membranes of the nose and throat.
  • catch (noun): The act of seizing or capturing.
  • cathartic (adjective): Purgative; inducing mental or physical catharsis.
  • chart (noun): A map. A map illustrating the geography of a specific phenomenon. A navigator's map.
  • chat (verb): To be engaged in informal conversation.
  • chit (noun): A child or babe; a young, small, or insignificant person or animal.
  • chitchat (noun): Alternative spelling of chit-chat
  • circuit (noun): The act of moving or revolving around, or as in a circle or orbit; a revolution
  • citric (adjective): Of, pertaining to, or derived from, citrus fruit.
  • critic (noun): A person who appraises the works of others.
  • crutch (noun): A device to assist in motion as a cane, especially one that provides support under the arm to reduce weight on a leg.
  • curt (adjective): Brief or terse, especially to the point of being rude.
  • haircut (noun): The act of cutting of the hair, often done professionally by a barber, hair stylist, or beautician.
  • hart (noun): A male deer, especially the male of the red deer after his fifth year.
  • hatch (noun): A horizontal door in a floor or ceiling.
  • hath (verb): third-person singular simple present indicative form of have
  • hatha (noun): The fundamental form of yoga that focuses on asanas
  • hitch (noun): A sudden pull.
  • hurt (verb): To cause (a person or animal) physical pain and/or injury.
  • hutch (noun): A box, chest, crate, case or cabinet.
  • itch (noun): A sensation felt on an area of the skin that causes a person or animal to want to scratch said area.
  • raita (noun): A condiment used as a dip or sauce in the cuisine of southern Asia, made from seasoned yogurt.
  • ratatat (noun): A swiftly repeated knocking sound.
  • tach (noun): Clipping of tachometer.
  • 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.
  • tart (adjective): Sharp to the taste; acid; sour.
  • tartar (noun): A red compound deposited during wine making; mostly potassium hydrogen tartrate — a source of cream of tartar.
  • taut (adjective): Under tension, like a stretched bowstring, rope, or sail; tight.
  • that (conjunction): Introducing a clause which is the subject or object of a verb (such as one involving reported speech), or which is a complement to a previous statement.
  • thatch (noun): Straw, rushes, or similar, used for making or covering the roofs of buildings, or of stacks of hay or grain.
  • tiara (noun): The papal crown.
  • tract (noun): An area or expanse.
  • trait (noun): An identifying characteristic, habit or trend.
  • truth (noun): True facts, genuine depiction or statements of reality.
  • tutti (adverb): All together. Indicates that the remainder of a group should join in playing after a solo or other passage with a reduced number of voices.
  • tutu (noun): A ballet skirt made of layered stiff but light netting.