NYT Spelling Bee Answers for August 18, 2021
Game Summary
| Center Letter | O |
|---|---|
| Outer Letters | c, e, i, l, n, x |
| # of Pangrams | 1 (Perfect: 1) |
| Total Words | 45 words |
| Total Points | 176 points |
| Genius Level | 123 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</th><th>9 | Σ | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| C | 4 | 6 | 2 | 3 | - | - | 15 |
| E | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| I | 1 | 1 | 1 | - | - | 1 | 4 |
| L | 7 | - | 1 | 2 | - | - | 10 |
| N | 4 | 1 | 1 | - | - | 1 | 7 |
| O | 4 | 3 | 1 | - | - | - | 8 |
| X | - | 1 | - | - | - | - | 1 | Σ | 20 | 12 | 6 | 5 | - | 2 | 45 |
Two-Letter List (2LL) Hints
The following list shows the number of solution words that begin with the corresponding two letters.
| C | CE×1 CL×1 CO×13 |
|---|---|
| E | |
| I | IC×2 IN×1 IO×1 |
| L | LE×2 LI×1 LO×7 |
| N | NE×2 NO×5 |
| O | OL×4 ON×3 OX×1 |
| X | XE×1 |
Three-Letter List (3LL) Hints
The following list shows the number of solution words that begin with the corresponding three letters.
| C | CEL×1 CLO×1 COC×2 COI×2 COL×6 CON×2 COO×1 |
|---|---|
| E | |
| I | ICO×2 INN×1 ION×1 |
| L | LEO×1 LEX×1 LIO×1 LOC×2 LOI×1 LOL×1 LON×1 LOO×2 |
| N | NEO×2 NOE×1 NON×3 NOO×1 |
| O | OLE×2 OLI×1 OLL×1 ONC×1 ONI×1 ONL×1 OXE×1 |
| X | XEN×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) |
|---|---|---|
| ce... | CE5 | A large unfretted stringed instrument of the violin family with four strings tuned (lowest to highest) C-G-D-A and an endpin to support its weight, usually played with a bow. |
| cl... | CL5 | A living organism (originally a plant) produced asexually from a single ancestor, to which it is genetically identical. |
| co... | CO5 | plural of coccus |
| co.... | CO6 | The silky protective case spun by the larvae of some insects in which they metamorphose, the pupa. |
| co.. | CO4 | Something wound in the form of a helix or spiral. |
| co.. | CO4 | A piece of currency, usually metallic and in the shape of a disc, but sometimes polygonal, or with a hole in the middle. |
| co... | CO5 | Severe pains that grip the abdomen or the disease that causes such pains (due to intestinal or bowel-related problems). |
| co..... | CO7 | girl |
| co.... | CO6 | Any of various breeds of dog originating in Scotland and England as sheepdogs |
| co... | CO5 | The punctuation mark ":". |
| co..... | CO7 | A commissioned officer in an armed military organization, typically the highest rank before flag officer ranks (generals). It is generally found in armies, air forces or naval infantry (marines). |
| co..... | CO7 | Of, relating to, affecting or within the colon. |
| co.. | CO4 | A surface of revolution formed by rotating a segment of a line around another line that intersects the first line. |
| co... | CO5 | Synonym of conical |
| co.. | CO4 | Having a slightly low temperature; mildly or pleasantly cold. |
| ic.. | IC4 | An image, symbol, picture, or other representation usually as an object of religious devotion. |
| ic.... | IC6 | Relating to, or having the characteristics of, an icon. |
| in....... | IN9 | Absence of responsibility for a crime, tort, etc. |
| io... | IO5 | of, relating to, or containing ions |
| le..... | LE7 | Of, pertaining to, or characteristic of a lion. |
| le..... † | LE7 | The vocabulary of a language. |
| li.. | LI4 | A big cat, Panthera leo, native to Africa, India and formerly much of Europe. |
| lo.. | LO4 | plural of locus |
| lo.. | LO4 | A direction in written or printed music to be returning to the proper pitch after having played an octave higher or lower. |
| lo.. | LO4 | The part of the body (of humans and quadrupeds) at each side of the backbone, between the ribs and hips |
| lo.. | LO4 | To act lazily or indolently while reclining; to lean; to lie at ease. |
| lo.. | LO4 | Solitary; having no companion. |
| lo.. | LO4 | An idler, a lout. |
| lo.... | LO6 | The Canadian dollar (both the coin and the monetary unit). |
| ne.... | NE6 | A neoconservative. |
| 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.. | NO4 | A kind of hymn, or canticle, of mediaeval origin, sung in honor of the birth of Christ; a Christmas carol. |
| no... | NO5 | The one or single occasion; the present reason or purpose (now only in for the nonce). |
| no.. | NO4 | Not any of a given number or group. |
| no....... | NO9 | 10. |
| no.. | NO4 | The time of day when the sun is in its zenith; twelve o'clock in the day, midday. |
| ol... | OL5 | Of or pertaining to oil, especially to vegetable oil |
| 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. |
| ol.. | OL4 | A rich, thick, Spanish stew consisting of meat and vegetables. |
| ol... | OL5 | An aerial maneuver in which one catches air by leaping off the ground with the skateboard and into the air. |
| on.. | ON4 | One and only one time. |
| on... | ON5 | A monocotyledonous plant (Allium cepa), allied to garlic, used as vegetable and spice. |
| on.... | ON6 | Of a system: connected (generally electrically) to a larger network. Of a generator or power plant: connected to the grid. Of a computer: actively connected to the Internet or to some other communications service. |
| ox.. | OX4 | plural of ox |
| xe... | XE5 | The chemical element (symbol Xe) with an atomic number of 54. It is a colorless, odorless, unreactive noble gas, used notably in camera flash technology. |
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.
- cello (CE5)
- clone (CL5)
- cocci (CO5)
- cocoon (CO6)
- coil (CO4)
- coin (CO4)
- colic (CO5)
- colleen (CO7)
- collie (CO6)
- colon (CO5)
- colonel (CO7)
- colonic (CO7)
- cone (CO4)
- conic (CO5)
- cool (CO4)
- icon (IC4)
- iconic (IC6)
- innocence (IN9)
- ionic (IO5)
- leonine (LE7)
- lexicon† (LE7)
- lion (LI4)
- loci (LO4)
- loco (LO4)
- loin (LO4)
- loll (LO4)
- lone (LO4)
- loon (LO4)
- loonie (LO6)
- neocon (NE6)
- neon (NE4)
- noel (NO4)
- nonce (NO5)
- none (NO4)
- nonillion (NO9)
- noon (NO4)
- oleic (OL5)
- oleo (OL4)
- olio (OL4)
- ollie (OL5)
- once (ON4)
- onion (ON5)
- online (ON6)
- oxen (OX4)
- xenon (XE5)
Answer Definitions
- cello (noun): A large unfretted stringed instrument of the violin family with four strings tuned (lowest to highest) C-G-D-A and an endpin to support its weight, usually played with a bow.
- clone (noun): A living organism (originally a plant) produced asexually from a single ancestor, to which it is genetically identical.
- cocci (noun): plural of coccus
- cocoon (noun): The silky protective case spun by the larvae of some insects in which they metamorphose, the pupa.
- coil (noun): Something wound in the form of a helix or spiral.
- coin (noun): A piece of currency, usually metallic and in the shape of a disc, but sometimes polygonal, or with a hole in the middle.
- colic (noun): Severe pains that grip the abdomen or the disease that causes such pains (due to intestinal or bowel-related problems).
- colleen (noun): girl
- collie (noun): Any of various breeds of dog originating in Scotland and England as sheepdogs
- colon (noun): The punctuation mark ":".
- colonel (noun): A commissioned officer in an armed military organization, typically the highest rank before flag officer ranks (generals). It is generally found in armies, air forces or naval infantry (marines).
- colonic (adjective): Of, relating to, affecting or within the colon.
- cone (noun): A surface of revolution formed by rotating a segment of a line around another line that intersects the first line.
- conic (adjective): Synonym of conical
- cool (adjective): Having a slightly low temperature; mildly or pleasantly cold.
- icon (noun): An image, symbol, picture, or other representation usually as an object of religious devotion.
- iconic (adjective): Relating to, or having the characteristics of, an icon.
- innocence (noun): Absence of responsibility for a crime, tort, etc.
- ionic (adjective): of, relating to, or containing ions
- leonine (adjective): Of, pertaining to, or characteristic of a lion.
- lexicon† (noun): The vocabulary of a language.
- lion (noun): A big cat, Panthera leo, native to Africa, India and formerly much of Europe.
- loci (noun): plural of locus
- loco (adverb): A direction in written or printed music to be returning to the proper pitch after having played an octave higher or lower.
- loin (noun): The part of the body (of humans and quadrupeds) at each side of the backbone, between the ribs and hips
- loll (verb): To act lazily or indolently while reclining; to lean; to lie at ease.
- lone (adjective): Solitary; having no companion.
- loon (noun): An idler, a lout.
- loonie (noun): The Canadian dollar (both the coin and the monetary unit).
- neocon (noun): A neoconservative.
- 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.
- noel (noun): A kind of hymn, or canticle, of mediaeval origin, sung in honor of the birth of Christ; a Christmas carol.
- nonce (noun): The one or single occasion; the present reason or purpose (now only in for the nonce).
- none (pronoun): Not any of a given number or group.
- nonillion (numeral): 10.
- noon (noun): The time of day when the sun is in its zenith; twelve o'clock in the day, midday.
- oleic (adjective): Of or pertaining to oil, especially to vegetable oil
- 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.
- olio (noun): A rich, thick, Spanish stew consisting of meat and vegetables.
- ollie (noun): An aerial maneuver in which one catches air by leaping off the ground with the skateboard and into the air.
- once (adverb): One and only one time.
- onion (noun): A monocotyledonous plant (Allium cepa), allied to garlic, used as vegetable and spice.
- online (adjective): Of a system: connected (generally electrically) to a larger network. Of a generator or power plant: connected to the grid. Of a computer: actively connected to the Internet or to some other communications service.
- oxen (noun): plural of ox
- xenon (noun): The chemical element (symbol Xe) with an atomic number of 54. It is a colorless, odorless, unreactive noble gas, used notably in camera flash technology.