NYT Spelling Bee Answers for October 21, 2021
Game Summary
| Center Letter | I |
|---|---|
| Outer Letters | a, d, l, t, v, y |
| # of Pangrams | 1 (Perfect: none) |
| Total Words | 48 words |
| Total Points | 210 points |
| Genius Level | 147 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</th><th>10 | Σ | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | - | - | - | 6 |
| D | 3 | 4 | 2 | 1 | - | - | 1 | 11 |
| I | 4 | 1 | - | - | - | - | - | 5 |
| L | 3 | 2 | - | 1 | 1 | - | - | 7 |
| T | 5 | 1 | 1 | 1 | - | - | - | 8 |
| V | 1 | 4 | - | 3 | 3 | - | - | 11 |
| Y | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | Σ | 18 | 14 | 4 | 7 | 4 | - | 1 | 48 |
Two-Letter List (2LL) Hints
The following list shows the number of solution words that begin with the corresponding two letters.
| A | AL×1 AT×1 AV×4 |
|---|---|
| D | DA×3 DI×8 |
| I | ID×3 IL×1 IT×1 |
| L | LA×2 LI×5 |
| T | TA×2 TI×6 |
| V | VA×3 VI×8 |
| Y |
Three-Letter List (3LL) Hints
The following list shows the number of solution words that begin with the corresponding three letters.
| A | ALI×1 ATI×1 AVA×1 AVI×3 |
|---|---|
| D | DAI×1 DAY×2 DIA×1 DID×1 DIL×3 DIT×1 DIV×2 |
| I | IDL×1 IDY×2 ILL×1 ITT×1 |
| L | LAI×2 LIL×2 LIV×3 |
| T | TAI×1 TAL×1 TID×4 TIL×2 |
| V | VAL×3 VIA×1 VIL×1 VIT×3 VIV×3 |
| Y |
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) |
|---|---|---|
| al.. | AL4 | simple past tense and past participle of alight |
| at... | AT5 | At an angle from the vertical or horizontal. |
| av... | AV5 | To turn to the advantage of. |
| av.. | AV4 | enthusiastic; keen; eager; showing great interest in something or desire to do something |
| av..... | AV7 | Greediness; strong appetite. |
| av.... | AV6 | In an avid manner; greedily; eagerly. |
| da... | DA5 | That occurs every day, or at least every working day |
| da..... | DA7 | Any of several perennial plants, of the genus Hemerocallis, that have fleshy roots, grasslike leaves and colourful flowers that bloom for just one day. |
| da.... | DA6 | simple past tense and past participle of daylight |
| di.. | DI4 | A graduated, circular scale over which a needle moves to show a measurement (such as speed). |
| di.... | DI6 | A small amount of no worth. |
| di.. | DI4 | Anethum graveolens (the type species of the genus Anethum), a herb, the seeds of which are moderately warming, pungent, and aromatic, formerly used as a soothing medicine for children; also known as dillseed. |
| di... | DI5 | Redolent of dill (the herb). |
| di........ | DI10 | Alternative spelling of dilly-dally |
| di... | DI5 | A short, simple verse or song. |
| di.. | DI4 | Any female celebrity, usually a well known singer or actress. |
| di... | DI5 | A dividend; a share or portion. |
| id.. | ID4 | Without specific purpose, intent or effort. |
| id.. | ID4 | Alternative spelling of idyll |
| id... | ID5 | Any poem or short written piece composed in the style of Theocritus' short pastoral poems, the Idylls. |
| il.. | IL4 | Badly; poorly. |
| it.. | IT4 | Extremely small. |
| la.. | LA4 | simple past tense and past participle of lay |
| la... | LA5 | People of a church who are not ordained clergy or clerics. |
| li.. | LI4 | To do something rhythmically, with animation and quickness, usually of music. |
| li.. | LI4 | Any of several flowers in the genus Lilium of the family Liliaceae, which includes a great many ornamental species. |
| li... | LI5 | Having a dark, bluish appearance. |
| li...... | LI8 | The state or quality of being livid. |
| li..... | LI7 | In a way that is livid. |
| ta.. | TA4 | The caudal appendage of an animal that is attached to its posterior and near the anus. |
| ta.. | TA4 | plural of talus |
| ti... | TI5 | Relating to tides. |
| ti..... | TI7 | In a tidal manner. |
| ti.... | TI6 | In a tidy manner; neatly; cleanly. |
| ti.. | TI4 | Arranged neatly and in order. |
| ti.. | TI4 | Until; to, up to; as late as (a given time). |
| ti.. | TI4 | To slope or incline (something); to slant. |
| va... | VA5 | Well grounded or justifiable, pertinent. |
| va...... † | VA8 | The state of being valid, authentic or genuine. |
| va..... | VA7 | In a valid manner. |
| vi.. | VI4 | A glass vessel or bottle, especially a small tube-shaped bottle used to store medicine, perfume or other chemicals. |
| vi... | VI5 | A house, often larger and more expensive than average, in the countryside or on the coast, often used as a retreat. |
| vi... | VI5 | Relating to, or characteristic of life. |
| vi...... | VI8 | The capacity to live and develop. |
| vi..... | VI7 | In a manner that imparts vitality |
| vi... | VI5 | Clear, detailed or powerful. |
| vi...... | VI8 | Synonym of vividness |
| vi..... | VI7 | In a vivid manner. |
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.
- alit (AL4)
- atilt (AT5)
- avail (AV5)
- avid (AV4)
- avidity (AV7)
- avidly (AV6)
- daily (DA5)
- daylily (DA7)
- daylit (DA6)
- dial (DI4)
- diddly (DI6)
- dill (DI4)
- dilly (DI5)
- dillydally (DI10)
- ditty (DI5)
- diva (DI4)
- divvy (DI5)
- idly (ID4)
- idyl (ID4)
- idyll (ID5)
- illy (IL4)
- itty (IT4)
- laid (LA4)
- laity (LA5)
- lilt (LI4)
- lily (LI4)
- livid (LI5)
- lividity (LI8)
- lividly (LI7)
- tail (TA4)
- tali (TA4)
- tidal (TI5)
- tidally (TI7)
- tidily (TI6)
- tidy (TI4)
- till (TI4)
- tilt (TI4)
- valid (VA5)
- validity† (VA8)
- validly (VA7)
- vial (VI4)
- villa (VI5)
- vital (VI5)
- vitality (VI8)
- vitally (VI7)
- vivid (VI5)
- vividity (VI8)
- vividly (VI7)
Answer Definitions
- alit (verb): simple past tense and past participle of alight
- atilt (adjective): At an angle from the vertical or horizontal.
- avail (verb): To turn to the advantage of.
- avid (adjective): enthusiastic; keen; eager; showing great interest in something or desire to do something
- avidity (noun): Greediness; strong appetite.
- avidly (adverb): In an avid manner; greedily; eagerly.
- daily (adjective): That occurs every day, or at least every working day
- daylily (noun): Any of several perennial plants, of the genus Hemerocallis, that have fleshy roots, grasslike leaves and colourful flowers that bloom for just one day.
- daylit (verb): simple past tense and past participle of daylight
- dial (noun): A graduated, circular scale over which a needle moves to show a measurement (such as speed).
- diddly (noun): A small amount of no worth.
- dill (noun): Anethum graveolens (the type species of the genus Anethum), a herb, the seeds of which are moderately warming, pungent, and aromatic, formerly used as a soothing medicine for children; also known as dillseed.
- dilly (adjective): Redolent of dill (the herb).
- dillydally (verb): Alternative spelling of dilly-dally
- ditty (noun): A short, simple verse or song.
- diva (noun): Any female celebrity, usually a well known singer or actress.
- divvy (noun): A dividend; a share or portion.
- idly (adverb): Without specific purpose, intent or effort.
- idyl (noun): Alternative spelling of idyll
- idyll (noun): Any poem or short written piece composed in the style of Theocritus' short pastoral poems, the Idylls.
- illy (adverb): Badly; poorly.
- itty (adjective): Extremely small.
- laid (verb): simple past tense and past participle of lay
- laity (noun): People of a church who are not ordained clergy or clerics.
- lilt (verb): To do something rhythmically, with animation and quickness, usually of music.
- lily (noun): Any of several flowers in the genus Lilium of the family Liliaceae, which includes a great many ornamental species.
- livid (adjective): Having a dark, bluish appearance.
- lividity (noun): The state or quality of being livid.
- lividly (adverb): In a way that is livid.
- tail (noun): The caudal appendage of an animal that is attached to its posterior and near the anus.
- tali (noun): plural of talus
- tidal (adjective): Relating to tides.
- tidally (adverb): In a tidal manner.
- tidily (adverb): In a tidy manner; neatly; cleanly.
- tidy (adjective): Arranged neatly and in order.
- till (preposition): Until; to, up to; as late as (a given time).
- tilt (verb): To slope or incline (something); to slant.
- valid (adjective): Well grounded or justifiable, pertinent.
- validity† (noun): The state of being valid, authentic or genuine.
- validly (adverb): In a valid manner.
- vial (noun): A glass vessel or bottle, especially a small tube-shaped bottle used to store medicine, perfume or other chemicals.
- villa (noun): A house, often larger and more expensive than average, in the countryside or on the coast, often used as a retreat.
- vital (adjective): Relating to, or characteristic of life.
- vitality (noun): The capacity to live and develop.
- vitally (adverb): In a manner that imparts vitality
- vivid (adjective): Clear, detailed or powerful.
- vividity (noun): Synonym of vividness
- vividly (adverb): In a vivid manner.