NYT Spelling Bee Answers for December 14, 2021

Spelling Bee "Hive" Board for December 14, 2021

Game Summary

Spelling Bee "Hive" Board for December 14, 2021
Center LetterC
Outer Lettersa, e, j, k, l, p
# of Pangrams1 (Perfect: none)
Total Words22 words
Total Points81 points
Genius Level57 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 December 14, 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-21--14
C521---8
E-------
J1-1---2
K-------
L2-----2
P321---6
Σ1164--122

Two-Letter List (2LL) Hints

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

A
AL×2
AP×2
C
CA×5
CE×1
CL×2
E
J
JA×2
K
L
LA×2
P
PA×3
PE×2
PL×1

Three-Letter List (3LL) Hints

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

A
ALA×1
ALP×1
APA×1
APP×1
C
CAC×1
CAK×1
CAL×2
CAP×1
CEL×1
CLA×2
E
J
JAC×2
K
L
LAC×2
P
PAC×2
PAL×1
PEA×1
PEC×1
PLA×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 ().

Word2L RefDefinition (click to reveal)
al...AL5An expression of sorrow or mourning.
al....AL6A sheep-like animal of the Andes, Vicugna pacos, in the camel family, closely related to the llama, guanaco, and vicuña.
ap...AP5Quickly, rapidly, with speed.
ap....... AP9An alcoholic drink similar to apple brandy and calvados, made by freeze-distilling ("jacking") apple cider.
ca....CA6The cry of a hen or goose, especially when laying an egg.
ca..CA4A rich, sweet dessert food, typically made of flour, sugar, and eggs and baked in an oven, and often covered in icing.
ca..CA4A telephone conversation; a phone call.
ca...CA5A marsh plant native to cooler areas throughout the northern hemisphere, Calla palustris, having pale green flowers in a white spathe.
ca..CA4A piece or point of land, extending beyond the adjacent coast into a sea or lake; a promontory; a headland.
ce..CE4A single-room dwelling for a hermit.
cl...CL5An abrupt, sharp sound, especially one made by two hard objects colliding repetitively; a sound midway between a click and a clunk.
cl..CL4The act of striking the palms of the hands, or any two surfaces, together.
ja..JA4A coarse mediaeval coat of defence, especially one made of leather.
ja....JA6Any of certain wild canids of the genus Canis, native to the tropical Old World and smaller than a wolf.
la..LA4A light fabric containing patterns of holes, usually built up from a single thread.
la..LA4A deficiency or need (of something desirable or necessary); an absence, want.
pa..PA4Step. A step taken with the foot. The distance covered in a step (or sometimes two), either vaguely or according to various specific set measurements.
pa..PA4A bundle made up and prepared to be carried; especially, a bundle to be carried on the back, but also a load for an animal, a bale.
pa....PA6Official residence of a head of state or other dignitary, especially in a monarchical or imperial governmental system.
pe...PE5A state of tranquility, quiet, and harmony; absence of violence. For instance, a state free from civil disturbance.
pe..PE4To strike or pierce with the beak or bill (of a bird).
pl...PL5An area; somewhere within an area. An open space, particularly a city square, market square, or courtyard. A street, sometimes but not always surrounding a public place, square, or plaza of the same name.

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.

  • alack  (AL5)
  • alpaca  (AL6)
  • apace  (AP5)
  • applejack  (AP9)
  • cackle  (CA6)
  • cake  (CA4)
  • call  (CA4)
  • calla  (CA5)
  • cape  (CA4)
  • cell  (CE4)
  • clack  (CL5)
  • clap  (CL4)
  • jack  (JA4)
  • jackal  (JA6)
  • lace  (LA4)
  • lack  (LA4)
  • pace  (PA4)
  • pack  (PA4)
  • palace  (PA6)
  • peace  (PE5)
  • peck  (PE4)
  • place  (PL5)

Answer Definitions

  • alack (interjection): An expression of sorrow or mourning.
  • alpaca (noun): A sheep-like animal of the Andes, Vicugna pacos, in the camel family, closely related to the llama, guanaco, and vicuña.
  • apace (adverb): Quickly, rapidly, with speed.
  • applejack (noun): An alcoholic drink similar to apple brandy and calvados, made by freeze-distilling ("jacking") apple cider.
  • cackle (noun): The cry of a hen or goose, especially when laying an egg.
  • cake (noun): A rich, sweet dessert food, typically made of flour, sugar, and eggs and baked in an oven, and often covered in icing.
  • 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.
  • cape (noun): A piece or point of land, extending beyond the adjacent coast into a sea or lake; a promontory; a headland.
  • cell (noun): A single-room dwelling for a hermit.
  • clack (noun): An abrupt, sharp sound, especially one made by two hard objects colliding repetitively; a sound midway between a click and a clunk.
  • clap (noun): The act of striking the palms of the hands, or any two surfaces, together.
  • jack (noun): A coarse mediaeval coat of defence, especially one made of leather.
  • jackal (noun): Any of certain wild canids of the genus Canis, native to the tropical Old World and smaller than a wolf.
  • lace (noun): A light fabric containing patterns of holes, usually built up from a single thread.
  • lack (noun): A deficiency or need (of something desirable or necessary); an absence, want.
  • pace (noun): Step. A step taken with the foot. The distance covered in a step (or sometimes two), either vaguely or according to various specific set measurements.
  • pack (noun): A bundle made up and prepared to be carried; especially, a bundle to be carried on the back, but also a load for an animal, a bale.
  • palace (noun): Official residence of a head of state or other dignitary, especially in a monarchical or imperial governmental system.
  • peace (noun): A state of tranquility, quiet, and harmony; absence of violence. For instance, a state free from civil disturbance.
  • peck (verb): To strike or pierce with the beak or bill (of a bird).
  • place (noun): An area; somewhere within an area. An open space, particularly a city square, market square, or courtyard. A street, sometimes but not always surrounding a public place, square, or plaza of the same name.