NYT Spelling Bee Answers for December 16, 2021
Game Summary
| Center Letter | C |
|---|---|
| Outer Letters | a, e, g, i, l, n |
| # of Pangrams | 8 (Perfect: 1) |
| Total Words | 68 words |
| Total Points | 453 points |
| Genius Level | 317 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</th><th>10 | Σ | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | - | 1 | 8 |
| C | 5 | 8 | 7 | 3 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 31 |
| E | - | - | 2 | 1 | 3 | - | - | 6 |
| G | - | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | - | - | 4 |
| I | - | 2 | 1 | 1 | - | 1 | 1 | 6 |
| L | 3 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | - | - | 9 |
| N | 1 | 1 | 1 | - | - | - | 1 | 4 | Σ | 11 | 15 | 15 | 8 | 11 | 3 | 5 | 68 |
Two-Letter List (2LL) Hints
The following list shows the number of solution words that begin with the corresponding two letters.
| A | AC×4 AL×2 AN×2 |
|---|---|
| C | CA×16 CE×4 CI×1 CL×10 |
| E | EL×2 EN×4 |
| G | GL×4 |
| I | IC×2 IL×1 IN×3 |
| L | LA×6 LE×1 LI×2 |
| N | NE×1 NI×3 |
Three-Letter List (3LL) Hints
The following list shows the number of solution words that begin with the corresponding three letters.
| A | ACA×2 ACI×1 ACN×1 ALL×2 ANG×2 |
|---|---|
| C | CAG×2 CAL×3 CAN×11 CEI×1 CEL×3 CIL×1 CLA×3 CLE×2 CLI×5 |
| E | ELE×2 ENC×2 ENL×2 |
| G | GLA×4 |
| I | ICI×2 ILI×1 INC×2 INE×1 |
| L | LAC×2 LAI×2 LAN×2 LEN×1 LIC×1 LIL×1 |
| N | NEG×1 NIA×1 NIC×1 NIE×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) |
|---|---|---|
| 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... | AC5 | present participle of ace |
| ac.. | AC4 | A skin condition, usually of the face, that is common in adolescents. It is characterised by red pimples, and is caused by the inflammation of sebaceous glands through bacterial infection. |
| al........ † | AL10 | Loyalty to some cause, nation or ruler. |
| al...... | AL8 | The state of being allied. |
| an..... † | AN7 | Belonging to, or proceeding from, angels; resembling, characteristic of, or partaking of the nature of, an angel. |
| an...... † | AN8 | A tall plant, with hollow stems, genus Angelica, especially the garden angelica (Angelica archangelica). |
| ca.. | CA4 | An enclosure made of bars, normally to hold animals. |
| ca.... | CA6 | present participle of cage |
| 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..... | CA7 | present participle of call |
| ca... | CA5 | An artificial waterway or artificially improved river used for travel, shipping, or irrigation. |
| ca.... | CA6 | A high-kicking chorus line dance originating in France. |
| ca.... | CA6 | To cross out something with lines etc. |
| ca....... † | CA9 | present participle of cancel |
| ca........ † | CA10 | present participle of cancel |
| ca.. | CA4 | A plant with simple stems, like bamboo or sugar cane, or the stem thereof The slender, flexible main stem of a plant such as bamboo, including many species in the grass family Gramineae |
| ca.... | CA6 | Of, or pertaining to, a dog or dogs. |
| ca.... | CA6 | present participle of cane |
| ca... | CA5 | Any member of the genus Canna of tropical plants with large leaves and often showy flowers. |
| ca........ | CA10 | A type of white bean used in Italian cooking. |
| ca..... | CA7 | present participle of can (“to be able to”) |
| ce..... | CE7 | The overhead closure of a room. |
| ce.... | CE6 | Of, pertaining to or located within the abdomen or abdominal cavity. |
| ce.. | CE4 | A single-room dwelling for a hermit. |
| ce... | CE5 | plural of cello |
| ci... | CI5 | plural of cilium |
| cl.. | CL4 | A group of people all descended from a common ancestor, in fact or belief, especially when the exact genealogies are not known. |
| cl... | CL5 | A loud, ringing sound, like that made by free-hanging metal objects striking each other. |
| cl...... | CL8 | present participle of clang |
| cl... | CL5 | Free of dirt or impurities or protruberances. Not dirty. |
| cl...... † | CL8 | present participle of clean |
| cl... | CL5 | Fruit (especially peach) whose flesh adheres strongly to the pit. |
| cl...... | CL8 | present participle and gerund of cling |
| cl.... | CL6 | A medical facility, such as a hospital, especially one for the treatment and diagnosis of outpatients. |
| cl...... | CL8 | Dealing with the practical management of patients, in practice at the point of care; as contrasted with other health care venues (see clinical medicine for more explanation). |
| cl....... | CL9 | Any healthcare practitioner working at the point of care, in clinical practice (e.g., physicians in clinical medicine, nurses in nursing practice, or allied health providers in practice). |
| el...... | EL8 | Grace, refinement, and beauty in movement, appearance, or manners. |
| el..... | EL7 | Of or relating to an elegy. |
| en.... | EN6 | To lock inside a cage; to imprison. |
| en...... | EN8 | present participle of encage |
| en.... | EN6 | To bind or encircle with lace, or as with lace |
| en...... † | EN8 | present participle of enlace |
| gl... | GL5 | made or finished so as to have a smooth glossy surface |
| gl..... | GL7 | Of, or relating to glaciers. |
| gl.... | GL6 | To look briefly (at something). |
| gl...... | GL8 | present participle of glance |
| ic.... | IC6 | A drooping, tapering shape of ice. |
| ic... | IC5 | A sweet, often creamy and thick glaze made primarily of sugar, often enriched with ingredients like butter, egg whites, or flavorings, typically used for baked goods. |
| il... | IL5 | Relating to the ilium. |
| in..... | IN7 | To bend or move (something) out of a given plane or direction, often the horizontal or vertical. |
| in....... | IN9 | present participle of incline |
| in........ † | IN10 | The state or quality of being inelegant; lack of grace, refinement, beauty, or polish in language, composition, or manners. |
| la.. | LA4 | A light fabric containing patterns of holes, usually built up from a single thread. |
| la.... | LA6 | present participle of lace |
| 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... | LA5 | A weapon of war, consisting of a long shaft or handle and a steel blade or head; a spear carried by horsemen. |
| la..... | LA7 | present participle of lance |
| le...... | LE8 | Leniency: mercy or forgiveness in the assignment of punishment. |
| li.. | LI4 | plural of louse |
| li... | LI5 | A large shrub of the genus Syringa, especially Syringa vulgaris, bearing white, pale-pink, or purple flowers. |
| ne........ | NE10 | The state of being negligent. |
| ni.... | NI6 | A water-soluble vitamin, a component of vitamin B complex, found in meat, yeast, and dairy products; it is essential to metabolism. |
| ni.. | NI4 | Pleasant, satisfactory. |
| ni... | NI5 | A daughter of one’s sibling, brother-in-law, or sister-in-law; either the daughter of one's brother ("fraternal niece"), or of one's sister ("sororal niece"). |
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.
- acacia (AC6)
- acai (AC4)
- acing (AC5)
- acne (AC4)
- allegiance† (AL10)
- alliance (AL8)
- angelic† (AN7)
- angelica† (AN8)
- cage (CA4)
- caging (CA6)
- call (CA4)
- calla (CA5)
- calling (CA7)
- canal (CA5)
- cancan (CA6)
- cancel (CA6)
- canceling† (CA9)
- cancelling† (CA10)
- cane (CA4)
- canine (CA6)
- caning (CA6)
- canna (CA5)
- cannellini (CA10)
- canning (CA7)
- ceiling (CE7)
- celiac (CE6)
- cell (CE4)
- celli (CE5)
- cilia (CI5)
- clan (CL4)
- clang (CL5)
- clanging (CL8)
- clean (CL5)
- cleaning† (CL8)
- cling (CL5)
- clinging (CL8)
- clinic (CL6)
- clinical (CL8)
- clinician (CL9)
- elegance (EL8)
- elegiac (EL7)
- encage (EN6)
- encaging (EN8)
- enlace (EN6)
- enlacing† (EN8)
- glace (GL5)
- glacial (GL7)
- glance (GL6)
- glancing (GL8)
- icicle (IC6)
- icing (IC5)
- iliac (IL5)
- incline (IN7)
- inclining (IN9)
- inelegance† (IN10)
- lace (LA4)
- lacing (LA6)
- laic (LA4)
- laical (LA6)
- lance (LA5)
- lancing (LA7)
- lenience (LE8)
- lice (LI4)
- lilac (LI5)
- negligence (NE10)
- niacin (NI6)
- nice (NI4)
- niece (NI5)
Answer Definitions
- 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.
- acing (verb): present participle of ace
- acne (noun): A skin condition, usually of the face, that is common in adolescents. It is characterised by red pimples, and is caused by the inflammation of sebaceous glands through bacterial infection.
- allegiance† (noun): Loyalty to some cause, nation or ruler.
- alliance (noun): The state of being allied.
- angelic† (adjective): Belonging to, or proceeding from, angels; resembling, characteristic of, or partaking of the nature of, an angel.
- angelica† (noun): A tall plant, with hollow stems, genus Angelica, especially the garden angelica (Angelica archangelica).
- cage (noun): An enclosure made of bars, normally to hold animals.
- caging (verb): present participle of cage
- 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.
- calling (verb): present participle of call
- canal (noun): An artificial waterway or artificially improved river used for travel, shipping, or irrigation.
- cancan (noun): A high-kicking chorus line dance originating in France.
- cancel (verb): To cross out something with lines etc.
- canceling† (verb): present participle of cancel
- cancelling† (verb): present participle of cancel
- cane (noun): A plant with simple stems, like bamboo or sugar cane, or the stem thereof The slender, flexible main stem of a plant such as bamboo, including many species in the grass family Gramineae
- canine (adjective): Of, or pertaining to, a dog or dogs.
- caning (verb): present participle of cane
- canna (noun): Any member of the genus Canna of tropical plants with large leaves and often showy flowers.
- cannellini (noun): A type of white bean used in Italian cooking.
- canning (verb): present participle of can (“to be able to”)
- ceiling (noun): The overhead closure of a room.
- celiac (adjective): Of, pertaining to or located within the abdomen or abdominal cavity.
- cell (noun): A single-room dwelling for a hermit.
- celli (noun): plural of cello
- cilia (noun): plural of cilium
- clan (noun): A group of people all descended from a common ancestor, in fact or belief, especially when the exact genealogies are not known.
- clang (noun): A loud, ringing sound, like that made by free-hanging metal objects striking each other.
- clanging (verb): present participle of clang
- clean (adjective): Free of dirt or impurities or protruberances. Not dirty.
- cleaning† (verb): present participle of clean
- cling (noun): Fruit (especially peach) whose flesh adheres strongly to the pit.
- clinging (verb): present participle and gerund of cling
- clinic (noun): A medical facility, such as a hospital, especially one for the treatment and diagnosis of outpatients.
- clinical (adjective): Dealing with the practical management of patients, in practice at the point of care; as contrasted with other health care venues (see clinical medicine for more explanation).
- clinician (noun): Any healthcare practitioner working at the point of care, in clinical practice (e.g., physicians in clinical medicine, nurses in nursing practice, or allied health providers in practice).
- elegance (noun): Grace, refinement, and beauty in movement, appearance, or manners.
- elegiac (adjective): Of or relating to an elegy.
- encage (verb): To lock inside a cage; to imprison.
- encaging (verb): present participle of encage
- enlace (verb): To bind or encircle with lace, or as with lace
- enlacing† (verb): present participle of enlace
- glace (adjective): made or finished so as to have a smooth glossy surface
- glacial (adjective): Of, or relating to glaciers.
- glance (verb): To look briefly (at something).
- glancing (verb): present participle of glance
- icicle (noun): A drooping, tapering shape of ice.
- icing (noun): A sweet, often creamy and thick glaze made primarily of sugar, often enriched with ingredients like butter, egg whites, or flavorings, typically used for baked goods.
- iliac (adjective): Relating to the ilium.
- incline (verb): To bend or move (something) out of a given plane or direction, often the horizontal or vertical.
- inclining (verb): present participle of incline
- inelegance† (noun): The state or quality of being inelegant; lack of grace, refinement, beauty, or polish in language, composition, or manners.
- lace (noun): A light fabric containing patterns of holes, usually built up from a single thread.
- lacing (verb): present participle of lace
- 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).
- lance (noun): A weapon of war, consisting of a long shaft or handle and a steel blade or head; a spear carried by horsemen.
- lancing (verb): present participle of lance
- lenience (noun): Leniency: mercy or forgiveness in the assignment of punishment.
- lice (noun): plural of louse
- lilac (noun): A large shrub of the genus Syringa, especially Syringa vulgaris, bearing white, pale-pink, or purple flowers.
- negligence (noun): The state of being negligent.
- niacin (noun): A water-soluble vitamin, a component of vitamin B complex, found in meat, yeast, and dairy products; it is essential to metabolism.
- nice (adjective): Pleasant, satisfactory.
- niece (noun): A daughter of one’s sibling, brother-in-law, or sister-in-law; either the daughter of one's brother ("fraternal niece"), or of one's sister ("sororal niece").