NYT Spelling Bee Answers for December 23, 2021
Game Summary
| Center Letter | U |
|---|---|
| Outer Letters | a, c, i, n, q, t |
| # of Pangrams | 1 (Perfect: none) |
| Total Words | 23 words |
| Total Points | 115 points |
| Genius Level | 81 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 | Σ | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A | 2 | - | 1 | 1 | 3 | 7 |
| C | - | - | - | - | 1 | 1 |
| I | - | - | 1 | - | - | 1 |
| N | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Q | 1 | 2 | 2 | - | 1 | 6 |
| T | 3 | 3 | - | - | - | 6 |
| U | 1 | 1 | - | - | - | 2 | Σ | 7 | 6 | 4 | 1 | 5 | 23 |
Two-Letter List (2LL) Hints
The following list shows the number of solution words that begin with the corresponding two letters.
| A | AC×2 AQ×4 AU×1 |
|---|---|
| C | CI×1 |
| I | IN×1 |
| N | |
| Q | QU×6 |
| T | TA×2 TU×4 |
| U | UN×2 |
Three-Letter List (3LL) Hints
The following list shows the number of solution words that begin with the corresponding three letters.
| A | ACQ×2 AQU×4 AUN×1 |
|---|---|
| C | CIN×1 |
| I | INT×1 |
| N | |
| Q | QUA×3 QUI×3 |
| T | TAU×2 TUN×2 TUT×2 |
| U | UNC×1 UNI×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...... † | AC8 | To furnish or give experimental knowledge of; to make (one) know; to make familiar. |
| ac.... | AC6 | To declare or find innocent or not guilty. |
| aq.. | AQ4 | The compound water. |
| aq...... | AQ8 | An underwater explorer. |
| aq..... | AQ7 | Relating to water; living in or near water, taking place in water. |
| aq...... | AQ8 | A form of etching with acid on a plate partially covered with varnish that produces a print somewhat resembling a watercolour. |
| au.. | AU4 | The sister or sister-in-law of one’s parent. |
| ci...... | CI8 | A five-line poetic form which consists of 2, 4, 6, 8 then 2 syllables. |
| in.... | IN6 | To know intuitively or by immediate perception. |
| qu.... | QU6 | Of a person: cunning, crafty. |
| qu... | QU5 | A quantitative analyst. |
| qu.... | QU6 | plural of quantum |
| qu... | QU5 | An interval of one fifth. |
| qu...... | QU8 | An object (generally a post or plank on a support) set up as a target to be tilted at in jousting, or otherwise used as target practice. |
| qu.. | QU4 | Released from obligation, penalty, etc; free, clear, or rid. |
| ta... | TA5 | to make fun of (someone); to goad (a person) into responding, often in an aggressive manner. |
| ta.. | TA4 | Under tension, like a stretched bowstring, rope, or sail; tight. |
| tu.. | TU4 | Any of several species of fish of the genus Thunnus in the family Scombridae. |
| tu... | TU5 | A garment worn over the torso, with or without sleeves, and of various lengths reaching from the hips to the ankles. |
| tu... | TU5 | 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. |
| tu.. | TU4 | A ballet skirt made of layered stiff but light netting. |
| un... | UN5 | Not cut. |
| un.. | UN4 | Oneness, singularity, seen as a component of a whole number; a magnitude of one. |
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.
- acquaint† (AC8)
- acquit (AC6)
- aqua (AQ4)
- aquanaut (AQ8)
- aquatic (AQ7)
- aquatint (AQ8)
- aunt (AU4)
- cinquain (CI8)
- intuit (IN6)
- quaint (QU6)
- quant (QU5)
- quanta (QU6)
- quint (QU5)
- quintain (QU8)
- quit (QU4)
- taunt (TA5)
- taut (TA4)
- tuna (TU4)
- tunic (TU5)
- tutti (TU5)
- tutu (TU4)
- uncut (UN5)
- unit (UN4)
Answer Definitions
- acquaint† (verb): To furnish or give experimental knowledge of; to make (one) know; to make familiar.
- acquit (verb): To declare or find innocent or not guilty.
- aqua (noun): The compound water.
- aquanaut (noun): An underwater explorer.
- aquatic (adjective): Relating to water; living in or near water, taking place in water.
- aquatint (noun): A form of etching with acid on a plate partially covered with varnish that produces a print somewhat resembling a watercolour.
- aunt (noun): The sister or sister-in-law of one’s parent.
- cinquain (noun): A five-line poetic form which consists of 2, 4, 6, 8 then 2 syllables.
- intuit (verb): To know intuitively or by immediate perception.
- quaint (adjective): Of a person: cunning, crafty.
- quant (noun): A quantitative analyst.
- quanta (noun): plural of quantum
- quint (noun): An interval of one fifth.
- quintain (noun): An object (generally a post or plank on a support) set up as a target to be tilted at in jousting, or otherwise used as target practice.
- quit (adjective): Released from obligation, penalty, etc; free, clear, or rid.
- taunt (verb): to make fun of (someone); to goad (a person) into responding, often in an aggressive manner.
- taut (adjective): Under tension, like a stretched bowstring, rope, or sail; tight.
- tuna (noun): Any of several species of fish of the genus Thunnus in the family Scombridae.
- tunic (noun): A garment worn over the torso, with or without sleeves, and of various lengths reaching from the hips to the ankles.
- 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.
- uncut (adjective): Not cut.
- unit (noun): Oneness, singularity, seen as a component of a whole number; a magnitude of one.