NYT Spelling Bee Answers for December 31, 2021
Game Summary
| Center Letter | U |
|---|---|
| Outer Letters | e, k, m, n, p, t |
| # of Pangrams | 1 (Perfect: 1) |
| Total Words | 23 words |
| Total Points | 89 points |
| Genius Level | 62 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 | Σ | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| E | - | - | - | - | - |
| K | - | - | - | - | - |
| M | 3 | - | 2 | - | 5 |
| N | 1 | - | - | - | 1 |
| P | 5 | - | 1 | - | 6 |
| T | 2 | 1 | 1 | - | 4 |
| U | - | 2 | 3 | 2 | 7 | Σ | 11 | 3 | 7 | 2 | 23 |
Two-Letter List (2LL) Hints
The following list shows the number of solution words that begin with the corresponding two letters.
| E | |
|---|---|
| K | |
| M | ME×2 MU×3 |
| N | NU×1 |
| P | PU×6 |
| T | TU×4 |
| U | UM×1 UN×5 UP×1 |
Three-Letter List (3LL) Hints
The following list shows the number of solution words that begin with the corresponding three letters.
| E | |
|---|---|
| K | |
| M | MEE×1 MEN×1 MUT×2 MUU×1 |
| N | NUK×1 |
| P | PUK×1 PUM×1 PUN×2 PUP×1 PUT×1 |
| T | TUN×2 TUT×2 |
| U | UMP×1 UNK×2 UNM×1 UNP×1 UNT×1 UPK×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) |
|---|---|---|
| me.... | ME6 | An arranged informal meeting. |
| me.. | ME4 | The details of the food to be served at a banquet; a bill of fare. |
| mu.. | MU4 | Not having the power of speech; dumb. |
| mu.. | MU4 | A mongrel dog (or sometimes cat); an animal of mixed breed or uncertain origin. |
| mu.... | MU6 | A long loose-fitting dress made of lightweight fabric printed with bright, stylized Hawaiian themes (such as flowers and palm branches). |
| nu.. | NU4 | A nuclear weapon. |
| pu.. | PU4 | vomit. |
| pu.. | PU4 | A device for moving or compressing a liquid or gas. |
| pu.. | PU4 | A person used for sex, particularly: Synonym of prostitute: a person paid for sex. Synonym of catamite: a boy or younger man used by an older as a (usually passive) homosexual partner. Synonym of bottom: any passive or effeminate homosexual male. A boy who accompanies a hobo, especially as used for sex. Synonym of faggot: any male homosexual. Synonym of bitch: a man forced or coerced into a homosexual relationship, especially in prison. |
| pu.. | PU4 | A pontoon; a narrow shallow boat propelled by a pole. |
| pu.... | PU6 | Any small model of a person or animal able to be moved by strings or rods, or in the form of a glove. |
| pu.. | PU4 | The act of tapping a golf ball lightly on a putting green. |
| tu.. | TU4 | A melody. |
| tu.... | TU6 | Alternative form of tune-up |
| tu... | TU5 | A student of a tutor. |
| tu.. | TU4 | A ballet skirt made of layered stiff but light netting. |
| um..... | UM7 | Relatively large but unspecified in number. |
| un..... † | UN7 | Uncombed; dishevelled. |
| un.... | UN6 | Not kept . |
| un... | UN5 | Not met; unfulfilled; not achieved |
| un... | UN5 | To release from a pen. |
| un.... | UN6 | To cause (something) to be out of tune; to make incapable of harmony, or of harmonious action. |
| up.... | UP6 | Maintenance; the act or effort of keeping something in good and working condition. |
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.
- meetup (ME6)
- menu (ME4)
- mute (MU4)
- mutt (MU4)
- muumuu (MU6)
- nuke (NU4)
- puke (PU4)
- pump (PU4)
- punk (PU4)
- punt (PU4)
- puppet (PU6)
- putt (PU4)
- tune (TU4)
- tuneup (TU6)
- tutee (TU5)
- tutu (TU4)
- umpteen (UM7)
- unkempt† (UN7)
- unkept (UN6)
- unmet (UN5)
- unpen (UN5)
- untune (UN6)
- upkeep (UP6)
Answer Definitions
- meetup (noun): An arranged informal meeting.
- menu (noun): The details of the food to be served at a banquet; a bill of fare.
- mute (adjective): Not having the power of speech; dumb.
- mutt (noun): A mongrel dog (or sometimes cat); an animal of mixed breed or uncertain origin.
- muumuu (noun): A long loose-fitting dress made of lightweight fabric printed with bright, stylized Hawaiian themes (such as flowers and palm branches).
- nuke (noun): A nuclear weapon.
- puke (noun): vomit.
- pump (noun): A device for moving or compressing a liquid or gas.
- punk (noun): A person used for sex, particularly: Synonym of prostitute: a person paid for sex. Synonym of catamite: a boy or younger man used by an older as a (usually passive) homosexual partner. Synonym of bottom: any passive or effeminate homosexual male. A boy who accompanies a hobo, especially as used for sex. Synonym of faggot: any male homosexual. Synonym of bitch: a man forced or coerced into a homosexual relationship, especially in prison.
- punt (noun): A pontoon; a narrow shallow boat propelled by a pole.
- puppet (noun): Any small model of a person or animal able to be moved by strings or rods, or in the form of a glove.
- putt (noun): The act of tapping a golf ball lightly on a putting green.
- tune (noun): A melody.
- tuneup (noun): Alternative form of tune-up
- tutee (noun): A student of a tutor.
- tutu (noun): A ballet skirt made of layered stiff but light netting.
- umpteen (determiner): Relatively large but unspecified in number.
- unkempt† (adjective): Uncombed; dishevelled.
- unkept (adjective): Not kept .
- unmet (adjective): Not met; unfulfilled; not achieved
- unpen (verb): To release from a pen.
- untune (verb): To cause (something) to be out of tune; to make incapable of harmony, or of harmonious action.
- upkeep (noun): Maintenance; the act or effort of keeping something in good and working condition.