NYT Spelling Bee Answers for January 21, 2022
Game Summary
| Center Letter | E |
|---|---|
| Outer Letters | a, h, l, p, u, v |
| # of Pangrams | 1 (Perfect: none) |
| Total Words | 45 words |
| Total Points | 155 points |
| Genius Level | 109 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 | Σ | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A | - | 2 | 2 | - | 1 | 5 |
| E | 2 | - | - | - | - | 2 |
| H | 7 | 3 | - | 1 | - | 11 |
| L | 2 | 4 | - | - | - | 6 |
| P | 7 | 2 | 1 | - | - | 10 |
| U | 1 | - | 1 | 1 | 1 | 4 |
| V | 4 | 2 | 1 | - | - | 7 | Σ | 23 | 13 | 5 | 2 | 2 | 45 |
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×3 |
|---|---|
| E | EA×1 EP×1 |
| H | HA×3 HE×8 |
| L | LA×2 LE×4 |
| P | PA×3 PE×4 PL×1 PU×2 |
| U | UP×2 UV×2 |
| V | VA×4 VE×2 VU×1 |
Three-Letter List (3LL) Hints
The following list shows the number of solution words that begin with the corresponding three letters.
| A | ALE×1 ALL×1 APP×3 |
|---|---|
| E | EAV×1 EPE×1 |
| H | HAL×2 HAV×1 HEA×3 HEE×1 HEL×4 |
| L | LAP×1 LAV×1 LEA×2 LEV×2 |
| P | PAE×1 PAL×1 PAV×1 PEA×1 PEE×3 PLE×1 PUL×1 PUP×1 |
| U | UPH×2 UVE×1 UVU×1 |
| V | VAL×3 VAP×1 VEA×1 VEE×1 VUL×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) |
|---|---|---|
| al... | AL5 | The first letter of the Proto-Canaanite alphabet, and its descendants in descended Semitic scripts, such as Phoenician 𐤀 (ʾ, ʾaleph), Aramaic 𐡀 (ʾ), Classical Syriac ܐ ('ālaph), Hebrew א (aleph) and Arabic ا (ʾalif). |
| al.... | AL6 | One of a number of alternative forms of the same gene occupying a given position, or locus, on a chromosome. |
| ap.... | AP6 | An application to a superior court or judge for a decision or order by an inferior court or judge to be reviewed and overturned. The legal document or form by which such an application is made; also, the court case in which the application is argued. A person's legal right to apply to court for such a review. |
| ap...... | AP8 | A respondent. |
| ap... | AP5 | A common, round fruit produced by the tree Malus domestica, cultivated in temperate climates. |
| ea.. | EA4 | Alternative form of eaves (“the underside of a roof that extends beyond the external walls of a building”) |
| ep.. | EP4 | A sharp-pointed dueling sword with a bell-shaped guard, used (with the end blunted) in sport fencing. |
| ha.. | HA4 | Sound, entire, healthy; robust, not impaired. |
| ha... | HA5 | To reduce to half the original amount. |
| ha.. | HA4 | To possess, own. |
| he.. | HE4 | To make better from a disease, wound, etc.; to revive or cure. |
| he.. | HE4 | A crowd; a throng; a multitude or great number of people. |
| he... | HE5 | To lift with difficulty; to raise with some effort; to lift (a heavy thing). |
| he.. | HE4 | The rear part of the foot, where it joins the leg. |
| he.. | HE4 | A place of torment where some or all sinners and evil spirits are believed to go after death. |
| he..... | HE7 | (A) hell of a; extreme. |
| he.. | HE4 | Action given to provide assistance; aid. |
| he... | HE5 | The handle or haft of a tool or weapon. |
| la... | LA5 | Each of the two triangular pieces of cloth on the front of a jacket or coat that are folded back below the throat, leaving a triangular opening between. |
| la.. | LA4 | To pour or throw out, as water; lade out; bail; bail out. |
| le.. | LE4 | To jump. |
| le... | LE5 | To have a consequence or remnant. To cause or allow (something) to remain as available; to refrain from taking (something) away; to stop short of consuming or otherwise depleting (something) entirely. |
| le... | LE5 | An elevated geographical feature. |
| le... | LE5 | The same height at all places; parallel to a flat ground. |
| pa.... | PA6 | A savory Valencian dish made of rice, cooked in a frying pan with vegetables and meat or shellfish. |
| pa.. | PA4 | Light in color. |
| pa.. | PA4 | To cover something with paving slabs. |
| pe.. | PE4 | A loud sound, or a succession of loud sounds, as of bells, thunder, cannon, shouts, laughter, of a multitude, etc. |
| pe.. | PE4 | To remove the skin or outer covering of. |
| pe.. | PE4 | A short, soft, high-pitched sound, as made by a baby bird. |
| pe... | PE5 | An annoyance or grievance. |
| pl.. | PL4 | An appeal, petition, urgent prayer or entreaty. |
| pu.. | PU4 | A plaintive melancholy whine. |
| pu... | PU5 | plural of pupa |
| up...... † | UP8 | Disruptive change, from one state to another. |
| up..... | UP7 | To heave or lift up; raise up or aloft. |
| uv.. | UV4 | The middle of the three concentric layers that make up the eye; it is pigmented and vascular, and comprises the choroid, the ciliary body, and the iris. |
| uv.... | UV6 | plural of uvula |
| va.. | VA4 | A valley. |
| va... | VA5 | The quality (positive or negative) that renders something desirable or valuable. |
| va... | VA5 | A device that controls the flow of a gas or fluid through a pipe. |
| va.. | VA4 | Clipping of vaporizer. |
| ve.. | VE4 | The flesh of a calf (i.e. a young bovine) used for food. |
| ve.. | VE4 | The Vice President of the United States; the office of Vice President of the United States, especially during an election cycle where several are in the running for the nomination. |
| vu.... | VU6 | plural of vulva |
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.
- aleph (AL5)
- allele (AL6)
- appeal (AP6)
- appellee (AP8)
- apple (AP5)
- eave (EA4)
- epee (EP4)
- hale (HA4)
- halve (HA5)
- have (HA4)
- heal (HE4)
- heap (HE4)
- heave (HE5)
- heel (HE4)
- hell (HE4)
- helluva (HE7)
- help (HE4)
- helve (HE5)
- lapel (LA5)
- lave (LA4)
- leap (LE4)
- leave (LE5)
- levee (LE5)
- level (LE5)
- paella (PA6)
- pale (PA4)
- pave (PA4)
- peal (PE4)
- peel (PE4)
- peep (PE4)
- peeve (PE5)
- plea (PL4)
- pule (PU4)
- pupae (PU5)
- upheaval† (UP8)
- upheave (UP7)
- uvea (UV4)
- uvulae (UV6)
- vale (VA4)
- value (VA5)
- valve (VA5)
- vape (VA4)
- veal (VE4)
- veep (VE4)
- vulvae (VU6)
Answer Definitions
- aleph (noun): The first letter of the Proto-Canaanite alphabet, and its descendants in descended Semitic scripts, such as Phoenician 𐤀 (ʾ, ʾaleph), Aramaic 𐡀 (ʾ), Classical Syriac ܐ ('ālaph), Hebrew א (aleph) and Arabic ا (ʾalif).
- allele (noun): One of a number of alternative forms of the same gene occupying a given position, or locus, on a chromosome.
- appeal (noun): An application to a superior court or judge for a decision or order by an inferior court or judge to be reviewed and overturned. The legal document or form by which such an application is made; also, the court case in which the application is argued. A person's legal right to apply to court for such a review.
- appellee (noun): A respondent.
- apple (noun): A common, round fruit produced by the tree Malus domestica, cultivated in temperate climates.
- eave (noun): Alternative form of eaves (“the underside of a roof that extends beyond the external walls of a building”)
- epee (noun): A sharp-pointed dueling sword with a bell-shaped guard, used (with the end blunted) in sport fencing.
- hale (adjective): Sound, entire, healthy; robust, not impaired.
- halve (verb): To reduce to half the original amount.
- have (verb): To possess, own.
- heal (verb): To make better from a disease, wound, etc.; to revive or cure.
- heap (noun): A crowd; a throng; a multitude or great number of people.
- heave (verb): To lift with difficulty; to raise with some effort; to lift (a heavy thing).
- heel (noun): The rear part of the foot, where it joins the leg.
- hell (proper noun): A place of torment where some or all sinners and evil spirits are believed to go after death.
- helluva (adjective): (A) hell of a; extreme.
- help (noun): Action given to provide assistance; aid.
- helve (noun): The handle or haft of a tool or weapon.
- lapel (noun): Each of the two triangular pieces of cloth on the front of a jacket or coat that are folded back below the throat, leaving a triangular opening between.
- lave (verb): To pour or throw out, as water; lade out; bail; bail out.
- leap (verb): To jump.
- leave (verb): To have a consequence or remnant. To cause or allow (something) to remain as available; to refrain from taking (something) away; to stop short of consuming or otherwise depleting (something) entirely.
- levee (noun): An elevated geographical feature.
- level (adjective): The same height at all places; parallel to a flat ground.
- paella (noun): A savory Valencian dish made of rice, cooked in a frying pan with vegetables and meat or shellfish.
- pale (adjective): Light in color.
- pave (verb): To cover something with paving slabs.
- peal (noun): A loud sound, or a succession of loud sounds, as of bells, thunder, cannon, shouts, laughter, of a multitude, etc.
- peel (verb): To remove the skin or outer covering of.
- peep (noun): A short, soft, high-pitched sound, as made by a baby bird.
- peeve (noun): An annoyance or grievance.
- plea (noun): An appeal, petition, urgent prayer or entreaty.
- pule (noun): A plaintive melancholy whine.
- pupae (noun): plural of pupa
- upheaval† (noun): Disruptive change, from one state to another.
- upheave (verb): To heave or lift up; raise up or aloft.
- uvea (noun): The middle of the three concentric layers that make up the eye; it is pigmented and vascular, and comprises the choroid, the ciliary body, and the iris.
- uvulae (noun): plural of uvula
- vale (noun): A valley.
- value (noun): The quality (positive or negative) that renders something desirable or valuable.
- valve (noun): A device that controls the flow of a gas or fluid through a pipe.
- vape (noun): Clipping of vaporizer.
- veal (noun): The flesh of a calf (i.e. a young bovine) used for food.
- veep (noun): The Vice President of the United States; the office of Vice President of the United States, especially during an election cycle where several are in the running for the nomination.
- vulvae (noun): plural of vulva