NYT Spelling Bee Answers for January 22, 2022

Spelling Bee "Hive" Board for January 22, 2022

Game Summary

Spelling Bee "Hive" Board for January 22, 2022
Center LetterO
Outer Lettersa, c, e, h, l, t
# of Pangrams1 (Perfect: none)
Total Words73 words
Total Points307 points
Genius Level215 points
Bingo?Yes

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 January 22, 2022

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
A24-11-8
C106432227
E1-----1
H43--1-8
L443---11
O221---5
T53211113
Σ28221055373

Two-Letter List (2LL) Hints

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

A
AC×1
AL×6
AT×1
C
CA×2
CE×1
CH×1
CL×5
CO×18
E
EC×1
H
HA×1
HE×2
HO×5
L
LO×11
O
OA×1
OC×3
OL×1
T
TA×2
TE×1
TH×1
TO×9

Three-Letter List (3LL) Hints

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

A
ACH×1
ALC×1
ALL×2
ALO×2
ALT×1
ATO×1
C
CAC×1
CAL×1
CEL×1
CHO×1
CLO×5
COA×4
COC×4
COH×1
COL×6
COO×2
COT×1
E
ECH×1
H
HAL×1
HEL×2
HOL×2
HOO×2
HOT×1
L
LOA×3
LOC×5
LOL×1
LOO×1
LOT×1
O
OAT×1
OCE×1
OCT×2
OLE×1
T
TAC×1
TAT×1
TEE×1
THO×1
TOC×1
TOL×1
TOO×5
TOT×2

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)
ac...AC5The sound of a sneeze.
al.....AL7Any of a class of organic compounds (such as ethanol) containing a hydroxyl functional group (-OH).
al......AL8To set aside for a purpose.
al...AL5To distribute or apportion by (or as if by) lot.
al..AL4The resins of the tree Aquilaria malaccensis (syn. Aquilaria agallocha), known for their fragrant aroma, produced after infection by the fungus Phialophora parasitica.
al...AL5Good wishes, love.
al..AL4A musical part or section higher than tenor and lower than soprano, formerly the part that performed a countermelody above the tenor or main melody.
at...AT5a type of island consisting of a ribbon reef that nearly or entirely surrounds a lagoon and supports, in most cases, one to many islets on the reef platform. Atolls have a unique geology, so not all islands with a reef and a lagoon are atolls
ca...CA5A tree, Theobroma cacao, whose seed is used to make chocolate.
ca......CA8Any of various tropical plants grown in the Americas, especially of the genera Amaranthus and Xanthosoma, cultivated for their edible leaves.
ce...CE5A large unfretted stringed instrument of the violin family with four strings tuned (lowest to highest) C-G-D-A and an endpin to support its weight, usually played with a bow.
ch....... CH9A food made from ground roasted cocoa beans.
cl....CL6A sewer.
cl....CL6A glass covering, originally bell-shaped, for garden plants to prevent frost damage and promote early growth.
cl..CL4A thrombus, solidified mass of blood.
cl...CL5A fabric, usually made of woven, knitted, or felted fibres or filaments, such as used in dressing, decorating, cleaning or other practical use.
cl....CL6To adorn or cover with clothing; to dress; to supply clothes or clothing.
co...CO5A wheeled vehicle, generally drawn by horse power.
co...CO5To compel, constrain, force.
co..CO4A black or brownish black rock formed from prehistoric plant remains, composed largely of carbon and burned as a fuel.
co..CO4An outer garment covering the upper torso and arms.
co..CO4Any of the four cultivated plants which belong to the family Erythroxylaceae, native to western South America.
co.....CO7The complex, spirally coiled, tapered cavity of the inner ear of higher vertebrates, which contains the organ of Corti and in which sound vibrations are converted into nerve impulses.
co......CO8plural of cochlea
co...CO5The dried and partially fermented fatty seeds of the cacao tree from which chocolate is made.
co..CO4An anadromus and semelparous salmon, Oncorhynchus kisutch, found in the coastal regions of the northern Pacific Ocean, used as a symbol by several Native American tribes.
co..CO4The kola plant, genus Cola, famous for its nut, or one of these nuts.
co.....CO7To examine diverse documents and so on, to discover similarities and differences.
co.....CO7To gather together; amass.
co....CO6A band, flange, ferrule, or collar, designed to grip and hold a tool or a workpiece under proper control, and usually to release it under control thereafter; such a collet usually is made of a hard, springy material, especially a metal.
co.......CO9(said of certain words) To be often used together, form a collocation; for example strong collocates with tea.
co..CO4A young male horse.
co..CO4Having a slightly low temperature; mildly or pleasantly cold.
co..CO4Any of various aquatic birds of the genus Fulica that are mainly black with a prominent frontal shield on the forehead.
co..CO4A cottage or hut.
ec..EC4A reflected sound that is heard again by its initial observer.
ha..HA4A circular band of coloured light, visible around the sun or moon etc., caused by reflection and refraction of light by ice crystals in the atmosphere.
he......HE8A place of intense hatred, misery, or turmoil.
he...HE5A greeting (salutation) said when meeting someone or acknowledging someone’s arrival or presence.
ho..HO4A hollow place or cavity; an excavation; a pit; a dent; a depression; a fissure.
ho..HO4A small piece of woodland or a woody hill; a copse.
ho...HO5Alcoholic liquor, especially inferior or illicit whisky.
ho..HO4A derisive cry or shout.
ho...HO5A large town house or mansion; a grand private residence, especially in France.
lo...LO5A bottom-feeding freshwater fish in the superfamily or suborder Cobitoidea. Any true loach, of the family Cobitidae. A similar fish in one of three other families of Cypriniformes: Botiidae, Balitoridae, and Gyrinocheilidae.
lo...LO5Averse, disinclined; reluctant, unwilling.
lo....LO6To detest, hate, or revile (someone or something).
lo...LO5From or in a nearby location.
lo....LO6The place where something happens.
lo....LO6To place; to set in a particular spot or position.
lo..LO4A lake.
lo..LO4A direction in written or printed music to be returning to the proper pitch after having played an octave higher or lower.
lo..LO4To act lazily or indolently while reclining; to lean; to lie at ease.
lo..LO4A scoop used to remove scum from brine pans in saltworks.
lo...LO5a game of chance similar to bingo
oa..OA4A solemn pledge or promise that invokes a deity, a ruler, or another entity (not necessarily present) to attest the truth of a statement or sincerity of one's desire to fulfill a contract or promise.
oc....OC6An American feline carnivore (Leopardus pardalis, syn. Felis pardalis) covered with blackish ocellated spots and blotches which are variously arranged.
oc...OC5The number system that uses the eight digits 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7.
oc...OC5A group or set of eight of something.
ol..OL4A type of energy-absorbing landing gear strut in which sudden compression or extension of the strut causes a gas-filled chamber to push or pull a piston which forces oil through a small orifice, resulting in absorption of energy through viscous effects.
ta..TA4A Mexican snack food made of a small tortilla (soft or hard shelled) filled with ingredients such as meat, rice, beans, cheese, diced vegetables and salsa.
ta....TA6An image made in the skin with ink and a needle.
te......TE8Abstinent from alcohol; never drinking alcohol.
th...TH5To suffer.
to.....TO7A piece of music (usually for a keyboard instrument) designed to emphasise the dexterity of the performer.
to..TO4Loss or damage incurred through a disaster.
to..TO4A mechanical device intended to make a task easier.
to..TO4The noise of a horn or whistle.
to...TO5A hard, calcareous structure present in the mouth of many vertebrate animals, generally used for eating.
to.......TO9A pain or ache in a tooth.
to....TO6To make a soft toot sound.
to...TO5An amount obtained by the addition of smaller amounts.
to..TO4A tote bag.

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.

  • achoo  (AC5)
  • alcohol  (AL7)
  • allocate  (AL8)
  • allot  (AL5)
  • aloe  (AL4)
  • aloha  (AL5)
  • alto  (AL4)
  • atoll  (AT5)
  • cacao  (CA5)
  • callaloo  (CA8)
  • cello  (CE5)
  • chocolate  (CH9)
  • cloaca  (CL6)
  • cloche  (CL6)
  • clot  (CL4)
  • cloth  (CL5)
  • clothe  (CL6)
  • coach  (CO5)
  • coact  (CO5)
  • coal  (CO4)
  • coat  (CO4)
  • coca  (CO4)
  • cochlea  (CO7)
  • cochleae  (CO8)
  • cocoa  (CO5)
  • coho  (CO4)
  • cola  (CO4)
  • collate  (CO7)
  • collect  (CO7)
  • collet  (CO6)
  • collocate  (CO9)
  • colt  (CO4)
  • cool  (CO4)
  • coot  (CO4)
  • cote  (CO4)
  • echo  (EC4)
  • halo  (HA4)
  • hellhole  (HE8)
  • hello  (HE5)
  • hole  (HO4)
  • holt  (HO4)
  • hooch  (HO5)
  • hoot  (HO4)
  • hotel  (HO5)
  • loach  (LO5)
  • loath  (LO5)
  • loathe  (LO6)
  • local  (LO5)
  • locale  (LO6)
  • locate  (LO6)
  • loch  (LO4)
  • loco  (LO4)
  • loll  (LO4)
  • loot  (LO4)
  • lotto  (LO5)
  • oath  (OA4)
  • ocelot  (OC6)
  • octal  (OC5)
  • octet  (OC5)
  • oleo  (OL4)
  • taco  (TA4)
  • tattoo  (TA6)
  • teetotal  (TE8)
  • thole  (TH5)
  • toccata  (TO7)
  • toll  (TO4)
  • tool  (TO4)
  • toot  (TO4)
  • tooth  (TO5)
  • toothache  (TO9)
  • tootle  (TO6)
  • total  (TO5)
  • tote  (TO4)

Answer Definitions

  • achoo (interjection): The sound of a sneeze.
  • alcohol (noun): Any of a class of organic compounds (such as ethanol) containing a hydroxyl functional group (-OH).
  • allocate (verb): To set aside for a purpose.
  • allot (verb): To distribute or apportion by (or as if by) lot.
  • aloe (noun): The resins of the tree Aquilaria malaccensis (syn. Aquilaria agallocha), known for their fragrant aroma, produced after infection by the fungus Phialophora parasitica.
  • aloha (noun): Good wishes, love.
  • alto (noun): A musical part or section higher than tenor and lower than soprano, formerly the part that performed a countermelody above the tenor or main melody.
  • atoll (noun): a type of island consisting of a ribbon reef that nearly or entirely surrounds a lagoon and supports, in most cases, one to many islets on the reef platform. Atolls have a unique geology, so not all islands with a reef and a lagoon are atolls
  • cacao (noun): A tree, Theobroma cacao, whose seed is used to make chocolate.
  • callaloo (noun): Any of various tropical plants grown in the Americas, especially of the genera Amaranthus and Xanthosoma, cultivated for their edible leaves.
  • cello (noun): A large unfretted stringed instrument of the violin family with four strings tuned (lowest to highest) C-G-D-A and an endpin to support its weight, usually played with a bow.
  • chocolate (noun): A food made from ground roasted cocoa beans.
  • cloaca (noun): A sewer.
  • cloche (noun): A glass covering, originally bell-shaped, for garden plants to prevent frost damage and promote early growth.
  • clot (noun): A thrombus, solidified mass of blood.
  • cloth (noun): A fabric, usually made of woven, knitted, or felted fibres or filaments, such as used in dressing, decorating, cleaning or other practical use.
  • clothe (verb): To adorn or cover with clothing; to dress; to supply clothes or clothing.
  • coach (noun): A wheeled vehicle, generally drawn by horse power.
  • coact (verb): To compel, constrain, force.
  • coal (noun): A black or brownish black rock formed from prehistoric plant remains, composed largely of carbon and burned as a fuel.
  • coat (noun): An outer garment covering the upper torso and arms.
  • coca (noun): Any of the four cultivated plants which belong to the family Erythroxylaceae, native to western South America.
  • cochlea (noun): The complex, spirally coiled, tapered cavity of the inner ear of higher vertebrates, which contains the organ of Corti and in which sound vibrations are converted into nerve impulses.
  • cochleae (noun): plural of cochlea
  • cocoa (noun): The dried and partially fermented fatty seeds of the cacao tree from which chocolate is made.
  • coho (noun): An anadromus and semelparous salmon, Oncorhynchus kisutch, found in the coastal regions of the northern Pacific Ocean, used as a symbol by several Native American tribes.
  • cola (noun): The kola plant, genus Cola, famous for its nut, or one of these nuts.
  • collate (verb): To examine diverse documents and so on, to discover similarities and differences.
  • collect (verb): To gather together; amass.
  • collet (noun): A band, flange, ferrule, or collar, designed to grip and hold a tool or a workpiece under proper control, and usually to release it under control thereafter; such a collet usually is made of a hard, springy material, especially a metal.
  • collocate (verb): (said of certain words) To be often used together, form a collocation; for example strong collocates with tea.
  • colt (noun): A young male horse.
  • cool (adjective): Having a slightly low temperature; mildly or pleasantly cold.
  • coot (noun): Any of various aquatic birds of the genus Fulica that are mainly black with a prominent frontal shield on the forehead.
  • cote (noun): A cottage or hut.
  • echo (noun): A reflected sound that is heard again by its initial observer.
  • halo (noun): A circular band of coloured light, visible around the sun or moon etc., caused by reflection and refraction of light by ice crystals in the atmosphere.
  • hellhole (noun): A place of intense hatred, misery, or turmoil.
  • hello (interjection): A greeting (salutation) said when meeting someone or acknowledging someone’s arrival or presence.
  • hole (noun): A hollow place or cavity; an excavation; a pit; a dent; a depression; a fissure.
  • holt (noun): A small piece of woodland or a woody hill; a copse.
  • hooch (noun): Alcoholic liquor, especially inferior or illicit whisky.
  • hoot (noun): A derisive cry or shout.
  • hotel (noun): A large town house or mansion; a grand private residence, especially in France.
  • loach (noun): A bottom-feeding freshwater fish in the superfamily or suborder Cobitoidea. Any true loach, of the family Cobitidae. A similar fish in one of three other families of Cypriniformes: Botiidae, Balitoridae, and Gyrinocheilidae.
  • loath (adjective): Averse, disinclined; reluctant, unwilling.
  • loathe (verb): To detest, hate, or revile (someone or something).
  • local (adjective): From or in a nearby location.
  • locale (noun): The place where something happens.
  • locate (verb): To place; to set in a particular spot or position.
  • loch (noun): A lake.
  • loco (adverb): A direction in written or printed music to be returning to the proper pitch after having played an octave higher or lower.
  • loll (verb): To act lazily or indolently while reclining; to lean; to lie at ease.
  • loot (noun): A scoop used to remove scum from brine pans in saltworks.
  • lotto (noun): a game of chance similar to bingo
  • oath (noun): A solemn pledge or promise that invokes a deity, a ruler, or another entity (not necessarily present) to attest the truth of a statement or sincerity of one's desire to fulfill a contract or promise.
  • ocelot (noun): An American feline carnivore (Leopardus pardalis, syn. Felis pardalis) covered with blackish ocellated spots and blotches which are variously arranged.
  • octal (noun): The number system that uses the eight digits 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7.
  • octet (noun): A group or set of eight of something.
  • oleo (noun): A type of energy-absorbing landing gear strut in which sudden compression or extension of the strut causes a gas-filled chamber to push or pull a piston which forces oil through a small orifice, resulting in absorption of energy through viscous effects.
  • taco (noun): A Mexican snack food made of a small tortilla (soft or hard shelled) filled with ingredients such as meat, rice, beans, cheese, diced vegetables and salsa.
  • tattoo (noun): An image made in the skin with ink and a needle.
  • teetotal (adjective): Abstinent from alcohol; never drinking alcohol.
  • thole (verb): To suffer.
  • toccata (noun): A piece of music (usually for a keyboard instrument) designed to emphasise the dexterity of the performer.
  • toll (noun): Loss or damage incurred through a disaster.
  • tool (noun): A mechanical device intended to make a task easier.
  • toot (noun): The noise of a horn or whistle.
  • tooth (noun): A hard, calcareous structure present in the mouth of many vertebrate animals, generally used for eating.
  • toothache (noun): A pain or ache in a tooth.
  • tootle (verb): To make a soft toot sound.
  • total (noun): An amount obtained by the addition of smaller amounts.
  • tote (noun): A tote bag.