NYT Spelling Bee Answers for May 7, 2022

calendar May 7, 2022 · 13 min read · spelling bee  ·
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Spelling Bee "Hive" Board for May 7, 2022
Spelling Bee "Hive" Board for May 7, 2022

Game Summary

Spelling Bee "Hive" Board for May 7, 2022
Center LetterC
Outer Lettersa, e, i, l, m, t
# of Pangrams3 (Perfect: 1)
Total Words73 words
Total Points388 points
Genius Level272 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 May 7, 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
A2132-19
C78243125
E-3212-8
I-121--4
L3223--10
M33111-9
T22121-8
Σ172013147273

Two-Letter List (2LL) Hints

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

A
AC×8
AT×1
C
CA×12
CE×4
CI×2
CL×7
E
EC×2
EL×3
EM×3
I
IC×1
IL×2
IT×1
L
LA×7
LI×3
M
MA×3
ME×2
MI×4
T
TA×7
TI×1

Three-Letter List (3LL) Hints

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

A
ACA×2
ACC×2
ACE×3
ACM×1
ATT×1
C
CAC×1
CAL×4
CAM×4
CAT×3
CEL×4
CIL×1
CIT×1
CLA×2
CLE×1
CLI×4
E
ECL×2
ELE×2
ELI×1
EMA×1
EMC×1
EME×1
I
ICI×1
ILI×1
ILL×1
ITA×1
L
LAC×4
LAI×2
LAT×1
LIC×2
LIL×1
M
MAC×1
MAL×2
MEC×1
MET×1
MIC×2
MIM×2
T
TAC×6
TAL×1
TIT×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 (†).

Word2L RefDefinition (click to reveal)
ac....AC6A shrub or tree of the tribe Acacieae.
ac..AC4Any of several South American palms, of the genus Euterpe, having a dark purple drupe.
ac.....AC7To shout; to call out.
ac....... †AC9To habituate to a climate not native; to acclimatize.
ac....AC6Any diether of a geminal diol, R2C(OR')2 (where R' is not H).
ac.....AC7Any salt or ester of acetic acid.
ac....AC6Of, pertaining to, or producing vinegar
ac..AC4A high point: the highest point of any range, the most developed stage of any process, or the culmination of any field or historical period.
at...AT5The space, often unfinished and with sloped walls, directly below the roof in the uppermost part of a house or other building, generally used for storage or habitation.
ca...CA5plural of cactus
ca.....CA7a very widely distributed crystalline form of calcium carbonate, CaCO3, found as limestone, chalk and marble
ca..CA4A telephone conversation; a phone call.
ca...CA5A marsh plant native to cooler areas throughout the northern hemisphere, Calla palustris, having pale green flowers in a white spathe.
ca..CA4Peaceful, quiet, especially free from anger and anxiety.
ca..CA4simple past tense of come
ca...CA5A beast of burden, much used in desert areas, of the genus Camelus.
ca......CA8Any plant of the genus Camellia, shrubs and small trees native to Asia; Camellia japonica is the most popular as a garden plant; Camellia sinensis is the tea plant.
ca..CA4A camisole.
ca.....CA7A shout or whistle expressing dislike, especially from a crowd or audience; a jeer, a boo.
ca.....CA7Any of several perennial herbs, of the genus Typha, that have long flat leaves, and grow in marshy places.
ca....CA6Domesticated bovine animals (cows, bulls, steers etc).
ce....CE6Of, pertaining to or located within the abdomen or abdominal cavity.
ce..CE4A single-room dwelling for a hermit.
ce...CE5plural of cello
ce......CE8A person with whom one shares a prison cell.
ci...CI5plural of cilium
ci..CI4to quote; to repeat, as a passage from a book, or the words of another.
cl...CL5A demand of ownership made for something.
cl..CL4A bivalve mollusk of many kinds, especially those that are edible; for example the soft-shell clam (Mya arenaria), the hard clam (Mercenaria mercenaria), the sea clam or hen clam (Spisula solidissima), and other species. The name is said to have been given originally to the Tridacna gigas, a huge East Indian bivalve.
cl...CL5A strip of wood or iron fastened on transversely to something in order to give strength, prevent warping, hold position, etc.
cl.......CL9Of, pertaining to, or constituting a climax; reaching a decisive moment or point of greatest excitement.
cl..... †CL7The long-term manifestations of weather and other atmospheric conditions in a given area or country, now usually represented by the statistical summary of its weather conditions during a period long enough to ensure that representative values are obtained (generally 30 years).
cl......CL8Of, relating to, or influenced by climate.
cl...CL5A particular region defined by its weather or climate.
ec...EC5Alternative spelling of éclat
ec......EC8Selecting a mixture of what appears to be best of various doctrines, methods or styles.
el...EL5One chosen or set apart.
el.....EL7Someone who is elected.
el....EL6To evoke, educe (emotions, feelings, responses, etc.); to generate, obtain, or provoke as a response or answer.
em......EM8To make extremely thin or wasted.
em...EM5Alternative form of MC in its senses as Master of ceremonies. A rapper.
em....EM6Causing nausea and vomiting.
ic....IC6A drooping, tapering shape of ice.
il...IL5Relating to the ilium.
il.....IL7Not approved by law, but not invalid.
it....IT6Designed to resemble a handwriting style developed in Italy in the 16th century.
la..LA4A light fabric containing patterns of holes, usually built up from a single thread.
la.....LA7To secrete or produce milk
la.....LA7Relating to milk.
la....LA6Of, relating to, or derived from milk.
la..LA4A layperson, as opposed to a member of the clergy.
la....LA6Of or pertaining to a layperson, layman, laywoman, or laypeople (laity).
la.....LA7A flat panel constructed with widely-spaced crossed thin strips of wood or other material, commonly used as a garden trellis.
li..LI4plural of louse
li...LI5Not forbidden by formal or informal rules.
li...LI5A large shrub of the genus Syringa, especially Syringa vulgaris, bearing white, pale-pink, or purple flowers.
ma..MA4A heavy fighting club.
ma...MA5Pertaining to apples.
ma....MA6Intention to harm or deprive in an illegal or immoral way. Desire to take pleasure in another's misfortune.
me...ME5Alternative form of Mecca; a place to which a group of people (for example shoppers) are drawn.
me...... †ME8Of, relating to, or characteristic of metal.
mi..MI4Any of a group of hydrous aluminosilicate minerals characterized by highly perfect cleavage, so that they readily separate into very thin leaves, more or less elastic.
mi..MI4plural of mouse
mi.....MI7Exhibiting mimesis.
mi...MI5To imitate, especially in order to ridicule.
ta...TA5An instruction indicating silence on the part of the performers of a piece.
ta...TA5Implied, but not made explicit, especially through silence.
ta..TA4The sense of touch; feeling.
ta....TA6A maneuver, or action calculated to achieve some end.
ta......TA8of or relating to tactics
ta.....TA7Tangible; perceptible to the sense of touch.
ta..TA4Originally a large range of transparent or glistening foliated minerals. Examples include mica, selenite and the hydrated magnesium silicate that the term talc generally has referred to in modern times (see below). Also an item made of such a mineral and depending for its function on the special nature of the mineral (see next). Mediaeval writers adopted the term from the Arabic.
ti.....TI7plural of titmouse

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)
  • acclaim  (AC7)
  • acclimate†  (AC9)
  • acetal  (AC6)
  • acetate  (AC7)
  • acetic  (AC6)
  • acme  (AC4)
  • attic  (AT5)
  • cacti  (CA5)
  • calcite  (CA7)
  • call  (CA4)
  • calla  (CA5)
  • calm  (CA4)
  • came  (CA4)
  • camel  (CA5)
  • camellia  (CA8)
  • cami  (CA4)
  • catcall  (CA7)
  • cattail  (CA7)
  • cattle  (CA6)
  • celiac  (CE6)
  • cell  (CE4)
  • celli  (CE5)
  • cellmate  (CE8)
  • cilia  (CI5)
  • cite  (CI4)
  • claim  (CL5)
  • clam  (CL4)
  • cleat  (CL5)
  • climactic  (CL9)
  • climate†  (CL7)
  • climatic  (CL8)
  • clime  (CL5)
  • eclat  (EC5)
  • eclectic  (EC8)
  • elect  (EL5)
  • electee  (EL7)
  • elicit  (EL6)
  • emaciate  (EM8)
  • emcee  (EM5)
  • emetic  (EM6)
  • icicle  (IC6)
  • iliac  (IL5)
  • illicit  (IL7)
  • italic  (IT6)
  • lace  (LA4)
  • lactate  (LA7)
  • lacteal  (LA7)
  • lactic  (LA6)
  • laic  (LA4)
  • laical  (LA6)
  • lattice  (LA7)
  • lice  (LI4)
  • licit  (LI5)
  • lilac  (LI5)
  • mace  (MA4)
  • malic  (MA5)
  • malice  (MA6)
  • mecca  (ME5)
  • metallic†  (ME8)
  • mica  (MI4)
  • mice  (MI4)
  • mimetic  (MI7)
  • mimic  (MI5)
  • tacet  (TA5)
  • tacit  (TA5)
  • tact  (TA4)
  • tactic  (TA6)
  • tactical  (TA8)
  • tactile  (TA7)
  • talc  (TA4)
  • titmice  (TI7)

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.
  • acclaim (verb): To shout; to call out.
  • acclimate† (verb): To habituate to a climate not native; to acclimatize.
  • acetal (noun): Any diether of a geminal diol, R2C(OR')2 (where R' is not H).
  • acetate (noun): Any salt or ester of acetic acid.
  • acetic (adjective): Of, pertaining to, or producing vinegar
  • acme (noun): A high point: the highest point of any range, the most developed stage of any process, or the culmination of any field or historical period.
  • attic (noun): The space, often unfinished and with sloped walls, directly below the roof in the uppermost part of a house or other building, generally used for storage or habitation.
  • cacti (noun): plural of cactus
  • calcite (noun): a very widely distributed crystalline form of calcium carbonate, CaCO3, found as limestone, chalk and marble
  • 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.
  • calm (adjective): Peaceful, quiet, especially free from anger and anxiety.
  • came (verb): simple past tense of come
  • camel (noun): A beast of burden, much used in desert areas, of the genus Camelus.
  • camellia (noun): Any plant of the genus Camellia, shrubs and small trees native to Asia; Camellia japonica is the most popular as a garden plant; Camellia sinensis is the tea plant.
  • cami (noun): A camisole.
  • catcall (noun): A shout or whistle expressing dislike, especially from a crowd or audience; a jeer, a boo.
  • cattail (noun): Any of several perennial herbs, of the genus Typha, that have long flat leaves, and grow in marshy places.
  • cattle (noun): Domesticated bovine animals (cows, bulls, steers etc).
  • 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
  • cellmate (noun): A person with whom one shares a prison cell.
  • cilia (noun): plural of cilium
  • cite (verb): to quote; to repeat, as a passage from a book, or the words of another.
  • claim (noun): A demand of ownership made for something.
  • clam (noun): A bivalve mollusk of many kinds, especially those that are edible; for example the soft-shell clam (Mya arenaria), the hard clam (Mercenaria mercenaria), the sea clam or hen clam (Spisula solidissima), and other species. The name is said to have been given originally to the Tridacna gigas, a huge East Indian bivalve.
  • cleat (noun): A strip of wood or iron fastened on transversely to something in order to give strength, prevent warping, hold position, etc.
  • climactic (adjective): Of, pertaining to, or constituting a climax; reaching a decisive moment or point of greatest excitement.
  • climate† (noun): The long-term manifestations of weather and other atmospheric conditions in a given area or country, now usually represented by the statistical summary of its weather conditions during a period long enough to ensure that representative values are obtained (generally 30 years).
  • climatic (adjective): Of, relating to, or influenced by climate.
  • clime (noun): A particular region defined by its weather or climate.
  • eclat (noun): Alternative spelling of éclat
  • eclectic (adjective): Selecting a mixture of what appears to be best of various doctrines, methods or styles.
  • elect (noun): One chosen or set apart.
  • electee (noun): Someone who is elected.
  • elicit (verb): To evoke, educe (emotions, feelings, responses, etc.); to generate, obtain, or provoke as a response or answer.
  • emaciate (verb): To make extremely thin or wasted.
  • emcee (noun): Alternative form of MC in its senses as Master of ceremonies. A rapper.
  • emetic (adjective): Causing nausea and vomiting.
  • icicle (noun): A drooping, tapering shape of ice.
  • iliac (adjective): Relating to the ilium.
  • illicit (adjective): Not approved by law, but not invalid.
  • italic (adjective): Designed to resemble a handwriting style developed in Italy in the 16th century.
  • lace (noun): A light fabric containing patterns of holes, usually built up from a single thread.
  • lactate (verb): To secrete or produce milk
  • lacteal (adjective): Relating to milk.
  • lactic (adjective): Of, relating to, or derived from milk.
  • 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).
  • lattice (noun): A flat panel constructed with widely-spaced crossed thin strips of wood or other material, commonly used as a garden trellis.
  • lice (noun): plural of louse
  • licit (adjective): Not forbidden by formal or informal rules.
  • lilac (noun): A large shrub of the genus Syringa, especially Syringa vulgaris, bearing white, pale-pink, or purple flowers.
  • mace (noun): A heavy fighting club.
  • malic (adjective): Pertaining to apples.
  • malice (noun): Intention to harm or deprive in an illegal or immoral way. Desire to take pleasure in another's misfortune.
  • mecca (noun): Alternative form of Mecca; a place to which a group of people (for example shoppers) are drawn.
  • metallic† (adjective): Of, relating to, or characteristic of metal.
  • mica (noun): Any of a group of hydrous aluminosilicate minerals characterized by highly perfect cleavage, so that they readily separate into very thin leaves, more or less elastic.
  • mice (noun): plural of mouse
  • mimetic (adjective): Exhibiting mimesis.
  • mimic (verb): To imitate, especially in order to ridicule.
  • tacet (verb): An instruction indicating silence on the part of the performers of a piece.
  • tacit (adjective): Implied, but not made explicit, especially through silence.
  • tact (noun): The sense of touch; feeling.
  • tactic (noun): A maneuver, or action calculated to achieve some end.
  • tactical (adjective): of or relating to tactics
  • tactile (adjective): Tangible; perceptible to the sense of touch.
  • talc (noun): Originally a large range of transparent or glistening foliated minerals. Examples include mica, selenite and the hydrated magnesium silicate that the term talc generally has referred to in modern times (see below). Also an item made of such a mineral and depending for its function on the special nature of the mineral (see next). Mediaeval writers adopted the term from the Arabic.
  • titmice (noun): plural of titmouse