NYT Spelling Bee Answers for February 17, 2023
Game Summary
| Center Letter | B |
|---|---|
| Outer Letters | a, e, i, l, n, p |
| # of Pangrams | 2 (Perfect: 1) |
| Total Words | 55 words |
| Total Points | 276 points |
| Genius Level | 193 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</th><th>9</th><th>10</th><th>11 | Σ | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A | 1 | 1 | - | - | - | - | 1 | - | 3 |
| B | 15 | 7 | 5 | 3 | 4 | - | - | - | 34 |
| E | - | - | 1 | - | - | - | - | - | 1 |
| I | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 1 | 1 |
| L | - | 3 | 3 | 1 | - | - | - | - | 7 |
| N | - | - | 1 | - | - | - | - | - | 1 |
| P | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 3 | - | - | - | 8 | Σ | 17 | 12 | 11 | 6 | 7 | - | 1 | 1 | 55 |
Two-Letter List (2LL) Hints
The following list shows the number of solution words that begin with the corresponding two letters.
| A | AB×1 AL×1 AP×1 |
|---|---|
| B | BA×12 BE×9 BI×8 BL×5 |
| E | EN×1 |
| I | IN×1 |
| L | LA×4 LI×3 |
| N | NI×1 |
| P | PA×1 PE×2 PI×1 PL×4 |
Three-Letter List (3LL) Hints
The following list shows the number of solution words that begin with the corresponding three letters.
| A | ABL×1 ALI×1 APP×1 |
|---|---|
| B | BAB×4 BAI×2 BAL×3 BAN×3 BEA×3 BEE×3 BEL×3 BIB×1 BIE×2 BIL×4 BIP×1 BLA×1 BLE×1 BLI×3 |
| E | ENA×1 |
| I | INA×1 |
| L | LAB×4 LIA×1 LIB×2 |
| N | NIB×1 |
| P | PAL×1 PEB×1 PEE×1 PIN×1 PLE×3 PLI×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) |
|---|---|---|
| bi..... † | BI7 | Composed of, or relating to, two planes (flat surfaces extending infinitely in all directions). |
| pl...... † | PL8 | A member of the plebs, the common citizens of ancient Rome. |
| ab.. | AB4 | Having the necessary powers or the needed resources to accomplish a task. |
| al... | AL5 | The plea or mode of defense under which a person on trial for a crime proves or attempts to prove being in another place when the alleged act was committed. |
| ap........ | AP10 | That may be appealed, or sent to a higher court for judgement. |
| ba.. | BA4 | A kind of sponge cake soaked in rum-flavoured syrup. |
| ba.... | BA6 | To utter words indistinctly or unintelligibly; to utter inarticulate sounds |
| ba.. | BA4 | A baby or infant; a very young human or animal. |
| ba... | BA5 | Alternative form of Babel |
| ba.. | BA4 | Security, usually a sum of money, exchanged for the release of an arrested person as a guarantee of that person's appearance for trial. |
| ba.... | BA6 | One who holds bailed property; one who takes possession of the property of another (called a bailor) in order to keep that property safe for the other. |
| ba.. | BA4 | Evil, especially considered as an active force for destruction or death. |
| ba.... | BA6 | The bony material that makes up the plates in the mouth of the baleen whale, Mysticeti, which it uses to trap its food; formerly used in corsetry. |
| ba.. | BA4 | A solid or hollow sphere, or roughly spherical mass. |
| ba... | BA5 | Common in a boring way, to the point of being predictable; containing nothing new or fresh. |
| ba.... | BA6 | An elongated curved tropical fruit of a banana plant, which grows in bunches and has a creamy flesh and a smooth skin. In particular, the sweet, yellow fruit of the Cavendish banana cultivar, which may be eaten raw, as distinct from e.g. a plantain for cooking. |
| ba.. | BA4 | A cause of misery or death. |
| be.. | BE4 | Any plant of several genera of the taxonomic family Fabaceae that produces large edible seeds or edible seedpods. |
| be...... | BE8 | A pitch deliberately thrown at the head of the batter. |
| be.... | BE6 | A cap that fits the head closely, usually knitted from wool. |
| be..... | BE7 | A very direct or quick path or trip. |
| be.. | BE4 | past participle of be. |
| be.. | BE4 | The sound produced by the horn of a car, or any similar sound. |
| be... | BE5 | To lie around; encompass. |
| be.. | BE4 | A percussive instrument made of metal or other hard material, typically but not always in the shape of an inverted cup with a flared rim, which resonates when struck. |
| be... | BE5 | An attractive woman. |
| bi... | BI5 | Alternative letter-case form of Bible (“a specific version, edition, translation, or copy of the Christian religious text”) |
| bi..... | BI7 | plural of biennium |
| bi...... | BI8 | Happening every two years. |
| bi...... | BI8 | Articulated with both lips. |
| bi.. | BI4 | A bitter brownish-yellow or greenish-yellow secretion produced by the liver, stored in the gall bladder, and discharged into the duodenum where it aids the process of digestion. |
| bi.. | BI4 | Any of various bladed or pointed hand weapons, originally designating an Anglo-Saxon sword, and later a weapon of infantry, especially in the 14th and 15th centuries, commonly consisting of a broad, heavy, double-edged, hook-shaped blade, with a short pike at the back and another at the top, attached to the end of a long staff. |
| bi...... | BI8 | Capable of being billed for. |
| bl.. | BL4 | To tell tales; to gossip without reserve or discretion. |
| bl... | BL5 | A brief high-pitched sound, as from some electronic device. |
| bl.. | BL4 | To cease (from); to stop; to desist, to let up. |
| bl... | BL5 | A small pancake, of Russian origin, made from buckwheat flour; traditionally served with melted butter, sour cream and caviar or smoked salmon. |
| bl.. | BL4 | A small dot registered on electronic equipment, such as a radar or oscilloscope screen. |
| en.... | EN6 | To make somebody able (to do, or to be, something); to give sufficient ability or power to do or to be; to give strength or ability to. |
| in......... | IN11 | Incapable of being alienated, surrendered, or transferred to another; not alienable. |
| la... | LA5 | A small ticket or sign giving information about something to which it is attached or intended to be attached. |
| la... | LA5 | The folds of tissue at the opening of the vulva, at either side of the vagina. |
| la.... | LA6 | Of or pertaining to the lips or labia. |
| la.... | LA6 | Liable to slip, err, fall, or apostatize. |
| li.... | LI6 | bound or obliged in law or equity; responsible; answerable. |
| li... | LI5 | A written or pictorial false statement which unjustly seeks to damage someone's reputation. |
| li..... | LI7 | The party against which a libel (hostile handbill) has been filed by a libelant. |
| ni.... | NI6 | A small, quick bite taken with the front teeth. |
| pa...... | PA8 | Capable of being touched, felt or handled; touchable, tangible. |
| pe.... | PE6 | A small stone, especially one rounded by the action of water. |
| pe...... | PE8 | Capable of being peeled. |
| pi..... | PI7 | A game, played on a device with a sloping base, in which the player operates a spring-loaded plunger to shoot a ball, between obstacles, and attempts to hit targets and score points. |
| pl.. | PL4 | A commoner, a member of the lower class of a society. |
| pl... | PL5 | A plebeian, a member of the lower class of Roman citizens. |
| pl..... | PL7 | Soft, flexible, easily bent, formed, shaped, or molded. |
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.
- biplane† (BI7)
- plebeian† (PL8)
- able (AB4)
- alibi (AL5)
- appealable (AP10)
- baba (BA4)
- babble (BA6)
- babe (BA4)
- babel (BA5)
- bail (BA4)
- bailee (BA6)
- bale (BA4)
- baleen (BA6)
- ball (BA4)
- banal (BA5)
- banana (BA6)
- bane (BA4)
- bean (BE4)
- beanball (BE8)
- beanie (BE6)
- beeline (BE7)
- been (BE4)
- beep (BE4)
- belie (BE5)
- bell (BE4)
- belle (BE5)
- bible (BI5)
- biennia (BI7)
- biennial (BI8)
- bilabial (BI8)
- bile (BI4)
- bill (BI4)
- billable (BI8)
- blab (BL4)
- bleep (BL5)
- blin (BL4)
- blini (BL5)
- blip (BL4)
- enable (EN6)
- inalienable (IN11)
- label (LA5)
- labia (LA5)
- labial (LA6)
- labile (LA6)
- liable (LI6)
- libel (LI5)
- libelee (LI7)
- nibble (NI6)
- palpable (PA8)
- pebble (PE6)
- peelable (PE8)
- pinball (PI7)
- pleb (PL4)
- plebe (PL5)
- pliable (PL7)
Answer Definitions
- biplane† (adjective): Composed of, or relating to, two planes (flat surfaces extending infinitely in all directions).
- plebeian† (noun): A member of the plebs, the common citizens of ancient Rome.
- able (adjective): Having the necessary powers or the needed resources to accomplish a task.
- alibi (noun): The plea or mode of defense under which a person on trial for a crime proves or attempts to prove being in another place when the alleged act was committed.
- appealable (adjective): That may be appealed, or sent to a higher court for judgement.
- baba (noun): A kind of sponge cake soaked in rum-flavoured syrup.
- babble (verb): To utter words indistinctly or unintelligibly; to utter inarticulate sounds
- babe (noun): A baby or infant; a very young human or animal.
- babel (noun): Alternative form of Babel
- bail (noun): Security, usually a sum of money, exchanged for the release of an arrested person as a guarantee of that person's appearance for trial.
- bailee (noun): One who holds bailed property; one who takes possession of the property of another (called a bailor) in order to keep that property safe for the other.
- bale (noun): Evil, especially considered as an active force for destruction or death.
- baleen (noun): The bony material that makes up the plates in the mouth of the baleen whale, Mysticeti, which it uses to trap its food; formerly used in corsetry.
- ball (noun): A solid or hollow sphere, or roughly spherical mass.
- banal (adjective): Common in a boring way, to the point of being predictable; containing nothing new or fresh.
- banana (noun): An elongated curved tropical fruit of a banana plant, which grows in bunches and has a creamy flesh and a smooth skin. In particular, the sweet, yellow fruit of the Cavendish banana cultivar, which may be eaten raw, as distinct from e.g. a plantain for cooking.
- bane (noun): A cause of misery or death.
- bean (noun): Any plant of several genera of the taxonomic family Fabaceae that produces large edible seeds or edible seedpods.
- beanball (noun): A pitch deliberately thrown at the head of the batter.
- beanie (noun): A cap that fits the head closely, usually knitted from wool.
- beeline (noun): A very direct or quick path or trip.
- been (verb): past participle of be.
- beep (noun): The sound produced by the horn of a car, or any similar sound.
- belie (verb): To lie around; encompass.
- bell (noun): A percussive instrument made of metal or other hard material, typically but not always in the shape of an inverted cup with a flared rim, which resonates when struck.
- belle (noun): An attractive woman.
- bible (noun): Alternative letter-case form of Bible (“a specific version, edition, translation, or copy of the Christian religious text”)
- biennia (noun): plural of biennium
- biennial (adjective): Happening every two years.
- bilabial (adjective): Articulated with both lips.
- bile (noun): A bitter brownish-yellow or greenish-yellow secretion produced by the liver, stored in the gall bladder, and discharged into the duodenum where it aids the process of digestion.
- bill (noun): Any of various bladed or pointed hand weapons, originally designating an Anglo-Saxon sword, and later a weapon of infantry, especially in the 14th and 15th centuries, commonly consisting of a broad, heavy, double-edged, hook-shaped blade, with a short pike at the back and another at the top, attached to the end of a long staff.
- billable (adjective): Capable of being billed for.
- blab (verb): To tell tales; to gossip without reserve or discretion.
- bleep (noun): A brief high-pitched sound, as from some electronic device.
- blin (verb): To cease (from); to stop; to desist, to let up.
- blini (noun): A small pancake, of Russian origin, made from buckwheat flour; traditionally served with melted butter, sour cream and caviar or smoked salmon.
- blip (noun): A small dot registered on electronic equipment, such as a radar or oscilloscope screen.
- enable (verb): To make somebody able (to do, or to be, something); to give sufficient ability or power to do or to be; to give strength or ability to.
- inalienable (adjective): Incapable of being alienated, surrendered, or transferred to another; not alienable.
- label (noun): A small ticket or sign giving information about something to which it is attached or intended to be attached.
- labia (noun): The folds of tissue at the opening of the vulva, at either side of the vagina.
- labial (adjective): Of or pertaining to the lips or labia.
- labile (adjective): Liable to slip, err, fall, or apostatize.
- liable (adjective): bound or obliged in law or equity; responsible; answerable.
- libel (noun): A written or pictorial false statement which unjustly seeks to damage someone's reputation.
- libelee (noun): The party against which a libel (hostile handbill) has been filed by a libelant.
- nibble (noun): A small, quick bite taken with the front teeth.
- palpable (adjective): Capable of being touched, felt or handled; touchable, tangible.
- pebble (noun): A small stone, especially one rounded by the action of water.
- peelable (adjective): Capable of being peeled.
- pinball (noun): A game, played on a device with a sloping base, in which the player operates a spring-loaded plunger to shoot a ball, between obstacles, and attempts to hit targets and score points.
- pleb (noun): A commoner, a member of the lower class of a society.
- plebe (noun): A plebeian, a member of the lower class of Roman citizens.
- pliable (adjective): Soft, flexible, easily bent, formed, shaped, or molded.