NYT Spelling Bee Answers for April 21, 2023
Game Summary
| Center Letter | I |
|---|---|
| Outer Letters | a, l, r, t, u, v |
| # of Pangrams | 1 (Perfect: 1) |
| Total Words | 40 words |
| Total Points | 164 points |
| Genius Level | 115 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 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A | 3 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 8 |
| I | - | - | - | - | - |
| L | 4 | - | 1 | - | 5 |
| R | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 7 |
| T | 4 | 6 | 2 | 3 | 15 |
| U | - | - | - | - | - |
| V | 1 | 3 | - | 1 | 5 | Σ | 15 | 14 | 5 | 6 | 40 |
Two-Letter List (2LL) Hints
The following list shows the number of solution words that begin with the corresponding two letters.
| A | AL×1 AR×3 AT×3 AV×1 |
|---|---|
| I | |
| L | LA×2 LI×3 |
| R | RA×3 RI×4 |
| T | TA×3 TI×4 TR×7 TU×1 |
| U | |
| V | VI×5 |
Three-Letter List (3LL) Hints
The following list shows the number of solution words that begin with the corresponding three letters.
| A | ALI×1 ARI×2 ARR×1 ATI×1 ATR×2 AVA×1 |
|---|---|
| I | |
| L | LAI×1 LAR×1 LIA×1 LIL×1 LIR×1 |
| R | RAI×2 RAT×1 RIA×1 RIL×1 RIT×1 RIV×1 |
| T | TAI×1 TAL×2 TIA×1 TIL×2 TIT×1 TRA×3 TRI×4 TUT×1 |
| U | |
| V | VIA×1 VIL×1 VIR×2 VIT×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) |
|---|---|---|
| vi..... † | VI7 | In effect or essence, if not in fact or reality; imitated, simulated. |
| al.. | AL4 | simple past tense and past participle of alight |
| ar.. | AR4 | A musical piece written typically for a solo voice with orchestral accompaniment in an opera or cantata. |
| ar.. | AR4 | A tissue surrounding the seed in certain fruits such as pomegranates. |
| ar..... | AR7 | The act of arriving (reaching a certain place). |
| at... | AT5 | At an angle from the vertical or horizontal. |
| at... | AT5 | plural of atrium |
| at.... | AT6 | Of or pertaining to an atrium, especially the atrium of the heart. |
| av... | AV5 | To turn to the advantage of. |
| la.. | LA4 | A place inhabited by a wild animal, often a cave or a hole in the ground. |
| la.... | LA6 | A lasso. |
| li.. | LI4 | One who frequently tells lies. |
| li.. | LI4 | To do something rhythmically, with animation and quickness, usually of music. |
| li.. | LI4 | The basic unit of currency in Turkey. |
| ra.. | RA4 | A horizontal bar extending between supports and used for support or as a barrier; a railing. |
| ra... | RA5 | A condiment used as a dip or sauce in the cuisine of southern Asia, made from seasoned yogurt. |
| ra..... | RA7 | Any of the large dark-colored deep-sea fish of the Macrouridae family of ray-finned fish. |
| ri.. | RI4 | The official currencies of Iran, Oman, and Yemen. |
| ri.. | RI4 | A very small brook; a streamlet; a creek, rivulet. |
| ri.... | RI6 | Related to a rite or repeated set of actions. |
| ri... | RI5 | A competitor (person, team, company, etc.) with the same goal as another, or striving to attain the same thing. Defeating a rival may be a primary or necessary goal of a competitor. |
| ta.. | TA4 | The caudal appendage of an animal that is attached to its posterior and near the anus. |
| ta.. | TA4 | plural of talus |
| ta.... | TA6 | A traditional Jewish prayer shawl with tassels which covers the chest and upper part of the back. |
| ti... | TI5 | The papal crown. |
| ti.. | TI4 | Until; to, up to; as late as (a given time). |
| ti.. | TI4 | To slope or incline (something); to slant. |
| ti..... | TI7 | Of, relating to, being, derived from, or having a title. |
| tr... | TR5 | To follow behind (someone or something); to tail (someone or something). |
| tr... | TR5 | An identifying characteristic, habit or trend. |
| tr..... | TR7 | Arduous or painful exertion; excessive labor, suffering, hardship. |
| tr... | TR5 | An opportunity to test something out; a test. |
| tr... | TR5 | A rapid alternation between an indicated note and the one above it, in musical notation usually indicated with the letters tr written above the staff. |
| tr.... | TR6 | Insignificant trifles of little importance, especially items of unimportant information. |
| tr..... | TR7 | Ignorable; of little significance or value. |
| tu... | TU5 | All together. Indicates that the remainder of a group should join in playing after a solo or other passage with a reduced number of voices. |
| vi.. | VI4 | A glass vessel or bottle, especially a small tube-shaped bottle used to store medicine, perfume or other chemicals. |
| vi... | VI5 | A house, often larger and more expensive than average, in the countryside or on the coast, often used as a retreat. |
| vi... | VI5 | Of or relating to a biological virus. |
| vi... | VI5 | Relating to, or characteristic of life. |
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.
- virtual† (VI7)
- alit (AL4)
- aria (AR4)
- aril (AR4)
- arrival (AR7)
- atilt (AT5)
- atria (AT5)
- atrial (AT6)
- avail (AV5)
- lair (LA4)
- lariat (LA6)
- liar (LI4)
- lilt (LI4)
- lira (LI4)
- rail (RA4)
- raita (RA5)
- rattail (RA7)
- rial (RI4)
- rill (RI4)
- ritual (RI6)
- rival (RI5)
- tail (TA4)
- tali (TA4)
- tallit (TA6)
- tiara (TI5)
- till (TI4)
- tilt (TI4)
- titular (TI7)
- trail (TR5)
- trait (TR5)
- travail (TR7)
- trial (TR5)
- trill (TR5)
- trivia (TR6)
- trivial (TR7)
- tutti (TU5)
- vial (VI4)
- villa (VI5)
- viral (VI5)
- vital (VI5)
Answer Definitions
- virtual† (adjective): In effect or essence, if not in fact or reality; imitated, simulated.
- alit (verb): simple past tense and past participle of alight
- aria (noun): A musical piece written typically for a solo voice with orchestral accompaniment in an opera or cantata.
- aril (noun): A tissue surrounding the seed in certain fruits such as pomegranates.
- arrival (noun): The act of arriving (reaching a certain place).
- atilt (adjective): At an angle from the vertical or horizontal.
- atria (noun): plural of atrium
- atrial (adjective): Of or pertaining to an atrium, especially the atrium of the heart.
- avail (verb): To turn to the advantage of.
- lair (noun): A place inhabited by a wild animal, often a cave or a hole in the ground.
- lariat (noun): A lasso.
- liar (noun): One who frequently tells lies.
- lilt (verb): To do something rhythmically, with animation and quickness, usually of music.
- lira (noun): The basic unit of currency in Turkey.
- rail (noun): A horizontal bar extending between supports and used for support or as a barrier; a railing.
- raita (noun): A condiment used as a dip or sauce in the cuisine of southern Asia, made from seasoned yogurt.
- rattail (noun): Any of the large dark-colored deep-sea fish of the Macrouridae family of ray-finned fish.
- rial (noun): The official currencies of Iran, Oman, and Yemen.
- rill (noun): A very small brook; a streamlet; a creek, rivulet.
- ritual (adjective): Related to a rite or repeated set of actions.
- rival (noun): A competitor (person, team, company, etc.) with the same goal as another, or striving to attain the same thing. Defeating a rival may be a primary or necessary goal of a competitor.
- tail (noun): The caudal appendage of an animal that is attached to its posterior and near the anus.
- tali (noun): plural of talus
- tallit (noun): A traditional Jewish prayer shawl with tassels which covers the chest and upper part of the back.
- tiara (noun): The papal crown.
- till (preposition): Until; to, up to; as late as (a given time).
- tilt (verb): To slope or incline (something); to slant.
- titular (adjective): Of, relating to, being, derived from, or having a title.
- trail (verb): To follow behind (someone or something); to tail (someone or something).
- trait (noun): An identifying characteristic, habit or trend.
- travail (noun): Arduous or painful exertion; excessive labor, suffering, hardship.
- trial (noun): An opportunity to test something out; a test.
- trill (noun): A rapid alternation between an indicated note and the one above it, in musical notation usually indicated with the letters tr written above the staff.
- trivia (noun): Insignificant trifles of little importance, especially items of unimportant information.
- trivial (adjective): Ignorable; of little significance or value.
- tutti (adverb): All together. Indicates that the remainder of a group should join in playing after a solo or other passage with a reduced number of voices.
- vial (noun): A glass vessel or bottle, especially a small tube-shaped bottle used to store medicine, perfume or other chemicals.
- villa (noun): A house, often larger and more expensive than average, in the countryside or on the coast, often used as a retreat.
- viral (adjective): Of or relating to a biological virus.
- vital (adjective): Relating to, or characteristic of life.