NYT Spelling Bee Answers for May 2, 2023
Game Summary
| Center Letter | T |
|---|---|
| Outer Letters | a, b, n, o, u, y |
| # of Pangrams | 1 (Perfect: 1) |
| Total Words | 43 words |
| Total Points | 162 points |
| Genius Level | 113 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</th><th>8 | Σ | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A | 3 | 3 | - | 1 | - | 7 |
| B | 5 | 3 | 5 | 1 | - | 14 |
| N | - | 2 | 1 | 1 | - | 4 |
| O | 2 | - | - | - | - | 2 |
| T | 8 | 5 | 1 | - | - | 14 |
| U | 1 | - | - | - | 1 | 2 |
| Y | - | - | - | - | - | - | Σ | 19 | 13 | 7 | 3 | 1 | 43 |
Two-Letter List (2LL) Hints
The following list shows the number of solution words that begin with the corresponding two letters.
| A | AB×3 AT×1 AU×3 |
|---|---|
| B | BA×3 BO×6 BU×5 |
| N | NA×3 NU×1 |
| O | OA×1 ON×1 |
| T | TA×6 TO×4 TU×4 |
| U | UN×2 |
| Y |
Three-Letter List (3LL) Hints
The following list shows the number of solution words that begin with the corresponding three letters.
| A | ABB×1 ABO×1 ABU×1 ATT×1 AUN×2 AUT×1 |
|---|---|
| B | BAT×3 BOA×1 BOO×2 BOT×1 BOU×2 BUN×1 BUO×1 BUT×2 BUY×1 |
| N | NAN×1 NAT×2 NUT×1 |
| O | OAT×1 ONT×1 |
| T | TAB×2 TAT×2 TAU×2 TON×1 TOO×2 TOU×1 TUB×2 TUN×1 TUT×1 |
| U | UNB×1 UNT×1 |
| Y |
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) |
|---|---|---|
| bu..... † | BU7 | Having buoyancy; able to float. |
| ab... | AB5 | The superior or head of an abbey or monastery. |
| ab... | AB5 | In a circle around; all round; on every side of; on the outside of. |
| ab.. | AB4 | To touch by means of a mutual border, edge or end; to border on; to lie adjacent (to); to be contiguous (said of an area of land) |
| at..... | AT7 | Used to show encouragement or approval to a boy, man, or male animal. |
| au.. | AU4 | The sister or sister-in-law of one’s parent. |
| au... | AU5 | Alternative spelling of auntie |
| au.. | AU4 | Clipping of automatic. |
| ba.... | BA6 | A boy employed to watch over the bats, and assist the players in retrieving them during play. |
| ba... | BA5 | A staff or truncheon, used for various purposes. |
| ba... | BA5 | Mad, crazy, silly. |
| bo.. | BO4 | A craft used for transportation of goods, fishing, racing, recreational cruising, or military use on or in the water, propelled by oars or outboard motor or inboard motor or by wind. |
| bo.. | BO4 | A heavy shoe that covers part of the leg. A kind of sports shoe worn by players of certain games such as cricket and football. |
| bo... | BO5 | A form of prize which, when a ship was captured at sea, could be distributed at once. |
| bo.... | BO6 | The scientific study of plants, a branch of biology. Typically those disciplines that involve the whole plant. |
| bo.... | BO6 | Generosity; also an act of generosity. |
| bo.. | BO4 | A period of something, especially one painful or unpleasant. |
| bu.. | BU4 | The middle part, cavity, or belly of a sail; the part of a furled sail which is at the center of the yard. |
| bu.. | BU4 | The larger or thicker end of something; the blunt end, in distinction from the sharp or narrow end The buttocks . |
| bu.... | BU6 | A knob or disc that is passed through a loop or (buttonhole), serving as a fastener. |
| bu.... | BU6 | The acquisition of a controlling interest in a business or corporation by outright purchase or by purchase of a majority of issued shares of stock. |
| na..... | NA7 | A very small autonomous robot, typically the size of a biological cell, designed to work alone or in very large numbers to achieve some task. |
| na.... | NA6 | floating or swimming (in water) |
| na... | NA5 | Smart and fashionable. |
| nu... | NU5 | Containing nuts. |
| oa.. | OA4 | Containing oats. |
| on.. | ON4 | Upon; on top of. |
| ta... | TA5 | A kind of waved silk, usually called watered silk, manufactured like taffeta, but thicker and stronger. The watering is given to it by calendering. |
| ta... | TA5 | An inhibition or ban that results from social custom or emotional aversion. |
| ta.... | TA6 | An image made in the skin with ink and a needle. |
| ta... | TA5 | worn and shabby; in poor condition. |
| ta... | TA5 | to make fun of (someone); to goad (a person) into responding, often in an aggressive manner. |
| ta.. | TA4 | Under tension, like a stretched bowstring, rope, or sail; tight. |
| to.. | TO4 | Stylish, high-toned, upscale. |
| to.. | TO4 | A cartoon, especially an animated television show. |
| to.. | TO4 | The noise of a horn or whistle. |
| to.. | TO4 | Someone advertising for customers in an aggressive way. |
| tu.. | TU4 | A large brass musical instrument, usually in the bass range, played through a vibration of the lips upon the mouthpiece and fingering of the keys. |
| tu... | TU5 | stout, rotund |
| tu.. | TU4 | Any of several species of fish of the genus Thunnus in the family Scombridae. |
| tu.. | TU4 | A ballet skirt made of layered stiff but light netting. |
| un...... | UN8 | To open (something) by undoing its buttons. |
| un.. | UN4 | Up to the time or degree that; until. |
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.
- buoyant† (BU7)
- abbot (AB5)
- about (AB5)
- abut (AB4)
- attaboy (AT7)
- aunt (AU4)
- aunty (AU5)
- auto (AU4)
- batboy (BA6)
- baton (BA5)
- batty (BA5)
- boat (BO4)
- boot (BO4)
- booty (BO5)
- botany (BO6)
- bounty (BO6)
- bout (BO4)
- bunt (BU4)
- butt (BU4)
- button (BU6)
- buyout (BU6)
- nanobot (NA7)
- natant (NA6)
- natty (NA5)
- nutty (NU5)
- oaty (OA4)
- onto (ON4)
- tabby (TA5)
- taboo (TA5)
- tattoo (TA6)
- tatty (TA5)
- taunt (TA5)
- taut (TA4)
- tony (TO4)
- toon (TO4)
- toot (TO4)
- tout (TO4)
- tuba (TU4)
- tubby (TU5)
- tuna (TU4)
- tutu (TU4)
- unbutton (UN8)
- unto (UN4)
Answer Definitions
- buoyant† (adjective): Having buoyancy; able to float.
- abbot (noun): The superior or head of an abbey or monastery.
- about (preposition): In a circle around; all round; on every side of; on the outside of.
- abut (verb): To touch by means of a mutual border, edge or end; to border on; to lie adjacent (to); to be contiguous (said of an area of land)
- attaboy (interjection): Used to show encouragement or approval to a boy, man, or male animal.
- aunt (noun): The sister or sister-in-law of one’s parent.
- aunty (noun): Alternative spelling of auntie
- auto (adjective): Clipping of automatic.
- batboy (noun): A boy employed to watch over the bats, and assist the players in retrieving them during play.
- baton (noun): A staff or truncheon, used for various purposes.
- batty (adjective): Mad, crazy, silly.
- boat (noun): A craft used for transportation of goods, fishing, racing, recreational cruising, or military use on or in the water, propelled by oars or outboard motor or inboard motor or by wind.
- boot (noun): A heavy shoe that covers part of the leg. A kind of sports shoe worn by players of certain games such as cricket and football.
- booty (noun): A form of prize which, when a ship was captured at sea, could be distributed at once.
- botany (noun): The scientific study of plants, a branch of biology. Typically those disciplines that involve the whole plant.
- bounty (noun): Generosity; also an act of generosity.
- bout (noun): A period of something, especially one painful or unpleasant.
- bunt (noun): The middle part, cavity, or belly of a sail; the part of a furled sail which is at the center of the yard.
- butt (noun): The larger or thicker end of something; the blunt end, in distinction from the sharp or narrow end The buttocks .
- button (noun): A knob or disc that is passed through a loop or (buttonhole), serving as a fastener.
- buyout (noun): The acquisition of a controlling interest in a business or corporation by outright purchase or by purchase of a majority of issued shares of stock.
- nanobot (noun): A very small autonomous robot, typically the size of a biological cell, designed to work alone or in very large numbers to achieve some task.
- natant (adjective): floating or swimming (in water)
- natty (adjective): Smart and fashionable.
- nutty (adjective): Containing nuts.
- oaty (adjective): Containing oats.
- onto (preposition): Upon; on top of.
- tabby (noun): A kind of waved silk, usually called watered silk, manufactured like taffeta, but thicker and stronger. The watering is given to it by calendering.
- taboo (noun): An inhibition or ban that results from social custom or emotional aversion.
- tattoo (noun): An image made in the skin with ink and a needle.
- tatty (noun): worn and shabby; in poor condition.
- taunt (verb): to make fun of (someone); to goad (a person) into responding, often in an aggressive manner.
- taut (adjective): Under tension, like a stretched bowstring, rope, or sail; tight.
- tony (adjective): Stylish, high-toned, upscale.
- toon (noun): A cartoon, especially an animated television show.
- toot (noun): The noise of a horn or whistle.
- tout (noun): Someone advertising for customers in an aggressive way.
- tuba (noun): A large brass musical instrument, usually in the bass range, played through a vibration of the lips upon the mouthpiece and fingering of the keys.
- tubby (adjective): stout, rotund
- tuna (noun): Any of several species of fish of the genus Thunnus in the family Scombridae.
- tutu (noun): A ballet skirt made of layered stiff but light netting.
- unbutton (verb): To open (something) by undoing its buttons.
- unto (conjunction): Up to the time or degree that; until.