NYT Spelling Bee Answers for May 6, 2023
Game Summary
| Center Letter | I |
|---|---|
| Outer Letters | a, c, f, l, o, r |
| # of Pangrams | 1 (Perfect: none) |
| Total Words | 59 words |
| Total Points | 247 points |
| Genius Level | 173 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 | Σ | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A | 3 | 1 | 2 | 1 | - | - | 7 |
| C | 4 | 7 | 1 | 2 | - | 2 | 16 |
| F | 5 | 7 | 3 | - | 2 | - | 17 |
| I | - | 1 | - | - | - | - | 1 |
| L | 5 | 1 | 1 | - | - | - | 7 |
| O | 1 | - | - | - | 1 | - | 2 |
| R | 5 | - | 2 | 1 | 1 | - | 9 | Σ | 23 | 17 | 9 | 4 | 4 | 2 | 59 |
Two-Letter List (2LL) Hints
The following list shows the number of solution words that begin with the corresponding two letters.
| A | AC×2 AF×1 AI×2 AR×2 |
|---|---|
| C | CA×4 CI×4 CL×1 CO×6 CR×1 |
| F | FA×4 FI×2 FL×2 FO×5 FR×4 |
| I | IL×1 |
| L | LA×3 LI×3 LO×1 |
| O | OF×1 OL×1 |
| R | RA×4 RI×4 RO×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 AFF×1 AIO×1 AIR×1 ARI×2 |
|---|---|
| C | CAL×3 CAR×1 CIA×1 CIL×1 CIR×2 CLI×1 COC×1 COI×3 COL×2 CRO×1 |
| F | FAC×1 FAI×2 FAR×1 FIL×2 FLA×2 FOC×2 FOI×1 FOL×2 FRA×1 FRI×2 FRO×1 |
| I | ILI×1 |
| L | LAI×3 LIA×1 LIL×1 LIR×1 LOC×1 |
| O | OFF×1 OLI×1 |
| R | RAC×1 RAF×1 RAI×2 RIA×1 RIF×2 RIL×1 ROI×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) |
|---|---|---|
| ca....... † | CA9 | Relating to calories. |
| ac.... | AC6 | A shrub or tree of the tribe Acacieae. |
| ac.. | AC4 | Any of several South American palms, of the genus Euterpe, having a dark purple drupe. |
| af.... | AF6 | Something which is done or is to be done; business of any kind, commercial, professional, or public. |
| ai... | AI5 | A type of sauce, similar to mayonnaise, made from garlic, egg, lemon juice and olive oil. |
| ai..... | AI7 | A structure shaped to produce lift when moving in air. |
| 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. |
| ca.... | CA6 | A kind of rough cloth made from unbleached and not fully processed cotton, often printed with a bright pattern. |
| ca..... | CA7 | Relating to calories. |
| ca..... | CA7 | A sideways step in which one leg crosses over the other. |
| ci.. | CI4 | hello, hi. |
| ci... | CI5 | plural of cilium |
| ci... | CI5 | Approximately, about, around |
| ci... | CI5 | plural of cirrus Tendrils or claspers. |
| cl... | CL5 | A vertical (or nearly vertical) rock face. |
| co... | CO5 | plural of coccus |
| co.. | CO4 | A hairdo. |
| co.. | CO4 | Something wound in the form of a helix or spiral. |
| co.. | CO4 | The fibre obtained from the husk of a coconut, used chiefly in making rope, matting and as a peat substitute. |
| co... | CO5 | Severe pains that grip the abdomen or the disease that causes such pains (due to intestinal or bowel-related problems). |
| co....... | CO9 | That produces coloured precipitates |
| cr... | CR5 | plural of crocus |
| fa.... | FA6 | Of or affecting the face. |
| fa.. | FA4 | To be unsuccessful. |
| fa.. | FA4 | Beautiful, of a pleasing appearance, with a pure and fresh quality. |
| fa...... | FA8 | Resembling a farce; ludicrous; absurd. |
| fi.... | FI6 | Pertaining to or befitting a son or daughter. |
| fi.. | FI4 | To occupy fully, to take up all of. |
| fl... | FL5 | A tool used for threshing, consisting of a long handle with a shorter stick attached with a short piece of chain, thong or similar material. |
| fl... | FL5 | A natural or innate talent or aptitude. |
| fo...... | FO8 | A flatbread similar in style, composition, and texture to modern pizza doughs and topped with herbs, cheese and other products. Focaccia typically consists of high-gluten flour, oil, water, sugar, salt and yeast. |
| fo.. | FO4 | plural of focus |
| fo.. | FO4 | A very thin sheet of metal. |
| fo... | FO5 | Of or relating to foliage; pteroylglutamic, as in folic acid. |
| fo... | FO5 | a leaf of a book or manuscript |
| fr... | FR5 | Easily broken physically; not firm or durable; liable to fail and perish. |
| fr... | FR5 | A member of a mendicant Christian order such as the Augustinians, Carmelites, Franciscans, or the Dominicans. |
| fr... | FR5 | A strip of pleated fabric or paper used as decoration or trim. |
| fr.... | FR6 | Merry, joyous, full of mirth; later especially, frolicsome, sportive, full of playful mischief. |
| il... | IL5 | Relating to the ilium. |
| la.. | LA4 | A layperson, as opposed to a member of the clergy. |
| la.... | LA6 | Of or pertaining to a layperson, layman, laywoman, or laypeople (laity). |
| la.. | LA4 | A place inhabited by a wild animal, often a cave or a hole in the ground. |
| li.. | LI4 | One who frequently tells lies. |
| li... | LI5 | A large shrub of the genus Syringa, especially Syringa vulgaris, bearing white, pale-pink, or purple flowers. |
| li.. | LI4 | The basic unit of currency in Turkey. |
| lo.. | LO4 | plural of locus |
| of...... | OF8 | Of or pertaining to an office or public trust. |
| ol.. | OL4 | A rich, thick, Spanish stew consisting of meat and vegetables. |
| ra.... | RA6 | Of or relating to a race (or a people). |
| ra.... | RA6 | A fibrous material used for tying plants, originating from the leaves of the raffia palm tree (genus Raphia). |
| ra.. | RA4 | A horizontal bar extending between supports and used for support or as a barrier; a railing. |
| ra..... | RA7 | A self-propelled railway vehicle for passengers, similar to a bus. |
| ri.. | RI4 | The official currencies of Iran, Oman, and Yemen. |
| ri.. | RI4 | A repeated instrumental melody line in a song. |
| ri...... | RI8 | The rabble; crowds; the common people. |
| ri.. | RI4 | A very small brook; a streamlet; a creek, rivulet. |
| ro.. | RO4 | To render turbid by stirring up the dregs or sediment of. |
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.
- calorific† (CA9)
- acacia (AC6)
- acai (AC4)
- affair (AF6)
- aioli (AI5)
- airfoil (AI7)
- aria (AR4)
- aril (AR4)
- calico (CA6)
- caloric (CA7)
- carioca (CA7)
- ciao (CI4)
- cilia (CI5)
- circa (CI5)
- cirri (CI5)
- cliff (CL5)
- cocci (CO5)
- coif (CO4)
- coil (CO4)
- coir (CO4)
- colic (CO5)
- colorific (CO9)
- croci (CR5)
- facial (FA6)
- fail (FA4)
- fair (FA4)
- farcical (FA8)
- filial (FI6)
- fill (FI4)
- flail (FL5)
- flair (FL5)
- focaccia (FO8)
- foci (FO4)
- foil (FO4)
- folic (FO5)
- folio (FO5)
- frail (FR5)
- friar (FR5)
- frill (FR5)
- frolic (FR6)
- iliac (IL5)
- laic (LA4)
- laical (LA6)
- lair (LA4)
- liar (LI4)
- lilac (LI5)
- lira (LI4)
- loci (LO4)
- official (OF8)
- olio (OL4)
- racial (RA6)
- raffia (RA6)
- rail (RA4)
- railcar (RA7)
- rial (RI4)
- riff (RI4)
- riffraff (RI8)
- rill (RI4)
- roil (RO4)
Answer Definitions
- calorific† (adjective): Relating to calories.
- 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.
- affair (noun): Something which is done or is to be done; business of any kind, commercial, professional, or public.
- aioli (noun): A type of sauce, similar to mayonnaise, made from garlic, egg, lemon juice and olive oil.
- airfoil (noun): A structure shaped to produce lift when moving in air.
- 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.
- calico (noun): A kind of rough cloth made from unbleached and not fully processed cotton, often printed with a bright pattern.
- caloric (adjective): Relating to calories.
- carioca (noun): A sideways step in which one leg crosses over the other.
- ciao (interjection): hello, hi.
- cilia (noun): plural of cilium
- circa (preposition): Approximately, about, around
- cirri (noun): plural of cirrus Tendrils or claspers.
- cliff (noun): A vertical (or nearly vertical) rock face.
- cocci (noun): plural of coccus
- coif (noun): A hairdo.
- coil (noun): Something wound in the form of a helix or spiral.
- coir (noun): The fibre obtained from the husk of a coconut, used chiefly in making rope, matting and as a peat substitute.
- colic (noun): Severe pains that grip the abdomen or the disease that causes such pains (due to intestinal or bowel-related problems).
- colorific (adjective): That produces coloured precipitates
- croci (noun): plural of crocus
- facial (adjective): Of or affecting the face.
- fail (verb): To be unsuccessful.
- fair (adjective): Beautiful, of a pleasing appearance, with a pure and fresh quality.
- farcical (adjective): Resembling a farce; ludicrous; absurd.
- filial (adjective): Pertaining to or befitting a son or daughter.
- fill (verb): To occupy fully, to take up all of.
- flail (noun): A tool used for threshing, consisting of a long handle with a shorter stick attached with a short piece of chain, thong or similar material.
- flair (noun): A natural or innate talent or aptitude.
- focaccia (noun): A flatbread similar in style, composition, and texture to modern pizza doughs and topped with herbs, cheese and other products. Focaccia typically consists of high-gluten flour, oil, water, sugar, salt and yeast.
- foci (noun): plural of focus
- foil (noun): A very thin sheet of metal.
- folic (adjective): Of or relating to foliage; pteroylglutamic, as in folic acid.
- folio (noun): a leaf of a book or manuscript
- frail (adjective): Easily broken physically; not firm or durable; liable to fail and perish.
- friar (noun): A member of a mendicant Christian order such as the Augustinians, Carmelites, Franciscans, or the Dominicans.
- frill (noun): A strip of pleated fabric or paper used as decoration or trim.
- frolic (adjective): Merry, joyous, full of mirth; later especially, frolicsome, sportive, full of playful mischief.
- iliac (adjective): Relating to the ilium.
- 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).
- lair (noun): A place inhabited by a wild animal, often a cave or a hole in the ground.
- liar (noun): One who frequently tells lies.
- lilac (noun): A large shrub of the genus Syringa, especially Syringa vulgaris, bearing white, pale-pink, or purple flowers.
- lira (noun): The basic unit of currency in Turkey.
- loci (noun): plural of locus
- official (adjective): Of or pertaining to an office or public trust.
- olio (noun): A rich, thick, Spanish stew consisting of meat and vegetables.
- racial (adjective): Of or relating to a race (or a people).
- raffia (noun): A fibrous material used for tying plants, originating from the leaves of the raffia palm tree (genus Raphia).
- rail (noun): A horizontal bar extending between supports and used for support or as a barrier; a railing.
- railcar (noun): A self-propelled railway vehicle for passengers, similar to a bus.
- rial (noun): The official currencies of Iran, Oman, and Yemen.
- riff (noun): A repeated instrumental melody line in a song.
- riffraff (noun): The rabble; crowds; the common people.
- rill (noun): A very small brook; a streamlet; a creek, rivulet.
- roil (verb): To render turbid by stirring up the dregs or sediment of.