NYT Spelling Bee Answers for August 12, 2023
Game Summary
| Center Letter | E |
|---|---|
| Outer Letters | c, i, l, m, o, p |
| # of Pangrams | 2 (Perfect: 2) |
| Total Words | 47 words |
| Total Points | 164 points |
| Genius Level | 115 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 | Σ | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| C | 3 | 3 | 2 | 1 | - | 9 |
| E | 2 | 2 | - | - | - | 4 |
| I | - | 1 | 1 | - | - | 2 |
| L | 3 | - | - | - | - | 3 |
| M | 7 | 2 | - | - | - | 9 |
| O | 1 | 2 | - | - | - | 3 |
| P | 9 | 1 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 17 | Σ | 25 | 11 | 8 | 2 | 1 | 47 |
Two-Letter List (2LL) Hints
The following list shows the number of solution words that begin with the corresponding two letters.
| C | CE×3 CL×1 CO×5 |
|---|---|
| E | EL×1 EM×1 EP×2 |
| I | IC×1 IM×1 |
| L | LI×2 LO×1 |
| M | ME×3 MI×4 MO×2 |
| O | OL×3 |
| P | PE×4 PI×4 PL×1 PO×8 |
Three-Letter List (3LL) Hints
The following list shows the number of solution words that begin with the corresponding three letters.
| C | CEL×3 CLI×1 COL×1 COM×3 COP×1 |
|---|---|
| E | ELO×1 EMC×1 EPE×1 EPI×1 |
| I | ICI×1 IMP×1 |
| L | LIC×1 LIM×1 LOP×1 |
| M | MEL×1 MEM×2 MIC×1 MIL×1 MIM×2 MOL×1 MOP×1 |
| O | OLE×2 OLL×1 |
| P | PEE×2 PEL×1 PEO×1 PIE×1 PIL×1 PIM×1 PIP×1 PLI×1 POE×1 POL×3 POM×3 POP×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) |
|---|---|---|
| co..... † | CO7 | To put together; to assemble; to make by gathering things from various sources. |
| po..... † | PO7 | A person who writes in support of one opinion, doctrine, or system, in opposition to another; one skilled in polemics; a controversialist; a disputant. |
| ce.. | CE4 | A single-room dwelling for a hermit. |
| ce... | CE5 | plural of cello |
| ce... | CE5 | A large unfretted stringed instrument of the violin family with four strings tuned (lowest to highest) C-G-D-A and an endpin to support its weight, usually played with a bow. |
| cl... | CL5 | A particular region defined by its weather or climate. |
| co.... | CO6 | Any of various breeds of dog originating in Scotland and England as sheepdogs |
| co.. | CO4 | To move from further away to nearer to. |
| co.... | CO6 | To drive together, round up (Can we add an example for this sense?) |
| co.. | CO4 | To deal effectively with something, especially if difficult. |
| el... | EL5 | To run away from home with a paramour. |
| em... | EM5 | Alternative form of MC in its senses as Master of ceremonies. A rapper. |
| ep.. | EP4 | A sharp-pointed dueling sword with a bell-shaped guard, used (with the end blunted) in sport fencing. |
| ep.. | EP4 | An extended narrative poem in elevated or dignified language, celebrating the feats of a deity, demigod (heroic epic), other legend or traditional hero. |
| ic.... | IC6 | A drooping, tapering shape of ice. |
| im... | IM5 | To urge a person; to press on; to incite to action or motion via intrinsic motivation. |
| li.. | LI4 | plural of louse |
| li.. | LI4 | Any inorganic material containing calcium, usually calcium oxide (quicklime) or calcium hydroxide (slaked lime). |
| lo.. | LO4 | To travel an easy pace with long strides. |
| me... | ME5 | A battle fought at close range; hand-to-hand combat; brawling. |
| me.. | ME4 | Any unit of cultural information, such as a practice or idea, that is transmitted verbally or by repeated action from one mind to another in a comparable way to the transmission of genes. |
| me.. | ME4 | A short note; a memorandum. |
| mi.. | MI4 | plural of mouse |
| mi.. | MI4 | The international mile: a unit of length precisely equal to 1.609344 kilometers established by treaty among Anglophone nations in 1959, divided into 5,280 feet or 1,760 yards. |
| mi.. | MI4 | A form of acting without words; pantomime. |
| mi... | MI5 | A mimeograph. |
| mo.. | MO4 | A pigmented spot on the skin, a naevus, slightly raised, and sometimes hairy. |
| mo.. | MO4 | To carry oneself in a depressed, lackadaisical manner; to give oneself up to low spirits; to pout, sulk. |
| ol... | OL5 | Of or pertaining to oil, especially to vegetable oil |
| ol.. | OL4 | A type of energy-absorbing landing gear strut in which sudden compression or extension of the strut causes a gas-filled chamber to push or pull a piston which forces oil through a small orifice, resulting in absorption of energy through viscous effects. |
| ol... | OL5 | An aerial maneuver in which one catches air by leaping off the ground with the skateboard and into the air. |
| pe.. | PE4 | To remove the skin or outer covering of. |
| pe.. | PE4 | A short, soft, high-pitched sound, as made by a baby bird. |
| pe...... | PE8 | A thin skin or film. |
| pe.... | PE6 | Used as plural of person; a body of human beings considered generally or collectively; a group of two or more persons. |
| pi... | PI5 | A part of a larger whole, usually in such a form that it is able to be separated from other parts. |
| pi.. | PI4 | A mass of things heaped together; a heap. |
| pi.... | PI6 | An inflamed (raised and colored) spot on the surface of the skin that is usually painful and fills with pus. |
| pi.. | PI4 | Meanings relating to a wind instrument. A wind instrument consisting of a tube, often lined with holes to allow for adjustment in pitch, sounded by blowing into the tube. A tube used to produce sound in an organ; an organ pipe. The key or sound of the voice. A high-pitched sound, especially of a bird. |
| pl.. | PL4 | Alternative spelling of plié |
| po.. | PO4 | A literary piece written in verse. |
| po.. | PO4 | Originally, a stick; now specifically, a long and slender piece of metal or (especially) wood, used for various construction or support purposes. |
| po.... | PO6 | A public agency charged with enforcing laws and maintaining public order, usually being granted special privileges to do so, particularly |
| po.. | PO4 | A type of fruit in which the often edible flesh arises from the swollen base of the flower and not from the carpels. |
| po.... | PO6 | The large fruit of the Citrus maxima (syn. C. grandis), native to South Asia and Southeast Asia, with a thick green or yellow rind, a thick white pith, and semi-sweet translucent pale flesh. |
| po.... | PO6 | The upper front brow of a saddle. |
| po.. | PO4 | An honorary title of the Roman Catholic bishop of Rome as father and head of his church, a sovereign of the Vatican city state. Any similarly absolute and 'infallible' authority. Any similar head of a religion. A theocrat, a priest-king, including (at first especially) over the imaginary land of Prester John or (now) in figurative and alliterative uses. An effigy of the pope traditionally burnt in Britain on Guy Fawkes' Day and (occasionally) at other times. Pope Day, the present Guy Fawkes Day. |
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.
- compile† (CO7)
- polemic† (PO7)
- cell (CE4)
- celli (CE5)
- cello (CE5)
- clime (CL5)
- collie (CO6)
- come (CO4)
- compel (CO6)
- cope (CO4)
- elope (EL5)
- emcee (EM5)
- epee (EP4)
- epic (EP4)
- icicle (IC6)
- impel (IM5)
- lice (LI4)
- lime (LI4)
- lope (LO4)
- melee (ME5)
- meme (ME4)
- memo (ME4)
- mice (MI4)
- mile (MI4)
- mime (MI4)
- mimeo (MI5)
- mole (MO4)
- mope (MO4)
- oleic (OL5)
- oleo (OL4)
- ollie (OL5)
- peel (PE4)
- peep (PE4)
- pellicle (PE8)
- people (PE6)
- piece (PI5)
- pile (PI4)
- pimple (PI6)
- pipe (PI4)
- plie (PL4)
- poem (PO4)
- pole (PO4)
- police (PO6)
- pome (PO4)
- pomelo (PO6)
- pommel (PO6)
- pope (PO4)
Answer Definitions
- compile† (verb): To put together; to assemble; to make by gathering things from various sources.
- polemic† (noun): A person who writes in support of one opinion, doctrine, or system, in opposition to another; one skilled in polemics; a controversialist; a disputant.
- cell (noun): A single-room dwelling for a hermit.
- celli (noun): plural of cello
- cello (noun): A large unfretted stringed instrument of the violin family with four strings tuned (lowest to highest) C-G-D-A and an endpin to support its weight, usually played with a bow.
- clime (noun): A particular region defined by its weather or climate.
- collie (noun): Any of various breeds of dog originating in Scotland and England as sheepdogs
- come (verb): To move from further away to nearer to.
- compel (verb): To drive together, round up (Can we add an example for this sense?)
- cope (verb): To deal effectively with something, especially if difficult.
- elope (verb): To run away from home with a paramour.
- emcee (noun): Alternative form of MC in its senses as Master of ceremonies. A rapper.
- epee (noun): A sharp-pointed dueling sword with a bell-shaped guard, used (with the end blunted) in sport fencing.
- epic (noun): An extended narrative poem in elevated or dignified language, celebrating the feats of a deity, demigod (heroic epic), other legend or traditional hero.
- icicle (noun): A drooping, tapering shape of ice.
- impel (verb): To urge a person; to press on; to incite to action or motion via intrinsic motivation.
- lice (noun): plural of louse
- lime (noun): Any inorganic material containing calcium, usually calcium oxide (quicklime) or calcium hydroxide (slaked lime).
- lope (verb): To travel an easy pace with long strides.
- melee (noun): A battle fought at close range; hand-to-hand combat; brawling.
- meme (noun): Any unit of cultural information, such as a practice or idea, that is transmitted verbally or by repeated action from one mind to another in a comparable way to the transmission of genes.
- memo (noun): A short note; a memorandum.
- mice (noun): plural of mouse
- mile (noun): The international mile: a unit of length precisely equal to 1.609344 kilometers established by treaty among Anglophone nations in 1959, divided into 5,280 feet or 1,760 yards.
- mime (noun): A form of acting without words; pantomime.
- mimeo (noun): A mimeograph.
- mole (noun): A pigmented spot on the skin, a naevus, slightly raised, and sometimes hairy.
- mope (verb): To carry oneself in a depressed, lackadaisical manner; to give oneself up to low spirits; to pout, sulk.
- oleic (adjective): Of or pertaining to oil, especially to vegetable oil
- oleo (noun): A type of energy-absorbing landing gear strut in which sudden compression or extension of the strut causes a gas-filled chamber to push or pull a piston which forces oil through a small orifice, resulting in absorption of energy through viscous effects.
- ollie (noun): An aerial maneuver in which one catches air by leaping off the ground with the skateboard and into the air.
- peel (verb): To remove the skin or outer covering of.
- peep (noun): A short, soft, high-pitched sound, as made by a baby bird.
- pellicle (noun): A thin skin or film.
- people (noun): Used as plural of person; a body of human beings considered generally or collectively; a group of two or more persons.
- piece (noun): A part of a larger whole, usually in such a form that it is able to be separated from other parts.
- pile (noun): A mass of things heaped together; a heap.
- pimple (noun): An inflamed (raised and colored) spot on the surface of the skin that is usually painful and fills with pus.
- pipe (noun): Meanings relating to a wind instrument. A wind instrument consisting of a tube, often lined with holes to allow for adjustment in pitch, sounded by blowing into the tube. A tube used to produce sound in an organ; an organ pipe. The key or sound of the voice. A high-pitched sound, especially of a bird.
- plie (noun): Alternative spelling of plié
- poem (noun): A literary piece written in verse.
- pole (noun): Originally, a stick; now specifically, a long and slender piece of metal or (especially) wood, used for various construction or support purposes.
- police (noun): A public agency charged with enforcing laws and maintaining public order, usually being granted special privileges to do so, particularly
- pome (noun): A type of fruit in which the often edible flesh arises from the swollen base of the flower and not from the carpels.
- pomelo (noun): The large fruit of the Citrus maxima (syn. C. grandis), native to South Asia and Southeast Asia, with a thick green or yellow rind, a thick white pith, and semi-sweet translucent pale flesh.
- pommel (noun): The upper front brow of a saddle.
- pope (noun): An honorary title of the Roman Catholic bishop of Rome as father and head of his church, a sovereign of the Vatican city state. Any similarly absolute and 'infallible' authority. Any similar head of a religion. A theocrat, a priest-king, including (at first especially) over the imaginary land of Prester John or (now) in figurative and alliterative uses. An effigy of the pope traditionally burnt in Britain on Guy Fawkes' Day and (occasionally) at other times. Pope Day, the present Guy Fawkes Day.