NYT Spelling Bee Answers for August 23, 2023
Game Summary
| Center Letter | F |
|---|---|
| Outer Letters | a, e, l, p, t, u |
| # of Pangrams | 1 (Perfect: none) |
| Total Words | 42 words |
| Total Points | 147 points |
| Genius Level | 103 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 | - | - | - | 1 | - | 1 |
| E | - | - | 1 | - | - | 1 |
| F | 16 | 7 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 29 |
| L | 2 | - | - | 1 | - | 3 |
| P | 3 | - | - | - | 1 | 4 |
| T | 2 | - | 1 | 1 | - | 4 |
| U | - | - | - | - | - | - | Σ | 23 | 7 | 4 | 6 | 2 | 42 |
Two-Letter List (2LL) Hints
The following list shows the number of solution words that begin with the corresponding two letters.
| A | AL×1 |
|---|---|
| E | EF×1 |
| F | FA×6 FE×11 FL×10 FU×2 |
| L | LE×3 |
| P | PE×1 PF×1 PL×1 PU×1 |
| T | TA×1 TE×1 TU×2 |
| U |
Three-Letter List (3LL) Hints
The following list shows the number of solution words that begin with the corresponding three letters.
| A | ALF×1 |
|---|---|
| E | EFF×1 |
| F | FAL×2 FAT×3 FAU×1 FEA×1 FEE×2 FEL×4 FET×4 FLA×4 FLE×3 FLU×3 FUE×1 FUL×1 |
| L | LEA×2 LEF×1 |
| P | PEL×1 PFF×1 PLA×1 PUF×1 |
| T | TAF×1 TEF×1 TUF×2 |
| U |
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) |
|---|---|---|
| pl...... † | PL8 | The quantity contained on a plate. |
| al..... | AL7 | A plant, principally of Medicago sativa, grown as a pasture crop. |
| ef.... | EF6 | Of substances, quantities etc: exhausted, spent, worn-out. |
| fa..... | FA7 | A Middle Eastern food in the form of balls made from chickpeas or broad beans and other ingredients. Often served in a pita. |
| fa.. | FA4 | To be moved downwards. To move to a lower position under the effect of gravity. |
| fa... | FA5 | Proceeding from, or appointed by, fate or destiny. |
| fa.. | FA4 | The presumed cause, force, principle, or divine will that predetermines events. |
| fa..... | FA7 | Momentous, significant, setting or sealing one’s fate. |
| fa... | FA5 | A defect; something that detracts from perfection. |
| fe.. | FE4 | A relatively rare or difficult accomplishment. |
| fe.. | FE4 | To use or experience the sense of touch. To become aware of through the skin; to use the sense of touch on. |
| fe.. | FE4 | plural of foot |
| fe.. | FE4 | To make something fall; especially to chop down a tree. |
| fe... | FE5 | Pronunciation spelling of fellow. |
| fe..... | FE7 | To perform oral sex on (a man); to stimulate (a penis or testicles) using the mouth. |
| fe.. | FE4 | A cloth or stuff made of matted fibres of wool, or wool and fur, fulled or wrought into a compact substance by rolling and pressure, with lees or size, without spinning or weaving. |
| fe.. | FE4 | A variety of curd cheese made from sheep’s or goat’s milk and originating from Greece. |
| fe... | FE5 | Pertaining to, or connected with, a fetus. |
| fe.. | FE4 | A festival open to the public, the proceeds from which are often given to charity. |
| fe.... | FE6 | A state of proper physical condition; kilter or trim. |
| fl.. | FL4 | Anything broad and flexible that hangs loose, or that is attached by one side or end and is easily moved. |
| fl.. | FL4 | Having no variations in height. |
| fl...... | FL8 | plural of flatfoot |
| fl.... | FL6 | A type of fried cylindrical tortilla or taco. |
| fl.. | FL4 | A small, wingless, parasitic insect of the order Siphonaptera, renowned for its bloodsucking habits and jumping abilities. |
| fl.. | FL4 | To run away; to escape. |
| fl... | FL5 | A group of vessels or vehicles. |
| fl.. | FL4 | A pipe or duct that carries gaseous combustion products away from the point of combustion (such as a furnace). |
| fl... | FL5 | Anything light, soft or fuzzy, especially fur, hair, feathers. |
| fl... | FL5 | A woodwind instrument consisting of a tube with a row of holes that produce sound through vibrations caused by air blown across the edge of the holes, often tuned by plugging one or more holes with a finger; the Western concert flute, a transverse side-blown flute of European origin. |
| fu.. | FU4 | Substance consumed to provide energy through combustion, or through chemical or nuclear reaction. |
| fu.. | FU4 | Containing the maximum possible amount that can fit in the space available. |
| le.. | LE4 | The usually green and flat organ that represents the most prominent feature of most vegetative plants. |
| le..... | LE7 | One of the components of a compound leaf. |
| le.. | LE4 | Designating the side of the body toward the west when one is facing north; the opposite of right. This arrow points to the reader's left: ← |
| pe.. | PE4 | Money, riches; gain, especially when dishonestly acquired; lucre, mammon. |
| pf.. | PF4 | Used to signify a sudden ending or disappearance. |
| pu.. | PU4 | A sharp exhalation of a small amount of breath through the mouth. |
| ta..... | TA7 | A crisp, smooth woven fabric made from silk or synthetic fibers. |
| te.. | TE4 | A love grass, Eragrostis tef, with small seeds, grown as a cereal and for forage in Ethiopia and parts of Arabia. |
| tu.... | TU6 | A clump of grass or similar vegetation; a small grass-covered mound. |
| tu.. | TU4 | A bunch of feathers, grass or hair, etc., held together at the base. |
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.
- plateful† (PL8)
- alfalfa (AL7)
- effete (EF6)
- falafel (FA7)
- fall (FA4)
- fatal (FA5)
- fate (FA4)
- fateful (FA7)
- fault (FA5)
- feat (FE4)
- feel (FE4)
- feet (FE4)
- fell (FE4)
- fella (FE5)
- fellate (FE7)
- felt (FE4)
- feta (FE4)
- fetal (FE5)
- fete (FE4)
- fettle (FE6)
- flap (FL4)
- flat (FL4)
- flatfeet (FL8)
- flauta (FL6)
- flea (FL4)
- flee (FL4)
- fleet (FL5)
- flue (FL4)
- fluff (FL5)
- flute (FL5)
- fuel (FU4)
- full (FU4)
- leaf (LE4)
- leaflet (LE7)
- left (LE4)
- pelf (PE4)
- pfft (PF4)
- puff (PU4)
- taffeta (TA7)
- teff (TE4)
- tuffet (TU6)
- tuft (TU4)
Answer Definitions
- plateful† (noun): The quantity contained on a plate.
- alfalfa (noun): A plant, principally of Medicago sativa, grown as a pasture crop.
- effete (adjective): Of substances, quantities etc: exhausted, spent, worn-out.
- falafel (noun): A Middle Eastern food in the form of balls made from chickpeas or broad beans and other ingredients. Often served in a pita.
- fall (verb): To be moved downwards. To move to a lower position under the effect of gravity.
- fatal (adjective): Proceeding from, or appointed by, fate or destiny.
- fate (noun): The presumed cause, force, principle, or divine will that predetermines events.
- fateful (adjective): Momentous, significant, setting or sealing one’s fate.
- fault (noun): A defect; something that detracts from perfection.
- feat (noun): A relatively rare or difficult accomplishment.
- feel (verb): To use or experience the sense of touch. To become aware of through the skin; to use the sense of touch on.
- feet (noun): plural of foot
- fell (verb): To make something fall; especially to chop down a tree.
- fella (noun): Pronunciation spelling of fellow.
- fellate (verb): To perform oral sex on (a man); to stimulate (a penis or testicles) using the mouth.
- felt (noun): A cloth or stuff made of matted fibres of wool, or wool and fur, fulled or wrought into a compact substance by rolling and pressure, with lees or size, without spinning or weaving.
- feta (noun): A variety of curd cheese made from sheep’s or goat’s milk and originating from Greece.
- fetal (adjective): Pertaining to, or connected with, a fetus.
- fete (noun): A festival open to the public, the proceeds from which are often given to charity.
- fettle (noun): A state of proper physical condition; kilter or trim.
- flap (noun): Anything broad and flexible that hangs loose, or that is attached by one side or end and is easily moved.
- flat (adjective): Having no variations in height.
- flatfeet (noun): plural of flatfoot
- flauta (noun): A type of fried cylindrical tortilla or taco.
- flea (noun): A small, wingless, parasitic insect of the order Siphonaptera, renowned for its bloodsucking habits and jumping abilities.
- flee (verb): To run away; to escape.
- fleet (noun): A group of vessels or vehicles.
- flue (noun): A pipe or duct that carries gaseous combustion products away from the point of combustion (such as a furnace).
- fluff (noun): Anything light, soft or fuzzy, especially fur, hair, feathers.
- flute (noun): A woodwind instrument consisting of a tube with a row of holes that produce sound through vibrations caused by air blown across the edge of the holes, often tuned by plugging one or more holes with a finger; the Western concert flute, a transverse side-blown flute of European origin.
- fuel (noun): Substance consumed to provide energy through combustion, or through chemical or nuclear reaction.
- full (adjective): Containing the maximum possible amount that can fit in the space available.
- leaf (noun): The usually green and flat organ that represents the most prominent feature of most vegetative plants.
- leaflet (noun): One of the components of a compound leaf.
- left (adjective): Designating the side of the body toward the west when one is facing north; the opposite of right. This arrow points to the reader's left: ←
- pelf (noun): Money, riches; gain, especially when dishonestly acquired; lucre, mammon.
- pfft (interjection): Used to signify a sudden ending or disappearance.
- puff (noun): A sharp exhalation of a small amount of breath through the mouth.
- taffeta (noun): A crisp, smooth woven fabric made from silk or synthetic fibers.
- teff (noun): A love grass, Eragrostis tef, with small seeds, grown as a cereal and for forage in Ethiopia and parts of Arabia.
- tuffet (noun): A clump of grass or similar vegetation; a small grass-covered mound.
- tuft (noun): A bunch of feathers, grass or hair, etc., held together at the base.