NYT Spelling Bee Answers for October 22, 2023
Game Summary
| Center Letter | B |
|---|---|
| Outer Letters | a, d, e, k, m, n |
| # of Pangrams | 1 (Perfect: none) |
| Total Words | 39 words |
| Total Points | 170 points |
| Genius Level | 119 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 | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A | 1 | 1 | 1 | - | - | 3 |
| B | 13 | 3 | 9 | 1 | 1 | 27 |
| D | - | - | 1 | - | - | 1 |
| E | - | 2 | 1 | - | 2 | 5 |
| K | - | 1 | - | - | - | 1 |
| M | - | 1 | - | - | - | 1 |
| N | - | - | 1 | - | - | 1 | Σ | 14 | 8 | 13 | 1 | 3 | 39 |
Two-Letter List (2LL) Hints
The following list shows the number of solution words that begin with the corresponding two letters.
| A | AB×1 AM×2 |
|---|---|
| B | BA×16 BE×11 |
| D | DA×1 |
| E | EB×1 EM×4 |
| K | KE×1 |
| M | MA×1 |
| N | NA×1 |
Three-Letter List (3LL) Hints
The following list shows the number of solution words that begin with the corresponding three letters.
| A | ABE×1 AME×2 |
|---|---|
| B | BAA×1 BAB×3 BAD×1 BAK×2 BAN×9 BEA×8 BED×1 BEE×1 BEN×1 |
| D | DAB×1 |
| E | EBB×1 EMB×4 |
| K | KEB×1 |
| M | MAM×1 |
| N | NAB×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) |
|---|---|---|
| em...... † | EM8 | simple past and past participle of embank |
| ab.. | AB4 | Poetic for 'in the sack.' |
| am... | AM5 | Alternative form of amoeba |
| am.... | AM6 | plural of ameba, a variant of amoeba. |
| ba... | BA5 | simple past tense and past participle of baa |
| ba.. | BA4 | A kind of sponge cake soaked in rum-flavoured syrup. |
| ba.. | BA4 | A baby or infant; a very young human or animal. |
| ba... | BA5 | A Central and Eastern European coffee cake flavored with orange rind, rum, almonds, and raisins. |
| ba.. | BA4 | simple past tense of bid |
| ba.. | BA4 | To cook (something) in an oven (for someone). |
| ba... | BA5 | simple past tense and past participle of bake |
| ba.... | BA6 | An elongated curved tropical fruit of a banana plant, which grows in bunches and has a creamy flesh and a smooth skin. In particular, the sweet, yellow fruit of the Cavendish banana cultivar, which may be eaten raw, as distinct from e.g. a plantain for cooking. |
| ba.. | BA4 | A strip of material used for strengthening or coupling. A strip of material wrapped around things to hold them together. A narrow strip of cloth or other material on clothing, to bind, strengthen, or ornament it. A strip along the spine of a book where the pages are attached. A belt or strap that is part of a machine. |
| ba..... | BA7 | A large kerchief, usually colourful and used either as headgear or as a handkerchief, neckerchief, bikini, or sweatband. |
| ba...... | BA8 | Alternative spelling of bandana |
| ba.... | BA6 | Marked with bands of colour. |
| ba.. | BA4 | A cause of misery or death. |
| ba.. | BA4 | An institution where one can place and borrow money and take care of financial affairs. |
| ba.... | BA6 | simple past tense and past participle of bank |
| ba.... | BA6 | simple past tense and past participle of ban |
| be.. | BE4 | Prayer, later especially with a rosary. |
| be.... | BE6 | simple past tense and past participle of bead |
| be.. | BE4 | Anatomical uses. A rigid structure projecting from the front of a bird's face, used for pecking, grooming, foraging, carrying items, eating food, etc. A similar structure forming the jaws of an octopus, turtle, etc. The long projecting sucking mouth of some insects and other invertebrates, as in the Hemiptera. The upper or projecting part of the shell, near the hinge of a bivalve. The prolongation of certain univalve shells containing the canal. Any process somewhat like the beak of a bird, terminating the fruit or other parts of a plant. |
| be.... | BE6 | Having a beak. |
| be.. | BE4 | Any large piece of timber or iron long in proportion to its thickness, and prepared for use. |
| be.... | BE6 | simple past tense and past participle of beam |
| be.. | BE4 | Any plant of several genera of the taxonomic family Fabaceae that produces large edible seeds or edible seedpods. |
| be.... | BE6 | simple past tense and past participle of bean |
| be.... | BE6 | simple past tense and past participle of bed |
| be.. | BE4 | past participle of be. |
| be.. | BE4 | To cause (something) to change its shape into a curve, by physical force, chemical action, or any other means. |
| da.... | DA6 | simple past tense and past participle of dab |
| eb... | EB5 | simple past tense and past participle of ebb |
| em.... | EM6 | to throw up a bank so as to confine or to defend; to protect by a bank of earth or stone |
| em... | EM5 | To lay as in a bed; to lay in surrounding matter; to bed. |
| em...... | EM8 | simple past tense and past participle of embed |
| ke... | KE5 | A dish of pieces of meat, fish, or vegetables roasted on a skewer or spit, especially a doner kebab. |
| ma... | MA5 | Any of various venomous snakes of the genus Dendroaspis, native to Africa, that live in trees. |
| na.... | NA6 | simple past tense and past participle of nab |
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.
- embanked† (EM8)
- abed (AB4)
- ameba (AM5)
- amebae (AM6)
- baaed (BA5)
- baba (BA4)
- babe (BA4)
- babka (BA5)
- bade (BA4)
- bake (BA4)
- baked (BA5)
- banana (BA6)
- band (BA4)
- bandana (BA7)
- bandanna (BA8)
- banded (BA6)
- bane (BA4)
- bank (BA4)
- banked (BA6)
- banned (BA6)
- bead (BE4)
- beaded (BE6)
- beak (BE4)
- beaked (BE6)
- beam (BE4)
- beamed (BE6)
- bean (BE4)
- beaned (BE6)
- bedded (BE6)
- been (BE4)
- bend (BE4)
- dabbed (DA6)
- ebbed (EB5)
- embank (EM6)
- embed (EM5)
- embedded (EM8)
- kebab (KE5)
- mamba (MA5)
- nabbed (NA6)
Answer Definitions
- embanked† (verb): simple past and past participle of embank
- abed (adverb): Poetic for 'in the sack.'
- ameba (noun): Alternative form of amoeba
- amebae (noun): plural of ameba, a variant of amoeba.
- baaed (verb): simple past tense and past participle of baa
- baba (noun): A kind of sponge cake soaked in rum-flavoured syrup.
- babe (noun): A baby or infant; a very young human or animal.
- babka (noun): A Central and Eastern European coffee cake flavored with orange rind, rum, almonds, and raisins.
- bade (verb): simple past tense of bid
- bake (verb): To cook (something) in an oven (for someone).
- baked (verb): simple past tense and past participle of bake
- banana (noun): An elongated curved tropical fruit of a banana plant, which grows in bunches and has a creamy flesh and a smooth skin. In particular, the sweet, yellow fruit of the Cavendish banana cultivar, which may be eaten raw, as distinct from e.g. a plantain for cooking.
- band (noun): A strip of material used for strengthening or coupling. A strip of material wrapped around things to hold them together. A narrow strip of cloth or other material on clothing, to bind, strengthen, or ornament it. A strip along the spine of a book where the pages are attached. A belt or strap that is part of a machine.
- bandana (noun): A large kerchief, usually colourful and used either as headgear or as a handkerchief, neckerchief, bikini, or sweatband.
- bandanna (noun): Alternative spelling of bandana
- banded (adjective): Marked with bands of colour.
- bane (noun): A cause of misery or death.
- bank (noun): An institution where one can place and borrow money and take care of financial affairs.
- banked (verb): simple past tense and past participle of bank
- banned (verb): simple past tense and past participle of ban
- bead (noun): Prayer, later especially with a rosary.
- beaded (verb): simple past tense and past participle of bead
- beak (noun): Anatomical uses. A rigid structure projecting from the front of a bird's face, used for pecking, grooming, foraging, carrying items, eating food, etc. A similar structure forming the jaws of an octopus, turtle, etc. The long projecting sucking mouth of some insects and other invertebrates, as in the Hemiptera. The upper or projecting part of the shell, near the hinge of a bivalve. The prolongation of certain univalve shells containing the canal. Any process somewhat like the beak of a bird, terminating the fruit or other parts of a plant.
- beaked (adjective): Having a beak.
- beam (noun): Any large piece of timber or iron long in proportion to its thickness, and prepared for use.
- beamed (verb): simple past tense and past participle of beam
- bean (noun): Any plant of several genera of the taxonomic family Fabaceae that produces large edible seeds or edible seedpods.
- beaned (verb): simple past tense and past participle of bean
- bedded (verb): simple past tense and past participle of bed
- been (verb): past participle of be.
- bend (verb): To cause (something) to change its shape into a curve, by physical force, chemical action, or any other means.
- dabbed (verb): simple past tense and past participle of dab
- ebbed (verb): simple past tense and past participle of ebb
- embank (verb): to throw up a bank so as to confine or to defend; to protect by a bank of earth or stone
- embed (verb): To lay as in a bed; to lay in surrounding matter; to bed.
- embedded (verb): simple past tense and past participle of embed
- kebab (noun): A dish of pieces of meat, fish, or vegetables roasted on a skewer or spit, especially a doner kebab.
- mamba (noun): Any of various venomous snakes of the genus Dendroaspis, native to Africa, that live in trees.
- nabbed (verb): simple past tense and past participle of nab