NYT Spelling Bee Answers for November 15, 2023

Nov 15, 2023 · 12 min read · spelling bee ·

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Spelling Bee "Hive" Board for November 15, 2023

Game Summary

Center Letter	O
Outer Letters	a, e, f, l, m, t
# of Pangrams	1 (Perfect: none)
Total Words	60 words
Total Points	222 points
Genius Level	155 points
Bingo?	Yes

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	4	5	1	-	-	10
E	-	1	-	-	-	1
F	5	1	1	1	2	10
L	6	2	-	-	-	8
M	7	5	1	-	1	14
O	1	1	1	1	1	5
T	5	2	4	-	1	12
Σ	28	17	8	2	5	60

Two-Letter List (2LL) Hints

The following list shows the number of solution words that begin with the corresponding two letters.

A	AF×2 AL×5 AM×1 AT×2
E	EM×1
F	FA×1 FL×3 FO×6
L	LO×8
M	ME×2 MO×12
O	OA×1 OF×1 OL×1 OM×2
T	TA×1 TE×1 TO×10

Three-Letter List (3LL) Hints

The following list shows the number of solution words that begin with the corresponding three letters.

A	AFL×1 AFO×1 ALL×1 ALO×3 ALT×1 AMM×1 ATO×2
E	EMO×1
F	FAL×1 FLA×1 FLO×2 FOA×2 FOL×1 FOO×3
L	LOA×2 LOF×1 LOL×1 LOO×3 LOT×1
M	MEA×1 MEM×1 MOA×1 MOL×3 MOM×1 MOO×2 MOT×5
O	OAT×1 OFF×1 OLE×1 OME×2
T	TAT×1 TEE×1 TOF×1 TOL×1 TOM×2 TOO×3 TOT×3

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)
me...... ^†	ME8	A dish of ground meat (usually made from ground beef, although lamb, pork, veal, venison, poultry and seafood are also used) formed into a loaf shape, mixed with egg and breadcrumbs, then baked or smoked, and usually served in slices.
af....	AF6	Floating.
af...	AF5	On foot. (means of locomotion, walking)
al...	AL5	To distribute or apportion by (or as if by) lot.
al..	AL4	The resins of the tree Aquilaria malaccensis (syn. Aquilaria agallocha), known for their fragrant aroma, produced after infection by the fungus Phialophora parasitica.
al...	AL5	At, to, or in the air or sky.
al...	AL5	At or from a distance, but within view, or at a small distance; apart; away.
al..	AL4	A musical part or section higher than tenor and lower than soprano, formerly the part that performed a countermelody above the tenor or main melody.
am..	AM4	Ammunition.
at...	AT5	a type of island consisting of a ribbon reef that nearly or entirely surrounds a lagoon and supports, in most cases, one to many islets on the reef platform. Atolls have a unique geology, so not all islands with a reef and a lagoon are atolls
at..	AT4	The smallest possible amount of matter which still retains its identity as a chemical element, now known to consist of a nucleus surrounded by electrons.
em...	EM5	To display or express (emotions, mental states, etc.) openly, particularly while acting, and especially in an excessive manner. To deliver (a speech), say (lines of a play, words), etc., in a dramatic or emotional manner, especially if overly so.
fa.....	FA7	A reduction or decline.
fl......	FL8	A condition in which the arch of the foot makes contact with the ground.
fl...	FL5	To be supported by a fluid of greater density (than the object).
fl..	FL4	A low, flat mass of floating ice.
fo..	FO4	A young horse or other equine, especially just after birth or less than a year old.
fo..	FO4	A substance composed of a large collection of bubbles or their solidified remains, especially:
fo....	FO6	A salt or ester of folic acid, especially one present in the vitamin B complex.
fo..	FO4	A person with poor judgment or little intelligence.
fo..	FO4	A biological structure found in many animals that is used for locomotion and that is frequently a separate organ at the terminal part of the leg.
fo......	FO8	The sound made by a footstep; also, the footstep or step itself.
lo..	LO4	(also loaf of bread) A block of bread after baking.
lo..	LO4	A type of soil; an earthy mixture of sand, silt and clay, with organic matter to which its fertility is chiefly due.
lo..	LO4	air, the air; the sky, the heavens.
lo..	LO4	To act lazily or indolently while reclining; to lean; to lie at ease.
lo...	LO5	Alternative form of loofah
lo..	LO4	A utensil; tool; a weapon; an article in general.
lo..	LO4	A scoop used to remove scum from brine pans in saltworks.
lo...	LO5	a game of chance similar to bingo
me..	ME4	A short note; a memorandum.
mo..	MO4	A deep, wide defensive ditch, normally filled with water, surrounding a fortified habitation.
mo..	MO4	A pigmented spot on the skin, a naevus, slightly raised, and sometimes hairy.
mo..	MO4	A female companion of a gangster, especially a former or current prostitute.
mo..	MO4	US standard spelling of moult.
mo...	MO5	mother
mo...	MO5	Money, cash.
mo..	MO4	Subject to discussion (originally at a moot); arguable, debatable, unsolved or impossible to solve.
mo..	MO4	A small particle; a speck.
mo...	MO5	A type of hotel or lodging establishment, often located near a major highway, which typically features a series of rooms the entrances of which are immediately adjacent to a parking lot to facilitate convenient access to automobiles parked there.
mo...	MO5	A composition adapted to sacred words in the elaborate polyphonic church style; an anthem.
mo....	MO6	To mark with blotches of different color, or shades of color, as if stained; to spot; to maculate.
mo...	MO5	A sentence, phrase, or word, forming part of an heraldic achievement.
oa.....	OA7	Meal made from rolled or round oats.
of...	OF5	The internal organs of an animal, used as animal food.
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.
om....	OM6	Alternative form of omelette
om......	OM8	A dish made with beaten eggs cooked in a frying pan without stirring, flipped over to cook on both sides, and sometimes filled or topped with cheese, chives or other foodstuffs.
ta....	TA6	An image made in the skin with ink and a needle.
te......	TE8	Abstinent from alcohol; never drinking alcohol.
to....	TO6	a type of confectionery made by boiling sugar (or treacle, etc) with butter or milk, then cooling the mixture so that it becomes hard
to..	TO4	Loss or damage incurred through a disaster.
to....	TO6	A widely cultivated plant, Solanum lycopersicum, having edible fruit.
to..	TO4	One in a series of volumes.
to..	TO4	A mechanical device intended to make a task easier.
to..	TO4	The noise of a horn or whistle.
to....	TO6	To make a soft toot sound.
to...	TO5	An amount obtained by the addition of smaller amounts.
to..	TO4	A tote bag.
to...	TO5	Any natural object or living creature that serves as an emblem of a tribe, clan or family.

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.

meatloaf^† (ME8)
afloat (AF6)
afoot (AF5)
allot (AL5)
aloe (AL4)
aloft (AL5)
aloof (AL5)
alto (AL4)
ammo (AM4)
atoll (AT5)
atom (AT4)
emote (EM5)
falloff (FA7)
flatfoot (FL8)
float (FL5)
floe (FL4)
foal (FO4)
foam (FO4)
folate (FO6)
fool (FO4)
foot (FO4)
footfall (FO8)
loaf (LO4)
loam (LO4)
loft (LO4)
loll (LO4)
loofa (LO5)
loom (LO4)
loot (LO4)
lotto (LO5)
memo (ME4)
moat (MO4)
mole (MO4)
moll (MO4)
molt (MO4)
momma (MO5)
moola (MO5)
moot (MO4)
mote (MO4)
motel (MO5)
motet (MO5)
mottle (MO6)
motto (MO5)
oatmeal (OA7)
offal (OF5)
oleo (OL4)
omelet (OM6)
omelette (OM8)
tattoo (TA6)
teetotal (TE8)
toffee (TO6)
toll (TO4)
tomato (TO6)
tome (TO4)
tool (TO4)
toot (TO4)
tootle (TO6)
total (TO5)
tote (TO4)
totem (TO5)

Answer Definitions

meatloaf^† (noun): A dish of ground meat (usually made from ground beef, although lamb, pork, veal, venison, poultry and seafood are also used) formed into a loaf shape, mixed with egg and breadcrumbs, then baked or smoked, and usually served in slices.
afloat (adverb): Floating.
afoot (adverb): On foot. (means of locomotion, walking)
allot (verb): To distribute or apportion by (or as if by) lot.
aloe (noun): The resins of the tree Aquilaria malaccensis (syn. Aquilaria agallocha), known for their fragrant aroma, produced after infection by the fungus Phialophora parasitica.
aloft (adverb): At, to, or in the air or sky.
aloof (adverb): At or from a distance, but within view, or at a small distance; apart; away.
alto (noun): A musical part or section higher than tenor and lower than soprano, formerly the part that performed a countermelody above the tenor or main melody.
ammo (noun): Ammunition.
atoll (noun): a type of island consisting of a ribbon reef that nearly or entirely surrounds a lagoon and supports, in most cases, one to many islets on the reef platform. Atolls have a unique geology, so not all islands with a reef and a lagoon are atolls
atom (noun): The smallest possible amount of matter which still retains its identity as a chemical element, now known to consist of a nucleus surrounded by electrons.
emote (verb): To display or express (emotions, mental states, etc.) openly, particularly while acting, and especially in an excessive manner. To deliver (a speech), say (lines of a play, words), etc., in a dramatic or emotional manner, especially if overly so.
falloff (noun): A reduction or decline.
flatfoot (noun): A condition in which the arch of the foot makes contact with the ground.
float (verb): To be supported by a fluid of greater density (than the object).
floe (noun): A low, flat mass of floating ice.
foal (noun): A young horse or other equine, especially just after birth or less than a year old.
foam (noun): A substance composed of a large collection of bubbles or their solidified remains, especially:
folate (noun): A salt or ester of folic acid, especially one present in the vitamin B complex.
fool (noun): A person with poor judgment or little intelligence.
foot (noun): A biological structure found in many animals that is used for locomotion and that is frequently a separate organ at the terminal part of the leg.
footfall (noun): The sound made by a footstep; also, the footstep or step itself.
loaf (noun): (also loaf of bread) A block of bread after baking.
loam (noun): A type of soil; an earthy mixture of sand, silt and clay, with organic matter to which its fertility is chiefly due.
loft (noun): air, the air; the sky, the heavens.
loll (verb): To act lazily or indolently while reclining; to lean; to lie at ease.
loofa (noun): Alternative form of loofah
loom (noun): A utensil; tool; a weapon; an article in general.
loot (noun): A scoop used to remove scum from brine pans in saltworks.
lotto (noun): a game of chance similar to bingo
memo (noun): A short note; a memorandum.
moat (noun): A deep, wide defensive ditch, normally filled with water, surrounding a fortified habitation.
mole (noun): A pigmented spot on the skin, a naevus, slightly raised, and sometimes hairy.
moll (noun): A female companion of a gangster, especially a former or current prostitute.
molt (verb): US standard spelling of moult.
momma (noun): mother
moola (noun): Money, cash.
moot (adjective): Subject to discussion (originally at a moot); arguable, debatable, unsolved or impossible to solve.
mote (noun): A small particle; a speck.
motel (noun): A type of hotel or lodging establishment, often located near a major highway, which typically features a series of rooms the entrances of which are immediately adjacent to a parking lot to facilitate convenient access to automobiles parked there.
motet (noun): A composition adapted to sacred words in the elaborate polyphonic church style; an anthem.
mottle (verb): To mark with blotches of different color, or shades of color, as if stained; to spot; to maculate.
motto (noun): A sentence, phrase, or word, forming part of an heraldic achievement.
oatmeal (noun): Meal made from rolled or round oats.
offal (noun): The internal organs of an animal, used as animal food.
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.
omelet (noun): Alternative form of omelette
omelette (noun): A dish made with beaten eggs cooked in a frying pan without stirring, flipped over to cook on both sides, and sometimes filled or topped with cheese, chives or other foodstuffs.
tattoo (noun): An image made in the skin with ink and a needle.
teetotal (adjective): Abstinent from alcohol; never drinking alcohol.
toffee (noun): a type of confectionery made by boiling sugar (or treacle, etc) with butter or milk, then cooling the mixture so that it becomes hard
toll (noun): Loss or damage incurred through a disaster.
tomato (noun): A widely cultivated plant, Solanum lycopersicum, having edible fruit.
tome (noun): One in a series of volumes.
tool (noun): A mechanical device intended to make a task easier.
toot (noun): The noise of a horn or whistle.
tootle (verb): To make a soft toot sound.
total (noun): An amount obtained by the addition of smaller amounts.
tote (noun): A tote bag.
totem (noun): Any natural object or living creature that serves as an emblem of a tribe, clan or family.

	4</th><th>5</th><th>6</th><th>7</th><th>8	Σ
A	4	5	1	-	-	10
E	-	1	-	-	-	1
F	5	1	1	1	2	10
L	6	2	-	-	-	8
M	7	5	1	-	1	14
O	1	1	1	1	1	5
T	5	2	4	-	1	12
Σ	28	17	8	2	5	60

	4</th><th>5</th><th>6</th><th>7</th><th>8	Σ
A	4	5	1	-	-	10
E	-	1	-	-	-	1
F	5	1	1	1	2	10
L	6	2	-	-	-	8
M	7	5	1	-	1	14
O	1	1	1	1	1	5
T	5	2	4	-	1	12
Σ	28	17	8	2	5	60