NYT Spelling Bee Answers for December 30, 2023
Game Summary
| Center Letter | R |
|---|---|
| Outer Letters | a, c, i, n, o, z |
| # of Pangrams | 1 (Perfect: none) |
| Total Words | 40 words |
| Total Points | 160 points |
| Genius Level | 112 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 | 2 | 1 | 2 | - | - | 5 |
| C | 4 | 5 | 2 | 3 | - | 14 |
| I | 1 | - | 1 | - | - | 2 |
| N | 3 | 1 | - | - | - | 4 |
| O | 2 | - | - | 1 | - | 3 |
| R | 5 | 2 | 2 | 1 | - | 10 |
| Z | - | - | 1 | - | 1 | 2 | Σ | 17 | 9 | 8 | 5 | 1 | 40 |
Two-Letter List (2LL) Hints
The following list shows the number of solution words that begin with the corresponding two letters.
| A | AC×1 AR×4 |
|---|---|
| C | CA×3 CI×2 CO×3 CR×4 CZ×2 |
| I | IR×2 |
| N | NA×2 NO×2 |
| O | OC×1 OR×2 |
| R | RA×6 RI×1 RO×3 |
| Z | ZI×2 |
Three-Letter List (3LL) Hints
The following list shows the number of solution words that begin with the corresponding three letters.
| A | ACO×1 ARC×2 ARI×1 ARN×1 |
|---|---|
| C | CAI×1 CAR×2 CIR×2 COI×1 COR×2 CRA×1 CRO×3 CZA×2 |
| I | IRO×2 |
| N | NAR×2 NOI×1 NOR×1 |
| O | OCA×1 ORC×1 ORZ×1 |
| R | RAC×1 RAI×1 RAN×2 RAZ×2 RIC×1 ROA×2 ROC×1 |
| Z | ZIR×2 |
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) |
|---|---|---|
| zi...... † | ZI8 | The oxide of zirconium, obtained as a white powder, and possessing both acid and basic properties. On account of its infusibility, and brilliant luminosity when incandescent, it is used as an ingredient of sticks for the Drummond light. |
| ac... | AC5 | The fruit of the oak, being an oval nut growing in a woody cup or cupule. |
| ar.... | AR6 | Specialized knowledge that is mysterious to the uninitiated. |
| ar.. | AR4 | A note in string instrument musical notation indicating that the bow is to be used in the usual way, usually following a passage that is played pizzicato. |
| ar.. | AR4 | A musical piece written typically for a solo voice with orchestral accompaniment in an opera or cantata. |
| ar.... | AR6 | Any of several plants, of the genus Arnica, considered to have medicinal properties, especially Arnica montana. |
| ca... | CA5 | A rounded or conical heap of stones erected by early inhabitants of the British Isles, apparently as a sepulchral monument. |
| ca..... | CA7 | A sideways step in which one leg crosses over the other. |
| ca..... | CA7 | Dead flesh; carcasses. |
| ci... | CI5 | Approximately, about, around |
| ci... | CI5 | plural of cirrus Tendrils or claspers. |
| co.. | CO4 | The fibre obtained from the husk of a coconut, used chiefly in making rope, matting and as a peat substitute. |
| co.. | CO4 | Any cereal plant grown for its grain, or the grain thereof. |
| co.... | CO6 | A large, round, pendent chandelier, with spikes around its upper rim to hold candles or lamps, usually hung from the roof of a church. |
| cr.... | CR6 | plural of cranium |
| cr.. | CR4 | A crocodile. |
| cr... | CR5 | plural of crocus |
| cr... | CR5 | To hum or sing softly or in a sentimental manner. |
| cz.. | CZ4 | Alternative spelling of tsar |
| cz..... | CZ7 | Alternative spelling of tsarina |
| ir.. | IR4 | A common, inexpensive metal, silvery grey when untarnished, that rusts, is attracted by magnets, and is used in making steel. |
| ir.... | IR6 | (Of a situation) Characterized by or constituting (any kind of) irony. |
| na.. | NA4 | A police officer assigned to or engaging in illegal narcotics control. |
| na... | NA5 | Narcotics. |
| no.. | NO4 | Of or pertaining to film noir, or the atmosphere associated with that genre |
| no.. | NO4 | A type of seaweed, a red alga, laver (genus Pyropia, including species P. yezoensis and P. tenera). |
| oc..... | OC7 | A woodwind musical instrument that is closed at both sides to produce an enclosed space, and punctured with finger holes. |
| or.. | OR4 | A sea mammal (Orcinus orca) related to dolphins and porpoises, commonly called the killer whale. |
| or.. | OR4 | A form of pasta the size and shape of grains of rice or barley; often used in soups. |
| ra..... | RA7 | A nocturnal omnivore native to North America, typically with a mixture of gray, brown, and black fur, a mask-like marking around the eyes and a striped tail; Procyon lotor. |
| ra.. | RA4 | Condensed water falling from a cloud. |
| ra.... | RA6 | A feeling of long-lasting ire for another, sometimes to the point of hatred, over a perceived wrongdoing; bitterness. |
| ra.. | RA4 | The wife of a rajah. |
| ra... | RA5 | A keen-edged knife of peculiar shape, used in shaving the hair from the face or other parts of the body. |
| ra.. | RA4 | A version of seven card stud where the worst poker hand wins (called lowball). |
| ri... | RI5 | An extremely toxic lectin extracted from the castor bean. |
| ro.. | RO4 | Especially of a horse, having a coat of a dark base color with individual white hairs mixed in |
| ro.. | RO4 | To make a loud, deep cry, especially from pain, anger, or other strong emotion. |
| ro.... | RO6 | A style of baroque architecture and decorative art, from 18th-century France, having elaborate ornamentation. |
| zi.... | ZI6 | A mineral occurring in tetragonal crystals, usually of a brown or grey colour and consisting of silica and zirconia. |
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.
- zirconia† (ZI8)
- acorn (AC5)
- arcana (AR6)
- arco (AR4)
- aria (AR4)
- arnica (AR6)
- cairn (CA5)
- carioca (CA7)
- carrion (CA7)
- circa (CI5)
- cirri (CI5)
- coir (CO4)
- corn (CO4)
- corona (CO6)
- crania (CR6)
- croc (CR4)
- croci (CR5)
- croon (CR5)
- czar (CZ4)
- czarina (CZ7)
- iron (IR4)
- ironic (IR6)
- narc (NA4)
- narco (NA5)
- noir (NO4)
- nori (NO4)
- ocarina (OC7)
- orca (OR4)
- orzo (OR4)
- raccoon (RA7)
- rain (RA4)
- rancor (RA6)
- rani (RA4)
- razor (RA5)
- razz (RA4)
- ricin (RI5)
- roan (RO4)
- roar (RO4)
- rococo (RO6)
- zircon (ZI6)
Answer Definitions
- zirconia† (noun): The oxide of zirconium, obtained as a white powder, and possessing both acid and basic properties. On account of its infusibility, and brilliant luminosity when incandescent, it is used as an ingredient of sticks for the Drummond light.
- acorn (noun): The fruit of the oak, being an oval nut growing in a woody cup or cupule.
- arcana (noun): Specialized knowledge that is mysterious to the uninitiated.
- arco (adverb): A note in string instrument musical notation indicating that the bow is to be used in the usual way, usually following a passage that is played pizzicato.
- aria (noun): A musical piece written typically for a solo voice with orchestral accompaniment in an opera or cantata.
- arnica (noun): Any of several plants, of the genus Arnica, considered to have medicinal properties, especially Arnica montana.
- cairn (noun): A rounded or conical heap of stones erected by early inhabitants of the British Isles, apparently as a sepulchral monument.
- carioca (noun): A sideways step in which one leg crosses over the other.
- carrion (noun): Dead flesh; carcasses.
- circa (preposition): Approximately, about, around
- cirri (noun): plural of cirrus Tendrils or claspers.
- coir (noun): The fibre obtained from the husk of a coconut, used chiefly in making rope, matting and as a peat substitute.
- corn (noun): Any cereal plant grown for its grain, or the grain thereof.
- corona (noun): A large, round, pendent chandelier, with spikes around its upper rim to hold candles or lamps, usually hung from the roof of a church.
- crania (noun): plural of cranium
- croc (noun): A crocodile.
- croci (noun): plural of crocus
- croon (verb): To hum or sing softly or in a sentimental manner.
- czar (noun): Alternative spelling of tsar
- czarina (noun): Alternative spelling of tsarina
- iron (noun): A common, inexpensive metal, silvery grey when untarnished, that rusts, is attracted by magnets, and is used in making steel.
- ironic (adjective): (Of a situation) Characterized by or constituting (any kind of) irony.
- narc (noun): A police officer assigned to or engaging in illegal narcotics control.
- narco (noun): Narcotics.
- noir (adjective): Of or pertaining to film noir, or the atmosphere associated with that genre
- nori (noun): A type of seaweed, a red alga, laver (genus Pyropia, including species P. yezoensis and P. tenera).
- ocarina (noun): A woodwind musical instrument that is closed at both sides to produce an enclosed space, and punctured with finger holes.
- orca (noun): A sea mammal (Orcinus orca) related to dolphins and porpoises, commonly called the killer whale.
- orzo (noun): A form of pasta the size and shape of grains of rice or barley; often used in soups.
- raccoon (noun): A nocturnal omnivore native to North America, typically with a mixture of gray, brown, and black fur, a mask-like marking around the eyes and a striped tail; Procyon lotor.
- rain (noun): Condensed water falling from a cloud.
- rancor (noun): A feeling of long-lasting ire for another, sometimes to the point of hatred, over a perceived wrongdoing; bitterness.
- rani (noun): The wife of a rajah.
- razor (noun): A keen-edged knife of peculiar shape, used in shaving the hair from the face or other parts of the body.
- razz (noun): A version of seven card stud where the worst poker hand wins (called lowball).
- ricin (noun): An extremely toxic lectin extracted from the castor bean.
- roan (adjective): Especially of a horse, having a coat of a dark base color with individual white hairs mixed in
- roar (verb): To make a loud, deep cry, especially from pain, anger, or other strong emotion.
- rococo (noun): A style of baroque architecture and decorative art, from 18th-century France, having elaborate ornamentation.
- zircon (noun): A mineral occurring in tetragonal crystals, usually of a brown or grey colour and consisting of silica and zirconia.