NYT Spelling Bee Answers for January 11, 2025

Game Summary

| Center Letter | D |
|---|---|
| Outer Letters | a, m, o, p, r, u |
| # of Pangrams | 1 (Perfect: none) |
| Total Words | 34 words |
| Total Points | 131 points |
| Genius Level | 92 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 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | Σ | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A | - | 1 | 1 | - | - | - | 2 |
| D | 10 | 3 | 3 | - | - | - | 16 |
| M | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | - | - | 4 |
| O | 1 | - | - | - | - | - | 1 |
| P | 1 | 1 | - | - | 1 | 1 | 4 |
| R | 2 | 1 | 2 | 1 | - | - | 6 |
| U | 1 | - | - | - | - | - | 1 | Σ | 16 | 7 | 7 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 34 |
Two-Letter List (2LL) Hints
The following list shows the number of solution words that begin with the corresponding two letters.
| A | AR×2 |
|---|---|
| D | DA×1 DO×7 DR×5 DU×3 |
| M | MA×2 MO×1 MU×1 |
| O | OD×1 |
| P | PA×1 PO×1 PR×2 |
| R | RA×3 RO×3 |
| U | UP×1 |
Three-Letter List (3LL) Hints
The following list shows the number of solution words that begin with the corresponding three letters.
| A | ARD×1 ARM×1 |
|---|---|
| D | DAM×1 DOD×1 DOO×3 DOR×2 DOU×1 DRA×2 DRO×2 DRU×1 DUM×2 DUR×1 |
| M | MAD×1 MAR×1 MOO×1 MUD×1 |
| O | ODO×1 |
| P | PAR×1 POM×1 PRO×2 |
| R | RAD×1 RAM×2 ROA×2 ROO×1 |
| U | UPD×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) |
|---|---|---|
| po....... † | PO9 | A women's hairstyle in which the hair is swept upwards from the face and worn high over the forehead. |
| ar... | AR5 | Great warmth of feeling; fervor; passion. |
| ar.... | AR6 | A fleet of warships, especially with reference to the Spanish Armada. |
| da.. | DA4 | In a state between dry and wet; moderately wet; moist. |
| do.. | DO4 | A large, flightless bird, †Raphus cucullatus, related to the pigeon, that is now extinct (since the 1600s) and was native to Mauritius. |
| do.... | DO6 | Used to refer to something whose name one cannot recall: an unspecified device, gadget, part, or thing. |
| do.. | DO4 | Destiny, especially terrible. |
| do.. | DO4 | A portal of entry into a building, room, or vehicle, consisting of a rigid plane movable on a hinge. Doors are frequently made of wood or metal. May have a handle to help open and close, a latch to hold the door closed, and a lock that ensures the door cannot be opened without the key. |
| do.... | DO6 | Coryphaena hippurus, the mahi-mahi or dolphin, a species of fish with a dorsal fin that runs the length of the body, also known for iridescent coloration. |
| do.. | DO4 | Clipping of dormitory. |
| do.. | DO4 | Stern, harsh and forbidding. |
| dr.. | DR4 | A small unit of weight, variously: One sixteenth of an ounce avoirdupois (approximately 1.77 g). Alternative form of drachm (“⁄8 ounce apothecary (3.89 g) (symbol: ℨ)”). Synonym of dirhem: a former Turkish unit of weight (variously 1.5–3.5 g). Synonym of drachma: a former Greek unit of weight (about 4.3 g). |
| dr... | DR5 | A composition, normally in prose, telling a story and intended to be represented by actors impersonating the characters and speaking the dialogue |
| dr... | DR5 | To hang downward; to sag. |
| dr.. | DR4 | A small quantity of liquid, just large enough to hold its own round shape through surface tension, especially one that falls from a source of liquid. |
| dr.. | DR4 | A percussive musical instrument spanned with a thin covering on at least one end for striking, forming an acoustic chamber; a membranophone. |
| du.... | DU6 | A soft-nosed bullet that expands on impact to cause a gaping wound. |
| du.. | DU4 | A place where waste or garbage is left; a ground or place for dumping ashes, refuse, etc.; a disposal site. |
| du... | DU5 | Ellipsis of durum wheat. |
| ma... | MA5 | A polite form of address for a woman or lady. |
| ma.... | MA6 | To move about in roving fashion looking for plunder. |
| mo.. | MO4 | A mental or emotional state, composure. |
| mu..... | MU7 | A room used as a barrier between outdoors and indoors. |
| od.. | OD4 | Any smell, whether fragrant or offensive. |
| pa...... | PA8 | A delivery of goods or equipment by dropping of a parachute |
| pr.. | PR4 | To poke, to push, to touch. |
| pr... | PR5 | Feeling honoured (by something); feeling happy or satisfied about an event or fact; gratified. |
| ra... | RA5 | A method of detecting distant objects and determining their position, velocity, or other characteristics by analysis of sent radio waves (usually microwaves) reflected from their surfaces |
| ra.... | RA6 | A simple arbour or open porch, typically roofed with branches. |
| ra.... | RA6 | Device used with muzzleloaders to push the projectile up against the propellant. |
| ro.. | RO4 | A way used for travelling between places, originally one wide enough to allow foot passengers and horses to travel, now (US) usually one surfaced with asphalt or concrete and designed to accommodate many vehicles travelling in both directions. In the UK both senses are heard: a country road is the same as a country lane. |
| ro..... | RO7 | Alternative form of road map |
| ro.. | RO4 | A crucifix, cross, especially in a church. |
| up.. | UP4 | A woman's hairdo in which most hair is kept above the neck |
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.
- pompadour† (PO9)
- ardor (AR5)
- armada (AR6)
- damp (DA4)
- dodo (DO4)
- doodad (DO6)
- doom (DO4)
- door (DO4)
- dorado (DO6)
- dorm (DO4)
- dour (DO4)
- dram (DR4)
- drama (DR5)
- droop (DR5)
- drop (DR4)
- drum (DR4)
- dumdum (DU6)
- dump (DU4)
- durum (DU5)
- madam (MA5)
- maraud (MA6)
- mood (MO4)
- mudroom (MU7)
- odor (OD4)
- paradrop (PA8)
- prod (PR4)
- proud (PR5)
- radar (RA5)
- ramada (RA6)
- ramrod (RA6)
- road (RO4)
- roadmap (RO7)
- rood (RO4)
- updo (UP4)
Answer Definitions
- pompadour† (noun): A women's hairstyle in which the hair is swept upwards from the face and worn high over the forehead.
- ardor (noun): Great warmth of feeling; fervor; passion.
- armada (noun): A fleet of warships, especially with reference to the Spanish Armada.
- damp (adjective): In a state between dry and wet; moderately wet; moist.
- dodo (noun): A large, flightless bird, †Raphus cucullatus, related to the pigeon, that is now extinct (since the 1600s) and was native to Mauritius.
- doodad (noun): Used to refer to something whose name one cannot recall: an unspecified device, gadget, part, or thing.
- doom (noun): Destiny, especially terrible.
- door (noun): A portal of entry into a building, room, or vehicle, consisting of a rigid plane movable on a hinge. Doors are frequently made of wood or metal. May have a handle to help open and close, a latch to hold the door closed, and a lock that ensures the door cannot be opened without the key.
- dorado (noun): Coryphaena hippurus, the mahi-mahi or dolphin, a species of fish with a dorsal fin that runs the length of the body, also known for iridescent coloration.
- dorm (noun): Clipping of dormitory.
- dour (adjective): Stern, harsh and forbidding.
- dram (noun): A small unit of weight, variously: One sixteenth of an ounce avoirdupois (approximately 1.77 g). Alternative form of drachm (“⁄8 ounce apothecary (3.89 g) (symbol: ℨ)”). Synonym of dirhem: a former Turkish unit of weight (variously 1.5–3.5 g). Synonym of drachma: a former Greek unit of weight (about 4.3 g).
- drama (noun): A composition, normally in prose, telling a story and intended to be represented by actors impersonating the characters and speaking the dialogue
- droop (verb): To hang downward; to sag.
- drop (noun): A small quantity of liquid, just large enough to hold its own round shape through surface tension, especially one that falls from a source of liquid.
- drum (noun): A percussive musical instrument spanned with a thin covering on at least one end for striking, forming an acoustic chamber; a membranophone.
- dumdum (noun): A soft-nosed bullet that expands on impact to cause a gaping wound.
- dump (noun): A place where waste or garbage is left; a ground or place for dumping ashes, refuse, etc.; a disposal site.
- durum (noun): Ellipsis of durum wheat.
- madam (noun): A polite form of address for a woman or lady.
- maraud (verb): To move about in roving fashion looking for plunder.
- mood (noun): A mental or emotional state, composure.
- mudroom (noun): A room used as a barrier between outdoors and indoors.
- odor (noun): Any smell, whether fragrant or offensive.
- paradrop (noun): A delivery of goods or equipment by dropping of a parachute
- prod (verb): To poke, to push, to touch.
- proud (adjective): Feeling honoured (by something); feeling happy or satisfied about an event or fact; gratified.
- radar (noun): A method of detecting distant objects and determining their position, velocity, or other characteristics by analysis of sent radio waves (usually microwaves) reflected from their surfaces
- ramada (noun): A simple arbour or open porch, typically roofed with branches.
- ramrod (noun): Device used with muzzleloaders to push the projectile up against the propellant.
- road (noun): A way used for travelling between places, originally one wide enough to allow foot passengers and horses to travel, now (US) usually one surfaced with asphalt or concrete and designed to accommodate many vehicles travelling in both directions. In the UK both senses are heard: a country road is the same as a country lane.
- roadmap (noun): Alternative form of road map
- rood (noun): A crucifix, cross, especially in a church.
- updo (noun): A woman's hairdo in which most hair is kept above the neck