NYT Spelling Bee Answers for March 23, 2025
Game Summary
| Center Letter | C |
|---|---|
| Outer Letters | a, b, e, i, l, y |
| # of Pangrams | 1 (Perfect: none) |
| Total Words | 39 words |
| Total Points | 208 points |
| Genius Level | 146 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 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | Σ | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | - | - | - | 5 |
| B | - | - | - | 2 | 1 | - | 1 | 4 |
| C | 3 | 8 | 6 | - | 3 | - | 1 | 21 |
| E | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| I | - | 2 | 1 | - | - | - | - | 3 |
| L | 4 | 1 | 1 | - | - | - | - | 6 |
| Y | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | Σ | 8 | 12 | 10 | 3 | 4 | - | 2 | 39 |
Two-Letter List (2LL) Hints
The following list shows the number of solution words that begin with the corresponding two letters.
| A | AB×2 AC×3 |
|---|---|
| B | BA×1 BI×3 |
| C | CA×8 CE×5 CI×2 CL×2 CY×4 |
| E | |
| I | IC×2 IL×1 |
| L | LA×4 LI×2 |
| Y |
Three-Letter List (3LL) Hints
The following list shows the number of solution words that begin with the corresponding three letters.
| A | ABA×1 ABB×1 ACA×2 ACY×1 |
|---|---|
| B | BAC×1 BIB×2 BIC×1 |
| C | CAB×5 CAL×3 CEL×5 CIC×1 CIL×1 CLA×2 CYC×4 |
| E | |
| I | ICI×2 ILI×1 |
| L | LAC×2 LAI×2 LIC×1 LIL×1 |
| Y |
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) |
|---|---|---|
| ce...... † | CE8 | Abstaining from marriage; the state of being unmarried. |
| ab... | AB5 | plural form of an ancient bead calculator. |
| ab.... | AB6 | The dignity, estate, term, or jurisdiction of an abbot or abbess. |
| ac.... | AC6 | A shrub or tree of the tribe Acacieae. |
| ac.. | AC4 | Any of several South American palms, of the genus Euterpe, having a dark purple drupe. |
| ac..... | AC7 | Not cyclic; having an open chain structure. |
| ba..... | BA7 | plural of bacillus |
| bi...... | BI8 | Of or relating to the Bible. |
| bi........ | BI10 | In a biblical manner. |
| bi..... | BI7 | A vehicle that has two wheels, one behind the other, a steering handle, and a saddle seat or seats and is usually propelled by the action of a rider’s feet upon pedals. |
| ca... | CA5 | A secret political clique or faction. |
| ca.... | CA6 | Alternative spelling of Kabballah |
| ca.... | CA6 | A cabdriver, someone who drives a taxi. |
| ca... | CA5 | A cabdriver; someone who drives a taxi. |
| ca... | CA5 | A long object used to make a physical connection. A strong, large-diameter wire or rope, or something resembling such a rope. An assembly of two or more cable-laid ropes. An assembly of two or more wires, used for electrical power or data circuits; one or more and/or the whole may be insulated. A strong rope or chain used to moor or anchor a ship. |
| ca.. | CA4 | A telephone conversation; a phone call. |
| ca... | CA5 | A marsh plant native to cooler areas throughout the northern hemisphere, Calla palustris, having pale green flowers in a white spathe. |
| ca...... | CA8 | That can be called. |
| ce... | CE5 | A celebrity; a famous person. |
| ce.... | CE6 | Of, pertaining to or located within the abdomen or abdominal cavity. |
| ce.. | CE4 | A single-room dwelling for a hermit. |
| ce... | CE5 | plural of cello |
| ci.... | CI6 | Myrrhis odorata, a plant in the genus Myrrhis, in the family Apiaceae. |
| ci... | CI5 | plural of cilium |
| cl.. | CL4 | A mineral substance made up of small crystals of silica and alumina, that is ductile when moist; the material of pre-fired ceramics. |
| cl.... | CL6 | Composed of clay or containing (much) clay; clayish. |
| cy... | CY5 | An interval of space or time in which one set of events or phenomena is completed. |
| cy.... | CY6 | Characterized by, or moving in cycles, or happening at regular intervals. |
| cy...... | CY8 | recurring at regular intervals |
| cy........ | CY10 | In a cyclic manner; in cycles; periodically. |
| ic.... | IC6 | A drooping, tapering shape of ice. |
| ic... | IC5 | In the manner of ice; with a cold or chilling effect. |
| il... | IL5 | Relating to the ilium. |
| la.. | LA4 | A light fabric containing patterns of holes, usually built up from a single thread. |
| la.. | LA4 | Made of lace or decorated with it. |
| la.. | LA4 | A layperson, as opposed to a member of the clergy. |
| la.... | LA6 | Of or pertaining to a layperson, layman, laywoman, or laypeople (laity). |
| li.. | LI4 | plural of louse |
| li... | LI5 | A large shrub of the genus Syringa, especially Syringa vulgaris, bearing white, pale-pink, or purple flowers. |
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.
- celibacy† (CE8)
- abaci (AB5)
- abbacy (AB6)
- acacia (AC6)
- acai (AC4)
- acyclic (AC7)
- bacilli (BA7)
- biblical (BI8)
- biblically (BI10)
- bicycle (BI7)
- cabal (CA5)
- cabala (CA6)
- cabbie (CA6)
- cabby (CA5)
- cable (CA5)
- call (CA4)
- calla (CA5)
- callable (CA8)
- celeb (CE5)
- celiac (CE6)
- cell (CE4)
- celli (CE5)
- cicely (CI6)
- cilia (CI5)
- clay (CL4)
- clayey (CL6)
- cycle (CY5)
- cyclic (CY6)
- cyclical (CY8)
- cyclically (CY10)
- icicle (IC6)
- icily (IC5)
- iliac (IL5)
- lace (LA4)
- lacy (LA4)
- laic (LA4)
- laical (LA6)
- lice (LI4)
- lilac (LI5)
Answer Definitions
- celibacy† (noun): Abstaining from marriage; the state of being unmarried.
- abaci (noun): plural form of an ancient bead calculator.
- abbacy (noun): The dignity, estate, term, or jurisdiction of an abbot or abbess.
- acacia (noun): A shrub or tree of the tribe Acacieae.
- acai (noun): Any of several South American palms, of the genus Euterpe, having a dark purple drupe.
- acyclic (adjective): Not cyclic; having an open chain structure.
- bacilli (noun): plural of bacillus
- biblical (adjective): Of or relating to the Bible.
- biblically (adverb): In a biblical manner.
- bicycle (noun): A vehicle that has two wheels, one behind the other, a steering handle, and a saddle seat or seats and is usually propelled by the action of a rider’s feet upon pedals.
- cabal (noun): A secret political clique or faction.
- cabala (proper noun): Alternative spelling of Kabballah
- cabbie (noun): A cabdriver, someone who drives a taxi.
- cabby (noun): A cabdriver; someone who drives a taxi.
- cable (noun): A long object used to make a physical connection. A strong, large-diameter wire or rope, or something resembling such a rope. An assembly of two or more cable-laid ropes. An assembly of two or more wires, used for electrical power or data circuits; one or more and/or the whole may be insulated. A strong rope or chain used to moor or anchor a ship.
- call (noun): A telephone conversation; a phone call.
- calla (noun): A marsh plant native to cooler areas throughout the northern hemisphere, Calla palustris, having pale green flowers in a white spathe.
- callable (adjective): That can be called.
- celeb (noun): A celebrity; a famous person.
- celiac (adjective): Of, pertaining to or located within the abdomen or abdominal cavity.
- cell (noun): A single-room dwelling for a hermit.
- celli (noun): plural of cello
- cicely (noun): Myrrhis odorata, a plant in the genus Myrrhis, in the family Apiaceae.
- cilia (noun): plural of cilium
- clay (noun): A mineral substance made up of small crystals of silica and alumina, that is ductile when moist; the material of pre-fired ceramics.
- clayey (adjective): Composed of clay or containing (much) clay; clayish.
- cycle (noun): An interval of space or time in which one set of events or phenomena is completed.
- cyclic (adjective): Characterized by, or moving in cycles, or happening at regular intervals.
- cyclical (adjective): recurring at regular intervals
- cyclically (adverb): In a cyclic manner; in cycles; periodically.
- icicle (noun): A drooping, tapering shape of ice.
- icily (adverb): In the manner of ice; with a cold or chilling effect.
- iliac (adjective): Relating to the ilium.
- lace (noun): A light fabric containing patterns of holes, usually built up from a single thread.
- lacy (adjective): Made of lace or decorated with it.
- laic (noun): A layperson, as opposed to a member of the clergy.
- laical (adjective): Of or pertaining to a layperson, layman, laywoman, or laypeople (laity).
- lice (noun): plural of louse
- lilac (noun): A large shrub of the genus Syringa, especially Syringa vulgaris, bearing white, pale-pink, or purple flowers.