NYT Spelling Bee Answers for April 23, 2025
Game Summary
| Center Letter | U |
|---|---|
| Outer Letters | c, d, e, i, l, t |
| # of Pangrams | 1 (Perfect: 1) |
| Total Words | 54 words |
| Total Points | 259 points |
| Genius Level | 181 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 | Σ | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| C | 5 | 2 | 5 | 3 | - | 1 | 16 |
| D | 5 | 1 | 8 | 5 | 1 | - | 20 |
| E | - | 3 | 2 | - | - | - | 5 |
| I | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| L | 4 | 1 | 1 | 1 | - | - | 7 |
| T | 1 | 3 | 1 | - | - | - | 5 |
| U | - | 1 | - | - | - | - | 1 | Σ | 15 | 11 | 17 | 9 | 1 | 1 | 54 |
Two-Letter List (2LL) Hints
The following list shows the number of solution words that begin with the corresponding two letters.
| C | CE×2 CL×2 CU×12 |
|---|---|
| D | DE×7 DI×2 DU×11 |
| E | ED×2 EL×2 ET×1 |
| I | |
| L | LE×1 LI×1 LU×5 |
| T | TU×5 |
| U | UT×1 |
Three-Letter List (3LL) Hints
The following list shows the number of solution words that begin with the corresponding three letters.
| C | CEL×2 CLU×2 CUD×2 CUE×1 CUL×4 CUT×5 |
|---|---|
| D | DED×4 DEL×2 DEU×1 DIL×2 DUC×3 DUD×1 DUE×4 DUL×3 |
| E | EDU×2 ELU×2 ETU×1 |
| I | |
| L | LET×1 LIE×1 LUC×1 LUL×3 LUT×1 |
| T | TUL×1 TUT×4 |
| U | UTI×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) |
|---|---|---|
| du..... † | DU7 | Capable of being pulled or stretched into thin wire by mechanical force without breaking. |
| ce..... | CE7 | A small cell. |
| ce....... | CE9 | The dimpled appearance of skin caused by the protrusion of subcutaneous adipose tissue, especially on a woman's hips and thighs. |
| cl.. | CL4 | A strand of yarn etc. as used to guide one through a labyrinth; something which points the way, a guide. |
| cl... | CL5 | simple past tense and past participle of clue |
| cu.... | CU6 | A snuggle; an affectionate embrace, often given to family members and close friends. |
| cu..... | CU7 | simple past tense and past participle of cuddle |
| cu.. | CU4 | simple past tense and past participle of cue |
| cu.. | CU4 | To pick or take someone or something (from a larger group). |
| cu.... | CU6 | simple past tense and past participle of cull |
| cu.. | CU4 | A group, sect or movement following an unorthodox religious or philosophical system of beliefs, especially one in which members remove and exclude themselves from greater society, including family members not part of the cult, and show extreme devotion to a charismatic leader. |
| cu.... | CU6 | Of or relating to a cult or the methods of cults. |
| cu.. | CU4 | Possessing physical features, behaviors, personality traits or other properties that are mainly attributed to infants and small or cuddly animals; e.g. fair, dainty, round, and soft physical features, disproportionately large eyes and head, playfulness, fragility, helplessness, curiosity or shyness, innocence, affectionate behavior. |
| cu..... | CU7 | The outermost layer of the skin of vertebrates; the epidermis. |
| cu... | CU5 | A cute person or animal. |
| cu.... | CU6 | A thin slice of meat, usually fried. |
| cu.... | CU6 | Synonym of cuttlefish |
| de.... | DE6 | To reach (a conclusion) by applying rules of logic or other forms of reasoning to given premises or known facts. |
| de..... | DE7 | simple past tense and past participle of deduce |
| de.... | DE6 | To take one thing from another; remove from; make smaller or less by some amount. |
| de...... | DE8 | simple past tense and past participle of deduct |
| de.... | DE6 | To deceive into believing something which is false; to lead into error; to dupe. |
| de..... | DE7 | Being affected by delusions. |
| de... | DE5 | A card with two pips, one of four in a standard deck of playing cards. |
| di.... | DI6 | To make thinner by adding solvent to a solution, especially by adding water. |
| di..... | DI7 | simple past and past participle of dilute |
| du.. | DU4 | a pipe, tube or canal which carries gas or liquid from one place to another |
| du.... | DU6 | simple past tense and past participle of duct |
| du.. | DU4 | A man, generally a younger man. |
| du.. | DU4 | Arranged, regular combat between two private persons, often over a matter of honor. |
| du.... | DU6 | simple past tense and past participle of duel |
| du.. | DU4 | A musical composition in two parts, each performed by a single voice (singer, instrument or univoce ensemble). |
| du..... | DU7 | simple past tense and past participle of duet |
| du.... | DU6 | Sweet, especially when describing voice or tones; melodious. |
| du.. | DU4 | Lacking the ability to cut easily; not sharp. |
| du.... | DU6 | simple past tense and past participle of dull |
| ed... | ED5 | To direct the course of (a flow, journey etc.); to lead in a particular direction. |
| ed.... | ED6 | simple past tense and past participle of educe |
| el... | EL5 | To evade or escape from (someone or something), especially by using cunning or skill. |
| el.... | EL6 | simple past tense and past participle of elude |
| et... | ET5 | A short piece of music, designed to give a performer practice in a particular area or skill. |
| le..... | LE7 | An edible plant, Lactuca sativa and its close relatives, having a head of green and/or purple leaves. |
| li.. | LI4 | A place or stead; See in lieu or in lieu of |
| lu... | LU5 | clear; easily understood |
| lu.. | LU4 | A period of rest or soothing. |
| lu.... | LU6 | simple past tense and past participle of lull |
| lu.. | LU4 | A remarkable person, object or idea. |
| lu.. | LU4 | A fretted stringed instrument of European origin, similar to the guitar, having a bowl-shaped body or soundbox; any of a wide variety of chordophones with a pear-shaped body and a neck whose upper surface is in the same plane as the soundboard, with strings along the neck and parallel to the soundboard. |
| tu... | TU5 | A kind of silk lace or light netting, used for clothing, veils, etc. |
| tu... | TU5 | A student of a tutor. |
| tu.... | TU6 | simple past tense and past participle of tut |
| tu... | TU5 | All together. Indicates that the remainder of a group should join in playing after a solo or other passage with a reduced number of voices. |
| tu.. | TU4 | A ballet skirt made of layered stiff but light netting. |
| ut... | UT5 | Useful. |
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.
- ductile† (DU7)
- cellule (CE7)
- cellulite (CE9)
- clue (CL4)
- clued (CL5)
- cuddle (CU6)
- cuddled (CU7)
- cued (CU4)
- cull (CU4)
- culled (CU6)
- cult (CU4)
- cultic (CU6)
- cute (CU4)
- cuticle (CU7)
- cutie (CU5)
- cutlet (CU6)
- cuttle (CU6)
- deduce (DE6)
- deduced (DE7)
- deduct (DE6)
- deducted (DE8)
- delude (DE6)
- deluded (DE7)
- deuce (DE5)
- dilute (DI6)
- diluted (DI7)
- duct (DU4)
- ducted (DU6)
- dude (DU4)
- duel (DU4)
- dueled (DU6)
- duet (DU4)
- duetted (DU7)
- dulcet (DU6)
- dull (DU4)
- dulled (DU6)
- educe (ED5)
- educed (ED6)
- elude (EL5)
- eluded (EL6)
- etude (ET5)
- lettuce (LE7)
- lieu (LI4)
- lucid (LU5)
- lull (LU4)
- lulled (LU6)
- lulu (LU4)
- lute (LU4)
- tulle (TU5)
- tutee (TU5)
- tutted (TU6)
- tutti (TU5)
- tutu (TU4)
- utile (UT5)
Answer Definitions
- ductile† (adjective): Capable of being pulled or stretched into thin wire by mechanical force without breaking.
- cellule (noun): A small cell.
- cellulite (noun): The dimpled appearance of skin caused by the protrusion of subcutaneous adipose tissue, especially on a woman's hips and thighs.
- clue (noun): A strand of yarn etc. as used to guide one through a labyrinth; something which points the way, a guide.
- clued (verb): simple past tense and past participle of clue
- cuddle (noun): A snuggle; an affectionate embrace, often given to family members and close friends.
- cuddled (verb): simple past tense and past participle of cuddle
- cued (verb): simple past tense and past participle of cue
- cull (verb): To pick or take someone or something (from a larger group).
- culled (verb): simple past tense and past participle of cull
- cult (noun): A group, sect or movement following an unorthodox religious or philosophical system of beliefs, especially one in which members remove and exclude themselves from greater society, including family members not part of the cult, and show extreme devotion to a charismatic leader.
- cultic (adjective): Of or relating to a cult or the methods of cults.
- cute (adjective): Possessing physical features, behaviors, personality traits or other properties that are mainly attributed to infants and small or cuddly animals; e.g. fair, dainty, round, and soft physical features, disproportionately large eyes and head, playfulness, fragility, helplessness, curiosity or shyness, innocence, affectionate behavior.
- cuticle (noun): The outermost layer of the skin of vertebrates; the epidermis.
- cutie (noun): A cute person or animal.
- cutlet (noun): A thin slice of meat, usually fried.
- cuttle (noun): Synonym of cuttlefish
- deduce (verb): To reach (a conclusion) by applying rules of logic or other forms of reasoning to given premises or known facts.
- deduced (verb): simple past tense and past participle of deduce
- deduct (verb): To take one thing from another; remove from; make smaller or less by some amount.
- deducted (verb): simple past tense and past participle of deduct
- delude (verb): To deceive into believing something which is false; to lead into error; to dupe.
- deluded (adjective): Being affected by delusions.
- deuce (noun): A card with two pips, one of four in a standard deck of playing cards.
- dilute (verb): To make thinner by adding solvent to a solution, especially by adding water.
- diluted (verb): simple past and past participle of dilute
- duct (noun): a pipe, tube or canal which carries gas or liquid from one place to another
- ducted (verb): simple past tense and past participle of duct
- dude (noun): A man, generally a younger man.
- duel (noun): Arranged, regular combat between two private persons, often over a matter of honor.
- dueled (verb): simple past tense and past participle of duel
- duet (noun): A musical composition in two parts, each performed by a single voice (singer, instrument or univoce ensemble).
- duetted (verb): simple past tense and past participle of duet
- dulcet (adjective): Sweet, especially when describing voice or tones; melodious.
- dull (adjective): Lacking the ability to cut easily; not sharp.
- dulled (verb): simple past tense and past participle of dull
- educe (verb): To direct the course of (a flow, journey etc.); to lead in a particular direction.
- educed (verb): simple past tense and past participle of educe
- elude (verb): To evade or escape from (someone or something), especially by using cunning or skill.
- eluded (verb): simple past tense and past participle of elude
- etude (noun): A short piece of music, designed to give a performer practice in a particular area or skill.
- lettuce (noun): An edible plant, Lactuca sativa and its close relatives, having a head of green and/or purple leaves.
- lieu (noun): A place or stead; See in lieu or in lieu of
- lucid (adjective): clear; easily understood
- lull (noun): A period of rest or soothing.
- lulled (verb): simple past tense and past participle of lull
- lulu (noun): A remarkable person, object or idea.
- lute (noun): A fretted stringed instrument of European origin, similar to the guitar, having a bowl-shaped body or soundbox; any of a wide variety of chordophones with a pear-shaped body and a neck whose upper surface is in the same plane as the soundboard, with strings along the neck and parallel to the soundboard.
- tulle (noun): A kind of silk lace or light netting, used for clothing, veils, etc.
- tutee (noun): A student of a tutor.
- tutted (verb): simple past tense and past participle of tut
- tutti (adverb): All together. Indicates that the remainder of a group should join in playing after a solo or other passage with a reduced number of voices.
- tutu (noun): A ballet skirt made of layered stiff but light netting.
- utile (adjective): Useful.