NYT Spelling Bee Answers for May 8, 2025
Game Summary
| Center Letter | R |
|---|---|
| Outer Letters | a, c, i, l, p, t |
| # of Pangrams | 1 (Perfect: none) |
| Total Words | 58 words |
| Total Points | 263 points |
| Genius Level | 184 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 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A | 2 | 4 | 2 | 2 | - | - | 10 |
| C | 3 | 4 | 3 | - | 3 | - | 13 |
| I | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| L | 3 | - | 1 | - | - | - | 4 |
| P | 3 | - | 1 | 4 | - | 1 | 9 |
| R | 4 | 1 | 1 | 4 | - | - | 10 |
| T | 4 | 7 | 1 | - | - | - | 12 | Σ | 19 | 16 | 9 | 10 | 3 | 1 | 58 |
Two-Letter List (2LL) Hints
The following list shows the number of solution words that begin with the corresponding two letters.
| A | AL×1 AP×2 AR×3 AT×4 |
|---|---|
| C | CA×6 CI×3 CL×1 CR×3 |
| I | |
| L | LA×2 LI×2 |
| P | PA×4 PI×2 PR×3 |
| R | RA×8 RI×2 |
| T | TA×4 TI×1 TR×7 |
Three-Letter List (3LL) Hints
The following list shows the number of solution words that begin with the corresponding three letters.
| A | ALT×1 APA×1 APP×1 ARC×1 ARI×2 ATR×2 ATT×2 |
|---|---|
| C | CAR×5 CAT×1 CIR×2 CIT×1 CLA×1 CRA×1 CRI×2 |
| I | |
| L | LAI×1 LAR×1 LIA×1 LIR×1 |
| P | PAI×1 PAR×3 PIL×1 PIR×1 PRA×2 PRI×1 |
| R | RAC×1 RAI×3 RAP×1 RAT×3 RIA×1 RIL×1 |
| T | TAP×1 TAR×3 TIA×1 TRA×4 TRI×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) |
|---|---|---|
| pr....... † | PR9 | Relating to, or based on, practice or action rather than theory or hypothesis. |
| al... | AL5 | A table or similar flat-topped structure used for religious rites. |
| ap... | AP5 | Placed separately (in regard to space or time). |
| ap..... | AP7 | The Soviet machinery of state bureaucratic administration, or a similar communistic structure. |
| ar.... | AR6 | Alternative letter-case form of Arctic |
| ar.. | AR4 | A musical piece written typically for a solo voice with orchestral accompaniment in an opera or cantata. |
| ar.. | AR4 | A tissue surrounding the seed in certain fruits such as pomegranates. |
| at... | AT5 | plural of atrium |
| at.... | AT6 | Of or pertaining to an atrium, especially the atrium of the heart. |
| at... | AT5 | An essential oil extracted from flowers. |
| at..... | AT7 | To pull toward without touching. |
| ca... | CA5 | A unit of weight for precious stones and pearls, equivalent to 200 milligrams. |
| ca.. | CA4 | Any of various freshwater fish of the family Cyprinidae, especially the common carp, Cyprinus carpio. |
| ca.... | CA6 | Any of the eight bones of the wrist (carpus). |
| ca... | CA5 | plural of carpus |
| ca.. | CA4 | A small, open, wheeled vehicle, drawn or pushed by a person or animal, more often used for transporting goods than passengers. |
| ca...... | CA8 | A waterspout. |
| ci... | CI5 | Approximately, about, around |
| ci... | CI5 | plural of cirrus Tendrils or claspers. |
| ci.... | CI6 | Of, pertaining to, or derived from, citrus fruit. |
| cl...... | CL8 | Empty verbiage or nonsense. |
| cr.. | CR4 | The husk of grain; chaff. |
| cr.... | CR6 | A person who appraises the works of others. |
| cr...... | CR8 | Inclined to find fault or criticize |
| la.. | LA4 | A place inhabited by a wild animal, often a cave or a hole in the ground. |
| la.... | LA6 | A lasso. |
| li.. | LI4 | One who frequently tells lies. |
| li.. | LI4 | The basic unit of currency in Turkey. |
| pa.. | PA4 | Two similar or identical things taken together; often followed by of. |
| pa.. | PA4 | A portion; a component. A fraction of a whole. |
| pa..... | PA7 | existing as a part or portion; incomplete |
| pa..... | PA7 | A type of instrumental suite popular in the 18th century |
| pi.... | PI6 | A large post, often used as supporting architecture. |
| pi..... | PI7 | Alternative form of piratical |
| pr.. | PR4 | A cunning or mischievous trick; a prank, a joke. |
| pr..... | PR7 | Phallic. |
| ra.... | RA6 | Of or relating to a race (or a people). |
| ra.. | RA4 | A horizontal bar extending between supports and used for support or as a barrier; a railing. |
| ra..... | RA7 | A self-propelled railway vehicle for passengers, similar to a bus. |
| ra... | RA5 | A condiment used as a dip or sauce in the cuisine of southern Asia, made from seasoned yogurt. |
| ra.. | RA4 | Snatched, taken away; abducted. |
| ra..... | RA7 | A swiftly repeated knocking sound. |
| ra..... | RA7 | Any of the large dark-colored deep-sea fish of the Macrouridae family of ray-finned fish. |
| ra..... | RA7 | A device (trap) used to catch rats. |
| ri.. | RI4 | The official currencies of Iran, Oman, and Yemen. |
| ri.. | RI4 | A very small brook; a streamlet; a creek, rivulet. |
| ta... | TA5 | Any one of the species of large odd-toed ungulates of the taxonomic family Tapiridae with a long prehensile upper lip, of which all four surviving species are in genus Tapirus. |
| ta.. | TA4 | A tarpaulin. |
| ta.. | TA4 | Sharp to the taste; acid; sour. |
| ta.... | TA6 | A red compound deposited during wine making; mostly potassium hydrogen tartrate — a source of cream of tartar. |
| ti... | TI5 | The papal crown. |
| tr... | TR5 | An area or expanse. |
| tr... | TR5 | To follow behind (someone or something); to tail (someone or something). |
| tr... | TR5 | An identifying characteristic, habit or trend. |
| tr.. | TR4 | A machine or other device designed to catch (and sometimes kill) animals, either by holding them in a container, or by catching hold of part of the body. |
| tr... | TR5 | An opportunity to test something out; a test. |
| tr... | TR5 | A rapid alternation between an indicated note and the one above it, in musical notation usually indicated with the letters tr written above the staff. |
| tr.. | TR4 | A journey; an excursion or jaunt. |
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.
- practical† (PR9)
- altar (AL5)
- apart (AP5)
- apparat (AP7)
- arctic (AR6)
- aria (AR4)
- aril (AR4)
- atria (AT5)
- atrial (AT6)
- attar (AT5)
- attract (AT7)
- carat (CA5)
- carp (CA4)
- carpal (CA6)
- carpi (CA5)
- cart (CA4)
- cataract (CA8)
- circa (CI5)
- cirri (CI5)
- citric (CI6)
- claptrap (CL8)
- crap (CR4)
- critic (CR6)
- critical (CR8)
- lair (LA4)
- lariat (LA6)
- liar (LI4)
- lira (LI4)
- pair (PA4)
- part (PA4)
- partial (PA7)
- partita (PA7)
- pillar (PI6)
- piratic (PI7)
- prat (PR4)
- priapic (PR7)
- racial (RA6)
- rail (RA4)
- railcar (RA7)
- raita (RA5)
- rapt (RA4)
- ratatat (RA7)
- rattail (RA7)
- rattrap (RA7)
- rial (RI4)
- rill (RI4)
- tapir (TA5)
- tarp (TA4)
- tart (TA4)
- tartar (TA6)
- tiara (TI5)
- tract (TR5)
- trail (TR5)
- trait (TR5)
- trap (TR4)
- trial (TR5)
- trill (TR5)
- trip (TR4)
Answer Definitions
- practical† (adjective): Relating to, or based on, practice or action rather than theory or hypothesis.
- altar (noun): A table or similar flat-topped structure used for religious rites.
- apart (adverb): Placed separately (in regard to space or time).
- apparat (noun): The Soviet machinery of state bureaucratic administration, or a similar communistic structure.
- arctic (adjective): Alternative letter-case form of Arctic
- aria (noun): A musical piece written typically for a solo voice with orchestral accompaniment in an opera or cantata.
- aril (noun): A tissue surrounding the seed in certain fruits such as pomegranates.
- atria (noun): plural of atrium
- atrial (adjective): Of or pertaining to an atrium, especially the atrium of the heart.
- attar (noun): An essential oil extracted from flowers.
- attract (verb): To pull toward without touching.
- carat (noun): A unit of weight for precious stones and pearls, equivalent to 200 milligrams.
- carp (noun): Any of various freshwater fish of the family Cyprinidae, especially the common carp, Cyprinus carpio.
- carpal (noun): Any of the eight bones of the wrist (carpus).
- carpi (noun): plural of carpus
- cart (noun): A small, open, wheeled vehicle, drawn or pushed by a person or animal, more often used for transporting goods than passengers.
- cataract (noun): A waterspout.
- circa (preposition): Approximately, about, around
- cirri (noun): plural of cirrus Tendrils or claspers.
- citric (adjective): Of, pertaining to, or derived from, citrus fruit.
- claptrap (noun): Empty verbiage or nonsense.
- crap (noun): The husk of grain; chaff.
- critic (noun): A person who appraises the works of others.
- critical (adjective): Inclined to find fault or criticize
- lair (noun): A place inhabited by a wild animal, often a cave or a hole in the ground.
- lariat (noun): A lasso.
- liar (noun): One who frequently tells lies.
- lira (noun): The basic unit of currency in Turkey.
- pair (noun): Two similar or identical things taken together; often followed by of.
- part (noun): A portion; a component. A fraction of a whole.
- partial (adjective): existing as a part or portion; incomplete
- partita (noun): A type of instrumental suite popular in the 18th century
- pillar (noun): A large post, often used as supporting architecture.
- piratic (adjective): Alternative form of piratical
- prat (noun): A cunning or mischievous trick; a prank, a joke.
- priapic (adjective): Phallic.
- racial (adjective): Of or relating to a race (or a people).
- rail (noun): A horizontal bar extending between supports and used for support or as a barrier; a railing.
- railcar (noun): A self-propelled railway vehicle for passengers, similar to a bus.
- raita (noun): A condiment used as a dip or sauce in the cuisine of southern Asia, made from seasoned yogurt.
- rapt (adjective): Snatched, taken away; abducted.
- ratatat (noun): A swiftly repeated knocking sound.
- rattail (noun): Any of the large dark-colored deep-sea fish of the Macrouridae family of ray-finned fish.
- rattrap (noun): A device (trap) used to catch rats.
- rial (noun): The official currencies of Iran, Oman, and Yemen.
- rill (noun): A very small brook; a streamlet; a creek, rivulet.
- tapir (noun): Any one of the species of large odd-toed ungulates of the taxonomic family Tapiridae with a long prehensile upper lip, of which all four surviving species are in genus Tapirus.
- tarp (noun): A tarpaulin.
- tart (adjective): Sharp to the taste; acid; sour.
- tartar (noun): A red compound deposited during wine making; mostly potassium hydrogen tartrate — a source of cream of tartar.
- tiara (noun): The papal crown.
- tract (noun): An area or expanse.
- trail (verb): To follow behind (someone or something); to tail (someone or something).
- trait (noun): An identifying characteristic, habit or trend.
- trap (noun): A machine or other device designed to catch (and sometimes kill) animals, either by holding them in a container, or by catching hold of part of the body.
- trial (noun): An opportunity to test something out; a test.
- trill (noun): A rapid alternation between an indicated note and the one above it, in musical notation usually indicated with the letters tr written above the staff.
- trip (noun): A journey; an excursion or jaunt.