NYT Spelling Bee Answers for May 16, 2025
Game Summary
| Center Letter | P |
|---|---|
| Outer Letters | b, e, i, l, o, w |
| # of Pangrams | 1 (Perfect: none) |
| Total Words | 40 words |
| Total Points | 124 points |
| Genius Level | 87 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 | Σ | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| B | 3 | 3 | - | - | 1 | 7 |
| E | 1 | 1 | - | - | - | 2 |
| I | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| L | 3 | - | 1 | - | 1 | 5 |
| O | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| P | 15 | 3 | 5 | - | - | 23 |
| W | 2 | - | 1 | - | - | 3 | Σ | 24 | 7 | 7 | - | 2 | 40 |
Two-Letter List (2LL) Hints
The following list shows the number of solution words that begin with the corresponding two letters.
| B | BE×2 BL×4 BO×1 |
|---|---|
| E | EL×1 EP×1 |
| I | |
| L | LI×1 LO×4 |
| O | |
| P | PE×6 PI×4 PL×5 PO×8 |
| W | WE×2 WI×1 |
Three-Letter List (3LL) Hints
The following list shows the number of solution words that begin with the corresponding three letters.
| B | BEB×1 BEE×1 BLE×1 BLI×1 BLO×2 BOO×1 |
|---|---|
| E | ELO×1 EPE×1 |
| I | |
| L | LIP×1 LOL×2 LOO×1 LOP×1 |
| O | |
| P | PEB×1 PEE×3 PEO×1 PEW×1 PIL×3 PIP×1 PLE×2 PLI×1 PLO×2 POL×4 POO×2 POP×1 POW×1 |
| W | WEE×2 WIP×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) |
|---|---|---|
| bl...... † | BL8 | a narrow tube through which a jet of air is directed onto a flame; used in the analysis of minerals etc and in jewelry manufacture |
| be... | BE5 | An early form of modern jazz played by small groups and featuring driving rhythms and complex, often dissonant harmonies. |
| be.. | BE4 | The sound produced by the horn of a car, or any similar sound. |
| bl... | BL5 | A brief high-pitched sound, as from some electronic device. |
| bl.. | BL4 | A small dot registered on electronic equipment, such as a radar or oscilloscope screen. |
| bl... | BL5 | To blow air bubbles or audibly slosh about in water. |
| bo.. | BO4 | A low-pitched beeping sound. |
| el... | EL5 | To run away from home with a paramour. |
| ep.. | EP4 | A sharp-pointed dueling sword with a bell-shaped guard, used (with the end blunted) in sport fencing. |
| li.. | LI4 | Clipping of liposuction. |
| lo...... | LO8 | An item of confectionery consisting of a piece of candy/sweet attached to a stick. |
| lo.... | LO6 | To walk or move with a bouncing or undulating motion and at an unhurried pace. |
| lo.. | LO4 | A length of thread, line or rope that is doubled over to make an opening. |
| lo.. | LO4 | To travel an easy pace with long strides. |
| pe.... | PE6 | A small stone, especially one rounded by the action of water. |
| pe.. | PE4 | To remove the skin or outer covering of. |
| pe.. | PE4 | A short, soft, high-pitched sound, as made by a baby bird. |
| pe.... | PE6 | A short or small person; a small object. |
| pe.... | PE6 | Used as plural of person; a body of human beings considered generally or collectively; a group of two or more persons. |
| pe... | PE5 | The common American tyrant flycatcher (of the genus Contopus). |
| pi.. | PI4 | A mass of things heaped together; a heap. |
| pi.. | PI4 | A small, usually round or cylindrical object designed for easy swallowing, usually containing some sort of medication. |
| pi.... | PI6 | A soft cushion used to support the head in bed. |
| pi.. | PI4 | Meanings relating to a wind instrument. A wind instrument consisting of a tube, often lined with holes to allow for adjustment in pitch, sounded by blowing into the tube. A tube used to produce sound in an organ; an organ pipe. The key or sound of the voice. A high-pitched sound, especially of a bird. |
| pl.. | PL4 | A commoner, a member of the lower class of a society. |
| pl... | PL5 | A plebeian, a member of the lower class of Roman citizens. |
| pl.. | PL4 | Alternative spelling of plié |
| pl.. | PL4 | A sound or action like liquid hitting a hard surface, or an object falling into a body of water. |
| pl.. | PL4 | Alternative spelling of plough |
| po.. | PO4 | Originally, a stick; now specifically, a long and slender piece of metal or (especially) wood, used for various construction or support purposes. |
| po... | PO5 | Abbreviation of poliomyelitis. |
| po.. | PO4 | A survey of people, usually statistically analyzed to gauge wider public opinion. |
| po.. | PO4 | A ball game where two teams of players on horseback use long-handled mallets to propel the ball along the ground and into their opponent's goal. |
| po.. | PO4 | A small and rather deep area of (usually) fresh water, as one supplied by a spring, or occurring in the course of a stream or river; a reservoir for water. |
| po.. | PO4 | To make a short blast on a horn. |
| po.. | PO4 | An honorary title of the Roman Catholic bishop of Rome as father and head of his church, a sovereign of the Vatican city state. Any similarly absolute and 'infallible' authority. Any similar head of a religion. A theocrat, a priest-king, including (at first especially) over the imaginary land of Prester John or (now) in figurative and alliterative uses. An effigy of the pope traditionally burnt in Britain on Guy Fawkes' Day and (occasionally) at other times. Pope Day, the present Guy Fawkes Day. |
| po.... | PO6 | A ritual conducted by a Native American shaman. |
| we.. | WE4 | To cry; to shed tears, especially when accompanied with sobbing or other difficulty speaking, as an expression of emotion such as sadness or joy. |
| we.... | WE6 | A sad or sentimental film, often portraying troubled romance, designed to elicit a tearfully emotional response from its audience. |
| wi.. | WI4 | To move an object over, maintaining contact, with the intention of removing some substance from the surface. |
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.
- blowpipe† (BL8)
- bebop (BE5)
- beep (BE4)
- bleep (BL5)
- blip (BL4)
- bloop (BL5)
- boop (BO4)
- elope (EL5)
- epee (EP4)
- lipo (LI4)
- lollipop (LO8)
- lollop (LO6)
- loop (LO4)
- lope (LO4)
- pebble (PE6)
- peel (PE4)
- peep (PE4)
- peewee (PE6)
- people (PE6)
- pewee (PE5)
- pile (PI4)
- pill (PI4)
- pillow (PI6)
- pipe (PI4)
- pleb (PL4)
- plebe (PL5)
- plie (PL4)
- plop (PL4)
- plow (PL4)
- pole (PO4)
- polio (PO5)
- poll (PO4)
- polo (PO4)
- pool (PO4)
- poop (PO4)
- pope (PO4)
- powwow (PO6)
- weep (WE4)
- weepie (WE6)
- wipe (WI4)
Answer Definitions
- blowpipe† (noun): a narrow tube through which a jet of air is directed onto a flame; used in the analysis of minerals etc and in jewelry manufacture
- bebop (noun): An early form of modern jazz played by small groups and featuring driving rhythms and complex, often dissonant harmonies.
- beep (noun): The sound produced by the horn of a car, or any similar sound.
- bleep (noun): A brief high-pitched sound, as from some electronic device.
- blip (noun): A small dot registered on electronic equipment, such as a radar or oscilloscope screen.
- bloop (verb): To blow air bubbles or audibly slosh about in water.
- boop (noun): A low-pitched beeping sound.
- elope (verb): To run away from home with a paramour.
- epee (noun): A sharp-pointed dueling sword with a bell-shaped guard, used (with the end blunted) in sport fencing.
- lipo (noun): Clipping of liposuction.
- lollipop (noun): An item of confectionery consisting of a piece of candy/sweet attached to a stick.
- lollop (verb): To walk or move with a bouncing or undulating motion and at an unhurried pace.
- loop (noun): A length of thread, line or rope that is doubled over to make an opening.
- lope (verb): To travel an easy pace with long strides.
- pebble (noun): A small stone, especially one rounded by the action of water.
- peel (verb): To remove the skin or outer covering of.
- peep (noun): A short, soft, high-pitched sound, as made by a baby bird.
- peewee (noun): A short or small person; a small object.
- people (noun): Used as plural of person; a body of human beings considered generally or collectively; a group of two or more persons.
- pewee (noun): The common American tyrant flycatcher (of the genus Contopus).
- pile (noun): A mass of things heaped together; a heap.
- pill (noun): A small, usually round or cylindrical object designed for easy swallowing, usually containing some sort of medication.
- pillow (noun): A soft cushion used to support the head in bed.
- pipe (noun): Meanings relating to a wind instrument. A wind instrument consisting of a tube, often lined with holes to allow for adjustment in pitch, sounded by blowing into the tube. A tube used to produce sound in an organ; an organ pipe. The key or sound of the voice. A high-pitched sound, especially of a bird.
- pleb (noun): A commoner, a member of the lower class of a society.
- plebe (noun): A plebeian, a member of the lower class of Roman citizens.
- plie (noun): Alternative spelling of plié
- plop (noun): A sound or action like liquid hitting a hard surface, or an object falling into a body of water.
- plow (noun): Alternative spelling of plough
- pole (noun): Originally, a stick; now specifically, a long and slender piece of metal or (especially) wood, used for various construction or support purposes.
- polio (noun): Abbreviation of poliomyelitis.
- poll (noun): A survey of people, usually statistically analyzed to gauge wider public opinion.
- polo (noun): A ball game where two teams of players on horseback use long-handled mallets to propel the ball along the ground and into their opponent's goal.
- pool (noun): A small and rather deep area of (usually) fresh water, as one supplied by a spring, or occurring in the course of a stream or river; a reservoir for water.
- poop (verb): To make a short blast on a horn.
- pope (noun): An honorary title of the Roman Catholic bishop of Rome as father and head of his church, a sovereign of the Vatican city state. Any similarly absolute and 'infallible' authority. Any similar head of a religion. A theocrat, a priest-king, including (at first especially) over the imaginary land of Prester John or (now) in figurative and alliterative uses. An effigy of the pope traditionally burnt in Britain on Guy Fawkes' Day and (occasionally) at other times. Pope Day, the present Guy Fawkes Day.
- powwow (noun): A ritual conducted by a Native American shaman.
- weep (verb): To cry; to shed tears, especially when accompanied with sobbing or other difficulty speaking, as an expression of emotion such as sadness or joy.
- weepie (noun): A sad or sentimental film, often portraying troubled romance, designed to elicit a tearfully emotional response from its audience.
- wipe (verb): To move an object over, maintaining contact, with the intention of removing some substance from the surface.