NYT Spelling Bee Answers for September 21, 2025
Game Summary
| Center Letter | F |
|---|---|
| Outer Letters | a, c, i, n, r, t |
| # of Pangrams | 4 (Perfect: 3) |
| Total Words | 34 words |
| Total Points | 193 points |
| Genius Level | 135 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 | 10 | 11 | 12 | Σ | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A | 1 | - | 2 | 1 | 2 | - | - | - | 1 | 7 |
| C | - | 1 | 1 | - | - | - | - | - | - | 2 |
| F | 5 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 1 | - | - | - | - | 13 |
| I | - | - | 1 | 2 | - | - | - | - | - | 3 |
| N | 1 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 1 |
| R | 3 | - | 1 | - | 1 | - | - | - | - | 5 |
| T | 1 | - | 1 | 1 | - | - | - | - | - | 3 | Σ | 11 | 4 | 8 | 6 | 4 | - | - | - | 1 | 34 |
Two-Letter List (2LL) Hints
The following list shows the number of solution words that begin with the corresponding two letters.
| A | AF×3 AI×1 AN×2 AR×1 |
|---|---|
| C | CA×1 CR×1 |
| F | FA×7 FI×1 FR×5 |
| I | IN×3 |
| N | NA×1 |
| R | RA×2 RI×3 |
| T | TA×1 TI×1 TR×1 |
Three-Letter List (3LL) Hints
The following list shows the number of solution words that begin with the corresponding three letters.
| A | AFA×1 AFF×2 AIR×1 ANT×2 ART×1 |
|---|---|
| C | CAF×1 CRA×1 |
| F | FAC×1 FAI×2 FAN×2 FAR×2 FIA×1 FRA×3 FRI×2 |
| I | INF×3 |
| N | NAI×1 |
| R | RAF×2 RIF×3 |
| T | TAR×1 TIF×1 TRA×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) |
|---|---|---|
| an.......... † | AN12 | Alternative spelling of anti-aircraft |
| fr..... † | FR7 | Insane, mentally unstable. |
| in..... † | IN7 | An area of dead tissue caused by a loss of blood supply; a localized necrosis. |
| in..... † | IN7 | To infringe, violate or disobey (a rule). |
| af.. | AF4 | At, to, or from a great distance; far away. |
| af.... | AF6 | Something which is done or is to be done; business of any kind, commercial, professional, or public. |
| af..... | AF7 | The individual witness whose statement is contained in an affidavit or sworn deposition. |
| ai...... | AI8 | A vehicle capable of atmospheric flight due to interaction with the air, such as buoyancy or lift |
| an.... | AN6 | Alternative letter-case form of Antifa. |
| ar...... | AR8 | An object made or shaped by human hand or labor. |
| ca.... | CA6 | Alternative spelling of kaftan |
| cr... | CR5 | Strength; power; might; force . |
| fa.. | FA4 | Something actual as opposed to invented. |
| fa... | FA5 | (of a being) Lacking strength; weak; languid; inclined to lose consciousness |
| fa.. | FA4 | Beautiful, of a pleasing appearance, with a pure and fresh quality. |
| fa..... | FA7 | Fanatical. |
| fa.... | FA6 | fan fiction |
| fa.... | FA6 | A fine flour or meal made from cereal grains or from the starch or fecula of vegetables, extracted by various processes, and used in cookery. |
| fa.. | FA4 | To emit digestive gases from the anus; to flatulate. |
| fi.. | FI4 | An arbitrary or authoritative command or order to do something; an effectual decree. |
| fr... | FR5 | A former unit of currency of France, Belgium and Luxembourg, replaced by the euro. |
| fr.. | FR4 | Shortened form of fraternity, college organization. |
| fr... | FR5 | A member of a mendicant Christian order such as the Augustinians, Carmelites, Franciscans, or the Dominicans. |
| fr...... | FR8 | A form of omelette in which vegetables, cheese, etc., are mixed into the eggs and cooked together. |
| in.... | IN6 | A very young human being, from birth to somewhere between six months and two years of age, needing almost constant care and attention. |
| na.. | NA4 | Alternative spelling of naïf. |
| ra.... | RA6 | A fibrous material used for tying plants, originating from the leaves of the raffia palm tree (genus Raphia). |
| ra.. | RA4 | A flat-bottomed craft able to float and drift on water, used for transport or as a waterborne platform. |
| ri.. | RI4 | A repeated instrumental melody line in a song. |
| ri...... | RI8 | The rabble; crowds; the common people. |
| ri.. | RI4 | A chasm or fissure. |
| ta.... | TA6 | A system of government-imposed duties levied on imported or exported goods; a list of such duties, or the duties themselves. |
| ti.. | TI4 | A small argument; a petty quarrel. |
| tr..... | TR7 | Moving pedestrians or vehicles, or the flux or passage thereof. |
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.
- antiaircraft† (AN12)
- frantic† (FR7)
- infarct† (IN7)
- infract† (IN7)
- afar (AF4)
- affair (AF6)
- affiant (AF7)
- aircraft (AI8)
- antifa (AN6)
- artifact (AR8)
- caftan (CA6)
- craft (CR5)
- fact (FA4)
- faint (FA5)
- fair (FA4)
- fanatic (FA7)
- fanfic (FA6)
- farina (FA6)
- fart (FA4)
- fiat (FI4)
- franc (FR5)
- frat (FR4)
- friar (FR5)
- frittata (FR8)
- infant (IN6)
- naif (NA4)
- raffia (RA6)
- raft (RA4)
- riff (RI4)
- riffraff (RI8)
- rift (RI4)
- tariff (TA6)
- tiff (TI4)
- traffic (TR7)
Answer Definitions
- antiaircraft† (adjective): Alternative spelling of anti-aircraft
- frantic† (adjective): Insane, mentally unstable.
- infarct† (noun): An area of dead tissue caused by a loss of blood supply; a localized necrosis.
- infract† (verb): To infringe, violate or disobey (a rule).
- afar (adverb): At, to, or from a great distance; far away.
- affair (noun): Something which is done or is to be done; business of any kind, commercial, professional, or public.
- affiant (noun): The individual witness whose statement is contained in an affidavit or sworn deposition.
- aircraft (noun): A vehicle capable of atmospheric flight due to interaction with the air, such as buoyancy or lift
- antifa (proper noun): Alternative letter-case form of Antifa.
- artifact (noun): An object made or shaped by human hand or labor.
- caftan (noun): Alternative spelling of kaftan
- craft (noun): Strength; power; might; force .
- fact (noun): Something actual as opposed to invented.
- faint (adjective): (of a being) Lacking strength; weak; languid; inclined to lose consciousness
- fair (adjective): Beautiful, of a pleasing appearance, with a pure and fresh quality.
- fanatic (adjective): Fanatical.
- fanfic (noun): fan fiction
- farina (noun): A fine flour or meal made from cereal grains or from the starch or fecula of vegetables, extracted by various processes, and used in cookery.
- fart (verb): To emit digestive gases from the anus; to flatulate.
- fiat (noun): An arbitrary or authoritative command or order to do something; an effectual decree.
- franc (noun): A former unit of currency of France, Belgium and Luxembourg, replaced by the euro.
- frat (noun): Shortened form of fraternity, college organization.
- friar (noun): A member of a mendicant Christian order such as the Augustinians, Carmelites, Franciscans, or the Dominicans.
- frittata (noun): A form of omelette in which vegetables, cheese, etc., are mixed into the eggs and cooked together.
- infant (noun): A very young human being, from birth to somewhere between six months and two years of age, needing almost constant care and attention.
- naif (adjective): Alternative spelling of naïf.
- raffia (noun): A fibrous material used for tying plants, originating from the leaves of the raffia palm tree (genus Raphia).
- raft (noun): A flat-bottomed craft able to float and drift on water, used for transport or as a waterborne platform.
- riff (noun): A repeated instrumental melody line in a song.
- riffraff (noun): The rabble; crowds; the common people.
- rift (noun): A chasm or fissure.
- tariff (noun): A system of government-imposed duties levied on imported or exported goods; a list of such duties, or the duties themselves.
- tiff (noun): A small argument; a petty quarrel.
- traffic (noun): Moving pedestrians or vehicles, or the flux or passage thereof.