NYT Spelling Bee Answers for December 22, 2025
Game Summary
| Center Letter | U |
|---|---|
| Outer Letters | c, d, e, k, l, n |
| # of Pangrams | 2 (Perfect: 1) |
| Total Words | 59 words |
| Total Points | 270 points |
| Genius Level | 189 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 | Σ | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| C | 4 | 3 | 2 | 4 | - | 13 |
| D | 7 | 3 | 8 | 3 | - | 21 |
| E | - | 3 | 3 | - | - | 6 |
| K | 1 | - | - | 1 | 1 | 3 |
| L | 5 | - | 2 | - | - | 7 |
| N | 3 | 1 | - | - | - | 4 |
| U | - | 2 | - | 2 | 1 | 5 | Σ | 20 | 12 | 15 | 10 | 2 | 59 |
Two-Letter List (2LL) Hints
The following list shows the number of solution words that begin with the corresponding two letters.
| C | CE×1 CL×6 CU×6 |
|---|---|
| D | DE×7 DU×14 |
| E | ED×2 EL×2 EN×2 |
| K | KN×2 KU×1 |
| L | LU×7 |
| N | NU×4 |
| U | UK×1 UN×4 |
Three-Letter List (3LL) Hints
The following list shows the number of solution words that begin with the corresponding three letters.
| C | CEL×1 CLU×6 CUD×2 CUE×1 CUK×1 CUL×2 |
|---|---|
| D | DED×2 DEL×2 DEN×2 DEU×1 DUC×2 DUD×1 DUE×2 DUK×2 DUL×2 DUN×5 |
| E | EDU×2 ELU×2 END×2 |
| K | KNU×2 KUD×1 |
| L | LUC×2 LUL×3 LUN×2 |
| N | NUD×1 NUK×2 NUL×1 |
| U | UKU×1 UNC×2 UND×1 UNN×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) |
|---|---|---|
| cl..... † | CL7 | simple past tense and past participle of clunk |
| kn...... † | KN8 | Having a certain type of knuckles. |
| ce..... | CE7 | A small cell. |
| cl... | CL5 | The sound made by a hen, especially when brooding, or calling her chicks. |
| cl..... | CL7 | simple past and past participle of cluck |
| 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 |
| cl... | CL5 | A dull, metallic sound, especially one made by two bodies coming into contact. |
| 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 | A cucumber. |
| cu.. | CU4 | To pick or take someone or something (from a larger group). |
| cu.... | CU6 | simple past tense and past participle of cull |
| 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 deceive into believing something which is false; to lead into error; to dupe. |
| de..... | DE7 | Being affected by delusions. |
| de.... | DE6 | To divest of all covering; to make bare or naked; to strip. |
| de..... | DE7 | simple past tense and past participle of denude |
| de... | DE5 | A card with two pips, one of four in a standard deck of playing cards. |
| du.. | DU4 | To quickly lower the head or body, often in order to prevent it from being struck by something. |
| du.... | DU6 | simple past tense and past participle of duck |
| 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 | The male ruler of a duchy (female equivalent: duchess). |
| du... | DU5 | simple past and past participle of duke |
| du.. | DU4 | Lacking the ability to cut easily; not sharp. |
| du.... | DU6 | simple past tense and past participle of dull |
| du... | DU5 | An unintelligent person. |
| du.. | DU4 | A ridge or hill of sand piled up by the wind. |
| du.. | DU4 | To submerge briefly in a liquid. |
| du.... | DU6 | simple past tense and past participle of dunk |
| du.... | DU6 | simple past tense and past participle of dun |
| 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 |
| en... | EN5 | To pass food into the stomach; to digest; also figuratively, to take on, absorb. |
| en.... | EN6 | simple past tense and past participle of endue |
| kn..... | KN7 | Any of the joints between the phalanges of the fingers. |
| ku.. | KU4 | A large, striped, African antelope of the species Tragelaphus imberbis (lesser kudu) or Tragelaphus strepsiceros (greater kudu). |
| lu.. | LU4 | Something that happens to someone by chance, a chance occurrence, especially a favourable one. |
| lu.... | LU6 | simple past and past participle of luck |
| 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 fit of lunacy or madness; a period of frenzy; a crazy or unreasonable freak. |
| lu.. | LU4 | A fool; an idiot; a lunkhead. |
| nu.. | NU4 | Without clothing or other covering of the skin; without clothing on the genitals or female nipples. |
| nu.. | NU4 | A nuclear weapon. |
| nu... | NU5 | simple past tense and past participle of nuke |
| nu.. | NU4 | A non-existent or empty value or set of values. |
| uk..... | UK7 | A small four-stringed guitar. |
| un..... | UN7 | Not having been ceded. |
| un... | UN5 | The brother or brother-in-law of one’s parent. |
| un... | UN5 | Excessive; going beyond that what is natural or sufficient. |
| un...... | UN8 | Not needed. |
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.
- clunked† (CL7)
- knuckled† (KN8)
- cellule (CE7)
- cluck (CL5)
- clucked (CL7)
- clue (CL4)
- clued (CL5)
- clunk (CL5)
- cuddle (CU6)
- cuddled (CU7)
- cued (CU4)
- cuke (CU4)
- cull (CU4)
- culled (CU6)
- deduce (DE6)
- deduced (DE7)
- delude (DE6)
- deluded (DE7)
- denude (DE6)
- denuded (DE7)
- deuce (DE5)
- duck (DU4)
- ducked (DU6)
- dude (DU4)
- duel (DU4)
- dueled (DU6)
- duke (DU4)
- duked (DU5)
- dull (DU4)
- dulled (DU6)
- dunce (DU5)
- dune (DU4)
- dunk (DU4)
- dunked (DU6)
- dunned (DU6)
- educe (ED5)
- educed (ED6)
- elude (EL5)
- eluded (EL6)
- endue (EN5)
- endued (EN6)
- knuckle (KN7)
- kudu (KU4)
- luck (LU4)
- lucked (LU6)
- lull (LU4)
- lulled (LU6)
- lulu (LU4)
- lune (LU4)
- lunk (LU4)
- nude (NU4)
- nuke (NU4)
- nuked (NU5)
- null (NU4)
- ukulele (UK7)
- unceded (UN7)
- uncle (UN5)
- undue (UN5)
- unneeded (UN8)
Answer Definitions
- clunked† (verb): simple past tense and past participle of clunk
- knuckled† (adjective): Having a certain type of knuckles.
- cellule (noun): A small cell.
- cluck (noun): The sound made by a hen, especially when brooding, or calling her chicks.
- clucked (verb): simple past and past participle of cluck
- 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
- clunk (noun): A dull, metallic sound, especially one made by two bodies coming into contact.
- 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
- cuke (noun): A cucumber.
- cull (verb): To pick or take someone or something (from a larger group).
- culled (verb): simple past tense and past participle of cull
- 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
- delude (verb): To deceive into believing something which is false; to lead into error; to dupe.
- deluded (adjective): Being affected by delusions.
- denude (verb): To divest of all covering; to make bare or naked; to strip.
- denuded (verb): simple past tense and past participle of denude
- deuce (noun): A card with two pips, one of four in a standard deck of playing cards.
- duck (verb): To quickly lower the head or body, often in order to prevent it from being struck by something.
- ducked (verb): simple past tense and past participle of duck
- 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
- duke (noun): The male ruler of a duchy (female equivalent: duchess).
- duked (verb): simple past and past participle of duke
- dull (adjective): Lacking the ability to cut easily; not sharp.
- dulled (verb): simple past tense and past participle of dull
- dunce (noun): An unintelligent person.
- dune (noun): A ridge or hill of sand piled up by the wind.
- dunk (verb): To submerge briefly in a liquid.
- dunked (verb): simple past tense and past participle of dunk
- dunned (verb): simple past tense and past participle of dun
- 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
- endue (verb): To pass food into the stomach; to digest; also figuratively, to take on, absorb.
- endued (verb): simple past tense and past participle of endue
- knuckle (noun): Any of the joints between the phalanges of the fingers.
- kudu (noun): A large, striped, African antelope of the species Tragelaphus imberbis (lesser kudu) or Tragelaphus strepsiceros (greater kudu).
- luck (noun): Something that happens to someone by chance, a chance occurrence, especially a favourable one.
- lucked (verb): simple past and past participle of luck
- 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.
- lune (noun): A fit of lunacy or madness; a period of frenzy; a crazy or unreasonable freak.
- lunk (noun): A fool; an idiot; a lunkhead.
- nude (adjective): Without clothing or other covering of the skin; without clothing on the genitals or female nipples.
- nuke (noun): A nuclear weapon.
- nuked (verb): simple past tense and past participle of nuke
- null (noun): A non-existent or empty value or set of values.
- ukulele (noun): A small four-stringed guitar.
- unceded (adjective): Not having been ceded.
- uncle (noun): The brother or brother-in-law of one’s parent.
- undue (adjective): Excessive; going beyond that what is natural or sufficient.
- unneeded (adjective): Not needed.