Spelling Bee Forum

Oct 29, 2022 · 439 comments
Judi (WA)
L E T T E R B O X E D Sat 29 Oct @12:00amPDT/03:00amEDT https://www.nytimes.com/puzzles/letter-boxed Please post hints for the current puzzle in reply to this thread and please recommend this anchor post. **It's been noted that some letters of the alphabet, separated by a hyphen, may trigger a review of the comment. Typing B to S (8), for example, may bypass trouble getting a comment published.** **If you use an app on a mobile device or tablet, you may not be able to read all of the comments with hints. If you use a web browser for the NYT games page, the full thread will be viewable.** For technical issues: [email protected] Link to "Beyond the Crossword" column dedicated to Letter Boxed: https://www.nytimes.com/2022/01/19/crosswords/letter-boxed-tips-and-tricks.html ------ @MEW (Michael) has an automated page that publishes all possible two-word solutions for the previous day's Box at 1:00amPDT/4:00amEDT. The link doesn't change, the page updates itself. Here is that link: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1-0gSzeTNrl3XYnr2AarWHEZdd8lzd71x/view?usp=sharing ------ I'll continue to post this anchor comment when the Bee and the Box reset each day at 12:00amPDT/3:00amEDT, and it SHOULD remain near the top when you sort ALL comments by Oldest.
Judi (WA)
Sat 29 Oct @12:00amPDT/03:00amEDT Sam's solution Oct 28: TALC --> CYBERPUNK Letters for Oct 29: O N J / A G K / B U X / R I E Link to today's thread: https://nyti.ms/3DItNY4#permid=121198874 ------ This second link from Michael @MEW contains only the NUMBER of two-word solutions for today's box (no spoilers) and is refreshed at 1:00amPDT/4amEDT every day. The link doesn't change, but the underlying document is auto-updated: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1-4jEVMXqsrMA8Mjnp69GRkrMmIdDfJkQ/view?usp=sharing -------
Cindy (Oklahoma)
@Judi J-G(6), G-X(7) fake out of position in football; transmission in an engine
Ant (Stuttgart DE)
@Judi J-G (6), G-X (7) deceiving transmission
David Illig (Maryland)
My wife tells me that I am one word short of QB. She might not always be right, but she ain’t never wrong*. And thus ends my Bee game for today. *Paraphrasing Brother Dave Gardner.
KP (California)
@David Illig Smart man!😉 I should have put the puzzle away hours ago, too. I was short 1 word for QBABM, needed a measly 4L word, and spent an inordinate amount of time looking for it. Such a waste. I needed a 🐠, a word unknown to me.
SS (Chicago)
And I entered a woman's name and was pleasantly surprised that it was accepted as a mythic figure! Go monkey squad!
KP (California)
@SS I did exactly the same.:):) (Two new Bee words today: a bush and a fish:))
M Lemberger (NYC)
Deadhead and another variation were acceptable, but not “hophead”?
ElaineS (NYC)
@M Lemberger Please don’t include spoilers in comments. Thanks very much.
KP (California)
@M Lemberger Please post the word in code, thank you. (DE8)
Irish (NYC)
Correct.
Gary L Moore (Rockford, IL)
All of the Deadhead Hopheads think Hophead should be in the word list.
dgo (seattle)
@Gary L Moore most of the people in this forum think you shouldn’t post spoilers.
playmin (New York)
** [ T O D A Y ’ S M I S S I N G W O R D S ] ** 🔶🔸🔶🔸🔶🔸🔶🔸🔶🔸🔶🔸🔶🔸🔶 This is the “official” anchor post for the campaign to keep the Hive unclogged by “missing words” posts. Comment here if there are 🔸words you hoped to but didn’t see🔸 today with the available letters. Many of us would like to see the forum kept a little neater and easier to read without the distraction of repeated posts on [the same several] missing words. If you have a missing word you’d like to share or discuss and post under this thread only, it should help in this effort. ✏️ Please 🔸post🔸 the “missing” words (and if you want, definitions, etc.) you’ve found for the current puzzle (in 2LL form such as FO4 if a similar, derivative, or root word appears in the accepted list) in reply to this thread. 🔸Recommend🔸 this anchor post so that it appears in ‘Reader’s Picks’ and it has a better chance of staying near the top for all to see and is better able to catch on. Thank you for contributing your found and favored words and thank you to those who post here in a continued cooperative effort to keep the forum tidy with all missing words comments here. Note this thread is not specifically here to encourage missing words posts; just giving them a place to quietly congregate. If you would like to volunteer to be the responsible admin of this thread and post it daily, please comment below.
playmin (New York)
@playmin ——————— Please 🔸spread the word🔸 this thread is here! Hopefully we can get most people to post their words [just] here instead of all over (and over and over again) throughout the forum. If the posts are all here in an easy to locate place, it may help keep down the repetitiousness, or at least just confine it here. Here is the permalink for today’s thread. 📌 https://nyti.ms/3ffbKzi#permid=121198877 If you want to follow just this thread for activity or 🔸see all the thread’s posts🔸 in one place, open the above link in a new browser tab or window and refresh to check for new messages. It may take a few extra moments to load to the correct screen, but it will eventually bring you directly to this thread.
Justus (Ibiza, Spain)
@playmin Hoopoe - colorful crested bird in Europe, Africa, and Asia
playmin (New York)
@playmin @Justus Thanks!
playmin (New York)
So OHNOHENEEDANAP is not the second pangram? 🥱
Jenn (Indiana USA)
@playmin with the spoilers already! haha
playmin (New York)
@Jenn I considered it!
Neal (SC)
Love it!
Mona (Hannover Germany)
Well, PO4-PO4 on me for not seeing that huge fish until the end but I really couldn't imagine a German granddad with an extra letter, that OP4, was in today's water! Or that a certain nymph with a girl's name, DA5, is actually a presentable shrub too. Watch out for that fowl compounding matters today, the PE6; she almost escaped me. There was a HE4 of words familiar from past Bees and I HO4 you found them all. It seldom HA6s but I almost got AH5 of myself when words didn't run HO4s around me but kinda just HO6 right up to be entered! Even that magical HO6 and the reddish, HE7 hair. HE4ing the smart advice to try everything I successfully entered PH5 which was not a chopped up record player (of vinyl) but a stand-alone and acceptable noun. I was HEed for QB when I remembered that verb rose lovers need...DE4...and then, voila! the HE9 (compound !) my neighbor uses while she gardens. (Multitasking: PH5 calls with friends and weeding!) HA4 it to Sam to give us a second pangram compound today. I'd say let's be OP10ed with our praise for him...never mind that I would have preferred a hyphen for that last entry myself! 😉
Mona (Hannover Germany)
@Mona Whoops! That nymph/girl/ shrub is DA6 (not DA5)...Sorry!
Mona (Hannover Germany)
@Mona Now I see two other goof-ups ...😔...sure wish I could edit! I won't point them out as that would just make it worse. Please excuse my carelessness today. I'll blame it on me not yet having consumed enough caffeine. Doing the Bee BEFORE my second cup of coffee was obviously not ideal.
playmin (New York)
@Mona I have long wished for an edit option, too! Thanks so much for the [first] ph5 hint; it was my last word. I always have trouble remembering this for the 🐝 (which is the only place I see it or use it). I mean if I had a WIMP list it would be on it, I guess. This seems so outdated a word to me, and I don’t love the use of abbreviations or slang in the 🐝 but I do get why it would be on the list. And vinyl has made a comeback. But yeah. Still need to drill this in! It can be done, I know, though, because I’ve successfully incorporated the likes of tomtit, titmice, nene, neocon, etc. 🙃
Vika (London, UK)
Sam is in sober mood today, I tried a couple of nicknames for those who partake of too much ale or too many spliffs, and he was having none of them. Not would he admit that joyously silly and stylish looking bird who had strutted into my mind as an early possibility. But, still, I did get to a high GABM, and was nudged to queenly status by Doug and Isaac. And no doubt the breakfast coffee too
mdbeck (Lake Elmo, MN)
@Vika "Joyously silly and stylish" is a perfect description of that bird. Did you see the video of one that @Peregrine posted? It kind of reminds me of Cher, dressing up the way she did for fancy galas back in the day--often outrageous, with decorations in every imaginable place, but always stylish at the core.
STEVE G (Sound Beach, NY)
HINTS (past tenses combined) AH 5) Leading DA 6) Mythology - transformed into a laurel tree to escape the pursuing Apollo, or Zuniga in "Say Anything" DE 8,10) Opposite of living tail? HA 4,6) The foot of the arm 6,8) Hey, "stuff" does this! HE 4,6) Where to hit the nail 9) Earpiece for music listening (bluetooth) 4,6) Trashpile 4,6) Used male pronouns 5,7) Sienna-colored dye for arm feet HO 4) Rhymes with ode, such as "Tea for the Tillerman" 4,5) Sharpen w/whetstone 4,6) Noggin-warming jacket attachment 6) Folk magic associated with dolls you stick pins in, or towering weathered rock 4,6) Wham-O hula RING introduced 1958 4,5) Desire a Cape of Good THIS at bottom of Africa 6) Jumped like a sock or bunny OP 4) What they shout at Greek restaurants w/saganaki, or large elliptical laterally compressed marine bony fish (Lampris guttatus of the family Lampridae) or almost famed talk-show host and O magazine founder 10) Compound - "not closed" + "arm's footed" PE 6) Female version of NBC's preening symbol PH 5,6) Apple unveiled a "I" version of THIS in 2007 5) PH5logy=science of sound PO 4) Winnie the who? 👇See Replies for embellishments
PinkTurnipTruck (Oregon)
@STEVE G My fastest time reaching Queen 🐝 ever. 29 minutes. Only yoinked 2 of your hints . Thanks again. 😊
Sheri (Charleston SC)
@STEVE G I love all of this except I think Ione Skye was in say Anything!
Liz (Utah)
@STEVE G Thank you! This went faster for me. I needed four of your hints and appreciate your quick work.
Spelling Marauder (Pasadena)
Depending on how you get to the Spelling Bee Comments, not everyone sees these NYT guidelines, “Please read the extended guidelines at the bottom of the forum before commenting. Kindly refrain from posting spoilers, and remember to be considerate in your comments.”🐝 Thanks to those hivemates who click “RECOMMEND” daily to make this a top Reader Pick so most who come to the Comments should see it right away and we’ll bee on the same page. Please bee kind to the many who stay up into the wee hours nightly as volunteers to make contributions to the hive. We don’t perform any official function for the NYT and have no control over the game/forum.🐝 Please see “Reply” for more info.🐝
Spelling Marauder (Pasadena)
A spoiler is any word in today’s Spelling Bee. It is also a word containing any word in today’s Spelling Bee. Example: If today’s Bee accepts “FLORA” and “FLORAL” typing the latter in your comment is a spoiler for both.🐝 Bee convention is to type the first two letters in capitals followed by the total number of letters in the word. BOFFO=BO(5)🐝 Words not accepted in today’s Bee are not spoilers unless they contain an accepted word.🐝 Kindly try typing in your word a few times or with alternative spellings before commenting it wasn’t accepted. Thank you! I hope this is helpful!🐝
MattNg (NY, NY)
Two missing words, words that are in Webster's but not in this list: hophead and poohed.
Laurence (Milan Italy)
@MattNg Maybe De(8) and De(10) were enough of those sort of words today.
Thinker (Everywhere, Always)
@MattNg 2 "missing" words and 2 spoilers in your post. Somehow, that doesn't come out even.
Laurence (Milan Italy)
@Thinker there are no spoilers in his post. What are they ??
Sheilla D. (Tennessee)
HINTS IN SENTENCES PART 1 AH 🐝 When prices climb and your salary doesn't it can feel like it is hard to get AH5. DA 🐝 DA6 is the name of a nymph who, according to Greek mythology turned into a laurel tree to escape Apollo. It is also the name of Scooby Doo's orange-haired gal-pal who always wears a purple dress. DE 🐝 A diehard fan of Jerry Garcia's band probably identifies as a DE8. 🐝 Marge was an avid gardener who religiously DE10 spent blooms to encourage more flower production. HA 🐝 Bon Jovi released the hit, "Lay Your HA4s on Me in 1988. https://youtu.be/EhjSzibOIH4 🐝 Left HA6 people are sometimes called "southpaws." 🐝 Present tense of 👇. (6) 🐝 It's both shameful and shocking to see people who try to deny that the Holocaust ever HA8. HE 🐝 "Burning Down the House" was a hit for the Talking HE4s in 1983. https://youtu.be/_3eC35LoF4U 🐝 Past tense of👆. (6) 🐝 You might want to put on your HE9s when listening to the Talking HE4s, so that you don't disturb anyone. 🐝 "You're going to be in a HE4 of trouble when your father gets home," she said to her son when she caught him tossing his dad's autographed 1956 World Series baseball for the dog in a game of fetch. 🐝 Past tense of 👆. (6) 🐝 When someone offers good advice, it's a smart idea to HE4 it. 🐝 Past tense of 👆. (6) 🐝 HE5 has been used as red hair coloring since ancient times. 🐝 Past tense of 👆. (7) CONTINUED
Sheilla D. (Tennessee)
HINTS IN SENTENCES PART 2 HO 🐝 In addition to regularly DE8ing the flowers, Marge frequently HO4 to control weeds, as she did not like using chemicals. 🐝 It had taken years to HO4 her singing voice and she was thrilled to finally land a record deal. 🐝 Past tense of 👆. (6) 🐝 I prefer wearing a raincoat with a HO4 to carrying an umbrella. 🐝 Adjective describing 👆 that sounds like past tense. (6) 🐝 HO6 is another name for the religion that sticks pins into a doll. 🐝 Dwayne slam-dunked the winning 2-pointer into the basketball HO4. 🐝 HO6 is an adjective with the 👆 root, which sounds like a past tense word. 🐝 "And now abide Faith, HO4, and Love." 🐝 Past tense of 👆. (5) 🐝 Their pet bunny HO6 across the floor. following them from place to place like a dog. OP 🐝 An OP4 is a large saltwater fish with a deep blue back, silvery belly, and crimson fins. It might be easier to thing of it as being like celebrity Ms. Winfrey's first name minus the "r." 🐝 When she caught her fiancé kissing another woman in a bar, she gave him an OP10 slap to the face. PE 🐝 A PE6 is a mate to the showy blue and green male bird with an elaborate fanned tail. Think [Vegetable that kept the princess awake(3)] + [egg-laying rooster's mate (3)]. PH 🐝 "E.T. PH5 home." 🐝 Past tense of 👆. (6) 🐝 The PH5graph player or "PH5" was the predecesor to stereo. PO 🐝 Winnie the PO4 loves hanging out with his friend, Tigger, and eating honey. 🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝
Debra (Tennessee)
@Sheilla D. Great hints today! Thanks.
Grace (Ohio)
@Sheilla D. I always find your hints so helpful. Thanks, Shelia!
SK (Denmark)
How is “Daphne” a common noun???
Emily (Victoria)
It’s a common shrub! Maybe some bias for the gardeners with that one, I struggled with PE6 today that I’m sure birders could easily guess :)
STEVE G (Sound Beach, NY)
@SK sic 'em folks 🙄 It's a shrub. A shrub! Like that which was sought by the Knights who say "Ni!"
SK (Denmark)
Thanks. And apologies to all - only realised after posting that it was a spoiler. Very sorry.
Eric B (Houston)
W O R D L E B E E S 🟩 🟨 ⬛️ 🟨 🟩 🐝 🐝 SATURDAY, October 29 https://www.nytimes.com/games/wordle/index.html Wordle players - this is the place to share and discuss the game. We aim to keep comments in a tidy thread here so we don’t bother the other buzzy bees, and keep peace in the hive. Please share your results and comments as a reply to this anchor post. Please, NO SPOILERS OR HINTS (that includes letters & words used) for today’s answer! Do feel free to discuss previous games (no longer active), including word details. If you use an app on a mobile device or tablet, you may not be able to read all of the comments. Viewing in a web browser will solve that. This article about the improved WordleBot is a good read, and has links to other articles about Wordle at the end: https://www.nytimes.com/2022/08/17/upshot/wordle-wordlebot-new.html For technical issues: [email protected]
Eric B (Houston)
HERE is the permalink for for today’s thread: https://nyti.ms/3gUVXpH#permid=121199117 If you want to follow this thread for activity, open that link in a new browser tab or window and refresh to check for new messages.
Eric B (Houston)
Yesterday‘s WordleBot Solutions Wordle 496 - October 28, 2022 In Standard Mode (Luck 78) SLATE INFER SNEAK In Hard Mode (Luck 79) LEAST SANER SNEAK
Great Lakes (US)
@Eric B Wordle 497 2/6* 🟩🟨⬜⬜⬜ 99/79 WL 25 🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩 47/96 — A lucky day for my first attempt at hard mode, and an even luckier second guess. It's going to take a while to get used to the different strategies, so I don't expect the transition to be easy. Yesterday's Wordle 496 93/45/4 ⬜⬜🟨🟨🟨 CRANE 99/70 WL 39 🟨🟩⬜🟨⬜ ANGEL 80/34 WL 3 🟨🟩🟩🟩⬜ KNEAD 99/33 WL 1 🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩 SNEAK 99/— If I had thought to try an S in my third guess, which is used more frequently than the D, I would have gotten this one in three. As I commented yesterday, I solved this in self-imposed hard mode, and no one else had used ANGEL (in this situation) *at that time*, which the bot deemed a "solid" choice. A couple of hours later, about 1,000 had used it for their second guess. The bot's second guess (using my starting word) was SLEEP, which did not use hard mode, but ruled out all but one possible word. I'm thinking it might be easier (for me) to do this in hard mode, since there are fewer possible guesses.
JenniferL (CT)
I saw the film Tar (accent missing) last night. Cate Blanchette is a conductor of substantial musical intellect, as well as foibles that cause her to ruin her career. Celli play a significant role in the film as well. I recommend it.
SmallFry (Tennessee)
@JenniferL Thanks. Have not heard of it surprisingly;)) Will have to find the time for a watch.
David Illig (Maryland)
@JenniferL: “…accent missing…” Next time get a Mac or other Apple device and diacritics such as the acute accent in Tár won’t be a problem.
Ben (Maryland)
Haplessly hoped "happed" would be in the hopper.
Tony (Mass.)
HOPHEAD is missing
Mary Chamie (Portland)
Not having this word for He4 got me all hepped up.
Kline (Chicago)
On vacation next few weeks. Will not be posting hints. Enjoy the game!
playmin (New York)
@Kline Oops. Have a great time!
Mary Anne (Perth, Western Australia)
@Kline Oh no!! Love your hints! Have a great vacation.
Jay Esso (Minnesota)
@Kline Have a good time! Safe travels.
AKG (Right Here)
panhead is far more common than opah.
GrandmaL (New Jersey)
@AKG Please, no spoilers.
AKG (Right Here)
@GrandmaL oops. Sorry
Kiki (Santa Maria, CA)
@AKG Definitely more common if you’re a biker or have biker friends! (Or should that be “Harley enthusiast”?) I’m bet you and I aren’t the only ones who tried it!😉
jon (akron)
so we're doing proper names like daphne? read your own rules much?
Teacher (nyc)
@jon Look it up.
ElaineS (NYC)
@jon Reading the rules yourself might help you remember not to post spoilers. The dictionary is also your friend: China/china, Mecca/mecca, DA6/da6.
Peregrine (Eden)
@jon I suppose that if that word were NOT included in today's puzzle, people would complain that it was mything.
Heidi (Santa Fe)
How is Phaedon not possible but Daphne is?
Thinker (Everywhere, Always)
@Heidi Scroll down for both answers or use a dictionary. https://www.merriam-webster.com/ Why post a SPOILER= a word in the Bee?
Jafawa (San Diego)
One is a proper noun and the other is a flowery shrub.
Judi Birnberg (Los Angeles)
DA6 being rescued by Apollo is an incredibly brilliant sculpture by Bernini in the Borghese Gallery in Rome. Her fingers are sprouting leaves and her feet are growing roots. I highly recommend googling it. It leaves (pun intended) me in awe every time I see it. Bernini rules!
Cancelled (VT)
Why Daphne? How? Is it not a proper noun? Very confused. I have never seen it speljed without a capital “d.”
Peregrine (Eden)
@Cancelled It's a mythtery! Check a dictionary to see what the story is on this one.
Queen Wanna Bee (Alexandria VA)
@Cancelled Please, no spoilers. 🤫
ElaineS (NYC)
@Cancelled China/china, Buffalo/buffalo, DA6/da6 Merriam Webster online is free and helpful.
Liz K (Olympia, WA)
Poetry October 28, 2022 Cinquains (lizk) Throw caution to the winds, honey! My niece elicits an eclectic effect in me -- love, interest and a tinct of sad. She is so efficient, so fenced in! I wish I could entice her to be looser, more real. Bee words: niece, elicit, eclectic, effect, tinct, efficient, fence, incite It will be interesting to see all the poems and stories these words incite from the hearts and intellects of our hive!
Hbird (NY NY)
@Liz K what lovely cinquaines today! 🐝
Liz K (Olympia, WA)
@Hbird thanks!
SmallFry (Tennessee)
@Liz K You can picture her instantly in these wonderful cinquans. What a fabulous, light subject with these words. I instantly think of one of nephews from this as he is also too stuffy, serious and desperate for his age. We’ve always said he looks older than his age as an old man is inside his brain. He does come alive when taking about certain subjects though; We discuss them ad nauseam. Sounds identical to your cinquains about your niece. Thanks for reminding me of him in this way today.
VG (SF)
No hoohah. No doodah. Waaah
Deborah (Vancouver)
hophead
MissMadine (Boston)
L E T
W. McCabe (Long Ridge, CT)
I have rarely had 3 of my favorite words unacceptable for the Bee, so I must report these as inexplicably missing: hoopoe, hoopah (usually spelled Huppah), and most dear to me, hophead (a drug abuser in the 1920’s to early 60’s).
Mike (Singapore)
Hoopoe?
Crow-9 (Manchester, UK)
Hoopoe
Mel (San Francisco)
What,no poophead? (Apologies for spoiler,but the answers will be posted soon anyway).
Marie (Montana)
@Mel Why would Sam put a word in the puzzle which is derogatory and means a contemptible person?
aurora (Singapore)
second genius!! (with help from the hive mind and a little from google) ❤️🐝
HSH (UAE)
Missing ONE HO and i’m done! It’s killing me!
Nan Foster (San Francisco)
@HSH Do you you know how many letters it is?
Barbara (Marin, CA)
I remember a idea being poopoohedas prepostererous
Romi Slowiak (St. Paul, MN)
I wonder why the word "dopehead" was not included? It certainly seems legitimate.
Kiki (Santa Maria, CA)
@Romi Slowiak Here is a list of thirty other legitimate dictionary words that the editor chose to exclude when he constructed today’s puzzle: https://nytbee.com/
Kiki (Santa Maria, CA)
@rudyb Thank you for your kind words. Over the years I served as a mentor to many novice co-workers and treated each one with respect. I learned a long time ago to kick ego to the curb and embrace kindness instead. Helping others is a rewarding habit I have carried with me into retirement.
rudyb (Toronto)
@Kiki Just curious, recently landed and spellbound naturally- kid in a candy store really- but your responses to many, comments, carry a certain gravitas and objectivity that many other very regular posters do not. Are you NYT DNA'd or simply more considerate?
pat (CO)
QBABM !!! for the 1st time! didn't look at anything! I'm sure this is old hat for a lot of you, but I feel the need to crow! (or whatever it is that phens do)
Frank (Washington DC)
No need to crow, but you can yell HOOHAHA at the top of your voice.
pat (CO)
@Frank Wahooah
Kiki (Santa Maria, CA)
@pat Yay you! Congrats! 🥳
Lia H. (Seattle)
Isn’t hedon a word?
Barbara (Marin, CA)
It’s related to a Greek goddess of pleasure from whom we get our word hedonistic, hedonism etc.
Irish (NYC)
Take a wild guess.
Elana (Los Angeles, CA)
@Barbara Still, it’s not a proper noun. And there is an accepted word “related to” another figure in Greek mythology. I would’ve rather guessed heron was excluded because it’s not commonly known.
Barbara (Marin, CA)
Here I am again in that strange situation - needing two words and two points! How does that happen??
FlbrkMike (Fallbrook, California)
Two four-letter words will give you two points.
Barbara (Marin, CA)
That’s right Mike. I’m so muddle-headed with simple arithmetic! Did I sleep through second grade?
Barbara (Marin, CA)
I’m missing a four-letter H word too
Barbara (Marin, CA)
What is the hint on the fish? Such as HA-5 or HO-7?
Barbara (Marin, CA)
I got that one.
Barbara (Marin, CA)
It’s a four-letter OP word.
playmin (New York)
@Barbara Are you commenting to yourself?
Lynn O. (Gilbert, AZ)
Hello, Checking in: Queen Bee (again)with help of grid, 2LL, hints, clues, and google. Thank you Steve and Shelia. @Kline Have a wonderful safe vacation! Good night! Zzzzzz …
Norma (copy desk)
Sam's too young ro know the word "hophead."
Moonshine (Mare Humorum)
And I must be too much of a square. I had to look it up.
AJ (Upstate NY)
Or "dopehead."
Mary Spera (NYC)
Me too.
Rodnil (Queens)
For the amount of time I have spent telling my kids to take off those stupid things so they can hear me, I really should have recognized the 9 letter pangram immediately. 😄
JS (Virginia)
true :D -- the word is not a great choice IMO as it's almost not a word, appearing in singular form only as modifier (___ jack, ___ adapter). cf. "trouser" etc.
Laurel S (Curlew.)
QBABM-1 Missing a four letter word that I simply cannot find! Arrgh!!
Laurel S (Curlew.)
Did get to Genius with no 4L words, so that was an exciting first. And thanks for the fish hint that got me that last needed point for today’s crown.
KP (California)
@Laurel S That’s what happened to me, too! I was missing a fish…😉
Kathi D (Central Coast of California)
What? No doodoohead?
pat (CO)
@Kathi D yes! memories of the back seat - you're an icky poopoo doodoohead
Irish (NYC)
(**all 1st, 2nd & 3rd graders giggle uncontrollably**)
Richard Erable (IN)
Hoopo, or hoopoe is a bird.
Elana (Los Angeles, CA)
@Richard Erable I was surprised this was excluded since the hoopoe has had global cultural significance for so long. It is even the national bird of a certain US ally.
Jay Orchard (Miami Beach)
I find that the best way to deal with a problem like today's puzzle is headon. Of course sometimes that doesn't work either.
Ellen (Massachusetts)
Kline you rock
AJS (Indiana)
I am grateful for this quiet day at home and glad to get away from ERs and hospital rooms. The dogs are home, somewhat exhausted from several days at the kennel. My husband looks a bit different, more like his ‘old self’ when he was healthy. The change is subtle. He feels better but still lacks energy. After all of the recent support for my husband and me, I was stunned today at the vitriolic, indignant comments in this (mostly) friendly community. Basically, these people wrote that those of us who enjoy the Bee are stupid. No one matters except the top hinters. The rest of us write “nauseating drivel.” Ouch! I need to put this aside, in some compartment labeled “cranks.”
mdbeck (Lake Elmo, MN)
@AJS Somehow (thankfully!) I missed those posts. But I'm glad to hear your update about your husband, post-surgery. I think the 'lacking energy' part will steadily recede in the days and weeks to come. Surgery is a traumatic event for the body! My best wishes to you both.
AJS (Indiana)
@mdbeck Thanks!
Liz K (Olympia, WA)
@AJS Surgery -- and heart disease itself -- are hard on the body. He will feel better soon, I suspect.
KS (NYC)
Got QB today but with hints. My first one. Feels good but to be honest some of those words were just a guessing game based on what I had left and how many letters… o think going forward I am ok with getting to Genius in the first hour or so and then quitting
Kiki (Santa Maria, CA)
@KS Congratulations! 👑🐝
FlbrkMike (Fallbrook, California)
Congratulations on your QB!! I always try to get to Genius with no help, and never use any help until I at least get to Genius. Once I get to Genius I go as far as I can with no help, but then go to the 2LL once I get stuck. I can usually get within a few words of QBABM, but haven’t gotten QBABM since I discovered the available help a few months ago. It’s just too frustrating to get stuck and to not use it. I’ve gotten QB in seven of the past ten puzzles, and missed Genius once, partially due lack of time.
BetteB (Camp Meeker CA)
Enjoyment is key. I'm trying to shake the feeling that I have to get to a certain point each day. To each their own!
Dave
Where is that pahoehoe? Where is the hoopoe? Sam needs to read a bit about nature.
Moonshine (Mare Humorum)
How about saying, instead, we appreciate words of nature?
FlbrkMike (Fallbrook, California)
It strikes me as funny that all of the words are capitalized in the list of words that I’ve found.
ElaineS (NYC)
@FlbrkMike You mean, your own list?
FlbrkMike (Fallbrook, California)
@ElaineS, no the list on the Spelling Bee app that shows which words I’ve found.
Moonshine (Mare Humorum)
It’s an example of random capitalization. You often see it in PowerPoint presentations.
Mel (Australia)
QB for 5 days straight…. Today there must be a word I can’t find YET oh the pain 😂
Sheryl Friedman (California)
HEPA is a word!
Eric B (Houston)
@Sheryl Friedman It’s an initialism, used as an adjective, with all letters capitalized. So, no.
dgo (seattle)
@Sheryl Friedman It’s an acronym.
Sheryl Friedman (California)
You’re right. I’m new 🤦🏻‍♀️
Pete Lawson (Newport)
Totally missed one of the most wonderful words: pahoehoe. It is a slow-moving, ropy lava flow, in contrast to the fast-moving, chunky, a'a lava. The word is originally Hawaiian.
April (New York)
@Pete Lawson I like that word. Used to teach that …back when I was teaching Earth science. The kids enjoyed the sound of it. 😊👍🏻
Pete Lawson (Newport)
@April *I* enjoy the sound of it. And the feeling rolling off my tongue.
Norma (copy desk)
my cousin just traveled Route 20 and saw that kind of ropey lava. Tried to remember it as a worthy word,but alas! stay true!
Daniel Harmony (Cazenovia, NY)
I like to think of myself as pretty well educated, but it seems I always learn something new with the Bee. Today I learned that he5 has a past tense and I discovered a new fish in op4.
Steven G. (Port Orange, Fl)
2nd Queen Bee in as many days!! No hints!! I will confess I made a couple of great guesses , and some common sense sleuthing got me home but I'll take it. One day , I hope for a clean , no guessing or common sense sleuthing kind of win where I am confident in every word . Until then, I am loving this educational journey!!
Hank Charles (Oz)
The panhead is an overhead-valve Harley-Davidson motorcycle engine, so nicknamed because the rocker covers resembled cooking pans.
Irish (NYC)
@Hank Charles Thank you very much for the explanation. There are a number of indignant solvers in the hive today who assume that this common knowledge.
Lenny-t (Vermont)
@Hank Charles Panhead was the nickname of one of my little friends when I was in grade school. Along with Buddy, Fat Eddie, Little Eddy, Wormy, and Dud. Them was the days.
SS (Chicago)
As opposed to a cook.
McRumi (Richmond VA)
Got caught by Eclectic yesterday...which is a worthy word to fall on. But already found couple wacky words today... just 3 to go to QBABM... got both pangrams. At least today's xword was a fun and quick solve. Spin, spin, spin.... p.s. Enjoy your vacay Kline...i myself am headed to vacay in hometown of Chicago!
Dual Citizen (Edmonton, Canada)
I was inspired by an earlier commenter to look up pictures of hoopoes. (Gads, I love my backyard birds, but am quite happy I didn’t have to “Hail Mary”/“monkey type” that in!) With a crown like that, it would be a dry-humorous finale to many a QB (or maybe frustrated finish?) should Sam ever decide to include it.
Jasmine (Maui, HI)
and to add to my last post...thank you to Steve G and Kline and Sheilla D who get up so early to help us out!
Joe (Ohio)
Man, I really wanted DOPEHEAD.
Zisela (California)
Me too! I can't believe it's not a legit word!
Peregrine (Eden)
@Zisela It is a word with an entry in Merriam-Webster. https://www.merriam-webster.com/
Irish (NYC)
It is. Just not selected for today’s Bee.
Jasmine (Maui, HI)
I feel like I'm one of the longitudinally blessed ones, living in Hawaii where the Bee is posted at 9 pm...... I'm kinda new to this and finding it somewhat addictive. I find myself walking around thinking of good pangrams for future puzzles. (eg: Tsunami). Anyways, I'm wondering...Do we ever get an "S" to play with? I know we'd probably end up w/ 100 words that day but WoW! it could be really FUN!
Peregrine (Eden)
@Jasmine "kind of addictive" Just wait -- it will soon become *entirely* addictive. Welcome :-)
ElaineS (NYC)
@Jasmine S is never included, which is both a blessing and a curse. :-)
Kiki (Santa Maria, CA)
@Jasmine Also, when you are thinking about good pangram candidates, remember that the Bee also does not allow the letter combination “E” and “R”.
Peregrine (Eden)
BEE BUZZ October 29 How to save pollinators in your own backyard this Fall Environment America, October 28 https://environmentamerica.org/resources/how-to-save-pollinators-in-your-own-backyard-this-fall/ Lawn and garden tips to help bees, butterflies and other pollinators survive the winter Beekeepers Around The Nation Feeling The Impacts Of Hurricane Ian [VIDEO REPORT, 1:19] The Weather Channel, October 28 https://weather.com/storms/hurricane/video/beekeepers-around-the-nation-feeling-the-impacts-of-hurricane-ian A little-thought-about impact from Hurricane Ian is the impact on bees both in Florida and around the nation. “Personality” Differences between Bees [phenomenal photos] Natural History, September 2022 http://chittkalab.sbcs.qmul.ac.uk/2022/16-23%20NH%20Chittka%20922%20V.3.pdf Individuals of many insect species seem indistinguishable, interchangeable, mass-produced. Could each have a personality? [This is fascinating and worth reading, if you’re interested in animal behavior.] The Honeybee: According to Its Nature A poem by Dutch poet and artist Jan Luken (1649-1712), published 1708 A poetic meditation in the form of an extended metaphor on bee behavior. In the frontispiece illustration, two men look at rows of bee hives. Dutch artist and poet Jan Luiken drew the emblem and composed the poem that accompanies it. I posted about this earlier at https://nyti.ms/3FqcLPT#permid=121206202
Queen Wanna Bee (Alexandria VA)
@Peregrine Thank you for this wealth of important information. I love farming new material, there's always something to learn.
MM (Chicago)
(The Case of the Courageous Carer continued, ‘cause I have to catch up) “Get yer codon! No time to loaf!” Punned Palely, poorly, “That wind is like an icicle, and we’re days behind!” His efficient formerly illicit assistant, Patty (previously Peaty), not one to incite insurrection, leaped up, to nice effect. Another beloved childcare professional had vanished, as if off a cliff, and the clues they could so far cite weren’t worth a cent. But Palely’s eclectic intellect, lenience, and curated connections had enticed a local fence to rat on an old client, and might elicit a licit lead. Fanny the tiny nanny’s disappearance had infected the chief inspector’s thoughts, and he would elect to inflict some “incentives” if he had to. Meanwhile, in the cavey cell where she currently inclined, Fanny kept her cool (of course), comforted by considering her obsessive collection — fleecey, lovely Yarn. (To be continued?)
Ladygoat (All, varied and wondrous)
@MM (To be continued?) Yes, please. I imagine waiting for the next Charles Dickens installment to come out was just a bit like this. What fun!
MM (Chicago)
@Ladygoat Thank you for the nice comment — you made my day! Using those Bee words in this little yarn is becoming my own obsession, I admit! 😆
Liz K (Olympia, WA)
@MM Yes please!
Juan (Chicago)
So sad Upupa epops, commonly called the HO4POE, was not included among the other birds featured in the Bee.
Peregrine (Eden)
@Juan I looked for it too. There are a few dozen of them loose in today's forum, though.
Peregrine (Eden)
. "To win the heart’s hive full of sweetness" While reviewing news for BEE BUZZ, I came across this most amazing illustrated 8th c poem. It's a reflection on Proverbs 24:13 -- “Eat honey, my son, for it is good; honey from the comb is sweet to your taste.” The Honeybee: According to Its Nature, by Jan Luken (1649-1712), published 1708 [translated from the Dutcj] In the frontispiece illustration, two men look at rows of bee hives. Dutch artist and poet Jan Luiken drew the emblem and composed the poem that accompanies it. Motto: He who loves goodness, Finds goodness. Poem: Although the Bee flies to many flowers, Still it will not carry, Any poison, or other nasty things, But wax and honey is its load. So should the human senses also In their flight from the heart, Leave the venom to the spiders, And carry nothing but heaven’s sweetness Gathering a heart full of honey, So fortune did not deal it amiss, So it would find at the highest dwelling A land, where Summer is eternal. There it would enjoy itself so wonderfully, And fly safely in and out, And feed on the flower of Paradise, Where its abundance would never cease. O Man, created to a higher purpose, If thou wouldst collect that deadly venom, Of worldly vanity From flowers with a beautiful appearance, Abandon the evil nature of spiders, And become a noble Honeybee, To win the heart’s hive full of sweetness, May that be thine eternal food. Source: https://dia.pitts.emory.edu/dia/image_details.cfm?ID=131759
Peregrine (Eden)
@Peregrine Grrr, I hate typos, especially my own! The poem is from the 18th century, not the 8th. I love the extended metaphor the poet employs. Do click on the link to see the marvelous illustration.
Queen Wanna Bee (Alexandria VA)
@Peregrine Oh, this is marvelously uplifting. 🌻🐝💖 I love the poetic inspiration to forsake venom, but am dismayed to learn that spiders are evil. I pledge to reject the venom, but confess that I must be a villain. I cannot help loving the spider, too.
mdbeck (Lake Elmo, MN)
@Peregrine I avoided reading this until now (making a split decision, as I browsed, that it would take too much time). SO glad I stopped and read it now. Thank you for posting it!
Chris F (Portland)
pahoehoe? (pillowy lava)
Bob (02176)
@Chris F It kinda rolls off the tongue.
Peregrine (Eden)
@Bob that would hurt
Eric B (Houston)
@Peregrine Not for long.
Jafawa (San Diego)
QBABM, 2nd day in a row!
Thinker (Everywhere, Always)
@Jafawa Woo hoo! You're on a roll.
Lou Krouse What Is A QBABM? (La)
What is QBABM?
DDY (Tennessee)
@Lou Krouse What Is A QBABM? Queen bee all by myself
Mary Kinney (Albuquerque, New Mexico)
True story for yesterday (28 October): Ctnefil; 34 words; 1 pangram, perfect. Last night, sitting at the kitchen table after supper and before getting up to do the dishes, I was one word shy for Spelling Bee. Preparatory to shutting down the iPad for the night, I checked e-mail and Google News for the last time before looking for one final bolt from the blue as to the vacant I-7. I had narrowed it down to an IN-7. I don’t want to inadvertently catch a clue scrolling through the comments so I do miss out on the Hive aspect of the game. (I do wish clue comments could be gathered at the end of the comment list.) However, after getting 10 to 20 words and “hitting the wall”, I do use the total number of words as a goal. And I use the word counts and the two-letter lists. If I’m missing a pangram, perfect or otherwise, I look at letter counts of 7 and higher. But I still couldn’t come up with IN-7. My husband was reading in the living room and I called out my frustration to him. He asked for the first two letters and then asked for the letter in the central cell of the honeycomb. He said “INSECT”. “No S”, I replied. “INCLINE”, he said from the living room. I typed it in and got Queen Bee. With an asterisk. Got Wordle in 1:37 this morning; made me feel a teeny bit better. Regarding my husband with new-found respect.
Kiki (Santa Maria, CA)
@Mary Kinney Oh, that’s QBHFH (Queen Bee with Help From Hubby)! Your husband is an impressive “closer”, like the relief pitcher in baseball who specializes in getting the final outs in a close game when his team is leading, assuring his team’s win. Impressive teamwork, you two! 🐝🐝
Mary Kinney (Albuquerque, New Mexico)
@Kiki Oh, Kiki, thanks, but I don’t want to encourage what he calls Team Brandt and Mary; I’m so very much not a team player. However, I do love the two bees at the end of your comment. The beauty of his INCLINE is that while his spelling is poetic and creative, it’s usually incorrect and makes games like Scrabble and JOTTO (a fun, person-to-person, pencil and paper precursor to Wordle) impossible. He’s a visual artist, not a word person, but, gosh, I’ll be impressed by his INCLINE for weeks.
SS (Chicago)
Does he make house calls?
Brandon (Massachusetts)
Not my first time getting Queen Bee, but I thought I’d try my HA4 at some hints. So here goes. AH4: In front of DA6: Love interest of Apollo or Niles Crane DE8: What one does to flowers when the reach their end DE10: Past tense of ☝️ HA4: Very important appendage at end of arm HA6: Past tense of ☝️ HA6: Think “Haunted HA6ings” HA8: Past tense of ☝️ HE4: They relieved Louis XVI of this with a guillotine HE6: Past tense of ☝️ HE9: You can often buy sound-canceling versions of these at airports. HE4: pile of trash HE6: piled trash HE4: Follow advice HE6: Followed advice HE5: A sort of non-permanent tattoo HE7: Past tense of ☝️ HO4: Used a tool for digging lines HO4: Sharpen HO5: Sharpened HO4: A type of cowl HO6: Past tense of ☝️ HO6: A pinnacle of weathered rock HO4: What you throw a basketball through to score a point HO6: Past tense of ☝️ HO4: A type of wish for something to HA6, usually something good HO5: Past tense of ☝️ HO6: What the bunny did OP4: Large fish with crimson red fins, and a dark blue back OP10: Opposite of “close footed” PE6: A female peacock PH5: Cellular communication device PH6: Past tense of ☝️ PH5: The PH5graph was a precursor to the record player. PO4: Brings to mind a little golden bear with a red shirts
Deborah (Louisville)
hodad- a nonsurfer who frequents surfing beaches and pretends to be a surfer. “ look at that hodad, he needs to get lost”
FlbrkMike (Fallbrook, California)
I’m from California and have been using this word since The Beach Boys were new. Probably not so familiar to the most of the rest of the US.
Art of the fudge (Near Boston)
HODAD was allowed six times before being banished last year (this is the fifth omission)
dgo (seattle)
@Deborah this is such a great word.
Ms. Vikbee (New Buzz, TX)
Yall should add the bird HOOPOE
Peregrine (Eden)
@Ms. Vikbee There are about fifty hoopoes fluttering around the forum today, with their loopy butterfly-like flight and gentle oop-oop-oop calls. Maybe if you scroll down a bit you'll spot one. (Don't they have apostrophes in Texas any more?)
Kiki (Santa Maria, CA)
Here’s an excerpt from Southern Living Magazine: “What's The Difference Between Y'all And Ya'll? The South is known for its quirky, cultural sayings—like "Bless your heart," "Too big for his britches”… but the best-known word in the Southern vernacular is probably our most-loved pronoun: y'all. A contraction of "you" and "all" is what forms "y'all" when addressing or referencing two or more people. Here's everything you need to know about this Southern phrase. The Merriam-Webster dictionary describes this phrase as a variant of "you all" and the origin as chiefly Southern U.S. It also states there is a correct—and incorrect—way to spell this colloquialism. This familiar pronoun, included in the Merriam-Webster dictionary, is a trusted, go-to source for Southern Living copy editors. The only proper way to spell the contraction of "you" and "all" is "y'all." Put together "you all," and you get "y'all." Just like "cannot" becomes "can't"… According to language learning software Babbel, the use of "y'all" beyond a (regional) dialect is increasing in popular culture because it solves an English language problem. Unlike French, German, and Spanish languages, English does not have a designed second-person plural pronoun. Using "y'all" also adds a gender-neutral variation to the familiar phrase "you guys." The phrase often refers to a group of two or more people, regardless of gender, and is commonly used throughout the U.S. https://www.southernliving.com/culture/yall-or-ya-ll
Peregrine (Eden)
@Kiki What about "yall," though?
Citizen (USA)
How is DA6 not a proper noun? I don't understand why this is in the bee today.
Peregrine (Eden)
@Citizen It certainly is a mythtery. Check the dictionary to get the story on that one.
Irish (NYC)
@Citizen I didn’t understand either so I looked it up in the M-W online dictionary.
SJ (Florida)
It's a plant
Michael (Florida)
A descriptor of a body part's orientation works, but a descriptor of the same body part's quantity, both in past tense (panagram) does not?
Irish (NYC)
@Michael I believe you are referring to one-handed which, kindly note, is hyphenated. Also, FYI, the word is pangram. Two a’s, not three.
Jerome (Cathedral City, CA)
You missed PHONON
Peregrine (Eden)
@Jerome The editor probably thought it didn't matter.
DDY (Tennessee)
@Jerome phenomenon would have been great as well, but no M.
FlbrkMike (Fallbrook, California)
I guess I qualify as a DE8. I must have seen them play at least a dozen times between 1972 and 1990.
FlbrkMike (Fallbrook, California)
Funny, DE8 an DE10 were two of the last three words I needed for QB 2LL
Dual Citizen (Edmonton, Canada)
@FlbrkMike: Lucky you! But isn’t that version of the word a noun? It is also a gardening verb and I have always assumed that this was the BEE word, especially considering the related words.
FlbrkMike (Fallbrook, California)
The way I look at it is that the 8 letter word could be used as a noun or a verb. The 10 letter word is the past tense of the verb. Not sure if there’s really any “official” spelling for the noun. Could be two words maybe, or even capitalized. In either case it wouldn’t qualify for the Bee. But that doesn’t really matter because the verb form works.
Kim Warren (oxford)
Hoopoes are colourful birds found across Africa, Asia, and Europe, notable for their distinctive "crown" of feathers
Darcy (Texas)
@Kim Warren One of these days maybe Sam will let them in. And before someone castigates me by saying they are not native birds, Sam includes plenty of food, clothing, and other objects that are non-native.
playmin (New York)
@Darcy True but you can still usually find it here. Not always, though (e.g. a Russian vacation hut) so you’re right, I guess.
Mimi (CALIFORNIA)
Kline, Have a great vacay ! ! ! Don't forget sunscreen.
MMB (NYC)
Better yet, stay out of the sun. Unless you’re a mad dog or Englishman!
YanEr (US)
Pheon ( noun) 🏹🪝🏑 1 : a conventional heraldic representation of the head of a javelin, dart, or arrow point downward with two long barbs engrailed on the inner edge 2 : a head of an arrow borne as a heraldic charge.
Moonshine (Mare Humorum)
@YanEr Do you play Dungeons and Dragons?
Dual Citizen (Edmonton, Canada)
@Moonshine: We can only hope.
steve (queens)
knowing the editorial penchant for birds, surprised hoopoe not included today.
Peregrine (Eden)
@steve Out of range for today’s twitchers. Not on the checklist for this (non)IBA.
Tim McFadden (San Diego)
panhead and hophead are valid, common words.
BetteB (Camp Meeker, CA)
Also dopeHE4.
Sumo (Boston)
OneHA6?
Cynthia (MD)
@Sumo Dictionary shows it as hyphenated. Merriam-Webster is online and free, so helpful to keep a tab open while playing.
DIANNE M (NC)
No Post from Reliable ‘Kline’ today or did I somehow miss it? It’s Steve G., Kline and Sheila D. for me, Real 🐝 GOATS❣️
Irish (NYC)
The Amazing Kline will be on vacation for the next few weeks.
Dain (UK)
At last - GABM. And then to QB with one or two nudges from Steve G and Sheila. But no HOOPOE?? A glorious bird.
Cynthia (MD)
@Dain Look for Peregrine's lovely post with video link here: https://nyti.ms/3NiQ2He#permid=121200039 ( I seem to learn more when certain words aren't included in the Bee. )
Lbodiford (Alabama)
Ho(6) stands between me and QB!
STEVE G (Sound Beach, NY)
@Lbodiford HO6 do you think you're foolin'?
Tholitan (DC)
SteveG good one!! 🙌🏽
Mom of (Three)
Bryce Canyon has lots of these ho-6
MCMB (Chicago)
I must protest ... Anti-hoopoe discrimination! https://ebird.org/species/hoopoe
Peregrine (Eden)
@MCMB I, for one, am outraged that all 10,800+ bird species of the world are not represented regularly in the Bee, along with all sailing and crafting terms, all the chemistry and biology terms that I can remember from high school (no others, please), and foods from every global cuisine (excluding those that I don't know about, OFC!). I don't know why I keep playing this game every day. Today I've been mythtified by DA(6). It just goes on and on.
Eric B (Houston)
@Peregrine Don’t forget all the foreign currencies of the world, and German words.
Peregrine (Eden)
@Eric B Yeah!!!!
HallM (Oregon)
Hoopoe is a bird well known in birding circles. But not recognized in the Spelling Bee, apparently. Lack of inclusion of common words that are not offensive is just annoying.
Peregrine (Eden)
@HallM How do you propose that the Bee editor recognize each of the world's 10,800+ species of birds? That's a serious question. I'm a birder, BTW, and I adore the hoopoe. (Were you here for all the fluttering about TITMICE the other day?)
Irish (NYC)
@HallM How should it be determined which words are common and which words are not? I had not heard of a hoopoe until today however many SB puzzlers are familiar with it, yourself included. Perhaps we’ll see it in a future Bee.
Frank (Washington DC)
I am definitely not a birder but out of curiosity I just asked Mr. Google for a photo, and now I am quite taken with the little fellow!
KP (California)
QBABM-1 One tiny 4L word to go, but after 20 min of searching/spinning for it, I need a break. (How hard can it be find a 4L word that must include the H? Answer: very hard. 😂🥺)
KP (California)
@KP Did I find it? Nope! QBABM-🐠 it is.😉
Rick Jenkins (San Antonio)
It is absolutely ridiculous that DA6 made the list. The only definition of the word that isn't capitalized is "a small Eurasian shrub". To include this word delegitimizes the entire Bee. Why would Sam allow the word? Who would know this word as a shrub? I saw the word, but didn't put it in because it's a proper noun. I don't live Eurasia, Sam. I live in the USA. Why would I know that this word is a shrub? Yep, it's ridiculous.
KP (California)
@Rick Jenkins I found it just typing in the _name_ , while playing around with PH words, and it was accepted! I was stunned.
Wren Hill (Western WA)
@Rick Jenkins I have four different types in the yard, pretty well known in these parts. Divine fragrance.
Martha Moench (Salt Lake City)
Many US gardeners are familiar with this fragrant shrub.
Susan Stohelit (Montana)
Got ‘em all without peeking at the hints! Although I do still peek at the number of words per each 2-letter start. I knew most of the words, but one of them came just by random typing. I’ll go peek at the hints now.
Glorybee (SF bay area)
One of the HO4’s is such a lovely, strengthening emotion. While reaching for QB, I kept ‘finding’ (making up) compound non-words ending in that HO4. For fun, here are hints for some (In alphabetical order) — expectation that cutting now encourages more flowers later — intense, hidden belief — when you believe intellectually, but not with your heart — blessings lovingly visualized on skin — felt as the ball arcs toward the basket — longing for that certain person to call — the yearnings of a toad on dry land Got more? Please reply.
Glorybee (SF bay area)
@Glorybee Letter counts: DE8HO4— expectation that cutting now encourages more flowers later DE4HO4— intense, hidden belief HE4HO4— when you believe intellectually, but not with your heart HE5HO4— blessings lovingly visualized on skin HO4HO4— felt as the ball arcs toward the basket PH5HO4— longing for that certain person to call POHO4— the yearnings of a toad on dry land (Prefixed words may not have center letter)
Wren Hill (Western WA)
Headers and heelers were really pulling for honda, but all for knot. Have to steer free.
Wren Hill (Western WA)
@Wren Hill I was just told I need to latigo, I guess that cinches it. I’ll close the gate on the way out.
Pam (Watertown, MA)
Thank you, Tovah Blumenthal, for the sunny photo of a honeybee on a bright yellow flower in the aster family. To learn more about the flower, see @Bad Bob's post about elecampane. https://nyti.ms/3sJUPbs#permid=121199067 🌷🐝 🌸🐛🌻🦋🌼 Yesterday, he identified the bee as a Bindweed turret bee (Didasia bituberculata). The Bindweed turret bee is a ground-nesting chimney bee native to Central America and western North America. The females build little turrets above the opening of their nests. As the name suggests, they specialist on pollen in the bindweed family. I found a paper from 1972 describing the behavior of the turret bees in a patch of Chapparal false bindweed (Calystegia fulcrata), which is native to California. Both females and males rest in the flowers sometimes. When the females return to their nest, they seem to take a little breather with just their pollen-laden legs sticking out. Then they go underground, and one could hear the squeaky buzzing of pollen being shaken off. The bees are known to use the pollen of other Calystegia species, and even the introduced Field bindweed (Convolvulus arvensis). But wasn't the flower a Globe mallow? Stay tuned! Photos and video of the Bindweed Turret bee: https://estuary.us/2020/06/bindweed-turret-bee/ If you're up for reading a scientific article, the full text is available here: https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/part/240992
Kiki (Santa Maria, CA)
@Pam Interesting video - thanks for the link.
Pam (Watertown, MA)
Just found a couple more adorable pictures of the Bindweed Turret bee, amid other bee photos by Krystle Hickman. https://kids.mongabay.com/krystle-photographs-beeautiful-native-bees/
Shortale (Roosevelt Island, NY)
Hedon?
ElaineS (NYC)
@Shortale Not a standard dictionary word without a suffix
Thinker (Everywhere, Always)
@Shortale Are you referring to a type of collision? Whatever. Check https://www.merriam-webster.com/ = 1 of 2 official Bee dictionaries. It is on lline [where we are now], free and easy to use.
Mariano (Brooklyn)
"Hoopoe" is to obscure a word for a New York Times puzzle? The other day it was "alee" (though somehow "allele" was OK). They're just not serious about this. Till the Spelling Bees use the same word list as the regular crosswords, there should be a disclaimer above every puzzle stating "For ages 10-14" or "Dumbed down for your entertainment."
Peregrine (Eden)
@Mariano Is there some indication anywhere that the Spelling Bee and the NYT crosswords draw from the same word lists, or that they have the same criteria for word selection, or that they "ought" to do so, or that players should expect that they would? I'm kinda new here, so I don't know. As at happens, I don't do the NYT crosswords, so I come to the SB with neutral expectations about what it "ought" to include vis-a-vis the crosswords. I had no idea that I should have been feeling outraged all this time, when instead I've been having fun! I really need to re-think my attitude. Maybe the game editors, as you suggest, are not serious enough about all this. Perhaps they are having too much fun, too. What a wretched situation. Wow. What a bunch of slackers.
Eric B (Houston)
@Mariano Really? They are very different games, with different target audiences. NYT Crosswords come with clues, use proper nouns, multi-word phrases, abbreviations, contractions, and foreign language words, none of which are allowed in the Spelling Bee. Crosswords are clue solving games. The Bee is an open anagram. In short, their only relationship is that they are word games and appear in the same publication. Other than that, they are wholly different games.
dgo (seattle)
@Mariano okay, but what a strange complaint to say that a game is not serious enough.
Glenda (USA)
Sam redeemed himself today. I take back all the borderline unkind things I thought yesterday. Okay, it was almost too easy but easy is nice too. Hugs for you, Sam!
Michael (White Plains, NY)
Good afternoon all. Hope everyone is well. GN4L @19/129. Bee back later.
Francie Liszt (Washington, D.C.)
I ‘m recalling “The DOODAH Room,” as recounted by Firesign Theater on their album, “How can you be in two places at once when you’re nowhere at all.” My boyfriend (now husband of many, many years) introduced me to this great album in 1972 and I hadn’t thought of it in awhile. Today I reached GABM (my usual goal) and was surprised there was no pangram on my list! At QB -5 with no pangram, I suspected a compound word or two would be required. Looking over my answers and the many “donut” words I finally found the pangrams!
MikeR (DMV)
I don't use the hints. Changes the game. Becomes more like a crosword puzzle. I hit Genius today after identifying 77.1% of the field of choices.
dana yaks (philly)
for this week, obviously PHAN should be a word!
Alida Brill (NYC)
Hodad!!!
Michele/pdxknitterati (Portland OR)
I would lava to have seen pahoehoe in the Bee today!
Betsy (Oregon)
One of my all time favorite words. Pa-hoe-hoe. I feel compelled to make flowing hula motions with my hands when saying it.
Marina (Saugerties)
The absence of the word "Hoopoe" might be close to the last straw for me. You have words like wattle, acacia... but to me, so many of the words describing the more-than-human world are missing, whereas some arcane cultural knowledge is always included - while "challah" might be as common as "acacia," "tallit" is definitely not. I am Jewish, and this is NOT an anti-semitic screed. Readers complain about missing words that name animals, but editors: you never amend your lists???? As an environmental advocate, this really upsets me.
Sally (Planet Earth)
Eh it’s just one guy, Sam, that chooses the words for the puzzle. Nothing more going on than that. No hidden agendas.
Sally (Planet Earth)
And pray tell what is a hoopoe…. Going to look it up to expand my vocabulary.
Lenny-t (Vermont)
@Marina it’s only a game. Some words are included, many are not. Those that you miss eventually may show up. Consider that if only the words you you want are included in the Bee it would be a pretty dull game, wouldn’t it?
Andrew (St. Paul)
I oohed and aahed at the fireworks
Linda Schildkraut (Bayside)
I oohed and aahed
TimWinnipeg (Manitoba Canada)
Got my GABM this morning. Now to work on QB.
Monicat (Western Catskills)
Late to the party today, but QBABM. Enjoyed reading the hinters' posts. See ya, Kline. 👋 Have fun. @Bad Bob: Love your informative photo posts. Thanks! Today's Haiku with Apologies to The Three Stooges, who graduated with the highest temperatures in their class, and some Poetic LicenCe ( a nod to our over-the-pond Hivers) Calling Dr. Howard Dr. Fine Dr. Howard! The yard as clinic: deer, turkeys, chipmunks, squirrels, crows eclectic clients. clinic, eclectic, client Good (almost not) Morning, @Everyone. Bee careful out there.
SmallFry (Tennessee)
@Monicat What a fun and delightful haiku and all your comments. It is funny to think of them as clients; I call them my yard tenants. I really enjoy all these from you. Thanks so much.
Martin (Yonkers, NY)
🌏🌍🌎 Today’s bonus pangram-only game: (If you’d like to play, please don’t spell out the answers. Please reply with hints or clues. Many thanks!) A, E, F, H, L, R, T (3 pangrams)
Martin (Yonkers, NY)
@Martin Answer to yesterday’s pangram game (10/28): C, F, I, R, T, U, Y ----> fructify
STEVE G (Sound Beach, NY)
@Martin I’m out doing cardio now but wanted to offer my genuinely sincere thanks for the puzzle!
dalums (Pacific NW)
@Martin - #1: ♥️🎩
Ndcurban (Washington DC)
QB in record time on a long subway ride!
Irish (NYC)
Be careful! It’s sobeasy to miss your stop when engrossed in the Bee!
Karen (NC)
We don’t get words with an “S” - how is that any different than “ED”? Sam, sassy “S”, s’il vous plait! Karen
ElaineS (NYC)
@Karen Sam isn’t here.
Gee H (Atlanta)
Just reached Q🐝 with my last word beingon the Bee’s “most frequently reappearing words” list. How ironic that it took me some time to see it in the ‘comb.
Thinker (Everywhere, Always)
@Gee H As Robert Louis Stevenson wrote “To travel hopefully is a better thing than to arrive." Personally, where QB is concerned, I'd insert "almost" before better. Well done, Gee H!
Lennerd (Eureka, CA)
Hoopoe is not on word list? :(
Pamalam (Ouachita Mtns, Arkansas, USA)
QBABM. Enjoy the weekend. We are getting much needed rain today.
Jane (Florida)
QB-1, needing only an HO6. We've done the Wordle. I'm going into my sewing room for a few hours. Hopefully, the break will help. And, yes, I'm miffed that a perfectly good HO6 was not in the list. (sigh...)
2Bee (Ithaca, NY)
Oh dear! Your hints reliably get me to QB. Have a wonderful vacation. Looking forward to your return!
GN (Alabama)
I always need your clues to reach QB! @Kline
Pam (Watertown, MA)
🌸🌸🌸 Same letter list, with mnemonics 10/28/22 celli, icicle, lice Filthy and crawling with LICE, the ice demon broke an ICICLE off its horn and dragged it across the strings of seven CELLI. clef, fleece The musican has a FLEECE rug imprinted with a treble CLEF. client, clientele, intellect With INTELLECT and drive, you’ll grow your business from one CLIENT to a vast CLIENTELE. eclectic, elicit When you ask us to find words in seven letters, that will ELICIT ECLECTIC reactions. efficient, inefficient, infect The speed with which a virus can INFECT depends on how EFFICIENT or INEFFICIENT it is. elect(ee) I am honored to be your ELECT(EE). entice, incite Boredom can ENTICE a certain Twitter owner to troll and INCITE chaos. illicit, licit With a stroke of the pen, the governor transformed ILLICIT mushrooms into LICIT. incline, lenience Pick a judge who will INCLINE to LENIENCE. nice, niece Again? Your NIECE is not at all NICE! Thank you @Martin for starting these lists. It's a lot of fun putting these crazy words together. Good Bees 🐝🐝🐝to all!
Peregrine (Eden)
@Pam I love that ice demon! Wow, what an image!
Zuzubeat (DC)
Fans of the band Future Folk are disappointed that Hondo is omitted today. In FF lore, Hondo is a both a planet and a greeting said by Hondonians. Hondo!
Cancelled (VT)
How did I not know that the goddess avoiding Apollo, posterboy of toxic masculinity, is also an improper noun?
Peregrine (Eden)
@Cancelled Is she improper, or merely common? Actually, no need to blame the victim, is there? She's not common, but her eponym is.
Tonte (Brisbane)
wish I was as witty as Peregrine, although I am travelling ATM, so ... Cancelled, it's the name of a flower.
David Illig (Maryland)
@Cancelled: “…improper noun…” An improper noun might be a malapropism or some such, but a noun that does not require a majuscule is called a “common noun.”
Linda M (Italy)
Buon Viaggio e buona vacanza Kline, will miss seeing your hints
Cancelled (VT)
Hoopah? Tefillin is much more obscure than Hoopah, yet it was an accepted word. So confused.
ElaineS (NYC)
@Cancelled That is not a standard English spelling. Merriam Webster online is free and helpful.
dgo (seattle)
@Cancelled According to sbsolver, tefillin has appeared in no answer sets since May 2018.
Steve C (New Jersey)
Hoopoe
Queen Wanna Bee (Alexandria VA)
@Steve C Please, no spoilers.🤫
Peregrine (Eden)
@Queen Wanna Bee OMG there is a whole flock of them in this thread, including some that I released without considering that they might leave spoiled droppings every where :-( sorry!
Queen Wanna Bee (Alexandria VA)
@Peregrine Is it a full moon? Nobody MEANS to do it of course, especially you, ever clever. 🥂 (I just nudged someone then realized there was no spoiler. Buzzing back over to make amends!)
Bwc (Harrisburg)
I really wanted peahead to be a word.
Elle (MVY)
I couldn’t help trying Po4head! To much time with preschoolers in my past😊
Kevin Byrnes (Elmhurst, IL)
Wot, no hophead or dopehead? My Hawaiian friends would have liked ohana.
Peregrine (Eden)
. THE HORSES ARE OUT AGAIN! 1 of 2 No matter how lush the grass in the pasture, no matter how sweet and clear the stream that ran through it, and no matter how enticing the nice apples dropped from the old trees there, the horses always wanted to get OUT. The licit pleasures of their home pastures were nothing compared to whatever might lie beyond the fence. On our old farm, there was no money to build new efficient fencing for every field and pasture, so it was a constant job to walk the fences to find and repair the weak spots before the horses found them. Repair materials were an eclectic combination of bale rope, baling wire, old fence posts, etc. That work had little effect, though, for the horses seemed to find the weak spot in every inefficient fence, leaning, leaning, leaning until they broke through, then off they’d trot, tails held high, tossing their heads, gleeful in their illicit freedom. Old Betty was the worst of them, inciting the others and leading them out, nodding her old grey head up and down in her eagerness. We did eventually elect to use electric fencing, but of course the horses could sense when the power was off, and then they’d give a clinic in Fence Leaning, and soon they’d be out. Again.
Peregrine (Eden)
2 of 2 They didn’t have any place in mind to GO, mind you, they just wanted to be OUT. And they knew how to get OUT. (Never underestimate the equine intellect!) Of course, they knew the landscape for miles around, having been ridden nearly daily over a broad area. But still, they seemed inclined mostly to fun, galloping down the broad aisles of the apple orchards, jumping stone walls, coming up to the kitchen windows to peer in at us, and going a mile down the road to visit my friend’s ponies. My older sisters would have to go out on foot, lead ropes hidden in pockets, with a bucket of grain to elicit their attention, whistling the special whistle that meant “Come here!” though inflecting it with a little edge to convey “Come here, you naughty horses!” The horses never conveyed any tinct of shame or guilt, of course for they had been OUT and had had a great time. They almost swaggered on their way back. It was a relief to get them home safe, and of course there was lenience, and no punishment inflicted, for who can do other than love them? Bee words used from 10/28, with variants: clinic, eclectic, effect, efficient, elect, elicit, entice, fence, illicit, incite, incline, inefficient, inflect, inflict, intellect, lenience, licit, nice, tinct
mdbeck (Lake Elmo, MN)
@Peregrine This is just wonderful. As with Dave's stories, it made me wish for more.
Liz K (Olympia, WA)
@Peregrine oh how wonderful a story this is: so vivid! and such terrific use of the bee words!
Becky (New York State)
Any thread for Wordle? I am stuck today!!!!
L (Bodiford)
Don’t know why but it popped into my head on my second try..one of my few “Wordles in 2.” I started with “Adieu.”
Kate In NorCal (California)
@Caroline Wish I could have unread that one. After I played my first word it was immediately obvious what the answer was. Unfair advantage.
David W (Missouri)
Bonus pangram today for the Greek philosopher!
Andrea (Oakland , CA)
missed opportunity to include PAHOEHOE
mdbeck (Lake Elmo, MN)
Retiree To Do List 1. If it’s a nice day, take a walk. Just be careful: you don’t want to trip on a rock or sustain injuries tumbling down an incline to retrieve your cell phone–and have to be taken to the urgent care clinic. Yikes! 2. If it’s not a nice day, take a walk anyway. (If you see icicles out the window, put on some fleece and summon your inner resolve. You’ll be fine!) 3. A stroll to the library to check out an eclectic mix of books is never a bad idea. As in many situations, three is the magic number: something substantial to satisfy the intellect; an intense, pared-down cliff-hanger; and something slower-paced that will elicit emotion and spark reflection. NOTE: It doesn’t matter how many things you’re able to check off any list–including this one. Now that you’re not punching the clock, no one is going to try to ‘incent’ you to do anything. You can be efficient or inefficient, elect to repair the fence or stare out the window while singing softly to yourself. Any day can be a good day! Oct. 28 Bee words used: nice, incline, cell, clinic, icicle, fleece, intellect, cliff, elicit, efficient, inefficient, elect, fence.
Peregrine (Eden)
@mdbeck I love this. I can't get out most days, but I observe and meditate on nature from inside. I spend a good deal of time staring out the windows :-) Funny you mention "elect to repair the fence" -- I just posted a memory about that very thing! Well, actually it's not surprising, considering we are responding to the same set of words. It's fascinating every day to see how the writers and poets here respond to the word set. Each of us sees the world through a unique lens of memory and experience.
mdbeck (Lake Elmo, MN)
@Peregrine I agree. I'm always eager to see what others have done. Like Liz K., I was intrigued to hear you mention your blog. I'd be interested in reading it if you wanted to provide the link. (Totally up to you, of course!)
SmallFry (Tennessee)
@mdbeck Another fun definitely “To Do for anyone” list from another lover of lists. This one is really magical with the reality that you set the type of day depending on your frame. It reminds me of this need for myself each day and reframe tragedies to a survivor mode or one with a continued dream of the next eventide for me. So thoughtful this one for me. Thanks you.
Steve L (Medford, NJ)
If you’re not a Phan today then you missed a great game. GO PHILS!!
SCP (Maryland)
Amazing team
Shar (SoCal for now)
This PHAN can’t even contain the excitement. PHANtastic season
Dawn (illinois)
Where are all my hopheads? C'mon now!
KAN (Upstate NY)
Lovely photo today, thank you, Tovah Blumenthal 🌻🐝💝.
Peregrine (Eden)
It's always a disappointment not to find a beautiful and intriguing HOOPOE near the Beehive. This morning when I had one word to go, and I knew it was an HO(6), with eager fingers I typed in HOOPOE, but it flew off. I wouldn't expect birds from outside North America to turn up in the SB, though it would be lovely to see TOMTIT, MOTMOT, WRYNECK, WHYDAH, and a few others. The hoopoe is such a gorgeous bird, and it has the Best Ever Taxonomic Name: Upupa epops. Just saying that out loud will make you smile a little. It was THE bird I wanted to see when I traveled to Europe, and I was rewarded with some good sightings. Hoopoes in flight are almost like large floppy butterflies. This short video displays the grace and beauty of the hoopoe: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TIwqAYb7j5Q Nice quick bee today.
David Illig (Maryland)
@Peregrine: “It's always a disappointment not to find a beautiful and intriguing HOOPOE near the Beehive.” But not surprising, given its Eurasian range.
Peregrine (Eden)
@David Illig As I said, "I wouldn't expect birds from outside North America to turn up in the SB." Makes sense to me. PS I'm always glad when you post links to your photos -- they are marvelous!!
Liz (USA)
@Peregrine I had the same experience; one word to go, knew it was HO(6), and thought "Aha! That Biblical Eurasian bird!" "Tomtit" has appeared in the Bee multiple times, so you can hope to see it when the right letters show up again.
David (The only Freeville)
A hintless post, yet at the top of the forum, at last! Congrats, Kline, and HA5 TR6!!!
David (The only Freeville)
A hintless post, yet at the top of the forum, at last! Congrats, and HA5 TR6!!!
Bob S. (Oak Park)
When I realized that over 70% of the answers start with H, I OOHED and AAHED.
Queen Wanna Bee (Alexandria VA)
@Bob S. Please, no spoilers.🤫
Queen Wanna Bee (Alexandria VA)
@Bob S. My apologies. Hive just realized there are no spoilers here. You were just pollen our legs. 🐝🙃
Kathleen (Michigan)
@Kline-Chicago.Safe travels you will be missed. See you soon!
SmallFry (Tennessee)
Elect: free fleece The fleecing begins with nice, illicit schemes to liberate strife likely to remain evermore Every electee trying to entice dreams of their clientele on a beautiful shining shore Efficient intellect attempted to elicit the gold effect from whom they select Every eclectic client wanting noble success from the one they elect If the country is on an incline with no mend for any flaw, “inefficient,” the other cite with a fuse No lenience in an attempt to incite undimmed action, a pursuit to inflict and abuse Like a celli group playing bass clef with a tinct, alabaster message to inflect disdain for the other Like lice in a clinic trying to infect and crown their own cell, even their own plain brother They push near a cliff on purple, majestic mountains with no fence Singing their two cents with a cleft palate for freedom, liberty with no licit law adhered to since This icicle message to override the soul from self control All to gain divine control for their patriot dream, to be a hero for their niece or their troll Bee words 10.28.22: fleece(ing), nice, illicit, electee, entice, clientele, efficient, intellect, elicit, effect, eclectic, client, elect, incline, inefficient, cite, lenience, incite, inflict, celli, clef, tinct, inflect, lice, clinic, infect, cell, cliff, fence, cent(s), cleft, licit, icicle, niece (all 34) A little clunky but melding words from a song with the bee words. Maybe disrespectful? but not intended that way.
SmallFry (Tennessee)
@SmallFry Maybe everyone can see it’s just an image of what is done by many from all sides of every isle, every election year, now dragging on for too many months. May the elections this year end!! even though we will still hear about 2024 I’m certain.
Dave (Cottenboro)
@SmallFry, it's a chorus of lice singing America The Beautiful with Bee words attached, this is an image to sustain us! thanks
SmallFry (Tennessee)
@Dave So glad that you of all people spied this. Had another brother group word in there but a spoiler so had to delete it. It sounded right! What a dream turned nightmarish especially after yesterday and the last few years. Sad really all the thoughts. Funny this little forum is a microcosm of this same separatist energy. Thank you for your delight that I see. Love the lice singing and nitting away image! Always a little worried how my frightful messes just to fit words together will be received. Thanks again:))
lizlegs (charlotte)
So I cannot ooh or aah in this game & yet a proper name gets used. but then words such as lectin in a previous puzzle is not.
ElaineS (NYC)
@lizlegs There is no proper noun in today’s Bee. They are not allowed. There is an uncapitalized name of a shrub with identical spelling. Like China/china.
Peregrine (Eden)
@lizlegs It mythtifies me that folks rush to post here without first rushing to a dictionary.
LaDonna (Japan)
Dopehead is a word... just sayin'
Gayle Watkins (Highlands, NC)
My first QBABM! Fun way to start the day!
SmallFry (Tennessee)
@Gayle Watkins Wow! Congrats to you. Glad you are celebrating here and dream for you many more! Have not gotten there but will continue to dream. Celebrate your bee’s knees self today.
Queen Wanna Bee (Alexandria VA)
@Gayle Watkins Woo-hoo!!! 🏆
Lou Krouse What Is A QBABM? (La)
What is a QBABM? I have been queen bee for almost 40 days in a row I don’t know what this means
Heiko from Offenbach (Germany PS)
Da6 du Maurier brought me to GABM. And I saved my wordle streak (32) at the last second…😊
Carol (TX)
Once we DE8 the garden for the winter, where will the bees go?!
Peregrine (Eden)
@Carol Not in the DA(6)s!
DV (Georgia)
Hedon isn’t just a city in England. Why no word?
ElaineS (NYC)
@DV The two dictionaries I checked don’t include that form of the word, only with suffixes. Were you able to find it?
Jane (Florida)
Sam didn't include the stunning Eurasian bird with its neat name.
Peregrine (Eden)
@Jane Perhaps because it is Eurasian? IIRC the birds that have been included have been native to North America. But I've been playing only for several weeks, so I don't have a historical sense of that.
Jane (Florida)
Aha. I see. Sam chose a small Eurasian shrub over a lovely native tree. And, I learned a new word. 😊
Nick (Nc)
Fyi the bird HOOPOE should be a valid word today
ElaineS (NYC)
@Nick For whose information? I looked for that word myself. It is deliberately not included, like many other possible words today. You might join me in suggesting it to [email protected]
Peregrine (Eden)
@Nick Hoopoe is a valid word every day. It's one of my favorite words. Too bad the editor did not select it for today's game. I could have made some silly rhymes using its taxonomic name, Upupo epops. Isn't that funny?
David Illig (Maryland)
@Nick: Good news. “Hoopoe” is a valid word today and every day.
EW (Netherlands)
Still upset that hoopoe is not accepted :( - certainly more common and widely known than some of the other ones today!
ElaineS (NYC)
@EW I always look for it.
Peregrine (Eden)
@EW Widely known in Eurasia, but not in North America. It is truly a wondrous bird.
Jane (Florida)
Beautiful photo, Tovah.
Leah (Cal)
Hint for DA6 - On Fraiser, the name of Niles' crush, who eventually became his wife.
Dave (Cottenboro)
Enticed Into A Whole New World Here's the irony laid out starkly on a platter: my life became bright and scintillating because my guide navigated a world of darkness. Suzanne was showing me how one manages that darkness, but she was also broadcasting her own unique beacon. On our second date she wanted me to meet her friends, members of her church, the local Baha'i Assembly. "It's a picnic at Showers Park," naming a half mile linear park in town. "How will I spot your friends?" "They're peaceful, look for bumper stickers that say ONE WORLD or World Peace, or even "whirled peas". On the one way roads we made a circuit of the entire park and I saw several groups of folks, all equally peaceful. She suggested I park at the next opportunity and she rolled down the window, heard someone laughing and said,"That's Cynthia, we're here." "You find people by listening for them?" "Works for me," she said. When Suzanne first met the local church group at a pot luck dinner, they introduced themselves and said how they were connected to I.U. She noticed two had the same last name and asked if they were brothers. The whole group burst into immediate laughter and then explained one Stewart was white and one black, but all were delighted w/ her assumption. On the bus, a shoe store clerk opened up to Suzanne and me,"I'm mahogany, definitely not black or brown." All of this came to me, by sidling up alongside someone who was missing one of their senses, twas quite a time.
Mona (Hannover Germany)
@Dave I love this vignette, and the idea of learning to see/perceive what was until now unnoticed.
Diane (Decatur, GA)
Your daily stories are a joy!
Christy (OK)
@Dave I really appreciate your stories of Suzanne. They are beautifully written and her joyous spirit, intelligence and wit shine like gold. Thank you for sharing with us.
Fin de Guerre (London)
Doubt there will be much of a ‘hooha’ about this Bee?
Jason (Saratoga County, NY)
Genius@25/130; QBWG + Hints
FlbrkMike (Fallbrook, California)
I guess hodad is too regional.
David Illig (Maryland)
@FlbrkMike: The Unabridged Merriam-Webster and the OED both list the word. The OED says “Origin obscure. Surfing slang.” M-W says “origin unknown.” Curiously, the Dictionary of American Regional English (DARE) does not list the word, but defines ho-dad as a “fictional item” possibly from “doodad.”
Bad Bob (Ormond Beach)
Tovah’s sunny photo shows a Western honey bee feeding on an elecampane blossom. Inula helenium has been cultivated since ancient times in Eurasia. The Romans referred to inula campana (field inula), which became elecampane somehow in English. The species name derives from Helen of Troy, because the elecampane grew wherever her tears fell. The plant is known by other names such as horseheal, scabwort, and wild sunflower. Thank you, Tovah!
SmallFry (Tennessee)
@Bad Bob Wow. Amazing detail and beautiful history of this flower’s naming. So grateful you do this each day now. The picture does look like a bee feasting on the middle of the sun. Your description makes it shine all the more. Thank you!
Vika (London, UK)
@Bad Bob Fascinating, thank you Bad Bob. Is there any linguistic connection to helios the sun god, too, and/or does the name Helen contain those links?
Lisa Grz (Sandwich, Il)
@Bad Bob When people post photos, where are they? I have yet to find them. Thank you!!
sack (hawaii)
Hoopoe and pahoehoe are words.
sack (hawaii)
@playmin Thanks for the link.
playmin (New York)
@sack Thank you! :)
playmin (New York)
@sack Thank you! :)
Ellen (Brisbane)
Is it just me or were others sad to try PEEPEE(4letterspoiler) and find it wasn't included? I get why but still :(
Alice S (Tennessee)
@Ellen Where would the H be in that one?
Phyllis (ATL)
@Ellen Of sad
Angelique (Netherlands)
No oohed and ahed, no dopehead on Sam's list... he should get out more.
Malcomio (UK)
@Angelique I recommend a cruise with some birdwatching for him, boats and birds apparently being weak spots.
Barbara (Marin, CA)
Oh but the fish may have him on the fins of song
Barbara (Marin, CA)
Oh but the fish may have him on the fins of song!
Ellen (Oregon)
Just started and so far missing aahed oohed hooha hophead. Sigh.
playmin (New York)
@Ellen One’s a spoiler. Please don’t post spoilers. Meanwhile, obviously not all words can be on the list everyday. I invite you to our “Missing Words” thread (link below), established especially for the purpose of complaining about and discussing words that could be made today from the available letters but weren’t. Perhaps you might post there next time. Rationale behind this request is explained in the anchor post for that thread. https://nyti.ms/3ffbKzi#permid=121198877
STEVE G (Sound Beach, NY)
@playmin I don't see any abatement of complaints about missing words. It must be cathartic.
playmin (New York)
@STEVE G For me? It’s not. Trust me. I actually do think I’ve recently discerned a slight decrease in repetition and a complete takeover of the forum, at least until one of the later shifts of the day.
RK (Washington DC)
OP10 got me to the Genius level. One advantage of insomnia is that you can get an early start on the Bee. Will try for QB and might Zzzz again.
playmin (New York)
@RK Good luck! And hope you can get some sleep soon, too!
Emily G (NY)
Please bee mindful that DA6 is a formal noun. Mind the poison berries on the DA6 bush!
ElaineS (NYC)
@Emily G It has two spellings, one as a proper noun, and the same spelling but starting with a lower case d.
Bob Acker (Oakland)
This was tougher than I expected. PE6 finally got me to G, but I'm still stuck on D6 and a number of others.
Nick (HK)
@Bob Acker D6 think Du Maurier
Carol VanZoeren (Delaware)
@Bob Acker Yeah, DA(6) -- having a tough time not seeing that capitalized.....
Vicki (San Francisco)
For DA-6, think of Niles’ love from the TV show Frasier.
Julie (Italy)
Ha 7) A percussion intrument made of steel
Nick (HK)
How is DA6 not a pronoun?
Eimear (Ireland)
I think in this context it's a flower...
ElaineS (NYC)
@Nick It has two spellings, one as a proper noun, and one as a common noun. Like China and china, or playmin’s example.
Irish (NYC)
@Nick How do people not use a dictionary to look up a word?
Fender (Mississippi)
20 minutes to QB tonight, but I did check the Grid about 15 minutes in. The three D words eluded me the longest. The H in the middle made it interesting because it starts so many words and ends so few -- at least with those other letters.
Kat (Seattle)
Ah! Got one away from QBABM. Was stuck on PE6 but thanks to Steve G’s witty hints (as always) I got it. Happy buzzing, hive!
playmin (New York)
@Kat Good work; nothing to sneeze at. Love Steve’s wit!
Kate (New Mexico)
Three more H words, one a pangram. Hint time.
rod (Cambridge England)
I’ve never seen one of the pangrams in this singular form - only plural, surely?
playmin (New York)
@rod Seconded. Thought the same. Only thing I could think of was except for maybe in the question, “Where’s the ____ section?” at a store, but honestly.
Gregory C Taylor (Portland OR)
@rod When I was oh very young, a HE9 went in one ear, and the plural was “a pair of HE9s
Malcomio (UK)
@rod In this form it's an adjective, as in HE9 jack or HE9 cable, and drops the plural.
playmin (New York)
Hope everything’s okay with you, @Eric B! Maybe you’re just asleep. See you soon, hopefully.
Christy (OK)
@playmin I hope everything's okay too.
Simon (Stamford, England)
The Bee isn’t bird-brained, but why not Hoopoe?
Bibacat (Oklahoma)
@playmin "Alexa" refused to spell Hoopoe" thinking" it was some kind of feces.
Dorothy (New Zealand)
@Simon totally agree. After all we have another bird in the list and a fish I’d never heard of. I would think hoopoe is a much more common word than that one.
pcaseyd (Tennessee)
@Simon I think it may have been allowed in the past as I have it my saved Bee word list…
Bob Acker (Oakland)
Where's POOPOOH4?
Peter (Fremont, CA)
@Bob Acker Mar a lago?
CCD (Denver)
@Bob Acker With DOO-DOO-HE4
playmin (New York)
@Bob Acker Post it in our missing section. Also kind of a spoiler. Yes, the joke went over my head. https://nyti.ms/3ffbKzi#permid=121198877
Jimbo (California)
“hodad” is a really great word that the NYT Spelling Bee doesn’t recognize!!! Sad!!!
Eimear (Ireland)
It used to be there. I have it on my list of "words I discovered by doing spelling bee", but sadly now removed.
Ellen (Oregon)
If you live in a logging state a hoedad is a tool used for planting tree seedlings, and, by extension, a person who plants new trees.
ElaineS (NYC)
@Jimbo Sometimes, a previously-accepted word may drop off the Bee list, perhaps to make room for a new word. Or, it’s just not selected for the day.
Kevin Kolb (New Orleans)
I made a worksheet for today's Bee. You can download it and signup to have it sent to you every morning if you'd like... https://thegamebureau.com/beesheet
Barbara (Wisconsin)
@Kevin Kolb This is great! Quite the upgrade from a used envelope (:-). Thanks for doing this. Barbara
peregrine (eden)
@Barbara interesting, thanks for providing this resource adding another line of text becasue short comments are so often rejected