Friday, September 13, 2024

Answers to yesterday's Bee

Jump to answers for


The official answers for today's puzzle are:

Click on the arrow to show the definition.
Click outside the pop-up to close it.



Number of Pangrams: 1

Maximum Puzzle Score: 164

Number of Answers: 39

Points Needed for Genius: 115

Genius requires between 17 and 35 words. You need at least an 8-letter word to reach genius. If you don't get the pangram, you need 78% of the total points to reach genius. If you get the pangram, you only need 67% of the remaining points to reach genius.

Other days with this pangram:

The button below will reveal a chart with the number of words by each letter. Red bars indicate that there is a pangram(s) starting with that letter.


How does this puzzle compare to other puzzles?

Today's score of 164 was in the 50th percentile of all puzzles.
The last time there was a score this high was on September 11, 2024.
The highest score ever was 537 on January 22, 2021.
The lowest score ever was 47 on March 27, 2023.

This puzzle's 39 possible answers rank it in the 52nd percentile of all puzzles.
The last time there were more answers than this was on September 12, 2024.
The highest number of answers was 81 on June 8, 2019.
The lowest number of answers was 16 on March 27, 2023.

It takes an 8-letter word for genius.
The last time this happened was on September 8, 2024.

Today's puzzle has an average word length of 5.3.
For all Bees, the average word length has been 5.3.



Haven't I seen these letters before?

Hover over a letter to see its first and most recent appearance in the Bee!



Haven't I seen these words before?

The most common words in the Bee are:

  • noon 179
  • loll 172
  • toot 164
  • naan 159
  • nana 159
  • lilt 128
  • till 128
  • tilt 128
  • tint 121
  • mama 114
  • mamma 114
  • acacia 110
  • acai 110
  • nene 109
  • onto 106
  • toon 106
  • anal 105
  • boob 104
  • booboo 104
  • onion 104
  • anon 102
  • lull 101
  • lulu 101
  • olio 100
  • baba 99
  • papa 97
  • call 96
  • calla 96
  • mitt 96
  • poop 96
  • dodo 95
  • allay 94
  • ally 94
  • ratatat 94
  • tart 94
  • tartar 94
  • tatty 94
  • attar 93
  • cocci 93
  • tact 91
  • mono 90
  • moon 90
  • nanny 90
  • epee 89
  • loon 89
  • peep 89
  • radar 89
  • tattoo 89
  • tutu 89
  • array 87


How long are words in the Bee?

There have been 90,453 answers ever accepted in the Bee - with 10,238 unique words.
Below are the distributions of the lengths of these words.



Valid dictionary words not in today's official answers

You may be wondering why these words aren't here*:

  • aahed
  • ahed
  • cachaca
  • chachka
  • cheeked
  • chickee
  • chid
  • dhak
  • dickhead
  • eche
  • eched
  • hacek
  • hackee
  • hackie
  • hade
  • haded
  • haed
  • haha
  • haick
  • haik
  • haika
  • hickie
  • hided
  • keddah
  • khadi
  • kheda
  • khedah

*Because the New York Times considers them obscure or offensive.

ache

Etymology 1

noun
  1. Continued dull pain, as distinguished from sudden twinges, or spasmodic pain.
verb
  1. To suffer pain; to be the source of, or be in, pain, especially continued dull pain; to be distressed.
  2. To cause someone or something to suffer pain.

Etymology 2

noun
  1. Parsley

Etymology 3

noun
  1. The name of the Latin-script letter H.

ached

verb
  1. To suffer pain; to be the source of, or be in, pain, especially continued dull pain; to be distressed.
  2. To cause someone or something to suffer pain.

acidhead

noun
  1. A person who uses the hallucinogenic drug LSD.

ahead

adverb
  1. In or to the front; in advance; onward.
  2. In the direction one is facing or moving.
  3. In or for the future.
  4. At an earlier time.
  5. Having progressed more.

cache

noun
  1. A store of things that may be required in the future, which can be retrieved rapidly, protected or hidden in some way.
  2. A fast temporary storage where recently or frequently used information is stored to avoid having to reload it from a slower storage medium.
  3. (geocaching) A container containing treasure in a global treasure-hunt game.
verb
  1. To place in a cache.

cached

verb
  1. To place in a cache.

chad

Etymology 1

noun
  1. Small pieces of paper punched out from the edges of continuous stationery, or from ballot papers, paper tape, punched cards, etc.
  2. One of these pieces of paper.

Etymology 2

noun
  1. (pickup community) A very handsome, usually tall, man whom women find sexually attractive; at times seen as an alpha male of a group.

chai

Etymology 1

noun
  1. A female gypsy.

Etymology 2

noun
  1. Short for masala chai, a beverage made with black teas, steamed milk and sweet spices, based loosely on Indian recipes.

check

Etymology 1

noun
  1. A situation in which the king is directly threatened by an opposing piece.
  2. An inspection or examination.
  3. A control; a limit or stop.
  4. A mark (especially a checkmark: ✓) used as an indicator.
  5. An order to a bank to pay money to a named person or entity.
  6. A bill, particularly in a restaurant.
  7. A maneuver performed by a player to take another player out of the play.
  8. A token used instead of cash in gaming machines, or in gambling generally.
  9. A lengthwise separation through the growth rings in wood.
  10. A mark, certificate or token by which errors may be prevented, or a thing or person may be identified.
  11. The forsaking by a hawk of its proper game to follow other birds.
  12. A small chink or crack.

Etymology 2

verb
  1. To inspect; to examine.
  2. To verify the accuracy of a text or translation, usually making some corrections (proofread) or many (copyedit).
  3. (often used with "off") To mark items on a list (with a checkmark or by crossing them out) that have been chosen for keeping or removal or that have been dealt with (for example, completed or verified as correct or satisfactory).
  4. To control, limit, or halt.
  5. To verify or compare with a source of information.
  6. To leave in safekeeping.
  7. To leave with a shipping agent for shipping.
  8. To pass or bounce the ball to an opponent from behind the three-point line and have the opponent pass or bounce it back to start play.
  9. To disrupt another player with the stick or body to obtain possession of the ball or puck.
  10. To remain in a hand without betting. Only legal if no one has yet bet.
  11. To make a move which puts an adversary's king in check; to put in check.
  12. To chide, rebuke, or reprove.
  13. To slack or ease off, as a brace which is too stiffly extended.
  14. To crack or gape open, as wood in drying; or to crack in small checks, as varnish, paint, etc.
  15. To make checks or chinks in; to cause to crack.
  16. To make a stop; to pause; with at.
  17. To clash or interfere.
  18. To act as a curb or restraint.
  19. To turn, when in pursuit of proper game, and fly after other birds.

Etymology 3

noun
  1. (usually pluralized) A pattern made up of a grid of squares of alternating colors; a checkered pattern.
  2. Any fabric woven with such a pattern.
verb
  1. To mark with a check pattern.
adjective
  1. Divided into small squares by transverse, perpendicular, and horizontal lines.

checked

verb
  1. To inspect; to examine.
  2. To verify the accuracy of a text or translation, usually making some corrections (proofread) or many (copyedit).
  3. (often used with "off") To mark items on a list (with a checkmark or by crossing them out) that have been chosen for keeping or removal or that have been dealt with (for example, completed or verified as correct or satisfactory).
  4. To control, limit, or halt.
  5. To verify or compare with a source of information.
  6. To leave in safekeeping.
  7. To leave with a shipping agent for shipping.
  8. To pass or bounce the ball to an opponent from behind the three-point line and have the opponent pass or bounce it back to start play.
  9. To disrupt another player with the stick or body to obtain possession of the ball or puck.
  10. To remain in a hand without betting. Only legal if no one has yet bet.
  11. To make a move which puts an adversary's king in check; to put in check.
  12. To chide, rebuke, or reprove.
  13. To slack or ease off, as a brace which is too stiffly extended.
  14. To crack or gape open, as wood in drying; or to crack in small checks, as varnish, paint, etc.
  15. To make checks or chinks in; to cause to crack.
  16. To make a stop; to pause; with at.
  17. To clash or interfere.
  18. To act as a curb or restraint.
  19. To turn, when in pursuit of proper game, and fly after other birds.
verb
  1. To mark with a check pattern.
adjective
  1. Having a pattern of checks; checkered.
  2. Of syllables, having a coda.
  3. Of consonants, glottalized.
  4. Verified or validated in some way.

cheek

noun
  1. The soft skin on each side of the face, below the eyes; the outer surface of the sides of the oral cavity.
  2. (usually in the plural) The lower part of the buttocks that is often exposed beneath very brief underwear, swimwear, or extremely short shorts.
  3. Impudence.
  4. One of the genae, flat areas on the sides of a trilobite's cephalon.
  5. One of the pieces of a machine, or of timber or stonework, that form corresponding sides or a similar pair.
  6. (in plural) The branches of a bridle bit.
  7. Either side of an axehead.
  8. The middle section of a flask, made so that it can be moved laterally, to permit the removal of the pattern from the mould.
verb
  1. To be impudent towards.
  2. To pull a horse's head back toward the saddle using the cheek strap of the bridle.

chia

noun
  1. A Mexican sage grown for its edible seeds, Salvia hispanica.
  2. Salvia columbariae, a sage with similar seeds, native to the southwestern US and northwestern Mexico.

chic

Etymology 1

noun
  1. Good form; style.
  2. A person with (a particular type of) chic.
adjective
  1. Elegant, stylish.

Etymology 2

noun
  1. A kind of ritual buffoon or clown in Yucatec Maya culture.

chica

Etymology 1

noun
  1. A Latin-American girl; a Latina.

Etymology 2

noun
  1. An orange-red dyestuff obtained by boiling the leaves of the bignonia.

chichi

Etymology 1

adjective
  1. Affectedly trendy; chic and stylish

Etymology 2

noun
  1. (Latin America, chiefly in the plural) A woman's breast.

chick

Etymology 1

noun
  1. A young bird.
  2. A young chicken.
  3. (term of endearment) A young child.
  4. A young, especially attractive, woman or teenage girl.
verb
  1. To sprout, as seed does in the ground; to vegetate.

Etymology 2

noun
  1. A screen or blind made of finely slit bamboo and twine, hung in doorways or windows.

chickadee

noun
  1. A small passerine bird (songbird) of the genus Parus or the family Paridae.
  2. Affectionate term of address.

chide

verb
  1. To admonish in blame; to reproach angrily.
  2. To utter words of disapprobation and displeasure; to find fault; to contend angrily.
  3. To make a clamorous noise; to chafe.

chided

verb
  1. To admonish in blame; to reproach angrily.
  2. To utter words of disapprobation and displeasure; to find fault; to contend angrily.
  3. To make a clamorous noise; to chafe.

dacha

noun
  1. A Russian villa or summer house in the countryside.

deadhead

noun
  1. A fan of the rock band The Grateful Dead.
noun
  1. A person either admitted to a theatrical or musical performance without charge, or paid to attend.
  2. An employee of a transportation company, especially a pilot, traveling as a passenger for logistical reasons, for example to return home or travel to their next assignment.
  3. Anyone traveling for free.
  4. A train or truck moved between cities with no passengers or freight, in order to make it available for service.
  5. A person staying at a lodging, such as a hotel or boarding house, without paying rent; freeloader.
  6. A stupid or boring person; dullard.
  7. A tree or tree branch fixed in the bottom of a river or other navigable body of water, partially submerged or rising nearly the surface, by which boats are sometimes pierced and sunk; snag.
  8. Driftwood.
  9. A zombie.
verb
  1. To admit to a performance without charge.
  2. To travel as a deadhead, or non-paying passenger.
  3. To drive an empty vehicle.
  4. To send (a person or message) for free.
  5. To remove spent or dead blossoms from a plant.

deadheaded

verb
  1. To admit to a performance without charge.
  2. To travel as a deadhead, or non-paying passenger.
  3. To drive an empty vehicle.
  4. To send (a person or message) for free.
  5. To remove spent or dead blossoms from a plant.

each

noun
  1. (operations) An individual item: the least quantitative unit in a grouping.
adverb
  1. For one; apiece; per.
pronoun
  1. Every one; every thing.

hack

Etymology 1

noun
  1. A tool for chopping.
  2. A hacking blow.
  3. A gouge or notch made by such a blow.
  4. A dry cough.
  5. A hacking; a catch in speaking; a short, broken cough.
  6. A try, an attempt.
  7. The foothold traditionally cut into the ice from which the person who throws the rock pushes off for delivery.
  8. A mattock or a miner's pickaxe.
  9. An expedient, temporary solution, such as a small patch or change to code, meant to be replaced with a more elegant solution at a later date.
  10. An interesting technical achievement, particularly in computer programming.
  11. A trick, shortcut, skill, or novelty method to increase productivity, efficiency or ease.
  12. An illegal attempt to gain access to a computer network.
  13. A video game or any computer software that has been altered from its original state.
  14. Time check.
  15. A swing of the bat at a pitched ball by the batter.
  16. A kick on the shins in football.
  17. Confinement of an officer to their stateroom as a punishment.
verb
  1. To chop or cut down in a rough manner.
  2. To cough noisily.
  3. To withstand or put up with a difficult situation.
  4. To make a quick code change to patch a computer program, often one that, while being effective, is inelegant or makes the program harder to maintain.
  5. To accomplish a difficult programming task.
  6. To work with something on an intimately technical level.
  7. (by extension) To apply a trick, shortcut, skill, or novelty method to something to increase productivity, efficiency or ease.
  8. To hack into; to gain unauthorized access to (a computer system, e.g., a website, or network) by manipulating code.
  9. (by extension) To gain unauthorised access to a computer or online account belonging to (a person or organisation).
  10. To strike an opponent's leg with one's hockey stick.
  11. To make a flailing attempt to hit the puck with a hockey stick.
  12. To swing at a pitched ball.
  13. (soccer and rugby) To kick (a player) on the shins.
  14. To strike in a frantic movement.
  15. To strike lightly as part of tapotement massage.

Etymology 2

noun
  1. A board which the falcon's food is placed on; used by extension for the state of partial freedom in which they are kept before being trained.
  2. A food-rack for cattle.
  3. A rack used to dry something, such as bricks, fish, or cheese.
  4. A grating in a mill race.
verb
  1. To lay (bricks) on a rack to dry.
  2. To keep (young hawks) in a state of partial freedom, before they are trained.

Etymology 3

noun
  1. A horse for hire, especially one which is old and tired.
  2. A person, often a journalist, hired to do routine work.
  3. Someone who is available for hire; hireling, mercenary.
  4. A taxicab (hackney cab) driver.
  5. A vehicle let for hire; originally, a hackney coach, now typically a taxicab.
  6. A hearse.
  7. (authorship) An untalented writer.
  8. One who is professionally successful despite producing mediocre work. (Usually applied to persons in a creative field.)
  9. A talented writer-for-hire, paid to put others' thoughts into felicitous language.
  10. A political agitator. (slightly derogatory)
  11. A writer who hires himself out for any sort of literary work; an overworked man; a drudge.
  12. A procuress.
verb
  1. To make common or cliched; to vulgarise.
  2. To ride a horse at a regular pace; to ride on a road (as opposed to riding cross-country etc.).
  3. To be exposed or offered or to common use for hire; to turn prostitute.
  4. To live the life of a drudge or hack.
  5. To use as a hack; to let out for hire.
  6. To use frequently and indiscriminately, so as to render trite and commonplace.

Etymology 4

noun
  1. A small ball usually made of woven cotton or suede and filled with rice, sand or some other filler, for use in hackeysack.
verb
  1. To play hackeysack.

hacked

verb
  1. To chop or cut down in a rough manner.
  2. To cough noisily.
  3. To withstand or put up with a difficult situation.
  4. To make a quick code change to patch a computer program, often one that, while being effective, is inelegant or makes the program harder to maintain.
  5. To accomplish a difficult programming task.
  6. To work with something on an intimately technical level.
  7. (by extension) To apply a trick, shortcut, skill, or novelty method to something to increase productivity, efficiency or ease.
  8. To hack into; to gain unauthorized access to (a computer system, e.g., a website, or network) by manipulating code.
  9. (by extension) To gain unauthorised access to a computer or online account belonging to (a person or organisation).
  10. To strike an opponent's leg with one's hockey stick.
  11. To make a flailing attempt to hit the puck with a hockey stick.
  12. To swing at a pitched ball.
  13. (soccer and rugby) To kick (a player) on the shins.
  14. To strike in a frantic movement.
  15. To strike lightly as part of tapotement massage.
verb
  1. To lay (bricks) on a rack to dry.
  2. To keep (young hawks) in a state of partial freedom, before they are trained.
verb
  1. To make common or cliched; to vulgarise.
  2. To ride a horse at a regular pace; to ride on a road (as opposed to riding cross-country etc.).
  3. To be exposed or offered or to common use for hire; to turn prostitute.
  4. To live the life of a drudge or hack.
  5. To use as a hack; to let out for hire.
  6. To use frequently and indiscriminately, so as to render trite and commonplace.
verb
  1. To play hackeysack.

hake

Etymology 1

noun
  1. A hook; a pot-hook.
  2. A kind of weapon; a pike.
  3. (in the plural) The draught-irons of a plough.

Etymology 2

noun
  1. One of several species of marine gadoid fishes, of the genera Phycis, Merluccius, and allies.

Etymology 3

noun
  1. A drying shed, as for unburned tile.

Etymology 4

verb
  1. To loiter; to sneak.

head

Etymology 1

noun
  1. The part of the body of an animal or human which contains the brain, mouth and main sense organs.
  2. The topmost, foremost, or leading part.
  3. (social, metonymy) A leader or expert.
  4. A significant or important part.
  5. Headway; progress.
  6. Topic; subject.
  7. Denouement; crisis.
  8. (fluid dynamics) Pressure and energy.
  9. Fellatio or cunnilingus; oral sex.
  10. The glans penis.
  11. A heavy or habitual user of illicit drugs.
  12. Power; armed force.
verb
  1. To be in command of. (See also head up.)
  2. To come at the beginning of; to commence.
  3. To strike with the head; as in soccer, to head the ball
  4. To move in a specified direction.
  5. To remove the head from a fish.
  6. To originate; to spring; to have its course, as a river.
  7. To form a head.
  8. To form a head to; to fit or furnish with a head.
  9. To cut off the top of; to lop off.
  10. To behead; to decapitate.
  11. To go in front of.
  12. To get in the front of, so as to hinder or stop; to oppose.
  13. (by extension) To check or restrain.
  14. To set on the head.
adjective
  1. Of, relating to, or intended for the head.

Etymology 2

adjective
  1. Foremost in rank or importance.
  2. Placed at the top or the front.
  3. Coming from in front.

headache

noun
  1. A pain or ache in the head.
  2. A nuisance or unpleasant problem.

headed

Etymology 1

adjective
  1. Of a sheet of paper: having the sender's name, address, etc. pre-printed at the top.
  2. (in combination) Having a head with specified characteristics.
  3. (in combination) Heading in a certain direction.

Etymology 2

verb
  1. To be in command of. (See also head up.)
  2. To come at the beginning of; to commence.
  3. To strike with the head; as in soccer, to head the ball
  4. To move in a specified direction.
  5. To remove the head from a fish.
  6. To originate; to spring; to have its course, as a river.
  7. To form a head.
  8. To form a head to; to fit or furnish with a head.
  9. To cut off the top of; to lop off.
  10. To behead; to decapitate.
  11. To go in front of.
  12. To get in the front of, so as to hinder or stop; to oppose.
  13. (by extension) To check or restrain.
  14. To set on the head.

heck

Etymology 1

noun
  1. Hell.
interjection
  1. Hell.

Etymology 2

noun
  1. The bolt or latch of a door.
  2. A rack for cattle to feed at.
  3. A door, especially one partly of latticework.
  4. A latticework contrivance for catching fish.
  5. An apparatus for separating the threads of warps into sets, as they are wound upon the reel from the bobbins, in a warping machine.
  6. A bend or winding of a stream.

heed

noun
  1. Careful attention.
verb
  1. To guard, protect.
  2. To mind; to regard with care; to take notice of; to attend to; to observe.
  3. To pay attention, care.

heeded

verb
  1. To guard, protect.
  2. To mind; to regard with care; to take notice of; to attend to; to observe.
  3. To pay attention, care.

hick

Etymology 1

noun
  1. An awkward, naive, clumsy and/or rude country person.

Etymology 2

verb
  1. To hiccup

hide

Etymology 1

verb
  1. To put (something) in a place where it will be harder to discover or out of sight.
  2. To put oneself in a place where one will be harder to find or out of sight.

Etymology 2

noun
  1. The skin of an animal.
  2. The human skin.
  3. (usually United States) One's own life or personal safety, especially when in peril.
  4. (mainly British) A covered structure from which hunters, birdwatchers, etc can observe animals without scaring them.
  5. A secret room for hiding oneself or valuables; a hideaway.
  6. A covered structure to which a pet animal can retreat, as is recommended for snakes.
verb
  1. To beat with a whip made from hide.

Etymology 3

noun
  1. A unit of land and tax assessment of varying size, originally as intended to support one household with dependents.

hied

verb
  1. To hasten; to go quickly, to hurry.
  2. To hurry (oneself).

hike

noun
  1. A long walk.
  2. An abrupt increase.
  3. The snap of the ball to start a play.
  4. A sharp upward tug to raise something.
verb
  1. To take a long walk for pleasure or exercise.
  2. To unfairly or suddenly raise a price.
  3. To snap the ball to start a play.
  4. To lean out to the windward side of a sailboat in order to counterbalance the effects of the wind on the sails.
  5. To pull up or tug upwards sharply.

hiked

verb
  1. To take a long walk for pleasure or exercise.
  2. To unfairly or suddenly raise a price.
  3. To snap the ball to start a play.
  4. To lean out to the windward side of a sailboat in order to counterbalance the effects of the wind on the sails.
  5. To pull up or tug upwards sharply.

khaki

noun
  1. A dull, yellowish-brown colour, the colour of dust.
  2. Khaki green, a dull green colour.
  3. A strong cloth of wool or cotton, often used for military or other uniforms.
  4. A soldier wearing a khaki uniform.
  5. A British person (from the colour of the uniform of British troops, originally in the Second Boer War; compare rooinek). (In this sense the plural generally is khakies.)
  6. Khaki clothing or uniform, commonly in the plural.
adjective
  1. Dust-coloured; of the colour of dust.

haka

noun
  1. A group dance of New Zealand's Maori people featuring rhythmic chanting, vigorous facial and arm movements, and foot stamping. Traditionally a war dance, today it is also performed to welcome guests, as a mark of respect at occasions such as commemorations and funerals, as a challenge to opposing teams at sports events, and for artistic purposes.
verb
  1. To perform the haka.