Tuesday, January 21, 2025

Answers to yesterday's Bee

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The official answers for today's puzzle are:

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Number of Pangrams: 1

Maximum Puzzle Score: 188

Number of Answers: 35

Points Needed for Genius: 132

Genius requires between 17 and 30 words. You need at least an 8-letter word to reach genius. If you don't get the pangram, you need 76% of the total points to reach genius. If you get the pangram, you only need 68% of the remaining points to reach genius.

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 188 was in the 61st percentile of all puzzles.
The last time there was a score this high was on January 20, 2025.
The highest score ever was 537 on January 22, 2021.
The lowest score ever was 47 on March 27, 2023.

This puzzle's 35 possible answers rank it in the 40th percentile of all puzzles.
The last time there were fewer answers than this was on January 20, 2025.
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 December 30, 2024.

Today's puzzle has an average word length of 6.0.
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 190
  • loll 182
  • toot 177
  • naan 167
  • nana 167
  • lilt 133
  • till 133
  • tilt 133
  • tint 130
  • mama 123
  • mamma 123
  • nene 123
  • acacia 116
  • acai 116
  • onto 115
  • toon 115
  • anal 111
  • onion 110
  • boob 108
  • booboo 108
  • anon 107
  • baba 104
  • olio 104
  • papa 103
  • lull 102
  • lulu 102
  • tact 102
  • dodo 101
  • mitt 101
  • poop 101
  • allay 99
  • ally 99
  • call 99
  • calla 99
  • ratatat 99
  • tart 99
  • tartar 99
  • attar 98
  • tattoo 98
  • tatty 97
  • tutu 97
  • cocci 96
  • mono 96
  • moon 96
  • ammo 95
  • momma 95
  • epee 94
  • peep 94
  • loon 91
  • loot 91


How long are words in the Bee?

There have been 96,128 answers ever accepted in the Bee - with 10,410 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*:

  • affinal
  • alfa
  • alif
  • faff
  • faffing
  • fagging
  • fagin
  • fain
  • fallal
  • fanga
  • figging
  • fila
  • filliping
  • finnan
  • finning
  • gaffing
  • gliff
  • infall
  • infalling
  • naff
  • naffing
  • niff
  • niffing
  • piaffing
  • pilaff

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

alfalfa

noun
  1. A plant, principally of Medicago sativa, grown as a pasture crop.
  2. A type or breed of this plant.

fail

Etymology 1

noun
  1. Poor quality; substandard workmanship.
  2. A failure (condition of being unsuccessful)
  3. A failure (something incapable of success)
  4. A failure, especially of a financial transaction (a termination of an action).
  5. A failing grade in an academic examination.
verb
  1. To be unsuccessful.
  2. Not to achieve a particular stated goal. (Usage note: The direct object of this word is usually an infinitive.)
  3. To neglect.
  4. Of a machine, etc.: to cease to operate correctly.
  5. To be wanting to, to be insufficient for, to disappoint, to desert.
  6. To receive one or more non-passing grades in academic pursuits.
  7. To give a student a non-passing grade in an academic endeavour.
  8. To miss attaining; to lose.
  9. To be wanting; to fall short; to be or become deficient in any measure or degree up to total absence.
  10. To be affected with want; to come short; to lack; to be deficient or unprovided; used with of.
  11. To fall away; to become diminished; to decline; to decay; to sink.
  12. To deteriorate in respect to vigour, activity, resources, etc.; to become weaker.
  13. To perish; to die; used of a person.
  14. To err in judgment; to be mistaken.
  15. To become unable to meet one's engagements; especially, to be unable to pay one's debts or discharge one's business obligation; to become bankrupt or insolvent.
adjective
  1. That is a failure.

Etymology 2

noun
  1. A piece of turf cut from grassland.

failing

verb
  1. To be unsuccessful.
  2. Not to achieve a particular stated goal. (Usage note: The direct object of this word is usually an infinitive.)
  3. To neglect.
  4. Of a machine, etc.: to cease to operate correctly.
  5. To be wanting to, to be insufficient for, to disappoint, to desert.
  6. To receive one or more non-passing grades in academic pursuits.
  7. To give a student a non-passing grade in an academic endeavour.
  8. To miss attaining; to lose.
  9. To be wanting; to fall short; to be or become deficient in any measure or degree up to total absence.
  10. To be affected with want; to come short; to lack; to be deficient or unprovided; used with of.
  11. To fall away; to become diminished; to decline; to decay; to sink.
  12. To deteriorate in respect to vigour, activity, resources, etc.; to become weaker.
  13. To perish; to die; used of a person.
  14. To err in judgment; to be mistaken.
  15. To become unable to meet one's engagements; especially, to be unable to pay one's debts or discharge one's business obligation; to become bankrupt or insolvent.
noun
  1. Weakness; defect
preposition
  1. If the preferred or prior option is not possible

fall

Etymology 1

noun
  1. The act of moving to a lower position under the effect of gravity.
  2. A reduction in quantity, pitch, etc.
  3. The time of the year when the leaves typically fall from the trees; autumn; the season of the year between the autumnal equinox and the winter solstice.
  4. A loss of greatness or status.
  5. That which falls or cascades.
  6. A crucial event or circumstance.
  7. A hairpiece for women consisting of long strands of hair on a woven backing, intended primarily to cover hair loss.
  8. Blame or punishment for a failure or misdeed.
  9. The part of the rope of a tackle to which the power is applied in hoisting (usu. plural).
  10. An old Scots unit of measure equal to six ells.
  11. A short, flexible piece of leather forming part of a bullwhip, placed between the thong and the cracker.
  12. The lid, on a piano, that covers the keyboard
verb
  1. (heading) To be moved downwards.
  2. To move downwards.
  3. To happen, to change negatively.
  4. To be allotted to; to arrive through chance, fate, or inheritance.
  5. To diminish; to lessen or lower.
  6. To bring forth.
  7. To issue forth into life; to be brought forth; said of the young of certain animals.
  8. To descend in character or reputation; to become degraded; to sink into vice, error, or sin.
  9. To become ensnared or entrapped; to be worse off than before.
  10. To assume a look of shame or disappointment; to become or appear dejected; said of the face.
  11. To happen; to come to pass; to chance or light (upon).
  12. To begin with haste, ardour, or vehemence; to rush or hurry.
  13. To be dropped or uttered carelessly.
  14. (of a fabric) To hang down (under the influence of gravity).

Etymology 2

noun
  1. The chasing of a hunted whale.

falling

verb
  1. (heading) To be moved downwards.
  2. To move downwards.
  3. To happen, to change negatively.
  4. To be allotted to; to arrive through chance, fate, or inheritance.
  5. To diminish; to lessen or lower.
  6. To bring forth.
  7. To issue forth into life; to be brought forth; said of the young of certain animals.
  8. To descend in character or reputation; to become degraded; to sink into vice, error, or sin.
  9. To become ensnared or entrapped; to be worse off than before.
  10. To assume a look of shame or disappointment; to become or appear dejected; said of the face.
  11. To happen; to come to pass; to chance or light (upon).
  12. To begin with haste, ardour, or vehemence; to rush or hurry.
  13. To be dropped or uttered carelessly.
  14. (of a fabric) To hang down (under the influence of gravity).
noun
  1. Present participle of fall
adjective
  1. That falls or fall.

fang

Etymology 1

noun
  1. A long, pointed canine tooth used for biting and tearing flesh
  2. (in snakes) a long pointed tooth for injecting venom
verb
  1. To strike or attack with the fangs.
  2. To enable to catch or tear; to furnish with fangs.

Etymology 2

verb
  1. To catch, capture; seize; grip; clutch; lay hold of.
  2. To take; receive with assent; accept.
  3. (as a guest) To receive with hospitality; welcome.
  4. (a thing given or imposed) To receive.
  5. To receive or adopt into spiritual relation, as in baptism; be godfather or godmother to.

Etymology 3

noun
  1. A grasping; capture; the act or power of seizing; hold.
  2. That which is seized or carried off; booty; spoils; stolen goods.
  3. Any projection, catch, shoot, or other thing by which hold is taken; a prehensile part or organ.
  4. A channel cut in the rock, or a pipe of wood, used for conveying air.
  5. (in the plural) Cage-shuts.
  6. The coil or bend of a rope; (by extension) a noose; a trap.
  7. The valve of a pump box.
verb
  1. To supply (a pump) with the water necessary for it to operate.

fanning

verb
  1. To blow air on (something) by means of a fan (hand-held, mechanical or electrical) or otherwise.
  2. To slap (a behind, especially).
  3. (usually to fan out) To move or spread in multiple directions from one point, in the shape of a hand-held fan.
  4. To dispel by waving a hand-held fan.
  5. To perform a maneuver that involves flicking the top rear of an old-style gun.
  6. (metaphoric) To invigorate, like flames when fanned.
  7. To winnow grain.
noun
  1. The act by which something is fanned.
  2. A very small fragment of tea leaf.

fifing

verb
  1. To play this instrument.

filial

adjective
  1. Pertaining to or befitting a son or daughter.
  2. Respectful of the duties and attitudes of a son or daughter toward their parents.
  3. Of a generation or generations descending from a specific previous one.

filing

verb
  1. To commit (official papers) to some office.
  2. To place in an archive in a logical place and order
  3. To store a file (aggregation of data) on a storage medium such as a disc or another computer.
  4. (with for) To submit a formal request to some office.
  5. To set in order; to arrange, or lay away.
verb
  1. To move in a file.
verb
  1. To smooth, grind, or cut with a file.
verb
  1. To defile
  2. To corrupt
noun
  1. Any particle that has been removed by a file or similar implement; a shaving.
  2. The act of storing documents in an archive; archiving.
  3. Something that has been officially filed; a document on file.

fill

Etymology 1

verb
  1. To occupy fully, to take up all of.
  2. To add contents to (a container, cavity or the like) so that it is full.
  3. To enter (something), making it full.
  4. To become full.
  5. To become pervaded with something.
  6. To satisfy or obey (an order, request or requirement).
  7. To install someone, or be installed, in (a position or office), eliminating a vacancy.
  8. To treat (a tooth) by adding a dental filling to it.
  9. To fill or supply fully with food; to feed; to satisfy.
  10. To trim (a yard) so that the wind blows on the after side of the sails.
  11. (of a male) To have sexual intercourse with (a female).

Etymology 2

noun
  1. (after a possessive) A sufficient or more than sufficient amount.
  2. An amount that fills a container.
  3. The filling of a container or area.
  4. Inexpensive material used to occupy empty spaces, especially in construction.
  5. Soil and/or human-created debris discovered within a cavity or cut in the layers and exposed by excavation; fill soil.
  6. An embankment, as in railroad construction, to fill a hollow or ravine; also, the place which is to be filled.
  7. A short passage, riff, or rhythmic sound that helps to keep the listener's attention during a break between the phrases of a melody.

Etymology 3

noun
  1. One of the thills or shafts of a carriage.

filling

verb
  1. To occupy fully, to take up all of.
  2. To add contents to (a container, cavity or the like) so that it is full.
  3. To enter (something), making it full.
  4. To become full.
  5. To become pervaded with something.
  6. To satisfy or obey (an order, request or requirement).
  7. To install someone, or be installed, in (a position or office), eliminating a vacancy.
  8. To treat (a tooth) by adding a dental filling to it.
  9. To fill or supply fully with food; to feed; to satisfy.
  10. To trim (a yard) so that the wind blows on the after side of the sails.
  11. (of a male) To have sexual intercourse with (a female).
noun
  1. Anything that is used to fill something.
  2. The contents of a pie, etc.
  3. Any material used to fill a cavity in a tooth or the result of using such material.
  4. The woof in woven fabrics.
  5. Prepared wort added to ale to cleanse it.
  6. A religious experience attributed to the Holy Ghost "filling" a believer.
adjective
  1. Of food, that satisfies the appetite by filling the stomach.

fillip

noun
  1. The action of holding the tip of a finger against the thumb and then releasing it with a snap; a flick.
  2. A smart strike or tap made using this action, or (by extension) by other means.
  3. (by extension) Something unimportant, a trifle; also, the brief time it takes to flick one's finger (see noun sense 1); a jiffy.
  4. (by extension) Something that excites or stimulates.
verb
  1. To strike, project, or propel with a fillip (that is, a finger released quickly after being pressed against the thumb); to flick.
  2. (by extension) To project quickly; to snap.
  3. (by extension) To strike or tap smartly.
  4. To drive as if by a fillip (noun sense 1); to excite, stimulate, whet.
  5. To make a fillip (noun sense 1) (with the fingers).

finagling

verb
  1. To obtain, arrange, or achieve by indirect, complicated and/or intensive efforts.
  2. To obtain, arrange, or achieve by deceitful methods, by trickery.
  3. To cheat or swindle; to use crafty, deceitful methods. (often with "out of" preceding the object)
noun
  1. The act of cheating or swindling

final

noun
  1. A final examination; a test or examination given at the end of a term or class; the test that concludes a class.
  2. The last round, game or match in a contest, after which the winner is determined.
  3. A contest that narrows a field of contestants (finalists) to ranked positions, usually in numbered places (1st place/prize, 2nd place/prize, etc.) or a winner and numbered runners-up (1st runner-up, etc.).
  4. The final part of a syllable, the combination of medial and rime in phonetics and phonology.
  5. The tonic or keynote of a Gregorian mode, and hence the final note of any conventional melody played in that mode.
adjective
  1. Last; ultimate.
  2. Conclusive; decisive.
  3. Respecting an end or object to be gained; respecting the purpose or ultimate end in view.
  4. (grammar) Expressing purpose; as in the term final clause.
  5. Word-final, occurring at the end of a word.

finial

noun
  1. The knot or bunch of foliage, or foliated ornament, that forms the upper extremity of a pinnacle in Gothic architecture.
  2. Any decorative fitting at the peak of a gable, or on the top of a flagpole, fence post or staircase newel post.

fining

verb
  1. To make finer, purer, or cleaner; to purify or clarify.
  2. To become finer, purer, or cleaner.
  3. To make finer, or less coarse, as in bulk, texture, etc.
  4. To change by fine gradations.
  5. To clarify (wine and beer) by filtration.
  6. To become gradually fine; to diminish; to dwindle (with away, down, or off).
verb
  1. To issue a fine as punishment to (someone).
  2. To pay a fine.
verb
  1. To finish; to cease.
  2. To cause to cease; to stop.

flag

Etymology 1

noun
  1. A piece of cloth, often decorated with an emblem, used as a visual signal or symbol.
  2. An exact representation of a flag (for example: a digital one used in websites).
  3. A flag flown by a ship to show the presence on board of the admiral; the admiral himself, or his flagship.
  4. (often used attributively) A signal flag.
  5. The use of a flag, especially to indicate the start of a race or other event.
  6. A variable or memory location that stores a true-or-false, yes-or-no value, typically either recording the fact that a certain event has occurred or requesting that a certain optional action take place.
  7. In a command line interface, a command parameter requesting optional behavior or otherwise modifying the action of the command being invoked.
  8. A mechanical indicator that pops up to draw the pilot's attention to a problem or malfunction.
  9. The game of capture the flag.
  10. A sequence of faces of a given polytope, one of each dimension up to that of the polytope (formally, though in practice not always explicitly, including the null face and the polytope itself), such that each face in the sequence is part of the next-higher dimension face.
  11. A sequence of subspaces of a vector space, beginning with the null space and ending with the vector space itself, such that each member of the sequence (until the last) is a proper subspace of the next.
verb
  1. To furnish or deck out with flags.
  2. To mark with a flag, especially to indicate the importance of something.
  3. (often with down) To signal to, especially to stop a passing vehicle etc.
  4. To convey (a message) by means of flag signals.
  5. (often with up) To note, mark or point out for attention.
  6. To signal (an event).
  7. To set a program variable to true.
  8. To decoy (game) by waving a flag, handkerchief, etc. to arouse the animal's curiosity.
  9. To penalize for an infraction.
  10. To defeat (an opponent) on time, especially in a blitz game.

Etymology 2

verb
  1. To weaken, become feeble.
  2. To hang loose without stiffness; to bend down, as flexible bodies; to be loose, yielding, limp.
  3. To let droop; to suffer to fall, or let fall, into feebleness.
  4. To enervate; to exhaust the vigour or elasticity of.

Etymology 3

noun
  1. Any of various plants with sword-shaped leaves, especially irises; specifically, Iris pseudacorus.

Etymology 4

noun
  1. A slice of turf; a sod.
  2. A slab of stone; a flagstone, a flat piece of stone used for paving.
  3. Any hard, evenly stratified sandstone, which splits into layers suitable for flagstones.
verb
  1. To pave with flagstones.

Etymology 5

noun
  1. A group of feathers on the lower part of the legs of certain hawks, owls, etc.
  2. A group of elongated wing feathers in certain hawks.
  3. The bushy tail of a dog such as a setter.
  4. A hook attached to the stem of a written note that assigns its rhythmic value

flagging

verb
  1. To furnish or deck out with flags.
  2. To mark with a flag, especially to indicate the importance of something.
  3. (often with down) To signal to, especially to stop a passing vehicle etc.
  4. To convey (a message) by means of flag signals.
  5. (often with up) To note, mark or point out for attention.
  6. To signal (an event).
  7. To set a program variable to true.
  8. To decoy (game) by waving a flag, handkerchief, etc. to arouse the animal's curiosity.
  9. To penalize for an infraction.
  10. To defeat (an opponent) on time, especially in a blitz game.
verb
  1. To weaken, become feeble.
  2. To hang loose without stiffness; to bend down, as flexible bodies; to be loose, yielding, limp.
  3. To let droop; to suffer to fall, or let fall, into feebleness.
  4. To enervate; to exhaust the vigour or elasticity of.
verb
  1. To pave with flagstones.
noun
  1. A pavement or sidewalk of flagstones; flagstones, collectively.
  2. The process by which something flags or tires.

flail

noun
  1. A tool used for threshing, consisting of a long handle with a shorter stick attached with a short piece of chain, thong or similar material.
  2. A weapon which has the (usually spherical) striking part attached to the handle with a flexible joint such as a chain.
verb
  1. To beat using a flail or similar implement.
  2. To wave or swing vigorously
  3. To thresh.
  4. To move like a flail.

flailing

verb
  1. To beat using a flail or similar implement.
  2. To wave or swing vigorously
  3. To thresh.
  4. To move like a flail.
noun
  1. A flailing action or motion.

flan

Etymology 1

noun
  1. Baked tart with sweet or savoury filling in an open-topped pastry case. (Compare quiche.)
  2. (Belize) A dessert of congealed custard, often topped with caramel, especially popular in Spanish-speaking countries.
  3. A coin die. (Compare planchet.)

Etymology 2

noun
  1. A fan of the U.S. TV series Firefly.

flanging

noun
  1. A flange.
  2. A time-based audio effect produced when two identical signals are mixed together, but with one signal time-delayed by a small and gradually changing amount, usually smaller than 20 milliseconds.

flap

No Definition Found.

flapping

noun
  1. An instance where one flaps.
  2. A phonological process found in many dialects of English, especially American English and Canadian English, by which intervocalic /t/ and /d/ surface as the alveolar flap /ɾ/ before an unstressed syllable, so that words such as "metal" and "medal" are pronounced similarly or identically.
  3. The situation where a resource, a network destination, etc., is advertised as being available and then unavailable (or available by different routes) in rapid succession.
adjective
  1. That flaps or flap

fling

Etymology 1

noun
  1. An act of throwing, often violently.
  2. An act of moving the limbs or body with violent movements, especially in a dance.
  3. An act or period of unrestrained indulgence.
  4. A short casual sexual relationship.
  5. An attempt, a try (as in "give it a fling").
  6. A severe or contemptuous remark; an expression of sarcastic scorn; a gibe or taunt.
  7. A lively Scottish country dance.
  8. A trifling matter; an object of contempt.

Etymology 2

verb
  1. To move (oneself) abruptly or violently; to rush or dash.
  2. To throw with violence or quick movement; to hurl.
  3. To throw; to wince; to flounce.
  4. To utter abusive language; to sneer.

flinging

verb
  1. To move (oneself) abruptly or violently; to rush or dash.
  2. To throw with violence or quick movement; to hurl.
  3. To throw; to wince; to flounce.
  4. To utter abusive language; to sneer.
noun
  1. The act by which something is flung.

flip

Etymology 1

noun
  1. A maneuver which rotates an object end over end.
  2. A complete change of direction, decision, movement etc.
  3. A slingshot.
  4. A hairstyle popular among boys in the 1960s–70s and 2000s–10s, in which the hair goes halfway down the ears, at which point it sticks out
  5. The purchase of an asset (usually a house) which is then improved and sold quickly for profit.
verb
  1. To throw so as to turn over.
  2. To put into a quick revolving motion through a snap of the thumb and index finger.
  3. To win a state (or county) won by another party in the preceding elections
  4. To turn state's evidence; to agree to testify against one's co-conspirators in exchange for concessions from prosecutors.
  5. To induce someone to turn state's evidence; to get someone to agree to testify against their co-conspirators in exchange for concessions.
  6. To go berserk or crazy.
  7. To buy an asset (usually a house), improve it and sell it quickly for profit.
  8. To invert a bit (binary digit), changing it from 0 to 1 or from 1 to 0.

Etymology 2

interjection
  1. Used to express annoyance, especially when the speaker has made an error.

Etymology 3

adjective
  1. Having the quality of playfulness, or lacking seriousness of purpose.
  2. Sarcastic.
  3. Disrespectful, flippant.

Etymology 4

noun
  1. A mixture of beer, spirit, etc., stirred and heated by a hot iron (a flip dog).

flipping

verb
  1. To throw so as to turn over.
  2. To put into a quick revolving motion through a snap of the thumb and index finger.
  3. To win a state (or county) won by another party in the preceding elections
  4. To turn state's evidence; to agree to testify against one's co-conspirators in exchange for concessions from prosecutors.
  5. To induce someone to turn state's evidence; to get someone to agree to testify against their co-conspirators in exchange for concessions.
  6. To go berserk or crazy.
  7. To buy an asset (usually a house), improve it and sell it quickly for profit.
  8. To invert a bit (binary digit), changing it from 0 to 1 or from 1 to 0.
noun
  1. The practice of buying real estate, making improvements to it, and reselling it for a higher price.
adjective
  1. A mild intensifier.
adverb
  1. Fucking; used as an intensifier to modify verbs, adjectives, and other adverbs

gaff

Etymology 1

noun
  1. A tool consisting of a large metal hook with a handle or pole, especially the one used to pull large fish aboard a boat.
  2. A minor error or faux pas, a gaffe.
  3. A trick or con.
  4. The upper spar used to control a gaff-rigged sail.
  5. A garment worn to hide the genitals.
verb
  1. To use a gaff, especially to land a fish.
  2. To cheat or hoax.
  3. To gamble.
  4. To affix or cover with gaffer tape.
noun
  1. A sturdy adhesive tape, made of plastic reinforced with cross-linked fibre, often used by lighting electricians.

Etymology 2

noun
  1. Rough or harsh treatment; criticism.
  2. An outcry; nonsense.

Etymology 3

noun
  1. (especially Manchester and Cockney) A place of residence.

infill

Etymology 1

noun
  1. That which fills in a space, hole or gap.
  2. The redecoration of a fingernail or toenail after it has grown, to prevent an unsightly gap.
verb
  1. To fill in a space, hole or gap.
  2. To rededicate land in an urban environment to new construction.

Etymology 2

noun
  1. Infiltration, the act of going into a place.

infilling

Etymology 1

verb
  1. To fill in a space, hole or gap.
  2. To rededicate land in an urban environment to new construction.

Etymology 2

noun
  1. Infilled material

naif

noun
  1. One who is naive.
adjective
  1. Naive.

piffling

verb
  1. To act or speak in a futile, ineffective, or nonsensical manner.
  2. To waste, to fritter away.
  3. To be squeamish or delicate.
adjective
  1. Unimportant

pilaf

noun
  1. A dish made by browning grain, typically rice, in oil and then cooking it with a seasoned broth, to which meat and/or vegetables may be added.