# NYT Spelling Bee drives me crazy **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Tags:** board-card-word-game\ **Created:** [December 17, 2023, 3:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nyt-spelling-bee-drives-me-crazy/994739 "2023-12-17T15:50:32Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 102
**Author:** ![Maserschmidt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/maserschmidt/32/18829_2.png) [@Maserschmidt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maserschmidt)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2025, 4:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nyt-spelling-bee-drives-me-crazy/994739/2021 "2025-09-09T16:42:37Z")
Sometimes pangrams are boring, but today was fun pangrammery. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2025, 5:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nyt-spelling-bee-drives-me-crazy/994739/2022 "2025-09-09T17:01:09Z")
I was disappointed that bellend was not accepted. ---
**Author:** ![hajario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hajario/32/171_2.png) [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2025, 5:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nyt-spelling-bee-drives-me-crazy/994739/2023 "2025-09-09T17:02:06Z")
I tried that too ---
**Author:** ![susan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/susan/32/17537_2.png) [@susan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/susan)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2025, 5:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nyt-spelling-bee-drives-me-crazy/994739/2024 "2025-09-09T17:12:39Z")
Nor LODEN or DOLMEN. ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2025, 2:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nyt-spelling-bee-drives-me-crazy/994739/2025 "2025-09-11T14:25:27Z")
Sigh. I’d been paying for an NYT Sunday subscription (with gritted teeth) for my elderly parents, but they don’t really read it anymore. So I’ve cancelled my subscription, which means bye-bye to QBs because god knows I don’t want to give them any more money. Such is life. ---
**Author:** ![dtilque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d6d6ee/32.png) [@dtilque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dtilque)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2025, 3:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nyt-spelling-bee-drives-me-crazy/994739/2026 "2025-09-11T15:04:09Z")
It’s possible to have a Games-only subscription. That’s what I have after cancelling my newspaper subscription. ---
**Author:** ![commasense](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/commasense/32/3017_2.png) [@commasense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/commasense)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2025, 5:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nyt-spelling-bee-drives-me-crazy/994739/2027 "2025-09-11T17:17:10Z")
I got to QB today pretty quickly, using only the tables at Spelling Bee Buddy, but no other hints. Two questions about Spelling Bee that I’ve asked here, but no one has answered yet: 1. Is it always the case that you can get to Genius without using four-letter words? 2. Has anyone figured out why the borders around some letters are sometimes larger? Is it some kind of clue, or a random glitch, or what? ---
**Author:** ![susan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/susan/32/17537_2.png) [@susan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/susan)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2025, 5:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nyt-spelling-bee-drives-me-crazy/994739/2028 "2025-09-11T17:19:02Z")
For the second question, I experience it as a random glitch, more likely to happen if I’m playing on my phone. ---
**Author:** ![Maserschmidt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/maserschmidt/32/18829_2.png) [@Maserschmidt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maserschmidt)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2025, 5:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nyt-spelling-bee-drives-me-crazy/994739/2029 "2025-09-11T17:41:14Z")
> [@commasense](#): > > Is it always the case that you can get to Genius without using four-letter words? I’m one of those 4LW-excluders, and while I don’t have a comprehensive proof, I believe the answer is a firm yes. ---
**Author:** ![BlankSlate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blankslate/32/80_2.png) [@BlankSlate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BlankSlate)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2025, 5:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nyt-spelling-bee-drives-me-crazy/994739/2030 "2025-09-11T17:43:35Z")
> [@commasense](#): > > Is it always the case that you can get to Genius without using four-letter words? In general I have no idea, but there was [one bee](https://www.sbsolver.com/s/1259) that had zero four letter words, so you could get all the way to Queen without using one. That must have pleased the folks who play that way. ---
**Author:** ![dtilque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d6d6ee/32.png) [@dtilque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dtilque)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2025, 8:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nyt-spelling-bee-drives-me-crazy/994739/2031 "2025-09-12T08:35:44Z")
Something a little different about today’s game. They’re giving out badges (big whoop) but one change fooled me. The Rankings popup included the QB rank, which it didn’t before. I didn’t notice this and assumed the second line was the Amazing score, which I use to compute the QB score. So I was anticipating a much higher QB score and got a surprise when the QB page popped up unexpectedly. ---
**Author:** ![Maserschmidt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/maserschmidt/32/18829_2.png) [@Maserschmidt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maserschmidt)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2025, 10:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nyt-spelling-bee-drives-me-crazy/994739/2032 "2025-09-12T10:49:57Z")
Huh, it’s not showing up for me yet, I’m on a Safari browser, but I’ll be glad when it’s there. It always struck me as silly that it didn’t show. ---
**Author:** ![carlb](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carlb/32/5930_2.png) [@carlb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carlb)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2025, 2:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nyt-spelling-bee-drives-me-crazy/994739/2033 "2025-09-12T14:34:02Z")
Got another “natural” QB today! 🙌 ---
**Author:** ![commasense](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/commasense/32/3017_2.png) [@commasense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/commasense)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2025, 4:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nyt-spelling-bee-drives-me-crazy/994739/2034 "2025-09-12T16:57:25Z")
It was pretty easy. Only 19 words. Just the kind of game I like. ---
**Author:** ![dtilque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d6d6ee/32.png) [@dtilque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dtilque)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2025, 8:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nyt-spelling-bee-drives-me-crazy/994739/2035 "2025-09-13T08:30:44Z")
> [@dtilque](#): > > The Rankings popup included the QB rank, which it didn’t before. And the QB score has disappeared in today’s game. ---
**Author:** ![susan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/susan/32/17537_2.png) [@susan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/susan)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2025, 12:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nyt-spelling-bee-drives-me-crazy/994739/2036 "2025-09-13T12:06:43Z")
I see it under stats. ---
**Author:** ![Railer13](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/railer13/32/9742_2.png) [@Railer13](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Railer13)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2025, 12:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nyt-spelling-bee-drives-me-crazy/994739/2037 "2025-09-13T12:41:22Z")
No BITCOIN today. I guess it’s still a proper noun? ---
**Author:** ![Maserschmidt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/maserschmidt/32/18829_2.png) [@Maserschmidt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maserschmidt)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2025, 3:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nyt-spelling-bee-drives-me-crazy/994739/2038 "2025-09-13T15:49:01Z")
> [@Maserschmidt](#): > > > [@commasense](#): > > > > Is it always the case that you can get to Genius without using four-letter words? > > I’m one of those 4LW-excluders, and while I don’t have a comprehensive proof, I believe the answer is a firm yes. Dear @commasense, please accept my apology and my proof by negation, because it turns out I am wrong. I scraped every puzzle since the beginning of 2021, and to my delight/surprise I found one puzzle where 4-letter words were absolutely required. On [Feb 28, 2021](https://nytbee.com/Bee_20210208.html), the letters were FUGHOT-L, and Genius was 44, and all the (accepted) non-4LW words added to 43. This year, by the way, there was one on 3-28-24 where you could get to Genius not using 4LWs only if you got all the other words (that was the GALUMPH puzzle). If anyone has other questions, let me know since I have this enormous, otherwise-useless database. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2025, 4:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nyt-spelling-bee-drives-me-crazy/994739/2039 "2025-09-13T16:08:55Z")
I see today that they’ve added “badges” for various achievements, including finding the pangram first. I don’t think I’ve _ever_ done that, though now I’m trying to. ---
**Author:** ![commasense](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/commasense/32/3017_2.png) [@commasense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/commasense)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2025, 4:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nyt-spelling-bee-drives-me-crazy/994739/2040 "2025-09-13T16:10:50Z")
Thanks, @Maserschmidt. Interesting. So this is your own private compilation of SB data? I had wondered how you knew. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nyt-spelling-bee-drives-me-crazy/994739.md?page=101) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nyt-spelling-bee-drives-me-crazy/994739.md?page=103)