# 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:** 124
**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:** [January 6, 2026, 5:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nyt-spelling-bee-drives-me-crazy/994739/2461 "2026-01-06T17:06:45Z")
I also tried it and then decided I must have misspelled it. But, no. ---
**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:** [January 6, 2026, 5:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nyt-spelling-bee-drives-me-crazy/994739/2462 "2026-01-06T17:14:31Z")
Surely that’s been pointed out to Sam by now? It’s not an obscure word. I continue to be irritated by the omission of irritator. It was accepted the first time it came up, but got the heave ho after that. I also tried obviator a few times, figuring I had spelled it incorrectly. ---
**Author:** ![dtilque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d6d6ee/32.png) [@dtilque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dtilque)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2026, 7:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nyt-spelling-bee-drives-me-crazy/994739/2463 "2026-01-06T19:16:48Z")
> [@BlankSlate](#): > > Surely that’s been pointed out to Sam by now? It’s not an obscure word. It’s been complained about in this thread before. I’ve never complained to Sam about any word. I figure if I miss it, others will as well and someone will complain. ---
**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:** [January 6, 2026, 9:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nyt-spelling-bee-drives-me-crazy/994739/2464 "2026-01-06T21:15:33Z")
And they are. I’ve never read the comments in the spelling bee forum before, but there’s a lot of headscratching over that word today. ---
**Author:** ![RitterSport](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rittersport/32/6326_2.png) [@RitterSport](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RitterSport)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2026, 1:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nyt-spelling-bee-drives-me-crazy/994739/2465 "2026-01-09T13:19:27Z")
I’m sorry, but cheaped, as in cheaped out, should be accepted. ---
**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:** [January 9, 2026, 9:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nyt-spelling-bee-drives-me-crazy/994739/2466 "2026-01-09T21:49:46Z")
Should not that be cheapen or cheapened? ---
**Author:** ![RitterSport](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rittersport/32/6326_2.png) [@RitterSport](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RitterSport)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2026, 10:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nyt-spelling-bee-drives-me-crazy/994739/2467 "2026-01-09T22:44:24Z")
I think my formulation also works. ---
**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:** [January 9, 2026, 10:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nyt-spelling-bee-drives-me-crazy/994739/2468 "2026-01-09T22:49:23Z")
I am familiar with Chocolate Man’s formulation. ---
**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:** [January 9, 2026, 10:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nyt-spelling-bee-drives-me-crazy/994739/2469 "2026-01-09T22:51:21Z")
Weird, because I checked both Merriam-Webster Dictionary and the Cambridge Dictionary and neither listed cheap as a verb although they did list cheapen as a verb. ---
**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:** [January 9, 2026, 10:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nyt-spelling-bee-drives-me-crazy/994739/2470 "2026-01-09T22:55:15Z")
Oh heck have to spoiler it: [CHEAP OUT Definition & Meaning - Merriam-Webster](https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cheap%20out?utm_source=chatgpt.com) ---
**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:** [January 9, 2026, 10:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nyt-spelling-bee-drives-me-crazy/994739/2471 "2026-01-09T22:56:44Z")
Okay but cheap _by itself_ isn’t listed as a verb. ---
**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:** [January 9, 2026, 11:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nyt-spelling-bee-drives-me-crazy/994739/2472 "2026-01-09T23:31:31Z")
It shows the past tense form in the examples, but because this is a regular verb it’s not usually going to list it: [Help | Merriam-Webster](https://www.merriam-webster.com/help/explanatory-notes/dict-inflected-forms?utm_source=chatgpt.com) > The principal parts of a regularly inflected verb are shown when it is desirable to indicate the pronunciation of one of the inflected forms: > > **learn . . .** _verb_ **learned** ; **learn·ing** > **rip·en . . .** _verb_ **rip·ened; rep·en·ing** > > Cutback inflected forms are often used when the verb has three or more syllables, when it is a disyllable that ends in _-l_ and has variant spellings, and when it is a compound whose second element is readily recognized as an irregular verb: > > **elim·i·nate . . .** _verb_ **-nat·ed; -nat·ing** > **3quarrel** _intransitive verb_ **-reled** _or_ **relled; rel·ing** _or_ **-rel·ling** > **1re·take . . .** _transitive verb_ **-took . . . ; -tak·en . . . ; -tak·ing** > > The principal parts of verbs are usually not shown when the base word is unchanged by suffixation or when the verb is a compound whose second element is readily recognizable as a regular free form entered at its own place: > > **1jump . . .** _verb_ > **pre·judge . . .** _transitive verb_ ---
**Author:** ![gkster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gkster/32/14107_2.png) [@gkster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gkster)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2026, 8:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nyt-spelling-bee-drives-me-crazy/994739/2473 "2026-01-10T08:40:57Z")
Grrr! GUNRUNNING is a word! So why is it not acceptable? ---
**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:** [January 10, 2026, 11:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nyt-spelling-bee-drives-me-crazy/994739/2474 "2026-01-10T11:34:37Z")
And if gunrunning is going on, surely rumrunning can’t be far behind? ---
**Author:** ![RitterSport](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rittersport/32/6326_2.png) [@RitterSport](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RitterSport)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2026, 11:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nyt-spelling-bee-drives-me-crazy/994739/2475 "2026-01-10T11:49:17Z")
Yeah, tried that one, too. On cheaped out, if gonna is gonna be allowed, I think it opens the door for cheaped. ---
**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:** [January 10, 2026, 3:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nyt-spelling-bee-drives-me-crazy/994739/2476 "2026-01-10T15:21:11Z")
A bit of a struggle, but I got to Genius with no 4LWs. Also, is IMMURING too obscure? ---
**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:** [January 10, 2026, 10:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nyt-spelling-bee-drives-me-crazy/994739/2477 "2026-01-10T22:19:14Z")
They allow MIRIN and NORIbut not ONIGIRI? ---
**Author:** ![gkster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gkster/32/14107_2.png) [@gkster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gkster)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2026, 10:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nyt-spelling-bee-drives-me-crazy/994739/2478 "2026-01-10T22:32:28Z")
Yes, and NIGIRI but not ONIGIRI? ---
**Author:** ![gkster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gkster/32/14107_2.png) [@gkster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gkster)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2026, 6:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nyt-spelling-bee-drives-me-crazy/994739/2479 "2026-01-11T18:51:50Z")
> [@BlankSlate](#): > > I was proud of myself for remembering cioppino, but alas I was unprepared for canopic and poinciana. The same letters from Aug 24 2024 are in today’s puzzle, allowing for all 3 of these words, which I was proud of myself for remembering. The index letter is different, then it was C and today it’s P. According to the Buddy, POINCIANA was found by just 15% of players today. It must not have been a solution in any puzzle from 2025 because it’s not in the list of hardest words for the year linked above, post 2422; the solve range of hardest words is from 18% to 30%. And it’s yet another entry in one of Sam’s favorite categories, plants, especially unusual ones. Though it’s not uncommon in the places where it grows, in the tropics. For 3 years I lived in a house with 2 beautiful poinciana trees in front; Google maps street view shows that they’re gone, sadly. It’s a favorite tree of mine, with spectacular red blooms. ---
**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:** [January 11, 2026, 7:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nyt-spelling-bee-drives-me-crazy/994739/2480 "2026-01-11T19:02:38Z")
Well, I learned nothing. Remembered CIOPPINO again, yet struck out on CANOPIC and POINCIANA again. Play it again, Sam. I dare ya. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nyt-spelling-bee-drives-me-crazy/994739.md?page=123) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nyt-spelling-bee-drives-me-crazy/994739.md?page=125)