# 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:** 127
**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 25, 2026, 4:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nyt-spelling-bee-drives-me-crazy/994739/2521 "2026-01-25T16:41:50Z")
Today’s is slow going for me, and I’m finding words that I know won’t be accepted, including Potto, poptart, and for fans of fictional places and people, Poirot. Not spoilering since AFAIK they don’t suggest solutions? If they do, I’m not seeing them. ---
**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 25, 2026, 4:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nyt-spelling-bee-drives-me-crazy/994739/2522 "2026-01-25T16:43:04Z")
Today is tough for me as well. I’m still a fair way away from Genius ---
**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 25, 2026, 5:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nyt-spelling-bee-drives-me-crazy/994739/2523 "2026-01-25T17:05:57Z")
Me too. Genius at 241 might be aspirational for me today. ---
**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:** [January 25, 2026, 6:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nyt-spelling-bee-drives-me-crazy/994739/2524 "2026-01-25T18:31:14Z")
Same. Quite a few actual words not accepted. As a person who used to supervise PRACTICA, I roll my eyes. ---
**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 25, 2026, 6:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nyt-spelling-bee-drives-me-crazy/994739/2525 "2026-01-25T18:34:24Z")
Today’s Bee made me feel kind of dumb. I barely got to Genius, and then gave up and looked at the answers. So many words I should have gotten, and a few groaners too. ---
**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 25, 2026, 6:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nyt-spelling-bee-drives-me-crazy/994739/2526 "2026-01-25T18:52:11Z")
I’m twelve points away. I should get there. I can take missing on occasion (kind of) but not when there are easy words that I missed. ---
**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 25, 2026, 7:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nyt-spelling-bee-drives-me-crazy/994739/2527 "2026-01-25T19:21:19Z")
Finally. I haven’t had such a difficult time in months. Words that they didn’t take that I tried and not already mentioned (and I get why) APRIORI, CROPTOP, CARROTTOP, PROTIP ---
**Author:** ![needscoffee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/needscoffee/32/1076_2.png) [@needscoffee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/needscoffee)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2026, 8:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nyt-spelling-bee-drives-me-crazy/994739/2528 "2026-01-25T20:50:57Z")
My worst day ever. No appropriator or atopic ---
**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 25, 2026, 8:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nyt-spelling-bee-drives-me-crazy/994739/2529 "2026-01-25T20:52:50Z")
Finally I’m over the Genius hump! 10 words to QB. The only reason that I think I’ll try for it is being on bed rest today thanks to a knee injury. Usually I try to hold off on using the Buddy until just a few words are left, but today it feels like I need help. And the Buddy tells me that 8 of the words I need were found by fewer than 38% of players; one was found by only 15%. ---
**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 25, 2026, 8:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nyt-spelling-bee-drives-me-crazy/994739/2530 "2026-01-25T20:55:55Z")
It seems like today was objectively a tougher one than normal ---
**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 25, 2026, 9:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nyt-spelling-bee-drives-me-crazy/994739/2531 "2026-01-25T21:53:52Z")
I guess Spelling Bee doesn’t report on stats, e.g. % achieving Genius? I couldn’t find it, anyway. ---
**Author:** ![dtilque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d6d6ee/32.png) [@dtilque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dtilque)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2026, 3:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nyt-spelling-bee-drives-me-crazy/994739/2532 "2026-01-26T03:01:25Z")
> [@Maserschmidt](#): > > I guess Spelling Bee doesn’t report on stats, e.g. % achieving Genius? You can always compute it yourself. It gives the number of puzzles and number of Geniuses. Divide the second number by the first and multiply by 100. ---
**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 26, 2026, 4:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nyt-spelling-bee-drives-me-crazy/994739/2533 "2026-01-26T04:06:01Z")
I meant for whole puzzles, so you could see which had proved more or less difficult for the population doing them. ---
**Author:** ![needscoffee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/needscoffee/32/1076_2.png) [@needscoffee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/needscoffee)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2026, 4:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nyt-spelling-bee-drives-me-crazy/994739/2534 "2026-01-26T04:07:05Z")
> [@dtilque](#): > > > [@Maserschmidt](#): > > > > I guess Spelling Bee doesn’t report on stats, e.g. % achieving Genius? > > You can always compute it yourself. It gives the number of puzzles and number of Geniuses. I thought he meant % of _all_ players reaching genius, but I could be wrong ---
**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:** [January 26, 2026, 4:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nyt-spelling-bee-drives-me-crazy/994739/2535 "2026-01-26T04:08:59Z")
There were some annoying missing words today, but some entertaining inclusions. Before they reeled me in with stats, I wouldn’t play or wouldn’t complete Bees with this many points. ---
**Author:** ![dtilque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d6d6ee/32.png) [@dtilque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dtilque)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2026, 9:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nyt-spelling-bee-drives-me-crazy/994739/2536 "2026-01-27T09:34:18Z")
Hmmm.. INGUINAL and LINGUAL are not accepted. Makes one wonder about Sam’s anatomy. ---
**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 27, 2026, 1:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nyt-spelling-bee-drives-me-crazy/994739/2537 "2026-01-27T13:20:24Z")
I looked for the second of those, learned the first one from you! ---
**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 27, 2026, 4:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nyt-spelling-bee-drives-me-crazy/994739/2538 "2026-01-27T16:08:12Z")
I came here to post that! Not the part about his anatomy, but maybe he doesn’t have hernias or a tongue? > [@dtilque](#): > > Hmmm.. INGUINAL and LINGUAL are not accepted. Makes one wonder about Sam’s anatomy. And, of course, no LIANA. LIGNIN isn’t accepted either. Is it that obscure? ---
**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 27, 2026, 6:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nyt-spelling-bee-drives-me-crazy/994739/2539 "2026-01-27T18:45:46Z")
Anyone else tired of -ING words? I just got to Genius, and 3 of 36 words end in ING. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2026, 6:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nyt-spelling-bee-drives-me-crazy/994739/2540 "2026-01-27T18:54:36Z")
> [@gkster](#): > > And, of course, no LIANA. But always LANAI. > [@gkster](#): > > Anyone else tired of -ING words? Yup. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nyt-spelling-bee-drives-me-crazy/994739.md?page=126) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nyt-spelling-bee-drives-me-crazy/994739.md?page=128)