# 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:** 153
**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:** [June 6, 2026, 7:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nyt-spelling-bee-drives-me-crazy/994739/3041 "2026-06-06T19:39:10Z")
đź‘Ź [golf clap] ---
**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:** [June 7, 2026, 2:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nyt-spelling-bee-drives-me-crazy/994739/3042 "2026-06-07T14:55:28Z")
> [@Thumper668](#): > > [Hint spoilered] > > That’s probably because it’s a compound word that should really be 2 words Yeah, I would have never got that one. Sometimes I look at the answers the next day and do a lot of head-smacks, but not this morning. ---
**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:** [June 9, 2026, 9:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nyt-spelling-bee-drives-me-crazy/994739/3043 "2026-06-09T09:26:36Z")
Is this the first time it allowed gonging? I have a memory of that not being allowed in the past. ---
**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:** [June 9, 2026, 12:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nyt-spelling-bee-drives-me-crazy/994739/3044 "2026-06-09T12:51:57Z")
Pretty sure I’ve used it before. ---
**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:** [June 9, 2026, 8:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nyt-spelling-bee-drives-me-crazy/994739/3045 "2026-06-09T20:12:11Z")
GONGING was disallowed until 2022 and has appeared in 21 Bees since then. ---
**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:** [June 9, 2026, 8:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nyt-spelling-bee-drives-me-crazy/994739/3046 "2026-06-09T20:27:15Z")
Where have I been? Maybe it was some other word that I thought should have the gerund included. ---
**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:** [June 12, 2026, 7:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nyt-spelling-bee-drives-me-crazy/994739/3047 "2026-06-12T07:41:11Z")
I tried LIANA yet again today but it’s still not allowed. And surely PINNA should be allowed? It’s not as obscure as other anatomical terms that are accepted, like HAMATE ---
**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:** [June 13, 2026, 4:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nyt-spelling-bee-drives-me-crazy/994739/3048 "2026-06-13T04:07:58Z")
I was hoping for pancit and actin. ---
**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:** [June 13, 2026, 4:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nyt-spelling-bee-drives-me-crazy/994739/3049 "2026-06-13T04:15:27Z")
I’ve been trying those two (fruitlessly) for years. ---
**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:** [June 13, 2026, 4:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nyt-spelling-bee-drives-me-crazy/994739/3050 "2026-06-13T04:21:52Z")
Never ACTINIC. ---
**Author:** ![dtilque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d6d6ee/32.png) [@dtilque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dtilque)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2026, 6:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nyt-spelling-bee-drives-me-crazy/994739/3051 "2026-06-17T18:29:37Z")
Finally remembered BARBACOA, after missing it the previous 6 or 7 times. Still 7 points short of a natural QB. ---
**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:** [June 18, 2026, 1:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nyt-spelling-bee-drives-me-crazy/994739/3052 "2026-06-18T01:58:27Z")
CROOKBACK isn’t accepted, sadly for fans of Shakespeare’s Richard III. ---
**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:** [June 19, 2026, 2:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nyt-spelling-bee-drives-me-crazy/994739/3053 "2026-06-19T14:29:56Z")
So is the Pangram first badge still active or is it frozen at a maximum? I have 200 from April and at least 60 since then, but I don’t see it updating to 250 or any other movement on it. ---
**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:** [June 19, 2026, 3:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nyt-spelling-bee-drives-me-crazy/994739/3054 "2026-06-19T15:55:19Z")
As you said, the maximum badge is 200. They are almost certainly still keeping track so you’d still get credit if they make more badges later. I play for the love and not the badges 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![dtilque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d6d6ee/32.png) [@dtilque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dtilque)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2026, 6:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nyt-spelling-bee-drives-me-crazy/994739/3055 "2026-06-19T18:24:12Z")
> [@hajario](#): > > As you said, the maximum badge is 200. And the maximum for Genius scores is 1000. And there have been no badges for special days since April Fool’s. They seemed to have lost interest in maintaining the badges. > [@hajario](#): > > I play for the love and not the badges 🙂 Ditto, but I’ve been trying for First Pangram since well before they instituted the badges. Still do it, so it’s nice to be recognized for that one. ---
**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:** [June 19, 2026, 6:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nyt-spelling-bee-drives-me-crazy/994739/3056 "2026-06-19T18:37:05Z")
Me too. I try for no more that two or three minutes and then move on though. There have been a couple of occasions where I didn’t get a pangram at all but I always get Genius. ---
**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:** [June 20, 2026, 1:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nyt-spelling-bee-drives-me-crazy/994739/3057 "2026-06-20T01:40:57Z")
Well I did get the pg first today but my god what a slog. I think I was having an off day and it took me until now to get to Genius. ---
**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:** [June 20, 2026, 4:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nyt-spelling-bee-drives-me-crazy/994739/3058 "2026-06-20T04:02:36Z")
Acidy is a stupid word. ---
**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:** [June 24, 2026, 2:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nyt-spelling-bee-drives-me-crazy/994739/3059 "2026-06-24T14:57:32Z")
Am I wrong or did ETENTE used to be accepted? ---
**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:** [June 24, 2026, 2:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nyt-spelling-bee-drives-me-crazy/994739/3060 "2026-06-24T14:57:58Z")
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