# 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:** 157
**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:** [August 16, 2026, 3:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nyt-spelling-bee-drives-me-crazy/994739/3121 "2026-08-16T15:59:34Z")
I now express my disgust at the sbsence yesterday of DORIC and DICHROIC. ---
**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:** [August 16, 2026, 4:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nyt-spelling-bee-drives-me-crazy/994739/3122 "2026-08-16T16:34:59Z")
I think Doric was excluded because it’s capitalized, referring to the Dorians. ---
**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:** [August 16, 2026, 4:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nyt-spelling-bee-drives-me-crazy/994739/3123 "2026-08-16T16:42:14Z")
Incidentally, the Times ran an article ([gift link](https://www.nytimes.com/2026/08/05/insider/games-language-wordle-crossplay-spelling-bee.html?unlocked_article_code=1.51A.N7x-.tMZjAXoI13ht&smid=url-share)) recently on why some words are included and others not. A brief quote from the article. > “If you simply include every theoretical word imaginable in a given puzzle, it will be that much more difficult to get to Amazing, Genius and beyond, and not in a satisfying way,” said Sam Ezersky, the puzzle’s editor. ---
**Author:** ![dtilque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d6d6ee/32.png) [@dtilque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dtilque)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2026, 5:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nyt-spelling-bee-drives-me-crazy/994739/3124 "2026-08-16T17:57:46Z")
Well, I’m impressed that three of you got it. It was a totally new word to me. I didn’t have any idea until I saw it in “Yesterday’s Anwers”. ---
**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:** [August 16, 2026, 7:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nyt-spelling-bee-drives-me-crazy/994739/3125 "2026-08-16T19:48:37Z")
Man, I had a natural on Friday, but the past two days I’ve missed by one word. 😡 BOUCLE and CARDIOID _this_, Ezersky. ---
**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:** [August 16, 2026, 7:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nyt-spelling-bee-drives-me-crazy/994739/3126 "2026-08-16T19:53:30Z")
A few days ago, when the pangram was weighty, I had one of my shortest runs to Queen Bee. ---
**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:** [August 17, 2026, 10:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nyt-spelling-bee-drives-me-crazy/994739/3127 "2026-08-17T10:24:14Z")
Yeah, I’m never going to get BOUCLE, whatever that means. ---
**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:** [August 18, 2026, 8:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nyt-spelling-bee-drives-me-crazy/994739/3128 "2026-08-18T20:05:38Z")
Today’s Bee seemed a little unusual because it was a bingo but five of the letters (a,d,e,g,n) only made one word. Also, there were no words that began with two consonants…not sure if that’s rare. Also also, if you get HENBANE I tip my cap because I sure didn’t. ---
**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:** [August 19, 2026, 9:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nyt-spelling-bee-drives-me-crazy/994739/3129 "2026-08-19T09:07:10Z")
Same here. Is today the first time that E and R are together? ---
**Author:** ![dtilque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d6d6ee/32.png) [@dtilque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dtilque)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2026, 11:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nyt-spelling-bee-drives-me-crazy/994739/3130 "2026-08-19T11:18:13Z")
> [@RitterSport](#): > > Is today the first time that E and R are together? Think so. I note that a lot of perfectly cromulent re- and -er words are not accepted. Just like non- and un- words. ---
**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:** [August 19, 2026, 8:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nyt-spelling-bee-drives-me-crazy/994739/3131 "2026-08-19T20:32:26Z")
Huh, that wasn’t so bad. When I felt compelled to try words like ENVELOPER and PROVER I got a little twitchy, but if you can keep it to less than 50 words, it seems tolerable. ---
**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:** [August 19, 2026, 10:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nyt-spelling-bee-drives-me-crazy/994739/3132 "2026-08-19T22:12:36Z")
> [@dtilque](#): > > > [@RitterSport](#): > > > > Is today the first time that E and R are together? > > Think so. It is indeed…I scanned the database back to 2020. Occasionally I have a day where I get to Genius with no pangram and no four-letter words. Today is such a day. It needs a catchy name like ‘throwing rocks into a quarry’. No, wait…more catchy than that. ---
**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:** [August 19, 2026, 10:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nyt-spelling-bee-drives-me-crazy/994739/3133 "2026-08-19T22:56:06Z")
Wait, really? There are few puzzles with E and R in the same one? That seems weird, especially given how many puzzles have E and D or I, N and G together. ---
**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:** [August 19, 2026, 11:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nyt-spelling-bee-drives-me-crazy/994739/3134 "2026-08-19T23:29:11Z")
Answering a question you didn’t ask: there have been 17 puzzles with all of EDING; but until today, no ER. ---
**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:** [August 19, 2026, 11:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nyt-spelling-bee-drives-me-crazy/994739/3135 "2026-08-19T23:32:41Z")
I wonder why that is. ---
**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:** [August 19, 2026, 11:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nyt-spelling-bee-drives-me-crazy/994739/3136 "2026-08-19T23:52:35Z")
I’m looking at the Spelling Bee Solver website for today, August 19, 2026 (with letters elnoprv). It has a note: > Milestone alert: This puzzle is the first in Spelling Bee history to include both E and R. Perhaps until now the editors had worried that the proliferation of RE‑ and ‑ER words would make the Bee too cheesy. ---
**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:** [August 20, 2026, 12:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nyt-spelling-bee-drives-me-crazy/994739/3137 "2026-08-20T00:33:51Z")
> [@Dewey\_Finn](#): > > It has a note: > > > Milestone alert: This puzzle is the first in Spelling Bee history to include both E and R. Perhaps until now the editors had worried that the proliferation of RE‑ and ‑ER words would make the Bee too cheesy. Of course, with a ‘V’ as the middle letter, that certainly limits the number of possible words. ---
**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:** [August 20, 2026, 10:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nyt-spelling-bee-drives-me-crazy/994739/3138 "2026-08-20T22:58:53Z")
I hope Sam goes big someday! EGINRS-D words: 905 score: 6,179 pts pangrams: 48 ---
**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:** [August 22, 2026, 2:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nyt-spelling-bee-drives-me-crazy/994739/3139 "2026-08-22T14:52:10Z")
Today, why UNITARIAN but not TRINITARIAN? If one is a proper noun, I’d consider both to be. ---
**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:** [August 22, 2026, 4:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nyt-spelling-bee-drives-me-crazy/994739/3140 "2026-08-22T16:54:40Z")
I’m pretty sure it’s because ‘unitarian’ can be used to describe someone outside the religious context, but ‘Trinitarian’ only has the singular, proper noun religious meaning. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nyt-spelling-bee-drives-me-crazy/994739.md?page=156) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nyt-spelling-bee-drives-me-crazy/994739.md?page=158)