# 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:** 161
**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 23, 2026, 1:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nyt-spelling-bee-drives-me-crazy/994739/3201 "2026-09-23T13:12:14Z")
Today’s Word I Thought Should Have Been Accepted But Wasn’t was lignin. ---
**Author:** ![dtilque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d6d6ee/32.png) [@dtilque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dtilque)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2026, 3:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nyt-spelling-bee-drives-me-crazy/994739/3202 "2026-09-23T15:28:19Z")
Yes, I’m currently needing 6 points for a natural QB and that word would be perfect. In fact, I tried it several times. ---
**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 23, 2026, 3:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nyt-spelling-bee-drives-me-crazy/994739/3203 "2026-09-23T15:30:09Z")
I had to stop to verify I was spelling it correctly. ---
**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 23, 2026, 8:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nyt-spelling-bee-drives-me-crazy/994739/3204 "2026-09-23T20:35:30Z")
LIGNIN and DADO seem to universal head-scratchers, and I’m still wondering why they took away YEAN. Strange week for the Bee after that monstrosity on Sunday. Yesterday’s puzzle was the first to have four vowels that didn’t include a -y. It also had to be the most obvious pangram…maybe ever? Today’s surprised me because I thought there would far fewer words. We had the same pangram last year with the ‘n’ in the center and that puzzle only had 25 words. ---
**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 28, 2026, 3:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nyt-spelling-bee-drives-me-crazy/994739/3205 "2026-09-28T15:18:43Z")
I get that some words are “distasteful” or whatever but an English word is an English word. All of them should be included. It’s not like we all didn’t try it. Why don’t they allow TURD? ---
**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 28, 2026, 3:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nyt-spelling-bee-drives-me-crazy/994739/3206 "2026-09-28T15:25:51Z")
The Times ran an article in August ([gift link](https://www.nytimes.com/2026/08/05/insider/games-language-wordle-crossplay-spelling-bee.html?unlocked_article_code=1.ElE.lw_a.AQZxGcyhfazk&smid=url-share)) on why some words are accepted and others are not. > [Sam Ezersky] edits for familiarity and avoids a word if its primary definition is considered a slur or a vulgarity, or if it elicits a viscerally negative reaction. ---
**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 28, 2026, 3:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nyt-spelling-bee-drives-me-crazy/994739/3207 "2026-09-28T15:26:59Z")
Whoosh ---
**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 28, 2026, 3:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nyt-spelling-bee-drives-me-crazy/994739/3208 "2026-09-28T15:31:28Z")
Wait, there was a joke there? ---
**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 28, 2026, 3:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nyt-spelling-bee-drives-me-crazy/994739/3209 "2026-09-28T15:33:31Z")
Yeah sorry. That’s on me. I expected people to assume that I was going to say C\*NT and then it was something milder ---
**Author:** ![Thumper668](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thumper668/32/20803_2.png) [@Thumper668](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thumper668)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2026, 3:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nyt-spelling-bee-drives-me-crazy/994739/3210 "2026-09-28T15:51:13Z")
FTR, I got it and was about to add CUNT Then I got the joke and decided not to. ---
**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:** [September 28, 2026, 3:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nyt-spelling-bee-drives-me-crazy/994739/3211 "2026-09-28T15:53:00Z")
Today’s puzzle gave me a lot of grief, for some reason. The brain just wasn’t working right. ---
**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 28, 2026, 4:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nyt-spelling-bee-drives-me-crazy/994739/3212 "2026-09-28T16:11:40Z")
I’m having a tough time too. ---
**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:** [September 28, 2026, 4:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nyt-spelling-bee-drives-me-crazy/994739/3213 "2026-09-28T16:49:42Z")
Didn’t it used to be allowed? ---
**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 29, 2026, 12:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nyt-spelling-bee-drives-me-crazy/994739/3214 "2026-09-29T12:15:25Z")
You’d think that a game that’s all about words would include genitive in its lexicon, but apparently not. ---
**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:** [September 29, 2026, 12:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nyt-spelling-bee-drives-me-crazy/994739/3215 "2026-09-29T12:35:36Z")
Also, eventing is certainly more common than ogive if you ask me. ---
**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 29, 2026, 1:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nyt-spelling-bee-drives-me-crazy/994739/3216 "2026-09-29T13:32:16Z")
I always try that failed word you listed. It was a common word for us, not sure if it’s broadly common. ---
**Author:** ![Thumper668](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thumper668/32/20803_2.png) [@Thumper668](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thumper668)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2026, 11:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nyt-spelling-bee-drives-me-crazy/994739/3217 "2026-09-30T11:42:04Z")
I’m a P6 away from QB and completely befuddled. ---
**Author:** ![Thumper668](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thumper668/32/20803_2.png) [@Thumper668](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thumper668)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2026, 11:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nyt-spelling-bee-drives-me-crazy/994739/3218 "2026-09-30T11:54:09Z")
Finally got it by typing random syllables. PANDAN is way too obscure - It’s an Asian plant used in cooking. I know Sam likes cooking terms, so I was sure it would be PANADE . Very disappointing Bee today. ---
**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 30, 2026, 5:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nyt-spelling-bee-drives-me-crazy/994739/3219 "2026-09-30T17:39:49Z")
Still no knap or knapped. Grrr. ---
**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 30, 2026, 5:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nyt-spelling-bee-drives-me-crazy/994739/3220 "2026-09-30T17:44:59Z")
This is the debut of PANDAN after being rejected 20 times. Maybe Sam found himself in a Malaysian restaurant. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nyt-spelling-bee-drives-me-crazy/994739.md?page=160) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nyt-spelling-bee-drives-me-crazy/994739.md?page=162)