# 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:** 26
**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:** [July 10, 2024, 2:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nyt-spelling-bee-drives-me-crazy/994739/501 "2024-07-10T14:38:25Z")
You can look up any word: [Spelling Bee Appearances | Spelling Bee Solver](https://www.sbsolver.com/history) Formant, for instance. It was accepted twice and now it’s not. I wish Sam Ezersky had a site explaining his machinations. ---
**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:** [July 10, 2024, 2:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nyt-spelling-bee-drives-me-crazy/994739/502 "2024-07-10T14:53:33Z")
> [@Gyrate](#): > > the NYT’s email will be flooded with messages from angry _Downton Abbey_ fans. I haven’t ever watched that show, so I don’t get this reference. Can you explain, please? (Spoiler’s okay, as I’ve already achieved QB status 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:** [July 10, 2024, 2:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nyt-spelling-bee-drives-me-crazy/994739/503 "2024-07-10T14:54:51Z")
I’m one short. ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2024, 3:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nyt-spelling-bee-drives-me-crazy/994739/504 "2024-07-10T15:21:02Z")
I’m referring to the fact that FOOTMAN was not accepted as a word today. ---
**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:** [July 10, 2024, 4:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nyt-spelling-bee-drives-me-crazy/994739/505 "2024-07-10T16:06:22Z")
> [@commasense](#): > > Have ----MAN words been removed as insensitive? > [@Gyrate](#): > > Clearly not… > [@BlankSlate](#): > > MOONMAN has never been accepted. MOTORMAN was accepted three times ( March 22nd 2020, October 13th 2018 and August 26th 2018) before being rejected today. FOOTMAN was accepted once (August 26th 2018) before also getting the axe today. Unless “clearly not” was referring to something else in my post, I think @BlankSlate’s post suggests that they are systematically removing -----MAN words. But… > [@BlankSlate](#): > > I wish Sam Ezersky had a site explaining his machinations. …since he’s not, we can only infer the reasons. I suspect it’s because of gender sensitivities. However, IIRC, there was a recent Spelling Bee that had a compound word in both ----MAN and ----WOMAN forms. Anyone remember that? Also, one can hardly blame Ezersky for not explaining why certain words are, or are not, on the list. It would just lead to endless complaints, arguments, and controversies. ---
**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:** [July 10, 2024, 4:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nyt-spelling-bee-drives-me-crazy/994739/506 "2024-07-10T16:13:15Z")
Both ‘womanhood’ and ‘manhood’ appeared a few years ago. ‘Penman’ is still going strong, last appearing in December. Adman has appeared 20 times and ‘adwoman’ 4 times. I’ve never actually seen ‘adwoman’ used anywhere and ‘adman’ feels like an anachronism, but whatever. ---
**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:** [July 10, 2024, 5:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nyt-spelling-bee-drives-me-crazy/994739/507 "2024-07-10T17:37:56Z")
> [@Gyrate](#): > > I’m referring to the fact that FOOTMAN was not accepted as a word today OK, thanks. Interesting indeed, in that the pangram is a somewhat similar word. ---
**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:** [July 10, 2024, 5:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nyt-spelling-bee-drives-me-crazy/994739/508 "2024-07-10T17:44:04Z")
> [@Railer13](#): > > Interesting indeed, in that the pangram is a somewhat similar word. D’oh! I just realized what “Clearly not” meant. 🤦‍♂️ ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2024, 9:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nyt-spelling-bee-drives-me-crazy/994739/509 "2024-07-10T21:28:27Z")
“Nobleman” and “Noblewoman” appeared not all that long ago too. ---
**Author:** ![dtilque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d6d6ee/32.png) [@dtilque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dtilque)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2024, 8:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nyt-spelling-bee-drives-me-crazy/994739/510 "2024-07-12T08:19:09Z")
I notice they’ve added INDIUM. It didn’t used to be accepted. ---
**Author:** ![Cugel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cugel/32/1199_2.png) [@Cugel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cugel)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2024, 9:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nyt-spelling-bee-drives-me-crazy/994739/511 "2024-07-12T09:08:39Z")
> [@commasense](#): > > It would just lead to endless complaints, arguments, and controversies. Not if it made sense. ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2024, 11:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nyt-spelling-bee-drives-me-crazy/994739/512 "2024-07-12T11:41:38Z")
Not too bad today, although MONODIC was not accepted which rankles the musicologist in me. ---
**Author:** ![dtilque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d6d6ee/32.png) [@dtilque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dtilque)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2024, 12:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nyt-spelling-bee-drives-me-crazy/994739/513 "2024-07-12T12:16:51Z")
Two in a row: QB without hints. Done that a few times before; still looking for three in a row. ---
**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:** [July 12, 2024, 1:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nyt-spelling-bee-drives-me-crazy/994739/514 "2024-07-12T13:31:28Z")
Sam is a crackhead. INDIUM was allowed the first time it appeared in 2019, then disallowed four times, and now it’s back again. It’s having a similar run to MINYAN, which haphazardly comes and goes. I tried to watch [An Evening With Sam Ezersky](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MLaeXF72r-A) on Youtube to get a better idea of his method, but it was overly long and scattershot. Also, Sam is kind of annoying. The gist I got is that he draws from two dictionaries (Mirriam Webster and the ‘Apple’ dictionary) and then wings it. Perhaps he has a solving group and he picks and chooses from their answers. It’s chaotic. Anarchic even, lol. ---
**Author:** ![dtilque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d6d6ee/32.png) [@dtilque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dtilque)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2024, 2:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nyt-spelling-bee-drives-me-crazy/994739/515 "2024-07-12T14:18:23Z")
> [@BlankSlate](#): > > The gist I got is that he draws from two dictionaries (Mirriam Webster and the ‘Apple’ dictionary) and then wings it. […] It’s chaotic. Anarchic even, lol. The process of creating a daily puzzle for this game could easily be automated. As a former programmer, I considered how I’d do it and it would not be difficult at all. The actual work for the editor should be a matter of final approval. If disapproved, run the program again. A couple minutes work in the worst case. The rest of his time could be spent reading all the email he gets and occasionally adding or deleting words from the official answer list. ---
**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:** [July 12, 2024, 2:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nyt-spelling-bee-drives-me-crazy/994739/516 "2024-07-12T14:31:12Z")
I don’t need or want an official ‘dictionary’ or list. It doesn’t bother me when this or that word isn’t accepted. I just want consistency and maybe and explanation when a word is added or removed. In that Youtube video linked in my last post, Sam mentioned the time he somehow left COPE out of the solution list. I does make one wonder. ---
**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:** [July 12, 2024, 2:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nyt-spelling-bee-drives-me-crazy/994739/517 "2024-07-12T14:36:44Z")
I remember that! I was going to send him a DM on Twitter, but he had already apologized there. ---
**Author:** ![dtilque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d6d6ee/32.png) [@dtilque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dtilque)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2024, 2:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nyt-spelling-bee-drives-me-crazy/994739/518 "2024-07-12T14:38:03Z")
> [@BlankSlate](#): > > I don’t need or want an official ‘dictionary’ or list. It doesn’t bother me when this or that word isn’t accepted. I just want consistency and maybe and explanation when a word is added or removed. A list of accepted words is the best way to get that consistency. ---
**Author:** ![Hari\_Seldon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hari_seldon/32/5173_2.png) [@Hari\_Seldon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hari_Seldon)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2024, 10:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nyt-spelling-bee-drives-me-crazy/994739/519 "2024-07-12T22:54:25Z")
But the pangram was frontman. My complaint is that I pronounce motorman as one word (the last syllable with a schwa) but the pangram as two words. I also pronounce moon man as two words. ---
**Author:** ![Cugel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cugel/32/1199_2.png) [@Cugel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cugel)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2024, 9:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nyt-spelling-bee-drives-me-crazy/994739/520 "2024-07-13T09:49:11Z")
> [@dtilque](#): > > The actual work for the editor should be a matter of final approval Wouldn’t this be sort of how it works now, program produces a list of words, editor removes the ones they don’t “like”. The conundrum is why they don’t like word “muon”, for example [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nyt-spelling-bee-drives-me-crazy/994739.md?page=25) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nyt-spelling-bee-drives-me-crazy/994739.md?page=27)