# 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:** 58
**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:** [February 13, 2025, 3:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nyt-spelling-bee-drives-me-crazy/994739/1141 "2025-02-13T15:20:55Z")
I got stuck on TELEHEALTH today, even though I was looking for something with the first four letters. I didn’t realize that was just a normal 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:** [February 13, 2025, 3:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nyt-spelling-bee-drives-me-crazy/994739/1142 "2025-02-13T15:31:18Z")
Yeah, I hate when I spend time churning through odd combinations, assuming the missing word is some weird _haute cuisine_ term or odd bird that Sam likes, and then it turns out to be an ordinary word I was just blind to, for some reason. It was OUTDO the other day. ---
**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:** [February 13, 2025, 7:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nyt-spelling-bee-drives-me-crazy/994739/1143 "2025-02-13T19:50:11Z")
HABITATE is also cromulent. ---
**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:** [February 14, 2025, 12:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nyt-spelling-bee-drives-me-crazy/994739/1144 "2025-02-14T00:30:00Z")
Not according to Sam! ---
**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:** [February 14, 2025, 4:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nyt-spelling-bee-drives-me-crazy/994739/1145 "2025-02-14T04:18:07Z")
Sam, bah. A pisher. ---
**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:** [February 14, 2025, 6:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nyt-spelling-bee-drives-me-crazy/994739/1146 "2025-02-14T18:54:36Z")
Didn’t coolie used to be allowed? ---
**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:** [February 14, 2025, 7:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nyt-spelling-bee-drives-me-crazy/994739/1147 "2025-02-14T19:12:34Z")
It’s pejorative. Similarly, hebe is an attractive flowering plant, but also a slur, so not allowed. ---
**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:** [February 14, 2025, 7:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nyt-spelling-bee-drives-me-crazy/994739/1148 "2025-02-14T19:23:51Z")
I know, but I think it was valid recently, or maybe coolee. ---
**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:** [February 14, 2025, 8:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nyt-spelling-bee-drives-me-crazy/994739/1149 "2025-02-14T20:24:49Z")
Someone who looks at the word list should show up soon to answer that 🙂 ---
**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:** [February 14, 2025, 8:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nyt-spelling-bee-drives-me-crazy/994739/1150 "2025-02-14T20:36:21Z")
That’s my hope! But, maybe it was coulee that was allowed, now that I think about it. ---
**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:** [February 15, 2025, 11:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nyt-spelling-bee-drives-me-crazy/994739/1151 "2025-02-15T11:16:53Z")
Y’all called? COOLIE has never been allowed, and COULEE has been accepted all nine times possible. ---
**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:** [February 15, 2025, 12:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nyt-spelling-bee-drives-me-crazy/994739/1152 "2025-02-15T12:03:58Z")
Grrrr, now I have to remember BIRRIA, which ‘became’ a word last year after having been rejected 22 times, thanks to the resident foodie posing as a puzzlemaker. Is anyone else slightly disappointed when the Bee isn’t a bingo? I know it’s silly, and I spend too long trying to come up with a word when it just isn’t there. ---
**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:** [February 15, 2025, 1:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nyt-spelling-bee-drives-me-crazy/994739/1153 "2025-02-15T13:26:44Z")
Thanks! That makes sense. ---
**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:** [February 15, 2025, 3:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nyt-spelling-bee-drives-me-crazy/994739/1154 "2025-02-15T15:03:15Z")
> [@BlankSlate](#): > > thanks to the resident foodie posing as a puzzlemaker. And yet, it rejected OLEIN. ---
**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:** [February 16, 2025, 4:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nyt-spelling-bee-drives-me-crazy/994739/1155 "2025-02-16T16:40:00Z")
Today I tried geegaw without success but in the end gewgaw was accepted. That is sort of annoying. ---
**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:** [February 19, 2025, 11:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nyt-spelling-bee-drives-me-crazy/994739/1156 "2025-02-19T11:54:15Z")
Still find it weird that it accepts CALLALOO but not ACKEE (or AKEE). You’d think anyone knowing the first would know the second (not counting those who only learned it here). ---
**Author:** ![Shoeless](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shoeless/32/7099_2.png) [@Shoeless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shoeless)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2025, 12:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nyt-spelling-bee-drives-me-crazy/994739/1157 "2025-02-19T12:39:05Z")
Disappointed that it wouldn’t accept COCKADOODLEDOO. That’s a 22 point pangram! ---
**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:** [February 19, 2025, 12:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nyt-spelling-bee-drives-me-crazy/994739/1158 "2025-02-19T12:56:58Z")
I wonder about this every time it arises, especially when both can be spelled in the same day. ---
**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:** [February 19, 2025, 2:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nyt-spelling-bee-drives-me-crazy/994739/1159 "2025-02-19T14:03:46Z")
It also didn’t accept alee today and that’s a regular crossword puzzle word. ---
**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:** [February 19, 2025, 2:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nyt-spelling-bee-drives-me-crazy/994739/1160 "2025-02-19T14:31:37Z")
Most archaic words are rejected so alack should join them, imo. I also got tripped up by clade and cockade, but I guess I can’t really complain about them. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nyt-spelling-bee-drives-me-crazy/994739.md?page=57) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nyt-spelling-bee-drives-me-crazy/994739.md?page=59)