# 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:** 68
**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:** [April 7, 2025, 3:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nyt-spelling-bee-drives-me-crazy/994739/1341 "2025-04-07T15:36:35Z")
Sticking a -y on all kinds of words today, mostly fruitlessly. I’m surprised PILLY isn’t a word (I’ve used it many times to describe old sweaters.) I didn’t even try PINNY (British slang for pinafore, unless there is some other definition) and I’m not sure why it’s included. PLATYPI? Yeecch. ---
**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:** [April 7, 2025, 4:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nyt-spelling-bee-drives-me-crazy/994739/1342 "2025-04-07T16:04:11Z")
> [@BlankSlate](#): > > Sticking a -y on all kinds of words today, mostly fruitlessly. And -ly, and -ily, and… Very hit-or-miss. ---
**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:** [April 7, 2025, 4:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nyt-spelling-bee-drives-me-crazy/994739/1343 "2025-04-07T16:17:44Z")
Annoying one today but I finally got Genius going over the top on a word that doesn’t end in Y ---
**Author:** ![Gorsnak](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gorsnak/32/7587_2.png) [@Gorsnak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gorsnak)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2025, 4:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nyt-spelling-bee-drives-me-crazy/994739/1344 "2025-04-07T16:27:30Z")
> [@BlankSlate](#): > > PLATYPI? Yeecch. Was that really allowed? Greek origins, so should really be platypodes. ---
**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:** [April 7, 2025, 9:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nyt-spelling-bee-drives-me-crazy/994739/1345 "2025-04-07T21:54:35Z")
The 12-year-old adolescent that still lurks in me was disappointed that there was no NIPPILY today. ---
**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:** [April 8, 2025, 2:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nyt-spelling-bee-drives-me-crazy/994739/1346 "2025-04-08T14:13:08Z")
Well, that might be a new speed record for me in my era of not using four letter words. ---
**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:** [April 8, 2025, 3:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nyt-spelling-bee-drives-me-crazy/994739/1347 "2025-04-08T15:32:36Z")
Lots of words today. And I got my first Queen Bee! ---
**Author:** ![dtilque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d6d6ee/32.png) [@dtilque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dtilque)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2025, 9:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nyt-spelling-bee-drives-me-crazy/994739/1348 "2025-04-08T21:22:24Z")
> [@Maserschmidt](#): > > Well, that might be a new speed record for me in my era of not using four letter words. Do you actually time yourself? I don’t but sometimes when I get QB without hints in a short amount of time, I note roughly how long it took me. That is, if I remember when I started, which I often don’t. Usually when I note the time, it’s because I started right at midnight, which is when a new puzzle comes out in this time zone. Anyway, my record is about 17 minutes, which I’ve done several times. Last night I got QB without hints, but it wasn’t quick enough to note the time. > [@Chefguy](#): > > And I got my first Queen Bee! Congratulations! ---
**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:** [April 8, 2025, 9:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nyt-spelling-bee-drives-me-crazy/994739/1349 "2025-04-08T21:23:54Z")
> [@dtilque](#): > > Do you actually time yourself? I don’t but sometimes when I get QB without hints in a short amount of time, I note roughly how long it took me. That is, if I remember when I started, which I often don’t. Usually when I note the time, it’s because I started right at midnight, which is when a new puzzle comes out in this time zone. > > Anyway, my record is about 17 minutes, which I’ve done several times. Last night I got QB without hints, but it wasn’t quick enough to note the time. That’s really impressive! I don’t often get to QB , and I don’t think I’ve done it in 17 minutes either way… But no, I haven’t timed myself. ---
**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:** [April 8, 2025, 11:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nyt-spelling-bee-drives-me-crazy/994739/1350 "2025-04-08T23:26:29Z")
> [@dtilque](#): > > Anyway, my record is about 17 minutes, which I’ve done several times. Last night I got QB without hints, but it wasn’t quick enough to note the time. Impressive. It often takes me the better part of a day to finish the basic Genius level, as my brain starts circling the drain and I get into a rut, needing a break. ---
**Author:** ![dtilque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d6d6ee/32.png) [@dtilque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dtilque)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2025, 11:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nyt-spelling-bee-drives-me-crazy/994739/1351 "2025-04-08T23:52:02Z")
> [@Chefguy](#): > > It often takes me the better part of a day to finish the basic Genius level, as my brain starts circling the drain and I get into a rut, needing a break. That’s how it was for me when I first started. But that was several years ago. ---
**Author:** ![dtilque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d6d6ee/32.png) [@dtilque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dtilque)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2025, 12:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nyt-spelling-bee-drives-me-crazy/994739/1352 "2025-04-09T12:57:43Z")
What’s the matter with MODULO? ---
**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:** [April 9, 2025, 1:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nyt-spelling-bee-drives-me-crazy/994739/1353 "2025-04-09T13:23:20Z")
Apparently you can’t have a single DOLDRUM. ---
**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:** [April 9, 2025, 1:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nyt-spelling-bee-drives-me-crazy/994739/1354 "2025-04-09T13:27:50Z")
That surprised me as well ---
**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:** [April 9, 2025, 1:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nyt-spelling-bee-drives-me-crazy/994739/1355 "2025-04-09T13:36:34Z")
Ridiculous. I have definitely had the singular. It’s just a milder version of the plural, I tell you (and I didn’t have to click the spoilers). ---
**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:** [April 9, 2025, 3:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nyt-spelling-bee-drives-me-crazy/994739/1356 "2025-04-09T15:09:26Z")
Good question. It was a allowed twice and now disallowed twice. ---
**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:** [April 9, 2025, 7:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nyt-spelling-bee-drives-me-crazy/994739/1357 "2025-04-09T19:00:31Z")
> [@Chefguy](#): > > Lots of words today. And I got my first Queen Bee! Great job. I knew you’d get there quickly. ---
**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:** [April 9, 2025, 7:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nyt-spelling-bee-drives-me-crazy/994739/1358 "2025-04-09T19:01:16Z")
For those of you who generally quit at Genius, do you consider yourself done if you get there without a pangram? ---
**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:** [April 9, 2025, 7:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nyt-spelling-bee-drives-me-crazy/994739/1359 "2025-04-09T19:08:57Z")
> [@hajario](#): > > do you consider yourself done if you get there without a pangram? Not that I always get to Genius, but I usually don’t quit until I get a pangram. I don’t need to get multiple pangrams (if they exist), but I try my darndest to get one. ---
**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:** [April 9, 2025, 7:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nyt-spelling-bee-drives-me-crazy/994739/1360 "2025-04-09T19:11:52Z")
> [@hajario](#): > > For those of you who generally quit at Genius, do you consider yourself done if you get there without a pangram? Nope. Every day is, with zero hints: Top success: Genius with a pangram, no 4-letter words Okay success: Had to resort to using 4-letter words I pretty much don’t stop until one of those happens. And very occasionally will go for QB if the word count is low. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nyt-spelling-bee-drives-me-crazy/994739.md?page=67) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nyt-spelling-bee-drives-me-crazy/994739.md?page=69)