# 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:** 69
**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 9, 2025, 8:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nyt-spelling-bee-drives-me-crazy/994739/1361 "2025-04-09T20:41:25Z")
> [@Maserschmidt](#): > > Okay success: Had to resort to using 4-letter words I honestly don’t know how this can be done unless there are very few solution words. ---
**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:** [April 9, 2025, 8:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nyt-spelling-bee-drives-me-crazy/994739/1362 "2025-04-09T20:44:20Z")
Perhaps I have OCD because I like to use Spelling Bee Buddy to eliminate each letter in turn. So if there’s only two four-letter words starting with S, I will find those and then move onto the next letter. The goal is to reduce the number of starting letters remaining. ---
**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, 8:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nyt-spelling-bee-drives-me-crazy/994739/1363 "2025-04-09T20:47:21Z")
> [@Chefguy](#): > > > [@Maserschmidt](#): > > > > Okay success: Had to resort to using 4-letter words > > I honestly don’t know how this can be done unless there are very few solution words. I’m not following - what can’t be done? Pushing over the top with 4-letter words, or solving without them? ---
**Author:** ![needscoffee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/needscoffee/32/1076_2.png) [@needscoffee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/needscoffee)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2025, 8:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nyt-spelling-bee-drives-me-crazy/994739/1364 "2025-04-09T20:58:39Z")
> [@Chefguy](#): > > I honestly don’t know how this can be done unless there are very few solution words. Don’t forget that 4-letter words are only worth 1 point apiece. ---
**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 9, 2025, 9:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nyt-spelling-bee-drives-me-crazy/994739/1365 "2025-04-09T21:49:25Z")
Ah, math. Got it. ---
**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, 9:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nyt-spelling-bee-drives-me-crazy/994739/1366 "2025-04-09T21:57:01Z")
It’s only fair that I answer my own question. My goal, which I usually make, is to get Genius but it doesn’t feel quite right if I don’t have a pangram. Once I get there I mostly stop for the day but unless I am very busy I check from time to time to see if more words pop out at me. If I am reasonably close at some point, I try for QB. ---
**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 10, 2025, 12:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nyt-spelling-bee-drives-me-crazy/994739/1367 "2025-04-10T12:11:07Z")
> [@dtilque](#): > > Do you actually time yourself? Another easy day, a time between 2 and 3 minutes. I’ll take a run at QB later today. ---
**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 10, 2025, 6:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nyt-spelling-bee-drives-me-crazy/994739/1368 "2025-04-10T18:12:04Z")
I had an easy day too to get Genius with a pangram but it took a fair bit longer than 3 minutes. ---
**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 10, 2025, 6:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nyt-spelling-bee-drives-me-crazy/994739/1369 "2025-04-10T18:31:30Z")
Yeah, it was pretty easy. I tried doing just 5+ letter words, but finally ran out and had to throw in a bunch of fours to finish. ---
**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 10, 2025, 6:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nyt-spelling-bee-drives-me-crazy/994739/1370 "2025-04-10T18:53:28Z")
I don’t get the aversion to four-letters words. Do you just ignore them as they occur to you? My aim is always Queen Bee so I enter every word I can come up with. I often stop when I get to Genius, but I don’t stop _until_ I get to Genius (without hints.) There have been a few occasions where I just could not get the pangram, though. And there were other times I didn’t realize there were multiple pangrams. ---
**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 10, 2025, 7:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nyt-spelling-bee-drives-me-crazy/994739/1371 "2025-04-10T19:09:36Z")
> [@BlankSlate](#): > > I don’t get the aversion to four-letters words. Do you just ignore them as they occur to you? I’m not averse, I just generally find Genius too easy, so I spice it up a little. As I said, sometime I do have to add in those 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:** [April 10, 2025, 7:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nyt-spelling-bee-drives-me-crazy/994739/1372 "2025-04-10T19:41:07Z")
It’s more of a challenge and not one that I care to take on. ---
**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 10, 2025, 7:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nyt-spelling-bee-drives-me-crazy/994739/1373 "2025-04-10T19:57:52Z")
I just thought I’d try it once, but likely won’t continue down that road. ---
**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 12, 2025, 6:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nyt-spelling-bee-drives-me-crazy/994739/1374 "2025-04-12T18:15:05Z")
Bit surprised that ‘dibble’ isn’t allowed. Is gardening beneath Sam’s dignity? ---
**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 12, 2025, 6:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nyt-spelling-bee-drives-me-crazy/994739/1375 "2025-04-12T18:31:26Z")
The rare no-4-letter words, no-pangram Genius. I’ll have to go back and get that/those pangram(s). ---
**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 12, 2025, 6:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nyt-spelling-bee-drives-me-crazy/994739/1376 "2025-04-12T18:45:37Z")
Couldn’t find a pangram in today’s. ---
**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 12, 2025, 6:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nyt-spelling-bee-drives-me-crazy/994739/1377 "2025-04-12T18:47:08Z")
I also would have gotten Genius without any four letter words or pangram. Still can’t find the pangram ---
**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 12, 2025, 6:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nyt-spelling-bee-drives-me-crazy/994739/1378 "2025-04-12T18:57:16Z")
Well now we have us a puzzle! ---
**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 12, 2025, 7:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nyt-spelling-bee-drives-me-crazy/994739/1379 "2025-04-12T19:13:56Z")
> [@hajario](#): > > Still can’t find the pangram I thought I had it with bifolded, but it wouldn’t accept that. ---
**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 12, 2025, 7:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nyt-spelling-bee-drives-me-crazy/994739/1380 "2025-04-12T19:18:57Z")
Well, got it. Might as well make a charge at QB now… [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nyt-spelling-bee-drives-me-crazy/994739.md?page=68) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nyt-spelling-bee-drives-me-crazy/994739.md?page=70)