# 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:** 98
**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:** [August 15, 2025, 7:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nyt-spelling-bee-drives-me-crazy/994739/1941 "2025-08-15T19:07:06Z")
I endorse this comment. ---
**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:** [August 15, 2025, 7:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nyt-spelling-bee-drives-me-crazy/994739/1942 "2025-08-15T19:21:54Z")
To expand, today’s list of accepted words included untune, unpen and unopen, but not unpeel, untent, untone or unlet (all of which were in Merriam-Webster). ---
**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:** [August 15, 2025, 7:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nyt-spelling-bee-drives-me-crazy/994739/1943 "2025-08-15T19:49:51Z")
Your last one was allowed. ---
**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:** [August 15, 2025, 7:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nyt-spelling-bee-drives-me-crazy/994739/1944 "2025-08-15T19:57:29Z")
Sorry, yes, you are correct. Still it seems random which compound words are acceptable. ---
**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:** [August 15, 2025, 7:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nyt-spelling-bee-drives-me-crazy/994739/1945 "2025-08-15T19:58:53Z")
Totally agree. ---
**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:** [August 16, 2025, 3:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nyt-spelling-bee-drives-me-crazy/994739/1946 "2025-08-16T03:14:36Z")
Today was a bear for me but I finally got there. ---
**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:** [August 16, 2025, 2:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nyt-spelling-bee-drives-me-crazy/994739/1947 "2025-08-16T14:16:40Z")
Saturday: Genius at 272 and QB at ~388. I foresee a jillion -ING words and endless hit-or-miss UN- words. Might just take the day off. ---
**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:** [August 16, 2025, 2:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nyt-spelling-bee-drives-me-crazy/994739/1948 "2025-08-16T14:38:59Z")
Exactly. I stopped midway and might take another leisurely look, but as it occasionally does this feels like work, and I’m retired. ---
**Author:** ![dtilque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d6d6ee/32.png) [@dtilque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dtilque)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2025, 4:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nyt-spelling-bee-drives-me-crazy/994739/1949 "2025-08-16T16:05:07Z")
Hmm, no GUNRUNNING? ---
**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:** [August 16, 2025, 4:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nyt-spelling-bee-drives-me-crazy/994739/1950 "2025-08-16T16:22:58Z")
I tried that as well. ---
**Author:** ![dtilque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d6d6ee/32.png) [@dtilque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dtilque)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2025, 4:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nyt-spelling-bee-drives-me-crazy/994739/1951 "2025-08-16T16:41:51Z")
Just noticed NICARAGUA would be a pangram today. NIAGARA is there too, although not a pangram, of course. ---
**Author:** ![gkster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gkster/32/14107_2.png) [@gkster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gkster)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2025, 5:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nyt-spelling-bee-drives-me-crazy/994739/1952 "2025-08-16T17:03:38Z")
I finished yesterday’s just now, and spoilering in case anyone is still working on it, I’m not a fan of the hardest to find word according to the stats, PENULT. I see it’s in M-W, but my phone dictionary doesn’t like it either. ---
**Author:** ![gkster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gkster/32/14107_2.png) [@gkster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gkster)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2025, 12:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nyt-spelling-bee-drives-me-crazy/994739/1953 "2025-08-17T00:40:04Z")
Somehow, today’s 71 words didn’t feel as difficult as yesterday’s 50. And I wonder why ARGAN isn’t allowed, considering argan oil is so popular in shampoos and other hair care. ---
**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:** [August 17, 2025, 12:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nyt-spelling-bee-drives-me-crazy/994739/1954 "2025-08-17T00:53:56Z")
> [@Maserschmidt](#): > > I stopped midway and might take another leisurely look, Foundered my way casually to Genius while watching sportsball. ---
**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:** [August 17, 2025, 1:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nyt-spelling-bee-drives-me-crazy/994739/1955 "2025-08-17T01:06:06Z")
No AGARIC. Sam is a no fun gi. ---
**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:** [August 17, 2025, 11:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nyt-spelling-bee-drives-me-crazy/994739/1956 "2025-08-17T11:27:08Z")
No ADIABATIC, CATTED, DACE ---
**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:** [August 17, 2025, 12:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nyt-spelling-bee-drives-me-crazy/994739/1957 "2025-08-17T12:34:11Z")
Yeah, tried the first two of those, didn’t have much expectation. ---
**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:** [August 18, 2025, 8:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nyt-spelling-bee-drives-me-crazy/994739/1958 "2025-08-18T08:47:53Z")
It’s been quite awhile since I hit Queen Bee without stopping to think at all. Always a fun feeling. ---
**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:** [August 18, 2025, 3:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nyt-spelling-bee-drives-me-crazy/994739/1959 "2025-08-18T15:20:32Z")
Yes, for whatever reason, today’s Spelling Bee (pangram: inflexible) was easier than most. ---
**Author:** ![dtilque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d6d6ee/32.png) [@dtilque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dtilque)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2025, 4:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nyt-spelling-bee-drives-me-crazy/994739/1960 "2025-08-18T16:56:22Z")
I didn’t find it quite so easy as the last time those letters came up (with a different index letter). My notes say I got a QB without hints in about an hour that time. This time I felt stumped with 7 points to go, so went to the hints for the last three words. Did not go to the Buddy, though. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nyt-spelling-bee-drives-me-crazy/994739.md?page=97) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nyt-spelling-bee-drives-me-crazy/994739.md?page=99)