Bee Roots for 2025-08-03

The table provides clues for the roots of words in today's NY Times Spelling Bee. You're responsible for prefixes, suffixes, tense changes, plurals, doubling consonants before suffixes, and alternate spellings of roots. An exception: since Sam won't allow S, when the root contains an S, the clue may be for a plural or suffixed form. "Mice" for example. If a clue isn't self-explanatory, try googling it. The TL;DR about the site comes after the table.

Past clues are available here

 
Today's puzzle
  • Letters: E/AGLNOY
  • Words: 53
  • Points: 207
  • Pangrams: 1
Source: pngwing.com

Table content

root #answers coveredanswer's first letterclue for root (answer may need prefix, suffix, tense change, alt spelling, ...)
11AGeologic time period, spelled with an æsc; “… Flux” anime
21AEverlasting (literally, “how old you are” + “short” antonym), compound adj.
31APond scum
41AClaim without proof
51A(Bio term) 1 of 2 or more versions of a gene
61ANarrow passageway between buildings. (… cat, …-oop)
71ASunburn gel from “… vera” plant
81AHarp-playing winged heaven resident, or Xmas tree topper
91AThey can be acute, right, or obtuse
101AHeat then cool metal or glass slowly to toughen it
111AUnspecified person, “nobody” antonym; compound
401ASolitary (… wolf, e.g.), adj.
121EA bald one is the USA's national bird
131ESnake-like fish
141EWhat baby birds hatch from, noun; or throw those things at a house or car, verb; or encourage someone to do something, usually something dumb, verb
151ECreamy Xmas drink with nutmeg & rum
161EÉnérgy, stylé, énthusiasm; from Frénch
171EPoem that’s a lament for the dead
181ECommit to marry (with an …-ment ring)
191GA “herd” of geese
201GStrong wind storm
211GOld Spanish sailing ship, not 128 liquid oz.
221GShip or plane kitchen
231GMeasuring dial (fuel …)
241G(Smucker’s) fruit preserve, or cosmetic cream, French spelling (with 3 E’s)
251GDNA sequence that determines traits, or singing cowboy Autry
261GStudy of family history, pangram
271GStudy of rocks
281GGather info from various sources, or take leftover grain after a harvest
291GDelight, choir (… club), or TV show about a HS choir
301GNarrow valley, or Eagles singer Frey
311GEye protector for swimming or skiing; or stare with wide & bulging eyes
321GAway, out of, past; adj. (“… Girl” film with Affleck)
331GSticky or slimy substance
341GPopular web search site
351LSmall road (Beatles’ Penny … or Superman’s Lois …)
362LNot fatty (… meat), adj.; or incline (… back in your chair)
371LBody part that connects the rest of you to your feet
382LLaw adj. (not forbidden by law)
391LTheater section behind orchestra
402LSolitary (… wolf, e.g.), adj.
411NHawaiian goose & state bird
421NAtomic number 10, gas in lighted signs
431NXmas time, or playwright Coward
441NQuantity of zero; “all” antonym
451OStudy of wine
461OS–shaped line or molding, noun; or having a double continuous S–shaped curve, adj.
471OEye amorously
481OMargarine
491YShout (Billy Idol’s “Rebel …”)

About this site

This site provides clues for a day's New York Times Spelling Bee puzzle. It follows in Kevin Davis' footsteps. The original set of 4,500 clues came from him, and they still make up about three quarters of the current clue set.

The "Bee Roots" approach is to provide explicit clues for root words, not every word. As logophiles, we are pretty good at putting on prefixes and suffixes, changing tense, and forming plurals (including Latin plurals!). The clues cover root words, arranged alphabetically by root word, with a count of words in the puzzle that come from each root. For example, if a puzzle includes ROAM and ROAMING, there will be a clue for ROAM and a count of 2. The root may not appear in the puzzle at all; for example, the 2021-07-23 Bee included ICED, DEICE, and DEICED. For such a puzzle, the clue would be for ICE with a word count of 3.

The Bee Roots approach involves judgement sometimes. For example, if a puzzle includes LOVE, LOVED, and LOVELY, how many roots are needed to cover them? LOVE and LOVED share the root LOVE, certainly, but LOVELY is tricky. LOVE is part of its etymology, but by now, the word means "exquisitely beautiful," which is a lot farther from the meaning of LOVE than swithcing to past tense. I'm inclined to treat LOVE and LOVELY as separate roots. You may not agree, which is fine. Another thing we logophiles share is a LOVE of arguing about words on Twitter.

A few words can have one meaning as a suffixed form and another as a stand-alone word. EVENING, for example. In those cases I will use the meaning that I think is more common.

One last complication, until another one pops up: a few roots have multiple spellings, for example LOLLYGAG and LALLYGAG. Depending on the day's letters, and maybe even the editor's whims, one or both could be in the puzzle's answer list. With such roots, you could see a word count of 2, even if there are no applicable prefixes or suffixes.

I will do my best to keep this site up to date and helpful (I hope). Check it out, and tweet feedback to @donswartwout Tweet to @donswartwout