Bee Roots for 2022-04-02

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: V/ACDEIN
  • Words: 54
  • Points: 269
  • Pangrams: 1
Source: © Ryan Deboodt / Oxalis Adventure Tours

Table content

  • with first two letters of answer and length
root #answers coveredanswer's first two lettersanswer's lengthclue for root (answer may need prefix, suffix, tense change, alt spelling, ...)
21AD6Guidance or recommendations about what to do in the future
11AD7Move forward, verb/noun
11AD8Move forward, verb/noun
41AV4Eager for or enthusisatic about (… reader)
31AV5Bird-related adj. (… Flu, e.g.)
51CA4Spanish sparkling wine, or vein to heart (vena …)
61CA4Large underground chamber, where stalactites and stalagmites form and bats live, noun; or give in (slang)
61CA5Large underground chamber, where stalactites and stalagmites form and bats live, noun; or give in (slang)
71CI5Popular Honda model, or municipal (adj.)
101DE6Something made for a purpose, especially a piece of mechanical or electronic equipment
321DE6Tube that returns blood to the heart
81DE7Cause someone to believe something that is not true; give a false impression
81DE8Cause someone to believe something that is not true; give a false impression
91DE8Depart from the norm
321DE8Tube that returns blood to the heart
111DI4Famous female opera singer; self-important person who is temperamental and difficult to please
131DI4Jump headfirst into water
121DI5Long low sofa without a back or arms
131DI5Jump headfirst into water
141DI6Separate into parts, or ÷ math operation
161DI6Of, from, or like God or a god (to forgive is…), adj.; or figure out from a hunch or prophesy
141DI7Separate into parts, or ÷ math operation
161DI7Of, from, or like God or a god (to forgive is…), adj.; or figure out from a hunch or prophesy
171DI7Break into parts for sharing (… up the proceeds)
151DI8$ paid quarterly by a stock; starts with above present
181EA4Roof overhang, NOT Adam’s mate
191EN6Leafy veg (Belgian…) AKA chicory; ends in unrelated list word;
201EN6Jealousy, noun/verb
221EV4Number that can be divided by 2 without a remainder, or flat & smooth; adj.; or to make or become that (… out the edges)
211EV5Escape or avoid, especially by cleverness or trickery
211EV6Escape or avoid, especially by cleverness or trickery
221EV6Number that can be divided by 2 without a remainder, or flat & smooth; adj.; or to make or become that (… out the edges)
241EV6Formal verb: reveal the presence of (a quality or feeling) (his words … his excitement)
241EV7Formal verb: reveal the presence of (a quality or feeling) (his words … his excitement)
231EV8Body of facts or information indicating whether a belief or proposition is true, noun/verb
231EV9Body of facts or information indicating whether a belief or proposition is true, noun/verb
251IN6Enter a region so as to subjugate or occupy it (what Russia is doing in Ukraine)
251IN7Enter a region so as to subjugate or occupy it (what Russia is doing in Ukraine)
261IV5Climbing plant with shiny, dark green five-pointed leaves (… League)
281NA4Central part of a church building
271NA5Showing a lack of experience, wisdom, or judgment
301VA4Conceited (Carly Simon “You’re So…”)
311VA4Device that shows wind direction
291VA7Injection given to provide immunity against a disease
321VE4Tube that returns blood to the heart
331VE4Sell, present + past (…-ing machine, e.g.)
321VE6Tube that returns blood to the heart
331VE6Sell, present + past (…-ing machine, e.g.)
351VI4Bad habit, or “Miami …” police show
361VI4Compete eagerly
371VI4Climbing plant (Marvin Gaye “I Heard It Through The Grape…”)
341VI5Meat, seafood, or vegetable dish that accompanies rice in a typical Filipino meal
391VI5Producing powerful feelings or strong, clear images in the mind (a … memory); or, of a color, intensely deep or bright
381VI6Music played in a lively and brisk manner

About this site

This site provides clues for a day's New York Times Spelling Bee puzzle. It exists to make it easier for Kevin Davis to take a day off. Most of the clues come from him. There may be some startup problems, but long term I think I can put the clues together with no more than half an hour's work.

The "Bee Roots" approach is to provide explicit clues for root words, not every word. This is similar to what Kevin Davis does, but without information about parts of speech 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.

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

Many thanks to Kevin Davis, whose 4,500-word clue list made this possible.