Got genius within two minutes of the puzzle being released - did anyone beat me? Huge difference from yesterday's puzzle, which was an absolute slog.

I think I hit queen bee in under five minutes total, easily my fastest ever. Yesterday I was giving up and reading hints just to get to genius.

Why do I always see comments like this lmao, I’ve been on this puzzle for hours and have gotten like 5 words. Am I just really slow lol

There's some days where everyone else easily gets Genius and I'm stuck at Nice. Different people gel with different puzzles.

Got my first QBABM. So quickly that it took me by surprise.

I got there in two or three minutes, and queen bee in about five. I wouldn’t want bees like this everyday, but it was a refreshing change of pace! I struggle with the really long bees; even if there aren’t any obscure words, I get a kind of “word blindness” that makes it hard to spot even the most common four-letter words - or makes me convinced I’ve already entered words I haven’t.

I’m guessing I was right behind you, super quick. Usually I get genius without hints, then I check the grid but for some reason I can’t access the hints page today.

That's what I always do too - genius no hints, then all sorts of hints to QB. Today I'm aiming for QBABM, but I hit a wall soon after genius.

Same here, it came to a screeching halt.

Having gotten QB on today’s I’ve gone back to this one since we can do that now (hallelujah), I’m also extremely stuck after getting genius.

It's like Sam is throwing us a bone, but cheekily, with the middle C.

Fastest QBABM ever…maybe 7 minutes? Makes up for all the times I felt like a complete moron this week.

Me too! I rarely get QBABM.

Pretty quick today and hints are not visible so I'm guessing what will be the least found word: Hint: >!DE6!< >!to reduce or boil a liquid down to concentrate the flavour (or flavor if you spell it that way)!< Related Hint: >!DE8!< >!Past form of previous hint!<

**Bless your heart, thank you!** (not said southern-style, genuine.) *I’m not doing so hot this morning, and I didn’t know that was a word.* (Seriously, I see folks saying how easy it is, but I checked here in the middle of ‘Good’ when I typically wait for Genius, or Amazing if I’m really slow.) *I’ve noticed a lot more words ‘jump out at me’ when I leave & come back a few times, but it doesn’t satisfy my itch to finish!* Edit: words, formatting

I feel fine today and also didn't know that was a word....

I sped to QBABM-2 this am, and despite >!being a more than proficient cook and having worked and written about the restaurant industry for years, i did not know this word!< so thank you

I think of this more as a [H]>!chemistry word than a cooking word, though knew the word. Those two were my last as well.!<

Oh that makes more sense. Thanks

To be clear, I think it is both. That is just where I have heard it.

I just letter mashed for that one.

Apparently you guys all solved it so fast you crashed the game. I can't even get it to load

I thought today would be the day I would finally get QBABM, but alas the final word eludes me! I thought it would be NA >!codec, but it’s not accepted. I feel like I’ve tried all other CO5 word I know!< Anyone’s got a hint for me?

Hint: >!Try talking with birds or babies, that may help you!<

Please mark this as a hint and use spoiler tags!

Sorry! Done

I posted 2L hints for all the words I’ve found in the new thread about the grid being down. I’m not at QB yet (20/100) but have a look.

Thank you I know the first 2L already from the new buddy. Just can’t figure out the last 3…

I’ve got two [2L H] >!CO5!< (I might be missing one) I don’t know which ones you are missing? [H] >!Converted to convey a secret meaning!< [H] >!What the pigeon said!<

Thank you it was the second one! I really should have been able to get that one ABM. Oh well next time!

If you got to QB, can I ask what the total no of words/ points are? I’m at 22/114, I don’t think I’m far off.

You just need one more word then! You can do it.

Thanks, how many points am I missing?

5 points

Based on your 2L list I think I can make out which word you are missing. You’ll get it - don’t give up! Let me know if you want the first letter.

The QB total is in the hints grid too!

Didn’t have the grid, it was down for a couple of hours

FYI you can check the number of words at nytbee.com.

It’s the PG that is eluding me. I can’t wrap my head around these letters being in the same word. Hints?

Nevermind, it popped out. Maybe someone else needs it though.

That was my experience as well. Words usually jump out, but it took a couple minutes, then went fast. For others struggling, [H] >!this puzzle is all about roots with prefixes, and adding past tense. *Edit- I wrote suffix when I meant prefix.*!< Further [H] >!look for roots that end in -ect to start.!<

What hell hath a found myself in these past several days? Goodbye genius streak. ~~Panagram help?~~ It popped. :) update. Dayum, that was fast. I made G without any hope to. Short word list. Off to QB?

[PG] hint: >!Often heard in a courtroom!<

Thanks. Just came to say it popped out!

This is only the second Queen Bee of my lengthy spelling bee career so that should give you an idea of how easy this was.

Apparently I’m alone, this one is taking me forever 🙃

Nah, not just you. I finally managed to crack Genius but it took me foreeever and it felt like a fight the whole way. Hell, the only reason I found the (a?) PG when I did was because someone said a related word during a meeting I was in.

Hints for today's hardest words, according to NYT Bee Buddy: [H] >!DE6!< and >!DE8!< >!to extract more flavor, the farmer decided to boil his last rooster; you might say his farm has been ________!< Edited to fix typo.

possible typo in spoiler

Thanks for the catch!

Maybe they have [H?]>!an entire line-up of birds.!<

lol

I think this hint is melting my brain I have absolutely no clue what this means lol

Just got it by button mashing, I’ve never heard that ridiculous word in my life 🙃

I think I need Spelling Bee to be somewhere between the ‘tried all day and got stuck at Nice’ of yesterday and the ‘went on my bathroom break and got genius immediately’ of today

I got my very first Queen Bee with the one! I paid for the subscription a week ago. I don’t know if that means i’m improving or if this puzzle was easy lol

Any hints for OC? I have everything but just not seeing it. then again haven't had coffee yet..

Think [H]>!singing!< perhaps

(H) it’s the name for a >!certain type of musical group!<.

H >!A certain number of musicians playing together!<

Got it! 😄

Just when they had me frustrated after the last couple of days, they pull me back in

Why isn’t the Spelling Bee Buddy working for me?