NYT Dictionary

GOOGLY

/ˈɡʉːɡli/
NounAdjectiveGOO-glygoo-gly · 2 syllablesCollege

Accepted in official NYT Spelling Bee puzzle years: 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025, 2026

Meaning

A ball, bowled by a leg-break bowler, that spins from off to leg (to a right-handed batsman), unlike a normal leg-break delivery.

Etymology

Origin: Unknown

Unknown; perhaps derived from googie (“an egg, in reference to the unusual direction of bounce”). Though the delivery was perfected and made famous by English cricketer Bernard Bosanquet, circa 1900, the term is recorded earlier in Australian English (1896).

Synonyms & Antonyms

Synonyms

bosieboseywrong 'unbosie ballartificeblindbluffcatchchicanerycurve

NYT Puzzle Appearances

Accepted in 13 recorded puzzles:

+1 earlier appearances in the archive.

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