NYT Dictionary

MANCALA

/mɑnkˈɑlʌ/
Nounman-CALAman-cala · 2 syllablesAdvanced/Professional

Accepted in official NYT Spelling Bee puzzle years: 2018, 2019, 2020, 2024

Meaning

Any of various board games, common throughout Africa and Asia, in which a move consists of emptying a pit and then its contents are sown one by one into ensuing pits.

Etymology

Origin: Arabic

Borrowed from Arabic مَنْقَلَة (manqala).

NYT Puzzle Appearances

Accepted in 1 recorded puzzle:

Join the Spelling Bee Community

Get solving strategies, rare word lists, and puzzle tips in your inbox every week.