explicate vs speculate

explicate and speculate both are verbs.

Word	Noun	Adjective	Verb	Adverb
explicate	No	No	Yes	No
speculate	No	No	Yes	No

As verbs, speculate is a hypernym of explicate; that is, speculate is a word with a broader meaning than explicate:

Other hypernyms of explicate include conjecture, hypothecate, hypothesise, hypothesize, suppose, theorise, theorize.

explicate (verb)	speculate (verb)
make plain and comprehensible	reflect deeply on a subject
elaborate, as of theories and hypotheses	to believe especially on uncertain or tentative grounds
	talk over conjecturally, or review in an idle or casual way and with an element of doubt or without sufficient reason to reach a conclusion
	invest at a risk